Kiminini, Kenya

Hello readers of all the world. That's right. Amanda, Jen, and I are still in Kenya. All three of us couldn't help but each write about our experiences in Kenya. Kenya was probably the most important place for us.

Holly's here reporting our time in Kenya for now.

September 2007
Kiminini, Kenya

Joshua had told us to come visit this group of women called the Masaba widows' group. The group consisted of women who lost their husbands from diseases. Most of the women had those diseases as well. They started up a business from their group, so they could let their children go to school.

Joshua wanted all of us to see all the programs that he was in control of. He wanted to show us that we didn't come here for nothing.

The women of the group invited us to eat and gave us huge helpings of food. Some told stories of how their husbands died. Some even said that their husbands had another wife while their husbands were still married to them. That was how diseases spread. Diseases also spread if the husband died and the wife was given to the husband's brother.

The widows' group gave awareness to be careful of those diseases (like HIV and AIDS).

The women asked me, Jen, and Amanda if we had any kids. We all answered no and they were surprised. In their culture, the more kids a woman had, the more respect she would have.

Joshua then sent us to visit a nun who ran a clinic. Her name was Sister Freda.

I gaped as I saw a long line of people waiting in front of the clinic. As we entered the clinic, we learned that the people in line were sick and needed treatment.

As we came in and Sister Freda greeted us, she told us about how she earned money by growing crops like avocados and bananas. She said that she wanted to help those who had diseases. The government didn't help the clinic survive at all, but she said that she and the clinic still made it through.

As we continued to talk and walk through the clinic, a little girl of about three years old ran to me and hugged me. I suddenly felt attached to this little girl. I suddenly felt like I knew her my whole life. I smiled and hugged her back. I held her up in my arms as we continued our tour of the clinic.

Her name was Esther. She was less fortunate than I was. A woman had dropped her off at the clinic and left her there. She was sick with malaria and was deformed. Sister Freda did all she could to help Esther. Esther became healthy again as the years passed by.

After we came back to our temporary home, Joshua had emphasized how the girls in this country were worth as much as his cows. We were then reminded of how the women here didn't have as many rights as the women in the United States.

The next day, Jen and I decided to go back to Sister Freda's medical clinic. By that time, Esther had already found me and Jen gave the medicine that she promised to buy for Sister Freda. Sister Freda thanked her graciously.

Then, I told Sister Freda that I wanted to be Esther's sponsor. I wanted to pay for all the necessities Esther needed. I wanted to pay for her school supplies, medicines, and other things that she needed. Esther graciously thanked me as well. I was happy to help. I knew that we came here to change these children's lives, but I think Esther had changed me.