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Published: December 24th 2008
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Merry Christmas everyone! And, Merry, Happy whatever other holidays you may observe this time of year. Since this season is a time of giving, gathering and good wishes, my greeting of Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, or Happy New Year holds hope for peace and good life for all.
Although I returned to the U.S. from Africa almost five months ago, I’ve wanted to write more blogs of my experiences. And, so for Christmas, I decided to send my greeting to you in the story of last Christmas, which I spent in Oyugis, Kenya.
Looking back to one year ago, I was at the Mama na Dada (mother and sister) program in Kunya Village. This is the village where I helped in the clinic, Kunya Dispensary, and financed the building of new shelves and some other improvements to more safely and efficiently store medical supplies. Other volunteers at Kunya with me were Jayne (U.S., my hut mate), Sarah (New Zealand), Sozan (Vancouver, BC), and Windsor (U.S.). The national election, which would change the course of our stays in Kenya, would take place two days after Christmas. At this time, citizens across Kenya, especially the Luo, predominately in Nyanza Province, were
optimistic and excited about voting in the coming election, and hopeful of positive change.
In our Mama na Dada compound, Dona, our caretaker, and her younger sister, Nora, helping out while on school vacation, dearly wanted to go home for Christmas. Dona could only go if all the volunteers would go with her. She missed her mother and family dearly, and we could not let her be disappointed. So, on December 24, we all set off in a private matatu, sent by her brother, and travelled for about 3.5 hours to Oyugis.
While Kunya was hot and dry, Oyugis was higher, cooler, and much greener. In Kunya, we seldom had fruit and few vegetables, while Oyugis was an oasis of fruits and vegetables. Not to say that we had a perfect trip or that the volunteers had a fabulous time. We had come for Dona. Her extended family had gathered for the holiday, and they all were happy to be together. They warmly welcomed us all, and gave us all the hospitality they had. Truthfully, we would have had a better time relaxing back at our Mama na Dada compound and comfortable huts, but I really wanted to make
the best of it, and make Dona comfortable. She really wanted us to be happy, so she could enjoy her family.
Some background on the family. Dona’s mother was the fourth and final wife of Dona’s father. Dona’s father, 70 years old, had died of a stroke, I think in October. He was greatly missed. And, unlike many polygamists in Kenya, he had been a good husband to all his wives and a good father to all his children. They all lived in one compound, and each wife had her own home. The wives all loved each other, and considered all the children and grandchildren as part of one family. The wives were all school teachers, and all retired, except for Dona’s mother, who would be retiring soon. Public school teachers are mandatorily retired at age 55 in Kenya, to make way for new jobs. Fortunately, as a civil servant, retired teachers are paid a pension, except that payments do not start until at least two years past retirement, and the retiree usually must spend a good deal of time, transportation money, and other expenses to keep the system on task to start payments. Anyway, we were spending Christmas
Volunteers and Family
Dona is 3rd from top right; her mom is tallest with our gift. with four widows, their children, and grandchildren. Children of teachers are always educated, so most were well employed or self-employed (outside of the village), and all the grandchildren of school age were attending good schools. Everyone ate well, everyone was healthy, and all wore good clothes. While Dona and the other older siblings (and their children) lived outside the village in a more modern world, the widows were struggling, without their husband, to educate and raise their younger children still at home and in school, or without jobs. I spent Christmas 2007 with this large family.
Being together was their Christmas. There was no gift giving - family was the gift. Older children helped mothers, grandmothers, and aunts with cooking and chores. Early on Christmas morning, two of Dona’s younger siblings decorated the living room with crepe paper streamers and balloons. Before the four other volunteers came to the compound from Dona’s brother’s home a short trek away (I slept in one of the houses on the compound), I joined the children and others present for mandasi (fried chunks of sweet bread that tastes like cake doughnuts) and tea. While I was dismayed that this was the children’s breakfast,
they thoroughly enjoyed it! What happened next was my great surprise of the holiday - the making of a Christmas tree!
Before I realized what was going on, I noticed Dona’s youngest brother (I am sorry that I’ve forgotten most names, and I don’t journal, but he was the sweetest guy!) chopping on a tree in the compound. Soon, a large, bushy evergreen limb fell to the ground. Next, he put it in a can and was trying to stand it up, but the limb and can kept falling over. By this time, I got it. I looked around and noticed a large clay jar against one the buildings and asked if we could use it. Everyone thought I was brilliant when we put the branch in the jar and everything stayed upright and stable! Then, Dona’s mother came with a box of cotton, which I was to learn was for making little tufts of snow for the Christmas tree. Children came from the house with crepe paper streamers and balloons. These were the three items with which we would transform a bushy branch into a delightful Christmas tree. All the children participated, and I happily joined in this unexpected and thoroughly delightful experience. The children were all enchanting and enchanted, most of all Derek, who had just turned three. Up to this point, Derek never spoke a word, and seldom smiled or made a sound. My heart went out to this darling little boy. He was soooo cute! But, his mother, a teenager still in school (grandma took care of him while his mother attended boarding school), was impatient with him, often yelled at him and spanked him - which broke my heart. He was such an adorable little guy. But, Derek was really into decorating the Christmas tree - he was so excited, and was constantly saying “Merry Christmas” as he seriously stuck little tufts of cotton snow onto branches.
After Dona's youngest brother set up the tree in the house, I showed how to use tree boughs and red crepe paper streamers to decorate the doorway. When the other volunteers arrived at the house, they were surprised with a fully decorated living room, including a Christmas tree decked out in balloons, crepe paper streamers, and tufts of cotton snow. As the day progressed, we ate a delicious meal (all local, traditional food - Kenyan, that is - no turkey, gravy, dressing, etc.), then several of the adults headed to Oyugis town (on foot). Another cultural surprise - on Christmas Day, the town was bustling with people, and businesses were open. We ended our day of Christmas celebrations at an outdoor patio bar, where my fellow volunteer, Jayne, who has become a good friend, gave me her cell phone to make Christmas calls to home.
The following day, the main street of Oyugis looked very different. We entered town to see an overturned government vehicle burning in the street, and a large group of protestors - a sign of violence that would erupt across the country by the end of the week, following the emotionally-charged rigged election. I miss Kenya. My friends there say the negotiated government (the corrupt President got to keep the post he refused to concede; the true winner was named to a new office of Prime Minister - the two share leadership) seems to be working. The people continue to hope. Some people, like Pamela, Duncan, Emmanuel and Lillian aren’t depending on hope. They work hard every day to help empower their communities to improve their own lives.
Merry Christmas 2008 and Happy New Year 2009 to all my friends and family everywhere - including Kenya.
Peace and love,
Denise
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