Street Kids and Bible Baptist School

Day before yesterday we saw some street children on our way to the airport to pick up Tim.. they were dirty, dirt on their faces their clothes, skinny as can be, little meat on their bones and skinny little faces staring and asking so desperately, with torn clothes- holes in the legs, arm, and butt, and glazed over innocent eyes, and they wanted us to give them money .. most likely would be spent for more glue to sniff to help escape the feeling of hunger.. Glue is cheap and lasts longer than a bite to eat that would leave you feeling even hungrier . all they asked for was 10 shillings, which is less than 13 cents. but we knew what they would probably buy with it. so we got them some juice and cookies, but then we left them. we left them there at the little convenient store standing on the sidewalk, and they watched as we drove away. It is so sad, and I cant stop thinking about them. what else could I, should I have done? and they are all over this place. and i know i have not even seen close the worst. But i wish i could just scoop them all up and take them home, or somewhere. somewhere that they have somewhere to sleep other than the ground. and something to eat other than leftovers in the garbage, and someone to love them and care for them. I know God loves them so much, but do they know that? that is who i want to be out here with, with God and these children. Don’t get me wrong- I love working in the schools here. So many of the students at school have a bad home life and such sad stories and it is wonderful to spend time with them, teach them, play, and help and comfort them too . And many of them had been taken off the street and put in a safe house or in a near by orphanage, but so so very many are still homeless or in such poverty and come to school in hope for food. But what about the ones that don’t go to school too. How do we reach out to the many more street kids. Those are the one’s in my heart that I feel so much for. Do they have anyway to learn about God, their Father, that cares and love these children so much. Do they have a way to find hope in their lives and hope in their future, in heaven and on earth. And finally how to we get them to know that they have a Father that they can finally rely and depend on and love and reach out to for comfort. 

At Bible Baptist school in Kawangware slum, Pastor Edward and his wife Alice have dreams in buying some land near their school, within the slum, to build an orphanage, to take in the children and get them off the street, or at least some of the children. And then to add on to their school, make it two levels, get more kids in school and in Church, and gaining an education and learning about God’s love, and gaining a sense of belonging, and hope for a future. And then to just keep on expanding, building up or out, and growing, reaching out to more and more of these children. But where does that money come from to get going? They are so poor. We also want to begin an income generating project here. Making something to sell to go toward the school. Not clothes because many people sew, so too much competition. Not farming/gardening… and selling food because it is the same way. (sad that there IS food, BUT starving kids with no parents, too young to work, and no money to buy the food). They tried to raise chickens to sell. They had 60 but then they got sick and all of them died but 2 chickens and 3 babies. Mom and I thought about making soap to sell, because everyone uses soap, the same cheap soap for dishes, laundry, bathing, cleaning, etc. What if we can make it cheaper than the super market and sell it with in the slum? Just a thought to look in to. Does anyone know how to make soap, and with out lye? Or any ideas for income generating projects? But that money would be only enough to cover a small portion of the children’s school fees that are used to feed the children and pay the teachers the absolute minimum (which currently they have not been pain in about 2 months). And when they do get paid, they said its only 2000 shillings a month which is about 26 dollars… A MONTH! Wow.. Anyways, I just think about all the wealth we have in the USA. I know we have poor and homeless there in America too, Tim and one of his friends and I have went to the streets a few times to talk to some homeless, and I know they have a hard life too, but at least there are places like the Knox Rescue Ministry that give food, water, storage, showers, sitting area with tv‘s etc. on I think a daily basis, and Water Angels, and one ministry that goes out weekly under a bridge in Knoxville that we attended to see what it was and they serve food and have a rummage sale where everything is free and teach and share about God and give out Bibles and pray with people. And yes there should be more of that in back at home. But what about here in Kenya, shouldn’t they have something or someone to turn to, and all around the world, they don’t have as many things like that, and here they are walking in sewage and trash. There are so many children out here on the streets. CHILDREN, like 7 year olds taking care of their baby brother or sister, and their parents dead or away. I believe there is so much crime here because children come together on the streets, form gangs, and steal together to survive. What other choice do they have but to sit and starve and die? I just can’t even imagine. I hope nothing I have said is rude or offended anyone. Its just hard to explain how bad it is here in some places. And going over and reading everything I’ve typed, I even still feel like I have made light of what it is like in some places here. But that is all for now. If anyone has any suggestions or comments or wants to help, feel free.