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When the team of 19
missionaries returned home in mid December, most were
not sure who received the greater of God's
blessings. Was it the many Kenyan residents who
received medical aid along with the 130 children who
attended the VBS, or was it the weary members of the
2008 Team? Only they know for
sure!
The 2008 team from Georgia
and South Carolina departed from Atlanta on December 4th
as affiliates of Life for Children
Ministry, with plans for medical clinics in
both Kisumu and Wachara, and a VBS for the 121 orphans.
The medical team consisted of three medical doctors, an
oral surgeon, and numerous support personnel from the
Dalton, Georgia area. An EMT and a pharmacist from
Winder First UMC (Winder, GA) also
joined the group. Our hats are off to those who worked
tirelessly to evaluate and treat the endless lines of
suffering adults and children in Kisumu and
Wachara.
The one-day clinic at
LCM's offices in Kisumu started early
on day two and lines grew quickly. Although the clinic
was primarily directed toward LCM's
orphans and family members, many others from the
community were seen as well. During a short break at
noon, the team and those waiting to be seen participated
in a wonderful worship service led by Dick McClain from
the headquarters of The Mission Society
in Georgia, who was in Kenya for a World Ministries
Conference. The group was treated to lively Kenyan
praise and worship music where the powerful presence of
God was warmly felt. Unfortunately, as darkness
closed in at days end, the team was disappointed in that
other community members had to be turned
away.
Early on Monday the team
headed west to the small town of Homa Bay where they
would be housed while holding the second medical clinic
in the remote village of Wachara, about a 90  minute drive
over very poor roads. This region, with no running water
or electricity, is home to half of the orphans supported
by the ministry. The clinic was set up at in a rural
elementary school where a large crowd was already
waiting. In both clinics all adults and children were
offered free medical care and prescriptions, dental care
and vision assistance for sight evaluations and reading
glasses, which was supplied by Dalton First
United Methodist Church (Dalton, GA). Between
the two medical camps, the team evaluated and treated
approximately 600 adults and children.
After the first day of
medical treatment in Wachara, the LCM
orphans boarded a bus with four adult team members and
headed to Kisumu for a three-day Vacation Bible
School. Although the five-hour ride on very rough
roads seemed longer, the children treated the team
members to some wonderful singing that made it very
worthwhile. The VBS was more like a three-day camp
with the children housed and fed at a high school
facility in Kisumu.  It was
directed and funded by St. John's United
Methodist Church (Aiken, SC). Many activities
filled the days for the LCM orphans
from both areas, including some well-needed free time.
For many of the children, this was a vacation from their
normal days filled with searching for firewood and
hauling water. For the children from Wachara,
especially, it was the first time any of them had seen
running water from a faucet or shower head, first time
to sleep on a mattress on a bed, first time to sit on a
chair at a table and eat with plates, cups and utensils,
their first shower with a bar of soap, and their first
inside toilet with a flusher, running water and bathroom
tissue. Three meals a day plus afternoon tea was a
rarity for many. The team participants in the VBS were
blessed each day by the warm smiles and wonderful music
of the precious children. After three days it was hard
to say good-bye, but all departed with the assurance
that many of the orphans had experienced the love of
Christ and returned to their homes with a brighter hope
for the future.
This trip also included a
couple of once-in-a-life time opportunities for the
team. On day one, the Team witnessed the wedding of
Michael Agwanda and Lollah Molla. The morning ceremonies
were concluded with a wonderful afternoon outdoor
reception. On day six, the  team
witnessed the dedication of the Ministry's first
economic development project, a posha mill (corn
grinding mill) funded by The Mission
Society. And, on the last day of the
trip, the team witnessed God's creations in the beauty
of the Masai Mara game park and the abundance of the
native wildlife - including lions, elephants, giraffes,
and many others.
The long trip home was
bittersweet. Everyone was looking forward to seeing
loved ones at home and getting back to some of the
creature comforts we so take for granted, (flush
toilets, hot water, ice, smooth roads, etc).
However, the time on the plane did provide an
opportunity to reflect on the lives touched and
relationships built. It was also a time of
thinking about the thousands of young ones living on the
streets of Kisumu still trying to make it from one day
to the next and a time to talk about what we can do to
make a difference in their lives. This of course led to
discussions of plans for "next year".
Although the dates have not
been set or the objectives finalized, it is not too
early to begin making your plans. Is 2009
your time to Go? Plan ahead and join
the 2009 Team and touch the lives of our
LCM orphans in Kenya. We are
pretty sure you will be Blessed way beyond your
expectations!
Special
Note:
The members of the Team
also wish to express their appreciation to the members
of the Kenyan Board of Directors who
were on site and assisting wherever they could.
Also, it was evident that the local staff and volunteers
worked tirelessly to prepare, in advance, each site with
materials, supplies, and equipment. They performed
many services as drivers, baggage handlers, runners,
translators, prayer partners, group leaders, and tour
guides, to name a few in order to assure the success and
comfort of the Team throughout their stay. Many
thanks to each of you.
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