Day 2 from Joy & John

It is only Wednesday and already we are feeling more at home in Kenya. This morning when I saw that it was July 2nd, I was reminded to pray for all our friends and family back in Roanoke at the Rescue Mission where they are celebrating the 60th birthday of the Mission.

Having worked directly with the poor for most of my life, I was surprised to see the level of poverty in Mathare. The school where we are serving is phenomenal in what they are able to accomplish with so very little. Need to sweep the dirt floor of the classroom...no problem, just go chop down some twigs and make one on the spot. serving the beans for lunch and no table wear, no problem...just use your fingers. Want to to play jacks...rocks are used here (even for the ball!)

Every teacher we have met is passionate and has the total respect of the students. The children are in classrooms built of block and sheets of metal. The rooms are are small and the classes very large. In the pre school where the room is about the size of my office there were 100 students and a teacher and two helpers.

When we arrived, the students lined the road and were clapping, waving, smiling and singing. There were about 400 of them.

Today we went to a giraffe farm and saw the largest giraffe I have ever seen. Helen did not realize that he was coming up behind her and at one point reached down and started to give her a little kiss on the top of her head. I kept walking (at a rather fast pace). I knew I didn't have to outrun the giraffe...I only had to outrun Helen at that point.

In the classes we visited today they were studying algebra, Kenyan history, and reading Shakespear. Helen and I taught music. (You can stop laughing now.)

Ray and John went to buy lumber and hammers to build some bookshelves. They went to Lowes, but Lowes in Kenya is not like Lowe's in the US. Ray had to pick out the lumber from a pile of wood that was about 30 feet tall..which meant climbing up the hill and then pulling pieces to throw down. The wood chosen was then measured by the foot...no two pieces alike!

Construction here is exciting to watch. Scaffolding, even for multi-storied buildings is made at the site by tying vines and sticks together.

The sad part of today was that the founder of Mercy Care Centre died this morning. Father Gilbert, who had visited us at the Rescue Mission twice before went to be with His Lord as the result of a heart attack. We are all very sad for the school and his family.

John led the Bible Study for today. Everyone was very gracious and he managed to do a really wonderful talk from First John about God's love for us. In addition to our group and all the teachers, the service was attended by one goat and one chicken.

We are very blessed to have this opportunity to learn from these resilient people. Their faith is incredible. They are teaching me moment by moment what true piety is about. God is good.