Kanyawegi Children -- Newsletter -- January 2001

January 2001 Newsletter from Kanyawegi Childrens Home. To see previous Newletters click here

January 20th 2001.

It was strange visiting Kanyawegi without seeing or hearing any children, but they all arrived back on time, which was more exciting than seeing them leave. Before Christmas we had visits from some local businessmen and a European lady who left us food and clothes.

Chris Matthews, from Gunnersbury Baptist church in west London, came to stay with us for four weeks from Dec 19th; this was a blessing for all of us. The children thoroughly enjoyed his walks, classes, and not to mention the constant supply of fruits.

Christmas was the best yet, with the young people from halfway house and some from YMCA coming to visit us for the day. Eggs for breakfast, chicken (kuku) and pilou rice and chapattis for lunch with presents, prizes, sweets, coke's, biscuits, and cake rounded the day off well.

During my stay in town I was able to spend time getting to know a lot of the 'street children'. One particular boy, Kennedy, seemed so out of place on the street that I asked Luke to check him out. The end result was that Kennedy joined Kanyawegi just before Christmas. I think Kennedy's case shows the importance of hearing God when we take new children - not our own rules of never taking street children or not taking children over twelve years (Kennedy is 16yrs). We have also taken five other children who have been on our waiting list for some time. Helen 13, and her sister Jane 10, were being cared for by their older handicapped brother. Dominic 10yr was being used as a herd's boy and was obviously suffering, but he is picking up
well now. Sometimes just when I think I have seen the worst situation, I come across an even worse case. This was how it was when I went to pick Maxwell (11yrs) from his very caring but unable grand father. These people just had NOTHING; I mean absolutely nothing except one paw paw, which had fallen from a tree. The grand father was just praising God that we had come to take Maxwell, even though Maxwell was the sole breadwinner. He would collect sticks to sell at the market for 10 bob (9 pence). If he sold some they would eat ugi (disgusting weak porridge). If he sold none they would not eat. During the time of doing this work I have either got uncompassionate or just used to what I see, but the plight of this family, the humbleness of the grand father who tried to insist we had the only paw paw, and the tears of Maxwell's small
brother Victor (about 7yrs but looks 4 or 5 with his 'pot belly') was the closest I could ever get to tears. We were all so moved by their situation that we went back the next day and collected Victor, and gave his grand father protein enriched ugi flour to feed the little ones remaining.

We enjoyed (????) a trip to the museum. It would have been better if the Transit I ordered had arrived instead of the small Dormobile which crammed in all 39 of us. All the children are now at school or training, including all the new arrivals. The only big changes are for Thomas Orege and Beatrice who finished their primary education. Thomas is training at YMCA, and Beatrice at Otonglo, both training to be tailors and dressmakers. It is wonderful to have this huge family, but what is not so wonderful is the huge school fees and uniform bills. Lydia who was training as a dressmaker at YMCA, completed her exams just before Christmas and has finished her 2-year course. She leaves us this month to be married, so we all wish her well. This reduces our number down from 47 to only 46!

This home is going better than our best expectations (so far!). The three boys are becoming very nice young men, who are now very much more confident about themselves, but at the same time realise how much they need God - especially in this country. One of our rules for this home is that they pray together everyday, this certainly helped so much in the early days when they discovered each other had different priorities.

NEW PROJECTS. It is good to stand and see so many ideas come into being. We only now have two projects left on the drawing board:

Whilst I was staying in town, I had the 'feeling' that we should be thinking of our next home (Kanyawegi 2?) even though we have room for another 16 to 20 children at Otonglo - do not have the finance. To cut a long story short we have seen a very nice house, with big grounds, right in the centre of town (Millimani - the posh bit). The asking price is around £30,000 - probably selling for around £26,000. As we do not have the money it will be interesting to see if we were hearing God or just having a good idea.

We have added one part-timer to our staff, William who everyone knows as Ogwal - or frog. This man has been a valuable asset to our home from the first time we moved in. He dug the first 40' of the borehole (where he got the name of 'frog'!) and has been employed in every project we have undertaken since. His new 4-day a week job is very different, though we discovered he has previous experience, he is Rebekah's assistant cook. The reason we needed someone very strong, was that everyone is defeated , including our bigger boys, to make Ugali. This national dish, a tasteless mixture of maize flour and water, is eaten at our home 8 times a week. Physical strength is needed to mix in the flour as this evil concoction nears completion to an almost solid state.

We, as a Committee, stay in awe of our God, who through you, continues to provide all our needs. It is strange, that though we see God always providing, we still worry (sinners that we are) as only about 30% of our needs come from regular giving - I suppose this creates a healthy relationship with God.

This extract which typifies the needs of the children of this country comes from the "Nation" newspaper dated Jan. 19th. "A tale of tragedy emerged yesterday, when a baby girl and her three brothers were suddenly orphaned - and lost their only home as well. The older brother, Wambura, who is only 10, is trying to take care of his family, when he can barely take care of himself. The mother, the family's only breadwinner fell sick in their shack in their slum last week. Wambura realising his two-month old sister was also sick, took it upon himself to take her to hospital where she was admitted suffering from starvation. When Wambura returned home he found his mother dead and his two brothers of 6 and 4 with their few belongings outside the shack in the mud having been thrown out by the landlord. Stricken with grief, Wambura asked the neighbours to look after his two brothers whilst he returned to the hospital for help. The hospital agreed to look after the baby until she is better, but then his problems will begin, as the neighbours who cannot afford to look after their own children say the two brothers must go. Meanwhile his mother's body lies at the mortuary with no one left in the family to bury her."

Staying in town has been a new experience for me, and though I have moved into quieter lodgings, I am still in the same area. I have been able to spend a lot more time getting to know the street children, and because they now know I will not respond to their pleas they have begun to open up. I have had some very good conversations with them, and sometimes when they are on their own they even tell the truth of why they are on the street. I do not know yet if God is leading me into a new area, but at this time I certainly do not have the resources to help in a more practical way - I suppose I am still learning 'what makes them tick'.

It has been a great comfort having so many visitors to talk with, which has made the time go very quickly.

Please pray about the new property, if I should be involved in street children work, continual guidance and protection. Give thanks for the halfway house and our 46 children.