Familiar faces...

Do you remember these faces?

Do you remember the first time you saw them? And what about their story?

I sure do.

I'll never forget it as long as I live.

I thought it was PAST time for you to see how these kiddos have been growing. They are really thriving in their school at Berith. In fact, it's time for Sylvia to go to a new school. She has outgrown and outlearned that school. I love watching her mother all the other children. I realize I'm partial, but I just think she is one gorgeous little girl.

Please pray for Brian (far left) as he is now 9 years old and the size of a 4 year old. Though he is learning and developmentally doing well, his body was so effected by being so malnourished. Paul, his 2 year younger brother, has outgrown him. Both are small for their ages but especially Brian. I'm concerned about this effecting him later and him being ostracized for not only being Ugandan but his size as well. Please pray for healing for him- that his normal growth pattern would be restored. He will always have a special place in my heart!

A few weeks back I showed them my big belly and asked them why I had gained weight. Sylvia said "A Baby?" and another little girl named Stacey said "It's true!!"

This week when we went to Kibera, most realized I'm much bigger than I used to be... all except Paul who is so used to me grabbing him up in my arms. I bent down and he jumped into my arms giving me kisses and we both nearly fell over. The teacher reprimanded him in swahili saying that he's too big and I'm too big for him to do that. It made me sad to look at his little face when she told him that. He looked sort of disappointed. I thought "Is my Paul really getting to big for me?"

Singing songs at the school in Kibera

Sandra teaching the kids a new song

This school was really struggling with whether or not they would continue because they did not have enough kids to keep it open, but God provided them with 31 students! They are all very young as it is more of a nursery school. It seems to be thriving now!

This is Dottie, holding baby Dottie who was named after her!

Extreme Watoto Makeover,,,

This is the blog that I had done that got lost in cyber space.  It's not as well put together as the first one.

You all will not believe what my other kids look like. I measured Paul and Brian. Paul (4) is now, overall, bigger than Brian (6). Paul is just plain chunky now. I LOVE IT! I'm so happy about the way they're growing! Here are some before and after pictures of my kids:  

They are small put if you click on them- it will enlarge.

Brian before.  

Brian now! Huge difference.  He can even jump now.  Before we left for the states, he couldn't jump.  I think his belly was too big and his legs too small.  Doesn't he look great?  

Paul- before #1
Paul before #2
Paul now! Those cheeks are irresistible.

     (What?  You'd kiss em too if you saw them)  

       Both Boys- much healthier. ( I know it looks like I am holding them against their will -esp. Brian. I wanted a pic of them together- but they kept flashing peace signs and putting their hands in front of their faces)

Charles and Sylvia- they look browner in color but it's not the huge difference like in the younger boys.  

Hey, we were just the hands- you all provided all the care for them.  Thank you from the bottom of our hearts and theirs.

The whole, happy, Jesus loving, family!

... much needed sugar

Just a snippet of my day.  

Without going into detail, this morning started a bit gloomy for me.  Not to mention I missed my morning quiet time.  We all went to Kibera per our usual Thursday.  I wished Meshak Happy Birthday and made small talk until Tafrosa asked if I wanted to see the kids (behind their house is where their school is) at which I jumped up off the couch.  I peeked in on them after not having seen them in a week.  They were ALL working so hard.  I visited each one of them and looked through their paperwork.  I'm so proud of them.  Isaac isn't running away anymore.  He still needs a lot of one on one attention, but he is doing very well.  Sylvia is catching on so quickly.  Paul and Brian are coloring and counting to 10 in English.  I cannot believe how much healthier they look.  Their bellies have significantly decrease in size.  They are no longer taut and full of worms.  I can now make wrinkles around their belly buttons.  

The first chance Paul got out of class he ran to me and I picked him up at which and he flung his little arms around my neck and hugged me so tight.

Then he puckers his lips up and gives me sugar, right on the mouth!  How cool 

is it to know that God prompted that little 3 year old heart to give me hugs and kisses right when I needed it.  I could have sworn it was Gods arms hugging me right then.  He will never know what that meant to me today.  

~20 people in Kibera gave their lives to the Lord today.  Wednesday 22 in Kawangware surrendered their lives.

See, it has been a awesome week... considering it PURE JOY! 

The chorus of a simple song has echoed in my head all week.  Especially today... 

I don't want to make you small 

I don't want to fit you in my pocket  

A cross around my throat  

Cuz' you are brighter than the sun

You're closer than the tiny thoughts I have of you 

but I could never fathom you

~JJ Heller

Why do I continue to put Him in a box when He has proved time and time again that He's so much bigger than that?  He's a hug and kiss from my once hungry, sick baby.  He's in the melodious way Paul says my name with his teeny voice.  He's a gentle reminder that He knows best for my life and He knows me better than I know myself.  He's in the wind that pulls away my hair stuck to my tears, then dries them.  

Abba, 

"Help thou mine unbelief!"  As cried in Mark I find myself crying out the same familiar words.  Forgive me, Father, that I make you small when you have proven so many times that you are so much bigger.  Please don't let me put you in a box.  That is not where you belong.  Thank you for your tender reminders you give me found in the unlikeliest places.  There you are.  In the dirty hands of the tiniest little guy in the biggest slum in East Africa.  O' how I love and cling to those reminders!  The next few lines of this song creep to the forefront of my mind.

 among my favorite of the lines...

"...broken people hit the ground when they discover you're not here for our benefit.  

You love in spite of us.  You use the least of us to prove the strong aren't really strong at all."

"Thank you" just doesn't do justice to my hearts gratitude.  

I love you Abba,

Amen

Field trip...

FYI: If you just can't get enough of that is going on here in Kenya- I encourage you to visit Joy's Blog as she is bloging different events than me. We are kind of tag team bloging so one of us isn't constantly on the computer.

I'm really hoping that you aren't getting tired of me talking about "the kids". But they are what and who I think about all the time. Not a day goes by that I don't think about them or have to see them.

I've never really thought of myself as a "kid person". I mean- I'm okay with children, but quite honestly- some intimidate me. Like when they ask me questions I don't know. I can remember one child (who is probably keeping up with this blog) that came up to me when I was about 20. She started asking me bible trivia. Just to let you know: I really, really, really don't like bible trivia b/c I can't remember jack squat! Not to mention I didn't learn it as a child. I think she was asking me who somebody's daddy was in the bible. Of course I didn't know. Then she asked who the oldest person in the bible was- didn't know that. I mean- I remember being seriously embarrassed b/c I was at my youth pastors house. I'm supposed to know this stuff right?

At any rate- I'm totally a "kid person" now. I LOVE EM'! I can't get enough of them. So all that to say- if you're tired of hearing about my kids- you might need to just read the newsletters and E-Letter updates. For they only have small doses of my kids in them.

I wish I could recreate some of the stories Chris shares with me about witnessing in the slums, but I just don't think I would do them justice because I wasn't there. Maybe he will tell you about them in the next E-Letter update. I can tell you that just this past week in Kibera and Kawangware that 40 more people have come to know the saving grace of Jesus Christ!

Friday afternoon Joy, Beatrice and I took 7 children to the giraffe center in Karen. I'm not sure who was more excited- me or the kids. Again, this was only the 2nd time any of them had ever been in a car. (The first being our trip to the hospital for their check ups.) Joy was really taking advantage of the fact that riding in the car was such a treat for them. Every bump and hill they were throwing their hands up and yelling like they were on a roller coaster ride. (Joy doesn't mind being a tad loud sometimes.) Rewind to when we got to Indiazia's to take the kids. Sylvia brought me a bag with nice clothes in it. I said "Where did they get these clothes?" Isaac even had some new shoes on. New to him anyway. (Mind you they knew we were going to the giraffe park all week. They tried to be on their best behavior all week so they would get to go. Like I would deny any of them that opportunity....but don't tell them that) Sylvia has this famous blue dress- she wears it probably 6 days out of the week. But she pulled out this beautiful yellow, clean dress to show me. Then she continued pulling out an outfit for each of her siblings. Come to find out, its custom for the parents to save their money all year to buy the children newer outfits for Christmas, then they are 'put away' until the next Chrismas. When Charles put his clothes on they were a too small. He hadn't put them on in 8 months! I can't possibly describe to you the joy on their faces when they were changing into their nice clothes to go on their field trip. I also found out that Isaac's 16yr old sister bought him some shoes in Kibera when she found out about his field trip.

Check out the slideshow below to see our field trip. What a blast we had!

Here are a few random giraffe facts for you:

A giraffe's heart weighs 24lbs

A giraffe's toungue is 18 inches long

The giraffe's scientific name is camelopardalis.

This is the Latin version of cameleopard

Babies got back... from the doctor!

I finally got to take all my babies to the hospital today to get check ups!  

First of all, let me start by telling you about our car ride.  I dropped Chris off in Kawangware (which is a whole other story to be told by CT at later date).  When I went to pick them up, boy- they were so ready to go!  They jumped in the car laughing and smiling.  As we started toward to hospital, Meshek asked them if they'd even been in a "gari", or car, before.  They ALL declined.  They were treating our little old suzuki like a roller coaster.  It was cracking me up.  That was so much fun for them! 

On to the good stuff: I told you all that I would give you an update on their status.  I took all 4 of the siblings plus my sweet little Isaac.  (One day, I'm going to pinch his cute little dimples off! I should have a picture of him next week to put on the computer- Thanks to my sweet daddy!)  All 5 had upper respiratory infections and "slight flu".  Isaac had "strep" head- (I have no clue.  He has white spots on his head.  I didn't ask... I figured I'm a nurse I should know what a "strep" head is?? right??) Isaac also has thrush.  The little ones of course are malnourished - as we already knew.  They all have worms... no surprise.  We got some extra vitamins for all of them to take along with being fed 3 meals a day.  

I went ahead and made the decision to have blood work done on all of them.  Especially since we are unaware of dad's location and how the parents of Isaac died.  Sylvia was nervous and "fearing an injection" the whole time.  I kept telling her- she was going to be just fine.  I knew they would do pretty well b/c kids here are much tougher than American Kids.  Kenyan kids would probably tell the American ones to "buck up" as Becky would say.  Sylvia was first and started flipping out.  So I grabbed her up and held her in my lap.  I made her look right into my eyes and whether she could understand me or not I said "Sylvia, I will never let anything 'bad' happen to you.  You are okay... you are safe."  As she calmed down- still those big brown eyes with huge tears pierced my heart.  I never thought it would bother me one bit- but I just about lost it.  Tears started to well up in my eyes.  Just the thought of her fear broke my heart.  As many injections and IV starts as I've done to children in my 4 years of ER nursing... I never cried.  What is wrong with me??  Gez!  

Wow.  Any way- they all did great.  Isaac is such a sweetie pie, but doesn't seem to understand as much an Sylvia and Charles.  So he sat down like a big boy with a smile.  But when that needles went in- his face turned so sour and he couldn't have been more shocked!  Tears immediately streamed down his face.  I think it almost took his breath away.  Gosh.. my heart again...  Did someone just rip it out of my chest, throw it on the ground and beat it with a stick?  I swallowed hard... the next... and the next... and the next one.  ALL DONE!  Time for treats and snacks!  I'm pretty sure they all thought it was worth all the juice, nuts, and twizzlers (thanks to Auntie Pat!) afterwards.  Brian wasn't my best friend for about 4 minutes afterwards though.  His veins were bad and they had to stick his little hand.

But I'm THRILLED to report that God is Good ALL THE TIME and everyone was NEGATIVE!!!!!  Praise God from whom ALL blessings flow!!!

My first haircut on an African.  Paul's first haircut by a Mzungu!

Update

Hey guys- told you I would give you an update after we went to the doctor as to what the status was on the kiddos.  BUT the doctor from the hospital we were going to see is not well today.  I'm asking you readers to please pray for the doctor.  He is a missionary from the states and an incredible man from what I hear.  I've heard amazing stories about him and his ministry.  He sounds like a very humble and hard working man.  I don't know what is wrong with him, but the great physician does.  Unfortunately medical persons are not invincible when it comes to yucky bugs of sorts.  Please pray for doctor Michael Johnson and for a quick recovery.  We are planning on trying to take the kids tomorrow or when he's better.  But let us have faith that the Lord will heal him quickly and that it isn't anything serious. 

Thanks for your prayers- my faithful warriors!

in her shoes...

First of all I want to thank you who left comments that you were praying for this situation.  You all will NEVER know what that means to us.  

I arose early the other morning to spend some much needed time on the steps of my soul before meeting with the children and mother.  I asked our Lord to prepare me as much as possible as He had already ordained that meeting time with her.  I asked that the enemy not get any foothold on my attitude so that i ONLY had the love of Christ oozing from me.  Not bitterness.  As I learned more horrific acts of mothers killing their baby girls in India last year, I came to realize that poverty does terrible, terrible things to people.  Something you and I can NEVER relate to and NEVER truly understand.   

I want to attempt to paint a picture of this mother and her life to you.  Though I may not be totally accurate on all the details- hopefully I can paint you a picture to help you grasp the depravity of her story and what she may have gone through.  Let us not judge her sheerly from the looks of her children.  

Imagine you are the mother of 3 with number 4 on the way.  Your country is being ripped apart from the inside out.  1.7 million people are being forced from their homes; you are among them.  Your children are hungry.  What do you do?  You've heard great things about Kenya.  It's stable, right?  Especially it's capital.  Maybe if your husband put a nice suit on- he could get a job there.  So you take your "savings", buy a bus ride for your family as far as it will take you.  Then you walk 8 months pregnant the rest of the way.  In his suit, your husband sets off to find a job- never to return.  You've never had schooling of any sort.  You don't even know how to spell your name, much less write it.  Who will hire you?  An uneducated pregnant Ugandan woman?  

You end up moving into the center of Kibera slums.  The cheapest rent.  A small stick structure with mud walls and a rusty tin roof.  Praise the Lord it's shelter during this rainy season!  Your children are still hungry but labor pains soon set in.  After a long hard labor with the smell of human waste in the air, you give birth to a healthy baby boy.  Now, time to get a job.  After searching long and hard you find a job washing clothes from 7am to 7pm.  You travel about 7 miles by foot daily with your newborn in tow.  Guess how much you make to pay rent, food, school fees and clothes?  $46. 15 per month.  That's 30¢/per person/per day.  You decide to attempt to break poverty chain in your family's history- so you attempt to send your eldest to school.  A little late... but at least he's in school.

Does this give you a better picture of what life might be like for this mother?  Oh Lord- forgive me for being so quick to judge!

Things are looking up for these children.  We got to meet that 4th child which we had no clue about- Charles.  He is the oldest and just as cute as the others.  Normally he is in school, but August is "holiday" for all the schools.  They are such beautiful children.  Charles is very smart.  We learned their true ages: Paul is 3; Brian 5; Sylvia 8; Charles 9.  Instead of going to the "school" where I met them, they will now be attending a registered form 1 school at Berith.  So now they will ALL be getting an education, 3 hot meals, and love from a precious family we partner with.  Tomorrow I will drop Chris off to do evangelism and I will pick the kids up to take them to the hospital.  A dear friend recently gave a generous donation to pay for their food and medical care.  (Her meekness and humility do not permit me to tell you her name.)  I can't tell you how excited I am about getting them well!  Soon their bellies will be rid of worms and the nutrients from consistent meals will have them growing in no time!  I feel God's excitement as well.  

Isn't God amazing?  We all need to be careful at making up our minds on situations we barely are aware of.  The next few days and weeks are going to be quite exciting as we have already had a preview.  You will be updated, don't worry.

        

Update

Please read the last post to understand this update.

Update (11:50pm):  I got a call tonight from Tafrosa.  I will be meeting with the mother in the morning at 9am (our time).  The kids are coming as well so I'm very excited to see them.  I'm a bit nervous as I'm not sure what to do or say.  There are many emotions I'm right now.  I'm starting to wonder if I might know a little bit about how Jessica was feeling in dealing with the parents of Baby D.  We really want the best for the children.  Pray we will be able to show the mom the love of Christ first and foremost: through our attitudes and actions in dealing with this situation.

a handshake goes a long way (from home)....

              (Telling stories of creation at the school with sleeping little Paul in tow.)

A few weeks ago I was walking through Kibera along the railroad on my way to the school.  It's not often there are Mzungu's waltzing through Kibera.  So it is very common for the kids to shout.  "Mzungu, how are you?" Only, the keep repeating "How are you? How are you? How are you?"  That's really all most of them know how to say.  And if they can't remember how to say that in english they just say "Wah-roo", which is a fruit.  (I don't actually know how to spell it).  They say that b/c it sounds like "How are you".

 Anyway, I was used to kids coming up and wanting to shake my hand on the railroad.  I usually ask them how they are in Kiswalhili b/c they know how to better respond.  I can remember one day I saw a young boy (about 11) in a red tattered sweater with huge shoes on.  He was really acting like he wanted to come up to me, but was very unsure of me.  So I walked up to him and asked him how he was doing in Kiswalhili and he replied appropriately with one word.  We went on our way to the school.  When we got there I went on in to see the kids.  I turned around and noticed that little boy in red from the railroad had followed us all the way to the school.  He was standing outside shuffling his feet and looking down.  I called this to one of the teachers attention and she began talking to him in Kiswalhili.  I figured out she was telling him to go away.  I asked her to please let him stay for the bible story and meal.  After all, there was plenty to eat.  So he came back in and sat in the back of the classroom.  He was so excited, but you could tell there was something about him that wasn't like the other kids.  No one could understand his name to know what to call him.  During play time, he sat alone.  I asked him to play, but he shook his head no.  So, I did what I had to do.  I grabbed his hand in mine and ran with him to meet with the other kids.  He laughed the whole way.  We played silly mzungu games i made up.  After school I walked with him and tried to ask him some questions.  I think he understood me, but I figured out that he has a speech problem.  Within about a minute of walking he grabbed my hand and we walked hand in hand until we ran into a lady that said he needed to go to his home.  Tafrosa asked the lady some questions about his home situation.  We figured out that he was an orphan who lived with his aunt.  He went home and I never even knew what his name was.  

Fast forward a week or so to when Chris and I were taking our 22 month old friend for a little joy ride around Kibera in the "Gari".  Chris stopped to talk to someone he knew.  Next thing I knew there were some tiny black arms flying through my window at me.  It was my little red sweatered friend!  I wondered what he was doing so far from home.  What were the chances that I would see him out of 1 million people in Kibera.  Definitely a God thing.  I tried to talk to him a little, mostly just wanting to make sure he knew how to get home.  It was time to go and Chris had to take off.  As we drove back toward the pastors home, my friend was running as fast as he could behind our car.  He followed us all the way to the Pastor's house.  Long story shorter- Meshek (a supported pastor/ son in law to Tafrosa and Indiazia) went to his home to find out a little more info about his home situation.  Apparently, his name is Isaac Rabin and his parents have been dead for some time now.  He lives with his aunt who is a seamstress and is gone from early morning to late night.  When there isn't food in the house (which I heard is often), Isaac leaves very early to find some.  I learned he is usually unsuccessful as he is shilling-less.  We told Indiazia that if they will feed him, we will pay for it.  He had the option of having the food brought to their home, or coming to Indiazia to have food and fellowship.  He wanted to come to Indiazia's for the family type meal.  

Friday- Chris, Thomas, and Noah all went to the new bible college and helped Indiazia and the group renovate it.  It is in need of a lot of work, but looks so much better after Friday.  Chris said he must have seen our car and recognized it.  He came to the college and I they got the feeling he was hungry.  As the guys took a break for lunch they told Isaac to "sit right there until we get back."  45 minutes later they returned with a meal. Chris said Issac had not moved a muscle.  He had not and would not turn around or anything.  He was so tickled about his lunch!   

I looked out over Kibera and look at Isaac, Sylvia, Brian and Paul and think "And this is only two stories of so many..."  A spiritual mentor recently said to me "Their [Sylvia, Paul, Brian's] story is just one of millions of children in Kibera, Kawangware, Calcutta- all over the world"  To which I replied, but even if I only help one... it's still better than not having helped any."  We had better start now because there are a lot of people and children who need to see our loving Savior.  These people need to see us showing true biblical compassion [meaning: to suffer with.]  Are we ready and willing to suffer with them?

Hopefully I'll have an update about Sylvia, Paul, and Brian this week.  (I couldn't keep from putting all 3 of them on our blog header.)  Please pray for this situation (I cannot possibly explain all the details of it- as there are so many.)  It is such a heavy burden on my heart.  I do not know what to do, where to go, nor how the "system" works around here.  Pray that God would put someone in our path who knows Kenya's "system" better than we do.  Pray that we do not do anything without His permission and guidance.  Most of all pray for these hungry, mangled children and their mother.  As I mentioned before we do not know her story.  All I know is that they are from Uganda (which is another challenge with the "system" and the father left when she was pregnant with Paul.  She really needs to be loved along with these children.  Thank you for your prayers...