The Hand of St. John Extended in Kibera Slum

Today the team went to Springs of Life church at Kibera, and I can tell you that after visiting here for the last three years, it felt like coming home. As usual the service was alive with beautiful singing, the kind of melodious voices you might imagine hearing as you enter the gates of heaven.

This time it seemed that the children out numbered the adults, and at the end of the service Pastor Dennis asked for volunteers to be Sunday school teachers so that the children would understand God’s word accurately and grow to be strong, healthy and confirmed Christians.

One of the congregation members sent blessings to each of the team members using some neat clapping method, which was directed at us and then the Pastor. Very cool to see and experience!
After church the team, as a whole, went into Kibera slums to do some home visits.
It amazed me to realize that I knew the way and recognized many landmarks. They had even added a bridge over one of the “ditches”!

As we reached the first home I knew we had been there before, it was the home of Anastasia, a lady we had visited in 2008. Back then, as we allowed our eyes to adjust to the darkness, we saw a baby of around 10 lbs sitting on the bed cross legged. Today he is a healthy and robust three-year old!

In 2009 we learned that Dennis and Lorna had used the donations from St. John to give Anastasia 3000 shillings (about $32) to help her set up her own business. She chose to sell dried fish. As this business thrived she was able to become more self-sufficient, feeding her family, sending her children to school and even making donations to the church. Today she was delighted to see us, remembered many of us and expressed her thanks for our (and your) help. Now doesn’t that make your heart sing?

Next we went to visit Grace who is a widow, but is very young. She is taking care of 6 children. Four are her own, and two are orphans who she had taken in. The children were healthy and well fed; she even wanted to feed us! Dennis and Lorna met this lady during the post-election violence in early 2008, when she entered the Springs of Life church with many children following behind. They helped her out with donations for food, rent and school fees. Now this same lady shares whatever she has with needy neighbors. If Lorna is unable to visit people in hospital, Grace will help out, visiting and taking food.

There are still times when she struggles and needs help, two of the children will soon need sponsors to enable them to attend school, but she is thankful for the help she has received and tries very hard to give back.

On a more personal note, Grace sells jewelry, she took us to the “factory”, (if you can call it that) where it is made. For those of you who may not know, my post nursing speciality is in Occupational Health Nursing. This place was a healthy and safety nightmare, with bare wires plugged into 240 volt sockets and animal bone dust everywhere. Then we were taken into the “shopping area” where we were almost gassed with carbon monoxide from the generator, oh well, it’s Kenya!

On a more serious note, please pray for families like these (as there are many) and for discernment for Dennis and Lorna in making the correct decisions in who should receive such help.

Now, please indulge me as I express just how much I miss my Michigan church home and all of my special friends (you know who you are). St John, you are constantly in my prayers, I hope you will be united in fellowship very soon. Thank you so much for the opportunity to come to Kenya, something I have had my heart set on for more than 20 years.

In Christ,

Karen Morrell