Craft Show

The team participated in the Davedi Club Craft Sale this past weekend. We did well selling the products that our groups make in Kenya. Funds raised from this sale will go back to the groups to help them purchase materials to continue with their crafts.

If you didn't get to see what we have, the team will be at the Trinity Church Tea and Bazaar on Saturday afternoon (12th) and at the Best Western Craft Show on Sunday (13th) from 9-4.

Hope to see you there.

kids who need help

I have been working on all that we did in Kenya and organizing stuff to go on our web site when I remembered the young people that we met that needed help. Bryan is 9 and lives with his mother and his grandmother in a small house. We met him last year when he was 8 and nothing has changed for him. He has severe cerebral palsey and of course his mother couldn't afford to put him in a special school. He has not learned to do anything by himself. His mother had him assessed at the school while I was there and he was accepted. The cost is only about $650.00 per year. He goes 3 months and comes home a month throughout the year. If anyone is interested in sponsoring him let me know. You only pay by semester.

Trevor is a 5 year old boy that we met at Kasavai village near Kakamega. We discovered that he is deaf and his folks are very poor. We had just come from visiting St. Anthony's School for the Deaf when we met Trevor. He is being assessed and hopes to begin at this school in January. Here he will finally learn to communicate in some way and be with children who also are the same as him.

This is a picture of Trevor and he could use a sponsor to help him go to this school.

Craft Sales

Want to keep people up to date on the craft shows that are coming up that we will participate in.

We have purchased many crafts from the groups that we help support and all the money we raise goes back to these crafts people.

We will be at the Davedi Club on November 5th and 6th and at the Unique Artisans Craft Show at the Best Western Hotel on November 13th.

Come out and see the wonderful workmanship of these fantastic crafts people.

First Presentation since returning

Today Kathy Hallett and I presented to a group of Anglican Church Women in Sturgeon Falls. It was a great experience although I find I am quite emotional when I first return from Kenya.

Everything is still fresh in my mind and all the food distributions that we did seem like just a stop gap although they will provide food for a month or so for each family. We gave out food to over 500 women and that would feed over 3000 children. We also handed out food to 4 schools that would provide children with a lunch. For many that is their only meal of the day.

I have just finished doing a write up with pictures that will hopefully be up on the web site in a week. It is always difficult choosing pictures from over 2500 that we took. I am grateful to everyone who donated to Hope2Kenya so that we could once again provide food for many, finish a school, help to complete work on another school, provide school supplies for schools and teachers, and provide uniforms so that some children can now go to school. Without the ongoing support that we receive we couldn't do what we do. A very heartfelt thank you.

To the women in Sturgeon Falls today, thank you for all your support and for being so receptive to our message.

Back Home

I don't understand why we couldn't get into my blog while we were in Kenya. We managed a couple of blogs and then the powers of the universe wouldn't let us in. We have been home a week and I think the team is slowly recovering. For the three who accompanied me, Steve, Ada and Kathy it was an eye opening experience. For me it was a very emotional trip, moreso than in past years.

I found it difficult to watch grandmothers have to come to the food distributions for food. For some it was very humbling and others held their heads high and knew it was for their grandchildren, but it was not easy for them. We gave out a very large mat made of milk bags, and when the grandmother realized the size of it, she literally bent her head in prayer. She and the children would now sleep on something other than the dirt floor. We also handed out blankets to many families so they could be warm in the cool evenings.

We won the lottery by living in Canada and not Kenya. There is really not much that we don't have and compared to the Kenyan women we met- we here are so rich. These women have such hope and faith and that is what sustains many of them.

The more blessed we are I think the more responsibility we have to help others in need.

Steve on Monday in Kitale

7 am Monday
The house is starting to wake up. I’m in the garden with my coffee. It’s pleasantly cool. It rained yesterday, the chairs on the garden gazebo are tipped up against the table to keep them dry. A dog is sleeping on top of the table. He see’s me and realizes it’s time to get down from his perch.
The birds are chirping and dancing among the dew covered leaves, everything is damp and luscious. It’s very peaceful, but it’s a false peace. In a few minutes the house will be awake and active, and that will only be the beginning. Yesterday the maize was delivered that we will distribute, but is has to be divided into individual bags. That will take most of the day.
There are seven kids staying here at the Transformed International compound. They are here in faith based personal growth internships. They stay for three months and work on different projects within the community. Many of the projects that they take part in are funded by Hope2Kenya. While at the compound they have duties and responsibilities. One of the those responsibilities is to cook. We’ve had two meals prepared by them and both have been delicious. Right now the girls are preparing a hearty breakfast for us…apparently we’ll need the strength today.
Monday – Noon
Wow, we just finished bagging food that will feed about 130 families. Each will get 100lbs of maize and a smaller bag of beans. We had help from the TI group and several local people. The work is extremely difficult, and I don’t think I’ve ever been dirtier. It is however very rewarding.
The TI compound is at once very busy and very peaceful. There’s a group of 40 women in the garden being given classes on elementary business skill, sponsored by Hope2Kenya. This, along with a small amount of money will allow each of them to start their own micro business. They began their lesson today with a prayer and a song. There’s a awful lot here to admire.
We had lunch in the garden with the 40 women that are taking the classes. Lunch was beans, rice and cabbage. It was cooked over open fires in the yard. It was one of the most delicious meals I have ever eaten. The company and surroundings were magical. While we were having lunch one of the TI workers Mark saw a monkey in the trees. He was coaxed down with a banana. I’ve a couple of great pictures. Unfortunately the internet here is too slow to upload anything. I’ll post them later. There a few nice shots.
Monday Dinner
It’s 5:30 here now. We’ll be having dinner soon. I’m sitting in the garden writing this and the smell of dinner from the kitchen is wonderful. Don’t know what we’re having, but it sure smells good.
Tomorrow will be another long day. In the morning we will be giving out the food, and then we have another busy afternoon. Remind me later to write about the amazing amount of organization that has gone into this trip by Sandy. The three weeks here is merely the culmination of a year of organization and fundraising. It’s amazing.
Steve

Day One, Attempt Three

Well let me try again. My first blog disappeared and I had a little mental meltdown so after everyone here consoled me and encouraged me…

I woke up to the strange sound of Kenyan birds and thought “Wow, we’re really here. “ Tonight at dusk writing this to the sound of Kenyan crickets singing, I think about how grateful and lucky I am…for my family, friends and everything I have been fortunate enough to experience.

We started this morning by going to a race sponsored by Sandy. This has given many athletes a chance to enrich their lives and develop as athletes. There were about 36 Kenyan runners. Sandy wore her “In my dreams I’m a Kenyan runner” t-shirt. Three were para-Olympic runners. One was deaf and one was blind. The blind runner had an elastic rope on his wrist pairing him with his team mate. There were also 6 women. To me, they were all winners.

This afternoon we went to visit a very special man, Daniel Juma. His story was inspirational and a tribute to the human spirit. He was afflicted with polio as a child and so, as per the cultural norm, he was hidden from society and denied any outside social activity or education. He tells of an American missionary who took him in gave him a home and an education. I hope she knows how many people’s lives this have benefitted. Daniel Juma is married to a women I was not fortunate enough to meet today. Together, they have 29 children. Seven, I think are biologically theirs and the others were orphans that they have taken in. Daniel is quite entrepreneurial and a very wise man. He has taken something given to him, monetary and otherwise, and he has grown this into so much. He is educating and giving a loving inclusive home to all these children. I imagine if they were to contribute as much to the lives of others as he has…

“To the world you may be only one person, but to one person you may be the world “

Well as someone in my life has encouraged me, I will try to take in and cherish every minute so that I can always remember. I am so blessed.

Xo ada, mom, gramma