Every year my phone disappears and what I get back are pictures seen through the eyes of the children. Enjoy.
I decided to start calling Lady the Dog since she continues to have to be everywhere the kids are. I leave to go back to Nairobi tomorrow. The time has gone way to fast and to be honest, not ready to leave Bukura. This is such a special place where my soul gets renewed and my heart fills to the brim. I am already making plans for my next visit. Anyone want to come?
Today was an easy day at the home and not much to report. Wesley and George took the kids swimming at a local hotel giving Mama, Jennifer and I some quiet time to discuss the current and future needs of the home.
Wesley set up a Bukura spread sheet to help manage the income and expenses of the home and better prioritize where our fundraising efforts need to concentrate on. We have a lot of work to do and you will see me even more active than I have been in the past. It has been a great time spending so much time with those that run the home to truly understand their challenges and struggles. The Aunties and I had lunch and I was able to bring out all the jewelry I brought for them to pick through. It was so much fun to bring joy to each of these amazing women with such a little item. They are the heroes of Rehema. They take care of these children without regular pay and out of the goodness of their hearts.
We also spent time going through all the donations especially the shoes. We wanted each child to get a new pair of shoes and socks something they do not get. We presented the children with their gifts from their sponsors and enjoyed seeing them receive items they don’t ever receive.
Yes, another torrential downpour and an outage of electricity. This time some card games and play time with the new toys until the lights came back on and could once again provide the excitement of movie night.
Update on Lady the Cat. She had to be where the kids are and in the middle of it all.
Wake up calls around here are different and the same. Having a cat stare at you until you wake up to feed them is the same. The chickens and goat sounds — not so much but all are a welcome sound and site.
Today we are going back into town to complete our errands which include filling up the gas tanks for the generator and getting new propane tanks for the countertop burners used in the kitchen for the children, upstairs where Mama lives and downstairs where guests and team stay. On our list is to purchase a new countertop burner for the home kitchen that only has one working burner. How would you cook for 16 children, 3 meals a day on one burner – well it can be done, but two is better.
On of the common sites you see are these trucks filled with sugar cane. They are piled high with workman hanging onto the back. They not only help keep the pile on the truck going over the never-ending speed bumps but also from the children running along side trying to grab a stick.
The other common sites to see on our way to Kakamega is the shops along the way. They may look different but as you an see most are the same – butcher, cyber cafe and clothes and food shops.
First stop was the bus station to pick up the suitcase I forgot in Nairobi. After a bit of back and forth on who sent it to who, who’s suitcase it is and who can sign for it we finally were able to retrieve the precious cargo of donations.
In Kenya, it is mandatory that all children wear uniforms. This is a common uniform shop that carries all the different colors and patterns determined by each school. The children need to wear black shoes and must be polished daily. Most children only receive one uniform for the whole year and must be taken care of to make it last the year. Wesley explained to me that every day at Rehema the children would take off the uniforms, neatly prepare it for the next day and polish their shoes. The pants we bought today were $9 and the shirts were $4. This is extremely expensive given the annual income is just over $2,000. Most uniforms are passed down. We received a generous donation for the children in Bukura to get needed new items.
It was a long day and we got everything on our list. After dinner it was movie time until it wasn’t. Right on time the electricity went out as it does most nights. What do you do when that happens, you have a dance party with the glow in the dark sticks that my friend Tracey Hall bought for the children.
Heading to bed — will see what and who the morning brings.
Our first day in Bukura is always a shopping trip. There is food and items needed when staying in the guest quarters of the home and for the children themselves. Rehema Home is located in Bukura, a really small village in the county of Kakamega. Try searching online for Bukura and you will not come up with much except for the Bukura Agricultural College It is a street lined with dukas where we get our fresh vegetables, fruits and some of the basics until we get to a grocery store. I went down to the market with Auntie Lois for mangos, oranges, tomatoes, potatoes, cabbage, carrots, ginger, peppers, rice, sugar and salt.
A quick unload and off to the Kakamega with Mama Jacinta. This shopping trip is for the children. We went to the wholesale shop to order bulk items that will sustain them for up to 3 months. I want to personally thank all of those that donated money on-line. I used every penny to purchase necessary items they need to not feel hunger.
As you can see by the pictures we purchased the largest sizes they had for items like 50 KG or rice, 2 x 20LTR of cooking oil, 2KG of maize and wheat flour, 2KG salt, 500KG of tea, 10KG of detergent, and 400G or pasta.
There is more shopping tomorrow to prepare the children to back to school after their break. Mama and I will be going out to purchase books, pens, pencils, socks and shoes. They wear uniforms and need specific shoes. Can’t bring 10 children to a store to fit them? How about drawing their feet on a piece of paper and see what we can do. Speaking of shoes, I want to thank all of the donations I received of shoes. It was so needed as you can see a normal wear and tear on a pair of shoes used by one of the children.
Unlike most of us that can see a movie at any time we want, these children only see one when a guest comes. I have purchased a projector and hooked up to a laptop we are able to stream movies for them and provide a wonderful evening of laughter and treats. We turn our guest room into a theater and even Lady the house cat enjoyed the evening.
Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.“
Each child has a different story to how their life started. Some were orphaned, some were abandoned and some had families that could not take care of them. The beginning doesn’t really matter because when they came to Rehema Home they receive the love, support and hope for the future.
In past years, we would spend the entire time at Rehema Home in Bukura and not at the Nairobi location. This year is different. I have been able to spend the last 3 days getting to know the over 50+ children from 1-18 years of age. We made bracelets, looked at pictures of my cats, had my hair braided and just gave my attention and lots of hugs. They are hungry for it and wish I had many arms and laps for all of them.
They live in a community. They need to find friendship and comradery with each other. They have to work out squabbles and disagreements. The younger ones depend on the older ones for help and guidance. The older ones are expected to do their chores and set an example for the younger ones.
I was there today during lunch to see the process of feeding the children. There are 3 meals a day and everyone eats the same thing. If you do not like it, you don’t eat. Here the children are called to lunch and expected to line up to enter the dining area in an orderly fashion to take their place.
Then everyone waits until each child has taken their seat, settles and becomes quiet for the prayer to be said. Remarkable behavior learned by living in this loving home.
Next Stop Bukura
Wesley, George and I left for Bukura catching the 6pm flight out of Nairobi. We landed at 645 and greeted by Jack (Rehema friend and driver) and Mama Jacinta (manages the home). We had another 1 1/2 hour drive to Bukura and pulled into the home a little before 9pm. The children were able to stay up to say hello and there were immediate yelling of Auntie Karen and more hugs to go around. Hot chapati and stew were waiting for us on the table which we gobbled up. Mama came down for tea and a discussion of the plan for the week. The main goal is to access the needs of each child and the home to bring back to the US Rehema Board for resource discussion and future needs. It is a home that needs all our prayers and support to continue to provide these children with the future they deserve.
(oh and side note — yes, forgot an entire 50lb bag of donations back in Nairobi. Have no fear, it is being put on a bus tomorrow and will be in Kakamega by tomorrow night.)
Many years ago I began to sponsor an orphaned elephant named Choka at the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. After following him and the organization online for years, I met him in person today.
I was able to take some of the kids with me for a day of adventure starting off with Choka, a drive through the Nairobi National Park and then feeding Giraffes.
This was all made possible by the generosity and big hearts of Mary and Tom Stevens.
The wildlife continued into the evening as well. I took George, Wesley and Joseph out for dinner and then my first boda boda ride home in the rain.
Yes, the torrential rains continue here in Africa and I feel truly blessed to be able to spend time with these beautiful people.
You may have heard that there has been tremendous rain in Tanzania and Kenya. In Nairobi, the city usually records about 150mm of rain in April, but has so far had an estimated 200-300mm, with some unofficial weather stations having reported much higher amounts. We spent the morning at the house making plans for our visit talking about all that we wanted to accomplish.
First things first and the boys took us to exchange money into shillings and then to the grocery store to stock up on food for the week. As I thank you for George, Wesley and Joseph taking such good care of us I offered to buy their groceries. Ok, UMMMM- three young men can certainly have appetites! LOL
It began to rain ok monsoon on our way home and found ourselves driving through pelting rain and flooded streets. The video below is a snippet of a street electrical box blowing as we drove by.
In fact, sitting here in the dark with no electricity which you don’t need to get another wonderful night listening to the sounds of Africa outside my window.
Landed in Nairobi on Thursday (4/25) after a 14 hour trip from JFK and greeted by my some of my most precious friends. For those who have followed my trips to Rehema Home in Kenya know of the young man in the picture. I met George on the 2022 trip when he started working for Rehema – the home that raised him since he was an infant and have kept in touch almost daily ever since. He works closely with the US board as the person on the ground responsible for launching digital campaigns and keeping in touch with children’s sponsors.
This year I have new travel companions: Shaye Reagan and her family. Shaye is the Executive Director of the Rehema Home US office.
Every year an ask goes out for donations based on the needs of the home in both Kenyan locations: Nairobi and Bukura. As you can see by the bags above people were so very generous. We had 11 checked bags that weighed 50lbs each, and over $2500. Each shoe, sock, shirt, soccer ball and shilling is being hand delivered to these children.
As you can imagine it took more than one van to transport all of us and our luggage. In addition to George we were met by Wesley, Joseph and Irv Schwandt, the founding missionary of Rehema Home. That is him in the phone on the left tracking down our vans. I will be dedication a blog to Irv and his wife Ruth to introduce you to two individuals that truly have walked a life of Christ. They invited us back to their home for a wonderful lunch and all I kept thinking was that these two people are raising 60 kids AND making me a sandwich!
We went back to the home we are staying at in Nairobi and began to sort the donations with the help of George, Wesley and Joseph for each location and each child that had special gifts coming from their sponsor.
Being awake for close to 30 hours we were all in bed by 730 grateful for the safe trip and the warm and loving Rehema Home welcome.
My Journeys Of Inspiration
Karen's JOI 