Valley teenager goes to Africa with church

Tori Swearingen is 15 years old and is already a veteran of four missions, the latest in Africa.

The Sierra Lutheran High School sophomore spent two weeks of her summer vacation in Kenya as part of a mission for Carson Valley Christian Center in Minden.

"This is the first year that youth could go and I seized the opportunity," Tori said. "I totally would like to go back. It was a life-changing experience. It's comfortable in Gardnerville - I have so much. But my eyes were opened."

She said she had to actually be in the slums of Kenya to get the full experience.

"You might see it in National Geographic - the slums, people with AIDS and the need for people to share your love," Tori said. "But you don't smell it or see it on TV the way it really is."

In the slum city of Kamuguga outside Nairobi, Kenya, no one could drink the water.

"Sometimes the people of the slums get sick from drinking the water," Tori said. "We couldn't brush our teeth with it and had to be careful not to accidentally swallow it while showering. We had to make sure our food wasn't washed with it. We used bottled water the whole time."

A lack of clean water wasn't the only problem.

"Nairobi had underground sewage but the slums had open sewage," she said. "It rained four times while we were there. Sewage was in the roads and it made it hard to travel. They had a lot of sanitation problems."

With so many overwhelming situations, how could Tori and her fellow missionaries feel they could help?

"We visited an orphanage to raise money for mothers and children with AIDS," she said. "There are four slums around the Nairobi area. In one slum, there were 1.2 million people and 70 percent are HIV-positive. I was blown away. How can I help these people?

"Walking into the Beacon of Hope Church, the little kids were just glad to see us. It was a rewarding experience but after we left, I thought about all they've gone through. Some had no parents and some will die. It's discouraging but then again, just being able to help one person is rewarding."

Tori participated in a soccer camp for children and worked at a medical camp in a slum on the outskirts of Nairobi.

"The medical camp was a huge success," she said. "Over 3,000 people, including children, came to it. We were blessed to have supplies to give to people. Everything from ibuprofen to worm medication for kids.

"I was in charge of worm medicine. I spent a lot of time with the children in the slums and almost all needed worm syrup. They have lots of health problems.

"Kenyans were surprised we only know one language," she said. "They have to know Swahili, English, their mother's language and their tribal language - most people there know three or four languages."

Back at home in Carson Valley, Tori is taking classes in biology and geometry just as any high school student would. She's active in student government and is on the volleyball team. She's been a carrier for The Record-Courier since she was 11.

Tori said she's thinking of doing a mission at Kenya's Lifespring Chapel for a year before college. She has thought about going to Africa since she was 5 years old and wants the return someday.

"Tori is pretty brave," Tori's mother Anita Swearingen said. "I know I wasn't thinking of going to Africa at 15, but Tori was always wanting to experience life. At 5, she saw a missionary at her school who came back from Africa and said then that she wanted to go.

"She's gone on three missions to Mexico with me. I'm very proud of her. She gave up the last part of her summer vacation to go on a mission," Anita Swearingen said.

"Having people you know and love on the team in Africa was great but it was different not having Mom there," said Tori. "When you go on a mission, it's awkward to step out of your comfort zone. You think, 'I'm not at home, I can't drink the water.'

"In Kenya they spoke English and when I was in Chiapas (Mexico) I couldn't communicate. In Mexico there's bugs. In Kenya there's bugs too but the slums are a total culture shock.

"They have so little and they're so joyous," Tori said. "In Africa, they look at small things and are joyful. Even coming home was a culture shock for me.

"Walking in the Chicago airport and I was seeing how families don't treat each other very well - but seriously, go to Africa and you know you are blessed. We don't appreciate what we have. We stay in our little box, we need to experience other worlds."