Kibera, Nairobi, Kenya. 2010.
Kibera is the largest urban slum in Africa. In 2010, a group from Stockton Baptist Church travelled to Kibera to meet the children they sponsor, to work at their school and meet their friends and teachers.
The pictures speak for themselves. The words are just one day of the diary Kath kept on the trip. Kath travelled with her son, who was 15 years old at the time.
“Really tired this morning and struggled to get up, Sam was even worse. Had a good breakfast and boarded the bus with 2 rucksacks, one containing food for Teddy’s family and another bag of gifts for Teddy and his sister Florence. Drove to the school and got on with the painting on the end of the school class room block. Didn’t get much done as we had to go to see Teddys home.”
“We went with Rose the social worker and a lad who was streetwise, Stuart, Heather, Sam and me. We left the school with Teddy and headed to the railway line to cross over to the slums. I helped with Heathers food for her family, and Sam carried our food.
We all attempted to keep close, but not to look too conspicuous. The first thing that hit me was the amount of poo bags on the path. It was covered. You have no choice but to walk over it all. Stuart pointed out the fresh bags of poo on the tops of the metal houses. There’s no other option but to just fling it, as there are no toilets. Sam and I told Teddy that we were thinking of him last night when it was raining. We thought the torrential rain would keep him awake. He said ” No, I was asleep so I didn’t hear it, I was dreaming of you” – I could have wept there and then, but then Stuart piped up with “Was it a nightmare?”.. Cheeky!”
“Sam walked with Teddy. We eventually got to the alleyway where Teddy lived. It was a better building than the others. He lives with his aunt and uncle. His aunt made us very welcome, and although tiny it was tidy. Teddy loved his football boots and superman hat. His aunt seemed pleased with the food. We were joined by Teddys uncle, who as Stuart pointed out had black Wellington boots on. This is a sign that he is a vigilante-type security man who works for the local warlord. He saw we were out of the area safely. We then headed right into the depths of the slums. The mud and sewage in the pathways was unbelievable. The flies and mosquitos were everywhere, the children were playing in the sewage. Heather was having to hold on for dear life so she didn’t go flying down the hillside. At the bottom of the hill was a beck with pigs in it eating rubbish. We had to climb back up the other side. All you could hear were the pigs which live in the houses with them.
The whole experience was just indescribable.”
“Heather’s little girls house was so small, with no lights. The lady was so wonderful and welcomed us into her home so lovingly. It was very clean inside. At one point Stuart and Sam were standing outside, and thought that the local gangs were going to start trouble. It was good to get out onto the wider road where people were selling goods. The food stalls had flies all over the food.
Thankfully we eventually got back in one piece. Protected, I believe.”
We were all tired that evening but still managed a game of Uno.
What a day. Never have I seen living conditions like those we have seen today.
Hebrews 13, v5:
Keep your lives free of the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said
“Never wilI I leave you, never will I forsake you.”