On packing day for the secondary students there were many items which were wrapped in plastic bags….you can see the stack of blankets on the left in the photo. Instead of those items just being thrown in the rubbish pile Scholar found a good use for them!
Jacinta, Irine, Elizabeth and Jane
Erastus
Today we spent the day dropping off five kids at school. There were only two schools but it took all day. The girls are at Tala Girls High School and Erastus is at Kathiani Boys. Girls first but only because their school is next door to Nice View!
It then was a 2 hour drive to Kathiani over very bumpy roads. I told Erastus he better not get into trouble because if we have to make this drive again he’ll be in deeper trouble! He will be taking public transport from now on!
I could sense the kids’ excitement and see it in their smiles. They are embarking on a new phase in their lives and what a privilege and blessing they have received. Thank you to everyone who has helped make this a reality for these students.
More student deliveries later this week!
It has been a crazy few days and will continue to be so for a couple of more days. On Friday seven of the nine new Form 1′s went shopping in Tala for items such as shoes, boots, etc., the kind of stuff they needed to try on. What a thrill it was for them to actually be able to pick out their own stuff! After a few hours of shopping we met for lunch at Becky’s (yummy chips and chicken!)
After lunch it was then time to head to the doctors. While waiting a couple of the boys entertained themselves with a game on the phone.
Kelvin and Erastus
That same day we picked up our items from Sunny Lucky…thank you Sunil for the help with these bulk items!
It was a long day for everyone but I believe the kids had a good time and they are excited to start secondary school!
Then on Saturday it was another busy day. First we met with the 4 new Form 1′s from Nice View and their guardians to discuss various schooling items and to go over our policy for secondary students (maintaining a C- or above average). Again, another excited group of kids!
students starting on the right - Ruth, Kelvin, Elizabeth and Irine
The remaining 2 students were also able to finish their shopping. Then it was off to C4KK so the kids could organize, mark and pack their school boxes. They had their own mini-shopping mall right on the veranda!
This sort of catches you up. In the next few days I will update you on other situations that occurred throughout these busy days. Some sad others happy. I have to say it will be nice when this week is over because all the secondary students will be in school and things will start to settle down once again.
Today I am attempting to figure out how and when to shop for the secondary students and I seem to be saying to myself “if only”.
If only secondary schools would distribute the calling letters in a timely manner, preferably more than a few days before the student has to report to school! We may not get a couple of letters until Friday and will only know at that time when the student actually has to report to school. Which means the particulars of their shopping list won’t be known until that time either.
If only I could communicate easily over the phone. Trying to call a shop owner to get items ready for me to pick up is difficult because when I call, the connection (network) is sporadic, conversations cut in and out and you just never know what exactly the other person is hearing or not hearing.
I could really go on but instead I must work with the system that is here and move forward with no more “if only’s”. This is the system, period. Not to say it doesn’t frustrate me though! Praying these secondary students will become Godly, moral men and women and make a difference in their country some day.
I’m thankful for everyone who has helped with the funding for these kids to attend school (please visit our donation site if you too would like to help with fees or shopping). Many others will not have this opportunity for secondary education simply because of lack of funds….if only the government would make education a priority and….oh, wait never mind, just moving forward to what can be done today, tomorrow, Friday…God willing!
Class 8 graduates are heading out to secondary school very, very soon. This week the calling letters for secondary schools are anticipated to arrive. Calling letters are the ‘invitation letters’ from various secondary schools to invite students to attend their school. Once a student receives a calling letter it isn’t mandatory they attend that school, they can look for a different school if they wish. So far we have received 4 calling letters out of the 9 students and hope to get the rest today or tomorrow.
The calling letter is much more than just an invitation, it gives a breakdown of school fees, rules, policies, medical forms, list of supplies needed and text books required. Here is just a small sample of what the high schools require parents/guardians/sponsors (of which C4KK is) to purchase and fill out for the child. This is from one particular secondary school but it’s pretty similar with the rest. Also remember they are receiving their letter with this information this week and will be required to begin school around January 30th with all the supplies and school fees paid, which doesn’t leave a lot of time for everyone to prepare.
It’s funny, every Sunday we are woken up by drums beating and very loud singing from a church about 1/4 mile away. Seems one of the prerequisites of starting a church is to have a PA system, no joke! Unfortunately many misuse them…screaming into the mic with loud, gravely voices or cranking up the amp so high you get screeches and base that would knock you off your seat if sitting to closely.
Last Sunday though was different….electricity was out. I could just imagine churches scrambling to find a generator and petrol (gas)…quick, someone get a generator so we can have service for goodness sakes! Ah, peace and quiet, that is until a generator must have been found because the shouting, I mean preaching, began.
Figured we were safe on Monday since it isn’t necessarily a “church” day but around 2 in the afternoon the PA was cranked up and we were subjected so some (sorry if I offend anyone) not so nice singing. I’m no singer so I’m not about to get up in front of a group on a loud speaker and sing but hey, that’s me!
I pray those who want to hear God can hear him over, and in spite of, the PA system.
You’ve read here before about Caring For Kenya’s Kids (C4KK) and C4KK Children’s Shelter. Helping to supply basic needs for orphaned children, widows and employing workers so they in turn can afford their families needs. Today I’m going to show you another aspect of C4KK’s ministry. We work with a friend, Ben, a local Kenyan and Executive Director of My Brother’s Keeper, who works with HIV/AIDS victims and those living in the slums. We help support Ben on a case by case basis in which Chuck gets more detail on the situation, prays about it, asks God’s guidance and then proceeds with support if called to do so. Here are a few stories of recent situations C4KK has supported. Photos and captions are Ben’s:
This family had no water to use because there money to buy the precious commodity. I bought them soap and enough water to cook with, drink, wash their clothes and utensils, and most importantly to bathe with. Water is life.
The widow could not believe her eyes. She later told me she never even dreamt of getting good things like the items and food we brought her.
Today during our daily home visits i came across this woman and her baby. She is floorridden, pregnant (5 months), hiv+, has TB, vomiting, with a relentless diarrhea. She told me she had not eaten for many days.
When we arrived at Petronilla's house this morning.
Ben’s team cleaned the one-room home, cleaned mother and child, prepared food for them and the doctor came to check on her. They brought the love of Christ directly into this mom and baby’s life. ”She was so hungry and desperately ill even to talk. She murmered something like petronilla or something as her name. Today i get to go bathe them, clean the house and buy them anti diarhea and anti vomit medicines.”
Then bathed her for she had not fellowshiped with water for a very long time and badly needed one.
Feeding baby Mike whom we found eating her mother's feaces as there was nothing to eat.
There is no handshake or pat on the back which can reward Ben this side of Heaven for his love, care and concern for the “least of these” but you can help Ben continue this work by donating at our secure donation site, marking “other” in the Allocation drop-down box and writing “Ben” in the comment section. Those donations will be used on a case by case basis for helping these precious children of God.
Chuck will keep you informed on the cases which are supported by reposting Ben’s updates through Facebook. Thank you in advance for your prayerful consideration in helping bring the love of Christ to so many.
Arrived today at C4KK to find my new desk had been delivered. I know it looks pre-fab but it’s actually hand made. Most things out in the villages are hand made…my dresser drawers, bed and kitchen cupboards to name a few.
You may think that’s pretty nice but remember with hand made items dimensions are never standard. I remember calling a friend back in the states to have her measure the heighth of her kitchen cupboards so mine could be at the standard heighth. Not something you would normally think about when buying cupboards.
Makes it a bit more of a thinking job to get tables, desks or even cupboards and here you tend to take what you get. Too much of a hassle to get something fixed. That’s why we are pretty specific with our instructions, but that doesn’t always work out either!
I like the new desk and it seems to be at the correct heighth and width, although the drawers are on the left and I’m right handed but that is definitely acceptable. Too bad electricity is out though (been out for 2 days here), can’t even set up my computer to work at the new desk.
Today we went to Machakos to deal with a few governmental issues. That is never a favorite thing for me to do but it had to be done. I was actually pleasantly surprised with the outcome. It went fairly smooth and I believe much of that is attributed to Chuck’s attention to detail. The one thing that I had to laugh about, ok actually a couple of things I had to laugh about but I’ll get to that later, was on the government forms they listed three different types of documents which would be accepted as proof of dependents the employee would be claiming. The employees at C4KK supplied baptism records and immunization records for their proof, which was listed on the form.
The gentleman helping us said the employees must have a birth certificate to prove dependent status….Chuck pointed out the list on the government form telling him that is what we followed but he proceeded to cross off the baptism record and immunization record on the form and said “we don’t accept those, just birth certificates.” And yes, I laughed…internally of course so as not to offend this guy! It’s just another example of how things work, or don’t work, here.
The other small laughable matters were -
Overall it was an ok trip and Machakos has some beautiful scenery for the drive:
This fiasco is finally over! That’s all I have to say about that!
Actually it’s been a learning lesson, not only in regards to the school system here in Kenya and dealing with people but also my sanity level 
The student went back to school with an adult (who also has had run-ins with this school) and was allowed back to school. He did, however, have to sign an apology note and it was put in his student file. Remember, this was for forgetfulness….guess I’d have to write a lot of apology letters!
Once the student was in school he immediately went to classes then preps (study time) and wasn’t able to call me to confirm he was in school until 10:30pm last night. But I was expecting his call so I was just happy he called!
Thank you everyone for the prayers in this time of great stress for both me and the student. We are grateful for the prayers.