Oh Happy Day!

We've arrived in Nairobi, Kenya and have settled into our guest house. We will be here for two days before leaving for Eldoret, Kenya, then on to Kip Karen.

Today we were able to visit the largest slum in the world.

"SLUM: A heavily populated urban area characterized by substandard housing and squalor."

To try and describe the place would be literally impossible. With over a million people living in the slum, it goes without saying it is an incredibly busy and seems very chaotic on entry. With the rain falling here in Nairobi for the last couple days, the normally hard packed, dry, dusty dirt roads turned to mud. As we walked down a narrow corridor to one of the 400 schools located within the slum, it was very apparent that the joy of the Lord resonated within the walls. Every person you made eye contact with would light up with happiness. Even through the dirt, mud, and human feces the people appeared to be smiling, laughing and enjoying their day as they worked and walked about.

As we reached the school any preconceived notion about how a school was suppose to be, was thrown out the window. With wooden walls, held together by rope and tree branches, it was apparent the lack of government funding and appropriate materials were scarce. As we toured the school, going from classroom to classroom, greeting kids, hearing them greet us with song, and introducing ourselves and our puppet friend, it was easy to see how a child within these walls could easily be distracted, ignored or have a hard time learning anything. We learned that the entire school is now privately funded. The principle of the school informed us that the Kenyan government had given them some books in past years, but since 2007 there was no involvement what so ever.

They were adding on to the school as kids graduated to the next grade. We learned that they would need to add on another classroom before January, and it would cost the school about $5,000. The pastor/principle said they did not know where the funding was going to come from, but they were confident God would provide as he always had been faithful thus far. They currently had 9 classrooms, with three of them being preschool and the other 6 being a make shift 1st through 6th grade. The kids didn't seemed to be placed by age, but more by ability.

We were all taken aback by the lack of supplies and the ability the teachers had to over come those restrictions and still be able to teach the kids. Supplies are so scarce that kids were writing on one piece of paper, then erasing what they wrote, and writing on the same page again. Some kids were taking notes on colouring books, and most had no supplies at all.

We were then able to get all the kids together and tell them a story. We told them the story about Jesus multiplying the fish and the bread and related that to the fact that no matter how young you were, no matter where you came from, God could use you for miracles, as long as you give him everything you have. As Joe told the story to the kids, it was amazing that the kids were actually telling Joe what would happen next. The kids knew their scripture! It was a huge blessing to be taught by them!

Afterwards we were invited back to the Pastor Charles & his wife Rose's home for some lunch. We walked deeper into the slum to their home, which was very nice considering. They had a very nice living room with carpet and many couches. Rose had prepared a lunch of minced meat stew and a tortilla like flat bread that tasted incredible. It was very humbling to realize these people were bestowing a huge blessing on us by buying and preparing this meal for us. We were very grateful for their willingness to love on us.

Tomorrow we are going on a safari which will be an adventure, no doubt!

Current Prayer needs: Health, Travelling Mercies, and the continuous presence of the Lord as we minister!

Thank You,

Kenya Team 2!