Safari to Meru

Safari! Monday we set off for the district of Meru, a rural farming area about 4 hours outside Nairobi with our hostesses, Miriam and Leah. The journey led us through lush, green farmland, terraced with tea plants, corn and various crops. It was refreshing to get out of the hustle and bustle of the big city; as I’m sure you heard, there was a bombing in Nairobi Monday morning. We’re still getting sketchy reports (you probably are getting more details in the US than we have been able to get, since we have little access to the news where we are). Apparently someone set off a small explosive at the entrance to the Ambassador Hotel, which is downtown near the Hilton. Reports are sketchy, but one person died and 37 were injured. We didn’t hear the explosion; we weren’t that close to the hotel, but traffic was at a standstill and there was much confusion as people began to converge on the scene. We avoided all of that and were able to begin our trip to Meru with no problems. We were so saddened by the event; from what several people told us, this is not uncommon in an election season (elections are in Dec.). The purpose seems to make people afraid and want to turn away from the current administration. There is still much emphasis on tribal origin, and most people want the president and leaders to come from their particular tribe. How sad that the striving for political power can drive people to such senseless acts.

After several hours on the road, we took a brief stop at a quaint, old hotel with beautiful lawns and gorgeous plantings. We had a cold drink under a huge umbrella on the lawn and continued our journey. At last, we entered the district of Meru and arrived in the city of Chuka. Miriam was born in this city; her sister is now the mayor. We stopped at the Chuka Hospital to visit the patients and encourage the staff, which is quite small for the number of patients. The present president has made improvements in areas of health care, and this small hospital has been expanded, but the furnishings and equipment were sparse. We were told that at least now, they have medicine (which is hard to imagine…a hospital without medicine, or water). We first visited the pediatric ward, a very crowded room of baby cribs with children from 1 month to about 3. Most of them were there for malaria or pneumonia. The mothers have to stay with their children (we wondered where they slept, since the cribs were small and there was no space for even a chair). We visited with the children and their mothers, gave them stuffed toys, and prayed with them. The children were precious, and we hoped that we could encourage their mothers. Next we visited the maternity ward; half of the room held women who were either in labor or about to, and the other side was for moms with newborns. Again, it was sparsely furnished, with little more than a cot for each mother. The babies we saw were no more than 1 day old, so tiny and beautiful. One young woman was on the floor writhing with labor pains. We prayed with and for her and her baby, hoping that we had encouraged all of these mothers.

The guys visited the men’s area, sharing and praying with them. Our young men certainly rose to the occasion, praying earnestly for each patient. Two young boys, about 10, were also there. One was an orphan with AIDS. He looked so frail and weak. He labored to walk out to ask Josiah for prayer; heartbreaking.

The head nurse who guided us expressed great thanks for our coming. She said that they need much encouragement and were blessed by our concern, which was our desire. For there, the team split into two groups to settle into our two host homes for our stay in Meru. Both Miriam and Leah live on small farms down deeply rutted, dirt paths. The quiet calm of the country was interrupted only by the sounds of an occasional dog barking or cow mooing. The lights run on generators, and they usually turn them off about 10:00. Once the lights were out, it was incredibly dark! We couldn’t see the hand in front of our faces.

Tuesday was a very full day. We went to see the goats that the women are raising to help poor families. As you may remember, in our gift catalog, we suggested giving goats and bee hives to families struggling to pay school fees so their children can attend school. Many of you did provide goats and hives, and we were able to see them up close. The breed of goats provided are of a stronger breed and produce better kids who can produce better and more milk. We all had a chance to milk the goats! Though we did manage to get some in the bucket, I don’t think any of us would want a full time job of it. But it is a huge help to these families. They now have very nutritious milk for their family and have some left over to sell. We also saw a new project, one of raising silk worms, that they also hope will bring in revenue for needy families. Next we went to a nearby church to meet with a wonderful group of women involved in outreach in Meru. We were greeted warmly and introduced to many of the orphans they are helping. There were a number of high school students who have lost one or both parents and are now living with another relative or guardian. Without the help of the PACWA women, they probably wouldn’t be in school. We asked them about their hopes and desires; they all wanted to continue to university and become doctors, nurses, teachers, engineers, and one a journalist. They were bright young people, and we tried to encourage them to study hard and look to the Lord to provide for their needs. Many of the younger orphans also came, and the team had a great time playing games with them and just being with them.

Our next stop was a remote public high school for mostly very poor students, including many orphans. Some who live by come to school for the day, but many come from so far out that they board at the school. We saw their dorms (furnished with rustic wood bunk beds and little else), their few classrooms, and gathered with the students in their chapel/dining room. Africa is characterized by song and dance, and the students had prepared a wonderful tribal drum dance to accompany a group of boys who did acrobatics, very much like we saw at the BOMAS cultural show. A great job!! The girls sang and danced, again with drums. The team led the students in singing and gave a presentation of Jonah, which they seemed to really enjoy. Phil did a great gospel presentation and we made salvation bracelets with all of them. I think having visitors of any kind is a rare occurrence in this area, certainly muzungus, but it seemed to bless them a lot. We ended our time there by introducing them to Frisbees, leaving a number of them for the school.

After a full and very satisfying day, we headed back to our host houses. We have had such wonderful opportunities to experience so many aspects of Kenya, from the inner city slums to the rustic countryside. Each area has its challenges, but there is beauty in the midst of it all. It is evidenced in the faces of the people, especially the children, in the beautiful landscapes, lush vegetation, and the mountain range containing Mt. Kenya. The people are so very gracious; we could not have been welcomed more. Our hearts are burdened by the poverty, disease, and hopelessness of so many, but we have also rejoiced with our Kenyan brothers and sisters. They show us so vividly what it means to depend totally on the Lord. They never seem to tire of praising the Lord, or of praying. Their intense desire for the Lord has spoken to each of us, and even as we prepare for our last full day in Meru tomorrow, we are already feeling that we will all leave a chunk of our hearts here in Kenya when we return home.