Street Babies

Today I saw one of the saddest sights ever.  

Let me set the scene for you.  My friends and I had just eaten lunch at Garden City mall.  On the street a short distance from Garden City there are always children in the middle of the street begging.  They are ragged and in need but we know not to give them money because someone has put them on the street and the children will never see any of the benefits of the money.

They are there at night and I am always afraid that one of them will get hit by a vehicle.  Sometimes there is a policeman trying to keep them out of the street.  When dignitaries come to town the streets are cleaned up and those children are rounded up and put into a children’s prison.

Today traffic was slow and while we were sitting at a traffic light I noticed a little baby on the sidewalk. (S)he was about two years old and trying to sit straight up while sleeping. I commented to my friends that I was amazed that the baby could sit up like that without falling over.

One of them noticed that there was another baby sitting about 30 feet away.   And another -- 5 in all. All about the same age.  We realized that they had been placed there so that people passing by would drop money in their laps. 

 Sure enough in a few minutes a lady came by and nudged them awake and placed their hands cupped together so they could receive money and so that no one would mistake why they were there.

It was so sad, but more than that, I was angry about it.  I wanted to get out of the car and pick those children up and take them home with me.  These were the youngest I had ever seen -- so innocent yet so exploited.  Pray that a way can be found to keep these children - all of them - off the street.

Day 3 GA team - new area of Kimombasa

Today it is just Lynn, Pastor Benin, and I in our small group walking into a new area of the slum.  

Where we have been there is a channel that cuts through.  As we were walking to the new area we came to the end of the waterway where it goes under the highway.  About the last 25-30 ft. was trash - mostly plastic and stuff that does not burn well.  We asked what happened when it rains.  Instead of washing away, the water backs up in the channel and floods the houses.

The first 3 ladies we met called themselves ‘business women’. No husbands - so they have to take care of themselves. They are somehow able to take care of the three families with 10 children living in two rooms.  Their pr@yer was for more business -- they didn’t have much to sell that I could see, just cookies and cigarettes.  They also need a better home.  Theirs floods quite frequently because they live right next to the channel.  They rent that home for 10,000 UGS (about $5 US) and that is about all that they can afford.   And, as so common, they need school fees for their children.  None of them go to school.

3 of their 10 children

Our next stop was at Heritage College, a high school.  We met the deputy. (I think that is the same as the Principal).  We just wanted to make contact with them so that we might come on another day and share with their students.  She told us that the school was founded on Christian principles and she first wanted to make sure that we were not a cult.  We did receive an invitation to go back.

Our last visit of the morning was to this lady.  She is disabled and has a heart for the old and disabled.  She was a Catholic, but not born again.  She is another that listened but did not make any decisions.

Day 2 GA team - Surprised by Joy!

This week we are walking through Kimombasa slum sharing the Gospel with those who will listen.  I was the only female in our small group so I got to share several times with other ladies.  

This was a fun time.  I sat down right between these two ladies, Pauline and Resty, and shared.  They were both Catholics, but only because their parents were.  Both went to church occasionally.  At the end they said “they would think about it”  

I asked to take their picture and shot the first one without them realizing that I was taking it.   They were both smiling and laughing.    So then I took another and told them to ‘smile’. This is what I got.  I think it is funny that the "pose" of nearly every picture I take of adults is so serious.  They have beautiful smiles that they don’t show.

The rest of the story is that while I was talking to these two there were two high school students standing nearby listening.  They continued to stand there even after I had finished so I went over to speak to them. 

Nashira and Racheal

 They had heard my ‘story’ --twice. (they had followed me from the previous spot)  They were ready to make a decision.  I questioned them to make sure they understood and then led them to pr@y.  I talked to them further because, for them, there could be major consequences.  They understood that but went ahead.  They will help each other.

The ways of the Father are so surprising to me!  I was surprised and a little disappointed when the first two ladies decided to wait.  But then I turn around and two are waiting for me to share with them so they can act upon their decision. PTL

Kimombasa-Day 1- Rome,GA team

Today was a food distribution day, month 5 out of 6.  Many of these ladies, and it nearly always is mostly ladies who are the neediest in the community, have already heard the gospel.  Many of them have been attending a Bib. study or a house chrch and many of them have already become believers.

Our task today was to get the food to them,  (This is a 60 lb. bad of posho, rice, beans, and oil--enough to last an average family of 6 for one month.) visit to see how they are doing,  share testimonies, and pr@y with them about their needs.

I have recently been given Mama Kits to hand out.  These kits have everything necessary to deliver a baby, whether at home or at the hospital.  Most of these ladies do go to a hospital but don’t have the money for it.  I noticed one pregnant lady at the distribution and saw that she was in the group that we would be visiting.

We made a couple of visits and saw that we had only a few minutes before we were suppose to go back to meet the rest of the team.  I still wanted to give the Mama kit away so we searched until we found Fatuma.  She was so thankful.

Fatuma

Her story:  She has five children and one on the way. She is the second wife.   Because of the food distribution she has been attending a Bib. study and she knows and understands the gospel.  Now she just wanted to know the steps to take to become a believer.  Lynn questioned her some then led her through the steps. 

We asked her what would happen when her Muslim husband found out.  She told us that he does not support her and only occasionally gives money for the children.  She is the one who is responsible for the family and she can make her own decision.  She has now done that and is now a ‘child of the Father’.  

Two of Fatuma's children