Our morning started out in Kibera for a second day of working with Peter and Swahiba Network. Today included another visit to a school specifically for orphans. These are children who have been taken in by other family members but are still in desperate needs. The school provides them with two meals each day and teaches them about Jesus along with giving them an education. We did a short program there and then sent our group out to spend time with the 350 students in their school. Many sweet conversations were had.
Next we had a little fun and did some shopping! The kids got to experience the joy of a good haggle at the Massai Market. It was great hearing them compare how much they ended up paying for their trinkets and souvenirs. They are now the proud owners of paintings, figurines, scarves, blankets, soccer jerseys and more.
This afternoon we split the guys and girls to go minister in different areas and it went so well.
The girls went back to the church and school we were in yesterday to work with Peter Abungu’s J Project for purity girls. They were amazing! Our girls were able to have some very sweet conversations. There were ice breakers, a panel discussion and Katie brought an awesome message on purity and Jesus’ encounter with the woman at the well. We ended with a time that the gospel was presented using a white bead and cord to make a necklace. We also were able to give them a gift because someone donated 1000 pieces of jewelry to the J Project.
Chase shared about what our guys did this afternoon:
Today all the men of our group had the opportunity to assist a group known as “Young Offenders,” a program for young boys who have had trouble in regards to the law. As we arrived we prepared for our first activity, soccer. At which we got absolutely destroyed by multiple children many years younger than us (I believe the final score was 7-2). As we wound that down, licking our wounds and patching up our pride, we went into groups with the boys and had conversations about ourselves and who they were. After a short period of get-to-know-you time, Eli led the group with a message in which he compared the early of David to that of his own and shared the true meaning of why we are here. This led to conversations in which these young men shared the hurt that had come into their life, and gave us the opportunity to share with them the hope and love that Jesus Christ can bring into their lives. In this place you know that there will always be pain, but the message we brought today, I truly feel, provided a new hope and life to a lot of lives that didn’t have it before. And after that, we all got stomped at soccer, AGAIN.
We were able to head back early this evening and had plenty of time to relax and eat before our team meeting. We had a special devotion by Pastor Mike and then worship with Carey and one of our other students, Jess Mitchell, leading.
Tomorrow we head out for the second leg of our mission. The day will begin a little later (7 am breakfast instead of 5:30) so the students rejoiced. We are swapping up our big vans for some awesome trucks to head out into Suswa. The students were super excited because they got to choose their buses so they are with their friends for the fun part of the trip. When you travel with Radiate Students on a mission trip we Work. Hard. But we also play hard.
We will be doing a camp of champions twice tomorrow afternoon at local schools after we arrive. Saturday and Sunday morning we will have more ministry opportunities and will be able to worship at the local church.
I’m not sure how great our signal will be so it’s possible we won’t be able to update until Monday night. So parents…from one momma to another, know that your kids are fine and they are having a once in a lifetime experience. Let them soak it in and we will tell you all about it as soon as we can.
Also, Kenya is getting into our blood. And I’m not saying that just in a figurative way. We smell like Kenya. ?? Brace yourselves… Some things even a long hot shower and a stick of deodorant can’t fix.
Specific prayer requests:
Please pray for continued good health. Pray that our students will be able to soak in what a powerful and imaginative creator our God is. Pray that our students will have a soft re-entry into American culture but that they retain the fire and zeal and boldness they have found while in Kenya.