We're back in Nairobi. We spent the last 4 days at the Children's home in Lemoru, Kenya -- Six hours north of Nairobi. The countryside is a lush green with rolling hills and majestic mountains. This is the rainy season and although we saw very little rain we saw the beautiful fruits of it. Agriculture is pretty much the only thing that keeps the people alive. Most are living on next to nothing. This is an area of Africa where very few white people visit. We feel priviledged to be here.
I want you to meet Kimberly. Kimberly (Mama Kim, as the children call her) runs the children's home. She has been here for 1 year. She is 21 years old. She felt called to missions in the 10th grade. Everyone in her family thought it was just a phase, but the call never left her. After graduating from High School in San Angelo, Texas she immediately began to work in missions. She now works for a group called Catalyst Ministries that does a lot of work in Africa. After a brief time with Catalyst she took on the director position of this children's home. Her work over the last year at Lemoru has 
been nothing short of amazing. David and Susan were here this past January and they say that they hardly recognize the place. Under Kimberly's leadership they have built two new bungalows and a dining gazebo. They have started an agriculture program to teach the children how to grow crops and take care of livestock. The improvements in the children's home are too numerous to list. But more than that, when Kimberly is with the children her heart lights up. She is truly an inspiration. It's amazing what God can do when you give him every part of your life. Please pray for Kimberly. She is doing an amazing work. It cannot be easy to be alone and in a totally foreign culture at age 21.
After my four days in Lemoru I asked God, "Lord, IF you want us to work here what is it you would have us to do?" I see four areas of much needed work: 1. Agriculture -- they need to learn more about irrigation and caring for livestock. It's basic stuff, but they want to learn. 2. Construction -- there's always something to be fixed or built. 3. Medical -- the needs are overwhelming. You name it; they need it. General checkups, dental, vision, nutrition, etc. -- it's all needed. We set up a clinic to do general checkups and had 500 people show up. That's with no advertising ... the word 
spreads because the need is so great. 4. Education -- There are two elementary schools in the village, each with 600 students. One of them is a stone's throw from the children's home. The teachers are in desperate need of training. There are 80 students per classroom. The teachers have little education themselves and zero continuing education.
Well there it is. Are we the ones to provide for the overwhelming needs? I don't know. That requires tremendous prayer and even more tremendous commitment.
I was working the clinic the last day and looked over the medical charts we were creating for each child. Most of them had no medical records. On the family history page I kept reading, over and over again, these words: "Parents died of AIDS." I would say 90% of the children are orphans because of this terrible disease. When you look into their eyes and see the sadness, the pain ... you just want to bring them all home with you.
The amazing this is that every night they end their day singing. We do a devotional for them. They dance and they sing for us. They would sing for hours if we let them. And when they sing their eyes sparkle and their smiles glow. When they dance their feet are happy and their arms swaying to the beat spell J-O-Y. They sing about Jesus. They sing about his love. And to watch them you would never know ... you would never know the tragedy their young eyes have witnessed. You would never know the pain their young hearts have endured. When they sing about Jesus ... it all goes away ... even if just for a moment ... it all goes away ... and there's healing ... and you are healed too ... just because you were there in the room to watch the miracle ... somehow ... in some small way ... you are healed too.
blessings,
pastor ellis
It is so amazing how much I can see through your eyes. Thank you for allowing God to guide you and actually following his will and not yours, I have learned so much through your trip.
thank you
flor cox
Posted by: FLOR COX | June 28, 2006 at 09:50 AM