After traveling to , Africa, I had an epiphany about my race, ethnicity, and my heritage as an African Ameri- cause the color of my skin can. This was not my first trip to to be so dark. Africa, it was my third trip. It took me, to have this pilgrimage to Kenya, Instead of embracing my heritage, Africa, to be educated about the I embraced my color. I’ve said to color, eye color, hair color, bone/jaw people just call me Black, you don’t structure etc. importance of tribal inheritance to have to be “politically correct” and embrace the reality that I am not just say African American. Interestingly Ethnicity, on the other hand, relates Black, I am African American. enough, I thought I was embracing to cultural factors such as nationality, I often hear people say they don’t see my heritage, but in reality I was culture, ancestry, language and color and there is only one race–the rejecting it because of what I was beliefs. human race. Well I beg to differ with called as a little girl—Black African. Culture is a classification of people all those people. We all see color. It made me feel ugly, unwanted and according to their beliefs and values God made us uniquely different, rejected. So therefore, I rejected my that include spirituality, religion, He made the nations of the earth, heritage. Africans are dark, some of region, language, and livelihoods. of course color exists. As a matter them so dark they are the color black. of fact Psalms 139:14 says I will I didn’t want to be associated with the When I was in Kenya, Africa, they praise thee; for I am fearfully and Africans because it was painful. automatically thought I was from the wonderfully made—just the color I tribe of Luo! Never in my life have I am (my add on). You see the perception of dark people been surrounded by everybody who by media and people of other races is looks like me. My complexion, my Growing up as a dark skinned girl had not one that is welcoming. Other physical make up. They embraced it’s challenges for me. The color of races associate the color of our skin me, welcomed me, told me I was my skin stood out even amongst my with violence, crime, abuse and home. I actually felt like I had race. I was afforded the opportunity incompetent. We, as people of color, been home. Interestingly enough to be called all kinds of names that have the option of being called a in American that has not always been weren’t nice. I experienced such color (black) or called by our heritage my experience. derogatory name calling and remarks (African American). such as “you look like as ‘Black Since my mission trip to Oyguis, African,’ creature from the Black In my teaching of race, ethnicity Kenya, I have embraced my true Lagoon, Godzilla,” any kind of and cultural, I have found that we identity as an African American and I hateful, mean dark name. It was categorize them as the same not am proud. People, please no longer hurtful, it was humiliating, it took life realizing each are very different. So refer to me as another Black person, from me. My self esteem was impact- that you get a clear picture of the I AM African American. ed, I withdrew, and had very little difference between the three, I felt it conversations with people as a whole important to define them for you. because of the fear that they would Race in its simplest terms can be see the color of my skin before they defined as a classification of people saw me. There are times I wished that according to their physical appear- I could be invisible or wondered why ance, ancestry, and inherited charac- God hated me so much that he would teristics. It refers to such things as skin

20152015 MissionsMissions toto KEIKEIforfor KenyaKenya KenyaKenya 20142014 MissionsMissions We will continue our mission in Oyguis, Kenya and hope for your prayers and support. It is our desire to make regular contributions to both Kaditonge and Nyakiya Newsletter by Valarie Cunningham Primary Schools for uniforms, computers and other needed hygiene items. Your support is welcome! In 2015, it is our prayer to travel to Oyguis, Kenya. If you are interested in doing missions with us, we welcome your time, talent and gifts. The estimated cost for everything is approximately $3500. We will provide more detail during the course of the year. Any questions can be directed to KEI’s office at 269-323-1954. For Donations: Make checks payable to KEI and mail it to 5805 Oakland Drive, Portage, MI 49024 or pay online through PayPal at Greater Faith Empowerment Center. Asante Sana

Valarie Cunningham

I traveled to Oyguis Kenya, to seek donated over $200, that provided the out the purpose God wanted for our majority of the sanitary napkins and ministry, Greater Faith Empowerment school supplies. Center, in the global mission. After meeting Elijah, he shared with me The recent report from Elijah that the needs of the children in Oyguis, I received said that the students Kenya. I responded to what I believe were excited about the supplies Asante and hygiene items, as well as the Asante was the call of the Holy Spirit to make uniforms. Each school has about Valarie Cunningham and the school the journey Kenya. 410 students with six teachers. master at Kaditonge Primary School (k-8) It was quite a journey! The first day in These are public schools and there is Kenya started with a car accident. The little money to support having more SanaSana group I was traveling with hit a tree teachers and to provide for the overall head on. Only by the grace of God needs of the children. Unlike schools Kaditonge Primary School, students received 22 uniforms that were donated. did we all walk away with minor in the USA, hot meals are not provid- (ThankThank bruises. The rest of my trip was ed in the middle of the day. There is ( absolutely a gift from God. no public transportation to get back youyou veryvery From your prayers and donations, we and forth to school. Some children are (269) 323-1954 KINGDOM were able to bless 44 students with orphans, some who go with little to 5805 Oakland Drive, Portage, MI 49024 EMPOWERMENT uniforms divided between two differ- no food, and some walk several miles much!much!)) INSTITUTE VC to and from school daily. www.gfec-kalamazoo.org 2007 ent schools. Thanks to my students, WMU Social Work 2100 class, who FactsFacts aboutabout thethe LuoLuo Tribe Tribe The Kenyan Luo tribe is a subgroup of the larger Luo community that spans across , Tanzania, Sudan, Congo and . The luo tribe is the third largest community in Kenya and makes up close to 13% of the entire population. History suggests that the Luo traveled along the River Nile from Sudan. They made entry They got some school supplies at Nyakiya Primary School--sadly enough we into Kenya around 500 years ago and established didn’t have enough to give everybody a pencil! settlements in the lands surrounding Lake Victoria, Africa’s biggest fresh water lake. African American vs. Black Luo Culture, Lifestyle & Religion are among the few Kenyan tribes that do not traditionally circumcise their males as an initiation to manhood. Instead, in Luo traditions, initiation involves the removal of six teeth from the After traveling to Kenya, Africa, I had lower jaw. an epiphany about my race, ethnicity, Another unique Luo custom is wife inheritance and my heritage as an African Ameri- cause the color of my skin whereby, if a man dies, one of his brothers or can. This was not my first trip to to be so dark. close relatives inherits his widow and must meet Africa, it was my third trip. It took me, Instead of embracing my heritage, all of her marital requirements. The Luo mourning to have this pilgrimage to Kenya, ceremony, tero buru, is still widely practiced. This Africa, to be educated about the I embraced my color. I’ve said to color, eye color, hair color, bone/jaw people just call me Black, you don’t structure etc. is a unique, elaborate and dramatic ceremony that importance of tribal inheritance to have to be “politically correct” and symbolizes the departure of a loved one. embrace the reality that I am not just say African American. Interestingly Ethnicity, on the other hand, relates Black, I am African American. to cultural factors such as nationality, While most Luos are now Christians, many still enough, I thought I was embracing uphold most of their traditional cultural customs. I often hear people say they don’t see my heritage, but in reality I was culture, ancestry, language and beliefs. This is especially true for those living in the rural color and there is only one race–the rejecting it because of what I was areas. However, some of the Luo cultural practices human race. Well I beg to differ with called as a little girl—Black African. Culture is a classification of people now regarded as retrogressive are slowly fading all those people. We all see color. It made me feel ugly, unwanted and according to their beliefs and values away, such as wife inheritance. As well, recent God made us uniquely different, rejected. So therefore, I rejected my that include spirituality, religion, efforts have been made to promote male circumci- He made the nations of the earth, heritage. Africans are dark, some of region, language, and livelihoods. sion among the Luo, Teso and Turkana people, to They greeted us with such a warm welcome at Nyakiya Primary School. of course color exists. As a matter them so dark they are the color black. help curb the spread of HIV and AIDS. They had been waiting half the day for us to arrive--with no food! of fact Psalms 139:14 says I will I didn’t want to be associated with the When I was in Kenya, Africa, they praise thee; for I am fearfully and Africans because it was painful. automatically thought I was from the Perhaps one of the most interesting and noticeable wonderfully made—just the color I tribe of Luo! Never in my life have I attributes common among the elite, educated or am (my add on). You see the perception of dark people been surrounded by everybody who urban Luo people is their flamboyant character by media and people of other races is looks like me. My complexion, my and sense of style, in addition to their polished and Growing up as a dark skinned girl had not one that is welcoming. Other physical make up. They embraced eloquent command of the , it’s challenges for me. The color of races associate the color of our skin me, welcomed me, told me I was otherwise known as The Queen's English. my skin stood out even amongst my with violence, crime, abuse and home. I actually felt like I had race. I was afforded the opportunity incompetent. We, as people of color, been home. Interestingly enough Kenya's other famous People from the Luo Tribe to be called all kinds of names that have the option of being called a in American that has not always been Other well-known Luo people include Washington weren’t nice. I experienced such color (black) or called by our heritage my experience. Jalang'o Okumu, James Orengo, Obama [Senior] - derogatory name calling and remarks (African American). Since my mission trip to Oyguis, the late father of Barack Obama, the current such as “you look like as ‘Black In my teaching of race, ethnicity Kenya, I have embraced my true president of the United States of America, was African,’ creature from the Black from the Luo tribe. Lagoon, Godzilla,” any kind of and cultural, I have found that we identity as an African American and I hateful, mean dark name. It was categorize them as the same not am proud. People, please no longer The Luo tribe has traditionally produced many hurtful, it was humiliating, it took life realizing each are very different. So refer to me as another Black person, scholars and other educated persons, including from me. My self esteem was impact- that you get a clear picture of the I AM African American. some who have graduated from very prestigious ed, I withdrew, and had very little difference between the three, I felt it colleges around the world. As a result, Luo profes- conversations with people as a whole important to define them for you. sionals are dominant in nearly every area of the because of the fear that they would Race in its simplest terms can be Kenyan economy, business and government, see the color of my skin before they defined as a classification of people serving as university professors, doctors, engineers saw me. There are times I wished that according to their physical appear- and lawyers. I could be invisible or wondered why ance, ancestry, and inherited charac- Reference www.kenya-information-guide.com/ God hated me so much that he would teristics. It refers to such things as skin luo-tribe.html At Kaditonge Primary School, Valarie Cunningham gets to know some of the students after giving out school supplies.