July 3rd and 4th

3 and 4^th of July

Pastor Samuel had the most amazing church service. We were so grateful to be able to attend. He also had a yummy lunch for us that his wife Sara said we all had to eat or we would offend them! So, we all ate this egg roll type thing that was huge and so yummy and some flat bread. They eat a lot of potatoes, peas, collard greens, and lots of rice and beans and posho. For breakfast there is always coffee, tea and fresh eggs. Most everything we have been served has come from their own gardens.

We had a really long day of traveling today. We left Kampala, Uganda to go to the airport. The airport is not that far away and we got stuck in 2 hours of stand still, turn off the car traffic. We thought for sure we were going to miss our flight but when we got to the airport they held the plane for us and basically escorted all of our luggage through. It was a miracle for sure. A miracle that probably would not have happened in America. The people here are so friendly and accomodating.

So this was our day.....

2 hours of traffic getting to the airport

2 hour flight from Kampala to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Layover in Addis airport and depart at 11pm for Nairobi, Kenya

2 hour flight to Nairobi

1 hour of finding and loading all our luggage (thought we lost a bag)

3 hour drive to North Kinagop and the Hope Community Center Orphanage

Arrive at 6:30am on NO SLEEP

Nap until 11 and meet the kids at 12

Kenya and Uganda are very different even though the countries border eachother. Kenya has paved roads, more industrialized (especially in Niarobi), most places have electricity as well. Unfortunately, some of the back roads that have once been paved have been forgotten to be repaired and are very, very bumpy to drive on with large pot holes to avoid. The landscape is so incredible in Kenya. Acacia trees are everywhere, the ground is not red dirt like Uganda. There are less people in the streets as well as children just by themselves. We are in the countryside which is surrounding by mountains, lakes, farms, flower farms, pasture land and so many beautiful trees and cactus. This is exactly what you would think of when describing Africa. It is so, so beautiful.

We were very tired after arriving but wanted to meet the kids and start playing with them. The kids are always SO excited to see you when you arrive. They have been waiting for us for months and praying for us daily that the Lord would bring us here safely. They are so thankful for us and thankful to God for answering prayer. We are now part of their family and they continually ask us when we are coming back.

HOPE COMMUNITY CENTER – North Kinagop, Kenya

HCC was started by Lucy or “Mama/Madame” Lucy as the kids and staff call her. She was living Nairobi by herself when she took in her first child. Jerome was only 5 when she found him living on the street. She asked him if he would like to stay at her home for the day while she went to work and he accepted. After sometime he told all of his friends and they all eventually settled at her home as well. They moved to a church and outgrew that space. They then purchased a half acre 2 hours away from Nairobi in a beautiful country area surrounded by mountains and in the Riff Valley. A half acre of land grew to 18 acres and plastic roofs turned into 3 story cement dormitories among several other permanent structures. Lucy currently has the highschool under construction, another green house and a nursery to house more babies. Lucy adopted the first 3 babies that came to her. They are now 5 and named Henry, Mary and Alan. Lucy prays that the nursery can get completed quickly so she can save more babies lives that are dying in the hospital and the surrounding areas.

Jerome was her first orphan to live with her. He is now 25 and has graduated from college. Jerome has gone to study to be a pastor and came back to be the pastor at Hope CC. What started with Jerome has grown to 173 children, most of whom are true orphans (both parents have passed away). They really live like they are all brothers and sisters with Lucy as their mother. They do everything without complaining or arguing and they have such solid faith in Christ. The bible says that the prayers of the righteous availeth much. Here are the righteous. They pray without ceasing,

I loved teaching them how to play kick ball. It was so fun seeing them grasp the concept and then give it everything. We sang songs with them and did devotions and crafts with them. Mama Lucy wanted us to share in front of the kids a “word of encouragement”. They meet 3 times a day for prayers and songs so we had several share from our group. There were 3 Candian gals there and that was so fun getting to know them and make new relationships.

I was so impressed by how Lucy manages donations. She wants money that is donated to go directly towards a project of the donors choice. We gave her money as a team for room and board. She wanted to know what project we wished to donate towards and if we could help start the construction while we were visiting. We were so excited to donate towards a baby nursery and have the opportunity to plant that seed. She got on the phone right away and the gravel was delivered the next day. We were also able to donate towards a greenhouse. The temperature here is so mild that they can grow sustaining food all year round. Some of the vegetables like tomatoes and kale need to be grouwn in a greehouse. The boys went out and cut down small trees and two of us girls carried them to the spot where the boys were securing the posts for the greenhouse. It was so awesome to be part of a project that looks visibly different and at least underway when we left. If we get to come back the nursery and greenhouse will be done! She likes to do this to because when the children look at these projects they are reminded to pray for those who contributed to them. Her saying is “Welcome Home” or Karibu (welcome in Swahili).

We had worship with them in the morning, worked at the greenhouse, fed the children breakfast (I was thankful to be able to scoop and serve the 173 kids what tasted like cream of wheat), played games, took showers, ate lunch and then headed to Naguru for the Fiwagoh orphanage about 2 hours away.