Visiting in Kisumu

 Today we had the opportunity to visit some kids in other parts of Kisumu. Our first stop was Lake Victoria School for Vulnerable Children. After learning about this little school last week, we coordinated with their director to visit and bring along some much needed necessities for these kids. The director of this school John, along with his son Wycliffe are trying so hard to help these children receive an education and provide a place to attend school within their community where they have very little. Thanks to the generous support from family, friends and coworkers we came to Kenya with 3 suitcases full of donations for the kids in Kisumu. New boys & girls underwear, cloth diapers, socks, toothbrushes, toothpaste, dental floss, pencils, sharpeners, crayons, pens, coloring books, markers, sticker books, new & gently used kids shoes, reading glasses and lollipops. These precious kids were the benefactors of your support today and it was a blessing to be a part of paying it forward.

A little means a lot :) These boys were so excited!

Lake Victoria School for Vulnerable Children
(The kids came running to greet us!)

Primary kids at Lake Victoria School

Me, Cassi, Wycliffe & Heidi - Lake Victoria School

Our second visit of the day was at Agape Boys Home in Kisumu. This organization is an outreach ministry to "street boys" in Kenya and provides a safe, caring, and rehabilitative environment. A life on the streets is an acceptable way for many Kenyan boys as a result of family poverty, abandonment and abuse. Vince met a young boy, Derek in Kisumu last year who was living on the streets at age 12 and he has been going through Agape's transitional program for the past several months. We spent about an hour with him today and he appears to be thriving and learning and in a much better place than when Vince last saw him.

I had the opportunity to chat with some other boys while they visited and met some truly bright kids - all ranging in age from 11 - 14. 

Daniel is 11 and he arrived at Agape last night - Both of his parents and uncle have died, leaving him without a nearby relative to look after him. He was happy to be there and to have slept in a bed & eaten a real meal :) 

Daniel - 11 years old

Vince & his buddy Derek 

Feeling a bit heavy-hearted tonight as my time in Kenya will soon be coming to an end. It is so hard to wrap my head around the whys and what ifs of this world and to make sense of circumstances and situations I have seen over the past 9 days in Kisumu.

To end on a happy note - a little Obama love from the day!

Mandy - Vince - Cassi