Geoffrey from Oasis of Hope met us at the compound at about midnight and we took 3 cars full of a few of us from the team and about 50 blankets. Basically we drove to town in order to find street kids and "drop" blankets on them. Our hope was to not wake anyone and just think of the joy the kids would have when they woke up in the morning warm and with a blanket protecting them.
We drove throughout Kitale and surprisingly, we had to actually look hard to find kids, it was a good thing because it meant that there was either less kids sleeping on the street or that they were hidden and protected from the dangerous of the night life in Kitale.
The first spot we stopped there was a line of little bodies huddled together on the porch of a store, they were covered in trash, bags, clothes, anything that could keep them warm. As i placed a blanket on top of the first boy i was overwhelmed with so many emotions, just thinking and not even being able to imagine what sleeping like that every night would be like. Especially on freezing nights when the rain is pouring and it is impossible to stay dry and warm. Stuff like this probably never even crosses peoples minds back home. Trying to picture that happening to you? the idea seems so crazy and far-fetched.
We continued to drive around and get out and walk back behind buildings and through alleys looking for people to lay blankets on. seeing the way these kids live just terrified me. i didnt even know what to think. We found a lot of adults too that we were able to give blankets to. So many were so drunk or high though that it was scary to approach them. Some were yelling at us and just so messed up.
Many of the men still working in town like as pikki-pikki drivers followed us around trying to get things for themselves, it was just the craziest situation to see what went on at night. Some of the kids were woken up by just the noise and the looks on their faces when they saw us i will never forget. They were completely terrified and i couldnt help but think of the horrible things that they have been woken up to before and to think that this time it was a bunch of white people putting blankets on them....they probably thought they were dreaming.
We saw such young kids, maybe even like 4 and 5 years old, sleeping on their own or with a few other young kids.
We saw a young girl, about 14, by herself with a huge group of older guys, i dont even want to imagine the horrible things that goes on when she is with them.
We saw a boy chasing after our car, as fast as he could, just so that he could get a blanket. Who knows how long he ran and followed our car for, all for something so simple, something that we dont even think is a luxury to have.
We saw a mother of a boy we know that goes to Oasis, who was so messed up and had completely lost it. She had created a fire to keep herself warm and didnt even know that it was burning her legs form underneath her.
The images and the thoughts will stay with me forever, i cant help but just think "Why?"
Why do these kids live like they do and i live like i do?
Why does God allow them to suffer and live such difficult and unfair lives?
Is there even anything we can do to change their situation?
I have so many questions that ill never be able to answer.
I can only remember the incredible power that lies in the Hands of God and i can only remember that he has FULL control of each of our lives and knows exactly what he is doing and why he is doing it. I know the love he has for these kids is more than we can ever imagine.
My prayer has been that God will simply allow these kids to feel His presence in their lives and feel His comfort and loving hand when they go to bed each night and when they wake up. I pray that we were able to show them even fraction of the love that God has for us through those blankets. I pray that they know they are loved, that they would stay protected, and that God would lead their lives. I pray that they would meet people like Geoffrey who could help transform the way they are living, by getting off the streets and going to places like Oasis where they could experience the love God has for them through the Center and the amazing things it does for street kids. I pray that God would always remind me of what i saw, and that like one of the girls said, He would break my heart for what breaks His.
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