This was meant to be posted months ago, but as I mentioned in the previous blog, it's been a rough few months. Doing this camp for these boys is one of the activities we have done here in Nairobi that will always be a part of us. Since I wrote this blog, 5 of the 15 boys that went to camp with us have been moved out to "the farm" which is where MITS offers the kids education and skills that will give them an opportunity to stay off of the streets. MITS would have loved to take all of the boys out to the farm, but they are limited by space. As space becomes available (the kids stay at the farm until they are 18) they try to get kids out there as quickly as possible to give them the best shot at a better life. The 5 kids that we worked with that have gone out there are doing very well. They have adjusted well and are achieving in their studies. Please keep the MITS ministry in your prayers as they strive to touch lives for the Lord.
The week of July 27th we, with Tricia's brother and sister-in-law, were blessed to be able to do a 4 day camp for some street kids with Made In the Streets (MITS). MITS is a ministry in Eastleigh, one of the slums in Nairobi, that is there to primarily work with kids living on the street. We took 15 of those boys, who were chosen by the Kenyan staff of MITS, to go out to a camp on the outskirts of Nairobi and basically had a vbs type camp with them. They were amazing kids. They behaved extremely well and were so respectful and appreciative of the opportunity they were given. We had lots of craft times, silly songs and games. We focused on 2 bible stories for the week: Zaccheus and Saul. Justin and Tiffany (Tricia's family) had chosen the theme for the week to be change (Badilika in Swahili). So we talked a lot with the boys about changing their lives for the Lord. They were so receptive to everything, it was just a wonderful thing to be a part of. It was hard at the end of the week to know the life these boys were going back to. The MITS ministry touches these lives weekly. They have 2 days a week that boys on the street can come into their compound and they do different activities with them and teach them about the Lord. The boys also have a guaranteed meal on those days. It was hard to let them go, but we pray the week was a blessing to them, because it definitely was for us. Tricia will be going out to Eastleigh on Monday's this year and is really looking forward to the opportunity to see some of the boys again and see how they are doing. Here are some pictures from that week.
The 15 boys with 3 of the MITS Kenyan Staff, Ed & Trish, and Justin & Tiffany
