Shinkou

June 23, 2011

Lydia Mbithe Muthini - Compassion International
Nthingini, Kenya

This is one of my sponsored kids! She lives in Nthingini, Kenya - outside of Nairobi. Compassion International was able to arrange a sponsor visit for me. They sent Martin, a CI-Nairobi worker who served as my translator, driver and guide. We drove for several hours watching the landscape change from chaotic traffic jams to open savannas strewn with shacks and vendors to red sands and cacti. If one was to blot out the poverty, Nthingini is a gorgeous area! Mountains in the distance, red soil, cactus - it almost has the feel of Red Rock Canyon in Nevada.

The CI center in Nthingini is new - only 3 years old. I was one of the first sponsors to adopt a child at this center and I am the first sponsor to visit. I was greeted by the pastor of the church hosting the center. He has a staff of 5 plus the teachers. He told me that Lydia had been put at the top of the sponsorship list because she had been flagged the most at-risk in that area. I was then introduced to the school children - they thought I was a rock star!! They all wanted to touch my skin, hold my hands and pay attention to them!

"How are YOU?"I am fine"

"Are you white?"

"You have happy eyes"

"Jesus loves you"

"You are from America? Is it nice?"

And then I saw Lydia! She is 7 years old and very shy. We went on a tour of the facility together and she held my hand as if she was afraid of hurting me. Then we went to the o ffice for chai, avocado sandwiches and hard-b

oiled eggs. (on a side note - those were the larg est avocados I have ever seen! I even had to question if they were avocados! They were larger t han our pineapples. One of those avocados would make enough guacamole for a half dozen people!). While we ate, I was given all of Lydia's records to review. They had notes of every site visit to her home. There were notes that she did not have a bed and had been sleeping in a hole in the dirt without blankets. They felt her extreme "poverty-induced" absentee-ism from class was due partly to being ill from her sleeping conditions. They used a portion of my monthly dues to bu

y her a cot, blanket and pillow. According to their records, over the next 6 months, her absentee-ism dropped by over 50%.

Of the 175 kids at this site, over 145 of them are sponsored. I was shown food purchases broken down per week showing how the sponsorship of the 145 could feed 175.

Another note in Lydia's file indicated that my sponsorship purchased her school uniform. But once at home, Lydia takes off her uniform to keep it nice and wore sacks. CI used some of my sponsorship funds to buy her a play outfit. I was thoroughly impressed. I feel every dollar I send to her is used wisely.

While I was reading her files, Lydia sat next to me. She loved my hands - especially my nails. And she kept rubbing my skin as if to see what color it was underneath the yellow! Her eyes were glowing! I helped her crack and shell a hard-boiled egg. The pastor asked if she wanted salt and handed her the salt shaker. Lydia took the shaker and sat her peeled egg on top of it. She had never had salt. I sprinkled a little on her egg and it was like tasting chocolate for the first time! She wanted more and more salt!

We then all got into Martin's car to drive to Lydia's home. She had never been in a vehicle before. It was like Great America and Six Flags for her!!!! Her home is a few miles from the center. I tried to imagine letting my 7 year old walk that distance on her own - and she had been doing that for 3 years! They live in a brick structure - about 10x10. There is no roof. Her parents are very slight and carry themselves as if defeated. I met one of Lydia's brothers. He has that same look. Lydia ran into her house while I met neighbors and some extended family. She came running out wearing her play outfit that my sponsorship bought her. We sat under a tree in her back area and she opened a backpa

ck filled with items from us. Her brothers got a soccer ball and pump; her parents got towels; she got bubbles, a jump rope, a bouncy ball and a Barbie-type doll (an African/Asian Tinkerbell). She loved the doll! I said my daughter Melissa looked a bit like the doll. The pastor's wife said Lydia wanted to name the doll "Meli" for Melissa.

Lydia's family are Catholic and attend a small church nearby. Lydia's father's mother is also a Lydia who is the sister-in-law of the CI pastor. Lydia sr. has one blue eye and one brown eye and is so spunky! She kept raising her hands to the sky saying "hallelujah" when she looked at me. Lydia sr. said she really enjoyed the book of Romans.

Knowing there was a 2-3 hour drive back to Nairobi, we had to leave Lydia's house after about an hour. As we were walking to the car, I remembered my bracelet had a line from the book of Romans 10:15 with "feet" charms. "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"

I gave Lydia sr. my bracelet and she cried. She said she would pray for me and all my children. Hallelujah!