For the last day in this series, which I have titled “Tripidation“, because it was the trip I took with trepidation, I have a miracle to share with you. Yes today, like all previous six posts, is inspired by one word. I’ve reflected on my trip through the words JOY, Faith, HOPE, Serve, Grateful, LOVE and now Miracle.  And boy do I have a story to tell that is quite literally a miracle.

One of the major events of the pilgrimage to the Holy Cross Dandora Parish by the group from St. Monica’s was the much anticipated opening of the Our Lady of Visitation Maternity Hospital. This hospital, on the grounds of the Parish in Dandora, was in gestation for several years under the nurturing guidance of Jill Tabit and her non-profit New DAWN. Though she humbly says she only helped connect the dots, she was the tireless leader of it all. Joining  with the strengths of the University of Notre Dame, this clinic will serve a much needed community of expectant mothers that quite literally have no where else near to safely deliver their babies. On the 11th of June, a glorious Saturday, the locals were out in force to help christen the new center.  The staff were overjoyed to be on the inaugural team at this facility where finally the village women could give birth with dignity and care.

But the most amazing miracle happened that day. After all the festivities, the ribbon cutting, tour of the center, music, dancing and a buffet lunch, a baby appeared. Two women found a newborn baby abandoned at the nearby dump and brought him to the maternity hospital. It was apparent that he was healthy but needed immediate care. He was going to be fine, and thanks be to God this center was there.  With all the medical facilities and staff  who were well able to look after him it was an utter miracle he was found and brought to safety. He was given the name Moses. How fitting as it mirrored the Bible story about the prophet Moses, also an orphan. As I got the chance to hold him, my heart ached thinking about the mother giving birth, probably scared and alone. I wondered what happened to her.  But I was relieved that he was healthy and safe and happily sleeping in my arms.

I would have taken Moses back home with us if that were possible. But the law states you have to be a resident of Kenya for 18 months to adopt. But he is in my prayers and is a reminder that all life is precious. Even Steve Jobs, the man behind the success of Apple Computers (on which I am typing this post) was given up for adoption. His mother also scared I am sure, but she was brave enough to bring him into this world. And boy he sure made his mark. As so many children who were given the gift of adoption, a chance for life like John Lennon.  I pray for Moses and how he might make a positive difference in the world like they did.  And I pray for all those moms in Dandora that now have a better chance at the miracle of childbirth because of the Our Lady of Visitation Maternity Hospital.

A little footnote, today I was doing a pancake tutorial on my snapchat account (username blissbakery) and I think we had a visitation of our own. No joke. I think I can see Our Lady the Blessed Virgin Mary on this pancake. Considering that I was aiming for a bunny, at first I felt like it was a major cookery fail. Now I am beaming thinking this is a cookery miracle!

I received so many messages from people saying, yes they could see it. However, where I saw praying hands, others said, no it is her holding baby Jesus. Miracles are everywhere folks. This entire experience to Dandora one of the largest slums in Kenya, Africa was so incredible. Thank you to those of you who joined me on Snapchat, Instagram, and those only reading about it here. I feel so honored to have been a part of the St. Monica’s team that traveled there, grateful to my Hubby for taking me, and to all the people whom I met there. My heart is forever transformed.

Believing in the miracle of LOVE,

YDP

It is day six in this series of my trip to Kenya, Africa.  In using one word each day as inspiration, today’s word is probably my favorite.  LOVE!  I talk about it all the time, I have an affinity for heart shapes, and have worked hard to become fluent in the 5 LOVE languages.  But that is because spreading LOVE is my purpose in life.  And I want to use every possible language necessary to do that.  Therefore, I was very excited for today to come.

I will share a story I wrote for a group blog that was set up for the team of travelers of which my Hubby and I were a part.  This story was one of the key experiences of my time in Dandora, one of the largest slums in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya.  I supposed it was the moment that all my trepidation about this trip eased. I realized that I had to communicate these feelings and this notion of a “tripidation” series came to mind. Tomorrow will be the final day in the series.  But for now, just let your heart be touched by a young boy named Eugene.

Yesterday was such an incredible day of LOVE!  For me personally, being witness to the good Veronika’s Place is doing by distributing food to those in need, brought back a flood of emotions.  I experienced poverty as a child and we often went to food banks and churches for help.  Even the young ones have a sense of what is going on when their mother’s are lining up for their rations.  And so I was drawn to a little fella with a torn red sweater and sad face who was sitting on the ground.  I didn’t know which woman was his mother, but I just got on the ground and started playing with him.  At first he was shy, but over time he and I were laughing and hugging.  We were building towers with stones, tickling each other, and I sang nursery rhymes to him.  I don’t know Swahili and he doesn’t know English but it didn’t matter.  We just became friends.

He climbed aboard our team’s bus and looked like he belonged on there!  Eventually his mother came.  She was a beautiful young woman and very soft spoken.  She saw how happy Eugene was and let him continue to play with me for a while.  But they had to get going as they had arrived very early to line up to receive their number.  Eugene cried when she told him in Swahili that it was time to go.  I was crying too.  I remembered I had a banana in my bag on the bus.  I asked his mom if it was okay if I gave it to him and she thanked me.  His big brown eyes got even bigger and the tears stopped.  He was so delighted with his snack and tucked into his banana like it was his new best friend.

As they walked away, Eugene with his banana and his mother with her bag of food, I knew why I was here.  I will always have a pang of hunger in my heart remembering my time as a child like Eugene.  And that pang propels me to continue to help in any way I can to feed those in need.  I was fed yesterday too, but the food was LOVE and it filled my heart. Thanks be to God!

LOVE,

YDP

Welcome back to day five of “Tripidation” as I share with you my recent trip to Kenya, Africa.  Luckily, even with so much trepidation about going, I am glad I trusted my Hubby as he encouraged me to go.  He had been ten years before and it had such a profound impact on him that when the ten year anniversary of that trip was nearing we decided to go together.  It was one of the best decisions ever!   Today, I am going to share a story Hubby wrote for a group blog on which those that traveled together to Dandora contributed.  However, the blog is still unfinished and this post never went on it.  So today, I’ll let his insight and his photos tell the story through one word as inspiration.  That word is SERVE!

From Doug:

Ten years ago I had the privilege to accompany St Monica’s on the annual pilgrimage to Kenya. It was a life changing experience in so many ways. I documented it on film and shared it with the St. Monica community (click on the link here to view). I always knew I wanted to come back to this beautiful country. I encouraged my wife to visit as I knew the children would touch her heart.

Yesterday she spent time working in the kitchen at St. James Primary School (she just so happens to be a trained chef). When I went to see how she was doing I witnessed something that made me realize why I kept urging her to visit here. I saw how happy she was serving lunch to the precious children and playing with them and simply sharing the LOVE. One of the scriptures she reads every day is from John 21:15-17 when Jesus asks Simon Peter “Do you love me? Feed my sheep!”

It was so wonderful of him to write those words and take these pictures!  I am actually overwhelmed feeling so blessed to have had this opportunity to serve. I feel like I didn’t do enough, yet it has infused me with passion to continue to do more.  My inspiration is the amazing woman Julia who does it everyday as I shared in the “trepidation” post called grateful.  She is the head chef at the school and “feeds the sheep” day in and out using what make shift conditions she has, and she does it all with a smile.  Health and Safety regulations over in the Western world would not look too highly upon that I am sure.  While they are looking for the errant spark from the stove, they are missing that spark in her eyes that comes from being able to serve her community.  And I got a bit of that spark to ignite my soul for years to come!

To serve and to LOVE,

YDP

P.S. I saw this sign up at the Brother Andre Dispensary (the onsite medical clinic there) and it is a wonderful reflection on offering service to others.

For day three of my series on the “tripidation” to Kenya, the trip that was taken with loads of trepidation, I have chosen HOPE as the inspirational word. I just have a few thoughts to share with you and then I will leave you with some wonderful photos, taken by my Hubby.

When “we” (those of us living in Western affluent societies) go to a place like Dandora, one of the largest slums of Nairobi, we are faced with a palpable situation.  From the smells (yes the city dump that resides there really stinks) to the visceral images of dirt and poverty, this way of life is very different.  And if you look at it from the perspective of what might seem repulsive to you, then it is hard to grasp.  But this is their reality.  Yet, I discovered that amidst this, they have a grounded sense of hope.  In fact,  more hope than many people I have encountered elsewhere, especially those who appear to have more going for them in their lives.  But it isn’t about a clean environment, pretty things or a big paycheck, it is about what it all means. Those things are all temporary anyway.  So maybe this immense hope is their response, their knowing what the true meaning of life is.

Nothing describes this more than pictures.  They tell the story better.  It is a story of a community so passionate about having their own spiritual home, their sanctuary, right at the center of it all.  Those with barely more than a shilling to spare in a year, raised money to build this new church.  Yes, our church home in Santa Monica donated money to help as well.  But we are sister churches and that is what you ought to do, help family.  And just a reminder that the average income of those in Dandora is $125 per year vs that of Santa Monica which is $73, 649.

The day the new church was dedicated, the archbishop arrived to consecrate it, and everyone, and I mean everyone that could be there was there. The parishioners felt it was such an honor that his eminence would travel to the slums.  It might have been the most important day in the lives of the congregation. The heightened emotion was multi layered, but certainly the most prescient was hope that it had all come to fruition.

 What was once a piece of land, just dirt, overlooking a mountain of rubbish, became hope incarnate. After worshipping in a tiny ramshackle rusted patio/garage with a couple of make shift benches for over 20 years, they finally had a place that they could call home.  Instead of numerous smaller masses in the old church, they looked forward to a spiritual oasis where they could all fit in together to sing, dance and celebrate as one. A break from the harsh realities of their daily struggle.

The photos below show the city dump. In the photo on the left you can see a person (most likely scavenging), a bird and a tractor. In the photo on the right you can just barely make out a roof of a building.

This photo below shows the whole picture. The dump and the new Holy Cross Parish Worship Center named Saint Andre Bessett Church . To the unsuspecting eye it looks like a church on top of a trash dump, but I think it looks like a Phoenix Rising from the ashes!  It is an earthy vision of hope, one which I believe the people of Dandora have stored up in their hearts.  That of a heavenly hope they long for one day.

Hoping for LOVE,

YDP