More adventures...

My wonderful friend Tessa made me a book to flip through while I am here. It is filled with poems, pictures, a birthday card, and word searches to do while on safari. I am laughing to myself today because the poem she wrote eludes to me being grouchy whenever it gets hot. I confess, I am not the most pleasant person to be around when it gets hot outside. California did me in on several occasions. I got quite a bit of caution during finals week that if I was whining because of California’s heat, I would die in Africa. Unfortunately, I’ve been doing a different kind of whining. It is winter in Nairobi. The combination of winter in Africa, very unreliable hot water, and a suitcase full of tank tops and skirts has made for an interesting first week. I have worn my one sweatshirt almost twenty-four hours a day since I’ve been here and it definitely needs a wash. My dilemma however, is that if I wash that sweatshirt I may freeze to death as I wait for it to dry… which could take days.

Because today is my 21st birthday we finished our meetings in the morning and had the rest of the afternoon off. I have used it to take a nap and lie under the covers all day with a book. Really, that is a great birthday! I was notified today that in Kenya the traditional way to celebrate is to break an egg and a mixture of milk and sugar over your head. I was lucky they just put a flower in my hair and sent me a fruit basket filled with mangos, papaya and other exotic fruit that I don’t recognize. We also went out to Thai food and ice cream this evening.

Since my last update we have mainly been doing business research. We split up in two groups to cover our two main business prospects. My group took the tourism sector. We have been exploring the possibility of becoming a marketing branch to market Kenyan safaris and tours to the American market. Early in the week we had an appointment with KATO (Kenya Association of Tour Operators) and got a book full of all licensed, established Tour operators in the country. Our theme for the week has been “This is Africa.” In the US, using a book like that would be relatively simple, addresses, phone numbers etc. would help you to get to a business office and get connected with the people you need. Ten minutes into our research we realized this was not the case here. For a tiny snapshot, only 75% of roads that were listed in the book are on the map, and of those listed none have cross streets or exact building names. Instead, they are all listed by what “house” or building they are in. This proved VERY challenging to track them down.
On Wednesday, we looked up businesses that were in the Langata neighborhood and stopped by to do some research. We realized that all of those tour operators were actually run out of homes. So we conducted several interviews outside of guarded gates (which most homes have) after trying to explain to the security guards why we were there and who we were looking for.
Part of our research is looking for needs that already exist in Kenya. The reoccurring theme is business consulting. I am so overwhelmed at the level of knowledge I have in comparison to many of these tour operators simply because I’ve been to school. The need is especially strong in marketing, the problem is there isn’t really the money to pay a marketing company. Even companies that have a strong product or service don’t have access to customers. Websites are the only form of marketing and because of the slow internet and lack of development it is really difficult for anyone to search the internet and find businesses.

We have definitely had the opportunity to see ministry in our business meetings this week. One of our meetings outside of a security gate happened to be with an ex-pat named Vivian who invited us in for tea and a tour of her office. She had been sponsoring a local Kenyan guy to go to school for three years with the expectation that he would return and come to run her business. To make a long story short, two days before we arrived he announced to her that he wasn’t going to take the business and left with many of her customers—right before receiving his diploma. She was feeling very hopeless and very desperate. That betrayal, in addition to a number of poor business decisions, have left her in a place of becoming very bitter. “This is a country of beggars” she said, and continued to explain that we shouldn’t have compassion because it will only disappoint us in the end.

Our experience with Vivian led us to a lot of prayer and discussion. I think more than anything else it made me want to be constantly aware of the condition of my heart. The natural reaction to disappointment is bitterness, anger, and a withholding of compassion. Sixty years from now I want to be full of generosity, care, and genuine love for people.

I talked to someone online yesterday who said “It seems like you are doing exactly what you’ve always wanted to do.” She was right. I love to travel, to see other cultures, to work with new teams, to see how people grow and love the Lord in different contexts. People who choose to really experience life sometimes get bruised when they see the world. Things like the slums of Kibera or a betrayal by someone you’ve invested three years of time and money into could easily lead you into bitterness. I think that is why hope becomes a crucial part of the gospel.
1 Peter 3 addresses this perfectly when it says “…live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with a blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.” Later he writes, “But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” I hope that my travel leads me not to bitterness, or to seek more adventures. Instead, to a soft heart, which is dependent on Christ as Lord, and living in a way that demonstrates hope.

Continue to pray that I see how that fits into the work we are doing here practically. While there is an element to the processing that I have been doing here that is theoretical, we are also working very practically this summer to hopefully start a business in the next year or so. Because of that, I can’t help but think of the opportunities and needs here and hope that I will get to see them to follow through in the coming years.

I am looking forward to worshiping with the Nairobi Baptist Church again this weekend and possibly walk through Kibera with a local man that we met near our hotel. We will also be continuing our research with a focus on an auto parts import business this weekend. I hope you are all having a wonderful summer!