A Bed of Rags

Tuesday, February 9, 2016. There is a life in the village unseen by many travelers that quickly come and go. It is a life of poverty and illiteracy, steeped in ancient tribal beliefs that sound strange to one from outside their world. Their world is all they know and they live it, breath it and they refuse to embrace anything that would bring change. It is a world set back in time, afraid to move forward and fearful of a new way that brings light.

 

Our school children come from the hills of three such villages;  Taito, Makoi and Emoru.   

They walk to school hungry, lacking supervision and are very happy to enter through the gate clearly marked “Linda’s Little Angels Academy.”  There are some mornings that Mama Rhoda, our neighbor and school cook, will wake to find children eating white apples that have fallen from the tree in her back yard.  They come as early as six o’clock hoping to harvest the apples that have dropped through the night before anyone else comes.  The apples are sweet and help kill the hunger pain of lack.  

Our school children receive hot porridge in the morning and a lunch at midday but once they return to their homes they often go without. 

The rich fertile land is green with growth.  It looks like the land of plenty but this picture is so deceiving. The land represents many different tribes that have come from far.  They have been displaced because of tribal wars and the post- election violence which started on December 27, 2007 to February 28, 2008.  It is estimated that 1,500 people died during this time and 600,000 were displaced. Most of the people came with nothing and became squatters. They worked the land for the land owner in exchange for a place to stay.  The produce from their hard work becomes income for the land owner and very little, if any, is reserved for the workers.  It is seasonal work at best as most do not have an education and depend on the fruit of the land to survive.

All the school children in their brown uniforms and blue sweaters, which are required in Kenya, formed two or three lines outside and sang to me when I arrived. There were big smiles and it was evident that they had rehearsed for such a day as this!

 

Their eyes sparkled as I opened up my back pack and began to pull out gifts for each one.  These children don’t celebrate birthdays.  They don’t have gifts under a tree at Christmas. The Christmas tree with lights and decorations are not part of a child’s life in the village. Today was a very special day; one that will be remembered and spoken of for a long time. The t-shirts designed by our son. Cole, carry the school color and looked so “smart” on the children.  There was such excitement in the air and their little feet were ready to dance!

Jimmy was found living alone and he was brought to us for help.  He was the result of a recent police sweep through the hills arresting anyone found making or selling chang'aa or busaa a traditional illicit home brew which often kills. This area is full of home brew; it is sold as a means of survival. It is not only sold in the villages but it makes its way into busier places as well. It is a huge problem here and makes even bigger problems in the lives of those around us. Like many, Jimmy’s parents were arrested leaving three children to care for themselves.  It is an automatic six months jail sentence or pay a minimum of $400  each.  Paying the fine is impossible and the children are left to fend for themselves.  We welcomed Jimmy to “Linda’s Little Angels Academy” and his uniform was ordered.   Here he will find safety during the day and there will be food to keep him strong. 

 

We returned with Jimmy to his  home as we wanted to locate his siblings. What we saw brought us to the reality of what life is like in the rolling hills of a people trapped in poverty. His nights had to be full of fear as there wasn't a door to lock but a piece of plastic hanging in its place. 

Inside Jimmy's home were a few dirty rags and pieces of clothing thrown in the corner of the dirt floor. It was the softest place he had; it was his bed.  There were a few miscellaneous dirty dishes in another corner but no food in sight.  The poverty seen here was extreme and now Jimmy, a little boy, had to fend for himself.    

 

An uncle was found but it was evident that he wasn't able to care for Jimmy.  His life was full of troubles; and he didn't have a place of his own. His bed was similar to Jimmy's in a corner of it's own.  Our mission was to find the other siblings but they had left the area on foot in search of relatives far away.

Matthew 18: 10 “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven."