Sad News

From Jennifer Phillips Lawrence's blog (www.mytb.org/ITHM):

With terrible grief and heartache I must share terrible news concerning HOREC. On Thursday morning around 1 a.m. approximately 15 thugs broke into the orphanage. They were on a rampage coming from two neighbors’ homes that they had ransacked, beat and cut the people. All the people survived with multiple wounds. HOREC staff and children knew nothing of the havoc going on down the road until they too became victims. The men must have been watching the property because they waited until the night guard went into his house (just a short distance away from the dorm) to escape the rain. They quietly approached the dorm, cut the electricity supply, broke the lock to the front gate and made their way to the corridor of the bathrooms. Between the bathrooms and the girls' room the wall does not go all the way to the roof. Two of the thugs found the space and climbed over the wall landing in the girl’s bedroom. They then got the door open so that the rest could join. With flashlights shining directly in the kid’s eyes that were awake they told the children if they screamed they would be killed. They were carrying axes and machetes. Some of the men cut through the boxes of supplies, some were yelling at the staff to hand over money and cell phones, and others dragged two of the girls to the storage room and raped them. One of the girls is 14 years of age and the other is 10. Both have come from sexually abusive backgrounds. The housemother was being beaten mercilessly as some of the children were climbing under beds to hide. Miraculously some of the kids slept through the whole ordeal. Then, as fast as they had come they left. Their whirlwind was like a hurricane that ripped through bodies, hearts and minds leaving a shattered mess.

It wasn’t until they left that the housemother found a cell phone they had hidden and frantically called Christine. Everyone was praying it was a nightmare from which they would awake. Christine, her husband and the police arrived to find the chaos of screaming children. Both the girls were taken to Nairobi Women’s Hospital and treated then sent back home. One feels helpless at the situation. Questions go through our minds and frustration feels like a heavy weight. I know nothing can be done about what happened but I also know that we can take some action to help prevent the same situation in the future.

Christine and I have made an urgent priority list:
1. We want a counselor to come to the site and counsel not only the two girls but all the children. It will be awhile before they can peacefully sleep through the night but we would like to provide as much comfort as possible. Hiring a counselor will cost $200 for a month.
2. Hiring a security company- The company installs “panic” buttons in the dorm so that if one is pressed, the signal goes straight to the security team and they are sent to the property within minutes. As the orphanage sits about half a mile off the main road and does not have many neighbors it is in a vulnerable area. Having a professional security team (this is a common practice as insecurity is high in Nairobi) gives one a small piece of mind that there will be trained professionals coming to your aid if need be. A security company contract costs $100 per month. Perhaps you want to cover the orphanage for one month of the year or half a month. Whatever you can do will be a big help! I know it is not a sure fire way to keep thieves away but it will give Christine, the staff and the children at least a little piece of mind that there is a way to call for help.

Christine requests prayers for the home and for all involved. The ten-year-old said she recognized the man’s face that raped her. It is someone that she had seen walking by the orphanage. We are praying for justice, protection and healing. If you would like to help with HOREC please send ITHM an earmarked check. We are proceeding with installing the system within one week as well as installing security lights on the outside of the dorm, repairing the broken locks, etc.

Thank you for your love, concern, prayers and support.
Jennifer and Johnny

ITHM
23223 S. Warmstone Way
Katy, TX 77494

Our Last Day - Update

This morning we were surprised by Marcos joining us for another day. His safari group had cancelled so we were fortunate to have him again. Today was our last day at HOREC. A lot of tears were shed by our team and the children. We had a special BBQ - the children don't get meat often so they just devoured it. Even Little Carol cleaned her plate today. Thank you to Jennifer and Johnny for bringing their BBQ!

Today Beverlyne was crying when I greeted her after we had arrived. I asked her why she was crying and she would not answer. I wrote down my question on paper and she finally responded "I cry because you are going to leave us." It reminded me of the times my sister would come home from college and break up the routine and monotony of everyday life. I was always so sad to see her go. I think in some ways we became big sisters and brothers to these children this week. We each seemed to form bonds with most of them. For Marty, it was Agnes. For Betty, Big Mary. For Sandi, Joseph. For Priscilla and Sandy, Carol. For Joe, Antony. For Bryan and Shelley, Boniface. For me, Beverlyne. It was so easy to love these children. I know they brought us all joy. I am glad that we may have accomplished the same for them. It broke our hearts to leave and to see their tears. Many of us are already talking about when we might come back.

Tonight we had dinner at The Java House in Nairobi before sending off some of our teammates. It was a great meal. I know many are excited about returning home to their own families. Sandy and Priscilla can't wait to see their grandchildren - especially Sandy's new granddaughter born only a couple days before we left. Shelley told me tonight that she thought her kids might think she is a little crazy for awhile because she plans to hug and hold them a little longer when she gets home. This trip has helped us realize how fortunate we are - not just by all of the material things we might have but also by the love of friends and family that we have. Thank you for making this possible for us.

Thank you, too, to my teammates and new friends. It has been such a neat experience to work alongside this team and to get to know them. Praise God! (For Bryan, Bwana Yasifiwe!)

Our Last Day

Tomorrow we will spend our last day with the kids and staff at HOREC. We are planning a BBQ with them in the finished dining room and have some additional gifts to share with them. One of the gifts is a bible and bookmark for each child. Some people gave me money for the trip and I used it to purchase a bible for each child. And, one of Sandy and Priscilla's friends (Sister Donna) made the bookmarks with a bible verse on them. Each of our 14 team members has signed the bibles, including some notes where we wanted to share something personal with a child. I am excited to present them to the children tomorrow. We will also give each of the staff a small gift to thank them for their help during our visit - the men helped with the playset - and for taking good care of those precious children.

This may be my last post until I return. We will be leaving our current hotel tomorrow morning and may not have good connectivity after that. Sandi and I are going on a short safari at Masai Mara with some of our other team members after our mission. We want to unwind before returning home and this is such a great experience to see more of Kenya while we are here. We have been promised "The Big 5" by our driver, Philip.

God bless all of you who have supported our mission and for your interest in what we are doing here. This is only the beginning. We must do more - there is such a need here! Bwana Yasifiwe (Praise God)!!!!!!!!!!

To Market We Go

Today we went to the Masai Market. It was an interesting experience. At first it was difficult being there. After our day at Spring Valley yesterday, many of us weren't much in the mood for shopping. Me - not in the mood for shopping. I know this is hard to believe for some of you! But, after walking around the area and seeing all of the beautiful (maridadi sana) artwork and handiwork, it was hard to not want to take something home to share Africa with others. The pictures made of banana leaves, the wooden and soapstone bowls, beaded jewelry, pretty dresses, leather bookmarks . . . were all just so amazing. We all had fun bargaining - my experience in China was helpful here! Ghali sana (very expensive), bei rahisi (can it be cheaper)! CJ was a little less successful - she paid $20 USD for two small beaded necklaces - until Jennifer showed her how it was done. She felt bad bargaining with them, but it is expected. Later she had talked a guy into selling her a soapstone elephant for less than half price and felt bad about it. CJ has such a big heart! Sandi asked me to just get two of everything so she wouldn't have to bargain, but she ended up being great at it and got some good things at a cheap price.

The market also had another unexpected treat - Western food for lunch. I couldn't help myself and had two slices of pizza. After all of the stomach issues we have experienced here, it tasted so great! Most also decided to donate their lunch money to Spring Valley and buy our own lunch today. Today was a lot of fun and our moods were elevated for the time we were at the market. But, I think most missed spending the time with the kids. A lot of the kids returned to school today, so they would not have been at HOREC anyway.

Today we had to say goodbye to Marcos, one of our drivers for the week. He was so great (and patient with the Kiswahili lessons). He fondly referred to me as CJ2 - short for Crazy Joyce. I found myself crying as I returned to my room after the market. In this short time, we have bonded with our new friends (rafiki yangu). And, as we reflect on what tomorrow brings, I think it will be very hard for the team. We have such an affinity toward the children and the staff at HOREC. Saying goodbye will be very difficult.

Salome's Dinner

We were invited to Christine and Alois's home tonight for dinner - a rare treat! Salome (Christine's daughter) and Mercy (a friend of Christine's who used to work at HOREC until she had a little baby, Medrine, four months ago) spent all day preparing a meal of beef stew, seasoned rice and chapati (African pancake - like a tortilla). This had to be the best meal we have had here - it was really good (mzuri sana)! Salome skipped her last class and took the bus home from university last night at 9 pm so she could do this for us. It was for Marty, really, because Marty raised the money for Salome's tests so she could go to university. Thank you, Marty, for sharing this wonderful experience with us. Hospitality doesn't get any better than this!

It was nice to see how a local Kenyan might live. Christine and Alois have given up a bigger and nicer home to be able to make HOREC possible and to live closer to HOREC. It is amazing what this woman is doing for these children. And, it is obvious that they love her.

Sidebar: Marty is amazing! The children all remember her and just love her. She has been indispensible to us on this trip and we all oftentimes go to her for advice - Marty, what should we do about this, Marty, what should we do about that, Marty, is it okay if we do this, etc. I am so thankful for her insight and what she brings to this team. Thank you, Marty!

A Little Pick Me Up

After Spring Valley, we headed to HOREC to spend some time with the kids. Our intention was to finish the painting and put some finishing touches on the playground set, but most of the time was just spent with the kids. I was able to complete most of my interviews with the kids (thanks to Alice and Susan's help). I am hoping to start a child sponsorship program through Global Hope (to secure our funding to HOREC each month) when I return and wanted to gather some personal information on the kids while I was here. Boniface clung to my arm as I interviewed the small children. Susan, Josephine, Tabitha and Alice helped "fill in the blanks" on names, ages, etc. It was quite comical when the older girls would ask the younger kids for their favorite color, animal, etc. They really tried to tell the younger kids what their favorites were based on what they personally liked. Most of the kids like pink and orange. Most want to be a policeman/woman, soldier, doctor or get this, accountant! The saddest part was trying to get them to tell me what their favorite activities, etc. were. They couldn't come up with much because of their limited experiences, etc. If you'd ask American kids the same questions, they would have a ton of answers - reading, playing ball, playing video games, playing with my dog, climbing a tree, going hiking, swimming, etc. But these kids, these kids, didn't have much to say. I am praying that the playground set that the guys and CJ built will provide them hours of fun and enjoyment in the days ahead.

We also distributed the clothes to the kids and adults. The amount and quality of clothes that were given to us by family and friends was amazing! Amazing! Amazing! Thank you to everyone who has helped us gather these items and has supported us on this trip. Marty, Sandy, Sandi, Priscilla, Shelley, Betty and others folded all of the clothes and arranged them on the tables in the new dining room. The kids were then brought in to select clothes, shoes, underwear, etc. They were thrilled. After the children were done, they did the same with the adult clothes. Marty said Beatrice (the nanny - the kids call her "Grandma") jumped up after selecting a beautiful new dress. The guys also apparently were excited and appreciative to get some new things.

All of this was followed by another beauty session. Sandi brought nailpolish for the girls and they had a ball with it. I painted several little toes. And, they reciprocated by painting my fingernails neon pink! It matched Robb's shirt (sorry Robb, I had to give you a hard time about it one last time!) My fingernails are maridadi sana (beautiful)! I wish it would not wear off so I can have it forever.

After the time at Spring Valley, we all needed this "pick-me-up" with the kids! Thank you (asante sana), God!

Saturday is going come way too soon! I just don't know how I can say goodbye. Each of these children has found a special place in my heart. And, Christine and her staff have all just been so great. The hospitality we have received has been so amazing - what a blessing to have these new friends (rafiki yangu). Buana Yasifiwe (Praise God)! (I think you all have guessed by now that I like that phrase! Buana Yasifiwe!)

Spring Valley

I was not able to meet Christine in time this morning to go to the HIV clinic with her. I am disappointed about it, but there was no way to get me there to meet her in time. She took Danny, Thomas, Joseph, Big Mary, Carol and Little Mary today. They all returned to HOREC in the afternoon in generally good spirits and received their medications.

So, on to Spring Valley it was. We started the day with a trip to the supermarket to buy supplies for the food baskets we were going to prepare to deliver at Spring Valley. Spring Valley is the place where we went to church on Sunday. I guess you'd call it the Nairobi slums. There is a pastor and his wife there who have really turned things around for the people of Spring Valley. Nine years ago, Rev and Alice Stanley buried 418 children who died due to malnutrition. They started their program, which originally was to only feed and provide medical treatment to children (primarily babies), nine years ago. The program has expanded to include a school program. As the children grew, the school houses went up.

We got to visit three classrooms today. The children were so well behaved and just amazing. The Stanley's have 275 children in their program. They provide schooling seven days a week and food two times per day to these children. They often feed many children who do not go to school as well. One of these children was a little boy, John, who was so cute. I'd guess he was about four. He did not speak, so he was not able to attend school, and his foot was deformed from an accident. He followed us around a large part of the morning. Larry befriended him quickly and CJ got him to wave and smile. It was so great to see him liven up. WOW!

Anyway, the kitchen is so tiny. They cook the food over a wood fire in these big metal pots. The ventilation in the kitchen is poor. The woman who works in the kitchen has been cooking food for those wonderful children for the past nine years! Amazing! Alice told us that the typical salary for a teacher is only about $100 USD per month. They still need two teachers to fill their classrooms.



After a tour of the classrooms and kitchen and a little history from Rev Stanley, several of the students and a couple of teachers took us around to 14 homes to deliver food baskets and pray. I have to tell you this was so difficult. We met the families and asked for prayer requests. The people lovingly welcomed us into their meager homes. What a humbling experience! It was really difficult to keep it together for me there. Most had a very small home - maybe 6 x 6 or 9 x 9 - many made of mud with a tin roof. Many of the families had 2 - 4 children. Many were single parents. The homes were very dark - no electricity - and had no bathrooms. Most had limited furniture. It was really difficult not to cry and Shelley and I had to have our moment in the alley on the way back to the church. It just made me sick to my stomach to see such poverty when we all have so much. The amazing thing though is that the people were so grateful for what they received from us and their hospitality was beyond compare and, in spite of their situation, they all believe that there is a God, a gracious God. I remember leading the prayer in one of the homes. All the mother wanted was for us to pray for her and her children's lives. She had no special requests, no complaints, in spite of her situation. As I prayed, I just felt the Holy Spirit was there with us. It was so overwhelming. As I took little Rose's (she was one of the girls at the home) hand afterwards, my hand would not stop shaking. Words cannot describe what I was feeling at that moment.

Sidebar: Where was the super market on day one? We had a field day! There were so many things we could get for HOREC plus there were many supplies there we could have used during the week. It was really great! NFNY (note for next year)! Joe probably gets that acronym from his accounting days! : )