“Dear KB, I am going to miss you because your last day is today. I would like to go with you to your country where you live. I hope that you can come next year. I am thankful I can call you my friend. I tell my friends about you very much.
Your lovely friend Peninah”
This is an excerpt from a letter given to me on my last day with the GLY kids. It was written by a girl named Peninah who is 7 years old (girl on top in red jacket.) I met her on my first trip to Kenya 3 years ago and was so excited to see her again along with many of the other kids we had befriended on prior trips. I was so moved by her words. It was such an emotional day anyway since we had all been dreading the inevitable act of saying good-bye. As we embraced and both shed tears, she handed me the letter along with a little Teddy bear to take as a keepsake and a way for me to remember her. In her soft-spoken voice she whispered that she wished she could go home with me. I was so touched by her letter and her desire to go home with me. It’s difficult to verbalize all of the different thoughts that run through your mind at that point in time. And yes, one of them definitely was wondering whether I could sneak her back to the States. J
In spite of our language barrier and how little she knows about me, she wanted to go home with me. Wow – just amazing! It’s difficult to think about the emotional state many of these kids are in. They have had to grow up so quickly, oftentimes without any parents or very little, if any, hands-on adult supervision. Many are orphans who have either been raised by older siblings or who have found themselves in a position where they are taking care of their younger siblings. And yet, despite the fact that these kids have grown up in a slum under very difficult conditions and have been subjected to many horrendous things at such a young age, their innocent longing for affection, attention and healthy love is the same as any child’s around the world. What a gift it is for us to have the opportunity to have met these kids, to have a chance to love on them and deepen the friendships we have formed over the years. They have truly blessed my life and their strong faith continues to inspire me. We have seen so many amazing things happen over the last several years. It’s encouraging to see God work in so many tangible ways and to see Him provide the comfort and peace these kids need when they feel all alone in this world!
Before I left for Kenya, I was wondering whether this would be my last trip. Since this was my third time, I thought maybe it was time to open up another spot to somebody else next year. Well, if anything, this past trip has solidified my desire to continue to go back to spend time with my Kenyan friends. This is such an important partnership and I feel blessed to be part of it. I will keep my promise to Peninah and my other Kenyan friends to never forget them and to come back next year.
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