Today I was getting ready and I was met with the best surprise…THE RAIN! The morning was beautiful and it was so fun to experience a rainy Kenya because I never had before. When we got to the school the kids were singing the “Jambo” welcome song which was so cool because it is one a lot of us know so we got to sing along. They led us up to our break room and then we got ready to start.

I started on the top floor with the older kids. I am on story team so my job was to share our missions verse (Matthew 13:44). With the older kids we made cootie catchers which they are actually so good at. Then as a puppets team we ran down the multiple flights of stairs to see the littlest kids. With them we did a story with puppets. The kids are so funny with the puppets. We put them against the windows before going in and they freak out. All of the rotations I did were so much fun and very successful as I was able to teach the kids that Jesus is in their hearts and he loves them so much!!

After we went into our break room for chai and samosas (which are the best things on the planet). We figured out that because of the rain we wouldn’t be able to do home visits which was sad but it meant we were able to go to each grade for 10 minutes and hang out again! This was so cool because we got to just interact with the kids. I ended up teaching the kids to do the splits which was hilarious.

The next thing on the agenda was dinner and this morning we got an amazing surprise. They announced that we would be going to Mary and Wallace’s house (the founders and heart behind MOHi). This was such a cool/unique/strange/amazing experience. Dinner was so so good. We had “Ken-mex” and Mexican food is the way to my heart so let’s just say I was ecstatic 🙂 After dinner we got to debrief our time here in Kenya with the couple along with ask them questions. It was surreal talking to them. They are such incredible people with so much wisdom to share. This whole trip has been so unreal and this day was just the icing on the cake!

-Sophie Metter

Today started off amazing, we were greeted with a breezy rainy morning as we were getting ready. Today was our second day of VBS at Kiamaiko. I am on the tattoo team, which we are able go to the classes and are able to interact with the kids level PP1 to Grade 4! Each grade is really different and amazing in their own way and it’s so amazing to be able to interact with their classes one on one. Usually after giving them all their sticker tattoos we have a lot of spare time to get to know them and for them to get to know me too! They like to ask me what my favorite color is, my pets and their names and seeing my parents and my siblings.

After we did VBS we had lunch, which is always such a good time to just chill and hangout with my peers. It’s when everyone comes together and tells what their experiences during VBS were. It’s so fun to hear stories from others and laugh together during this time.

Once we were finished with our lunch, Dennis, our main Social Worker, let us know that we would not be able to do house visits since it was a little flooded because of the rain earlier that day, and that we would have some extra class time with the kids, to just let us and them be ourselves inside the classroom. I would walk into the class and they would always have such a joyful expression on their faces. They would start by introducing themselves, and then I would do the same. After that I would have to fill in the time with some games or questions. The games I played with them were Simon Says, I had picked one of the kiddos to be Simon so it wouldn’t just be me, we jumped and sat, and then we would have a tic-tac-toe tournament, I had 2 kids come up to the board and play each-other, the winner got to pick who they played against. It was so fun because they would have the whole class invested in their choices and where they put their X or O. Finally at the end of the period of time, I would eventually say goodbye and they would be so upset but we took some pictures all together and I got some videos of us. It’s so amazing having the opportunity to interact with them a lot more closely.

Then, after all our small rotations were over, we also had the great opportunity to go over to the Junior High just a few streets away from Kiamaiko. We were able to do a small tour of the class and join in on one to introduce ourselves and just talk to the students there. Erek and I went into one of the classes together, and we stood there awkwardly for a few minutes but after that they started to ask us questions and it was just so connecting.

Finally, we had been informed earlier in the day that the founders of MOHI would be in country, which was very rare, and they had invited us over to their home to have dinner which is insanely honoring to be able to be invited into their home to have dinner. We had a very delicious meal and were all in community. Right after, we had our debrief with Mary and Wallace. We talked about our experiences, our highs and lows and we were able to ask them questions. It was so emotional but so blessed to have been there with them, talking about our experiences about the schools and the slums, about the children and the staff and how incredibly blessed we are to just be here and serve them. It was such an honor to have been in their home, to pray over them and MOHI and gain advice from them, and from each other. It was such an amazing day of experience and learning, blessings and prayer. God truly is at the center of everything.

-Rennatah Villegas

Today was a wonderful start to VBS. Though stressful, everyone did great running each classroom individually. I had the pleasure of being a part of the story/puppets team and was able to share our theme verse of Matthew 13:44 with so many kids, and ask them tons of questions! The kids had so much fun in every single rotation, and many of them sang me their songs and recited their favorite Bible verses. After getting to spend that time with all the kids, we had the pleasure of doing home visits once again. I got to visit two homes of kids from Kiamaiko school, and kids walked to their home with me. Both families were reliant on the grandmothers, who supported their grandkids in all of their expenses. They were so welcoming and gracious. After home visits, I was surprised to be able to spend a little bit more time with my sponsor kid, and though he was very quiet, it was a huge blessing. It was a huge success all around, I’m so so proud of the whole team, and I can’t wait for tomorrow!

-Shane Fitzgerald

Today was an amazing and special day! We started our morning with breakfast from Grace House which was amazing!! Then we did our morning circle up which included a great devotional from Caleb! We then all got on the bus and headed to Kiamaiko for our first day of VBS!! Once we arrived we were greeted with a very warm welcome!! There were lots of kids outside of school to greet us with a song welcoming us! We then started worship with the kids and got to sings praise songs with them! Then we went straight in and started VBS rotations! I was on craft team so I got to hangout with the kids and do coloring pages with them! It was so nice getting to talk with the kids and get to know them!! Then we moved on to doing home visits! This was a really cool experience because I got to reconnect with someone I meant last year! Her name is Joan and she attends MOHI in the eighth grade! She joined me on house visits last year and she was able to again this year! It was really special getting to see her again and getting to know her more! We also got to go to her own home and meet her mom! Then when we got back to MOHI I was able to meet up with my sponsor kid again and have lunch with her! It was so special getting to spend more time with her! We then made our way back to Grace House for the evening! It was really nice to have some down time and hangout with a bunch of different people on the team! Overall, today was an amazing day!

-Autumn Bell

Today was filled with lots of fun! We started the day off with devotion which I had the honor of leading out, then we headed straight to orientation at Pangani. At orientation we were able to learn about MOHI, how it started and their mission for the next few years. After orientation we headed to the slums where we did house visits! Here my team was able to go to a house within the slums and pray over a woman who needed job provision and a peace of mind. This was a really cool experience and something that I will definitely never forget. Then we were able to get a tour of the school! This was really cool because every classroom that you went into the kids welcomed you! All the teachers were so sweet and very welcoming! After the house visit we had a very delicious lunch, thanks to the staff at Pangani. After lunch we got to see our sponsor kids! This was so much fun and such a special time. I got to meet my sponsor kid Peter which was really special. After time with our sponsor kids, some of us did some shopping at the MOHI store which was really cool! Overall, today was full of joy! I loved how every single kid you saw just wanted to hug you and give you a high five, it was amazing!!

-Maddie Shaver

Today was so fun! We started off with an amazing (as always) breakfast at Grace House. Today, we went to Pangani Headquarters to do our orientation, go do some house visits, and meet with our sponsor kids! Orientation was long, but so so good. There we heard the history of MOHI and how it was founded. It is so inspiring to hear a story about how God has worked through people to bless others. We listened to the goals of MOHI and the plan for its future. Next, we went into the slums of Nairobi to visit some families in their homes and pray for them. On the way to the families house, we walked past the area that had flooded last year. It is rare to see so much empty space in the slums, as everything is so crammed. But, the space is in use! People have started to plant crops and rebuild homes. In the families home, we met with a mother, father, and son. We listened as the son told us about his upbringing through MOHI! It was such an amazing success story to hear. All of his siblings were also in MOHI schools, and are all now in university. The father talked about his experience with MOHI and missionaries, and expressed his gratitude for us and for this program. After, we met with our sponsor kids. I got to meet Garvin for the first time! He is my friend groups sponsor child who we sponsored last month! It was so so amazing to meet him and he is SO CUTE! I might be biased, but I think he’s the best 🙂 I also met with my family’s sponsor children, Judy and Isaac! It was so fun to see them again and to talk about everything that’s happened in the year that we’ve been apart. Through these experiences today, my appreciation and love for MOHI just keeps growing. I am so grateful for everything they do for families all around Kenya. So now I am counting down the days until I can see Judy, Isaac, and Garvin again.

-Sienna Thomas

Chris Scott

I have had a very interesting beginning of the Kenya trip. I had unfortunately gotten a small cold the day we departed for Kenya. However, God blessed me with the patience I needed to push through, and He is continuing to heal me quickly. The traveling days were not too bad. Most of us were able to pass the time and get through the two 9 hour flights. We then arrived at Grace house (which has incredible food by the way) and got some rest. Today, we went to a church service where we sang Kenyan worship songs, danced, had our own worship team members sing a song, and listened to the pastor’s message about having faith when waiting for the LORD. The message was really good and the people there were incredibly welcoming and kind. After church we then went to a small market where we bartered for a variety of things from bracelets to daggers. Overall, things are off to a great start and I can’t wait to see the other things God has in store for us.

Tali Rizkallah

Today was our first day in Kenya! We had breakfast and went to church, which was super fun. There was a lot of dancing and singing, and worship team really jumped in, even when we weren’t fully planning to sing a song. After, we went to Java and got some drinks, then went back to Grace House and had lunch. Once we finished lunch, we walked to the market! It was super overwhelming at first, but once we did a walk-through, I felt pretty good with Sienna and Angelina. We bargained and bartered quite a bit, and we all bought some stuff! I got a couple things for myself and my family. Overall, we had a great time today and I can’t wait for tomorrow!