Yesterday Twyla and I paid a visit to the kids at St. Catherine's...we wanted to see them and also to see the ongoing demolition of their community and even the buildings housing their rooms, their school and their church...
This is as far as Billy, our driver could take us...what you can't see so well is that behind that white car is slippery mud - oh boy!!
I turned around for this shot...as I was studying the way ahead to decide if I could even do it! Believe me it looks way easier than it was...
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| I look like a tourist! |
We did our best until a man working on the side of the "road" showed us a back way...between homes, through the hanging laundry...
...behind the buildings...
and back onto the street...here is what is left of the boy's dorm...yikes!
Inside the gate I heard "mzungu, mzungu" and I looked up and saw these precious faces!
Me in the area inside the gate of the boys' dorm...
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| Twyla got me shooting the kids! |
Notice in these next shots people trying to walk around the mud...
A shot of life in Kibera...if you look closely you can see chapati being cooked...
We met upstairs in the computer room...before the kids arrived I had a short meeting with Mercy (who is the mama to these kids) about the youth camp in August...to get a final list of names and to arrange for transportation.
Then the kids arrived!
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| Reagan, Felix and Erick |
Thanks Twyla for getting this shot of me with the kids...
Twyla opened with PB & J sandwiches all around...
Ishmael was enjoying the eats!
Twyla then asked each child to share one challenge or hardship they have faced this past month.
That really helped the kids to talk about the demolition of their school, church and even bedrooms. Lavender articulated 4 challenges, including their water tank being removed which makes bathing a significant challenge!
All the kids mentioned the new school being far, food being less, having to fetch water and the church now being farther away...
Then Twyla challenged them to share at least one blessing this past month...the kids were quick to say how grateful they are for a new school and church, for their studies not being interrupted, for the support they are receiving from the pastor and from well-wishers, and that they still have a home and beds to sleep in...
I challenged Lavender to come up with 4 blessings since she shared 4 challenges - she easily got to 6 blessings and could have continued...these kids are amazing...
Jacinta uncharacteristically deep in thought...
Then Twyla taught from the Mwanzo book we have been studying...
Her teaching the truth that we are secure in God...
Lavender loves to read God's word...here she is reading from Matt 7:24-25...
Miriam was taking notes...
Twyla was quite animated as she was passionately making her points...
Twyla prayed for all of us to gain a deeper assurance of God's grace and for anyone who has not accepted Christ as Lord and saviour to be able to do that...
Then it was time to check for work completed...Twyla gave out a piece of candy for each page completed...
Many of the kids got 5 pieces largely because of the times I studied with them...
...even me, I managed to complete all 5 pages because the kids helped me!
Then we went to see how the demolition has impacted the rooms...here the boys dorm is barely wide enough for the beds...
You can see a narrow passageway to the right...that is how they get to the beds at the end!
This used to be the class one room...I used to meet with the kids here...it is now barely big enough to be a storage area...
A view of the girl's dorm and you can see how difficult it is to even walk!
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| Miriam accidentally photo bombed this shot! |
Ishmael posing with Twyla in the "new" doorway of the girl's dorm...
Here I am with Ishmael and Felix...
Upstairs Ishmael asked me to shoot this for Denise...
From the top of the stairs you can see out the front door...there used to be a hallway and a right turn to this passageway...
Ishmael taking me to what is left of the church...it is the (very narrow) blue building to the right...
What is left of the kitchen...it is very difficult to prepare meals here...
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| Ishmael posing on top of the stove... |
There used to be a small water tank here...
Upstairs - this used to be the church and the room for class 8...now it is little more than a storage room...
On the positive side, a very nice toilet is being built and a substantial bridge to replace the rickety one that was washed away in the recent heaving rains...
To the left used to be a veranda - GONE!
...and this was a spacious area housing 3 classrooms...
...walking to the new school...vacant lot where a building used to be...
...construction is happening in the midst of the rubble...
...this only gives you a very vague idea of how challenging this journey was!
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| These guys thought we were very funny! |
Twyla got this shot of me (and others) making our way...one thing I LOVED about all the mess is that I felt so much like we were all in it together...
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| This is me trying not to look like a total klutz! |
Just to give you a feel for what the area looks like...
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| Me and Ishmael...my buddy! |
We have arrived! Here is the outside of their new school...just off the main road...
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| Erick standing to the left, Reagan in front, Felix kneeling to unlock the door |
Inside the building...to the right are the classrooms...
This first room is for class 8 and also where the church meets on Sunday...
This is the room for the class 7 kids...
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| Class 4 room |
The room for class 6 - clearly they need something on the walls, the black board put up and other renovations...but they are in school and grateful to be able to continue their studies!
The ladies urinal...
Room at the end where dirt from the classrooms is residing temporarily...
This is a large space that I am sure will be put to good use!
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| Boy's toilet |
Bathing room...
As you can see, lots of work still needs to be done...but we are grateful for what God has provided so far!
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| Parting shot! |
