Day 3: Another Cecilia

Following the tests, we visited three orphaned boys at their aunt & uncle's home. Their parents both died from AIDS last year, and they were actually buried in the backyard of the home we visited. Angie also treated everyone to their first ever gummy worms.

We also met another Cecilia at the testing. She knew her status was positive even prior to the testing, but she decided to get tested anyway as a witness to the community. She is young. She married an older man who had been married before. His first wife died (presumably of AIDS), and Cecilia married him without knowing that he had AIDS. They had two sons. The first died from AIDS very young. Cecilia's husband also died. Her second son does not have the disease, but Cecilia does and may not live much longer. Her late husband's family is basically waiting for her to die so that they can recoup her land. In fact, they have attempted to take it from her before. She's an extremely courageous & faithful woman, however, and she has decided to encourage members of her community to be tested by telling her story. Deliverance Church has encouraged her to do so, and is very involved in helping to take care of her needs.


The three boys in the foreground were recently orphaned.
Cecilia & Cecilia
At the younger Cecilia's home
Cecilia & her son
As we were walking back to the road from Cecilia's, two children were getting water out of the ground.

Day 4: Mukuyuni Deliverance Church

On Wednesday, we visited Deliverance Church in Mukuyuni. This was one of the more primitive sanctuaries as can be seen by the picture below. We performed the tests in the pastor's office, which is a separate structure at the rear of the santuary off to the right. It is quite small, but the numbers were not. We had a good turnout and some amazing testimony.

Cecilia, who is a store owner in town, brought a three to four week old baby girl to be tested. The little girl was literally left at Cecilia's doorstep a week before we arrived. Thinking that one reason the baby was abandoned could be that she has HIV/AIDS, Cecilia would decide whether or not she could care for the child based on the baby's test results. Faith, the three week old baby, tested negative, and therefore, Cecilia's decision was clear: She will raise Faith herself. Had Faith tested positive, Cecilia's decision would have undoubtedly been more complicated.

Deliverance Church was in the process of completing construction on its new sanctuary, which is also pictured below. They were hoping to put a roof on it in the near future.

Deliverance Church, Mukuyuni
Future sanctuary of Deliverance Church
Angie & I preparing for the tests in the pastor's office
Primative perhaps, but beatiful nonetheless
Cecilia & Faith

Angie & Faith

Day 3: Maximum Miracle Centre, Ukia

After the tesing at Destiny Worship Centre & lunch, we visited the children below who have been orphaned by HIV/AIDS. These children have been taken in by friends or family, and Destiny is also providing support for them. The Kenyan Church is quite burdened by pre-mature death associated with HIV/AIDS. It is incredible, however, to see the church, as financially poor as it is, caring for kids just like these. And Destiny is only one example. These kids can sing, and I've got video/audio to prove it!

Day 3: Lunch Muindi's, Ukia

We sat on Florence & Julius's childhood porch at their parents' house for lunch.
Florence & Julius's neice, Miriam.
Muindi family
Julius & Miriam took us to "the beach" near their home. It's more of a dried up river bed, but certainly a pretty place to visit.

Day 3: Destiny Worship Center, Ukia

On the road to Machakos we spotted a few monkeys. Here's one running across the street.


Here's what much of the countryside looks like within the areas we travelled in Kenya.
Inside the Destiny Worship Center, Ukia. Ivy & I preparing for the tests.
These boys were walking home from school. They stopped to have their picture made.
Baby Elijah is adorable.

Some of the folks attending the testing wanted to have a picture made, so here it is.

Day 3: ABC Guest House, Machakos

Early Tuesday we departed from Nairobi via the tough as nails vehicle pictured below to the town of Machakos. It is roughly a three hour drive from what I recall. We stayed at the ABC Guest House. The food was outstanding. Typically we would eat breakfast at ABC, sack lunches on or near our testing site, and then dinners back at the guest house. Esther makes outstanding beef stew & a flat bread called chipati (not sure I spelled it right, but it's pronounced CHIPAHTAY).



Exterior front view of ABC Guest House, Machakos.
Julius & Augustine (We called him "Gus", and at first he thought we were calling him "Gas". Glad we set that straight!) preparing for our daily morning devotionals prior to travelling to the testing sites.
View from our back porch at the ABC Guest House, Machakos.
Mosquitos in Nairobi do not pose a Malaria threat to us Americans, but in the more rural areas, we had to sleep (and read at times) underneath a mosquito net. Here, Angie is reading one afternoon.

Day 2: Home Visit in Slum Area

After the clinic, we walked through the rain-drenched streets of the slum to visit Henry at his house. Henry is suffering from HIV, however, he is gaining strength. The ministry with which we are affiliated, Life In Abundance, leads visits periodically to members of its many church partners. Henry is now receiving treatment. And yes, we are standing inside his house in the picture below.

This "walkway" between homes in the slum also doubles as the sewer.

Henry asked if we would clean his dishes.

Day 2: Glory Victory Centre for HIV/AIDS Tests

Brings a whole new meaning to that famous American term, "The Working Poor".




Here are a few views of the surroundings in the slum area from our makeshift clinic (sorry about the degree to which a couple of these almost look artsy fartsy!)

Confidentiality is key: This board explains the test results so that those who were tested could keep their status to themselves.


Angie & Ivy getting ready to begin testing the willing.

We set up a testing clinic in a room above this particular church's sanctuary. The turnout was better than expected from our hosts' perspective. HIV/AIDS has quite a stigma attached to it in Africa, and that stigma even translates over into the decision to get tested. Most people would rather not know their status for fear that the community may treat them poorly.

Day 2: Jangwani Mathare

The school kids love having their pictures taken!



Ivy giving the children some well-deserved candy.

Dr. Florence performing basic medical check-ups on school children.






Angie working with school children at Jangwani Mathare (Believers Centre) in a slum district in Nairobi.

Our first day of actual work was Monday. We visited a slum in Nairobi. It was truly unlike anything I've ever seen, and unfortunately, I could get very few pictures that show how impoverished this area truly is. Clearly, we are very fortunate to live in America from a financial perspective. On the other hand, I envy the Kenyan people for their reliance on God. Their collective faith is a necessary part of their daily lives, while a lot of times, I treat my faith as an issue of convenience.

1st Day: Giraffe Center near Nairobi

The first day we arrived, our hosts took us to a giraffe center just outside of Nairobi. The giraffes would eat directly out of your hand. They're a trip.