Kenya 2015

Monday, March 23, 2015

Day 2: FOCUS Kids

Good evening everyone! It's 8:18 here in Nairobi. Today was our first day of ministry and it was amazing! Here's the story and the scoop...

We started the day off with breakfast at 7:45am. We had the normal spread of food here at Heart House: Crepes, bacon, eggs, chocolate filled croissants, cereal, fresh fruit, juices and milk. It was good to get a night of sleep last night after a long day and a half of travel. When we were done, we got ready and loaded the bus. After a 15 minute drive, we were pulling into FOCUS!

It's hard to describe the feeling when you pull up to the center. When a big bus full of Mzungus (white people) pull up, the kids come running with open arms and open hearts. These kids come from all kinds of backgrounds but the one common theme is they are missing one or both parents to HIV/AIDS. These kids now live with the remaining parent or aunts/uncles or grandparents. Sometimes they are the 5th child and get the last of what the family has to offer. These kids are desiring love and affection and that is the attitude they come running up to the bus with. The sparkle you see in their eyes is worth more than a thousand words! Even though this is my 4th time coming to Kenya to see these exact kids, it still hits you right in the heart and the head. Unless you have experienced this, you just can't "get" it.

When the kids find you, they are by your side the rest of the trip. You have made a new friend! Today I was latched by my wife and I's sponsor child Yvonne. I have always said this but it's more of a reality when you are here and get to see it. There's something about sponsoring a child and then getting to see them and hang out with them. It means SO much. I would challenge anybody who sponsors a child anywhere to try to go and see them. The bond deepens just by spending time with each other.

We played with the kids and hung out for a couple of hours this morning. Then we started our team's "fun day". It started with a Bible story (Daniel and the Lion's Den).

The team acted it out and went through the whole story. After the story time, we did crafts with the kids and played games with them. The crafts consisted of making lion masks and the games consisted of relays and Red Lion. The kids really enjoyed this time.

Then we took the kids to eat at a Kenyan restaurant. We usually do this with the FOCUS workers but this time we took the kids with us. It was a great experience. The kids walked by us with plates FULL of food. I wondered how they could put away that much food but they can eat. It was incredible but also eye opening when you think about how this is probably the best meal they have had in about 6-8 months or in a couple of years. For us in America, we would eat a meal like this every week or two. We take advantage of our livelihood way to much.

After the lunch, we we went back to FOCUS and hung out with the kids for another couple of hours. The kids decided to catch a chicken that they have on property and run around with it. Well, when they did, they decided to target a couple of our team members. I haven't laughed that hard in a very long time. To see the terror on their faces was hilarious. The kids thought it was hilarious too! Some of the women in our group also helped prepare dinner for the kids. Let's just say, cooking in Kenya is vastly different than in the US!

Then we headed to the NEW Project Lucas facility! This was a new acquisition last week and a blessing for Project Lucas (as well as a step of faith). We toured the facility and while walking around, we prayed for it and every room and all that would be accomplished there. So excited to be working here and doing all that we can to get it ready for operation in the beginning of May.

We then came back to Heart House and had dinner. Then we showered and cleaned up and had a short team meeting. Now we are playing games and decompressing. Shortly it will be bed time! See you all tomorrow!

Love you Mallory and Ridge!!

Jameson

Sunday, March 22, 2015

Flights & Day 1

Hey everyone in the States! Thanks for following our blog thus far. The past day and a half we have spent traveling so we are wiped! It's currently 11:46pm so I am going to post tonight and give you a synopsis of what the journey has been like thus far.

We started off the morning with a spunky 4am meeting at church. Once we were all accounted for and checked in, we headed to SDF. Once at the airport, we unloaded all 27 of our bags and headed in. This was the first "obstacle" of the day. We had been told we could check two bags (up to 50lbs.) for free because that's what Qatar Airlines policy was. However, that's not what happened. $1000 later, we had all of our bags checked and on the conveyor. Once that was taken care of we headed to the security check and said bye to family. Only two of us got stopped and bags gone through. Nick decided to pack apple sauce and got investigated and Mr. Gary Clark had too much hand sanitizer. But we made it through unscathed. Then on to our gate where we boarded within 30 minutes.

The flight was great. No complaints. We made it to Philly on time and got to our gate to meet Scott and Alisa. This was a joyful moment as friends reunited and got to see each other for the first time in a while. I love these two! They mean so much to myself and my family! Can't wait to spend a week and a half with them.

After saying hello's we boarded our flight to Doha, Qatar. The plane was AWESOME: in seat entertainment, good airplane food (I know, I know), and the plane was only half full! Oh yeah!! This was the 12.5 hour leg of our journey so it was a long one. At the end of our flight, the captain come over the intercom and told us that Doha was having a severe thunderstorm and rainstorm so we were going to be diverted to Dubai. Not something you want to hear 12 hours into your flight. We landed in Dubai and sat on the airplane until the airport was ready to have us land. So we took off again and made a quick 45 minute flight to Doha.

Once we landed there, we headed inside the airport to see what the damage was with our connecting flight to Nairobi. God is good! It was delayed as well. So we went and found our gate and waited to board our new plane. Once we boarded, we got settled in for another 5.5 hour flight. Again, the plane was great.

We landed in Nairobi at about 6ish. Headed through security, VISAs, and customs like a breeze. Then we got to baggage claim. And what would a trip to Kenya be without some lost bags? Two of our team members were missing their personal bags. So please pray with us that they come in over the next two days.

We then left and came to Heart House and ate dinner, had a team meeting, and then went to shower (PRAISE GOD) and sleep! And that's where I am headed now...to bed! Love you all and check back tomorrow for another post about our first day of ministry!

Love you Mallory and Ridge!!!

Jameson