Off the Beaten Path

JAMBO JAMBO JAMBO!

So it's been a couple days since I have updated on my experiences. It's because we journeyed three/four hours away on a dirt road where there is nothing. No running water. No showers. No electricity. No air.

On the other hand... there IS Coca-Cola. Beautiful faces. Singing. Dancing. Home- cookin'. I can't wait to tell you about our adventure to Kitui.

It all began as we hopped onto 3 vans and headed outside the city limits. One second I saw tall buildings and the next second I saw a camel with water jugs strapped to either side.

We arrived safely... but we don't know how :) A few bumpy rides (potholes, rocks, trees) and quite a few window visits from people selling vegetables made for a great adventure.

The second we got there the children were singing on the side of the road and the grandparents greeted us with warm hugs. "I am happy today. so happy. In Jesus name i am happy..... theplace to be happy is here. The time to be happy is now. The way to be happy is to make someone happy and to bring a little Heaven down here."

I will never be able to explain to you that moment... but it was incredible. The grandparents are often the caretakers of these children who have lost both parents (mainly to AIDS). Stick with me because I am going to get to that part.

That day we got to enjoy their spirits. We brought balloons. It was the most beautiful thing to see a rainbow of balloons in the air as the children played with sheer joy on their faces. One little girl came and sat in my lap for about 45 min. She looked at her hands as she played with my hands. She knew we were different colors and it took a second for her to process. After all, us "muzungas" are aliens. Many have never seen whites. She then looked up and smiled. That taught be so much to see her smiling at our differences. That day we got to listen to the grandparents about their struggles providing for many grandchildren without any income and with many health issues. For example: one single handedly caring for six grandchildren, one with a serious goiter, and one woman who just took in a child for a while because the child had ABSOLUTELY no family member left.

I spent the night at the home of a family there. Six girls and I really enjoyed the cultural experience and hospitality of a real African family. We washed the vegetables outside from their own garden. We ate their own chickens that they raised and killed for us (BLEHHH... I have had a hard time eating meat this week). We went to the restroom in outhouses where a tiny hole in the cement goes down so far it echoes. Sorry I am just being honest. We washed off with a bucket of water. Their homestead had many crops and many rows of maize. The maize (corn) at night sounded eerie just like the movies. But hey, in the morning it sure tasted good.

They were so great to welcome us into their home. Susan was our "mom" and she kept feeding us rice until we almost exploded. It reminded me of a Greek woman. Four of us stayed in a room together. One got very sick at night, one talked in her sleep, and I had a dream that someone was climbing into my bed. Very interesting night to say the least!! The rooster woke us up bright and early. That really is their alarm clock. We woke up and ate maize grown on their homestead like I was just telling you. It was raw and ORGANIC (daddy... that was for you). IT WAS AWESOME!

Typical meals included rice, beans, chicken, potatoes, and an orange. You would not believe the amount the kids ate. It was funny at first but then heartbreaking as we remembered that this may be their only meal for a while.

DISCLAIMER: the rest of this message is not easy to type, and I honestly hope it isn't to read. I hope that these words will not just be stories but will encourage those reading to pray and take action.

Day one in Kitui:

I learned that many orphans, especially girls, have been victims of rape and molestation by family members. Mrs. Susan said she knew of four at the moment that had faced this before but others have in the past. 4 is a huge number considering none are older than 14 and there are only about 30 kids there. Also, in Kibera (the first slum from last post) about 50% of children are sexually assaulted.

On a lighter note I have never seen such joyous faces singing to the Lord. Their innocence and loving spirits will never leave my mind. Their faith is so huge. Why is mine so small when I am provided two loving parents and supportive family members, food without a worry, a home, health, and protection. Those are just the basics. It made me realize that those verses are true about how difficult it is for those who are rich to inherit the Kingdom. America... We are ALL rich.

I cannot wait to show you all pictures! They are the most beautiful people you will ever see.

Day Two:

ARTS AND CRAFTS! They loved every minute of it. Face painting, masks, tambourines, painting, and paper airplanes all made for many giggles. I was a face painter. I gave the children a mirror to see their faces. They were captivated by their faces. I honestly do not know if they have seen themselves many times before. One boy looked at the pictures I brought of family and friends. I got a picture of him looking at a picture of my brother and 3 of his friends at a basball game. It hit home that this little boy has never seen a baseball bat and has never had a daddy to take him outside to play catch.

We ate lunch with the kids and after that we split into groups to travel to some homes of the orphans. Let me explain. We were not in an orphanage but moreso a daycare/counseling/school for them. They have caretakers but the caretakers are not their parents.

The first few homes we went to were friends, aunts, and grandmothers who were the caretakers. The next was a very old grandmother who could hardly walk much less care for a young boy alone. She had nothing but a mud hut. She still offered us all the oranges she had. WOW... would I offer up everything I had to complete strangers while starving? What a servant and woman of faith.


As we were on the way we came across a little market to grab cokes. We all got one and so did our kids. I only had a sip because I am not a big coke drinker like my mom. I looked next to me and the boy had guzzled his. I then handed him mine and he tried to get me to pour it into his bottle. Fail. Then I tried to hand it to him again. As we pulled up to his homestead he finally took it and poured it down his throat. That was probably all he had the rest of the evening besides corn.

This last home we visited made this whole trip worth it. Let me describe it as best I can. It may be long winded. Sorry :)

We pull up on the side of the road and walk down a dirt path. We began walking and noticed we were accumulating a group of small children following behind us. Eventually twenty children were walking behind me. They were giggling just like the munchkins on the Wizard of Oz. My friend Mike turned around and shouted "boo!" At first they had the look of terror as they leaped over eachother and into the bushes. Then the laughing continued and they followed us again. About a mile passed and we arrived at a small dirt structure on top of a hill. I looked down and there were about five children sitting on a mat resting in the shade. This was the boys' home. I asked where the caretaker was and the leader said that he was at school. "How old is he?" I asked. "The caretaker is nineteen." He said.

Nineteen years old taking care of about five children. Let me add that two of these children were no more than a year old. Kilu, the boy we dropped off, was responsible for providing food for them. He was about nine. These children are being raised by a teenager. They were malnourished and sitting there all alone. I wanted to take all of my clothes off of my back and wrap them in something. I also wanted to bring them all home.

Leaving that home was the hardest thing I have ever had to do in my life. Part of my heart is still on that hill. I want so badly to find a way to help that family specifically.

Do not let that story be a story. Let that sink in. What if we were nineteen and responsible for tiny children, school, providing food, and just surviving in general. These people need our prayers first and foremost. They also need food, families, and education.

On a lighter note our little munchkins followed us back to the car. I got a great video of them singing. Did I mention they love cameras?

We hopped in the van and heard a chicken screaching at a home next to us. A few minutes pass and Jemima is carrying the chicken in the car. That chicken was in a box... for a second. It got so flustered that it busted out of the box and gave us a death stare. I thought I was going to be attacked by a chicken. It was absolutely hilarious...especially the fact that we were bringing the live chicken back for our dinner. I did not eat chicken that night. I think I like the idea of frozen chicken instead of fresh chicken now. :) :)

We got back today after 5 hours of bumpy roads. I tried beet root juice today. Not my cup of tea. We just got back from dinner. I ate a quesadilla. WOO HOO for Americanized Mexican in Kenya.

I got a little sick to my stomach today, but the meds are doing just fine. We are using mosquto nets in our hotel. It looks like we are on a honeymoon or something.

I am so thankful for all of your prayers. Thanks for reading this! I know it is long, but every detail was important.

Tomorrow we are going back to Kibera. We will visit a vocational school there. When we were there the other day we were right next to a raid. Apparently a boy brought the Korran (spelling?? ... Muslim book) to school. The teacher was upset about that and made him hit it seven times. Then the Islamic community in the area came and it caused an uproar. We thought it was a game of soccer, but we were wrong. That isn't to scare you but it is just showing you that this place is really intense.

I prayed for adventure and for something to hit my stubborn heart hard enough for me to feel,pray, and take action for these people. Prayers answered.

What a wonderful experience. The people I am here with are so funny but also relatable. We have laughed and cried together so much already. I am loving this. Every minute counts.

Until tomorrow!!!