Working with staff and students to serve displaced in Kenya

LIMURU RED CROSS REFUGEE CAMP

On Tuesday, a group of 23 students and 7 staff (myself included) went to Limuru Red Cross Refugee Camp to take donations and to spend time volunteering there. The staff and students have been planning this for weeks and we all donated money and/or products to take. We ended up with a total of about US $200 donated, which we used to buy extra supplies on our way to the camp. We purchased items the staff had all agreed on such as rice, flour, sugar, cooking oil, toilet paper, feminine items, bar soap, toothpaste and toothbrushes.

Once we arrived at the camp, where more than 500 people are fed each day for three meals and maybe around 300-350 are housed each night plus children, we were taken around to each of the departments of the camp by Leon, one of the Red Cross volunteers. They have a very good system of organization with different people responsible for each area such as registration, the kitchen, the clinic and the educational program for the children. The staff members went around and spoke with representatives in each department to learn about the camp and to introduce ourselves and find out how we could serve them. Then, the students assisted in carrying the donations we brought to the storage rooms. Some of the donations were items the students did without for a week or so in order to be able to donate them to the people at the camp.

Anastacia interviewed Leon while some students greeted the people at the camp and offered them encouragement. Then, we set the schedule for the afternoon and went to have lunch in Limuru. The people who work in the storage room told us they often need greens and fresh vegetables to keep the meals nutritious and to offer variety. So, we picked up some cabbage, tomatoes, onions and carrots while we were out.

After lunch, we split up into three groups. One went to play games with the kids, one to help in the kitchen, and my group went to the clinic to assist. I had six students in my group and we spent the afternoon carrying supplies from the main clinic to the “store” for medical supplies (they have a “store” for food, one for medical supplies, and one for clothes), helping to clean the clinic and then picking up trash. Anastacia also interviewed the lady who volunteered at the clinic. You can look forward to reading her story on the front page of our first newspaper.

Some people at the camp were still very angry about everything that has happened – and no one can blame them for being angry. It is desperately sad to think of how quickly their lives changed. Most, if not all, of the people who live at the camp come from Eldoret or the Rift Valley, which is very far from Limuru. They don’t know what their future holds and may never get to return to the place they once called home. Many probably have nothing to return to because their homes have been burned and pillaged. However, the Red Cross offers counseling and most of the people we interacted with yesterday were extremely kind and seemed quite joyful to have us there. I believe the students really were glad to be able to serve them. I know I was extremely happy to be able to serve alongside the students and staff of MITS. Please continue to pray for all who are displaced in this country and for those who hold the power to create peace.

Thank you for the prayers!!

May God’s peace and love surround you!