There are too many things to relay -- we will do our best to catch you up.

Yesterday we went camera-less to meet our subjects. Kelly, Pete and I brought Daniel, Dale and Piper to Father Ted's house. The thing you have to know about Father Ted is that he was assigned by Mother Teresa. Have you heard of her? More information will be given, but he worked -- and still does -- with the Sisters of Charity, which is one of four ministries that he currently serves. Father Ted's house involves caring for ten or so (it's hard to keep track) young men ages nineteen to twenty-four. The family also involves others who still live with their families, or remnants of them, and husband-less mothers. We anticipate horrifying, and humbling, stories but for now:

We are appalled at how fun these guys are. As Dale and I admitted to each other after the visit, these are the kinds of guys that we hope to be cool enough to hang around. Aside from the reggae, which we're slowly warming up to, we reallllllly want to bring them back so we would be... more cool.

Day One

Quick update to our loved ones to tell you:

We have arrived. Safely. And in totality. (Andrew Hornor arrived today.) We're wrapping up our first 24 hours in the country with a team New Year's celebration out. We spent today with some of our clients. Father Ted and Reverend Shadrach came to orientate us (yes, it's a word) and we left our cameras behind for this day.

Jet lag has its hold on most of us; others do not tout a sleep cycle to begin with so they are immune AKA tired all the time anyway (Danielle, Hani).

We are well, overwhelmed and with heavy but convicted shoulders yet. Just about where you expected us to be, yes?

Kelly has taken to bed early after a few bouts of nausea and aches -- she will be better (her words) and we believe it as well. Please pray for her and our budding immune systems.

I'm going to pass the laptop around and let everyone tend to their digital obligations. Please continue to pray for us, send us kind words. I've already read some out to the table this evening and we cheer in response. Bunch of braying Americans? You bet!

Happy New Year!

Tomorrow is Kenya

Our story will begin like this: I set off upon a journey. And the people we meet - Reverend Daniel Ogutu, Pastor Shadrack Ogembo and Father Ted - will say, A stranger came into town. Or, in this case, twelve strangers and one old friend. Professor Volkers lived in the area for several years already and has been visibly excited to show us around his turf. He did call it his turf a few times, yes. This link will provide you with the basic layout of our clients there (slumdoc.blogspot.com). Hopefully, we'll be able to keep a steady stream of information flowing through this blog while we're there.

To recap further, in case you don't know, what we're talking about is the last production leg for a feature documentary that Professor Volkers is producing on the world's slums. Globally speaking, that's 1 in 6 of us that live in an "overcrowded, underdeveloped area of housing." One of us lives on $1.08 each day. For whatever reason, and exacerbated cyclically thereafter, one of six of us are poor, unemployed and unemployable. The documentary seeks to create a portrait of the people that give these words flesh.

So, we're packing up our cameras, raising and organizing funds, getting the appropriate shots, asking for prayers and preparing for stories to wrench us from our comfort zones.

Last year at this time, a similar-sized group flew to the Philippines and met some people we'll never forget.

Over the summer, Professor Volkers and Jess Brauning, Dordt's first Digital Media graduate, traveled to Guatemala.

And here we are now, anxious and attempting to participate what we are unable to. Aside from:

There will be four teams the group will break up into.

Professor Volkers and two students will document the day-to-day of a slum family. This will be the footage primarily shot for the documentary. Those two students are Dale Vande Griend and Piper Kroeze.

Rev. Daniel Ogutu heads up a program that feeds children who are fortunate enough to be enrolled in school (this is extremely helpful, assuming the children might otherwise be working for food); fosters leadership training for former criminals and also sports evangelism in the Mathare valley. Most of all, I believe we are looking forward to shaking his hand and asking him how he keeps his energy up. Vern Eekhoff, Daniel Kauten and Michelle Nyhoff.

Pastor Shadrack Ogembo feeds slum children. That's the information we have. Feel envy for the team that will document this; they will come home with seven kids. Hani Yang, Danielle Roos, Luke Kreykes and Andrew Hornor.

Father Ted runs a home for youth who lived in slums or another vein of serious poverty. The clients range from 17 to 26 years old. The incentive is to continue to provide education and/or proper living. Pete Hessels and Kelly Cooke. This is the team that I am on, but will make sure to report from the other teams as often as possible.

Oh, by the way. You will meet the group in more detail. Hopefully some of them will take on some posting duties as well.

And now, here's something we hope you'll really enjoy.

Some of these children are enrolled in a school. They regularly attend and take part in all the terrible, lovely elementary school goings-ons that most of us remember fondly as a given to growing up, as a necessary right. Some of these children, however, are not enrolled in a school and do not gripe about each other during recess, do not mess around in a classroom and will not be wearing a green and white school uniform any time soon.