Talk about a broken heart

It's been a pretty crazy week including a trip to Kisumu on Monday (the reason this blog is just now being written). We were able to leave Busia for the first time since we got here and go to Kisumu to eat lunch at a place that has actual ice cream (this was big for our team), and more importantly the Massai market where most of us bought all of our souvenirs.

This past week was filled with trips to the orphanage, soccer with the street kids, door to door ministry, and for me, a bit of heartbreak.

I have been praying for God to break me while I have been here, because before this past week I hadn't really been feeling an overwhelming sense of belopnging here. I prayed about it, emailed people who I knew would have encouraging words, and then BAM, God delivered. As I tell you about the orphange I want you to try and imagine what it would be like to live there. I have been extremely blessed with the life God has given me and I think that He is wanting me to use how I have been blessed to bless others. I am able to hurt for them because when I try to imagine their life and struggles it hurts so much.

I grew up in a house with two amazingly loving parents. My brother was at times my enemy and my best friend…growing up we chose to take the enemy route more often. I was constantly surrounded by God loving people including my immediate family, my extended family, my friends, and my church family. I always knew that I was loved and being taken care of. The kids at this orphanage have, a lot of times, been left for dead. Some were dropped off at the gates, but others, like little baby Moses were found next to a river. Some have two parents who hate one another and can't look at something that the other one helped produce. Then a woman felt as if God was calling her to take care of the orphans, and began the orphanage to take care of all these kids. There is a primary school that is part of the orphange where the younger kids go, and the older kids are sent to school down the road a little.

This place is called Mama's Orphange. If you read the blogs of some of my teammates you have probably heard about it already. However, you may have not heard about a little boy who has left his imprint all over my heart. I want to introduce you to Dennis. He is one of the many kids that I have grown to love at the orphanage, and as you probably could guess, he is my favorite. He is the first one to come and hug me when I walk through the gate and the last to let go of my hand when we are leaving. He rarely smiles, but when he does it warms my heart and makes me wonder how I am ever going to be able to say goodbye. Like a lot of kids at the orphanage they don't know exactly how old Dennis is, but he is somewhere between the ages of 5 and 6. I asked one of the ladies who works at the orphanage how Dennis came to be there and I want to share with you his story:
When Dennis was around a month old his parents got into a bad argument that ended with his dad beating his mom and her leaving. She went to stay with her family, and two days later she died because of the wounds his father had given her. Her family then went and killed his dad, cutting him up into pieces and leaving him. This left Dennis with his grandmother who took care of him until he was 8 months old then decided she either didn't want him or couldn't do it anymore and took him to the orphanage and left.

I heard this and a pain shot through me. It's so hard to comprehend that someone can look at a little baby and just decide that they no longer want to take care of them or love on them. Dennis is so precious and I just wish I was able to share a picture of him with you right now. There is a lady here from England who has been working on getting a website together for the orphanage to help with sponsors and adoptions. As soon as she is finished with that and we are given the website I will make sure and post it in one of my blogs.

We have less than three weeks left in Kenya, and that fact is both exciting and painful. I am so excited to return home and see all of my family and friends, yet I can't imagine the fact that I may never see some of these people again. We have a full schedule from here on out, but I will try and do my best to keep you updated with where we are in ministry and in the country of Kenya.

We will be doing a bit of traveling to finish out our time here, so I ask that you pray for our safety and comfort as we say goodbye to the friends we have made here. Pray for the orphans like Dennis and that they will be continued to be loved by all who stop in and visit. This Saturday is our last one that we will spend with the street kids, so I ask that you pray that we continue to be a blessing to them. Pray for all those we come into contact with that we may continue to bless them as much as they have blessed us.

John 14:18 "I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you."