Cypress Meadows Kenya Trip

From Connie

So far the experiences I’ve had here in Kenya, can be described as amazing and heartbreaking.  When we began talking about all the things we were going to accomplish and the places we were to visit to help others, I had a vision of these experiences.  Yesterday, the worship with the 150 kids in the orphanange with Sammy and Moses, was amazing.  To watch how they praise God for 6 hours, was a great feeling in ways of seeing how God is working in all of the children here in the community.  Many of the kids have very painful pasts, but yet you see smiles on their faces, laughter, singing and dancing the entire time they are praising God.  To witness the love and faith they have, brought tears to my eyes.  They don’t have their parents, but they still find peace through their faith in the Lord.

Today, we visitied the families who live at the Landfill in Nakuru.  Tony, who is an employee of SOHK, was gracious enough to be our guide to the landfill where he once grew up as a child.  I was speachless when we arrived.  I first noticed all of the trash piled up everywhere.  Dogs laying in the trash.  Children greeted us with smiles wearing torn clothes, and dirty faces.  The houses were only sticks and pieces of clothes, sheets and towels.  We gave the children bracelets with a cross on them, and they were asking for more after we ran out.  Women were selling  jewelry and handbags made out of the paper and plastic they find in the trash, to sustain their way of living.  Some see no way out.  Some have lost hope.

We went into the home of one woman named Jenny.  Just a short time ago, she didn’t know Jesus.  Now she has accepted Him into her heart.  She has lost hope for herself, but because of Jesus, she still has hope for her children.   We then visited a couple of men, James and Ben.  They do not know Jesus, but have asked us to pray for them.  They believe they done things that would not be worthy of the love of Jesus.  After talking to them for awhile, we all prayed for them and they asked us to send them bibles.  They want to move out of there and have a better life.

As we neared the end of our stay, I wasn’t able to hold back my tears any longer, I was sobbing in witnessing heartbreaking experiences  the life these people were living, knowing they feel there was no hope for themselves.  Yet, it was unusual how all the children were still smiling and appeared to be happy, as if they knew something we didn’t.  Before we got into the van,  we  heard shouts of joy and laughter as the truck with the water tank arrived that we ordered for them.  I know that God has worked in my heart  today and yesterday, in ways I’ve never felt.  The experiences I’ve had so far, were exactly how I had visioned.  However, to actually live out the visions, were a lot different.  I could never have prepared my heart or my emotions for this experience.

From Jennifer

Today we awoke to the sounds of beautiful and heartfelt worship of our God by the children and staff at the orphanage. The children at Springs of Hope are flourishing in this loving and safe environment. You can never tell by looking at them that their pasts are filled with tragic events and great  pain. They are quick to give you a big hug or beautiful smile. I have really been blessed in my time with these children and even though we have traveled here in the hopes of helping and encouraging the people we meet, I have to admit that meeting them, seeing their faithfulness in the midst of challenging circumstances and hearing their prayers and encouraging words to us, have been a bigger blessing and help to me than I’ve probably been able to help them.

Please continue to pray for these wonderful people and children at the orphanage and surrounding community. Tomorrow we will travel to Rhonda, a huge slum here in Nakuru. This area has been devastated by the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Please, please pray that the people we visit there will see the hope and salvation of Jesus Christ as some of these people may be in their final days on this earth.

You can see live updates on Facebook and see more pics and updates from the first 5 days on Paul’s blog http://LiveIntentionally.org