Nairobi Children's Home

Keanu and a little friend who sure enjoyed the attention!

John and Junior, peak-a-boo just never gets old, no matter
what continent you are on! 

Jennifer and Joshua with a little guy named Joseph.

Today was a tough day.  We spent the morning at NAIROBI CHILDRENS HOME.  This is the first time we have gone to volunteer at a state run home for children.  This place is the first stop for many children after being found by the police or some concerned person.  They are found abandoned; sometimes they are dropped off and abandoned by their parents or in most cases their mothers.  They are brought here while some kind of long term plan is developed for them.  Family who could take them are sought after, rehabilitation of neglectful or substance abusing parents is attempted, or they are shipped off to a private children’s home, where if they are lucky, the standard of care will be much better.

I held one little baby today whose desperate mother dropped her off at her first day of pre-school, and then never returned.  The pre-school brought her to Nairobi Children’s home and now she is alone because mom is nowhere to be found.

Most of the children at this home are between the ages of 0-6 years, with some exceptions if there are older siblings.  Today, the chalk board in the office entrance says there are 44 residents, but just the last few days there have been as many as 55.

Jacqueline holding Kristen and Diego

Let me tell you the story of Diego, Kristen, and Junior.  Diego and Kristen are twins, and Junior is their older brother.  Three weeks ago, their mother committed suicide.  Their father, her husband, is a chronic alcoholic, and has not provided for the family for some time.  The children were severely malnourished, there was little hope.  Here in Kenya, food prices for even the most basic staples have skyrocketed, and even the most basic meal is insurmountable for so many.  Out of a sense of despair that I sure few of us will ever know, their mom ended her own life.  When their father discovered this, he simply locked the children in the house and left them to die.  Someone found them, and they have ended up at Nairobi Children’s Home for the last three weeks.  When we met them today, their story and their condition reduced me to tears.  It was so difficult.  I was holding Kristen, and when I tried to put her down she wept inconsolably.  The level of fear and neglect we encountered there among these children is too much for words. 

Kristen and I.  She snuggled right in!

When we arrived they gave us the customary tour.  Then, as soon as we met the kids, they started to cling to us, and they did not want to let go.  It was adorable and heartbreaking at the same time.  There was such a sense of desperation.  They wanted affection; they wanted to be held, to be loved, to feel safe.  They wanted and need all the same things kids everywhere want.   It was tough to deal with the kids who so desperately wanted affection, but it was even more difficult to cope with the few who recoiled in fear, absolutely terrified.  Some adult they trusted has done something to steal their sense of safety, their trust, and it was heartbreaking to see this, to experience this.  Our hearts ache for these ones especially. 

As I said before, these children more often than not are settled into private care homes and orphanages.  This is what brought Mission:180 to Kenya to begin with.  Our purpose here is to minister the whole love of God to widows and orphans.  As soon as we can open our doors, and be an operational government approved home, the sooner we can make an impact on the number of children who need the love and stability we aim to provide.   

We are now getting near the point in our time here when we can start to look for land.  We are looking for at least 5 acres, as we feel it’s essential to have lots of space to grow, as well as to produce a large Shamba, (garden), so we can have a sustainable source of produce for the residents of the homes, and possibly a place to graze goats and a few cattle.    This land will cost anywhere between $50,000-$100,000 Canadian dollars.   We know that it is God who has brought us here, for this purpose.  So we know that He will provide the necessary funds for this big undertaking.