The Graduate that I met on her first day in Form 1, grade 9.
Greetings from my home in Los Angeles, California! What a privilege it was to travel to Kenya from September 13 – October 6, 2018, and return home. I feel richly blessed and highly favored.
My friend Brenda Darby met me in Mombasa, Kenya for a three -day Spiritual Leadership Conference for church leaders. Bishop Zaccheuse Mwangangi Ngiki, overseer of the Kenya Southern Baptist Churches hosted fifteen pastors and other leaders as we taught on The Leader’s Call, The Leader’s Preparation, The Leader’s Character, The Leader’s Influence and more.
Portions of the Spiritual Leadership Conference were repeated in Nairobi for another three days in the Reuben Slums. Our host was Pastor Mary Thiong’o, the wife of Bishop George Thiong’o. We preached, taught Sunday morning Bible Study and leadership principles. Additionally, ministry to about two hundred and sixty children was included in the activities. We provided funds to ensure that the children received a meal, treats for correct answers and participation. We gave lots of hugs and encouragement. In return, the children made class presentations and greeted us with high fives wherever we went.
We visited Tammy Agape School for primary through eighth grade students and delivered a case of Bibles, books, donated school supplies for the students and funds for a hot meal other than porridge (their one daily meal). Likewise, in Mombasa we visited the Likoni AIDS Orphanage, made a monetary contribution, and purchased food supplies for a gift. I had sent gospel raps written by yours truly ahead of time for students to learn. What a joy to hear them perform my raps at schools and churches. The power went off both times students rapped in the church. But other students surprised me by performing both raps in an assembly of Christians and Muslims at New Hope Children’s Home and School. At the Timbwani Baptist Primary School I was both grieved and delighted to hear children rap about HIV/AIDS because stigmatization is a reality for them. The orphans also performed my raps, Can You Imagine That? and There’s a Time, I Say. The school director requested that I send more songs for students to learn. I left those school floating on air.
In Nairobi, our team grew to seven from the United States when we joined Rev. Barbara Jean Jenkins (team leader on her twenty-ninth trip to Africa), Sharon Wright, Velma Turner, Jacqueline Love, and Dr. Edna Turner. We connected with Rev. Sha’ Givens, founder of I Can Fly International School and went to minister to young girls who are being housed at I Can Fly Rescue Center in Migori. These girls, ages 8-15, are victims of rape and early marriage as well as runaways from female genital mutilation. I was able to bless two babies, Princess (whose mother is 13) and Happiness (whose mother is 15). We listened to the girls’ stories, shared words of encouragement, lots of love and offered support. We conducted an open forum for two hundred oppressed women of the village who came out to our tent meeting held at a women’s clinic. What a joy it was to deliver inspirational messages God placed on each of our hearts.
On the second day in Migori, the one boy at the rescue center came to meet us. His parents are deceased, so the program manager allowed the homeless orphan to come into the center. He is now a straight “A” student and ranks number one in his class.
The last week of our journey was spent teaching classes at I Can Fly International School in Machakos. My classes on self-esteem were designed to encourage rescued child brides, victims of and runaways from female genital mutilation. This was my fifth trip to the school. I was able to see some of the girls who were brought in by rescuers when I was there years ago prepare for graduation in November. We prayed for their success on a test similar to the SAT here in the states.
The students and staff of I Can Fly have transformed their rural community. They asked us to come and visit them because our very presence gives them hope that they can escape male dominance and see a brighter future ahead. We were blessed to provide funds for a graduation party and enjoyed the victory celebration even as they prepare themselves for success on the test.
We took time to enjoy a safari and had the privilege of visiting the primitive Maasai Tribe in their village. That experience was culture shock! I was delighted to hear them proudly speak of their primitive traditions of making fire. Fascinated, I videotaped the demonstration. Males spend three years (from ages 12-15) in the wild as they transition from boyhood to manhood. It was disturbing to learn that as polygamists, their main goal is to acquire at least six wives, purchasing them for thirty cows apiece. That means that the women have little or no voice in their community. One Maasai woman shared privately that the government has declared genital mutilation illegal, but people do as they please in the villages. Having met some rescued girls and their rescuers, I know that her words are true.
I learned much about the business-minded Kikuyu tribe, the Maasai, Luhya, Kamba and Luo tribes from talking with some of the people we encountered. I also had the experience of having an Uber driver exclaim, “YA YA YA!” when he turned into the Rueben Slums as we headed to a speaking engagement. I preached at Agape Fellowship Ministry in the Kingstone Slums on Sunday morning and the driver was greatly perplexed as to why we would even want to go into the slums. Those were indeed some rough roads! The answer is simple, Jesus loves the people in the slums and the people love Jesus. I felt compelled to go and deliver messages of encouragement so that they will want to worship Jesus alone rather than add him to a list of gods.
These are some highlights from a time of high worship and ministry unlike none other. I thank all of those who followed my daily posts on Facebook where many of my priceless photos have been posted.
I have included a couple of photos so you can get a glimpse of what my eyes have seen, what my ears have heard and what has touched my heart.
May God continue to bless and keep you is my prayer,
Celebration at I Can Fly international School
Gloria Shell Mitchell, DMin
Founder and Executive Director
