Kibera

Last week Friday we went to Kibera Slum. Kibera is the largest slum in the world. It's population is said to be about 1 million people, but nobody really knows. We went there with Mika who has started his own project there with AIM. I didn't always understand what was being said about his project but it is definitely focusing on children's education. There is also some sport leagues that have been started that go along with motivating the educational side. The kids are really excited about it!

Most of the time I was intrigued by a boy named Meshach. He is absolutely adorable as you can tell! He started following us far before we entered the secondary school tower (our first stop) and continued with us all the way through the slum. We walked the long way out which followed the train tracks through the 'city'. There were many sightings along the way including several kids playing with a soccer ball stuffed with shopping bags and tied together with twine. I actually had a chance to kick it once! The kids will play with anything. Meshach and I kicked around a bottle cap for quite a while.

As we were walking along the railroad tracks, I asked one of our 'guides' about how the kids seem to go wherever they want. He said they know all the paths better than anyone. This slum of a million people and they know it like the neighborhood park! But of course, these kids don't always get back home. I can't imagine what atrocities are around the corner for any one of those kids I just met.

At the end Meshach and Nicholas nearly tried to climb on the matatu (bus) with us. We had to physically hold them back. A ways down the road, as Emma and I were speechlessly processing our experience, the next thing I know is there is a boy beneath my window on the bus. It was Meshach! He had followed the bus down the road and was yelling to us to find out if we'd be back. My hear was broken in that moment for sure. All we could do was shrug our shoulders in reply. However, Emma and i will have some time in December, and we do plan to return. i definitely hope to see my friend Meshach again. I think I will, one way or another... he told me he loves Jesus!