DESPERATION IS HARD TO SEE, BUT EVEN HARDER TO HEAR ABOUT

Friday, March 30, 2012

Up early again to see Chris and Lisa Moore's school Mbewau in Mtepeni. It is a beautiful school with great landscaping.  The kids did a program as today was the last day of school for awhile for the first term.  We got a chance to say hello to the kids in the younger classrooms and watch their dramas and verses.   Chris and Lisa have worked so hard and this a beautiful center.  They have a full doctors office which looks great. 

Then we headed to the property in Mtwapa with Bobby to view the property.  We were early so we decided to find the beach it definitely was not very far.  Coco Cabana was the name of the beach and it is constantly controlled by the police.  We had a Sprite to give them a little business.  Bobby liked the building but we asked him and Allen if they saw any draw backs and they both said it is easier to start from scratch with just land and then build who you would like with the help of an architect.

Then we went for lunch which took forever to get mixed veggies which turned out to be steamed spinach only.   Then we headed to Vipingo to great the kids and teachers very briefly.  They all had exams today to the morning so was very busy.  The kids were climbing all over us under the huge tree at Vipingo that I love so very much.  We tried to learn their names but there are more and more kids and it is so hard.  Then right before we left we got to eat lunch with the teachers,  Rose, Nicole, Charles, Rebekah, James and all the rest, we didn't get a lot of time with them this trip, but it was good to say Hi and we will see some of them on Sunday after church.

Then we headed to Bomani just in time for Sue to go to Susan's house and meet her family - her twin brother and her other twin brothers and her mother.  Her older brother was at school in Bomani still.  Susan is only of the children that Sue sponsors though Fox River for $20 for all her school expenses - books, desks, teachers, etc, food expenses while at school, and uniform expenses.    While she was there, I went around giving my kids at Bomani a book.  Mariam and Alfred and said hello to Margaret, the girl that my employee that is helping me out back home sponsors at $20 per month.   

Then we did a bible study with the women from Bomani.  We did a salvation message and then we talked with them about how they can be ambassadors for Christ.  Most of the people were single parents.  We encouraged them to work together to support each other.  They were struggling with lack of food and poverty and they struggle with parenting and how to deal with parenting issues.   We encouraged them to teach the children the bible and use the bible as their rules for their children.  They also wanted to know how we discipline without “caneing” the children.  We taught them about Time-outs.   They wanted to know about what God says about being a single parent.  They also were asking questions about what if we meet someone who wants to marry us but does not want our children - should we be choosing our children or the man?   They are so desperate for basic needs that they are willing to give up their children to have them met.  We had good discussions.   

It was really hard to hear their answers and questions.  Talking about parenting, we are telling them to make sure the kids get good rest and their response is the kids don't sleep because they rock back and forth from hunger and cry all night because they are so hungry and don't have access to food.  It was really hard to listen and not even have the littlest reality of what is means to live like they do.  It's humbling and makes me want to do more though I know I cannot solve it myself, only God can solve it, but He needs us to help in His process.   Sue and I are hoping to fund raise a little money to start a small group up for the single moms at the school so they can get some supplies to make jewelry and other crafts that they can then sell to church groups that come through the school.  They will be cheap souvenirs for the groups and the woman can probably live on that for a full year.  I don't think this will take a large investment. I would think $100 could get them a really, really good start.  I'm hoping to get that money together from anyone who's willing to help to get it over there before Fox River's team goes in June of this year.   

Then we headed to Cafe Mocha for dinner - hummus sandwiches and the internet and then over to Bobby's (a missionary that lives in Mombasa full time) to watch with Ethan and Connor, his young boys.  The kids were full of energy but now they are resting.  It was another good day but very exhausting and emotional.