speechless

Today (yesterday, actually. 6-13-2012) was incredible and very hard for me at the same time. It was Wednesday so it was my day to work with Pastor William (dad) and Maggie (mom) at Masii Christian Chapel. On Tuesday night, the day before I was to be with them, I was at their house having some chai (YUM!) and they shared with me what we would be doing and that night I went to sleep in anticipation of what would come. Little did I know how humbling the next day would be.  I got up, got ready, there was no water so I could not take a shower, which is fine I had just taken one on Tuesday morning, I got all ready and all dressed and went on the internet a little and waited for them to call me to tell me to come to the office. (I am getting used to Kenya time, like when someone says be ready by 8, you probably won’t be leaving until about 10:00) Maggie called me at about 9 and told me I could come to the office and we could wait for Pastor because he was still in an elders meeting. We waited an hour and Pastor came back, Maggie and I went and had some chai and chapatti before leaving. Pastor had called his friend that drives a taxi to take us so that we did not have to take the public transportation (Buana ah si fiwe!).  Finally we left, and I was filled with uncertainty and excitement. We drove in the car for about an hour or so, it was very bumpy and very dusty. We arrived at Janet’s house with food and some necessities and hearts ready to listen to what’s been happening in her life. 

Janet is blind, 25 years old, and mother to Annett (in my preschool class) and Victor (he is a month old). Janet has been blind for about 3 years, she became blind when Annett was 2, from something she got bit from when she was younger and it affected her later in life. She is funny, sweet, and could not stop asking about Annett. (The lady sitting there with us, is Janet’s Aunt Mwende, she lives with them and takes care of them) Annett does not live with Janet, it is a long story but in the end Annett lives with Mary, Joseph, and Caleb Kyengo they own Shammah Hotel (where I get my food), Pastor told Janet and Annett’s story in church a while ago and Mary was heartbroken and she took Annett in. (HOW INCREDIBLE IS THAT?!) So now Annett lives in the house above Pastor and Maggie (which I LOVE!) and she lives, sleep, eats, and plays there. Caleb (he is in my 2^nd grade class) treats her like his own sister and loves her all the same. Victor is the baby in these pictures; I did not even want to hold him because he is so little I thought I might break him! He is precious and beautiful. Meeting her was the most amazing part for me. I was a proud teacher who got to brag about her best student to that student’s mother! I loved meeting Janet; it was an experience I will never forget. 

Janet, Baby Victor, and Aunt Mwende, the bottom picture is the package we brought.

Then we got in the car and drove towards Masii, and turned off onto this road and drove for about 45 minutes. When we arrived I could not believe where I was. The sign at the gate said Wamunyu School for the Mentally Disabled. I was told we were coming here but I could not believe my eyes. Is this real? In a country that some do not eat, some do not go to school, some do not have medical care, there is a place for children who need more help than most. It was the most breathtaking experience I will probably ever have. When we got there we got out of the car and walked to the office and we met the Headmaster Joseph M. Nzioka. He was very talkative and told us all about the school. The school began on October 21, 1990. He has been the Headmaster since 1995. It costs about KSH 18,000 for three terms plus medical care. There are 51 students, all boarders because it’s a boarding school.

This was incredible! Then we went outside and walked around each and every class. It was interesting to hear the teachers talk about the things these precious children just can’t do. I understand how so many people would just write them off, and not give them a chance. These teachers work so hard and are so patient. Then we walked around the dorms and that was different. The rooms are huge but the bunkbeds are so close together, in the center of the room. There is a girls dorm and a boys dorm, hilariously enough, the girl dorm is SO much cleaner and nicer. We then shook hands and laughed and played with the children. They are so precious and beautiful.  I am pretty sure they were completely terrified of me. I got to see Kora, she is a girl with hydorsyphelis that we met the first time we came. I just found out that she was completely sponsored as of three days ago, she has two sponsors because the medical bills are so high, PRAISE GOD! Kora is precious and she is so smart! We then went and sat in the headmasters office and drank some orange Fanta (my favorite) and mendazi’s. It was humbling that they would give when they had so little. It was neat to talk about what we had seen.

cutie!

the old and the new school classrooms

they have a huge papaya field that they teach the children how to do vocational work

Kora!

"mum" and "dad" giving out candy! (I LOVE THIS PICTURE)

Then I met Vicki (earlier that morning I had paid to get some food and other things for her, not knowing who she was), she is a “street girl” (homeless girl) who was living on the streets of Masii (LITERALLY) and she would go to Pastors office and tell him about everything that was happening to her. They found a place for her at this school, she is not mentally disabled but she stays there with one of the teachers and she goes to a different school every day. (WOW!) She is SO smart! Pastor was asking her, her grades and scores on things and all of a sudden I see his jaw drop, and he told her she needs to be a doctor! It was amazing to see her smile and laugh, and thank us for bringin her food. She is incredible and so beautiful. 

Vicki and her "mom". The teacher who she lives with.

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Then we went outside and the children sang for us, it was heartbreaking to see that most children could not fully pronounce the words but tried with all their might. They sang so loudly and loved laughing. Then we passed our candy that we brought and they were elated! They were ecstatic. At one point a little boy began to choke, I got frightened and one of the teachers (actually a member of MCC, Damaris) came over and started to hit his back to get it out, she began to laugh when she realized that he was SO excited about the candy he even ate the wrapper!

Today was too amazing for words. I am humbled by these teachers and by the hearts of these students. I am thankful to God that I was allowed to come and visit this beautiful school, with its even more beautiful students.  

Then on the way home, I got dropped off at church for worship practice (no I am not on the worship team), I wanted to say hi to Pastor Benja (big brother), I hadn’t see him in awhile (too long for living less than an hour away).  Afterwards, I went and sat and talked with my in country adopted mum and dad. We were supposed to go to bible study but instead, we all sat and talked together for about 4 hours, it was incredible. We talked about how the genealogy of Jesus is incredible; Jesus used “sinful, gross, dirty” women to bore the fathers of his bloodline. Jesus has always been about grace, he had it for his own ancestors before he was born! It was so special to sit and talk with them and learn about their hearts and their love for Jesus. It was a night and a conversation I shall never forget. 

(I took a total of 112 pictures today! I tried to just pick my favorites)

While I am here I have been reading Jesus Calling by Sarah Young (if you don’t have, it GET IT RIGHT NOW!! This book changed my life!), I just read yesterday’s entry and I want to post it because it is so perfect for how I am feeling about what the Lord is doing in my heart. My mom always says “once you seen the face of Jesus you never want to get to a point where you don’t see him anymore.” I definitely feel like since I have now seen the simple true joy of Jesus, there is no way that I cannot see it every day of my life.

June 13

“I am creating something new in you; a bubbling spirit of Joy that spills over into others’ lives. Do not mistake this joy for your own or try to take credit for it in any way. Instead watch in delight as My Spirit flows through you to bless others. Let yourself become a reservoir of the Spirits fruit. Your part is to live close to Me, open to all that I am doing in you. Don’t try to control the streaming of My Spirit through you. Just keep focusing on Me as we walk through this day together. Enjoy My Presence, which permeates you with Love, Joy, and Peace.”

“The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sounds but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” John 3:8

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness” Galatians 5:22