Orphans, Baboons, and Ants in my Pants!

The past 2 weeks in Kenya have really been a whirlwind... but incredible. It is hard not to fall in love with Africa! Last week we spent a night at a children's home that is located in the slum area outside of Nairobi. The home housed 17 school-aged children, whose parents have died of AIDS. Instead of trying to recount our experience there, I will just copy a piece of my journal from those days...

As I sit here outside, within the gates of the Kware Care Center, I find it hard to put into words the things that I have seen over the past few days. There are so many sounds! I hear birds singing, roosters crowing, goats bleating, a small child outside the wall that has been screaming nonstop for what seems like forever... it is a desperate cry. I hear the chicken in the coop crying (it really does sound like crying!) because his friend has been lying dead in the coop with him for days, and no one has gotten around to removing it yet. I can smell the occasional wafted over smell from the choo (the outhouse, which is just a hole in the ground to squat over). And next to me, journalling herself, is June... a 68 year old woman with a miraculous story. Just a few years ago, after the death of her husband, she was sitting in a nursing home in the UK with a bad hip and failing eyesight. Then God healed her and set her free in order to call her to minister in Kenya. She owns nothing, gets paid nothing, lives in this place in the middle of a slum village, caring for 17 children who are not her own, far from her own country... and yet SO grateful for what the Lord has done in her life. It is humbling really. Could I be so faithful if the Lord called me?

We went out into the village these past few days, walking around, seeing the area, visiting families of children who are involved in Kware's education sponsorship program to see how they are doing. It is hard to believe that people live the way they do. Small, one room shacks made out of scraps of tin and dirt floors, with families of 6 or more living inside. We visited a family where the mother was raising her own three children, plus a small grandchild, in a shack like this... no electricity, surrounded by garbage. The moter had a horrible cough, which June suspected was TB, but she had no desire or option to even get it checked out.

The children at the home are beautiful, smart, creative children. It is sad to think that they have been through more hardships and sorrow than I will probably ever experience in my whole life. And still, at the end of the day, they stand around the dinner table as one big family, clapping and singing praises to our great God, who has a home prepared for them and who has adopted them as His own.
(for more information about this ministry or how to get involved in what they do, I will post a link at the bottom of our blog site to their webpage)


After returning from the orphanage, we left to go to Kijabe for the weekend, which is in the Rift Valley. We stayed at Rift Valley Academy, which is a boarding school for missionary children, and got to see the very cool ministry that goes on there. The Kinzer family, who we now consider dear friends, were wonderful to take good care of us, show us around and allow us to be a part of a great family for a weekend. Cole even got to play pick up rugby with the guys on Sunday afternoon (and has been sore ever since!) We continue to have funny encounters with animals and insects on this trip. While going for a walk around the perimeter of campus one day, Cole and I got chased by a baboon! Luckily the Kinzers dog, Max, was with us and scared it off. Also, while picking berries, Caroline found a big pile of "pinching ants", that she showed me. As I was standing a few feet away looking at them, I suddenly felt a sharp pinch on the back of my thigh. I look down to find that there are black ants covering my shoes and the bottom of my pants and were crawling up inside my pants! It was all I could do from stripping them off in the front yard! I am sure I made a funny sight, running to the house, shrieking and stripping off my pants all at once! :0)

Finally, we caved in and went on a safari these past few days in the Masai Mara, which is apparently the best national park in Kenya (it is where the movie "Out of Africa" was filmed). It was amazing to see all of those animals in their natural environments... I don't think we will ever be able to go to a zoo again.

Overall, Kenya has been one of the best experiences of my life. I do have some sad news to report, though. My grandpa George passed away a few days ago. It is very sad for me to not be able to grieve with the rest of my family and to attend the services to receive closure. But it is a joy to know that he is no longer in pain and is with the Lord, and with my grandma. Please pray for Cole and I, that we would know how to grieve this loss in a healthy way. Asante Sana (thank you very much in Swahili) for your prayers and support.