Gonga'd

Dad: "You've got us on edge again Jen...just planning on living in South Africa for awhile...no big deal..."
Mom: "So Jenny, if you turn up missing, like...who looks for you?"

Today was national "Don't Pick Up the White Girl Day" for all bus and matatu drivers. I walked three kilometers and waited two hours just to get a lift. Then on the way back home I stepped in what looked to be dried dirt and sunk six inches deep into mud wearing flip flops. As if it wasn't enough, later on I walked through the gate to our house and scraped my arm on the protruding nail normally used to keep the gate shut, so I look like I was clawed by an overgrown mountain gorilla in the mist. It was a day of being gonga'd for certain. In Kenya when you get taken advantage of, whether you're overcharged, or just plain screwed, it's called being "gonga'd." Most newcomers are often getting gonga'd by Kenyans, and shamelessly. It's like this game and they like to laugh at you...lightheartedly, of course.

Last time I was in Kibera in an Empowerment Group, a 17 year old student asked if I could help her with her relationship problems. I didn't realize at the time that high school dilemmas are slightly more complicated than 10 and 11 year old kids and their problems. Seventh grade students ask if they should like boys. Twelfth grade students ask what they should do if their boyfriends threaten to commit suicide if they break up with them. Not to mention I haven't had the best track record with past boyfriends, so I'm pretty sure this makes me the absolute least qualified individual to answer these inquiries. The 17 year old looked as if she was about to break down in tears as she explained to me that her ex-boyfriend has been stalking her new boyfriend(both 24) and threatening to kill him if she doesn't break up with him. He's not only pulled a gun on the new boyfriend, but it's fairly realistic that he'd actually do it. He's killed people before, and has even threatened this girl's mother after showing up at her house. The police won't do anything about it even if they were notified, and the only reason the boy hasn't done it yet is because he wants to kill the boyfriend in front of this 17 year old girl. So what do I say? She asks me what she should do, and people around us don't even sound surprised...like it's common. No one is here to protect her, it's not like I can offer her anything of the sort, and even other field officers just shake their head and tell me that's the way it is. There's really only so much we can do, and no more.

On a lighter note, ZanaAfrica is going so well. I'm working on editing the website content and layout(some changes have already been posted) and I'm taking a look at the business plan today. Later I'll be in the field working with the kids again, praying that the 17 yr old is in her seat...P.s. Check it out...I'm famous: www.zanaafrica.org/zinner.asp?pcat=people&cat=staff and please look around the rest of the site too!