Bosco Boys Has Talent

A few weeks ago there was a meeting between Fr. Sebastian and all the volunteers. The volunteers wanted to do something fun for the boys. We all decided on doing a talent show every Friday evening for the next few weeks. It may not be consecutive weeks due to prior arrangements on Friday evenings but we'll eventually get all 5 competitions in. There are 8 teams in all represented by four colors: red, yellow, green, and blue. There are 4 junior (lower primary boys) and 4 senior (upper primary boys) teams. The points they receive will be towards their "group points". The children already have a competition based on school grades, athletic performance, character performance, and brownie points. The winning team at the end of the year (December) get rewarded with a trip to Moombasa. Moombasa is a coastal city in Kenya. The children get to go to the beach, have fun, and get out of school for a few days. They all put fun effort into the talent show. Each week is a different theme, the first week was African Traditional Song/dance. The volunteers decided to participate also and we did an opening dance for the night. We then are hosts/judges on the children's performances. It was a fun night.


Getting my dreads and costume on.

Katie's traditional wear

Susan and Katie

Just got on the stage, the children were laughing at me.

This is the volunteer dance.

Another shot of our dance, it was maybe 3 minutes long.

Katie and Maria were the hosts

Some of the boys doing a song/dance. The performances are on the stage in the cafeteria/assembly hall/multi purpose room.

I believe this is the, Blue Senior group, winning performance.

Nairobi Animal Orphanage

On Sundays we have outing time. You have the option to go or not, and take some boys if you like. Nils, Gil, Lucy, and us took about 6 boys with us to go to the Nairobi Animal Orphanage at the National Park (which is right down the road). It was a fun day to get out, see some animals, and do something new.


The baboons walk freely around the city. We have heard stories from multiple people saying how fierce and dangerous these animals really are. Apparently if you throw an arrow at them, they can catch it, and throw it back at you. ha... Also a story about how a baboon was in the garden at Bosco Boys. They released one of the watch dogs to scare it away. The baboon saw it coming, picked up a stick, jumped into a tree and hid. Then when the dog came close, it jumped out, and beat the dog to death with the stick. So we kept our distance from the baboons but still took a picture. If you leave it alone, it'll leave you alone.

Pretty bird pretty bird

Nils wanted to get a picture next to the cheetah. This shows how close you can be to the cages and it's only a chain link fence.

So we go asked by the zoo keepers if we wanted to take a picture next to a cheetah. Next thing we know he's walking us over to a cage, opens it up, and invites us in. So... we were feeling bold and we did it. Of course they just wanted a tip but a one dollar tip is quite enough here. So we figure one dollar to touch a cheetah? Worth it

Some of the boys were hesitant to touch the cheetah. Truthfully we all were at first but some came in and we took a picture.

I think I could have taken the cheetah, he was pretty old and weak looking ;)

Good kitty

Our friend Martin. This kid is hilarious. He swears he is from Canada but wears an Australian boy scouts uniform everyday. He speaks English really well and is actually one of the best behaved kids at the school. He really is a pleasure to be around because he makes us laugh so much.

The only thing between us and this tiger is a chain link fence. You had to be about 3 yards from the fence. In America there would be huge fences and top security. But in Africa there's only a little fence. TIA (this is Africa)

This little cheetah was running around with two other ones in its cage. It then climbed on the fence by us and we got this picture.

Lunch. It was crazy because the zoo keeper (if he really is a zoo keeper, seemed more like a guy who happened to work at the zoo that day) walked right up to the lion as it was eating.

Trying to get the older boys to smile.

Sporting Day at Bosco Boys

A few days ago we had a sporting day at Bosco Boys. About 8 other schools came to compete in football (soccer), basketball, net ball, hand ball (it's like soccer, with a smaller ball and field, and you hold the ball and throw it into the net), and volleyball. The children get so excited when a camera comes out and they love taking pictures.



Vincent (boy with no sweater on with a blue tie)trying to explain something but as always it's just a joke.

The girls playing net ball. It's a sport only for girls and we had never seen it before in the US. It is like basketball but there's no dribbling or backboard behind the hoop. It's kind of silly to us but if you want to check it out just google it.

The girls


The boys

Our friend Maria


Our friend Ryan. He's so small but always has the biggest smile.


Another AMERICAN muzungu! This is our new friend Lisa from Oregon. She is volunteering at a school down the road (around a 15 minute drive) called St. Nicholas. It was fun to hear another American english accent and hear about her stories being here. She has been here for around 5 months and has one month remaining.



Susan and Pat

Madam Anjela - Class 2 teacher

Pat taught the girls the "Chris Joseph" pose


Little Katherine and Big Katherine... Once little Katherine found out she had the same name as Katie, she has been glued next to her.

First Month Today!

It is a month today in Africa! At times it feels as if time has flown by. Other times it feels as if we've been here forever. We really enjoy what we are doing here, have been exposed to many new things, have learned a little bit of Kiswahili, have met many new friends, and are excited for what is next to come. We miss you all!

Here are two recent pictures of things going on at Bosco Boys.


A picture from our little buddy Eric to Pat. Eric (the little boy from the post about the basketball games) came up to me yesterday and had this paper folded and said, "here". I at first refused it because I thought it was just trash. I had to go to the other part of the school so I left. He later came up to me and said, "Here!" I opened the folded paper, then immediately had a huge smile on my face. It was so nice for him to do that for me. The picture is of the school we're at. The top left corner says, "ART BY ERIC" and the bottom left says, "ERIC is for you Patrick".


This is a picture of our friend Rahim and some nuns from Northern Kenya. Rahim is from a family of a mom who is Catholic and a dad who is Muslim. He considers himself a Muslim but works with these Catholic nuns. The nuns run a shelter for mentally handicapped and mentally challenged children. He began to get very emotional when he spoke of the work the nuns do. He truly loves working with them and helping how he can.

First Visit to DBYES

This is our first visit to DBYES (Don Bosco Youth Educational Services). Fr. Sebastian (Fr. John Roche's friend who helped us come to Nairobi) runs this center and is doing a wonderful job. They put on retreats here for whomever wants to have one. He has told us even a few Muslims have come here and have enjoyed it. Another thing DBYES is in charge of media communications for the Eastern Providence of the Salesians. He has told us that most all media communications though go out of this place for all of Africa. They put out a monthly magazine, record worship music, record sermons to be sent out throughout the world, and are in the process of starting an internet radio show. It is a very quaint, serene, and beautiful place. The community there is small but very fun to be around. We hope to visit them once (or twice) a month.



katie ;)

Main building entrance

Enormous tree at the entrance of DBYES [look at the difference between the car and the tree BUT still nothing like the sequoias in California ;) ]


This a picture of their very nice recording studio at DBYES. Their philosophy is "to be 2nd to none". Fr. Sebastian's idea for this place is "not to be less than anywhere else". We really appreciate his philosophy, views, and ideas for the growth of not only DBYES but Africa as well.


This is a view of different posters they have put up at DBYES. They represent the stations of the cross (the story of Christ being condemned to death and resurrection). They are drawn in a way that represents problems of Kenya today. We took a picture of two of them because we felt they were nice drawings (and a bit funny too). We enjoy the picture of the babies in the womb with scissors.





This picture is of the construction of the new building at DBYES. The building will be rooms, a kitchen, lounge area, and more "indoor" space at the facility. It should double the amount of dorming and will be a beautiful addition to the retreat center. If you look closely at the men working on the stones you will see they are chizzling each one by hand. They literally have a pile of stones and the men are using a chizzle to make them the size they need.



The next 3 pictures are inside of the Prayer Garden. It's very beautiful, reflective, serene, and relaxing. It is full of beautiful trees, flowers, and other beauties of nature.




The DBYES chapel.


Picture inside of the church at DBYES


Something to ponder.