Meeting with Peter after spending the whole day celebrating with the staff. Every year they set aside the first weekend of December to come together as an organization and thank God for what has been accomplished through out the year. They also eat, sing, play games and share vision for the year to come. It was a good day!!
One of the places that Action Ministries is working are the slums of Mombasa. They started working with this family because of little Sophia (sitting next to Peter). They found her with a severe burn on her right leg (you can barely see the scare in the pic). It was exposed and unattended to. In the process of getting her proper medical attention they discovered she had three other siblings and that their mother was single and jobless. They are now working to put the children in school and have created an income generating project for the mother.
Meet beautiful Sophia! When I get discouraged and wonder if the problem is just to big... it's a picture like this that keeps me going... that reminds me the only way to change the world is one little Sophia at a time!
Eating lunch in the slums. Beans with a little maize mixed in. This family lived in a one bedroom mud thatched house with iron sheets. There was just enough room to walk around the table and their bed is just on the other side of the gold sheet... their hospitality and willingness to give when they have so little (in earthly possessions), is why in reality they are much richer than many of us in the "developed world".
Action Ministries also works in a leper camp outside of Msbweni, a village on the beach about an hour south of Mombasa. At one time there was a Leprosy Hospital. People from all over came or were brought for treatment. Because of the stigma attached to the disease, most never left... even after they were cured.
They formed a camp next to the hospital and settled in. The camp was called Tumbe (cursed)... that is until four years ago when Peter discovered the camp, heard their story and started
Action Ministries. Peter told them they were not a cursed people, but a blessed people. Their settlement is now called Blessed Camp... and it truly is a blessed place!!
Most of the older people in the camp are missing fingers, toes, feet, etc. The devistation of the disease is evident, but hope is just as present... especially in the kids! The Leprosy is almost completely wiped out and their is a whole generation of healthy children running around the place... but there are still many challenges to over come, but with the help of Action Ministries I believe they will!!
A fresh catch! The guy who caught these fish was pounding a large octopus with a big branch just to my right. It's a huge blessing that they are able to fish... because of the stigma of living in a leper camp, many of them have a hard time getting jobs.
This is the only well in the camp and it is running dry.
This elderly man was kind enough to let me take a photo with him. I can't remember his name, but I will never forget shaking is hand. He had no fingers.
Few more fun pictures to document our trip to Mombasa...
Out front of Terminal Hotel in Nairobi... getting ready to walk to the train station. We will be backpacking it from here until we get to Uganda.... to much traveling to bring a suitcase.
We were filming an early morning blog hanging out the window a bit... good lighting, Kenyan country side moving in the back ground... when all of a sudden a zebra came out of no where and started running next to the train right below us! Pretty crazy, not sure if I got it on film.
Just woke up on the train to Mombasa. I had to post this pic. Cooper's face is priceless!!
The view from our cottage on south beach in Diani. You can't go to Mombasa without spending a few days on the beach! We've been traveling nonstop since the beginning of October and have another two months to go... so it was a much needed rest! On a side note, Blessed Camp is about 30 minutes from here.
Compassion = Action,
Travis
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