Faith House

The Friday morning after we wrapped up the clinic, all of us MM's accompanied Dr. Dan on the short walk to Faith House in Mwiki. Remember Faith House? This time we got more of the story straight from the horses' mouths--Dr. Dan and Gretchen, the founders. Dan's wife Jane, who was the key player in pushing for the home for our high school girls, couldn't be in Africa this time because she is caring for her elderly mother in the states. Jane knew the girls' stories of their wretched home life first hand, and she knew she wanted to help establish a "Safe Haven" for those who needed it. It needed to be a safe short walk from Rafiki, where they attended JSS (equivalent of middle school) on scholarship from Rafiki.

Since Friday was a school day, our three current students at the JSS (Margaret, Catherine, and Sabina) were in school at Rafiki. Others, who were past graduates of Rafiki and had sponsorships for high school education, were away at Secondary School. Only four girls were home--Ann, Julie, Violet, and Jael (whom I had never met). Some of us MM's (the long-term ones like myself) were playing hookie that morning, but we had waited so long to meet Gretchen. I don't know Jael's story, but she is a sweetie, just like the others. Violet is the most recent casualty of attrition. She left on good terms, but wants to volunteer and eventually find work as a seamstress at Amani, the Women's Sewing Project that I described before. I pray that she succeeds. She is precious to me.
Ann and Julie had helped us for the entire clinic, as well as the prior week when we were preparing for the opening and packaging meds for distribution. Ann was a former graduate of our girls' center, and had already been sponsored and graduated from high school. She wants to go to college to become a tour guide in Kenya. Julie had graduated from our girls' center as well, but had not found a sponsor for SS (high school) yet. She needs one, so that she can go to high school, and then pursue her dream of college, and on to become a doctor some day. She's a sweetie.

I asked Gretchen what it costs to sponsor a kid in high school. She estimated about $1200/year in boarding school, and about $85/month to live at home and go to day school. It sounded reasonable, but I don't even have an income for myself right now. Something to ponder though...Gretchen and Dan explained the story of Faith House again, and their own roles in launching it. Gretchen had spent 9 months as an MM at Rafiki a couple years ago, after resigning from a job she despised. When she returned to the states to figure out what to do next, she became homesick for Kenya (I think we all do). She told herself she may as well move back to Rafiki and talk it over with God from there. The constant prayers for a girls home at devotionals each morning spoke to her heart, and she finally approached Dan's wife Jane, and said she felt called to take on that leadership. The rest is history...

Most of the furniture in the house was donated. Dr. Dan made the bookshelves himself. Gretchen is the blonde. Harry, our pet duck, is sitting on Laney's lap. After Laney found him abandoned (newly hatched with eyes still closed) on our running trail around March 1st, we raised him for 3 days in hiding. Finally, she confessed to YL. The rule here is 'no pets allowed at this time, until further notice'. Thus, we were told to find a home for him ASAP. Someone had the bright idea of asking Gretchen if she and her girls from JSS would raise him, and she acquiesced. Not knowing that Laney had already named him, she christened him "Baby Bata" when the girls brought him home to Faith House after school. "Bata" is 'duck' in Swahili.

I have included a few photos of Harry from his first few days of life with us at Rafiki. Enjoy!