BOHEKA REPORT 4
September 11, 2019
BOHEKA REPORT 6
September 15, 2019
Jambo and Veronee friends and family,
Today began more solemnly than previous mornings as we are all aware this is our last day in Rabai. We all gathered for breakfast and began gathering our supplies for the day. Then piled into our respective vans. We headed out to a day that reflected our emotion, intermittently overcast with a gentle breeze. We have all bonded deeply through these shared experiences as well as these shared emotions.
No matter what I have written , or write it feels as though I have only scratched the surface reality of these trips and interactions. My hope is that some of these words have touched you hearts and will live on in your souls.
Our first stop was in Chilodi CrossFit Health Centre where we greeted by the staff as well as the committee of elders that manage the Health Centre. We also met with Mr. Chiloti the man who donated the land the health centre was built on. We also met Geoffrey the facilities director, who explained, though the facility has incubators which are not common this far out in the rural area of Rabai, but they have no power. to use them. The success of the Koins for Kenya and Grant Victor partnership has been entirely based on your generous support please continue to do so.
We then went to Kambini pre-school where we were entertained with a short presentation by the children. Then we had all of the children sit down in small circles so we could pass out paper and finger paint.
This is also where we said goodbye to Madam Leah from Koins for Kenya, we won’t be seeing her again for the remainder of this trip. After our activities we handed out supplies then we piled into the vans to travel to the Steven Michaels school. This but school is the epitomy of what other schools should strive for when it comes to educating children with disadvantages as well as those without. At the Steven Michaels school the children with special needs are housed at the school but rather than being kept seperated during class time they are fully integrated into the regular classes. This shows how in touch with the students needs the staff at Steven Michaels school really is. After some brief activities with the children we let the teachers know what supplies we had brought and said goodbye.
As we drove away the sun was setting on our day but we still had one more stop. We were going to Buffalo’s home!
How do I describe Buffalo????
To be brief firstly, he is the man behind the construction of every Koins for Kenya School; the construction manager for Koins for Kenya. There is only one Buffalo in the whole world his commanding presence is aknowledged and felt by everyone, everywhere we go. He can silence a crowd with a look. We arrived and were introduced to his wife Miriam a warm and inviting woman that greeted nearly 20 people into her home that she had never met just like we were family. For me seeing him with his wifes brought to light an entirely different side of Buffalo than I had seen previously. They radiated young love for each other, truly tender to see. We sat and chatted a while then it was time to head to Mama Kamoti’s home for our last night in Rabai.
Currently most of our team is outside dancing with the village children; while I begin what will be my last entry for this trip. As I listen to the laughter mixed with the music from Burt Matthews Bluetooth speaker it’s hard to pin down exactly how I’m feeling. Humble appreciation mixed with a little personal dissatisfaction combined with a radiant glow of love. My humble appreciation comes from simply being part of this trip with all of the terrific team members Burt, Spencer, Jen, and Jacqueline Matthews, Becca and Jacob Banks, Rhet and Brynlee Nedham, Jory and Abby Burton, Matt Jensen, Ben Waddups, Levi Whitney, and Steve Littlfield… The personal dissatisfaction comes from seeing that I can be kinder, more welcoming, less judgmental as well as more generous; but that often I’m too often internally focused. The radiant love comes from all of the love shared with us filling us up and pouring over. The end of this visit has come far too soon yet at the same time it will be nice to be back home and back to work. My hope is that we can all look forward to the next trip with anticipation combined with preparation so that we can continue to bring generational change through education for all children of Kenya.
Asante Sana from all of us to every one of you form the bottom of our hearts!!
