Day 1

Day 1

We arrived in Nairobi around 7:30 am, got our visas, and claimed our baggage and met up with Pastor Fred and his wife Alice that I stayed with last summer, and also with them was Rev. Edward. We left the airport and went to exchange a few dollars. Then we went on to Bible Baptist School in one of the bad slum areas (can’t remember how to say it, and sure not spell it) which is where we will be spending most of our summer. We arrived and they began to take out our luggage which I thought to be a little strange at first considering we were staying with Fred in Alice. Turns out we are living here at Bible Baptist which made me nervous at first, but as the day has come to an end, I already love this family and all the children. Each child has their own heart breaking story. Bible Baptist also has a heart breaking story and a lot of needs and has already began to reach out and trying to reach and serve God so much more. Rev. Edward and his wife Alice are so wonderful and are so passionate about that they do. They love these children and care for them, and most of all, they love and trust God with all their hearts. It is such a beautiful thing. There is a school structure. There are 9 class rooms, however they are very small and crowded, therefore they have to turn children away. The walls are made on tin sheets and card board and do not rise all the way to the ceiling, which makes teaching difficult trying to yell over the teachers in the classrooms next door and hard for the children to fully listen and comprehend. Then after they are finished with 8^th grade, many either do not have the grades to go to high school or if they do they have to money to afford it so their educations stop there, so most children end up back on the streets, no job, and many begin to prostitute or sell drugs, steal or starve. It just doesn’t seem right. They do not have the opportunities that we have. Why? It just doesn’t seem fair. They currently have the money for feed the children a plate of beans and maze which is most children’s only meals a day, however fire wood and charcoal to cook and food is quite expensive trying to feed all the children. The teachers do not get paid, they just work to eat and to share their loving hearts to help the children. The desks/benches the children sit in are not in great condition and many children squeeze onto one. And the children do not have their own books, they copy everything down the teacher says or writes up. I realize even more than last year how crazy I am for taking an education, food, clean water, a toilet, toilet paper, books, etc. all for granted. Gosh. But today is only the first day, and see only few needs out of I’m so sure much more. The church, the old van that doesn’t run, no offices or desks for teachers, so on and so on. Oh and all their chickens just died of being sick with some disease. Anyways, I am looking forward to hanging out with all the children tomorrow. They are all so loving and precious. Rev Edward told us that we will teach English and math tomorrow and also maybe some games or crafts. I just love these sweet kids that have so little but love so much. They were just so happy today to have pictures taken because they had never had a picture taken before, and never seen their picture before, so I think we might try to do a slide show for them at the end of our trip with all their pictures. I really enjoyed their singing and dancing today. Wish I could sing and dance with them. Well this is all I have time for for now, but please just pray for us to be salt and light to this little school and for us to be positive, loving, patient, generous, and for God to just speak through us and live in us so that we can be His hands and feet. We want to plant the seeds of the Gospel in their hearts and one day they can bear fruit. I know many of you have read The Hole in Our Gospel, well I just started it on the plane. “In the ministry of Jesus he healed the diseased and the lame, showed empathy for the poor, fed the hungry, and literally restored sight to the blind. Jesus clearly cared about addressing poverty, disease, and human brokenness in tangible ways.” Romans 12:10 says to be devoted to one another in brotherly love, and to honor one another about ourselves. Verse 11-13 talks about serving the Lord and to share with God’s people who are in need. Read James 2: 14-26. Anyways, Aren’t we supposed to be trying to live like Jesus lived? W.W.J.D. What would Jesus do? What can I do? How can God use me? What will you do?