The July 2011 Mission Team organized and hosted an amazing concert on June 18th at the Missoula Winery, raising both money and awareness for the Nakuru 3:16 project.  The concert featured performances by David Boone (joined by Jamie Kelly for an amazing duet of “Alleluia”) as well as Jamie’s jazz ensemble.  It was truly a wonderful evening enjoyed by all.

Our kitchen garden is finally thriving now that the rains are here, we have planted some maize, beans and vegetables.

Our chickens unfortunately died because there was an outbreak of disease but we counted it all joy and had a mighty feast and ate them all…..

Monica Wanjiru and Ann Nyambura are doing very well in their hairdressing and beauty therapy classes. Since Ann started college earlier, she is about to start her exams next week after which she will begin her attachment.

Josephine Kaveza will also be completing her dressmaking, module 2 course very soon, after which she has been promised a teaching job at the PCEA Surburb College, where she is taking the course.

Josephine Kanyiva on the other hand is doing a fantastic job volunteering at Jitegemea schools, where our children go to school, as a teacher and she will be joining the Egerton University where she has been accepted for BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (horticulture). She however wants to change from horticulture to pursuing BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (Nutrition and Dietetics) later in September, 2011.

Esther Wambui has is a very joyful girl nowadays, her growth has been tremendous, and words cannot explain it. She is now our little miss sunshine always whistling and singing around the house. Their counselor, Bernard Kamore introduced her to a bead art class going on for 2 months, where a volunteer from abroad volunteered to teach a group of HIV infected group around the community. Most of us are now sporting Esther mode bracelets and needless to say they are simply beautiful. Being in the support group has really brought Esther out of the shell. She says that the sharing of different experiences and tribulations they have all under gone due to their status has been truly inspirational. It’s given her strength and new found faith to go on.

Their counselors report indicates that all the girls in school and college are progressing positively at all levels. The women have really grown; they have matured in responsibility, discipline, socially, psychologically. We attended a Burial for one of the girls we previously had back in 2007-2009, Esther Muthoni, who refused to take her ARV’s and to eat properly which is required for a HIV positive person, we tried everything to help her but it was fruitless since she had lost hope and she wanted to die. It was painful for all of us to watch her deteriorate everyday at the hospital with nothing we could do. Anyway at the burial, we had a chance to look at our girls in the midst of their street quorum. They looked totally different and most of the others were envious of their progress. They tried to convince the others to change their lives and they had two candidates that wanted to join 316.

The school going children  and the toddlers are doing very well and they are all healthy and growing up.

Beatrice Achieng recently went back to school; hers is a story of true courage and overcoming of diversity. As you can remember she recently lost her baby not so long ago but she did not let her loss bring her down. She expressed her urge to go back to school and pick up from where she had dropped out many years ago when her parents died. We enrolled her sometime in August last year to join the standard seven class, who despite being almost ten years her junior, didn’t intimidate her. She took to her new classmates like fish to water and quickly acclimated to her new environment. As a matter of fact, looking at her now in her school uniform you can hardly tell her apart from her peers. She radiates confidence. This whole experience has given her a sense of purpose, coincidentally her three year old daughter Nicole goes to the same school as her and is in baby class.

The end term is finally here with us and school closed last week on Wednesday and per tradition all the children brought home their progress report books. As  fate would have it Beatrice performed rather well and we are all cheering her on and doing all we can to support her. The rest of the children did very well with Margaret Wanjiru emerging top of her class. This however can’t be said of the kids who are in boarding school, their performance was less than sterling and there was a slight drop in grades this time around as compared to last term’s. We have decided to have the counselor talk to them in school and find out if all is well. I am also taking them to Mombasa today courtesy of the young life Christian group. This will go a long way in helping them unwind, participate in team building activities, mingle with their peers, and hopefully get these teens to open up more as we all bond.

The girls who are in college are doing very well. Monica and Ann are well on their way to becoming professional beauticians and Kavesa on the other hand is showing a lot of skill in the tailoring department. They are however on a two week recess and will be resuming their classes next week.

-Regina

Monica Wanjiru and Ann Nyambura are doing very well in their hairdressing and beauty therapy classes. Since Ann started college earlier, she is about to start her exams next week after which she will begin her attachment.

Josephine Kaveza will also be completing her dressmaking, module 2 course very soon, after which she has been promised a teaching job at the PCEA Surburb College, where she is taking the course.

Josephine Kanyiva on the other hand is doing a fantastic job volunteering at Jitegemea schools, where our children go to school, as a teacher and she will be joining the Egerton University where she has been accepted for BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (horticulture). She however wants to change from horticulture to pursuing BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (Nutrition and Dietetics) later in September, 2011.

Esther Wambui has is a very joyful girl nowadays, her growth has been tremendous, and words cannot explain it. She is now our little miss sunshine always whistling and singing around the house. Their counselor, Bernard Kamore introduced her to a bead art class going on for 2 months, where a volunteer from abroad volunteered to teach a group of HIV infected group around the community. Most of us are now sporting Esther mode bracelets and needless to say they are simply beautiful. Being in the support group has really brought Esther out of the shell. She says that the sharing of different experiences and tribulations they have all under gone due to their status has been truly inspirational. It’s given her strength and new found faith to go on.

Their counselors report indicates that all the girls in school and college are progressing positively at all levels. The women have really grown; they have matured in responsibility, discipline, socially, psychologically. We attended a Burial for one of the girls we previously had back in 2007-2009, Esther Muthoni, who refused to take her ARV’s and to eat properly which is required for a HIV positive person, we tried everything to help her but it was fruitless since she had lost hope and she wanted to die. It was painful for all of us to watch her deteriorate everyday at the hospital with nothing we could do. Anyway at the burial, we had a chance to look at our girls in the midst of their street quorum. They looked totally different and most of the others were envious of their progress. They tried to convince the others to change their lives and they had two candidates that wanted to join 316.

The school going children  and the toddlers are doing very well and they are all healthy and growing up.

Visiting days at Jitegemea School are always exciting, and I can say this from experience. As I spent last summer living with the Nakuru 3:16 family for three weeks I can recall the day we went to visit the school. It was an early morning, at about five AM the women were up cooking. I remember I lagged a bit behind that morning but my American friend and I soon joined the women and were put to the task of peeling potatoes, dicing tomatoes, and cutting carrots. I had always been amazed at the Kenyan woman’s great skill at peeling a potato with a knife faster than I could with a potato peeler. They never cut themselves and moved gracefully. I however, managed to cut off a lot more than the peel of the potato and on occasion small bits of my thumb were a sacrifice that was made.

The visiting days are a time for families of the children to make lots of food, take it to the school and share in a meal with their children and other friends. Afterward the parents are able to get updates on how their children are performing in their classes. In February was another such one of these visiting days. The women were up again early and parents and children were able to join in a day of celebration and delicious food (I know this from experience too). Many of the Nakuru 3:16 children have been exceling in their school work, including: Joyce Mwikali, a pioneer student from Nakuru 3:16; Ann, Virginia, and Charity, all class one students; and Sean and Pauline, who are top of their class.

In February the women took an educational fieldtrip up to the nearby town of Elburgon, where they met a working women’s group. The women spin their own wool and make products including: stuffed dolls, stuffed animals, mats, scarfs, and bags. Once made these goods are exported to different countries including the United States. The Nakuru 3:16 women were able to ask questions, and the women’s group served as an inspiration to the Nakuru women through their entrepreneurial success.

Recent additions to the Nakuru 3:16 family include Pastor Kamau and his family. Mr. and Mrs. Kamau have taken up the role of house parents to the women and children at Nakuru 3:16. The Kamaus have three children: Joseph, 12 years old; Mary, 11 years old; and Tabitha, 7 years old. The three children attend Jitegemea School with the other children at Nakuru 3:16.

Mr. and Mrs. Kamau act as surrogate parents to the women and children and help them grow spiritually. The couple works to provide times of devotion, discipleship classes, Bible studies, as well as emotional and psychological support to the Nakuru 3:16 family. Despite a few initial problems, the Kamaus have now been accepted into the Nakuru 3:16 family.

Nakuru has been experiencing some dry weather. Water must be trucked in every three weeks. However, some crops have still been harvested, including beans, tomatoes, carrots, coriander, and other local greens. Though water may be in short supply chickens are certainly not! The chicken population has grown significantly, despite deaths due to disease, dogs, and consumption. The home may even need to invest in a poultry house, as there are over 20 chickens roaming the yard.

Several girls from Nakuru 3:16 have been admitted to the PCEA Suburb College. The admissions took place on January 17th and included five women from Nakuru 3:16. Among the women are Ann Nyambura, continuing student in Hairdressing and beauty therapy; Josephine Kaveza, continuing student in Dressmaking; Josephine Kanyiva, continuing student in Computer packages; and Monica Wanjiru and Beatrice Achieng, new students in Hairdressing and beauty therapy.

Recent happenings at Nakuru 3:16 included a bout of illness for three of Nakuru 3:16′s youngest. All three were taken to the hospital, diagnosed, and treated for malaria, pneumonia, and digestive problems. The three babies and their mothers have returned to Nakuru 3:16 in good health. Conditions at the hospital were extremely crowded and the mothers were all glad to be home where good company, good food, and good sleeping accommodations could be found.

Other health related news includes a free medical camp offered at PCEA Nakuru West Church, that Regina was able to take some of the women to. Here the women received medical check-ups that are normally difficult to come by.  The children attended this camp a few days later, when the camp was specifically set aside for Nakuru 3:16, Tumaini Mission Centre, Nakuru Hills Special, and the staff and volunteers from each establishment.

Regina has also gotten a hold of a professional counselor who was able to meet specifically with one of the girls at Nakuru 3:16. This counselor is to meet with the women in group sessions on a weekly basis. He will be available to meet individually with any of the women if the need arises.