Before I start my next blog, I want to let you all know that I am actually coming home early. You can call it a case of the Ole Homesick Blues. No, that's a lie, I just want to be home in time to see the Phillies not make the playoffs. When I get back to the States, I'm going to finish out my year of service at the SND national office in Baltimore, helping with the new group of volunteers, and hopefully doing some work in inner city Baltimore. I actually just got my camera stolen yesterday (sorry mom), so I don't know how many more blog posts I am going to do. I am hoping at least two: Kenyan transportation and Safari. I'll do my best.
Street Boys
It is an unfortunate truth that there are many, many kids in Nairobi who are living on their own. They literally have nothing. Many of them don't have any family, in most causes due to abandonment or losing their entire family to the AIDS virus. The ones that do have family come from situations so bad that living on the street seems like the better option. Nairobi has many progrtams to help the street kids, but the need is so high that only tiny percentage of kids actually get help.
The kids in these next few pictures are part of the VIP project in South B, which is a program of the Mukuru Slum Development Project, that serves street youth by giving them a place to live in the slums, 3 meals a day, and guidance. Their lving conditions aren't the greatest, with 15 kids living in a two room house, a house made of tin an cardboard. But these kids are very happy to be off the street and being cared for. My roomate Helena works there, and she literally spends all day and night with these kids.
Street Boys
It is an unfortunate truth that there are many, many kids in Nairobi who are living on their own. They literally have nothing. Many of them don't have any family, in most causes due to abandonment or losing their entire family to the AIDS virus. The ones that do have family come from situations so bad that living on the street seems like the better option. Nairobi has many progrtams to help the street kids, but the need is so high that only tiny percentage of kids actually get help.
The kids in these next few pictures are part of the VIP project in South B, which is a program of the Mukuru Slum Development Project, that serves street youth by giving them a place to live in the slums, 3 meals a day, and guidance. Their lving conditions aren't the greatest, with 15 kids living in a two room house, a house made of tin an cardboard. But these kids are very happy to be off the street and being cared for. My roomate Helena works there, and she literally spends all day and night with these kids.
Kevin and Peter, striking a pose. 
That's my roomate Helena. She hails from glorious Slovakia
Me and the crewThis next group of pictures are of kids from Mary Immacculate Rehabilitation Center in South B. It is run by the Sisters of Mercy and gives the kids housing, food, and a good education. Two of my Irish roomates were working there, so i went down on my free time to help out, most of the time playing permanent goalie during one of the heated 40 kid, every-kid-for-himself soccer match.
Did I ever mention that Kenyans love football? Here's proof. Samuel here turned his school shirt into a football jersey. The name on his shirt sayd DROGBA, in reference to Didier Drogba, the Ivory Coast-born striker on Chelsea.
Lunch time
Time for shamelss promotions. My man Jimmy is holding an Earthtone sticker. Earthtone is a band based out of Annapolis, Maryland. I saw their show in this past New Year's Eve and it was awesome. I told one of the the dudes in the band that I was leaving for Africa in three days and I will get him a cool picture with the sticker. I am a man of my word. I actually had some really awesome group shots with the sticker, but I didn't realize until after that the kids were holding the sticker upside down.
That shirt reads Jano's Pizzeria, Drexel Hill. Pa. the number is 610-259-4316. I can't recommend this place enough.It is the only place I have ever been to where no matter what you order, it is the greatest thingh you've ever eaten.
Micheal, Allan, Mostio, Me, Ephraim, and Paul
They all wanted pictures with my hat on. Needless to say, they were quite shocked when I took my hat off.
This is Brian. He is volunteer from Australia who came over for the summer months. He is teaching the kids Tai Chi
Kevin
This is Dan the Man. He was doing wrestling impressions so I decided to take a pic. Here is doing his best "Stone Cold" Steve Austin impression, sans a Budwesier pounder in each hand
Here's Allan trying to wipe the dirt off my chin. I spend a lot of the time there just letting kids touch my arms and hairHere are some kids from St. Katharine primary school, which is connected to Mary Immaculate
A couple of students and a homeless guy in a brown hat
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