Well we all made it back in one piece (except for Tiny-Dancer and Crafty-Ann - Holiday for another week).
I cannot believe we're back in Bristol - seems very surreal!
I know that Mike, Ann and Est have already written their account so I'll try not to repeat...
Slums.... As you can see from this picture the slums are massive - the largest in Africa. They stretch for around 9-10 miles and hold over 1 million people.
Our last day was again working in St Lazarus School in the Kibera Slums, which has been setup by Rachel and Herbert. The School is situated next to a railway line and rivers of raw sewage. The rooms are small, cramped and very hot. All walls are made up corrugated metal, the only natural light that enters each of the rooms are from a couple of clear plastic strips in the ceiling - works very well when the sun is out.
The children were amazing, and their smiles and laughter made it all worth while. There were 3 classes in total at the school, and two more classes in the other building which was just recently built or acquired (10 minute walk from School).
For the first half of each morning we painted the newly built hall and some smaller class rooms in a lovely white emulsion. This gave each of the rooms an instant face-lift and made them feel cooler and brighter to work in - Kids will be pleased.
The second part of the day we taught the Children. Julie and Sam in one lesson, Mike and Ann in the other and Est and I in the last. We all taught them songs - 'I reach up High' , prayed for them and played with them. The Children are so full of life here, and the teachers and Rachel (The Head) were an inspiration to us all. The love they have for these children is amazing, but the Love they have to spread the name of the Lord through these Slums is incredible.
I was reading through Hebrews 13:5 and these words struck me. "Be content with what you have" - and God said, "never will I leave you and never will I forsake you"
Those words didn't really strike me until I entered the slums again on the Tuesday morning. It became an emotional rollercoaster at one point. The 'Flying Toilets' that have appeared in the news time and time again are a reality - and that was hard to stomach.
The slums do have public toilets to try and eradicate many types of diseases, but even these have there own problems. I used the far left toilet (nearest the camera) - it wasn't a pleasant experience and the smell engulfed you.
All I can say is that visiting these slums was the most humbling and emotional experience I have ever had.
The trip to Kenya was amazing and I feel very blessed in being able to go and witness to these Children at Brackenhurst and especially to the Children of St Lazarus School. Like Est says, if we didn't have photos to back up my time here then it would have been the most surreal event.
Thanks again for all the support over the last 2 months getting us here financially and also your prayers and support while we where all over there.
I don't think I'll ever forget my time in Kenya - if I was honest, I really enjoyed the kids at Brackenhusrt, but it didn't come close to the emotional time I had in the slums.
Thanks again,
Love Ben x
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