A Trip to Africa

Helping Children in Kenya

Recently Jaime, one of our house cleaning techs, took a mission trip to Kenya. To both encourage her and share her experience, I asked her to write about her trip. We also want to inspire others to use their time to help others.

Jaime’s Story

In July of this year, 2013, I took a two-week missions trip to Nairobi, Kenya. After many hours of travel and flight complications my team of seven women arrived at Happy Life Children’s Home! We were welcomed by so many beautiful faces of children! They were overjoyed to see us. It was as if they had never seen mzungus (white people) before, which is not true. They have seen many! This is what we would be surrounded by every minute, every hour for the next fourteen days! I could not wait to dive fully in! I couldn’t wait to be a part of these people’s lives! I couldn’t wait to each their food like chapatti, which is a flat tortilla, and samosa’s, which are fried chapatti stuffed with meat and/or vegetables. I personally think it is the best food in the world!

After getting settled in, that night at 8pm, which is nine hours ahead of Colorado time, we began our routine with the babies. They get fed three or four times each day. In the morning they are changed, get a bath, and new clothes. At night they are changed again with a new pair of clothes. Once they are laid back down, each baby is bundled up because it is winter and “freezing” cold (only 60 degrees). This is nothing for us but because they have really warm summers, it makes winters quite chilly. So that night we gave each little one, who was three weeks – one and a half years old, a bottle.
This is a wonderful time to let the baby know they are loved and cared for as well as an opportunity to speak life into them. Since being abandoned and left on the street, they may not know it but hidden inside of them is that abandonment. Having that time with each one is so very crucial. It was such a blessing for each one of us women to be able to participate in that. I treasured and looked forward to each feeding.

They usually fed the littlest ones first who were less than four months old then moved to the older ones. I was so grateful for that order because I love them just a little more. The first couple days this was not the case. I enjoyed holding and feeding anyone. Then the third day rolled around and the first feeding I held a little girl named Tamara, who at the time was almost three months old. As I put her into my arms I began to weep. Whether people believe in God or not, He spoke very clearly to me. He said, “She is yours!” I was blown away! I knew that in a million years I would never adopt until I was married. Currently, I am not married or even seeing anyone. The Lord’s will and plan is the VERY best! He knows better than I ever will or could. When He spoke I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that this was to be true and if God was in it! He would bring it to fruition! So I agreed! I was weeping only because God is good and I was going to be obedient.

I began to plan in my head of what needed to take place next. I wanted to go home so I could begin the process of adoption and at the same time I was not going to leave Tamara’s side. From that moment on I did all I could to be with her. Each feeding time I ran down to the baby room before it was time so I could be ready to hold my little treasure. That is her nickname now – treasure – because without knowing it I found the treasure at the end of “the rainbow” (Kenya, Children’s home). The Lord is so very, very, very faithful! He knows me better than I know myself! He desires to be in communion with me, to be close to and know me, and to give me the desires of my heart!

With all that being said, I have started the adoption process! I am so excited. I wish it did not take years but instead, days. There is so much that goes into it. I know I will need a lot of help, especially being a single mom (for right now). I have set up a website if any wants to help. It is http://www.youcaring.com/other/all-for-tamara/87897. Check it out! Help make this special adoption happen! Thank you in advance!

Jaime