We had a great first day in Kenya. We spent the day in Eastleigh visiting the bases and then to Ruiru to help two MITS graduates get settled in their new jobs and new home.
When we got to Eastleigh I was surprised to see Mary there. Mary is one of our sponsored children. We have sponsored Mary, Mwanahawa and Duncan for four years. Duncan and Hawa are still living in Kamulu, so we got to visit last night and early this morning. Mary lives and works now in Hurlingham. She works at the Milele Salon. Mary surprised me this morning at the Eastleigh Center, since it was her day off. She has really grown into a beautiful young woman.
We also had the opportunity to visit some new bases with Joel, Moses, Evans and Larry. We walked quite a ways to some bases I hadn’t been to before. We found guys at each of the bases, who welcomed us. We spent time visiting, praying and sharing words of encouragement. You don’t (or I don’t) really fully appreciate the true essence of the Gospel until you are sharing it with someone who eats and sleeps on a pile of trash. I’ll plan on sharing my thoughts on this later in the week, but apparently, you can live on the street, survive on eating scraps out of the trash, and know Christ.
These guys’ base was in an industrial area on a pile of trash about 8 feet high. They had a lean-to tent set up against the wall, mad of plastic sheeting and cardboard. About 10 boys, ages 10 to 18 lived under the lean-to. One guy was asleep when we arrived and was partially covered in trash, to the point where you couldn’t really see him.
I am always surprised to see how friendly and receptive the guys on the bases are. They are quick to listen and eager to pray. One boy offered a memorized scripture. He said it was the command with a promise:
Ephesians 6: 1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— 3 “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”
After eating Rice and potatoes at the Eastleigh center (my favorite Kenyan meal), we went to Ruiru to help two girls transition into their new lives outside of MITS. Veronica and Florence have graduated from their catering skills program and started to work TODAY at their new jobs. They are both waitresses at a nice cafe. Florence took our orders for sodas and provided us with fantastic service.
It was very nice to experience the entirety of the MITS mission today, from the filth of the street bases to the students who have graduated and are employed.
After sodas, we took Florence and Veronica’s things to their new apartment. By apartment, I mean a 10x10 room. In it, they now have two twin size mattresses, four suitcases of clothes and an assortment of cooking utensils. Joel stopped at a store near the apartment to buy them a 10 gallon jug for carrying water, a lightbulb and a broom. I’ll post more photos later, but here’s the fornt door:
They share the rent for the room. Its about $20 US a month.
If there’s a word that describes the day, it’s HOPE. Everywhere I looked today, people had hope. It was all because of Jesus.
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