Day 2 on the Hill - Mom's thoughts

1 - Nentaya playing a relay game
2 - the Amazing Joel
3 - Kara brought a Butler shirt for her little sister, Nentaya :)

I apologize for not getting on and writing sooner. Life gets in the way. I miss Kenya so much –the simplicity of life there, the strong sense of community, the beautiful faces and spirits of all of the people there. To say it was a life-changing trip is an understatement. I felt God’s presence in a way I have never felt it before – to see these children who have suffered so much loss being loved and nurtured and having the capacity to experience joy can only be a God thing. Let me try to share what we experienced.

As Kara said, we were so warmly welcomed. I have never experienced a welcome like that – they sang to us, the women made this awesome chanting/shrieking sound, every one said “feel at home,” they hugged us and held our hands…they were so genuinely happy we were there. As Lynda described it, it felt like a little preview of what our welcome into Heaven will be like.

This is what I remember about our first day on the hill (Tuesday, June 15). Nothing in Kenya was rushed or on any kind of schedule. We started our day by waking up to the sounds of donkeys braying (loudly), roosters crowing, and Maasai villagers singing to their cows as they walked them to the fields. After being served an incredible breakfast of pancakes, French toast, hard boiled eggs and fresh fruit, Rick led our team in devotions. We studied the book of Daniel, and Rick encouraged us to be aware of “God moments” throughout the day. After breakfast, we headed up to “The Hill” where the Children’s Home and school are located. The kids were in school, so we used that time to prepare for our after school teaching time. Dan had prepared an awesome teaching for the kids. We decorated the room with inflatable jungle animals and Dan put up a puppet theater. Kara, Joel and Noah practiced their worship songs and I was given the role of “Buba” the vulken (Vulture/Chicken) and Slimy the Worm in the puppet theater J. As we prepared the room, the women who work at the children’s home brought us tea and chickens wandered in and out of the room. The students have a recess/lunch break, so we spent time with them and then headed back down to Joseph’s house for lunch – another feast. We were back at the children’s home in time for school to let out, and we organized the kids into teams (sort of) and played some games with them – soccer, spoon/ping-pong ball relays, etc. Kara and I taught the kids the chicken dance, and Kara taught them the “CYT Shakedown.” It was so fun just being with the children. They loved everything we brought, loved learning songs and dances, and loved just sitting with us and talking.

Once the kids from the village had gone home, we led the kids who live at the children’s home into the teaching room (multi-purpose room?) for Dan’s first teaching. We began with worship and it was amazing. The team taught the kids “Sing, Sing, Sing” and “Glory to God.” Kara had made up hand motions. It was so beautiful to hear their voices singing the songs and see them lifting their hands. Then Dan taught his first lesson: Yesu Penda Mimi. (Jesus Loves Me). Dan shared his testimony with the kids, and then taught from Mark 10:13-16, the story of how Jesus made time to bless the children. All of the kids were given Bibles in comic-book form. The kids loved the games, role-playing and puppet show. Joel became “Amazing Joel” and performed card tricks for the kids. Dan gave each child a little satin heart to remind them that God loves them. They were so cute – some of the girls sewed the hearts onto their sweaters. We also gave them candy necklaces. That was a big hit with the kids!

After the teaching time, the kids went to have their dinner and we went back down to Joseph’s house for our dinner. After dinner, we grabbed our flashlights and headed back up the hill. It is really dark at night, but somehow the Maasai people do not use “torches” – they just know where to go. Lynda, Barb and I managed to get lost even with our flashlights! Once we got to the children’s home, we found the kids gathered around a TV, powered by a generator, watching the World Cup. Many of the kids were doing homework. The kids came in and out from their dorm rooms. We did crafts with them, they signed our journals (we had a page for each of them with their picture on it). It was a beautiful time of just relaxing with the kids. Evenings were the time we really got to know the children. We had many children climbing on our laps, wanting us to come see their rooms, wanting to draw or write with us. They were so precious!!!! As the smaller kids fell asleep, the older ones would take them to their beds. We left around 10 pm to head back to Joseph’s. The worst part of the trip was the nighttime visit to the outhouse. Yeah…that was a little scary.