Wednesday, June 17, 2009

VISITING FOCUS (Families Orphans Children Under Stress)

I am going to put up more pictures on this post, because I think they speak louder than my words can.










































As I mentioned in my previous post, I visited FOCUS yesterday. What an incredible experience. We weren't there very long, but in the couple hours we spent, I was able to see the organization's mission statement come alive right in front of my eyes. It reads, "Every Child Should have the Opportunity to Smile." And smile they did...smile we did.

These children are considered some of the most underprivileged kids in Ruiru. Many of them wouldn't have one consistent meal each day if it wasn't for FOCUS. They bring the kids in for morning porridge at 10am, send them off to school, meet back at the center for afternoon porridge at 4pm, play games with them and then send them back to their homes...often with enough grain to feed the whole family one meal at night. I wish you could be here to see the faces of these kids. For a little while they set aside all their cares and concerns and play. And they play hard. And the adults play with them, laugh with them, hold them, give them a shoulder to cry on. I was blessed to spend time with such amazing kids and their staff. This is the kind of ground roots mission organization that puts the heart of the people it serves at the most elevated place.

I was able to hand over all the note pads, pens, soap, a bottle of Hydrogen Peroxide, and a bunch of ziplock bags and band-aids to the director. He said there was nothing I gave him that wouldn't go to good use. Thanks again INTERACT!

4 comments:

watchman146 said...

Wow, Jamie. Those are powerful images. The kids look like they are wonderful, and certainly deserving of all that they can be given.

Play hard!

Anonymous said...

What a wonderfully informative and well written web log. I especially love the photos. Aids in Africa is such a huge problem that it can be hard to grasp. But seeing the face of one child or a school group brings home the fact that there are people over there dying and loosing family members every single day.

You also have a great writing style. Everything flows so well.

I'm curious, though. What are FOCUS and INTERACT? I haven't heard of these organizations before, but they sound like they are providing much needed help.

I hope the rest of your trip continues to go as well as it has up till now. Stay safe and I will keep you in my thoughts.

Jamie said...

Becki,

FOCUS stands for Families Orphans Children Under Stress. They are solely focused on helping kids that are in trouble in Ruiru. Most of the kids don't have parents, and many of them don't have guardians.

INTERACT is Hillary's group from Shorline High that helped to donate supplies there in Seattle.

Thanks for writing!

Keelie said...

Love the pictures! Children are wonderful and my absolute favorite part of missions trips! They have so little and yet seem so happy! We Americans seem to have it all wrong!
Thank you sooo much for keeping us up-to-date on your trip!