On our recent trip to Kenya, we spent considerable time in Archer’s Post and, even further into the bush, in Samburu.  Of the many wonderful people we met, the most outstanding was Daniel, a 26 year old young man, tri-lingual in Swahili, English and Samburu, who will be finishing his twelve year commitment to the Kenyan military in two years.  Daniel took time off from his military duties – and his new wife – to help us, first at Archer’s Post and then in Samburu.  Here’s how:

We brought some minimal medical supplies to Archer’s Post, anticipating that we’d leave them with Paul and Jennifer Okello, who run the preschool Covenant Children, Inc. supports there.  But when we arrived, we were told that, when the people heard we were bringing medical supplies, they came from all over the region.  One of us with some medical training was set in a tiny, cinder block room with Daniel as her interpreter, to see the few people we were told to expect.  Over 200 people came to see us over the course of three days!  Men, women, children, most of whom spoke virtually no English and had never experienced any health care showed up, were eager to confide the most intimate information about there conditions, through Daniel.

So Daniel first asked the patient for his or her (or his or her child’s) symptoms and healthcare history, then relayed that to us, then explained the examination procedure, the diagnosis and then the treatment protocol, to 200 patients who had absolutely no idea what healthcare is.  In Swahili, or in Samburu (and always in English to us).  Throughout this process, Daniel never faltered: he handled the most intimate questions and responses with a maturity, understanding, compassion and diplomacy that would have been extraordinary in a trained social worker, not just a young man called on for the first time.

After three days at Archer’s Post we moved farther north, to Samburu, where we
traveled off road, by foot, to visit a series of small villages where we were asked to examine some children.  Daniel accompanied us, as guide (he is a Samburu), interpreter, liaison and advisor.  Again, he never faltered, explaining in advance the appropriate customs and behavior needed for us to be accepted and smoothing the way for us to do the maximum good.

When we returned to Archer’s Post, we had an opportunity to discuss at length with Daniel what he envisioned for his future, after he’s completed his military service.  His dream was to obtain a teaching degree but he’d already “done the math” and realized sadly that tuition would be beyond his means.  We discussed the situation among ourselves and then with one of the deans at African Nazarene University, reviewing in detail what the costs of a four year program would be as well as whether Daniel could meet the university’s stringent entrance requirements.  The first question concerning the entrance requirements was an easy yes: Daniel’s secondary school grades and diplomas meet or exceed all ANU’s requirements.  As to the cost of his education, although well beyond Daniel’s means, given that Daniel won’t be able to begin his studies until his military commitment ends in two more years, in actuality the expenses would be achievable by modest annual contributions beginning immediately and that’s why we have instituted this scholarship fund.

Covenant Children, Inc. believes one outstanding individual like Daniel, dedicated to the betterment of his nation and prepared with a first class education, can make a disproportionately huge difference in the lives and prospects for Kenya, and that’s why we are supporting the dream of this young man.  If you are interested in supporting him, please note that on your donations; Covenant Children, Inc. has a separate account for his tuition and your donation will be tax deductible.

We also want to thank Beverly Hoch for her fund raising concert and the endless hours she donated to provide resources for Instruments of Change. Thanks to the Hoch-Steinels, for hosting Leighton Pinetown at their home in Denton, Texas for seventeen days and Dr. Karen Webb for providing medicines for Archer’s Post.

In addition we thank the Soldotna, Alaska Montessori School and the Montvale, New Jersey Public Library for the donation of hundreds of books.

Thanks to the Church of the Nazarene Kenya Mission and the Schmelzenbach’s for help with arrangements and affordable housing during our trip.

As always our thanks to Mission Tours and Travel and Elias and Perpetual Mugabi for their conscientious and professional transport services.

We say “a job well done” to our travel team, Norren Sullivan, Vern Miller, Leonard Ball, adn Charlie and Cathie Schmelzenbach along with multiplied thanks and love.

Thanks to Charlie for turning a tree into a table and providing an ingenious template so everyone could participate in the construction.

- Ardith and Andy Blumenthal

Read the December 2010 Lamp Newsletter here, or visit the newsletters page to read other editions.

We had some amazing experiences which we will tell you about over the next several days and weeks. This story is stuck in my mind though:

We took some school supplies to the teachers in the Grace Community School which is located in Africa’s largest slum, just on the outskirts of Nairobi. This slum is literally hell on earth, but several years ago we found a school which now teaches grades 1-8 and accommodates 396 of Kabira’s thousands of school age children. This school, a temporary structure ( like all the buildings in Kabira) is down hill from the garbage dump and the latrine. It was raining when we arrived along with all that implies.

The school children were smiling to us from their dark classrooms which were separated from other classrooms by burlap and plastic sacks. We could tell right away the children were focused on something important as they were sitting attentively at their makeshift desks, two and three sharing. They stood when we entered and sang to us in welcome.

The principal suggested we take some of the pencils we brought along and give, along with a single piece of hard candy, a pencil to each student. We felt like such misers as we issued one of each to all 396. The gifts were gratefully received – staggering.

When we convened later with the principal and teachers I found myself apologizing for the meager gifts. The principal looked at me so kindly and said, “you don’t understand, nation wide exams are coming up next week and many of our children were going to be unable to sit for the exam because each student must bring their own pencil. ” How can this be? An education halted for a pencil!

We came away determined to continue our small work with all our hearts.

We will be at Archer’s Post on Monday, Oct 25, to Friday Oct 29.  we will be in Lake Nukuru for nights of Oct  30, 31.  We depart for Nairobi on November 1, and from Nov 2 through Nov 8 we will visit a tea business.  On Nov 8 we take our return flight from Amsterdam.

While in Archer’s Post, along with building tables and chairs for the school, I will be playing nurse by examining their 134 pre school children.  We also want to do some explorative discussions regarding music camps. We were told that people have already begun walking from the bush because they have heard we are coming.  I know I will be going out into some of the huts with Paul to visit some of the ill in his congregation.
 
In order to keep the team safe we have to commute to our hotel each night over some dangerous roads, and since we don’t want to be caught in the dark we have to shorten our work days.
 
Please keep us in your thoughts as we go to see the children in Kibera, St. Paul’s and Archer’s Post and as we work to create a little better life for those few we touch

​We’ll be visiting the orphanage Covenant Children, Inc. supports in Rongai, just outside of Nairobi, where we’ll be bringing books (including a children’s encyclopedia) and clothing.  Of course, there’ll also be food to buy for the ever increasing number of kids our friend Margaret Mbote looks after, and some maintenance we help with at the site.  But this year, our musician friend Vern Miller will be joining us to conduct a brief music camp, so we’ll also have with us some instruments for the kids. These music camps have been stunningly successful for Covenant Children, Inc. in South Africa and we expect it to be equally rewarding at St. Paul’s.

​From there, we’ll be going to Archer’s Post, where Jennifer and Paul Okello are running a preschool for some 130 kids.  In addition to bringing them food, books (there is currently one book shared among the whole school) and clothes, we’ll be doing some manual labor, purchasing the lumber and helping to construct tables and benches where the kids can eat and study under an awning to protect them from the sun.

​Finally, we are tentatively scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Odinga and his wife to tour with them through Kabira, the 1.5 million inhabitant slum in the middle of Nairobi.  The Odingas have pledged to support improvements to this unbelievable habitat (about the size of Phoenix, Arizona) that exists without running water, electricity or any other utilities in the heart of its nation’s capital and Covenant Children, Inc. will be exploring with the Odingas ways to effect positive change there.

​Our experience with arranging medical care for the children in Haiti has prompted us to formalize our health care endeavors into something we are calling “Operation Healing Hands.”  We are defining it as we go, but we know it’s a crying need and every hungry child is also without access to any kind of health care.  We’ll keep you posted.