Today we started out from Sibanga on the motorbike headed to meet Pastor Samuel Wafula in Kitale. We had some mechanical trouble halfway between. A very nice man came to our rescue. He had tools and some sandpaper. Needless to say there is a story here in itself but we will save that for another time. We choose to look at these situations that whoever we would come upon would be by God’s design. Actually this man came upon us but the real story is about Pastor Samuel and what his group has been doing.
It has been very interesting to watch how God keeps connecting us in unique ways with very special people. We have been coming here for four years now and it always amazes me how He links us together. There is a story behind each chance meeting. The overview here goes back to how Pastor John met Pastor Jamal, who brought Pastor Matt, who brought us, who met Zippy, who introduced us to Pastor Isaac, who was introduced to Pastor Joyce, who came to Kenya to encourage, which led to Pastor Samuel to search for her on the internet, which brought about interaction which brought Joyce back to Kenya to minister at Samuel’s church, which brought Joyce in contact with teachers, who introduced her to a special group of orphans.
Pastor Samuel is actually very young. He has so much drive and determination for the Lord. He also has a great compassion for those who are orphaned or widowed. I don’t think he could turn away either in their need. Right now there are 62 orphans and a number of widows living in what started as an educational compound. The children range in age from about 1 to maybe 15. Some of the children are sleeping 5 to a bed with three or more bunk beds in a small room with dirt floors. Samuel has gathered a group of guardians around the children for their education and care. These guardians have so much love for these children that often times they forgo even food for themselves so the children may have something to eat.
Joyce met these guardians and children back in August and I think her heart broke over their situation. Samuel cast his vision for how these children might be benefited. As Joyce went back to the states she and Samuel continued to communicate. A group of individuals came forward to help Samuel purchase a piece of property so that they could build a proper shelter for the orphans and a school for them as well. Samuel and his team began the work of building themselves. And today we were able to visit the property. Think, in just three months time God has brought the funds to purchase the land and then He brought the funds to build the buildings. And they are almost complete.
Today we walked the land and saw a four room school house and a five room orphanage. The foundation trenches have been dug for another two room school house and a bore hole has been dug (water). All over the property there are bricks that have been formed from the soil. They are drying and about to be fired so that the final school house can be finished. Over 20,000 bricks and these are for the smallest building! There are planters for growing flowers and plants. There are fields where the children can play. It certainly is a wonderful place these children are looking forward to moving to in January.
After marveling over the provision for this project we were able to spend time with the children and the guardians. We had a time of sharing and encouraging. I asked several of the older children what they want to do when they grow up. There were engineers, military officers, doctors, attorneys, pilots, and teachers. These children all have high expectations of what they are capable of becoming. I believe they get that from Samuel and the guardians. These children certainly know that they are loved.
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