This is a phrase my deceased husband used when we first went to Kenya. If you read the previous “Safari Story,” you know there were many needs in the lives of the Tharakan people when we arrived in 1984. This article is about some of those creative answers we used for this tribe of people in early years.
We realized that we were strangers to these people. They were fearful and distrusting of us. Because of our color, they thought of us as colonialists who had left negative impressions in Kenya. We know that. we had to do something to gain their trust.
We selected a primary school in the area called Thiiti. We visited with their principal and ask him what we could do to help. Their building was falling down and needed to be rebuilt. We asked if we could bring in some sacks of cement and help the parents make bricks, which we did. At the same time, we cooked a meal for the children at this school daily.
Brick making for school
Prior to this project, we built toilets at two primary schools. The government closed the schools after the Cholera epidemic until they could have toilets on their campus. This primary school asked us to teach their Bible class weekly. Then other schools began to invite us for their Bible lessons. When the brick project was finished, we raised money to put a tin roof on the school building.
Anytime we had a visiting team from the US, we had an outdoor medical or dental clinic at Thiiti Primary School.
We bought a shipping container and had it brought down that terrible Tharaka road to use for food storage. Thiiti Primary School allowed us to put the container on their school grounds. This school became like a “charter school” in this remote, needy area and opened many opportunities for ministry to the tharakan people.
Principal, children, and container
A young doctor intern came to Kenya and served several weeks. He visited Tharaka and treated people that had needs. He knew thatwe had a like vision of a future clinic in Tharaka. Under a school brick he buried a paper, believing in faith for such a clinic. Those of you who follow the story of Each One Feed One know that clinic came to pass, it is five kilometers up the road from Thiiti Primary School in Kenya and has treated a large number of patients for years.
These are only a few of the creative answers Each One Feed One found in early years. Many new pursuits followed for this beautiful group of people we love.
Cal and children
