Hope and a Future

Sunday, July 19, 2015

Day 8

We got to sleep in an extra hour today and then we headed off on another nature walk. We went about a mile down to the lake. Now this lake is a run-off lake, so while it is still beautiful, it is green and gunky. 

This may have been intimidating to the mzungus, but the Kenyans didn't care. As we got close, all of the little boys started running, throwing their shirts off and jumped in the lake. It was so cute. 

A lot of the younger girls wanted to join in on the fun so they just hoped in in their long skirts and t-shirts. Everyone had so much fun. 

Sweet Alan got covered in mud so he walked out of the water, took his pants off to reveal that he was not wearing any underwear and then he just went back to playing. It was so funny and adorable and some of the kids helped him clean up and get his pants back on. It was so sweet.

Kishanto woke up without a fever and is completely fine! Thank you for the prayers!!!

Later on, I was having tickle fights with Kiptoo, Kimutai, and Hashim. Little John Muaga Jr. came up and started tickling me as well. 

I noticed his skin was really scaly and dry so I told him to wait there so I could grab some lotion and lather him up. His cousin, John Muaga Sr., came up and asked for lotion as well. 

These boys along with John Sr.'s brother, Ian, and their other cousin, Peter, have a heartbreaking story. All but John Jr. were in the same poor living situation where they were very neglected and malnourished. 

They went six years without a shower and ate their "meals" out of trashcans. 

Because they practically never bathed until coming here, their skin became very scaly and dry. They came to the orphanage a couple years ago and all of their health has improved so much. 

Their skin is better than before, but still pretty bad. The scaley-ness will most likely never go away. But rubbing lotion on them made them feel so loved.

This family is so dear to my heart and it pains me to think that their parents could abandon their precious faces and not even care about them at all. 

I held on to Ian for so long before we said goodnight because I love him so much and don't understand how his parents didn't feel the same way. 

Nahashon has been here for around 10 years, so he knows everyone's background stories. He shared a lot with me that I hadn't known prior to this trip. 

These poor orphans. I want to adopt them all and show them how loved they are. But praise The Lord that they are immersed in the church and reminded everyday that they are SO loved by their Heavenly Father.

Monday, July 20, 2015

Day 9

While the kids were at school, I spent some time helping pack the new backpacks we are giving to the teachers. 

Later in the day, two of our team members took all 15 of them to town and surprised them by letting them pick out a brand new pair of shoes. They could not believe it. 

I helped one of the cooks chop the firewood from Acacia trees that they use to heat up the huge pots of food (I could probably sit in one of these pots. They are huge). He helped me with my Swahili and said that all Kenyans have chopped fire wood before so I guess I'm part African now.

We set up different stations for all of the junior kids (youngest) to play at. We had jump ropes, skip-it's, ring toss, and a huge rainbow parachute. They loved it. 

I traveled around with a group of boys and the camp counselor side of me came out. I remember almost saying, "If you are in Rapple's cabin, you should have your eyes on me." (Rapple was my camp name). But they had so much fun and were just so cute.

I went down to the field and played on the swings with Ian, Peter, Shadrack, Jenga, and James. 

They asked me to take a ton of pictures of them singing and just talking and then they would all watch the videos over and over again. 

I went back up by the boys dorm and talked to one of the senior boys, Okuku, for a long time. He came to America for a visit a couple years ago, so we talked about differences between the two countries and how different the cultures are. 

We had a senior night for all of the older kids and played q game called 4 on a couch. Everyone had so much fun! 

The older kids are basically like parents to all of the younger ones, so it's nice for them to be able to take a break and just have fun. The game also helped me finally get all of the seniors' names down. 

Last night, the team went out to dinner and Pastor Benson shared his testimony for us. I had heard it before, but it was so great to hear bits and pieces that he had left out before. 

He talked about the "original" 42 orphans and most of the seniors were there. This was about 10 years ago, so it is so crazy to me that they have been at the orphanage for so long. 

One girl is 24 and still living here. It is hard for them because they have to have a plan before they get out. In America, most people have their parents as safety nets to help them get started or go to college. They don't have any safety nets here. 

Pastor Benson and Florence will always be their mom and dad, but the seniors have to find a way to make a living for themselves after they finish school, and that is very scary to a lot of them. But a lot of them are close to my age so we all have so much fun together. 

It was just a really good and peaceful day.

For I know the plans I have for you, "declares the LORD," plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

-Jeremiah 29:11