Saturday, January 9, 2016

Outreach Day

Today we participated in RVA's Outreach Day. Students and staff alike will do a variety of things - such as visiting employees on our own campus (guards, cafeteria workers, etc.) or in our community (visiting the hospital or the vendors who sell vegetables) but quite a few opportunities are off campus, such as visiting the IDP (internally displaced people's) camps in the valley, visiting orphanages, or prison.

Our family was split up today - Ian and his "big brother" (a senior boy who has adopted him for the year - a cool RVA program!) visited the guards and took them snacks and prayed with them. He didn't take a camera!

Lyndsey, who went with her "RVA big sister" will tell you in her own words about her outreach:

On my outreach, we went to the orphanage, Chariots of Hope. We played with frisbees, bubbles, hula hoops, balls, and a giant parachute. We also had a story time where we told Bible stories and translated them into Swahili. There were 30 or so kids there, and this little girl was named Princess. 











The rest of the family, along with some RVA students, visited the Bethany Kids ward at the Kijabe Hospital. We were met there by Mercy, the chaplain, who graciously walked us through the wards and introduced us to the children, their parents, and the nursing staff. Mercy has worked there for many years, has seen many a happy (and sad) story, yet her heart remains soft and passionate for her ministry. I was very touched by her love and care for these precious children and their families.



While there, we brought bubbles, face paint crayons, and coloring pages to share with the children. We were able to get a few smiles out of the kids, even though some of them were very ill. 










             

 




                           

I was so proud of our students and how they bravely moved out of their comfort zones to greet, play with, and visit with the sick children. 
                               


                               


                                 





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