From Geoffrey to You! The rich amongst the Poor

Praise report. My fever seems to have gone away

Friday May 8, 2009

The rich amongst the poor

Most of the messages I have written so far and the commercials you see
late at night all depict the idea that everyone in Africa is starving
and everyone in Africa is HIV positive, I don’t want you to think that
is all there is here. 60% of this nation is unemployed. There are
hundreds of people who die each day from AIDS. Not everyone gets to
eat each day, an estimated 800 million people wont eat today. Many
single mothers are forced into prostitution. Many people are behind
on rent. We gave out a soda to every child at the camp and some
children wont get another until the next camp but some will get soda
on a regular basis. Not everyone eats three times a day or even every
day, but some do. Many people are only able to afford dried corn and
beans to eat. Many people lack running water and electricity. Many
people wear rags with holes. Many people don’t wear shoes or are
wearing shoes that don’t fit or are broken. Many people are
overworked and underpaid. Many people die of starvation and
malnutrition. Diseases that are wiped out in America are still found
in Kenya. There is starvation, there is poverty, and there is a lot
of hurt and pain in this place but not everyone is suffering. Not
everyone lacks basic sanitation, school fees and food. Not everyone
makes less than a dollar per day. I have written a lot about the
suffering and struggle that many people face on a daily basis here I
think because I was overwhelmed by what I saw, but I don’t want you to
think that is all there is here. I want to let you know that there is
more than that. The rich exist in this place and a middle class does
exist. Today I want to write to you about someone who has been able
to build up a treasure in heaven as well as a treasure here on earth.

There was an instant connection between an elderly woman named Ester
and myself right off the bat. It took only a few days before she
decided to call me her adopted son. This woman is the definition of
success. Her husband passed a few years back, but that hasn’t
hindered the success of her business in the slightest. She owns a
small shop as well as a small apartment complex. “Hard work” seems to
be built into this woman’s DNA; she works generally from 6AM till 9PM
each day but Sundays. She has one of the nicest estates I have seen
in Masii, it is HUGE and has many crops and many rooms. If her lovely
home, business or apartments didn’t do a good job painting a picture
of her success her katumbi sure does (her tummy). Esther makes enough
and owns enough to be considered very wealthy in these parts, I don’t
understand how that is possible with her giving away so much.

This woman sends food to my house what seems like each day. She takes
orphans into her home and pays their schools fees and provides for
them. I think she has about eight people living in her home right
now. She doesn’t rent out all of her apartments, she allows certain
people to stay there free of charge to help them get onto their feet.
Anytime I go into her shop she either buys me food or water, I leave
her shop with my arms loaded with groceries. She has a relative who
is HIV positive whom she provides for while providing for relatives
that have been orphaned. She donates the little free time she has
towards working on the church leadership and singing in the choir.
During this famine people come begging at her shop and they leave with
something to satisfy them. Any child that meanders into her shop
always strolls out with a piece of candy or a sweet. This woman gives
and then she gives some more, and when she doesn’t have anything left
to give she gives even more. I stop by her shop nearly every day. We
sit and talk for hours her, the grandchildren and myself.

My mom and I always seem to laugh incessantly at the most random
things. When I was growing up we could just look at each other and
burst at the seams with laughter. Esther is the same way as my mom.
I like to tell jokes to her and her family; we are rolling on the
ground with our sides pounding from the inside out. She instantly
took me under her wing and has made this trip a lot easier to cope
with.

Don’t get me wrong, the poor do exist, in fact I would say that a
majority of people here are financially challenged, but not everyone
falls into the category of starving, AIDS positive, orphaned and
malnourished child.

Asante Sana

Mwendwa

Prayer Requests:
Safety
Funds for a generator
My cold…. I feel a lot better than I did yesterday but I’m still not 100%
Stanley’s travels as he goes home today

Randoms:
Being able to shower and go to the bathroom in a toilet are INCREDIBLE
My American friends gave me all of their toiletries and I now have
enough immodium to plug me up for a year… this stuff is your best
friend out here
If you buy a soda you get charged for the soda and extra if you take
the glass bottle – yeah they still use glass bottles
Everyone seems to be worried about me cooking. Literally each person
who knows about me living by myself has been VERY concerned and
worried… I guess cooking rice with a few tomatoes is harder than it
looks lol. The funny thing is that I cooked all the time when I
stayed with my other roommate. They are insisting that I eat at the
hotel, which I think I am going to do, I just hope I don’t get sick
each time
I found out that you aren’t able to carry around folded laundry in public

WORD OF THE DAY
Lywele yako ni mzuri – your hair looks nice
Lee –wellaye ya-co knee Missouri

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