August 30, 2010
Dear Friends,
JAMBO!!! Greetings in Swahili. That is how every encounter begins in Kenya.
It is my privilege to compose an update to you all regarding our Mission Trip this year.
Our “TEAM” consisted of four committed folks this year; Dickson Lester, Myra Cox, Trevor Merson and me – Reba Harrison. Even though our team was small in number, we accomplished so very much with God’s help.
The plan was to be:
1. No VBS, with so few folks just couldn’t figure out how to make this happen
2. Visit the hospital with a suitcase of medical supplies
3. Visit as many of the sponsored children as possible so we can report back to the sponsors with an update
4. Visit the schools that the children attend (we had a list of five…)
5. Spend lots of time at the “Home” with our 17 precious children
6. Visit with Humphrey’s mothers “Women’s Group”
7. Be involved in the Sunday services (Dickson to preach, and Myra and Reba to teach Sunday School with Trevor’s help)
Now for the rest of the story………
When we arrived in Nairobi early in the morning of July 3rd we were exhausted to say the least. The twenty hour plane ride and lay over in Amsterdam was a little more than we had planned on, but when we saw the Kenyan Team and Dickson cheering for us coming out of the terminal it was all worth the wait.
As our feet hit the ground – we were off. We went to the home of Moffat (our coordinator in Nairobi) and visited with the nine children that we sponsor from that area. There was an enormous bag of food for each of the children and we had a little time to talk to their guardians. There were short questionnaires to fill out for each child so that we could get to know them better. But…of course, we had to have help from the Kenyan team to translate from the guardians. The children do speak English but cannot understand many of the questions without some help with the Swahili. It was also a blessing to see Nancy and Moffat’s little baby Lily.
After arriving in Chuka Meru South, or as we refer to it as Humphrey’s home town, we were taken to our homes. Dickson stayed with Humphrey and Hellen, Myra stayed with Paul and Ann, and Trevor and I stayed with Julius and Frashiah. Home at last.
Our first project was to visit the schools where the children were enrolled. Remember that we were “supposed” to visit five – turned into 16 schools. But ………God is good. He knew that Myra and I had planned on giving 3 small items to five schools. You can do the math. We had something for every child we visited. Almost 5,000 children got to see our team. We made many connections. Met many headmasters, many teachers and many helpers. During each visit with the headmaster, we had to get permission for the children to stay home the next day so we could visit them at their homes.
Now another “rest of the story”…
When they say “my home is very close to the school”, be cautious………..I was going to visit Phineas, who is sponsored by McGee. He kept saying “it’s just over there”, and we walked over a ravine that was supported by three twigs; but we kept walking. In another while he would say, “it’s just over there”, and we kept going….Now, already hot and sweaty and “very” thirsty; again we heard, “it’s just over there” and by the way—this time was for real. He was so proud that we had made it to his home. He had a small room, all to himself, with a bed, desk and chair. It was small but his eyes lit up and he showed us all around. The compound was immaculate. I wish you could have seen the joy in his eyes!
In all we visited about 60 children at their homes. Very humbling experience my friends. I hope one day that you will be able to visit your child’s home. God will prepare your way. Pray hard!
Another item on our project list was to spend as much time with “our 17 kids” in the orphanage as possible. Prior to our trip; Myra, Trevor and I planned activities for the children to do. We had T-shirts for them to design. Oh my goodness – even Ellyjoy (“momma”) and Pauline (“auntie”) got in on the fun. There was fabric paint all over. Can’t wait to show some of the pictures of their precious designs. And when I tell you that they used all the paint – they used every bit! …then put water in the containers to use it some more.
We also played BINGO. What a hit. The kids were so intent on trying to find the numbers..and Alex was getting so very excited…only one more number and he had BINGO. He kept waiting and the next number was his. He screamed out BINGO!!!!! – then exclaimed…let’s do it again! No prizes needed to be awarded, just the fact that they were learning numbers, having fun and just the fact we were all together as one happy family.
Trevor brought Animal Planet workbooks. We handed them out to each of the children, with colored pencils and then went to work. Every one of them started on a different page. Some were coloring, some doing mazes, some doing puzzles and then a couple just watching to see what was going to happen. The older children needed little help to do the puzzles. They loved the challenge. Others were coloring and trying so hard to do their best. Trevor hit the nail on the head with that project.
I cannot forget – Movie and popcorn night….We had sent over a TV on the container last year. It was all hooked up and ready to go. Myra had thought that Dr. Doolittle would be a great movie to take over. So we used Julius and Frashiah’s microwave and did 8 bags of popcorn and began watching Dr. Doolittle. Now this was not the Dr. Doolittle with Eddie Murphy – it was with Rex Harrison; but do you think they cared. They would hardly take their eyes off it. Now my little story about the popcorn. Moses “loved” the popcorn. We had put it on a turkey platter for everyone to share. But, he had his arms around the platter and would scold anyone who reached for any popcorn from “his” platter and say “bad manners”!!!! I’m sure he ate a whole bag himself.
We did have other crafts that they did off and on during the stay, but those were the most memorable.
Now on to the next project. We wanted to bring over a suitcase full of medical supplies for Dr. Nyaga. By the time Julie and I shopped at MedShare, and gathered all the items from stops at WellStar…we looked to Dickson to see if a crate could be shipped prior to us leaving so that we could use the space in our suitcases for the other items that needed to be sent over. Dickson, of course, pulled through again and we sent a crate to Chuka General Hospital. It was chocked full of items ranging from surgical instruments to gauze pads. He loved “every” item. When one of our children needs to go to the hospital for any reason – they don’t have to wait in the “all day” line; he lets them go to the front of the line, since there are so many children waiting at home to be tended to. While Trevor and Myra went on a tour of the hospital and handed out bears that were donated by AMA, and blankets that were made by the Linus Project; Dr. Nyaga and I, along with Ann – made a wish list of items he could really use at the hospital. Already working on that list….
We couldn’t visit Kenya without going to our “home away from home”, a traditional tribal home built in our honor that was constructed during our visit. Humphrey’s mother is involved with a Women’s Group that we help by selling the purses that they make. I believe that last year, they used the money for food to feed folks in the village that were hungry due to the famine. They showed us how they made the purses and how they made the different foods that they would normally eat. Boiled bananas, millet, a bean dish and some other delicacies….and coffee. We presented the money that we had collected on the sale of the purses to them and they presented us with some gifts. A little child that we had somehow missed visiting the day we were suppose to go to her home; came to the celebration and recited a poem. There was total silence. She spoke from her heart. She also presented the team with a beautiful rooster that I found out when Humphrey arrived here – he said the rooster was “mean” and didn’t get along with the others in the home; so it was dinner one night for the kids.
I could go on and on, but time dictates that I must close. The future looks bright. The next “home” (dormitory) is on its way to completion. There are 30 chickens in the coop. There are 8 rabbits in the rabbit pen. The children are all wearing there beautiful red shirts with smiles on their faces and waiting for a chance to meet you.
Pray that you will find a way to join our team next year! You will have an experience of a lifetime and God will make sure of that. Your life will be changed forever.
Pray for the Kenyan team, pray for the US team, pray for all the children that are being helped, pray for all the children that need sponsors – PRAY WITHOUT CEASING!!!
Please don’t let one minute go by if you want to contact any one of the team members for more information about ways to help, or questions about the mission, or questions about your child, or just to talk Kenya – there is someone that is willing to be your “connection” as I hope we have been this year.
You can contact Louise Mell at louise.mell@experian.com or 404-291-7936 or McGee Spencer at mcgeespencer@comcast.net or 770-310-2284 or me….Reba Harrison at reba.harrison@emoryhealthcare.org or 678-520-3699. Visit our web site at www.mhchurch.com.
Thank you for your support of our “Kenya Connection Kids, Inc.” and may God Bless you daily!
Yours in Christ,
The Kenya Connection Team
