Going to a park doesn’t seem like that big of deal to us,
but to these children who never leave the slum, it’s a BIG DEAL! To watch them
touch grass for the first time and be able to run around a play in a big open
field without any worries was such a blessing.
With 310 children we kept very busy!
While most of the team played Awana games I stayed aside to
watch everyone’s backpacks. A little girl who was about three years old hopped
into my lap and sat there the whole time. She hardly spoke any English, the
only thing I got out of her was her name, which is Grace. Luckily my middle name is Grace so it would
be easy to remember. Although we
couldn’t communicate much she was instantly my best friend or as she would say
it “rafiki”.
This is one of the other little girls, she didn’t come to
me, but there was something about her that I couldn’t resist. She had a sad
look on her face almost the whole time we were at the park and was very
shy. Her name is Mercy and she is
beautiful! I started asking about her family and she told me she has a little
brother and her mother she lives with, although it might not sound like a bad
situation, knowing how the single woman live in the slum is heartbreaking. They
always have to worry about being taken out of their homes, beaten and rapped.
It is something that is a reality for them on a daily basis. Mercy didn’t tell
me much about her story, but the look in her eyes was very sad. When I sat down
next to her she instantly laid her head down on my lap, I started rubbing her
back and she started to doze off. Everywhere I went after that she was right by
my side holding my hand until it was time to go.
I cannot even imagine what these kids have to go through
every single day. Walking through their living conditions for one day was
completely draining for me both physically and mentally. I don’t know how, but they have hope! Hope
that brings them so much joy! It is a true testament of God’s faithfulness. God is doing some amazing things here in
Kenya, if I had the time to write them all down I would.
Please continue to pray for the team!
Overlooking Nairobi, Kenya
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