Refocused.

orphan at the Mathare orphanage in the slums of Nairobi, Kenya, Africa.

“Refocus.” This word, meaning and needed impact on my daily living was brought to mind this morning and has been a theme throughout the day. It (the word) is now written on a sticky note taped to my bathroom mirror as a reminder of my need to constantly refocus my thoughts, attitude and actions to be centered on godliness.

Bible Quizzing: I took over position of coach for 7 sweet Kenyan girls who attend the local church I go to on Sundays. We generally meet 2 times a week to practice memorizing the book of Luke. Kenyans in general are great at memorizing things, but struggle somewhat to think critically/apply something to varied situations. It's so encouraging to practice memorization with young girls of God's Word, which is alive and active and sharper than a double edged sword-a light to our path.

top to bottom/left to right: me, Patience, Amarice, Kelli; Magdalene, Faith, Diana, Joy (missing: Mercy)

Nairobi-capital of Kenya, a 3.5 hour drive from Tenwek on a good day. I rode in Friday the 20th with friends Kim & Kelli, 4th yr. medical students from Louisville. We spent the night with Robyn Moore, nurse practitioner who volunteers with orphanages around Nairobi. A group of us were able to accompany her on visits to what she termed “the worst and the best” orphanages of this bustling city of 3,038,600 (Aug. 2007 census). (In comparison, Chicago, IL’s 2000 census was 2,896,016.)
We spent our morning at Good Samaritan, the “worst” orphanage in the Mathare slums on the east side of Nairobi. Talking with a general surgeon Michael Johnson, who has been serving the people of Kenya for 19 yrs with his wife and family, was yet another in a series of conversations I’ve been blessed by as I hear stories and interact with people who live life with a focus of sharing and spreading Christ’s love with the least of these. (Like my who/which clause Mom?) Interacting with some of these children left my mind reeling with wonder at how God works, and what his purpose was for revealing to me the physical, spiritual and emotional needs of just this small number of orphaned children our world so easily overlooks. As the medical staff weighed children, passed out vitamins, checked on sick ones, the videography team from WGM (World Gospel Mission) captured much on camera. I found myself playing London Bridges, hand games, and holding small children while the older girls tried to teach me some Swahili, sang songs with me and played with my hair. A few fellow Americans and I ventured outside the orphanage walls led by a few Kenyans around my age who grew up in the orphanage. As we walked through the plastic bag covered streets of the slum where small rivers of sewage flowed and pigs sloshed in the homes of people living without easy access to healthy food, running water or latrines (toilets) I heard small children singing their few known “mzungu/white person” words of “howareyou, howareyou, howareyou?” Many loved grabbing my white arms, and one even ventured a peak up the back of my shirt to check if that was as white as my arms…. ☺

Jesus loves the little children...


children living in the slums rub my white arms in wonder... and I wonder at their fascination and wanna just love them all...


"Reggae boy" :) grew up at Good Samaritan and walked us around the slums



the Mathare slums. sewage running through living space. it's true.


Our afternoon was spent at Brydge’s Children’s Home just outside of Nairobi in Ngong. A stark contrast to Mathare, these childrens’ future looked brighter as options and plans were being put in place, food, shelter and play place was accessible, and clothing was clean. The kids here were just as sweet as those at Mathare, but their needs were better cared for.



My heart remains in the slums.



Ebb & flow; come & go. I have now said good-bye to more friends than I care to actually count here at Tenwek. Living at the guest house is a tremendous opportunity to meet people from all over the world-literally! And while I’ve never been a big fan of getting close to people and then having to say goodbye, God’s been refining my understanding of this predetermined aspect of life here on earth, and I try to focus on thankfulness for God’s sovereignty and divine appointments of time and friendship and perfect plans for all things. It was wonderful to welcome the Haywards’ back from their 2 weeks in Thailand! I missed my “family” and the boys wonderful stories and additions to our classroom.

Samaritan's Purse is an organization that works with WGM and there are 3 SP drivers who transport many missionaries to and from Tenwek. Daniel was around for my arrival to Kenya and was a huge help in trying to locate that missing luggage. A fun new friend who makes me laugh like crazy! He's threatened to steal my passport so I'll stay in Kenya longer-at least long enough to babysit his 4 m. old son while he and his wife sneak away... :)



Most currently I have been spending a lot of time with Sonja Dawsey- she is from Maryland, finished undergrad studies at Michigan, and is at Tenwek doing esophageal cancer research while waiting to hear if she is accepted to medical school for next fall.

We have undertaken the task of cooking ourselves breakfasts and dinners in order to save money. Lunch is still eaten with other guest house residents at missionaries or local Kenyan homes, the guest house, or the hospital restaurant (yummy somosas and chips which are actually French fries served with “Peptang”/ketchup). Our first adventures with this project included finding recipes without prepackaged/boxed/canned sorts of foods, and then a trip up to the dukas (little roadside shops run by Kenyan women) to buy cabbage, carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, pineapple, banana, et cetera. Dinner #1 was pancakes w/ homemade syrup. Dinner #2 was cabbage salad- mixed together after bleaching our vegetables. ☺ Our next planned adventure is to room together starting next week, again in order to try to save more money….

Thanks for bearing with the long update. I so appreciate the many of you who have stayed in touch with little encouragements and prayer. I love each of you, and when I think about it for too long, miss you much.

Grace & peace,

~Sarah