Groups of students and staff went twice more to assist the Red Cross of Nairobi in their efforts to care for a group of displaced persons. Though many of the children have been placed in boarding programs and some people have been assisted in relocating to more permanent homes, hundreds of children and adults still stay at the camp waiting for something more – for the government to decide on whether or not they are going to be resettled in the areas from which they were chased or for an opportunity to arise for them to be relocated elsewhere.
The trip in April was in response to a request from some volunteers at the refugee camp. They requested a meeting with leaders of MITS to seek advice for their local organization, Community Bridge Group, which aims to assist children in their community. The organization is fairly young, and they had been very impressed to see the results of MITS’ mission to provide rehabilitation and care for street children in Nairobi. They had watched our students for months as they came to provide encouragement and supplies to people in the camp. They had also met with some of the department heads of MITS and were very impressed. Mbuvi was out of the country during the meeting because he was representing MITS in the U.S. So, Joel, Jackton, Milli, Nzioka and I met with the members of the Community Bridge Group. I was so proud of our staff and students. It was a huge compliment and honor that this group saw in them something they wanted to replicate in their organization. The meeting was a great time for them to ask questions and get advice for how to accomplish their goals. We agreed to join in prayer for them and to be available to assist as is possible.
My pride was great that day for our students as well. Before the meeting, they had separated into groups to lead the displaced children in games and a Bible lesson with visual aids and puppets. I was very proud of them for overcoming nervous jitters and jumping right into the roles we assigned them as they worked in teams to share Good News from God with those children. Everyone had a great time, and the children were very interested in the stories they learned.
Our friends in the Community Bridge Group also initiated our trip to Limuru in March. They called to let us know about an immediate need to have food for the children who had been placed in boarding programs in the community. Because of the extreme situation with them being displaced, the schools waived school fees with the understanding that the students would bring food to cover their meals. However, there was a problem in them getting the food. They requested any assistance we could provide. We pooled resources and were able to take some food to them.
Never missing an opportunity to serve the displaced, we also took a group of students and staff to the refugee camp. Because our other visits had always focused on having activities for the children, we decided to provide something for the adults. Because these people have probably come to feel less than human because they have no homes, no work and no idea of their future, we decided to attempt to give them back a feeling of being human. We took them a salon/spa day. The female students and staff set up stations to wash their feet and hands, trim and file their nails, apply lotion to their feet and hands and to paint their nails. They LOVED it! There were many smiles including the ones on our faces. Our students and staff members enjoyed providing this “spa day” to the ladies as much as they enjoyed participating in it. For the gentleman, we took shavers to shave their heads (the preferred haircut especially in their situation). We received validation from those running the camp that this was a great idea because it is something nice that had not been done for them before. We were thankful. Please keep all these people in your prayers, as most of us cannot begin to imagine how it would feel to be in their shoes right now.
