Kenya Day 2

Each night we debriefed together - just talking about the day and how we felt and what we thought. We also discussed our plan for the next day. Day 2 turned out to be on that we would want to not only remember but potentially repeat.

We left about 8:30 for a school called Hope International. This school has about 200 kids whose parents were all refugees from Burundi. They teach french as the first language and English as the second. Kenyan schools teach English as the first and Swahili as the second. Most of these kids don't know the trials and tragedies their parents lived through and eventually fled from. It was amazing that none of the dedicated teachers are paid (unless there is a large offering in the church that sponsors the school). I thought how different that was in the US...up north we have teacher's unions - striking for higher pay and down south we have the 'career ladder' which is an incremental stair step system of pay. I doubt many of those in the education profession would teach because the children need to learn, regardless of if they got paid.

We played with each grade for about 45 minutes to an hour. Their recreation area was a wide, muddy street. We taught soccer, football, and basketball skills and tried to throw some frisbees. The balls got muddy, the kids got muddy, we got muddy...but no one cared. It was about the kids enjoying some time outside and the teachers were grateful for the activity. Again, how different things are in the US...laws regulating mandatory PE and recess because we are so overweight and because the teachers deserve a conference period and a break.

This afternoon we met up with some members of the Kenyan National Soccer Team. Some were single moms, most had jobs across town. Our kids played these women on a handball court and beat them 8-7! How fun it was to see our BU soccer girls (and BB girls) get their game on. But the most meaningful part came after the game...when they all sat down together in groups of 2 or 3 and talked about life...then our kids prayed for/with them and gave them a little gift of money just to say thanks.

Below you can see Melissa Jones (Lady Bear Hoopster) playing goalkeeper like she plays basketball...always giving 110% and saving goal - even with sacrifice of her body!

While this was finishing up outside, MJ and LP were inside teaching Strathmore College some hoops skills. They led in some drills and then scrimmaged.

Our two held their own even with the Strathmore men. They prayed and shared. I had a chance to talk with the coach about her faith and how she shares it with the players. She said her primary focus was to give the girls and education and a fair shot at life while providing a Christian foundation for life.