Final Days in Nyahururu

Another guest post from Hannah Massie:

As I type, six of our team members are spending some time hanging out at Rahab and Silas’ house in Nairobi, waiting to go to the airport for our various flights departing tonight. (Rahab and Silas are Centenary members who were in the United States for seminary and now are working as missionaries in Kenya). We have all been so blessed to spend time with them (as well as their son Solomon). They have been so helpful throughout our trip, and they’re a LOT of fun to be around!

Ellen, Christy, and Charlotte departed this afternoon to Masai Mara for a safari trip before heading back to the States. Julie and Stephanie will head to Mombasa, Kenya this evening for a few days of additional ministry. The last group of us (which includes Zadie, Hannah, Jill, and Christina) will leave Nairobi tonight around 11:30, and they will arrive in Lexington Monday evening. None of us are looking forward to the 24+ hours of travel, but we are all looking forward to seeing family and friends back home. It has been a great trip.

It’s been a while since the last blog post, so let me fill you in! This past week was spent primarily at the Good Shepherd Home, although we also visited several local schools in the morning while the children were are school. We retured to the Thiru School (mentioned in a previous post) to bring medical supplies and help treat some of the children’s feet that were infected with chiggers ... that was quite an experience. At the end of the day, we felt good about being able to help with the situation, and the teachers there seemed grateful for the medical care as well as the information on how to treat their students’ medical problems in the future. Many of the children had no shoes to wear to school (which only worsened the existing problem), so some of the team members bought shoes for those who needed them the most. It was a sobering experience for many of us to see children without shoes or proper medical care.

At the Good Shepherd Home, relationships flourished as the week progressed. The children began to recognize and know us, and we in turn began to grow closer to these precious kids that had so much love to give. I (Hannah) grew especially close to a 10-year-old girl named Monica. Monica has three brothers (none of which are at Good Shepherd) and one sister in secondary boarding school. Both of her parents have passed away. Monica was the first child at Good Shepherd to come up to me and hold my hand, and since that point, we rarely separated! It was hard to say goodbye. While we were getting to know the children and staff at the home, we heard so many stories of children being rescued from the streets, brought in from poor family situations, and given a home at Good Shepherd. Moses’ story was particularly compelling.

Moses has 16 brothers and sisters, none of which live at Good Shepherd. His mother left the family to return back to her homeplace, and his father struggles with depression and lives on the street. After living on the street himself, Moses heard one day about Good Shepherd and decided to walk there (a distance of about eight miles each way) to inquire about a place to live and go back to school. Today, at age 15, Moses is the student representative for the entire county that he resides in within Kenya. He excels in school, and he continues to show leadership at Good Shepherd. Hearing stories like this helped to further impress upon us the important work that Good Shepherd is doing in and around Nyahururu. The maturity and deep-set faith of the children there was a testament to the hard work of Simon and Lucy Mwaura, the founders of the home. Lucy was the person who saw the need in Nyahururu for a home for street children, and Good Shepherd developed out of her vision for sharing the love of Christ with these children. We have all grown to love Lucy and Simon, and we hope to continue our relationship with them as they continue to expand and improve upon their ministry to children.

Oh my ... there is so much to share, and so little time! Some of the highlights:

1. Stephanie took pictures of each of the children at GS and we brought a photo printer so we could print them. We handed out the pictures (in a tongue-depressor stick frame) for the kids to decorate, and they LOVED it! Many of them have no pictures of themselves, their family, or their friends, so this was a special treat.
2. On Thursday we hosted a day for women in the community at the Good Shepherd Home. About 40 women attended (many with their babies!). Included in our time together was music, sharing of testimonies, cooking lessons (Ellen taught them how to make pizza and fried rice! It was a big hit!), grief counseling, and time to fellowship together. Seeing the strength of the women in Kenya has been so powerful for our team. Women here are handed a lot of responsibility (with few resources), and being able to spend time with them and learn about their lives was an incredible experience.
3. During our final afternoon with the children, the team bought ice cream for the kids and leaders at Good Shepherd. What a success! Many of the children had never tasted ice cream before, and they didn’t want to give back the bowls when they were finished. How much we take for granted...
4. Christina and Jill brought sports equipment and taught the kids at GS how to play tennis!
5. Jill’s first aid training has been a big hit at all of the schools and at GS. Most of the schools have no medical equipment (not even Band Aids), so having a small supply for emergencies is a blessing for each organization. We have been overwhelmed at the need for medical attention, but we feel blessed to be able to provide the supplies for basic care.

There are countless stories and memories to share, and I would love to share them all! If you would like a more complete picture of our time in Kenya, we will be sharing with family and friends at Centenary UMC on Sunday, July 24, at 7p.m. During the past two weeks, nine “dadas” (sisters) have become great friends. We have grown closer to Christ and to each other. We have experienced Christ in a completely new way, and our faith has been strengthened. God is ever present throughout His entire world, and to see His work in Kenya has been a powerful experience. We look forward to our continued interaction with Silas and Rahab, the Good Shepherd Home, and Simon and Lucy. Thanks for coming along with us on our journey!

Stephanie will be back to post some more insights from the final few days in Nyahururu and the journey back to Nairobi.