I have been living in Nairobi now for a little over 3 weeks. Nairobi is a city of 3.4 million. Our group has been going through at month long orientation before we begin our individual assignments. Orientation is comprised of learning about the local language and the history of Kenya through classes and group talks. An average day would start out with breakfast at Phyllis’s house followed by Swahili classes. The afternoons are supplemented by visits to a children’s home, informal settlements, and talks about Muslim Christian relations. Evenings are mostly free for Swahili language exercise and talking about our experiences thus far.    

Swahili classes were an important part of this experience in Kenya. While learning any language for the first time is difficult, it is nice to learn in good company. The 5 of us volunteer had 2 personal teachers by the names of Asunta and Robinson. Both of them were engaging and patient as we attempted to hold brief conversations and practiced different phrases that we had learned.  

The Swahili language was developed as a trade language. It was derived from many other languages and thus, no one culture can claim it as their own. I have been told that about 60% of Swahili comes from the Bantu language. 20% is from Arabic, Persian, and Turkish origins. 4% comes from Indian origins. Portuguese comprises 10% of the language. Swahili also draws from both English and German origins which together account for 4%. Other African communities have contributed 2% of the Swahili language.

One of the most entertaining moments that we have had in Swahili class was when we learned how to sing the “head, shoulders, knees, and toes” song. Everyone would stand up and begin singing and doing the hand motions. However, if anyone made a mistake, (which we did a few times) then the teacher had us start the song over again. Needless to say we had the song stuck in our heads for weeks after.

August 20 – 27, 2012         

Orientation at Stony Point was an unforgettable experience. Both nationally placed volunteers and internationally placed volunteers shared a week of worship, reflection, and preparation. Staff members guided us through logistics about the program. Speakers where invited to lecture on topics of cross-cultural experiences, personality type, cultural acclamation, among other things. A group of former YAVs assisted as small group leaders allowing individuals to address any questions, concerns, and the many things that excited us about the coming year of service.

 Evening vespers were an important part of the orientation for me. The different worship songs that we learned during these gatherings became something that I looked forward to each day. I felt like they really united us as a group. The testimonies given by the YAV alumni during vespers were another powerful expression of faith. Many of the former volunteers shared with us how their years of service had challenged them in a positive way and led them to discern their callings in ministry, community organizing, and more.

 In short, the Young Adult Volunteer (YAV) orientation at Stony Point was where friendships formed between strangers. While I enjoyed the week we had together, I still looked forward to Monday the 27 when the real journey would begin. And before I knew it we (5 volunteers going to Kenya) were in a van headed to the airport. 

Dear friends,

My name is Will Farrell. I was raised in the Presbyterian Church. Last year I graduated from the College of Wooster with a BA in Cultural Anthropology.

Being part of a multi-racial family has allowed me to embrace the richness of diversity. I have always been keen to meet people and hear about their life stories. Recently I have made a life changing decision to serve as a Young Adult Volunteer.

I first heard about the Young Adult Volunteer when I lived in Lima, Peru with my family. My parents hosted a group of five “YAVs” the same year that I completed my high school career. At the time, I knew a very general amount about where each volunteer was living and what kind of work they were involved in. However, if you were to tell me that I would be embarking on a journey of my own in five-years time, I would have said: “Yeah right”. And yet, here I am getting ready for a year of volunteer work in Kenya with the Presbyterian Church USA’s Young Adults Volunteer program.

After interviewing with one of the program coordinators and sharing my newly found interest in agriculture and the environment, I was selected to be part of a group of five volunteers that will work in Kenya. Each volunteer is placed in a certain area of Kenya depending on the organization they will be working with. I have been placed at the Victoria Institute for Research on Environment and Development located in Kisumu, Kenya, on the shores of Lake Victoria

There are a lot of ways to describe how I feel about this year abroad. There is a part of me that cant wait to step onto that airplane and begin my year in Kenya. And then there is another part of me that is hesitant and aware that when it comes down to it, I have no idea what this year has in store for me.

This year’s experience is going to be life-changing for me. It will involve living outside my comfort zone and focusing on the needs of others. It will have both the good and the more challenging. Yet, I am confident that all the YAVs this year will plant seeds of friendship, make paths of peace, and open themselves to receive God’s word through the people they meet wherever they go.