My Eye Opening Trip to Kenya by Bonnie Herrick

      I had been saving for the trip I took to Kenya with Child Arise for several years.  I wanted to see Elizabeth Mativo again and meet the rest of my Kenya “family” with my own eyes.

            My family had come to know Elizabeth and her husband Pastor Mativo very well when they visited the United States during their evangelism and church planting years and again when Elizabeth came after the death of Mativo.

            In Kenya, we visited many widows and orphans.  Sometimes we couldn’t understand each other and we would just smile and laugh at the differences that we had.  I don’t think they ever experienced someone so foreign to them.  Many of them had never left Mbooni or even seen white people.  The children liked touching our “soft hair” and petting our “white skin”.

 

A few times we noticed a child was not in school.  We asked about this.  They  couldn’t pay the school fees so they were sent home! This broke our hearts.

 

            It was fun talking with the kids and asking them their dreams for their lives.  Some wanted to be teachers, doctors, engineers and one girl wanted to be a flight attendant.  Some of the same goals for kids here in America.

         We encouraged the kids to stay close to God and stay pure.  We told them to stay in school and get an education.  We told them that when they finished college to return to Mbooni to support their area and their people.  We reminded them of what a godly example Joseph, Elizabeth’s son, is to his people of Mbooni.

 

         While in Kenya, we listened to the stories of the struggles these widowed women face every day.  I can’t imagine living their lives.  They work so hard every day just to survive and many of these older ladies are taking care of orphaned children too.

 

            One woman earned money by making clay pots.  She had to go dig up the clay and carry it home.  She also had to carry the water home in a jug.  These mountains have steep trails. 

            We saw her baking her clay pots in a big pile on her “compound”.  We would use a kiln. 

 

        Another woman we visited used to be a pot maker too, but it had become too difficult for her in her older years.  Now she’s lost the little income she had.  

 

 

           We visited another lady at her home.  It was approximately 10’ x 10’ mud hut.  Inside she had a wooden bed frame but there was no mattress!

 

She, her daughter and her daughter’s two little girls, including an infant, slept on the dirt floor.  About three feet away from their “bed” was a pot cooking over an open smoky fire.  There was not sufficient ventilation.

Her adult daughter is mentally ill and she has to take care of her, but often can’t afford her medicine.  Her daughter needs a monthly injection and daily pills.  When she doesn’t get her medication she is extremely difficult for her mother to handle. 

 

 

Widowed women or orphaned children were always coming to Elizabeth’s

house for help.  Early one morning, I saw a young mother come to Elizabeth’s “compound” with a 10 oz. empty plastic bottle.  She later left with it filled with milk from Elizabeth’s cow.

 

 Another mom showed up at Elizabeth’s with her sick child.  My daughter, Emily, who’s studying to be a physician’s assistant, gave the small boy some children’s Tylenol that we brought at Elizabeth’s request.

 

 
         With donations from people like you, Elizabeth tries to meet the needs of these widows and orphans who need it so much.

She has Bible studies and feeding programs for them too. 

 

Elizabeth and her people welcomed the entire team with open arms.  I was not disappointed at any time.  I am so thankful that I went on this trip and got to see what God is doing through her.  I love this lady and admire her so much.  Your donations really are helping a lot.

 

Donations can be made to

Child Arise Kenya

Widows & Orphans Ministry

827 5 Ave Dr W, Andalusia IL  61232

309-798-2596

dawn@childarisekenya.com

ChildAriseKenya.com

Child Arise Kenya is an IRS approved 501(c)(3) nonprofit tax-exempt ministry

Prayer Requests

UPraise God for the flow of clean water in Mbooni.  Pray for better health in our area. 

UPraise God for the shipment with all the donations.   Many in Mbooni have seen the love of God through your generosity.

U Pray that the Lord will provide me with wisdom as I face new decisions and challenges.  Pray that many more will follow the Lord.

UPray that God will use the Mativo property as an oasis of His grace and for His glory for years to come.