Farewell Photos

The top two photos are from the landfill and the bottom two photos are from Springs of Hope Kenya!
Note the children in the top photo and their lack of shoes.... such a shock to me because of the type of filth and waste that they are surviving in. At the landfill it was difficult to even get these children to smile.... hence, the face that they are making in that picture with me. It is not a surprise to see the obvious difference in lifestyle and overall carefree looks on the faces of the kids at SOHK. This is what I want for my friends and family back home to see...... How the children at SOHK are enjoying life to the fullest.... they are not only given a real home but, they are raise out of poverty and really having all of their needs met.
Yesterday, Molly and I had to say good bye to the kids. It was completely heartbreaking....... Olivia was the first child to run up to me and give me a big hug.... I have grown very attached to her and my family sponsors her so its sad to have to help her from afar now...... but, she hugged me and looked up at me with the most precious look on her face and she said, "I love you..... when will you be back?" That was all it took to break me down and the tears slowly fell..... I got down to eye level and told her I should be back next year........ I had gone almost the entire trip without crying and I have always been one of those people who waits until I get on the plane and literally am leaving to realize I am sad. But, I feel like my heart is so vested in Kenya and in these kids that I could not help myself..... I am going to find a way to get sponsors for these children when I get home so, my journey will not end when I get on that plane. I just hope that people are listening and not just hearing me when I tell them how important their donations are to the lively hood of these wonderful children who have changed my life! I know I will be back to Kenya soon and I am so thankful for God's perfect plan for me..... I no longer have fear because God will guide me!

Romans 8:28
And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

Dance and Sing and be Smile

These are two more of the children who live at Springs of Hope Kenya.... the top photo is of Cecelia and the bottom photo is of our newest family member Jane. One of my first nights at Springs of Hope Cecelia told me a story.... well, she wasn't actually looking at me telling this story... she was looking off into the distance but, I was the only one around so she was kind of talking to me.
Cecelia does not speak much English but she speaks very cute broken English and on this night she told me, "Jane is part of our family now, she is just like the rest of we... us all used to just sit and wait for mom and food before but since she moved home she have eats and can have real sleep and will have more food with the sun. Here she can dance and sing and be smile..... I am glad Jane is my family here."
This might be confusing at first but, I understood it immediately (and wrote it in my diary so I would never forget)..... Cecelia wanted to talk about her family and how she feels now that she lives at Springs of Hope. I am not even sure that she was meaning to say this to me specifically but, I felt very blessed to be the one around to hear her story.
Cecelia comes from a place called "Black Base" because its so dirty and many street people there sell coal. Her mother sold glue to street boys (the drug of choice for most street boys here)... so she knows all of the street boys by name and she spent most of her life begging for food from strangers. When Molly came to pick up Cecelia from her mother (who didn't want her).... Cecelia shook her mothers hand and never even looked back. Cecelia is not an orphan but she was at risk of being molested and was completely neglected.
Jane came to Springs of Hope during the first week of my arrival. She was found begging in Ronda by Ben who leads the AIDS support group in that slum. Her mother is a prostitute and wanted nothing to do with her. she left her for many days before coming home.... only to leave Jane at her grandmothers place. Jane's grandmother is very poor and had no funds to support Jane so when Ben introduced her to Molly the grandmother basically pushed Jane out the door. Jane was so ready to leave that she said to Ben, "I have no mother," then she shook her grandmothers hand and walked away.
Both of these girls are very special to me and neither of them have sponsors. I hope to find them sponsors before Christmas or at the very least collect some donations to send as Christmas gifts for them. They are both so sweet and I can't understand how a mother could just leave her child..... But, they are in a better place now and as Cecelia said......Now they can be smile!

Job 29:12 "Because I rescued the poor who cried for help, and the fatherless who had none to assist him."

Teachers Change the World

I have been blessed to be able to volunteer at two schools while in Kenya. The first photo is of field day at the private missionary school that the kids at SOHK attend with about 10 students per class and the second photo is of the public school with about 80 students per class.
 I never in a million years thought that I would be teaching a class. While volunteering at the public school I absolutely would not teach by myself, it was far to overwhelming and the public schools often use physical pain as a way of teaching the students right from wrong. Though the teacher in the bottom photo is a good teacher who... I hope never beats her students... many of the other teachers in the school do. At the private school that I have been volunteering at recently, they do not hit the children. The teachers here are often even greeted by the students with hugs rather than handshakes accompanied by faces filled with fear.
I am speaking from experience when I say, one great and inspiring teacher can change your entire life!!!!
I am very happy to see the positive reinforcement that is being used to encourage the students at the Yasha private missionary school. Every morning we begin the day with worship, devotionals and prayer. I actually lead the third grade class in devotionals yesterday and it was really different for them because I did not read a bible verse then ask them questions. I just asked a question, "What do you think are the two most important things that Jesus teaches us?" The responses that the children thought of included, obey your elders, help the poor, and never tell lies..... I told them that all of those answers are good but what I was looking for specifically was,  1. Love God 2. Love your neighbor as you love yourself. My mother has taught me many things but the thing I think I have heard her say most is to treat others the way you want to be treated and so that is all I could think of telling these kids.
Later I was in the grade 0 class and we were having silent play time and one of the girls in my class kept hitting her dolly. So I made an announcement, "No Hitting people, No hitting animals and no hitting toys." a few minutes later I see her hitting the doll again but this time she was saying to the doll, "Don't cry, Your not allowed to cry!!" I pulled her to the side and talked with her. I asked her why she hit her doll and tried to explain to her that its not ok for humans to hit animals or  people or even dolls. I told her that if she sees people being hit that she should tell a teacher and pray to God for help. she shook her head as to say she understood and I told her to join the others in silent play time but, without abusing the doll. I know why she was hitting her doll and I am sad that I couldn't do much more than tell the teacher when she returned to the class..... but, I hope that the school looks into her home life and that maybe things will change for this little girl.
One teacher can change your life, Mrs. Poole changed my life in fifth grade.... I was a slow learner and at that time I was very discouraged with myself. Mrs.Poole encouraged me by pointing out the little things that I was improving in and slowly the encouragement lead to confidence. I was shy back then especially in school because I thought that no matter what I said there was another student who could say it better, read it better or even solve a problem better. As I became more confident in school I also became more confident in my life and eventually I not only made it to a university but I graduated with a 3.33 and it's all thanks to the one teacher who changed my world. Thank you!

Galatians 5:22-23
But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. Against such things there is no law.

I LOVE these Kids!

I would like to introduce all of you to a few of the kids at the Springs of Hope Orphanage in Kenya. The kids in the photo on the bottom are Glen (Top Left), Rahab (Top Right), Joyce (Bottom Left), Abbey (Bottom Center) and Noah (Bottom Right). Four of these five children are HIV positive and none of these adorable little loves have sponsors (Noah is the only child who is negative of the five in the photo).  Let me give you a little background on each of the children who are in this second photo.
Glen is five years old and was given to SOHK from the children's department because, he was being severely beaten and malnourished. Glen was beaten so badly that his head literally had craters in it and he has the mental capacity of about a two year old. He was so  malnourished that he could barely walk and he would eat every meal until he would actually vomit. But, now he is super happy and always wants to be held like one of the little babies. He also hugs the little baby dolls and rock them with such care and it's one of the most precious things I have ever seen.
Rahab is a total orphan whose mother was a prostitute and died of AIDS last year. When she first arrived at SOHK she was a wallflower who kept to herself and did not interact much with the other children or show much emotion. I never would have guessed that she was ever anything other than a superstar like she is now. She is a five year old who has the presence of a celebrity and a smile that completely lights up a room.
Joyce is a two year old was brought to the children's department by a "good somaritan" because she was abandoned. When she arrived at SOHK she was malnourished and HIV positive. She has always sucked her thumb as a way of comforting herself and she loves to show you her tummy when its full. She is as cute as a button and loves to be held.
Abby is two years old and is a total orphan. She is from a tribe that eats a diet of strictly milk and cows blood. She is HIV positive and has recently been found to be anemic. When she first arrived at SOHK she was silent and always carried a blank expression on her face. Now she is a social butterfly who loves to be held and treated like the baby of the family. She is so cute, she always covers her eyes when she prays and before meals she always thanks god for the porridge no matter what she is about to eat. She has been one of my best Swahili teachers because she repeats the same words over and over to me.
Noah is about three years old and was first brought to SOHK as "baby no-name". He was abandoned and there has been basically no way of finding any information about his past. He is a very sweet little guy who loves to play with toy cars and run around with the older boys.
All of the kids at the Springs of Hope Kenya have been changed for the better and its not just their lives that have been dramatically improved but also that lives of the future children of these children that have been bettered. If you really think about it..... by raising these children with love, compassion and understanding..... you are not only giving them a chance to grow in a healthy environment but you are also laying the ground work for the type of adults that these children will grow up to be. In Kenya it is currently socially acceptable to beat your wife, children and even students. So when you set a positive example for these children who come from such harsh backgrounds you are actually changing the circumstances for future generations.
If you have it in your heart to sponsor one of these children I can assure you that 100% of the money will go directly to these kids. There are five children currently at SOHK who are HIV positive and only one of them has a sponsor. The children who are positive really need sponsors to help them to receive proper medical care. I would ask you to please checkout the website and learn a little more about the children I did not have a chance to write about today. I am aware of the state of our current economy but, if you don't have the resources to be a sponsor... you could try to participate in the monthly $10 challenge or even a small one time donation will help! I know many people would like to give but, are not sure what organizations are actually helping the children directly (and I have learned about them during this trip) but, I can assure you that Springs Of Hope Kenya is completely about the children. Here is a link to the website!!
www.springsofhopekenya.org

Isaiah 49:15- "Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!"

Sadly Susan

I would like to share the story of a woman named Susan. I first met her in town when Molly and I were walking to the grocery store with a few street boys to buy them food. I did not notice the quiet lady leaning on the post who wasn't yelling MOM at Molly. But, Molly has helped Susan in the past so, Molly was quick to shake her hand and ask her how she was doing..... the tears rushed to Susan's eyes and she couldn't slow them enough to speak. Turns out that her 5 year old son Moses was in the hospital with malaria and it turns out he is HIV positive. On top of that she has no money to pay for the medicine or food to feed him. At that point Molly and I continued to the store to buy some food not only for the street boys but, also for Susan.
That event occurred about a week ago and today we visited her home to see what we can do to help. The background story on Susan was quick to unravel while at her home. Susan got married when she was 16 years old and immediately became pregnant.... three months into her pregnancy her husband died of malaria and she says, he was in perfect health. Then she moved back in with her parents only to watch their possessions be stolen and their home be burned to the ground during the clashes by the same man who had originally sold them that plot of land.   So, the clashes drove them to the one room hut they live in today, they have no furniture just two twin mattresses that lay on the cold cement.
January was a rough month for Susan's health... she had a stroke and after being admitted to the hospital was also diagnosed with TB that's when she found out she was HIV positive. Before being discharged from the hospital the doctors also found a tumor behind her right eye. Due to the stroke she has paralysis on the left side of her body and can no longer see out of her right eye because the tumor is putting pressure on the optic nerve. She also told us that the 15 mile walk to town has become rather painful because her left ankle is inflamed at the joint and both of her legs end up swollen after the walk. Joe asked her what her CD4 count was and she said, "26"...... when I heard that number my heart dropped and I came the closest to breaking into tears that I have since I have been here.... Let me explain, a CD4 count of 200 is really low and indicates that you have full-blown AIDS and any CD4 count below 20 means your on the verge of death.
Susan lives with her mother who is 54 years old (looks about 90) and her brother who is 14 along with her son Moses who is 5. Her mother is the sole supporter and she makes a living by digging holes and doing other manual labor jobs where she makes about 40 shillings per day (about 50 cents in the U.S.) So, Susan goes to town to beg so that they can pay their rent and afford food..... just to give you an idea their rent is about $4 American dollars per month.
When Molly and Joe asked what they can do to help... the mother didn't say give us money or buy us food... she said, "I would like to open a fruit stand to support us and Susan would be able to help." That was a great answer in my opinion.... finding a way to support your self without depending on others for a long period of time.
Susan's story is a sad one but, I find it so impressive that she wants to find a way to get through it all with  simply, the help of her family. She has so much faith in God even in her lack of health and rough life..... She is really one of those people who make you wonder... God why?? Why must she suffer??????

Landfill Lifestyle

Yesterday we visited the landfill here in Nakuru and delivered some food to a few of the families living there. This horrific scene was composed of shoeless children wandering among the environmental, biological and chemical waste that is dumped here. 

Following the clashes of 1992 the government gave this plot of land to the Internally Displaced Persons (I.D.P.) who lost everything during the clashes. Most of these people were from the Kikuyu tribe and had witnessed their lives burn to ashes before being relocated to this site. Later, the government decided that this land would suffice as an acceptable place to bring all of the garbage (and here in Kenya they also incinerate the trash at the site). 

Now, these people who had already lost all of their belongings and had watched their family members be brutally hacked to death must also share the land that was provided for them with the garbage, pigs and other scavenging wildlife. It was so shocking to watch the people search through the piles of trash to find rotten fruits that had already been walked on by rodents only to feed it to their children or eat it themselves. As the dump trucks arrived, crowds began to form.... in hopes of finding the best and most fresh of the garbage.

 I began to think about all of the things that I have complained about in the past concerning my meals..... "Salad again!" or "This table is wobbly we should move." or "What is taking so long for us to be served our dinner?"

Lucy is the leading lady at the site. We visited her home to bring her some food and talk with her about her life at the dump. She told us that there are many rich Kenyan people who live near by and none of them have ever helped her. She said, "The Africans tell us to eat with the pigs back at the dump where we belong" and she said, "Only the mazungus have given us food or bought our bags to help us." It is sad but, with an exception of people like Tony (who was raised at this site), not many of the Kenyan people are even aware that their are people living at the dump. And according to Lucy the Kenyans who know that they are there treat them like the scavenging animals that they are forced to coexist with. 

It's amazing to see people once again making something out of what I see as nothing. The women who live at the dump site work together to crochet handbags out of strips of grocery bags and they make jewelry out of paper beads utilizing shreds of newspaper and magazines. The women work together to support the community and these crafts are their only way to generate income. I don't think that I would last one day living at this landfill and I doubt that my immune system could stand the massive amounts of toxic chemicals being burned into the air. Many of the people living here have constant bronchial infections due to the burning of trash and many of them can't get these illnesses to go away because of the constant bacteria that they are forced to breath. 

After I returned to the house I attempted to research this place on the Internet and have found basically nothing that had any facts about the location of the landfill in Kenya being shared with the I.D.P.s of the clashes of 1992. It is shocking to see that these people who had suffered incredibly horrific traumatic events during the clashes are now living to suffer further. It's even more unbelievable that there isn't even one website to inform the rest of the world that this type of inhumane way of life is in existence. 

Munchkin Land

Yesterday I spent the day with 42 infants and toddlers. This was more of an institutional type place which differs from Springs of Hope's home style orphanage. The kids were so good that when they would cry you could simply look at them with a smile to make them stop crying. It was interesting to see that by simply looking at them you can give them a sufficient amount of attention for their need. I realized yesterday that I can keep three babies happy at a time but, no more than three at a time. I could put one in the rocking bed thing have one on my lap and have the other sit next to me. This method done on rotations worked well for the majority of the morning. the real problems arise when you pick one of the munchkins up because the others get jealous and the one you are holding will hold on so tightly that you can't put them down. I had a great time with these little kids but it was hard for me to leave and go to the school.
We spent the rest of the day delivering uniforms at the Nakuru Workers School and the kids were so appreciative to receive these new uniforms that some of them were jumping with joy. The uniforms were donated by Molly and Joe's friend Tony and his daughter Laurel. But, I was happy to help give them out to the students. Everything done in Kenya is done as a big production. The teacher held an Assembly and each teacher gave a speech then, asked us to speak to all of the kids. After about an hour of speeches..... they asked the three most needy children to come forward and stand in front of the student body so that Molly and I could put their new uniforms over the tattered uniforms that they were wearing presently. It was a very interesting and loving experience to see how thankful these children were. Grace, was one of the three most needy students that received a new uniform and she was so happy that she was crying. After we gave out all of the uniforms the entire student body did this dance thing to thank us where they pretend to spray us with beautiful smelling perfumes. It's like a blessing where they do this swoosh sound with hand motions as a symbolic movement to give us thanks. It's kind of one of those things where you have to be there to understand but, it was really touching.