Well, as the saying goes, “boys will be boys,” and we’ve found that to be true whether you’re in a neighborhood in the U.S. or in one of the most crowded slums of Kenya. Below is an email from our team member *Barrett Ward* who is currently in Africa and just spent some time with the 14 boys at the Calvary Youth Hostel in the Kibera slums (Nairobi, Kenya) who are graciously being supported by _you_, our Mocha Club friends! Enjoy as you read these fun stories and discover that even though separated by a giant ocean and many cultural differences, we really are all the same as brothers & sisters in Christ. Barrett got to sit down and hear these boys share about what they aspire to be. Thanks to your generosity through Mocha Club and through raising up more supporters, we have hope that we can help these boys accomplish their dreams.
_*Barrett wrote on January 29th…*_
“So I got to hang out with the boys of the Calvary Youth Hostel yesterday, an orphanage of African Leadership. That was a blast. 14 teenage boys, from 14-years-old on up. I want to give you a snapshot of our day, some things that were humbling and things that were just plain good ole’ fashioned fun.
I took a cab into Kibera, the largest slum in East Africa, with over 800,000 living in an area just a bit over a square mile. The boys live in good conditions in bunk beds, and they have all their needs met, and go to two of the schools that we built and manage for about 1500 kids. Their clothes are all donated.
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I showed up at 9AM and they were just finishing up their chores. I know these guys, so it’s joyful to extend our relationship. We walked around and grabbed 16 sodas for 3 bucks, and that set the tone for happy times! So one of the big things I wanted to accomplish was finding out what they wanted to do post-high school. We don’t have the money yet, but if the Lord provides, I would really like to start moving in that direction of funding trade schools and university experiences. So we sat in the living area on the floor, and each boy told me what they wanted to do for a career and what their dreams were. I was a bit embarrassed by being surprised by their lofty goals. We have a future *aviator, doctor, radio personality, military man, tourist car driver, pharmacist, accountant, detective, and sales manager*. Just two years ago many of these same dreamers were on the streets, stealing and eating from garbage dumps. Well, now I’m motivated like crazy to make the post high school thing happen.
The guys are a blast. Everything is fun to them – they can open bottles of pop with their teeth. I can’t…but I can chip off part of my molar.
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Here was what was amazing though, when talking about their dreams, *almost all
of them talked specifically about how they wanted to use their success to help others who are suffering*. These teenage boys are keenly aware that there are many in the Sudan and Uganda suffering much worse than them. I guess that makes sense – they have been given so much, and they want to pass on the great opportunity they had been given. But then again, I’ve been given so much too; I guess I am more used to getting what I want. It hit me that we receive so that we may give. I know that sounds obvious, but you know how the obvious just hits you differently sometimes, like a 2X4? Well listening to these boys about their desire to help others was a 2X4 upside the head. The reason that we receive is so that we may give. Period. So now I’m really, really motivated to help these guys be successful so they can pass that on.
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After that we just spent the rest of our time walking around the slums. We went to the market place – what a cool time. I love the rawness of the Kibera marketplace. The vendors pay about 15 cents a day and they get their own area to sell their food, clothing, shoes, all the basics. So we just spent time, and it was a joy. I was desperate to get over here, and being with these guys was the reason why. I need that 2X4 more often. The more time I am away from these guys, the more the Colts losing becomes important. As I have told a few of you, they don’t give me the perspective of ‘how good I have it’, but instead the perspective of ‘what is important’ – things like what I need versus what I want. These guys are BROTHERS. They show me that I don’t need more than God, friends, and walking around. These kids are the goods – they hang out, go to school, walk around and talk, do their chores while they hang out, and for fun on Saturday walk around and talk more, and then go to church all day Sunday. And they laugh a lot too.
So a lot of people ask me what I do, and it is hard to explain, this is certainly part of it. Today was a “needs assessment,” which sounds like a really smart word but it’s really just hangin’ out and playin’. I am headed to Uganda tonight to look at some possible partnerships, with the “invisible children” – google that if you don’t know what it is. Pretty intense stuff. Apparently it’s not safe to drive from Kampala to Kitgum (the Lord’s Resistance Army – don’t let the word Lord confuse you there), so we are going to try and catch a small plane with some people that fly missionaries. Pray for Pastor Mutisya and I! We’ll be fine, but prayer is good.
Have a blessed day. Go love someone!”
Peace,
Barrett Ward
Project Manager, African Leadership
