Saturday, August 4, 2018
Seminar photo
Ibrahim looking “smart”
Saturday - Seminar day
WiFi isn’t letting me post a picture, but this was Seminar day! It was quite a crowd! Emily has been here for Seminar several times and said it was a great turnout. The Lewis’s got to meet their sponsored child, Robert. The Boshes got to connect with Patrick some more. The Wenz family got great time with both Ronny and Risper. At one point Ronny and Risper were playing with each other — mind blown!
The day started with tea (an unmovable tradition), then there were formal introductions of the Hope Board and the travel team.
Then there were a few mini-sermons and then the workshops. The kids session included a game where you catch a ball/say a memory verse or do a trick. Lewis got to do some back handsprings when it was his turn. The teens and young adults were together — about 70 young men and women sitting under trees. I (Pam) got to share a testimony about mentoring. The parents gathered in their group and shared testimonies about the transformational impact of Hope Trust/Cherish sponsorships on their life.
Next, everyone lined up to wash hands and partake in a delicious meal of “mashed food” (potatoes and bananas), spiced rice, stewed carrots and meat, and cooked cabbage.
Finally it was time to hand out the backpacks! The families listened so respectfully to hear about the UPPC Day Campers who bought the backpacks and made the stationery. Then again, they lined up really respectfully to receive their backpacks. It was so fun to say our fond farewells as families walked up the hill to head home, backpacks swinging along.
The day started with tea (an unmovable tradition), then there were formal introductions of the Hope Board and the travel team.
Then there were a few mini-sermons and then the workshops. The kids session included a game where you catch a ball/say a memory verse or do a trick. Lewis got to do some back handsprings when it was his turn. The teens and young adults were together — about 70 young men and women sitting under trees. I (Pam) got to share a testimony about mentoring. The parents gathered in their group and shared testimonies about the transformational impact of Hope Trust/Cherish sponsorships on their life.
Next, everyone lined up to wash hands and partake in a delicious meal of “mashed food” (potatoes and bananas), spiced rice, stewed carrots and meat, and cooked cabbage.
Finally it was time to hand out the backpacks! The families listened so respectfully to hear about the UPPC Day Campers who bought the backpacks and made the stationery. Then again, they lined up really respectfully to receive their backpacks. It was so fun to say our fond farewells as families walked up the hill to head home, backpacks swinging along.
Friday, August 3, 2018
A day of joyful children
Thursday morning we drove the most rutted dirt roads imaginable to arrive at a rustic elementary school in the middle of lush forest. The students were at an end-of-year assembly on the sloping red dirt courtyard. Hundreds of staring eyes followed us as we walked in. After the assembly ended we visited classrooms and chatted with children drinking their porridge. Most exciting to the Kenyan children was stroking the hair of the white children. The headmaster joyfully received the soccer ball and playground ball we gave them before taking off.
We proceeded to another village school - Josephine’s primary school! We were greeted with beautifully dressed women singing “welcome!” in Swahili and dancing with us as we paraded in. We enjoyed the end of their assembly, then shared a snack of bread, boiled eggs, and Fanta pop. This school has the defending national champion baseball team! We ended our visit with a long-grass/steep-slope game of baseball between the Wenz/Bosh kids and the Kenyan ball players. Three catchers did their best to keep the ball from rolling way down the hill and out of sight!
Next we visited Dorothy— the teen (now young adult) who received a wheelchair from UPPC in 2010. She was so joyful to see everyone and the wheelchair still works great!
Next we did the groundbreaking party for Watoto Center! It is currently a sloping cornfield, but the Mburugus can already picture the three terraces of playground, community center, then garden/farm at the bottom. Emily poured the official groundbreaking glop of cement between heavy stones that will eventually support the gate to the Watoto Center. Just before the big moment, Josephine’s father Ibrahim donned an orange vest and hard hat, then looking over his shoulder, quipped, “How smart do I look?”
We proceeded to Ibrahim’s shamba for dinner, including a chicken slaughtered that morning. Everyone loved seeing the acre of fertile land, teeming with healthy crops, a few livestock, and several outbuildings with new friends perpetually pouring forth from them. All people that Ibrahim has embraced, helped, and loved like family. The kids played soccer with Ibrahim’s youngest friends for a long time, then the soccer ball stayed with the littlest friend - a boy of maybe 3 - who had giggled his way through the whole game.
Just two more stops. Are you tired yet? Patrick’s house (the high school senior sponsored by Jason and Emily) and finally a joyful reunion between the Boshes and their hosts from 2005. They were chagrined we couldn’t stay for tea, but it’s safe to say we were all bushed! What an incredible day. In John Lewis’s words: “This is the stuff!”
We proceeded to another village school - Josephine’s primary school! We were greeted with beautifully dressed women singing “welcome!” in Swahili and dancing with us as we paraded in. We enjoyed the end of their assembly, then shared a snack of bread, boiled eggs, and Fanta pop. This school has the defending national champion baseball team! We ended our visit with a long-grass/steep-slope game of baseball between the Wenz/Bosh kids and the Kenyan ball players. Three catchers did their best to keep the ball from rolling way down the hill and out of sight!
Next we visited Dorothy— the teen (now young adult) who received a wheelchair from UPPC in 2010. She was so joyful to see everyone and the wheelchair still works great!
Next we did the groundbreaking party for Watoto Center! It is currently a sloping cornfield, but the Mburugus can already picture the three terraces of playground, community center, then garden/farm at the bottom. Emily poured the official groundbreaking glop of cement between heavy stones that will eventually support the gate to the Watoto Center. Just before the big moment, Josephine’s father Ibrahim donned an orange vest and hard hat, then looking over his shoulder, quipped, “How smart do I look?”
We proceeded to Ibrahim’s shamba for dinner, including a chicken slaughtered that morning. Everyone loved seeing the acre of fertile land, teeming with healthy crops, a few livestock, and several outbuildings with new friends perpetually pouring forth from them. All people that Ibrahim has embraced, helped, and loved like family. The kids played soccer with Ibrahim’s youngest friends for a long time, then the soccer ball stayed with the littlest friend - a boy of maybe 3 - who had giggled his way through the whole game.
Just two more stops. Are you tired yet? Patrick’s house (the high school senior sponsored by Jason and Emily) and finally a joyful reunion between the Boshes and their hosts from 2005. They were chagrined we couldn’t stay for tea, but it’s safe to say we were all bushed! What an incredible day. In John Lewis’s words: “This is the stuff!”
Thursday, August 2, 2018
Challenging wifi
We apologize for the super-brief posts. Our hotel’s WiFi functions about 10% of the time. Any post that sneaks through and successfully publishes is an answered prayer!
Wednesday - Drive to Meru
After a long journey we safely arrived in a Meru Wednesday evening! Esther, Elijah, and his wife Priscilla greeted us at the hotel. They are so joyful that we are here. The Wenz family had the opportunity to hop right back in the van and meet their sponsored child, an 18-year-old senior in high school. It was another fulfilled dream to be sharing arrow root and lots of conversation together in their humble living room. What a gift.
Wednesday, August 1, 2018
Nyumbani orphanage
The picture shows John Lewis holding John, who was VERY excited to share the same first name with John.
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