Sunday - Visit to the ABC Center and Kazuri

Today was our first real day in Kenya. We started the day by eating breakfast at the hotel and then traveling roughly 45 minutes to the Abandoned Baby and Children’s Center in Dagoretti, Kenya. This is the place that Feed the Children has established for kids who have been abandoned or orphaned. Since the poverty is so devastating here, there are many children who need a safe place to live and go to school. The center is located just outside of a slum and therefore, there is a great need for a safe place for the children who live there.

Once we arrived at the ABC Center, we were welcomed by Larry and Frances Jones the founders of FTC. They were anxious to give us a tour of the entire compound. It was wonderful to see the many buildings that existed there and learn of their purpose. I wish we could remember the exact statistics regarding the number of children that are helped at the center but nonetheless, the effect that FTC has had on this area is nothing short of astounding. We soon learned how proud the children are to have the privilege of living there but every child here deserves that chance at life and the ABC Center is responsible for giving them that opportunity.

During the tour, we had the chance to love on some kids while we were traveling from cottage to cottage. The compound is divided up and there are cottages for children of specific ages and abilities. There is also a dining hall, guest house, and plans to build a chapel are in the works.

One of the most touching moments of the day was when we all had the privilege of meeting a 10 year old boy that Larry and Frances picked up on Thursday. He was in desperate need of food when they found him and his grandmother willingly turned him over to FTC for help. Since both his parents died of AIDS, and his grandmother is older and unable to care for him, he is considered orphaned. He is only a mere 28 pounds which clearly says that this child is in need of help and the ABC Center is capable of providing for his needs. He had never seen a white person before, never rode in a car, never seen electricity or a t.v. and never owned a real toy. We were told that he was in shock when he arrived at the ABC Center since it was so different from where he came from. They call him Nick and it was wonderful to spend time with him although he was a bit shy at times but who could blame him with all our cameras and attempted hugs.

We then were able to go and visit the babies, toddlers, small children and teenagers. The moments everyone had with these children were priceless and it’s safe to say that we are so thankful these children have a safe place to live. The majority of the children are unable to be adopted since most are HIV positive. Therefore, many live at the center for most of their lives and we even got to meet some of the staff who were brought as children and now work for FTC. Some were full time nurses and others community outreach employees and hearing their stories about how FTC saved their lives was heartwarming.

Today was a special day in that it was the grand opening of the new boys dorm. We were so lucky to be there today when they had the ribbon cutting and then we saw the children all perform a beautiful program. They said the most profound things and were so incredibly thankful for what they’ve received. Many of the children had physical and mental disabilities and seeing their smiles and watching them shine as they sang and dance was nothing short of amazing. They worked so hard to welcome us with this program and it was an honor to be there.

After spending time visiting, everyone had the chance to go back to the individual cottages and love on the kids some more. We got to learn names and stories and the boys even gave all the women in our group white roses. The children are so polite, smart, gracious, and driven to succeed in all they do. The staff was friendly and inviting. They are so compassionate and dedicated to their job.

We spent as much time as possible at the center and then had to say our goodbyes. I think many people are anxious to come back again and be touched by these children. The drive back through the slums was tough as the true poverty was evident even on the outskirts. We are told that tomorrow will be unbelievable as we will be walking through areas that are much worse than what we saw today. We will be visiting homes and helping with the feeding program.

After the ABC Center, we made our way to the Kazuri bead and pottery factory where all the beads and pottery are handmade. The amount of items in the store was overwhelming and many of us took over an hour to make our decisions and purchase our items. We all agree that we could have been finished much earlier if Ann Brown wouldn’t have bought so many beads. She was the top spender! Today was the day to get some things to bring home and so hopefully, our friends and families will like what everyone picked out for them.

Finally, our day began to close and we headed back to the hotel. Everyone was tired from the day and some of us were still trying to de-jet-lag. Everyone went to dinner at a restaurant in the hotel and now we all have the rest of the night to rest and prepare for our big day tomorrow. It is promised to be emotional, overwhelming, and tiring but well worth it. I think it’s safe to say that no one really knows what to expect and many of us will go through yet another package of tissues before the day is over I’m sure.

Until then, enjoy the pictures and be encouraged in knowing how privileged we truly are. Enjoy this week and we’ll be back with another update soon!

-The FTC Team (Written by: Meghan Marburger)