Saturday was not just a mission day but a day of unfolding events, the mission turned out to be more than that of food donation.We left Nairobi early Saturday morning at 5am to arrive at Shampole at midday, had our combined breakfast and lunch together as we immediately commenced our mission.
We had two different group feeding for only the neediest.
Then we also had a category for individual home visits for special cases, for this I wanted to access the real issues from the ground.
Among the family we fed included the following
1.ole Metian family…the bread winner is old(70yrs) and they are taking care of physical challenge grandchild. (Oloontariti village)
2.Kuyia family-both mother and father are mentally challenge, they usually depend on people mercy to provide for them. Most of the time they sleep hungry from oloiri village
3.Solopian Family- The bread winner is blind and old 75 yrs old. From Olontariti village
4.Ole Mwae family- the bread is old and married to 3 wives. Taking care of 3 orphans children: From Nesimiti
5.Saika …she is a widow and blind from oloshaiki
6.Ole Kamaru…the family is vulnerable and the wife to ole kamaru is sick of breast cancer from Oloshaiki village
7.Sirimbi family. The family is poor and is taking care of his brother who is late from olontariti
8.karusula family…vulnerable, the bread winner is physical challenge and the wife is mentally challenge from olontariti village.
9.Charles family… This is a very young family but the bread winner had given up in life and almost hanged himself due to inability to provide daily bread from oloshaiki
- Kintalel Murera- vulnerable family because the bread is mentally challenge from oloshaiki
HIGHLIGHTS
Among the families we met, there were four cases that touched my heart more besides the food program.
Breast cancer
Mrs Kamara, she is a mother of 7 kids the youngest 2yrs, she was diagnosed with left breast cancer from the local hospital and adviced to go for mammogram and more test, she agreed for us to shoot a video without her face on the breast, 6 Months ago the breast busted and was draining pus outside
and she used to tie her breast with an old cloth as she goes out with 2 donkeys and few goats, now the pus stopped draining and started to accumulate inside the breast, when you touch the breast you can feel heavy liquid porridge like inside which I guess it’s the accumulated pus. Her left hand cannot lift anything so when we gave her the food donation, she couldn’t carry it because she had the last born on her right hand.
I have attached her medical reports to see if she can get help for medical attention
Her husband became depressed due to the disease and now he cannot provide for the family.
300$ & 5 cows for a 10yr old wife
Mrs. Narolonguta
She is a very beautiful ‘girl’ she is 10yrs old and supposed to be at grade 4 in school. She is bright and confident and she knows more of her situations with exception of one, she is MARRIED. At 10yrs her parents were paid a dowry of Ksh 30000 (300USD) and five cows and now a wife to someone, this broke my heart and I couldn’t even talk (See the attached video)
Unfortunate route for food donation
The boy is around 11yrs, he was among the group of children and women who were walking for 10miles from River Ewaso Nyiro escarpment to come to get the donation, he was not in the list but they heard of the donation and prepared to come, they never reached, while on the route, the team was ambushed by a lion and the poor boy lost one finger, injuries on the head and both knees from the lion’s teeth, I don’t know yet if he managed because he was picked by Kenya wildlife service rangers after 5 hrs due to bad roads and accessibility of medical help. There is no single clinic around.
Tree house
Mr. Solopian is 70 years old, He is blind and lives under a tree only to receive food from well-wishers, his immediate family have neglected him, we found him halfway naked and had not eaten for two days, he didn’t have energy to talk and his cry was if he can see again, he was also requesting for malaria medicine but unfortunately we were limited.
Church under the tree.
Our host church meets and fellowships under a tree and it has over 70 adult members and several children’s. It was great to worship with them; they are planning for a fundraise to build a church
ACHIEVEMENT
Sanitary
8 of the former August sanitary beneficially walked for over 12miles to come join at the church we were so that they could receiver more of the sanitary, they gave testimony of how helpful the sanitary. It was easy to let them teach the others in their language Thanks to Nimmo she gave me some pads for the dignity pack mission.
Masks
We also donated over 200 cloth face masks
Food distribution
We distributed food stuff to over 130 families focusing on a bigger rationing to the neediest family and a regular ration to other members.
We had 2 different small groups distribution in two different locations done on Sunday, most homes feeding were done on Saturday and early Sunday before church.
Challenges
Accessibility
The roads remain the biggest challenge to reach the community,
There was no electricity and by evening all our phones were dead and we failed to get more pictures, On Sunday we were able to get a pastor to capture photos and video for us.
Maize flour, rice and beans played the best option for beans can be used as a stew for both rice and ugali (Corn mix food) Everyone who came was able to receive a portion of food.
The needs were higher than we could provide
REQUEST
- Due to the nature of places I visit, I would request as you come to Kenya if you can get for a camera which can do video and photos I will appreciate. I had a challenge on this
- There is a lot of eye disease in the Maasai with trachoma leading. I also realize a lot of illness and health related problem in almost all homes we visited and if FUNDS can be available we could do a medical camp there.
- As we wait for rains on December all depending on the funding we could feed the same families again to help them until they are able to provide for themselves by December.
TESTIMONY.
The presence of the Area government officer (Chief) elders and church leaders was recognized and they appreciated a lot the support we gave.
More than 33 homes whom we fed had nothing to eat at all at their homes