HOPE FOR BOMANI!!!!

Friday, April 26, 2013

WANTED-ANY BIBLE STUDY WORKBOOKS, especially the kind that are titled with just the name of a book of the bible.  Tthose are the most relatable from western to african culture.  I would love to bring those to the ladies in June to continue their bible studies.  Watch Goodwills they will only be .89 cents for a book like that.  Thanks from the woman bible studies here
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We had a later start for the morning with a few errands to run.  It feels like we go to the grocery store 2 or 3 times a day!!   Today we needed items for the run walk and we are on a mission to find a ribbon for the Deputy Governor of Mombasa to cut to start the race. We hit a few stores and could not find anything. We headed to the Shanzu place to finish paying for my bags and tablet/bible covers so we could sell them at the event on Saturday.  We also dropped some flyers off by Allan for the run/walk.

Then we picked up Rose and Joy and headed out to Barani.  Barani is a new school to visit.  I have never been there.  It is very small church and preschool past Mtwapa bearly on the way out toward Bomani and Vipingo.  School is out of session since after Easter and they will return into session in May but it was good to see the size of the place. It is placed on only 1/4 of an acre, which was the size of the plot that we were going to get in Mtwapa for the Pregnancy Crises Center.  It was not big at all. I'm glad we have to change our plans as that was not very big at all.  We got a chance to see some adorable children - check out the pictures I posted on Saturday and you will find them.  We handed out rubber-band, bracelets that turn into letters or numbers or building designs. They loved just seeing people back there.  It started to rain and we were already late for Vipingo, the kids were waiting for us so we were off.

Got to Vipingo and Pastor Paul brought all the kids in to sing their songs to welcome us.  We taught them a few songs and they taught us a few songs.  We all had a great time.  Got some great video of them signing.  Will try to get those uploaded to FB.  Then we sat out under the huge mango tree which is on the cover of my book and enjoyed the cool weather today and took pictures of the kids in their classes and gave them rubber-band bracelets. They were so well behaved even without their teachers present. They are out of session.  It was so good to see them all again. Got some very special pictures  of some very special kids. Then we served them lunch. The kids at everything on their plates. You could tell they hadn't eaten much in a few weeks because no one left anything on their plates even the little ones at their whole full, full, full plate and no crumbs left on the table. Paul even noticed how hungry they all appeared and how they did not leave any left overs at all.

Then we played with the kids for a little while- did the Hokie Pokie with the whole school and just talked and walked and sat with them.  It was great.  We gave Rose her special gift and we had to head to Bomani for our princess parties.  We were late already.

We arrived at Bomani and there were only a few kids there.  See the pictures for Saturday.  Alfred my favorite little boy who I have seen grow up there. He is just as cute as the day I meet him and he is growing up so much. Mariam a girl that was on the screen at Fox River at Christmas time talking about what the school means to her and her community and then a little girl that feel asleep in my arms in 2009 at Vipingo Risper. They thought at one point Risper might have a heart condition but I believe she has been tested and is now cleared of that. She is growing so much as well and looked beautiful. Both Mariam and Risper's mom's work at the school.  Alfred's parents are by unemployed and he has several siblings with no income coming in to the house. At least one other of his siblings go to the school.  Unfortunately they were not able to get Margaret or Nelly there for pictures for some people back in the States.  I will have to get those in June when I'm back and school is in session.

We watched the woman making the jewelry that we started last year after our trip. When we did the bible study we saw that most of the women did not have husbands and they had no income and large families. There was such despair and no hope at all when we arrived to do the study last March.  We wanted to find a way to help them come together and support one another and give them at least a little income coming in.  So thanks to some generous donations from people we were able to purchase them the necessary items to start and the training to make them.  They each had to pay in 250 schillings to be part of the group. The ladies make jewelry and then attempt to sell.  There will be things for sale when Fox River comes, but we also want them working on selling items outside of that so they have income year round.  Liz, a Kenyan that we work with here, might have an outlet for them as well.  They looked great and so happy.

Then we had them color their crowns that we got free from various Burger Kings around Milwaukee - help us support them!   We had a few jewels and markers and they decorated their own crowns. Then we moved to a circle and we had Pastor Abraham, the Pastor there in Bomani anointed them with oil, and then we gave them each a garment, a T-shirt thanks to Joanne Chappel and her business in New Berlin - Chappel Sports we were able to get a really good deal on T-shirts to send over.  Thanks to all who purchased a T-shirt or more than one to help us get them here also.   Then we handed out the little flip mirrors that we got in church when we  did the mirror-mirror series.  Thank you to Guy and Denise for purchasing those as there were not a lot left after that series.

They were so excited.  Last year when they were so desperate and some of the questions we got, we left thinking they need to know that they are Princesses, that they are Daughters of King. Sue and I did Breaking Free bible study by Beth Moore and that lead us to the verse, Isaiah 61:3 where is says God will "bestow on us a CROWN of BEAUTY instead of ashes, the OIL of GLADNESS instead of mourning, and a GARMENT of PRAISE instead of a spirit of despair.
They were so excited. They were so happy.  The question and answers session was like a whole new group of ladies. Our could feel the community between them. They were speaking in more English than last time. They were happier.  You could feel a spiritual base coming from them.  Even though they still had a lot of prayers for physical needs, you could sense that God was with them and they were not desperate anymore. It was like a night and day difference in these ladies.

And, I do not believe they have gotten one cent in profit yet from the business, the business will be self-supporting so it will take a little time to get up and running to produce a profit for them, so none of the changes had anything to do with any ecomomic improvement for them.

Most of their prayers were health related issues and a few with economic needs - getting school fees for a son for Form 1 and one lady who's house is slowly washing away on her.  This is the raining season and remember, their homes are made of mud, so the rainy season is very scarey for them, not just inconvient like it is for us. They cannot afford to rebuild their houses so they will be left homeless with their family if the house washes away.

W

Getting ready for run walk tonight.  We have to bake 4 cakes for the children's snack, sign and make 100 certificates, write a few speeches and a few other things. So tired already. We didn't get to Liz' to do the cakes until after 7.  We were running late coming back from Bomani princess party. Grabbed the food from our fridge that we had Lucy, Rashid's wife make us the first night.  Lots of different meals that have been delicious.

But once we got to Liz' she had the certificates made and Jim had to sign them all and the cakes too half the time to bake than we thought they would and though we were a little worried on how they would turn out, it with lack of measurements and guessing at a lot of things, but they turned out perfect. We had to stop at one more place Nivas (our new favorite grocery store) to get our ribbon. Luckily they had it.

We got home and to sleep probably around 10 or 11 and we have to be up tomorrow by 6am to get to the church to set up for the run.  Very nervous about the run and how it will turn out tomorrow.  It seems a little fragmented just like when I did our run in the States in October.

Also, please pray for a good turn out for the Italian run and lots of donations.  That is taking place on May 1 - next week Wed. already.  Thank you to Liz for getting that going.  Pray for good weather and lots of support.  There are 400 people listed as going, but  waiting on donations.