A Story of Our Very Early Work in Kenya
Place: Tharaka Praise Center in Kenya
Time: 6:00 in the evening
Scene: Cal reading by a dim fluorescent solar lamp, Kelly playing with her dog, “Lee”
Reuben, one of the evangelists, came to the house and announced that there was a little boy in our tree. Reuben had seen the young man earlier in the day but thought he would go away at night time. Reuben spoke to the child in KMeru, and he indicated that he was Ma Katah’s boy, John.
The child was brought to the house, and we recognized him as the orphan boy we had been helping since 1986. He was very dirty and had a very sad look on his face. We found a little leftover food and some fruit for him to eat.
John was a student at Thiiti Primary School where we first worked with the Tharakan people. Thiiti is located only five miles down the road from our present Praise Center. At this time there was a serious draught and cholera epidemic. John lost his father at the beginning of the draught and his mother to cholera during the epidemic. The school principal took John to his own home and has paid for his own schooling and food since that time.
After letting the boy eat, Reuban began to interpret so we could find out about John. It was obvious that he understood a great deal of English, because he responded in KMeru answers immediately after hearing the English questions. We discovered that John had run away from the principal’s home several weeks previous. The grandfather in the home required John to take the goats for water every day after school. The young man refused to take the goats for water anymore! The grandfather plainly said that if the boy didn’t work he couldn’t eat and sleep at the house. So John had run away and lived in trees, probably begging for food from house to house. After a long discussion, we convinced John that he must return to the principal’s home and apologize to the grandfather. This is a very difficult task in anyone’s culture, even for a child. Reuben accompanied John the next day, the apology was successfully made and arrangements were firmed up for John’s continued stay in the home.
Through the years we have encountered pastors and families who have taken needy children in and raised them. Today there are 50 orphan or compromised children living on the campus in Tharaka. As I read this story I observed how we had only been serving in this area about two or three years but the child thought of himself as “MaKatah’s boy” I like that!
Reflections of early years:
Teaching women under a tent with interpreter
Waiting to teach after nurse’s health lessons with my trusty chalkboard
Lady multi-tasking while she listens
“Apron-ready” to do my regular demonstration on how to make bread and cakes on a jiko
One of the first women’s clubs
Daughter Kelly, about 9 years old, harvesting