Adingo Kingsway

Today we visited one of our newest feeding stations at Adingo Kingsway.  This is a small rural church in the same valley as Dirubi, Lee McGraw and Adingo Opanga, but this one is under the supervision of Tobias Olweny.  Tobias is my age, so he’s the oldest of our group of directors.  He oversees Ongoro Orphanage and still serves as a WBS worker. 

 

The place looks really good.  He has constructed a nice kitchen, individual rooms for the two widows, plus room for two more in the event we convert this to an orphanage in the future.  There is a nice choo, (if there is such a thing) and the original church is serving as the dining hall for now, though it is a bit small. 

 

The church turned out to meet us in good numbers, which is a good sign.  This church membership is quite a bit older than most, with a high proportion of aged widows.  After we started sending money for feeding the orphans, the church has turned their attention to the widows, which is exactly what we want to happen.  They are providing meals for 10 of them here, all of which came to greet me.

 

We stayed for a while and spoke to all the kids and the church.  I encouraged them to continue the good work, and thanked them for their service to the Kingdom.  By 3pm we were back on the road to Ongoro.

 

Arriving here, all the kids in the primary school across the street were chanting Tim! Tim!  Almost half of them are from the orphanage, so they know me well.  I decided to crash their party and went over to greet them.  They decided to gather them all into the church building for a chance to sing for us and hear a greeting from us.  It was really cool.

 

Tonight, I’ll share a meal at Tobias house and then join the orphans for their evening devotional.  Be Blessed!

Kikitemo ­ 21 October 2013

Sorry for the delay in posting this, the internet has been a challenge.

 

Today we visited Kikitemo Feeding Station, formerly an Internally Displaced Persons camp.  This place has been the sight of some amazing miracles and has become for me, one of the symbols of God’s redeeming mercy toward his hurting people.  Think we usually believe in the west that miracles belong to the past.  We sometimes speak of healing miracles but rarely does anyone claim a true miracle.  I think that is because we have come to rely so heavily on our own abilities and possessions that we don’t leave room for miracles.  Here, miracles happen often.

 

These people were victims of tribal violence that caused them to loose everything they had, including many family members.  Imagine being forced from your home, able to take nothing, and having the one person you depended on for your daily living, your father, killed right in front of you.  You are a stranger in hostile land, with no one who is willing to help you for fear of being caught in the same situation.  You are forced to run, stopping only to beg for food, until you reach some temporary sanctuary with a good Samaritan.  It doesn’t last long before you are again cast out, looking for a way to survive. 

 

You come upon a woman who has been in the same situation as you.  She can offer you very little help, but she does invite you to join her group of similarly affected people.  They are mostly widows and children of all ages, over 150 in number.  Huddling together as squatters on someone else’s land, they are trying to get the government or one of the international aid agencies to recognize them and provide some assistance, but it never comes.

 

One day the government does show up, with trucks.  They load everyone up and carry you all away with promises of resettlement.  As night falls, you realize those promises are empty, because they dump you in the bush, near a small town, with no water, food, or shelter.  You and your new-found family have been officially abandoned.  All you have is your prayers, as you all try to find a way to keep warm for the night.

 

After some days, you group has managed to make crude shelters and some have walked into the town seeking casual jobs.  Your days are filled with longing for what you have lost and your nights with fear of the wild animals who live in the bush.  Eventually, from the least likely of sources, a leader emerges from your midst.  Like, you, she has lost it all but she retains her relentless faith that God will not leave you as orphans, that He will save you eventually.  She organizes everyone and begins to knit you together as a family.

 

After a few months, your group has managed to scape together enough to buy a small plot of land outside the bush.  It’s not very big, only a half acre, but with the help of some well-wishers you are able to move to your new place and set up camp, not far from a UN recognized IDP camp.  You can see the main highway to the capital city in the distance, and you watch as every day trucks arrive and depart the other camp, but continuing to ignore you and your forgotten family.

 

One day, a man arrives who looks like a beggar.  He is clearly poor, and a bit old, but you remember your culture of hospitality and you welcome him into the camp.  He has only words of encouragement for you, telling you that God has not forgotten you; that your redemption will soon come.  Given his appearance, it’s hard to take him seriously, but you join him in prayer as you wish him a safe journey home.  Unknown to you, God has heard your prayers.  The man is part of an evangelistic work backed by Mzungu (white people).  He writes to his friends and tells them of the desperate situation you are in and begs for help on your behalf.  The call is answered, and some money for food is on its way.

 

As you arise one morning, after spending the whole night in prayers with your extended family.  Your meager rations are all but exhausted and starvation is looming.  Only the unshakeable faith of your leader and some of the faithful widows has sustained you through the night.  You look to the road and see a small truck turning onto the dirt track that leads to your camp.  You dare not hope - there have been so many disappointments.  But when the pickup reaches your place, you can see that it is loaded with bags of maize and beans.  Salvation has come, your God has not forgotten you.

 

This is the story of a girl named Margaret.  In 1998, she was just 16 when the world she knew vanished overnight.  We got to interview her on video today and I can’t 

Londiani and Chesyliot

Londiani and Chesyliot

 

This morning we were up early to get to Londiani from Kericho before they started church.  We need not have rushed, as usual, everything was running a bit late.  We walked around Londiani Orphanage to see what was new here.  The clinic looks really good. Eunice is a great nurse and has won the trust of the community.  The clinic brings in enough money to pay Eunice’s salary and return some profit to the orphanage.

 

They have recently added a new feature here that I had never seen before in person.  It’s called a biogas digester, and it’s pretty cool.  The concept is simple, animal dung is decomposed in a large pvc bag and it produces methane gas which is captured and piped into the kitchen to power a burner.  The company that is selling them in this area selected the orphanage to get one for free, in order to be a demonstrator for the community.  I cant wait to see how well it works at our place.

 

Church went smoothly, a typical Kenyan service, though a bit rushed for our sake.  We had to see Chesyliot feeding station later in the day so David was doing all he could to make the service short.  I preached a sermon that was originally Tod Brown’s on forgiveness.  It’s really hard to gauge reactions from Kenyan churches, but I thought it went well.  Later, David told me that they had been having some conflict in the church recently and some of the members had left.  Many of hem came back to hear the Mzungu preach this week and the sermon was just what was needed.  God goes before us.

 

We shared a meal in David’s house and then went over to Chesyliot feeding station.  There they were just finishing a four-couple wedding during the worship service.  I’d never seen that before, but is does seem like a cool way to make sure people come to your wedding and to save costs, so maybe I will recommend it to my kids when the time comes. ;)  Matt is a photographer at heart, so he couldn’t resist taking wedding pictures for the happy couples.  We will mail them some prints and then they can say that they had an American photographer for their wedding.

 

After we had spent some time there, we set out for Nakuru.  Tomorrow we will visit Kikitemo on our way back to Nairobi.

Kericho

At many of our locations in Kenya, we try to help the churches do income-generating projects that allow them to help even more orphans that we give them funds for.  At Kericho Feeding Station, we made a significant investment in 2.6 acres of tea land for them.  They use the profits to feed more kids and help widows in their community.  One of the unique side benefits of this tea land is membership in the Kenya Tea Producers Association.  KTPA is a co-op made up of small tea growers that owns several tea-processing plants throughout Kenya.  The nearest one to our farm is called Toror Tea Factory.  Because we are growers, we are allowed to schedule tours of the plant, and that’s what I had arranged for this morning.

We arrived about 11AM and were greeted by the Production Manager and the Tecla, the Production Supervisor.  Tecla gave us a very thorough tour of the entire plant, explaining the processes they use for each step.  Tecla has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Nairobi in Food Sciences and she really knows her stuff!  Matt and Mbuvi had never been to a tea plant before, so it was a real treat for them.  Susie and I had been here in 2012, but this tour was way better.  Afterwards we loaded up for a visit to our nearby feeding station.

I love Kericho Feeding Station.  I really try not to play favorites, but this place holds some really good memories for me.  I was with the group that made the first visit by mzungu here, when 500 people showed up crowded onto a half-acre.  The excitement of the kids and church members was so strong you could feel it in your soul.  In 2011, I brought my mother and daughter here, and they were so good with both of them.  The older ladies treated my mother like a long lost sister, and Morgan played with the kids endlessly.

This time was no different.  When we arrived the kids were so excited to see us, especially Susie!  They remembered her letting them touch her hair on previous visits, and that the first thing they did this time.  They were jumping and singing and dancing; it was a huge celebration.  I don’t care who you are, when kids are that excited just to see you, you feel special.

The kids were very taken with Matt as well.  They were laughing and jumping on him as well, even as he was filming them.  They wanted to touch his hair and arms, especially.  He ran with them and filmed them chasing him and laughing until I thought he would fall over.  I was really just an observer, this time; the kids are used to me I guess.

Our worker here, Fracis Chepkwony is doing a wonderful job.  The kids looked great and the buildings were clean and well maintained.  He is a WBS follow-up worker as well, and recently GCR bought him a motorbike to aid in his work.  Unfortunately, he fell and injured his knee.  He led me to believe it was a minor thing, and indeed the motorbike was undamaged, but his knee was pretty banged up.  He was on a crutch and cane and moving very slowly.  He’s getting care at the district hospital and I left him with some Advil, but please keep him in your prayers.

A light rain was falling, so our visit was short.  You don’t want to be caught on that road during a rain.  It’s very slippery and treacherous, but with Mbuvi driving, we were fine.  Tonight we are at the Tea Hotel one last time and then tomorrow we will be at Londiani for church.

Easy Day

Early this morning, Matt and I met some kids from the orphanage down at the road for a quick filming session.  I won't tell you what it was like, because I don't want to spoil the surprise for when the video plays at GCR soon. 

 

Afterwards, we had breakfast, cooked for us by the VTC kitchen staff.  They have been showing off some of their newfound cooking skills since we have been here.  Last June, Barbie Wooten and Lisa Haney spent a lot of time with them expanding their horizons a bit.  This week so far we have had guacamole (good but VERY HOT), seasoned beef, scrambled eggs with peppers and onion, spaghetti tossed in oil and seasonings, beef stew, French fries, and the usual ugali, cabbage, kale, and chicken.  This morning it was Spanish omelets, doughnuts, and fruit.  It was wonderful! 

 

Afterwards, Matt continued his filming and the rest of us went around visiting the students in their classes one last time.  I don't know what plans God has in store for these kids, but I can tell you they will at least be prepared to earn a living.  The VTC is really living up to it's potential.

 

Around noon, we packed and loaded and said our goodbyes, as we hit the road for Kericho.  We stopped first at the Sondu feeding station to see the new dining hall under construction and greet the orphans there.  We shared a meal at Thomas' house and then set off for Kericho.  We arrived without incident and are now resting comfortably at the Tea Hotel. 

 

Tomorrow we will get to tour the Toror Tea Factory and then visit the Kerich Feeding Station. 

 

Be Blessed!

 

Muhoroni and VTC

After breakfast Wednesday, we loaded up for Muhoroni Orphanage, near Muhoroni Town, which is south of Kapasbet.  Mohoroni is in sugar cane country, and Muhoroni sugar is one of the largest sugar producers in Kenya.  Their factory is within sight of our orphanage.  Here the area is very poor, despite the cash crops.  Much of the land is owned by the sugar company and so those people who do live here can just barely grow enough maize to support themselves.  Our place, however, is a beacon of light in a dark world.

The place looked very good, though empty, as the kids were all in school.  The only ones there were two high-school students that Thomas Alwala had arranged to stay behind so that we could interview them for the video Matt is producing.  These two kids were really sharp, and their testimonies of God’s provision for them will astound you.  These interviews have really been uplifting for us to hear.  So many times we see the happy faces of the orphans at our places, and we forget the very hard lives that they have led.  The fortitude that they have and the gratitude are truly inspiring!

While Matt was setting up for one of the interviews, I took a moment to play fundi (repairman) and worked on a bent window frame with Brian, one of the students.  I could do this kind of thing forever, I love making broken things work again.  While we were discussing the broken window, Susie had a great idea that I think we can do without much trouble.  All of our places have maintenance needs, small things that happen to so many buildings inhabited by kids, that need to be done.  It’s enough to keep a full time fundi busy.  Susie suggested that we have a Training Center graduate become our traveling fundi to help out at these places.  Brilliant 

After lunch we packed up and started the journey down to the Vocational Training Center.  We decided to detour to Kisumu for a quick Nakumatt stop, but we still arrived well before dark.  They were ready for us at the VTC, and we shared a great meal before retiring.

Today we spent the day touring the place, and Dirubi orphanage and Matt continued his filming.  He was collecting footage of all the skills that are being taught, and we also did three more student interviews and one of Thomas.  Good stuff, I cant wait for you to see it.  This afternoon, Francis and Stephen played football (soccer) with the kids, even though a light rain was falling.  Nothing would stand in the way of a good football match!

At 6, we went over for evening devotional at the VTC.  I got to hand out the individualized books that Becca Yocham had made of the student’s personal stories.  She had them write don their stories while we were here in June and then printed up books with their stories and pictures, providing pages for them to continue to write the story of their lives.  They were very happy to have them and we got a great group picture.

Afterwards, we went over to Dirubi Orphanage and shared in their devotional time.  Matt got to experience the great Dirubi choir and was completely blown away.  They are so talented!  Then there was dinner, including some of the giant avocados and fantastic local pineapples.  So good.  As I write this, Susie is holding one of her question and answer sessions with the kids, while Stephen translates 

Tomorrow we will see Sondu feeding station, before driving up to Kerich for a night at the tea hotel.  Be Blessed!

Ngenymesut, Kipsenende, and Chepkiit Waterfalls

Last night after I posted the blog, I went down to the dining hall here at Kapsabet Orphanage where we are staying and listened to Susie fielding questions from the older orphans.  This is always an interesting time for me, since it gives me an insight to what the orphans are thinking.  The questions range from life in America, to our kids, our food, and even sex and birth control!  Susie has developed a real rapport with these kids and they will ask almost anything.  Very cool.

As I left the hall, I stopped into check on Matt Maxwell, who is staying in the manager’s house next to the dining hall.  Despite all the noise, he was crashed out on his bed, fully clothed.  I don’t blame him at all.  These kinds of trips can be very tiring.  Riding in a Land Cruiser over these roads is not a passive thing.  You are continually in motion and usually arrive tired.  Add to that all the new experiences and the constant work he is doing taking pictures and video, and it really takes a toll on you!  Sleep tight, brother!

This morning we shared a breakfast of bread and butter and chai, and then set out for Ngeymesut Orphanage, our second in this area.  Most of the kids were at school, having exams today, but there were a few nursery school kids to liven p the place.  Matt got started taking pics and vids, and Susie went to hang out with the widows.  I did my usual walk-around to see what was new and what needed attention.

My first stop is always the nurse to check on the health of the kids.  Here, there were a few cases of typhoid, which usually means contaminated water.  A quick walk to one of the storage tanks used to store river water for washing showed me the problem.  One of the guards was working on the water tap, which was damaged and leaking.  The kids have probably been drinking from this even though there is clean, municipal water in another tank.  I lent a hand with the repairs, adding a roll of electrical tape to his efforts to make a temporary fix until the valve can be replaced.  That provided a “teachable moment” with the manager and guard about how to treat this water with bleach, just in case the kids drink from it.  I felt very useful in that moment!

Susie made chapati with the widows and got to share some good quality time with them, her favorite thing.  I found Matt, shooting video of the kids and the facility.  Stephen added his translation skills to our mix; we were like a well-oiled machine!

After tea, we drove over to Kipsenende Orphange, our newest in this area.  We shared a great time with them, brainstorming on how to improve one of the stoves in the kitchen before sharing lunch with them.  Then the rain came.  It was only a short shower, thankfully, since driving on these roads when they are slick can be very difficult.  We managed to get away unscathed and set out to visit the Chepkiit waterfalls.

This place is kind of hard to find.  It’s a tourism site, but badly signed and with a very bad road.  We made it just fine, and really enjoyed our visit.  Our guide walked us all around the falls, including a very challenging descent to the lower falls and tough climb back up to the top.  I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves on this one; descriptions would fall short.

Tonight we spend our last night at Kapsabet.  In the morning we will drive down to our orphanage at Muhoroni and then on to the training center.  Be blessed.