Another day of service

 Friday base visits have always been interesting and unpredictable. This particular Friday,  the team split into two as usual and proceeded to different bases. We begun our journey to a base located in Nairobi’s city center, Globe base.

With the recent changes in the government and plans to make Nairobi clean and safe, the Local County Council of Nairobi are on a mission to wipe out the street guys from the city's streets. So they keep moving to different spots to try to escape from the men in uniform. We finally locate them and the spot they are at is very pretty. It is by a very busy road, the grass in the area is green (especially since it is raining now). Nairobi river is flowing on the other end and they are seated under a tree. In contrast the people we find there are very high on aerosols, the clothes they are wearing are tattered and very dirty, most of the boys have all the clothes they own on and the smell there is not pleasant. They have their “best friends” bottles of glue and small pieces of material that are wet with jet fuel held close to their nose. Some see us and hide their bottles in their pockets while others are too high and don’t care.  There are also four women, two are asleep and don’t bother to even raise their heads from the ground when we arrive.  The other two are seated comfortably on the ground and we greet them as we make our way to where the boys are seated.

As Usual the boys are happy to see us. Their ages vary; there are older men here, teenagers and very young boys. I counted a total of twenty five. Anyway, we introduce ourselves and shared the word of God with them. As the team takes turns in giving them words of encouragement, my eyes look around at what is going on. There are three young boys, about 13 years old, on the east side playing cards and they have coins on the ground for whoever wins that round. I move to where they are and try to convince them to join the rest of the crowd but they are not interested so they move further away. Then I notice some boys crossing the road and go to the women seated on the ground, they give the women empty bottles and the women fill the bottles with glue. The business is done so fast that I didn't see the exchange of money but I am sure it can’t be for free.

The sharing goes on and I see this little boy, sitting alone. He is so precious and looks so innocent and helpless in his dirty clothes and a glue bottle in his tiny hands. I had seen immediately when we got here and had a short conversation with him before we started sharing with everyone else. He said his name was Waithaka (from kikuyu tribe). He is eleven years old and his mom lives in Thika, a town close to Nairobi. I asked him what he was sniffing, and he said it was glue. At this age I am sure he doesn't know the effects of that glue and other drugs that he will be introduced to with time. His face looks a bit clean and this makes me think that he is still fairly new in the base. All he is looking for is a place where his needs are going to be met and he will feel like he belongs. Little does he know that this place does not provide what he need but will give other longings that are far much difficult to overcome such as addictions and anti- social behaviors. 

We did our part and its time for us to head back to Eastleigh center. We said a prayer and give the boys buns we brought for them. As we depart my mind is still struggling with the fact that Waithaka, is left behind with those women who sell drugs to them and the older boys who will use him. And the cold and rainy nights that he is going to have to endure. I quietly wish that he will begin to come to Eastleigh programs for young boys so that he may be able to join our boarding program some day. Or something will change and he will have a place to call home soon. 

Rep. by Irene