We apologize for not updating more frequently - getting on the internet is more difficult than we imagined - we have been using a cyber-cafe...with very slow computers! I will try to cover a few days in one post.
We have had a busy week - the children completed their 2nd term exams. We have all fallen in love with the children in the classes we are teaching. The children of Kenya and at Glorious Academy have beautiful servant hearts. When they have morning porridge, the oldest students serve the younger ones. When we arrive at the church, they all rush to the van to help us carry in our bags.
On Tuesday evening, we made an American meal for the teachers and school leadership. We served almost 30 people a spaghetti dinner with coleslaw and we even had s'mores for dessert. We found a store called Nakumatt (like WalMart) here in Eldoret where we can get almost anything we need! There was lots of laughing from the Kenyans while they ate spaghetti, so we are not certain if they liked the meal. However, most came back for seconds!
After exams on Wednesday, we took some of the children home in the van (those who live farthest from the school). These children walk over an hour to the school (on a good day with no rain). Velgon is a 9 year old girl who lives with her mother in a tiny mud hut - her mother is HIV+ and leaves Velgon alone for months at a time while she is out prostituting. We have no idea what this little girl does for food during these months. Her mud hut is no bigger than 10 ft x 5 ft with absolutely nothing - no furniture, no bed mats, no water, no electricity. We only saw a few pieces of wood and a tiny charcoal stove for cooking. It was heartbreaking seeing such an extreme existance - but the most amazing thing was how incredibly joyful Velgon was t have us at her home. She was filled with joy and so happy to have visitors!
We have been blessed to learn that people in Kenya, while they have few material things, they care so much about people! I think when you have less "stuff" you care about people more - what a gift learning that lesson is! Life in Kenya is about people, about relationships - people are first...not schedules or to-do lists! They will stop in the middle of a road or intersection to roll down the window and shake a hand and say hello!
We also visited Angelin's home that day - she is a 6 year old girl who lives with her grandma and a two year old brother. There are 6 mounded graves outside the front door of her home where her parents and other family who have died of AIDS are buried. I cannot imagine walking past that every morning - how heart wretching! Again, Angelin beamed because she had visitors at her home.
These are the beautiful children we came to serve and help - just to do what we can to show them that they are loved! The heartbreak of seeing children live like this was overwhelming and cemented the realization that life for these children is about survival..it's about day-to-day existance.
We spent most of Thursday in the marketplace and exploring downtown Eldoret - we even drove by the Fire Station and saw the Minnapolis Fire Truck that the city of Minneapolis donated to Eldoret (the two are sister cities). Minneapolis also just sent over an Ambulance and some trainers were just here last week to train the Eldoret Fire Department on EMS training.
We also toured two hospitals on Thursday - a large governmetn hospital and a small private hospital. The differences between hospitals in America and Kenya are as different as our cultures! All I will say for how is that the shoes they wear in surgery are mudboots spraypainted white. They gave me a tour of the surgical suite and just had me take off my shoes to enter the "sterile" surgery suite!
We concluded the week on Friday with the end of term celebration at the school - the classes did presenttions and the top performers in each class were recognized. We ended the celebration by presenting each student with a backpack filled with school supplies, a small teddybear and a toothbrush/toothpaste. They were overwhelmed wtih happiness at receiving the backpacks - a special thank you to everyone at home who donated clothing, backpacks, school supplies and so much more - you have touched the hearts of beautiful children, you have made them feel special and brought smiles to their faces. We were blessed to be able to give these gifts on your behalf.
Lives were touched and these children know they are loved!
Thank you for your continued prayers - we only have 2 more days in Kenya and we are getting excited to return home! Tanya
No comments:
Post a Comment