Where Do We Start? - So much to tell!

Friday has come and gone and there is so much to tell! Last night during our "debriefing" a couple of us could only use the word "overwhelming" to describe the day. A portion of the team returned to Hodi Hodi School in the morning to share a story, crafts and games, some of the team were part of Care and Compassion visits, and the rest stayed at Christ's Hope office to practice the drama we had planned to present at the Remand Center later in the day. During the afternoon most of the team went to the Remand Center (youth jail) and then returned to the office for pizza, movies, ice cream and popcorn! I am really trying to not make this posting be a laundry list of activities - but you can probably see how a team of 15 people plus 5 Dutch volunteers plus full time Christ's Hope staff (Desmond!) can create a lot of activity!

A good place to start is to tell about our lunch for the day... Many places here have an allowance (or budget) of no more than 10 shillings per day per child for food. To show a comparison - about 75 shillings equals 1 US dollar. Our lunch was typical of what lunch would be based on that amount. It consisted of ugali and greens (primarily kale). Ugali is a food with consistency similar to corn meal mush and is eaten with the fingers. The portions of ugali can be large and it is filling. It is interesting to watch Kenyans eat ugali as they form a scoop and use it to eat the greens. It was also interesting to see our fellow team members eat this meal! I believe the experience gave us all something to think about and once again realize how fortunate and blessed we are.

Here is an update on the Care and Compassion patient that was reluctant to go to get medication and Darlene had urged him to do so - yesterday he went and got his medication!

What can I say about the Remand Center - or where do I start? If I could capture the sound of the voices of the children and youth when they sing and post it on this blog - then you would know why it is all overwhelming! And the smiles on their faces and the enthusiasm of all the children when they receive a crayon and a coloring page (even the 16 year-old youth!). And singing "Fishers of Men" and watching the boys and the girls do the actions - and of course goof-up and laugh and laugh. And passing out a bottle of Coke to each one (did I mention there were around 100 children and youth there...) and seeing a room full of kids enjoying this treat...

And then the team, through the presentation of the drama, was able to share the gospel and invite the children to accept Christ into their lives... After this special time there were several youth that asked if they could pray with someone and many of the team had the opportunity to pray one-on-one with the youth. We experienced so much in such a short time but our prayer is that whatever we shared was understood and would in some way - help them. The stories of why and how the children came to be at the jail are difficult for us to understand - such as one young boy was brought there by his step-mother because both his mother and father had died or young children that were just found wandering in the streets... But the smiles we saw when we were there were incredible and I know that we were all truly blessed by our experience!

Our busy schedule continues throughout the weekend - starting with a two-hour boat ride on Lake Victoria at sunrise this morning to see the many types of birds and the hippos! Eleven of us got up early this morning and were rewarded with a beautiful (and cool) morning, three hippo sitings, many birds, fishermen pulling in their catch, the engine on the boat stalling, and finally the boat getting hung-up on a rock! We made it back safe and sound - the motor started eventually and the driver had to get in the water to manipulate the boat off the rock! Although it was very early we all agreed it was well worth the experience!

I am planning on including some pictures but I think this posting is already long! Pictures for sure later!
Blessings to all!
H