Our Lenana school is located within a slum area called Dagoretti. Dagoretti has a population of over 125,000 people and is listed in the Nairobi demographics as one of the poorest slums in the city. Several years ago, we held a huge medical camp at our school there and our doctors reported that the people of Dagoretti were, by far, the sickest of any area in Kenya. This, I think, is attributed to the fact that there are a lot of wetlands in this area that spread disease throughout the area. Conditions have improved some because there has been an enormous amount of land development by big investors who have built high rise apartments right in the middle of the slums.
Our Lenana Christian School has been going since 2005 and now has a student population of 380 kids. The kids are very sweet and well behaved and full of joyful spirit, but the classrooms are drastically overcrowded with kids sitting shoulder to shoulder in every one of our 9 classrooms. As usual, when we arrived, the five of us were greeted by 5 beautiful children with a bouquet of flowers and a lovely preplanned welcome speech for us all. After a tour of the classes we adjourned to the office for tea with the teachers. Man! Do we love these teachers! They have made incredible sacrifices to educate these kids and I must say; “they have done an unbelievable job. Our kids rank 3rd in sports and academics in a school district of over 30 schools.
During our teachers meeting Valerie brought up the subject relocation. It seems the owner of the property is planning to sell the land on which the school is located and has told the school they will have to relocate withing the next two years. So, we decided to take a walk and to view several pieces of land nearby where the school might relocate and expand. Three times in the school’s history property owners have forced the school to move. There is no doubt that it’s time to move, but it’s going to take one of God’s financial miracles to make it happen. Valerie and Deborah have a lot of faith for this, but, as usual, I tend to greet these big challenges with skepticism. This I know, though, God loves these kids and he owns the cattle on a thousand hills and all the gold under the hills.
After exploring some land, we all met together in a church nearby for a magnificent meeting where kids sang and gave some wonderful speeches. Then Osborn Obayo, our WorldCOMP CEO, got up to share his heart. When Osborn shares on the subject of Kids it is so incredibly moving. I don’t think I have ever met anyone with more love and passion for kids than Osborn; he is the reason we are doing what we are doing for the kids of Kenya. It was another moving and wonderful day. Again, I want to thank all of you profusely who have given to make this work possible. Together have made a huge difference in a lot of lives here.
Blessings to you all and to all a good night.