2017 Kenya Update #9 - Whose dust did you collect today?

From: Kathy Macdonald

Being selected to show your home is an honor in this community.  Early this morning the entire team gathered at BLISS and we were paired with groups of about 5-6 s

tudents.  We had earlier provided a list of how far each team member felt they could walk … I suspect the list was referred to for NAMES only.

Some of the homes were far enough away that a van was required to get the team to the place where the road led off to the homes these students came from.    Once you left the road, sturdy walking shoes, a sun hat, a couple of bottles of water and a bit of luck were required as the roads narrowed to single lane paths.   Most of our "2-3 mile" walks turned into 6-8 mile treks!  My fit bit read well over 15,000 steps and 42 floors!  I can attest to the paths that went straight up and then straight down … and then straight up again.

Most of us visited 5+ homes.  Only a handful had power.  Almost all grew crops and had farm animals.  Cooking took place over a fire.  The young men slept outside of the home in small separate quarters (often a shack) with older brothers or uncles.  Once a young man is "of age" he can no longer enter the home of his mother or sisters.  The majority of us visited with students who left for school between 5:00 and 5:30 each morning in the dark.  When they get home each night, they wash their uniform and hope it will dry by morning … they have only one.  ALL of them were joyful.  ALL of them were thrilled to meet their families and see their homes.  ALL of us were humbled by the experience.

We came back exhausted and covered in the dust of a community that we care deeply about.  They have next to nothing in materials goods, but have hopes and dreams that we can only only in in wonder of.  

Below is just a small sample of those we walked with and collected the dust of today.  It was wonderful.