... with MAF
After about one hour with one of MAF’s smaller planes (Cessna 210) we landed at Kisii’s airstrip. The pilot, Jane Wambui, is Kenyan and has worked for MAF since 2004. We also had two of our Kenyan friends with us, Nancy and Joseph Kamau, who are well known for those who read our home page. They are like “solid rocks” when it comes to visiting different projects here.
Massage for free
As soon as
the propeller had come to a stop, we were surrounded by a happy gang from
Segera Child Care Center
We were welcomed into the ”church”, a building with a corrugated iron roof but no walls. Inside there was a big crowd of children squeezed together and grown-ups sitting at the back or standing along the “walls”. The welcome singing echoed as we were seated at the front together with pastors and leaders. I immediately recognized the building from pictures that Moses had sent to me - one of two buildings that will be used as homes for the orphans.
... with place for children
The children didn’t say a word during two hours of presentations, singing, preaching and conclusion. Most of them were just stirring at us with dark eyes wide open. One of the women discretely poured water into mugs for the children to drink. “This seems to be a church giving place to children”, I though, deeply moved.
Venus and Elisabeth
After the sermon we were introduced to two of the orphans. Venus Nyansarora, 5 years old, lives with her grandma after she lost both her parents. They had aids. She has no siblings. Elisabeth Muragwa’s mother died of cancer and her father is unknown. She lived with her grandfather until last week when he suddenly died. She has no relatives left.
The Orphanage
An
indigenous African meal with ugali, chicken stew, githeri and sukumawiki was
served in the building with mud 
Finally it was time to go to another gathering place where they are planning to build a church after the orphanage is put to use. At the moment it is just a skeleton, without a roof or walls. However, people of all ages gather to worship and read the Bible. After a time of fantastic worship we were honored with gifts of soap stone. Kisii is known for its fine soap stone and we were given artistically decorated mugs and plates.
I and KeA
got an opportunity to share the word of God … but suddenly we 
The following day we returned to the Centre but on the way we visited the building they are currently renting for the Pre School. We looked into one of the class rooms. Moses told us that 83 children usually gather here. I went dumb. 83 children in this small room! Impossible! But Moses and the others insisted that it was true. The children are tightly squeezed together. They are small and they are used to it and we normally teach in short sessions, about 30 minutes, Moses commented. Then we have outside activities. I couldn’t stop thinking about our pre schools in Sweden and I couldn’t prevent tears filling my eyes.
At the Centre the ”church” was now full of school children, many of them in nice uniforms. The children looked healthy. At least four squeezed together at the same desk.
In the building with the mud walls we found a happy lot of 12-year old children. One girl showed her skills by neatly writing numbers on the black board. Most of them had exercise books but that was all. Some young people introduced themselves as assistant teachers, helping voluntarily.
After one more African meal and discussions about the best way to help our friends it was time to say good bye. We needed to return to the plane in order to arrive in Nairobi in time. Children and grown-ups started to squeeze themselves into the bus hoping to get a chance to see the plane. Moses had to interfere and finally chose the lucky ones. We were stopped at several road blocks, all of us pretending that our seatbelts were fastened, although none of them were working. However, the police let us go when they saw the Wazungus (the white people).
Jane
hurried to get the plane ready. Because of the relatively short airstrip, the
fact that it is at a high altitude and that we together were quite heavy, Jane
had to take us two by two to another airstrip about 15 minutes away which is
longer and at a slightly lower altitude. It is close to a town called Migori. Nancy
and Joseph were the first to go. When Jane came back she was quite worried. As she had
left Nancy and Joseph a heavy rain had just come sweeping over the airstrip area.
The airstrip is desolate with no shed whatsoever. We understood that our friends must be soaked
at this time. The fact that it was a thunderstorm prevented us from going there
right away. However, after half an hour we took off. It was still raining
heavily and it was hard to see the ground. We circled for another half hour
and then Jane, to her great relief, caught sight of the airstrip. She let down
and landed with great precision on the very wet strip.
But where were Nancy and Joseph? Luckily we all had mobile phones. They had gone to find some shelter and found an old hut. An old ”mama” had welcomed them with open arms. In the hut there was a little boy. The old “mama” had told them that his parents had died of aids and now she was the one taking care of him. There was nothing in the hut except for a few pieces of wood. The boy took them and helped the old “mama” to make a fire for Nancy and Joseph to warm up a bit. They were soaked and freezing. Before they left they gave some money to the old “mama”. She was overwhelmed and said they were angels sent by God.
Because of the rain it was too late to return to Nairobi. We had to spend the night in Migori. Jane managed to get a taxi, guards for the plane and a hotel. The next morning the sun was shining again and we returned happily and safe to Nairobi.