2017 Hands to Home in Kenya!

Guest Blogger, Jessica (volunteer with Leigh's Mission) 

11/5: (SATURDAY) We headed out on our epic adventure to Gnong, Kenya with a layover in London. It was to be a short, 1 hour or so layover that was delayed and resulted in a 3 hour layover. Otherwise a fairly uneventful trip to Nairobi. We arrived at Huruma around 1:30 AM and hit the sack around 3:00 knowing we would get little sleep that night because of prayers the next morning at 6:30

11/6: (SUNDAY) We walked into the dining hall where prayer and worship is held in the mornings and we were met by the most beautiful, angelic sounds of sweet voices praising Jesus. Looking around at a sea of little black faces, I was overwhelmed with joy to finally be among them. When prayers were done, the kids swarmed around us ready to give plentiful hugs. We spent the morning setting up the dining hall for Vacation Bible School, decorating with streamers, snowflakes, posters and ribbons. It was a fun way to see the team come together and work together.
Afterwards we toured the Huruma grounds. We saw Mama Zipporah’s rooms, the dorms and the garden. It is quite amazing to learn what Huruma was just a few years ago and how with the help of generous donations and working hands, new buildings have been built to better accommodate the children.
We took a scenic, albeit very bumpy and rough bus ride into Karen where we shopped at the open market. I wasn’t prepared for the amount of street vendors all of whom were very much pushing their wares on us. I had no idea to expect this and being that I was a naive American, they made out pretty well with me!
We ate out and I sat next to David during lunch. I really enjoyed hearing some of his story and learning about his goals for his future. He is an impressive young man with a lot going for him and a bright future ahead.
We went to the Nakumat market for housing and food kit supplies only to find the market was very bare...toilet paper, dish soap, basic supplies were not to be found.
So we headed into Ngong to purchase the rest of the supplies which resulted in a pretty full bus but added to the adventure of bumpy roads, open market shopping and a day on the town. 
Robbin and Riley were supposed to arrive in the evening but we got a message from Robinn in the afternoon that she and Riley were detained in London due to Riley’s passport expiring in less than 6 months. British Airways would not let her on the flight. We gathered around with Mama and prayed over the situation and as God always does, He worked it out and we got word pretty quickly that although they couldn’t fly out on their original flight, they would catch one the next day to arrive in Nairobi on Monday evening. Yay God!

11/7: (MONDAY) We had morning chapel and Brad shared a message with the kids about how #1: God likes to surprise us; #2: God uses us all in unique and special ways; #3: God has a plan for each of our lives that is different from anyone else’s plan and gifting. He used an example of a block of wood, representing our lives. That block of wood has so much potential to become many different things. In this case, he pulled a wooden car out of a bag, a wooden truck and another vehicle. All of them looked slightly different and could ultimately serve different functions. He talked about how our lives can be shaped and used by God when we submit ourselves to Him. Afterwards we all circled around the Form 4 students, prayed over them and sent them off with hugs as they headed to their exams.
We prepared pancakes for 5 of the transition kids from last year (Mary, Alisha, Isaac, Florence and Louis). We shared together in a devotion led by Carol. The kids shared a bit about what they are doing now, where they are living and favorite scripture verses. The devotion was centered around the idea of removing noise and clutter from our lives. We talked about different forms of noise and clutter and that ‘clutter’ can also come in the form of unforgiveness, anger, resentment and other emotions, it is not just busyness or physical things. We talked about praying for God’s help to recognize the clutter/ noise and his strength to help us eliminate it.
I went to the girls room to decorate for VBS and got a lot of help from the girls with putting tape on posters and hanging them up around their dining hall. You would have thought I asked them to raid a candy store. They were so eager to help and what started with a few girls grew to about 8. I asked the girls as we were working about holiday traditions at Huruma. They were excited to share about Christmas, which they are very much looking forward to, given the number of Christmas carols we have sang together during evening chapel. They shared that on Christmas morning, they head down to chapel in their pajamas and when worship is through, they circle around a tree that has a present sitting under it for each one of them. Then they out on beautiful dresses and eat all the food they want to have, all day long. They were all clamoring to share and as they did, a huge vat of porridge was brought into the room for them. The girls lined up, drank every last drop of their porridge and many lined back up again for seconds. Wow, it was a humbling experience to hear them recount their Christmas celebration with such anticipation and to watch them eat their porridge like it was their very last meal.
Later in the afternoon, we took a walk to the land where Mama LeighAnn’s home is going to be built. It was a slippery, muddy walk on a rainy day but so cool to see transition boys working on the land and to see this plot that will soon be transition housing for the Form 4 students.
We went back to Huruma and held our first day of VBS. It was chaotic to start but turned out to be a great day.

11/8: (TUESDAY) Morning chapel was led by a message from Jeremy. He shared some of his testimony and the underlying message in it was that it is #1: Important to ask God for help with making decisions in our lives; #2: Seek wisdom from those who loves us; #3: There is hope even after making a bad decision. He shared how decisions can be either good or bad and that they will almost always have a long term impact on your life. 
The transition kids came back again today for breakfast with our team. We did a ‘Jesus Calling’ devotional and shared about the difficult times we have faced in our lives in which God has delivered us.
We went to Louis and Florence’s homes to see where they are each living. Their rooms were so nice, especially Florence’s. It was really neat to see how they have created these spaces for themselves and are learning to live as adults.
We then returned to Huruma and led our second day of VBS. It turned out great! The kids seemed to really get into it. The lesson was about building your life on the firm foundation of the Lord. They got the message and the combination of the science experiment/ lesson from Andra and the Bible story from Robinn drove it home pretty well.
Afterwards we spent time with the kids in smaller groups or one-on-one. It was wonderful hearing their hearts, finding out what they love about Huruma and getting snippets of their stories.
We had a fun evening of worship and prayer with a whole sleu of Christmas songs that filled a bulk of the evening.
What have I learned so far?
*They eat pizza in Kenya! It is a favorite food here.
*These kids work SO hard. They have chores to do every day and you hear no complaining from them.
*Gratitude, humbleness and contentment seem to be present among each and every child and adult here at Huruma
*Total reliance on God in prayer is what they go to first and when prayers are answered, they are praising him with deep gratitude.
*Prayer and worship is how they begin and end each and every day of the week


NOTES:
These kids are so happy to have visitors here to show them love, to receive their hugs and to know their names. There are so many children and many look alike so it is hard to remember which ones you have met and to keep their names straight. They are quick to learn our names however and anytime we walk anywhere near the children, many come up to us saying our names and wanting to give hugs. I am realizing how important a name is. This is one thing that every human being on earth has in common, we all have a name. We want to be identified by our name. It lets us know that we are seen and noticed. I have struggled this week with the fact that I get their names mixed up, cant recall that I have already heard some names multiple times and still ask again. It is just truly overwhelming to be meeting so many new people all at once, in an entirely new culture and to top that, to be overwhelmed by the stories of hurt and pain that brought these children to Huruma. All of this combined, has made it difficult for me to remember.

Day 1 and Day 2- Having a beautiful start to our week!!

Day One | Day 2

Good morning from Huruma!
It is a beautiful morning here, we got a bit of rain and it’s nice and cool. We have been so busy since we arrived, I can’t believe how fast the time is going!

We are so thankful for God’s hand of protection over our travels. We arrived in Nairobi safely, all of our luggage was accounted for, and we had no issues coming through customs. But of course the best part was being greeted with hugs and flowers from our dear Huruma family.

Day One:
We got a few short hours of sleep, and woke up early on Tuesday morning and headed to chapel. It’s so fun to start the morning with the kids, singing to the Lord. After chapel we met with Mama to do our orientation and go over the schedule.  Next we headed to the town of Karen to get some of the items we needed for the housing kits that had to be purchased in Kenya. That afternoon some of the team went to Ngong market to get some more supplies. By the end of the day we were all very tired, but it was so nice to finally be here to see all the people we love!

Day Two:
Wednesday morning we had the privilege of preparing breakfast for twelve of last year’s transition students. It was so fun to catch up with them all and hear about how they have been doing. We are so impressed by how much they have matured and grown over the last year. We did devotions together and spent some time thanking the Lord for His faithfulness. We were also able to check in with them and ask them questions about the supplies from their housing kits last year.

They gave us some great feedback, which has been so helpful! One of the issues they had was with the beans we gave them. Propane for their stoves is expensive, and the beans were taking too long to cook and using all their gas. They told us about a grain they have here called green grams, and for the new students we are going to give them lentils and green grams instead of beans. They also helped us learn how to identify the quality of the items we buy so that the supplies will last longer for them. It was so fun to sit down them and hear about what has worked for them over the last year, and what suggestions they had for change.

Wednesday morning for us was Tuesday night in the U.S., so the election was in full swing at home. We were all keeping an eye on the news, and we were laughing because everyone here at Huruma has really gotten into the election. They had the news playing in the dining room and all the kids were watching and cheering and they were very excited about it. It was so funny! It is definitely one of the main conversation topics here right now!

Wednesday afternoon we did a bunch of arts and crafts with the kids and they loved it.  Some of the younger kids colored and did a craft with perler beads. The older kids made bracelets and wire rings and they turned out so well! They were all very excited because we will be able to sell the rings and bracelets they made and the money will go back into supporting Huruma.

Later in the afternoon we got to learn how to make chipati (it’s a flatbread very common in Kenya), which was so much fun! It was a full day, but it was so good!

God is so good to us. He is clearly working here at Huruma, providing for everyone here and guiding Mama. It is such a privilege to be here and see how tender His heart is for Huruma. We are all so excited to see what else He has for us here!

Bwana Asifwe
(Praise the Lord)

-Kyla

Traveling to Kenya in one week!!

We are just one week away, I can’t believe it’s so close!!!

God is in the details. Throughout this whole process His hand has been so evident in all the planning and organizing, and we have no doubt He is with us in every step. Our sweet Jesus is just so wonderful! We are so thankful for His guidance and provision, and it’s a beautiful thing to watch how intentional the Lord is in the way He works.

I am so excited about the team God has put together. One thing I realized the other day is that all six of us have been to Kenya before which is super fun because we all know what’s waiting for us at Huruma! It is truly a privilege to be able to share life with them for a few days. 

It is so evident that God loves and treasures Huruma. He has so faithfully continued to bless the work that Mama Zipporah is doing as she seeks to raise these children to glorify the Lord. One of our prayers in working with the graduating high school students is that they would be equipped for an independent life that honors Christ. We are praying that they would take this seriously, and that the Lord would give them the desire and wisdom to steward this opportunity well. We want to encourage these students to become successful and lead lives bless His heart!

I can’t express this enough, our team is so incredibly thankful for all of the prayers and support. We would be so blessed and honored if you would continue to join us in prayer over these requests:

• For all of the students at Huruma as they are nearing the end of the school term.
• For the past and current housing transition students and their hearts. We are asking that the Lord would continue to prepare them, bless them, and give them the desire to seek out His purpose for their lives.
• For our team as we draw closer to leaving and that we would continue to seek the Lord and trust His plans for us. 

If you know someone on the team, I would love to encourage you to let them know that you are thinking about them and praying for them! The last week can always be stressful and overwhelming, and I know it would bless my team and make them smile to know that they are loved!

We cannot wait to share this adventure with you!

-Kyla

We packed our supplies tonight!! Can't wait to meet up with the other half of our team mid-travel!

 

Good things happening!!! Including Kenya in 10 days...

A note from Andra...

Dear Friends and Family,
First, I just want to thank you all for your love and support for this ministry!! I can’t believe we have been running for five years now and our SIXTH team is on its way to Kenya!! WOW!!  I’m thankful to God for His loving hand and guidance through this journey.  I continue to see His immense blessings and draw wisdom from His word. I also continue to draw encouragement from the love and truth Leigh Ann spoke into my life through our many years of friendship.

Thank you SO much for your ongoing financial support!!
Because of your generosity and God’s faithfulness:

1. We have been able to sustain our sewing program at the Phoenix Dream Center every other week and are seeing women grow confident in the skill of sewing.   As we sew, we continue to show them God’s love and speak of our own personal testimonies of God's faithfulness.

1. We are praying about starting a sewing program in Mexico with Open Arms Childcare Ministries . Open Arms is a non-profit charity that provides No-cost childcare to needy families. It is located in La Mision, Baja California, Mexico. Open Arms provides assistance to families who are in desperate need of child care service. We will definitely be sending them Leigh's Blankies on a regular basis!
2. At Cornerstone Christian Fellowship’s last major women’s event "REMIX-ON A MISSION" (1000 ladies were in attendance!) we hosted a break out session to communicate the needs of Leigh’s Blankies and how God is using this ministry to bring comfort and a skill set to others.  We acquired 18 new sewers at this event and we couldn’t be happier
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. We’ve implemented a check out system for our Take Home Blankie Kits so that we can better manage the distribution of fabric and Blankies.
4. Lastly, our upcoming project at Huruma Children's Home in Kenya is coming up on November 6^th through the 16^th!  A few weeks ago, we found out that our sweet transition students will be taking their national exams while we are there which means we will be unable to spend as much time with them as we were originally hoping to. While we are sad that we won't get to do everything exactly the way we planned, we have had the opportunity to watch God work through the changes. He has continued to bless our team with purpose and the privilege to serve and love Huruma in several other ways, and we can't wait to see what else He is going to do!

The Kenya plan:
We will be serving breakfast to last year’s transition students and having devotions with them for a few mornings. It will be wonderful to follow up with them from last year and offer support and encouragement.  We are also doing sewing, arts and crafts with the children at the home.  They can sell these items they create in the Curio Shop at the Orphanage! We will also be doing quite a bit of shopping for the items we will be providing in the Transition Student's Housing Kits and Food Kits. Piecing together household goods and food for a month for 16 students is no minor task!!  We also are planning a Saturday Seminar for the upcoming transition students.  The Seminar will contain a breakfast with devotions and then lessons on relationships, budgeting, nutrition and cooking.

We have a team of 6 going to Kenya. I am SO excited to tell you that our funding for our travel costs, Transition Housing and Food Kits are FULLY FUNDED!!! PRAISE GOD!!! As we prepare to leave we would LOVE your prayers for safety, good health and the following things:

• For the students at Huruma as they near the end of their school term and study for their exams. 
• For the transition students as they prepare to leave Huruma to start their lives as independent adults. 
• For our team as we continue to prepare for our trip, and continue to seek to be flexible and willing to pursue whatever God has for us. 

With much love,
Andra Good
Leigh's Blankies-Director

Leaving for Kenya One Month from Today!!

Friends,

In just one month from today we will be at the airport boarding our flight to Kenya. Crazy. It seems like just last week I was checking the count I have on my phone and it said 101 days!

As we prepare for this trip, our team is very aware of God's faithfulness, but as we get closer He continues to prove Himself to be such a good, good Father. If you have ever been on a trip like this, you know that one of the first lessons you learn is to be flexible. Anything can change, and plans are more of a rough and loose outline of how things are probably going to go. It is definitely a challenge to let go of control and trust that the Lord's plan is so much better than ours!

A few weeks ago, we found out that our sweet transition students will be taking their national exams while we are there which means we will be unable to spend as much time with them as we were originally hoping to. While we are sad that we won't get to do everything exactly the way we planned, we have had the opportunity to watch God work through the changes. He has continued to bless our team with purpose and the privilege to serve and love Huruma in several other ways, and we can't wait to see what else He is going to do!

I am so thankful to be traveling with a team focused on God's heart, and willing to be flexible in the pursuit of what He has for us. This is all about His glory, and we are so grateful that He has called us to be apart of the work He is doing in Kenya. 

I'm excited to keep writing as we get closer to heading to Huruma, and then to be able to share updates from Kenya with you all! Our team is so thankful for all of your support and prayers!

For now, we would be so blessed if you would be willing to pray over these requests:

-For the students at Huruma as they near the end of their school term and study for their exams. 

-For the transition students as they prepare to leave Huruma to start their lives as independent adults. 

-For our team as we continue to prepare for our trip, and continue to seek to be flexible and willing to pursue whatever God has for us. 

-Kyla Howey

(2016 Housing Care Project Blogger!)

Our 2016 Transition Students!!

Day 5: Sewing, running errands in town and Bedtime Giggles

Today myself and Linah (the sewing teacher) began the large project of sewing 12 pairs of curtains for the Huruma Guest House and the aunties' rooms. I'm anxious to share pictures of the finished product as they're made from beautiful Kenyan fabrics! They'll bring a lot of color to the rooms.
I took a quick trip into town with Huruma's Pastor James and Susie (she's been here making a huge impact for a year!). We made a gazillion stops along the way picking up hardware, furniture (table & rocking chair), souvenirs, produce and lunch! We treated Pastor to pizza and dessert. He had apple pie a la mode for the first time and loved it!! 😉 He decided he'd be our driver any day. 😉
Once we returned home it was time for me to teach my class. Today we finished up the burp cloth and started on the bib. Both of these projects are helping them to refine their sewing skills--they're doing a fantastic job!
Tonight we finished the evening with prayers and then I got to tuck 4 sweet things into their bed with a story. Can you get over their cuteness?!?! Precious, Selma, Hope and Jane share this bed and they could not be happier 💗 It was a good day to say the least!!!

Day 4 -School days & Sewing Class!

Day 4:
It's Monday morning in Kenya and the kids are getting ready for a new week of school!! I can't get over the respect they have gained for their teachers and staff. The staff is busy preparing food and laundering the clothes. Also, The older students pictured here are the transition students we worked with this last November. I am so excited to see them working and teaching at Huruma!

We began our sewing classes today!! I am reviewing the basic skills of sewing and began teaching them a burp cloth, bib and Blankie set to be sold in the curio shop.
I'm teaching seven students, including a young boy named Nicholas who is deaf. This has been such a joy as he is brilliant and extremely talented with arts and crafts!!