Kakamega 2010 Trip Blog

Ahsante (ah-sahn’-teh) sana (Thank you very much)!! All the comments from home are keeping us encouraged and feeling loved—we love you all and miss you too!

Amidst all the interactions with Kenyans and all the experiences of our first full day in Kakamega, there are a few things that have impacted us, and made us extremely aware of the differences in our lives. We wanted to share a few with you.

After breakfast, we navigated through the streets of Kakamega in daylight. It was the first opportunity we had to see first-hand what life in this town really looks like. We saw lots of shops that were set up as shacks beside the road—with all kinds of different merchandise and food. We were surprised that Kakamega was such a bustling centre of activity, but still rural enough that many people greeted each other on the streets. Even from the widows of our vans, we could see and appreciate how relational the culture is here.

Upon our arrival to Mukumu Children’s Home, we were welcomed by some of the smaller community children that Grace hosts at her home most days. At about noon some of the team members helped Grace to serve a hot meal of what looked like porridge. We watched them eat—some of them licking their bowls for every last drop. A meal that would barely be acceptable back home was received by these children with great joy. We were saddened by the reality that for some of them, this would be their only meal of the day.

Once we toured Grace’s home, we were put to work hauling bricks, mixing mortar and building the kitchen walls. The Kenyan men that were there to do the work and show us how to help had arrived before us and had already been working. They were patient with us as we learned how to lay bricks Kenyan-style, and even the children got involved and showed us how strong they were! We were astounded at how hard these people work and the conditions that they endure daily.

After a lunch of “chicken and chips” at a local restaurant, we were back and some of us helped with hand washing the children’s school uniforms and other cloths. Bending over basins on the lawn and trying desperately to scrub out the red, African dirt, we were reminded of how many conveniences we have back home. Not only do machines wash our clothes, there are also machines that wash our dishes. Some of us commented later just how lazy we feel in comparison.

Some of the younger children came home from school while we were there and we had a chance to play and interact with them. As we gave them our “Kakamega 2010” brackets, and watched them skip rope and play “football” (aka soccer), we were deeply grateful for the opportunity to be here! For most of us, this destination has been over a year-long journey. But today we can say with confidence that it has all been worth it—to see them and love them is a true blessing.

However different our cultures are, however different our communication is, and however different are circumstances are, we are all human! We are people who feel and who love. We have strengths and weaknesses as well as joys and sorrows. We all laugh and we all cry. Our lives are different—but we are not! And as we gathered tonight to share with each other and sing and pray, we were reminded that regardless of our differences or our similarities, God is greater!

After almost 48 hours of traveling, the 21 of us have safely arrived in Kakamega. After a nice dinner at YVR on Sunday evening, we said good-bye to Vancouver and spent nine hours flying east to London. We ate and did a little bit of shopping Heathrow, and then spent another nine hours on board a plane to Nairobi. All of the travel time has been beneficial for building team unity; there’s nothing like being tired together in order to get to know each other better!

We are getting used to how things are done here—lots of waiting!  Because we had a ten-hour layover upon our arrival into Nairobi, we loaded all 42 pieces of checked luggage on top of our van, squeezed ourselves inside like sardines in a can, and toured through the busy streets of the capital city.

We noticed giraffes grazing in the park, lots of large birds in the trees that lined the streets, and what seemed like sheer chaos on the roads as cars and motorbikes narrowly missed hitting each other in traffic.

We were able to grab a bite to eat and then drove to a lookout over Kibera—the second largest slum in Africa. We took a minute to grab a few photos and the rest of the car-ride home was quiet: a combination of being tired and pondering the injustice of the poverty that has suddenly become so real to us.

We did some more waiting at the small domestic terminal in Nairobi for our flight to Kisumu, and then boarded a small plane, where Edgar, Edwin and Pastor Richard were waiting patiently for us. We loaded up the vans and our amazingly-talented drivers navigated the largely pot-holed highway north to Kisumu. We caught a little bit of twilight at the beginning and were able to see the true rural lifestyle here. Many people walking—some with baskets atop their heads and some with briefcases in hand—and other people on bicycles and mo-peds. Market-owners were trying to sell the last of their wares for the day and still others were gathered around fires to cook up a snack. Life is certainly different here!

We were greeted warmly here at the Siaya Guest House, with pristine rooms and a great dinner waiting for us. After taking advantage of the showers in our rooms, we are climbing under our mosquito nets to finally have a good night’s sleep. Good night from Kenya; we look forward to updating you tomorrow on our first day at Mukumu Children’s Home, Thank you for your continued prayers!

For most of us, it was a chilly Sunday evening in Chilliwack when we first heard about Grace and her 30 orphaned children. A large group was assembled for another Shekinah on November 2, 2008, and Charlene invited us to prayerfully consider, not only being a part of the project, but also being a part of the team. Some of us felt the calling that night and others of us God called a little later. But a year and a half later, here we are: scrambling to make last minute preparations, packing and re-packing, excited and nervous, and about to make the long journey to Kakamega, Kenya!

All the way along, there have been many circumstances in which God has made Himself very apparent and involved. We have seen God work in miraculous ways to provide team members the needed funds for their trip costs. As currencies have fluctuated and project supply costs have increased, we have watched God provide the necessary finances for that as well. And we are amazed at how God has worked out all the details—childcare needs, necessary time off from jobs, family health concerns, and many other situations.

As 21 of us board a plane at Vancouver International Airport on Sunday evening, please pray with us for physical health and strength as we head east to London, south to Nairobi, west to Kisumu and north to Kakamega. We look forward to keeping you updated about the construction projects and our time at Mukumu Children’s Home with Grace and her kids, as well as our weekend of church and outreach ministry in Kisumu!

Mukumu Children's Home