Yardsale TODAY!
Posted on 04. Sep, 2010 by admin in Blog, Fundraiser
Yardsale fundraiser TODAY — raising funds for a school bus for the children.
If you’re in the Columbia area this morning/afternoon, come on out! It’s going on until 2pm. Lots of great stuff, but it’s going fast!
Address:
5705 High Tor Hill, Columbia, MD 21045
Loaves and Fishes
Posted on 01. Sep, 2010 by ksmith in Uncategorized
Loaves and Fishes
HI. My name is Michael and I was a part of the team that accompanied Kim to Soweto this summer. I want to tell you a story. Part of this story many of you know already. You know because you were part of making it happen. A couple of thousand people each played a part in making it happen. The story starts last year when it came to our attention that feeding our kids at the Provision Educational Center was no longer the most pressing issue. The water situation in Kenya was growing more and more critical with the deepening drought. Grace, this angel of a women, who happens to be the cook for our school was walking 3 to 5 miles each day just to find a source that would sell some water. She would walk back to school with the few gallons of water she could carry to cover the needs of 130 kids. About a third of the time, she would stand in line for 2 or 3 hours only to find that the water had run out before it came her turn. And the water was not clean water very often. In other schools we had relationships with, kids were dying from bad water and the lack of water. We had to do something. We began to reach out to you, our friends, our churches, our families. We held our first golf tournament. In November we had the funds necessary and a well was drilled on the land at the school. Our goal of supplying 130 children with clean water was met. But God had much bigger plans in mind for our small investments. What I learned when I arrived in Soweto, Kenya blew my mind.
In this land where “nothing good comes from”, (that is what Soweto literally means); and the people are taught to think like this from when they are born; from this place, from this well, the cleanest water in the Nairobi District was flowing, certified by the government. So clean in fact, they asked if they could use it as the standard to judge all other wells by. We were told that it was the only well in the district with water clean enough to bottle for sale in grocery stores, if we desired. How do you think the neighbors from “the land where nothing good comes from” felt when they heard about this?
The school had begun to bless the community by making clean water available for the neighbors. Anyone could bring a large jug and fill it up for 3 Kenyan Shillings. I asked how many women were coming for water each day. The answer was about 300. Then I was told that each woman took that water home to about 10-20 relatives. 3000-4000 people were getting clean water each day from The Well. One neighbor told us that her family had not been sick since November when the well was built. In fact, she said none of neighbors had been ill since the well went in. Water and health for 4000.
Pastor Samuel was allowing people to resell the water for up to 5KSH. Not only could they supply water for their families, but they could also make some money to buy food for those in their homes. In addition, the people coming to buy water during the week, were now coming back on Sunday for church. But we’re just getting started.
While in Soweto, we learned that the main road leading in to where the school sits was almost impassable. When it rains, it becomes very hard for the kids to get to school. But even more important, it is impossible for the men who pull carts each day to use this road. You see if they could get carts to the school, they could each take away 30-50 large jugs of water. This would provide clean water to many more people, far deeper into the Soweto Community. As we looked at the road, we asked what it would take. All they would need is the material. They could rally the young men in the community to provide the labor to build this road.
So, in our last couple of days in Soweto, I took part in building my first road. My son Matt and I labored side by side with Pastor Samuel and the young men that live in the community surrounding the school as we placed heavy rocks, then placed smaller rocks, then crushed them into gravel with heavy weights. You see, they don’t build roads like we do here in the US. The day we finished, carts began coming in right away to purchase water and take it to parts of Soweto that could not have been reached otherwise. In our most conservative estimates 25000 – 30000 people a day would now get clean water from the well. Water and health for 30,000! But that’s not all.
On our last night at the school, as we were all piled into the station wagon heading out to the airport, a very excited woman came up to our car and began speaking very fast to Pastor Samuel in Swahili. When she finally finished, I asked Samuel what she was so excited about. He told me that she kept talking about hope. She told of how she and all the neighborhood was so excited because that for the first time ever the young men’s league, whom the government pays to collect trash, could now bring their carts to this part of Soweto and carry the trash away from their homes. As I looked down the street, I saw white bags of trash all the way down this poor dirt road waiting to be picked up. The woman kept saying to us, “now they know that we are here!” All this from a block-and-a-half road, that came from a well, that came from our small gifts for the kids.
As we drove away toward the airport, Samuel told me that he had been receiving calls from all over the community for the last 24 hours, with people excited about the road and saying how amazed they were that the two “Mzungu” (white people) worked side by side with their young men to build a road for their community. (In this land where nothing good could come.)
You and I gave to bring water to our thirsty 130 kids, but God had so much more in mind than our small plans for this gift. He multiplied our loaves and fishes literally by thousands. Samuel told us that we would be hearing new stories about how God would use the well and this road for a long time. And he was right. We just talked to him this week. He said that in the past few weeks since we left, his church is now running over with new young adults from Soweto who came to learn what would cause someone to give so selflessly to their community. And who have now met Jesus and are giving their lives to Him.
Changing
Posted on 19. Aug, 2010 by ksmith in Uncategorized
Each time I go to Kenya, I feel like I return a little different than when I left. I know, most people who go come back feeling very different, but because Kenya is so much a part of me, the changes are often subtle and usually take me a few days to detect. I’m always more conservative with water, I drive slower, and I freak out at the prices in the grocery. But, those aren’t the changes I’m talking about. It’s the inner me that seems to grow, expand and stretch while I’m in Kenya in ways I only see when I have stepped back to reflect. It’s the way I see the world after I get back-it’s the way I see God.
The world seems much more broken to me when I return from Kenya. We are such organized people here in this country-we write lists, keep day-timers, and feel lost without our electronic calendars. We multi-task our days away and fall into bed each night thinking about the growing list of obligations, tasks, and needs for the next day. We run from work to the gym, from school to work, and for the stay at home moms, from one disaster to the next putting out fires at every stop. We are task driven people. While I am not criticizing this way of life-indeed, I call it survival, each time I am in Kenya, I feel drawn to another way of life-at least to another view of life. It’s a view that stops the clock to listen to a neighbor cry for the disaster her life is in. It’s a view that refuses to plan the day in such a way that pure devastation would occur if a lonely hand interrupted the schedule and reached out for someone to stop and hold it for but a few moments. I am drawn to the concept that perhaps if we left just a little space every now and then in our world to think, to see, really see those around us, to be available, perhaps our world would be a different place. If for a few hours a week, we stopped to live not by a schedule, but by the needs of those around us, what would happen? I wonder would there still be that loneliness in our teens that drive them to give up innocence for a sense of love? Would there still be 50,000 waiting orphans in our country? Would there be suicide? Yes, the world seems much more broken to me than when I left. Because I have been forced to step back and see-forced to slow the pace for a moment, I am left feeling like a child in the middle of a playroom full of broken toys and I am overwhelmed with sadness. When one goes to Kenya, the poverty is overwhelming. It breaks every person that touches the lives of those affected by hunger and abuse. There in Kenya, we have a school full of children who are products of broken lives. Innocent children who themselves hold the cracks and scars from lives torn by poverty, abuse and neglect. And there in Kenya, every person who visits the school from America is changed by what they stop and see. Yet, I realize that this generational brokenness is not unique to Kenya-we just miss it here because we are too busy to see it. We miss the masked pain in the eyes of the waitress that just messed up our order; we miss the loneliness in our neighbor who we have labeled as a recluse. We forget that the youth who won’t quit cussing and playing vulgar music all night has cracks and scars that cause the coldness in his glare. It’s not deliberate, it’s life. But, each time I return from Kenya, I begin to see the world very differently than I did before and I am undone.
Seems kind of depressing, right? But, if you could step for a moment into the center of Provision Education Center and simply observe the children, talk with the teachers and staff, visit the surrounding shacks-you would walk away not with a sense of depression, but rather a sense of elation; because here in this small community, people have taken the time to stop. Kenyans with their own bruises and cracks have reached out a hand to the least of these in the community and loved the broken. They have applied the “glue” of Jesus through food, shelter and education. They have reached outside of their hurt and pulled others into healing. One needs but to listen to the laughter and singing, watch the play, and view the interactions to see the change that is taking place. I can’t stop smiling when I think of it! Where once were empty shells of children-sullen, sunken eyes, sadness, hunger and pain-one sees now sparkling eyes, full cheeks, and broad smiles. There is such a sense of peace and self-less ness as each reaches out to the other to provide the stability needed. I have never seen one of our students have something that another does not have without sharing-even one small piece of candy will be broken between three or four. This is a direct result of those in Kenya and you here in America taking the time to stop-even for a moment-to give of self so that another can learn to do the same. When you volunteer your time, give of your resources, and spread the word about the children, you become a part of the hand that reaches out to bring healing.
I believe that if it can happen in Kenya, it can happen here. We live in a wealthy nation, but if we could stop our busyness and look past the exterior, I think we would see a different world. The poverty of spirit here is vast. The brokenness is not less than in a third world country-we are just better at masking it-better at being too busy to see it.
Closing the Chapter
Posted on 28. Jul, 2010 by ksmith in Uncategorized
I want to close the chapter on our adventure in Kenya with one last memory, probably one of my fondest memories ever in Kenya.
As you know from my previous posts, I lost my heart to the children we have come to call “our boarders.” In Kenya, it is actually very common and admirable if one is able to go to boarding school. While I personally think that a young child belongs at home with his family, it is acceptable and in many cases necessary to send a child away to school. So, these children that live at the school call themselves “boarders” as if they are far away from home attending school.
During my time there, I really wanted to take them somewhere special. I believe that adventure is vital in the building of well rounded young people. I think that is why we as parents try to make “fun” times happen for our children. It’s why we go out for ice cream on a whim, take vacations to national parks and historical sites around our country. It’s why we go hiking or to the beach-because we all know there is little relaxing at the beach when we take our children! It is our goal as parents to build our children-and one way we do it is through adventure! I want to see that in our children at school as well.
So, we decided to take them to the city! Our friend, George, drove his van for us and we loaded twenty plus children, three teachers, and the Smiths and set off for our adventure! I should probably tell you it was more like stuffing than loading! George’s van is made to carry about eight passengers comfortably. But, you would never tell that the kids were scrunched, hot, or a bit uncomfortable. They just sang and laughed their way to the Nairobi City Center. I later realized, that for most of these kids, this was their first glimpse of life outside of the slum.
We started our tour at the statue commemorating Jomo Kenyatta-Kenya’s first president.
Our next stop was the High Court of Kenya. I personally still get butterflies in the pit of my stomach whenever is see it.
After that, we went by Kenyatta’s burial site. The kids were kind of funny when we told them that his body was still in the casket sitting on the platform.
After the educational part of our trip, it was time for a little fun. We sent Samuel and Phoebe off to find some lunch, and we headed for Uhuru Park. Our first stop-Face Painting!
Yvonne
Lavender
Faith
Kennedy (Teacher Judy’s son)
Sam-Jane’s Little Brother
Kevin
After that, we rested by the lake while the studious in our group “perfected” their notes from the educational part of our trip.
Then, we went boating. I opted to keep Jasiri on dry ground, but the rest of the children had a blast. Just for a moment, imagine you had never stepped foot outside of Soweto, and here you are in a boat! Can you imagine how you would feel? Probably a little scared, but beyond thrilled!
After we finished our boating, it was time to eat. The kids were treated to nyama choma (roasted meat), and chips (french fries). For kids who eat ugali (corn flour) and rice all the time, this was a real treat.
We topped the day off with ice cream cones for everyone!
So, I almost forgot to tell you the best part of the story…at least in my opinion! After the kids had their ice cream, I asked Samuel to take Jasiri out on the boats. I didn’t trust anyone else to watch him closely enough, so he missed out the first time and was quite upset. So, Samuel, Damon, Jasiri, Emmanuel (Sam’s son) and a few others set out.
Samuel toured the whole lake, trading kids every time he came close to land. When the ride was over, Samuel was trying to step out of the boat when Emmanuel turned the wheel promptly landing his daddy waist deep in the lake! I would give anything to have a picture of that one!! Of course, but the time we saw Sam again, he had changed his clothes and acted as if nothing had every happened! Again, I would pay to have a picture!
I expected the ride home to be much quieter than the ride out, but I was surprised to hear the kids sing the whole way home as well. They were hot, they were dusty, but they had had such a time! We ended the day with an early birthday party for Damon. Damon really enjoyed passing out little bites of his cake. He only complained because he felt like his friends did not get enough. My little man really enjoyed sharing with his friends in Kenya. I was a very proud mama.
So, I guess this closes the chapter on the June 2010 trip. I have many fond memories of our time in Kenya, but nothing beat seeing the look of wonder and excitement on the faces of the children I have come to love so dearly. In a small way, I believe they are a little bit more whole. I think adventures like this one allow their minds to grow and interests to develop outside of the dust, hunger, and hopelessness one finds in a slum. For a child of seven or ten, it gives fodder for daydreams and mind adventure. It allows one to know there is life outside of poverty. It gives one a goal. We left for home that night, and for the boarders, life went on the next day as if we had never been there, but I like to think that their lives are a little more hopeful and their dreams a little more broad. It is my prayer that we will be able to secure a van for the school so that these adventures are not limited to once a year. I would love to see them have the ability to go to the library, the zoo, the game park, giraffe center, the clinic, the doctor’s. I would love for them all to be vaccinated-it’s free, but transportation is extremely limiting. Yes, we need a van. When I started dreaming of a van, I thought it could never happen, but after looking into it, I decided that yes, it will be hard, but at $10,000-it can happen. Sure, it’s not like a well-people won’t die of thirst without it, it’s not like food, no one will starve to death, but I look at it like water and food for the soul. If we see these children as our own, then why not? Let’s try to give them dreams for the future. Let’s give them something they can hope for-something more than the slum they live in. If they don’t see that there is life outside of where they live, they will have nothing to aspire for. It will also help us fulfill our commitment to good medical care as we will be able to take them to the clinics for testing and immunization.
So, I guess I am closing the chapter with my hope for their future. Thank you to all who have traveled the journey with us these past two months. Thanks for your prayers and heartfelt support. We are so grateful. Moving forward, I will be sending out a post every other week at the very least. Over the next few months, I hope to introduce you to every child in the school. I hope to give you a glimpse of life when we are not there. I hope to make it so real to you that you feel with every post that you are a bit more of Kenya than you were the month before. Thanks for reading, thanks for being a part, after all, WE ARE KENYA, isn’t it??
2nd Annual “Swing for Kids” Golf Event – UPDATED
Posted on 27. Jul, 2010 by admin in Uncategorized
— UPDATED – Online Registration now available! —
Last year we were so pleased to have the overwhelming participation – from novice, to avid golfers alike – in our very first annual golf fundraiser for the children in Kenya. We are even more excited to now be informing all of our We Are Kenya friends and partners about this year’s event – happening this September, at our same pristine, challenging course location as last year! Keep tuned in for more details in the next few weeks, but here’s the lowdown so far:
When: Sept 25th, Saturday @ 1:00 PM
Where: Tanglewood Golf Club, 653 Scotland Road, Quarryville, 17566 – http://www.twgolf.com/
Cost: $150/player
What’s Included: 18 holes of golf, full dinner buffet, great fellowship, and phenomenal contests, prizes
Contests will include longest drive, longest putt, and a car for a hole-in-one, provided by Boyle Buick/GMC Truck in Abingdon, MD.
T.I.K.
Posted on 14. Jul, 2010 by ksmith in Uncategorized
I don’t even know which movie we stole the cliche’ from, but we (the teams that have traveled over since the beginning) have stolen the cliche’ T. I. A. (meaning This Is Africa) and changed it to This Is Kenya-We say it every time something does not go the way we thought it would go. Usually, we attach this saying to our expectation of time and schedule. We go as Americans with a very American agenda. We intend to drive that horse as an American and “get ‘er done!” I have learned to let go of my agendas and to sigh and say-T.I.K. when things just go in Kenyan time and in Kenyan space. It’s almost like there is not time…except for lunch…Lunch is always at 12:30. Anyway, I am rambling, but the point I am trying to make is this-when I told you we would be posting about a really great project we had not intended on doing but were now doing, I really thought I would have a post in a few short days. That was simply not meant to be!
For a background: When we decided on this trip, we did not really intend to be doing any major projects. Ours was a trip intended to gather information on each child, set up the infrastructure for a child sponsorship program, get some responses from the community on the impact of the well, and assess the basic needs on the ground. I really thought that would be enough! I worked hard the first weeks to get the files set up and lay the groundwork for the team to come in and gather the missing information. However, in a conversation that took place in the well tower, our mission changed-or grew that is. We still spent considerable time working on the profiles, and Matt did some painting, but the project that made the biggest immediate impact was one we just were not expecting. While Sam was showing the Moores the water tower, he mentioned that they were hoping to find a way to get some big rocks and softer dirt to repair the road beside the well tower. The idea was that a business could actually be created whereby young men would bring hand carts in and haul water out to the community to sell. This would not only create jobs for seemingly aimless youths, it would also provide a greater source of income for the school. In addition, the community at large would be able to benefit from the clean water.
On a side note, I learned something I am glad I did not know before. Teacher Dan told us that many times when one buys water from a vendor, he has no way of knowing whether that water is “fresh” from the city, or if it indeed came from the sewer. That grossed me out!
So, the problem with the road is that it has deep ruts and pot holes-it is a dirt road for those of you who have not been there. This is not only tearing Sam’s car up, but it is making it impossible to reach the larger community with the water. Here is what the road looked like:
So you can see that the ruts are deep and hard to manage. Samuel had approached the people that live on this street, and they all really wanted to help fix the road, but they barely have money for food, so buying rocks was out of the question. (I keep laughing every time I say buying rocks. It’s just weird to me to buy rocks.) However, we needed to buy rocks.
SO…I really thought these rocks would be there by Monday or Tuesday, but they came on Thursday-Still pretty good timing as we ordered them so late. (still laughing that we had to ORDER rocks) When they came, the youth from the community came out and spent the rest of the day crushing the rocks and spreading them to make the road. Later, Samuel told me that they were so impacted to see Matt and Michael working right along beside them. They said they didn’t know white men knew how to do manual labor.
Laying the bigger rocks out.
Samuel gets to work!
Michael lends a hand.
Unfortunately, there are no pictures of how this road got to be “smooth.” It’s primitive. They have this long steel pole attached to a heavy block and they pound the rocks until they break apart. They also used mallets and hammers. It was really hard work.
FINISHED!
Of course, now I am going to tell you how this small project brought hope. I pray you do not tire or hearing me talk about how the little we have, when given, brings life change. Sometimes those changes are small, but they matter. Within hours of the road being completed, I saw a truck come in and fill up several large containers with water. Fresh water. Water pure enough to be bottled-now available. And, while I think that is awesome, this was not what struck me about this project. It was the following day when we drove onto the street and where there had been piles of trash, there were small stacks of filled trash bags. And when we pulled up, one of the ladies came out of her house and began to dance and laugh and sing! With tears of joy, she thanked Samuel for repairing the road. Why? “Because now she felt like a ‘real’ person.” Have you caught it? Before the road was repaired, the trash men wouldn’t come to pick up her trash. Now, these ladies feel a sense of pride-the trash men can now reach their places to haul away the trash. I know that sounds so small, but when you live in a small one room house, the sides of which may be tin, it’s hard to feel human. When you eat every other day-if you are lucky-it’s hard to feel whole. When your spouse gives you HIV them leaves so no one will know his status is as yours, it’s hard to feel important. It’s little, but when someone picks up your trash, you feel a little more normal-you feel like you belong to a society. Take my word for it, she told us herself. It’s just a road, it’s just trash, but to her it was hope. You can call it what you will-but I like to call it hope. It’s a small thing that brightens a dark day and makes you feel like maybe someone out there does know you exist-perhaps someone does care-and just maybe tomorrow will be a little better.
Reflections
Posted on 09. Jul, 2010 by ksmith in June 2010
In Kenya if you haven’t seen someone or talked to them in a long time, they say “you’ve been lost!” I feel like we’ve been a little lost as far as posting is concerned. We had a lovely time at Ruth’s. Mama Matt especially loved feeding the giraffes. She misses her dogs, so it gave her opportunity to “bond” a little with nature! We enjoyed watching the African dances, but mostly we enjoyed spending time with Ruth. For those of you who do not know of Ruth, she is the friend we lived with while we were here in Kenya. Her husband, who was an American, passed away the Christmas we returned to the US. It touched us all deeply to lose Rick, and is always a rather emotional time being with Ruth without Rick. Ruth is healing, although I think that while one can heal from losing the one you love the dearest, there are always memories, like scars that remind of the pain and the joy. I am proud of Ruth for her strength in the midst of her pain, and I thankful that she has Christ.
As we prepare to leave Kenya, my mind is racing and my heart is beginning to bleed a little. Coming to Kenya is always somewhat surreal for me. It’s like you fly for almost a day, almost half way around the world, only to find you feel like you are home. You know how it is when you have that one or two friends in a lifetime that no matter how long it has been since you have spoken or seen one another, you just pick up as if you were together just the day before? That is Kenya to me. It is the people that when you join back together, it is as if you had never left. The other day, they told me that they had voted me in as their “Mother Theresa.” I laughed so hard, but deep inside, I was struck again with the realization of the gift I have been given to be a part of this very amazing work that God is doing. I firmly believe that whatever it is that God wants to do, He will do with or without us. I think back that “chance” encounter that Jeromy and Sam had over five years ago. Who knew that two men, one far away from home, one in his own land, would form a bond that would be used to unite two continents in the effort to change the world for some precious children, some who were not even born yet!
I often sit back and wonder, why us? Why Sam? Why Soweto? Why now? What if we had chosen to support someone else? Certainly the needs were there and the causes all as deserving as the other. While I don’t pretend to understand the detailed workings of God’s plans, I do believe that if God had determined to do a work through Sam, He would have found someone else had we not been willing. But what a ride we would have missed out on! I wonder if you feel the same. Those of you who have partnered with us, are you loving the ride??? Isn’t it CRAZY to be a part of His plan to bring fresh, clean water to thirsty, sick people? Isn’t it CRAZY that 130 children, many of whom have gone days without food, eat a good, headed toward nutritious, meal every day! How about the fact that children who have been abandoned, beaten, abused, and neglected, now have the opportunity to just be kids again? To know safe love, to know friendship, to know Christ! It’s a ride-one I would hate to miss out on. I’m no Mother Theresa, and the truth is that this is not my work, it is ours. That is why we chose the name WE ARE KENYA. We feel that everyone who partners with us, whether it is to pray, donate needed items, contribute financially, volunteer at our fundraisers, or contribute financially, everyone of you becomes a part of Kenya. Not really the physical country, but the “Kenya” that we embrace as a part of our beings. The smiles that melt your heart, the hands that hold yours and refuse to let go, those arms that grab you in these hugs that almost knock you down, and the constant song as you enter and leave…That is who we all become. We become food for the hungry, water for the thirsty, love for the unloved, protection for those in danger-in a word we become hope. We are no longer just us, we are Kenya. We are men and women who have seen that the world is bigger than our houses, our cars, and our vacations. We are a people who believe that we can make a difference. We understand that we cannot change the whole world, but we can change the world for one child. It’s an awesome ride. Glad you came along.
It’s Monday!
Posted on 05. Jul, 2010 by ksmith in Uncategorized
So, we had a good weekend, but you will have to forgive me for not posting as the kids and I have not been feeling well at all. As a matter of fact, if you could pray for us, that would be huge.
Saturday, we spent the day at school helping Rose prepare food, she has not been well either. We were thrilled to see the new doors put up in the remaining three classrooms. It was evident last week that it was something that really needed to be done when we realized the rooms were being used to “extra-curricular” activities late at night by street “kids.” I think I will leave the rest to you to figure out. So, we were thrilled to see them put up, painted and ready for use on Monday! Teacher Marren was most excited as she was the one who was pesting the pastor for a new door.
The kids were excited when the donkey came to bring the doors and they were treated to a donkey cart ride!
Later in the day on Saturday, the church received a new keyboard from the team! They were so excited here at the church. Pamela ran all around the house praising the Lord! The keyboard they were using had only about half of the keys working. Those who play for the church we thrilled beyond words. Samuel said that they had just started praying for a new keyboard just two months ago and they really could not believe that it had come so soon. I think the plan that God puts together is so interesting. For so long, the prayer was for the basic need-food for the children at school. That need is now being met on a regular basis. Then, the prayer was for electricity. The lights now shine and the pump brings water to the tanks every day. They prayed for a place to have classes-Met. They prayed for shelter for the most vunerable-Met. Water-MET!So, when you meet the basic needs that people have, you free a people up to think and pray for things past survival. Things that you and I may even call needs, but they would call luxeries. Things as small as toilet paper to as large as a keyboard that has keys that work!
On Sunday, Baba Matt brought the message. While it was somewhat challenging to Michael to work with an interpreter, the message was well received. Mama Matt also sang in the choir! I missed church, but I am told she was a big challenge to the rest of us as she danced really well!
This pic is kind of like playing “Where’s Terry??”
Today, we are working on profiles and Matt is painting the water house. We are taking the day tomorrow to rest with Ruth and go to feed the giraffes. We’ll post those pics as soon as we can! And…a litte teaser…we have a really BIG and wonderful project we are negociating a price for. Stay tuned for more details!
Sunday Update
Posted on 02. Jul, 2010 by ksmith in Uncategorized
So sorry, but it was impossible to post from Maasi Mara. We had a really good time, but I think we will wait to post those pictures until later. I wanted, however, to tell you about Sunday. We were able by way of a friend’s donation to carry 150 bibles in our luggage. We planned to give some to Caleb to carry to his prison ministry, some to our friend George to use in his church, and some here at the church/school. Because of the well project, many people have started coming to the church to see what all this is about. Samuel works diligently to point the apprecition to God. This has lead many people to know the Christ whom we serve. So, here you can meet some of the people who have some to know the Lord recently. These are the few who received the Bibles on Sunday.
My man, Bruce. Samuel called for the new converts who wanted a Bible to come forward. He came. He is brave and it was super cute!
This picture is not very clear, but the story is worth telling.
Jeromy, you may remember this guy if you could see the picture well. This man is one of the “town drunks.” So many times as we were coming home from school, this man would come to the car and beg Samuel for money to buy alcohol. He would say, “Pastor, you are my father. Buy for me one drink.” Samuel was never unkind, but obviously, he could not give him money. I remember his buying him food on a few occasions. Well, on Sunday, he came to church. Because he has seen the changes in the community and the care for the kids, he came to Samuel and began to talk with him about his life. Imagine he is a very learned man. He has a university education and once had a good business. Now, he has barely clothes to wear. You know where this is going because you saw the picture. Another life-redeemed. On Sunday, he received a Bible. Everyone in the church was shocked. They even laughed at first. However, when his story was shared, wow, I imagine the heavens rejoiced along with the church. I cannot do it ustice, but if you sit and imagine a man without hope, tied to the addiction that has destroyed his life. Now imagine, he is clean, in good clothes, sitting in church. He stands and says this is his first time in church and he states his name. People snicker, even laugh right out, but he is not detered. No, he smiles and walks to the front to receive a Bible. Samuel tells his story. The atmosphere changes. He is promises a new set of clothes and he is finally given the love he has so craved. This is how Christ in us changes a man. I love the word redemption. In the church, we often use that as we speak of salvation. While that is true, I rather like to use it when thinking of someone whose life was “nothing.” To say that someone like this man, or our Kevin, or Lazo…the names are endless-men, woman, and children whose lives are redeemed from the poverty of hope to a life of purpose. That is how I like use redeemed.
Mama, Baba, and Matt greeting the church.
Gorgeous!
There is fif th grade class who donated four boxes of school supplies. It has taken us a long time to get the supplies here, but we are hoping the kids find a way to see how their gifts are being used by the children out here. Thanks to you, this boy has a very nice back pack to carry his books to school!
Sometime in the course of last year,I collected small stuffed animals from donations both to WAK and to our kids. I came with seventeen of them. Wouldn’t you know, there are sixteen kids who board! The other night when I went to pray with them and say goodnight, I took popcorn and the animals. You would have thought it was caviar and new cars! They were so excited. I wish I could load videos because when I got to the church I found them in the sanctuary singing together-no adult-just sixteen kids singing their hearts out to Jesus. I feel moved to tears just thinking about it. You know, if a child who has not parents, or one who knows abuse by her father can sing with a huge devotion to the God they love.
Faith!
I love all the children, but like Sharon, Edwin grabs my heart. Later, when I return to the states, I will introduce him fully. Just look beyond that smile and know that this child knows pain. He is an orphan who has been through serious rejection and abuse. Look past that smile and know-You have been used to make the difference in this child’s life.
Kevin! Dana-be proud.
This is Otis, Kevin’s brother. He doesn’t go to school, but he was visiting his big brother. Luckily, I carried seventeen animals. Priceless.
I used to call Dorcas, “the girl who never smiles.” NOT ANYMORE!
With this beautiful smile, I will say good-night. We begin our physical projects tomorrow and should have a report by Monday or Tuesday. For now, we are working on profiles and other business. However, we do plan to put in three doors and do some painting. We are planning to buy two mattresses and add four to the dorm. Other than that, we will see. Thanks for reading-thanks for your comments! It cheers me on! Talk to you soon.
Mama Sundi
Just pics tonight
Posted on 27. Jun, 2010 by ksmith in Uncategorized
This is Grace (the cook) and her husband Jack. Grace is really so much more than a cook. For those of you who have been to Kenya, you have learned that in many ways, Grace is key in the sweetness that we have in the spirit at school. She serves with grace and quiet love.
Samuel and Jasiri
So, we took a few books to the office of the foreign affairs minister to Kenya. This is us talking with Caleb as we wait. When Babu was here, he spent three days waiting in this office for a meeting with the minister. I am sure this picture brings back some not so pleasant memories!
The duputy and me-sounds like the line in a song.
Damon, who does not like to sit around and wait for people to visit, was very happy to be free!
Shopping with Samuel
Jasiri and Sam with the paka-cat. Before this little friend came to hang out, we really had a problem with the mice and the food. But, now Sam’s little friend keeps the -compound rat-free.
Bed-time stories with Rosie!
Yvonne
Margaret and Jane
Lavenda reading to me!
My Sharon-and Jane who wants to be in every picture possible!
Good night, boys!
While I was in the boys’ room telling them good-night, I lost Damon. When I came out to the lot, this is what I found. All of the girls had piled into Samuel’s car to listen to the nightly news with him. It was so cute!
These two beauties were in the car as well. They are not a part of PEC, but that does not stop Samuel from giving them love. In fact, he treats them just the same. As we left, he took food from his car, and fed them.
I’ll close with these pics. The Moores arrived safely and realy enjoyed church today. I have some really incredible pics and stories to share with you about the day, but it is midnight, and we are leaving early in the morning for a safari. We are going try to post from the field, but if you don’t hear from us until Wednesday, you’ll know we were unable to connect. Thank you to those who have supported us during this trip. We are starting the purchase of the “tools” for our projects tomorrow. I’ll fill you in when we get back on what we want to accomplish while we are here. LATER!
Mama Sundi