Proud of our Youth Group

Darlene and I have worked with teenagers and college all our careers, from Roswell and Portales, New Mexico, to Redwood City, California, to KCITI in Nairobi and finally in street ministry here in Nairobi. And we have never had a better youth group to share life with. These young people have slept on the streets, some for as long as 5 years, and they are cooperative, courteous and competent. They are studying English and Math and Bible for the first time in their lives, they are learning skills so they can get jobs later, they cook their own breakfast and dinner, they work on the farm each weekday, they live peaceably together in dorms (for the most part), and they make us proud when we go out somewhere in Nairobi.

Here the kids stand in line waiting for their food when we went to see Prince Caspian at the Village Market, an upscale shopping center in Nairobi. Darlene has read the Narnia Chronicles to the kids, and Philip Kariuki re-stated it in Swahili. They read it dramatically and the kids loved it. Five of the Team members, all of whom read Prince Caspian in the past month, went with us. The kids were so well-behaved; I'm sure the staff at the theater would never have believed they had been street kids.

Here they are putting mustard on their hot dogs. Kimani had never seen mayonnaise before; I don't think he used any. Each kid got a soda and popcorn along with the hot dog. They took their food into the theater and quietly and happily talked softly as they ate. Darlene and I gave our food to various people, who were happy to get it. They were so polite, but they did react with laughter to Reepicheep and with happy surprise at Aslan's first roar. And they carried their trash out and put it in the bin outside the theater.

Joseph Nderitu, one of our new students who came off the streets in March, smiles happily as he waits for Prince Caspian.

Two young ladies in California, Sabrina and Lauren, gave us the money we used to take the kids to the theater. Sabrina saved her allowance and plastic bottles. Lauren played her violin with the case open at soccer games and gave her allowance as well over a period of months. We are grateful for other young people who bring happiness to our kids in Nairobi.