A Kenyan Mission Trip: A Passion to Serve and a Passion to Educate
Posted: August 21, 2019 | Author: Kate Potter, Yorkshire Academy Educator
Jambo! I am so excited to join the staff here at Yorkshire Academy. I have a huge passion for education and teaching with all learning styles in mind. I also am very passionate about serving others and just returned from a mission trip to Kenya this past June. I couldn’t fully comprehend what I would be embracing upon when I agreed to participate in this 17-day mission trip to Africa; but now my heart explodes with joy and appreciation to what I was able to be a part of. I am even more excited to be a part of the change for years to come as I have agreed to lead a mission team in summer of 2021.
Here is a little insight into our powerful mission trip. We spent a week in Maua where we built a house for an AIDS orphan and his family. Collins, our recipient, was chosen out of hundreds of children desiring this gift. The house has only 4 walls, no plumbing or electricity but they are viewed as palaces. Each house comes with a year of family insurance for all medical needs, new mattresses, blankets and of course keys to their new safe haven. Our team also conducted a medical camp in a remote part of Kenya with the help of the hospital staff and nursing students. We triaged over 200 clients getting their weight, height, blood pressure and glucose reading. Many also got reading glasses which was so fun to witness. One man simply asked for glasses saying, “I just want to be able to read my Bible again.” You should have seen his eyes light up when we finally found the right strength and the words became clear again. Some things can never be captured with words or pictures…this was one of those moments.
Our other major project was installing an entire security system complete with 32 cameras at the Maua Hospital. We started this project by digging trenches, burying wires and hanging the first set of cameras. I also had the opportunity to work on many side projects in around the area which included organizing a library at a local technical school and delivering blankets to infants and children at the hospital that my daughter’s Girl Scout Troop made.
From Maua we then made our way to a town outside of Nakuru to visit and serve an orphanage. We had 3 days to love and care for 17 of the most beautiful children God has ever created. Although the odds were stacked against them in their younger years we got to witness their thriving life now. One highlight of our time was treating these 17 sweeties to a trip into town for each to pick out a new coat and blanket since we were visiting during their winter! And just when they thought things couldn’t get better, we surprised them with ice cream (many had never had this delicious treat before!). I can’t wait to return on my next visit!
Although we didn’t want to leave the orphanage, our team said our good-byes with a group dinner and we packed our bags for the last leg of our journey. We spent our last three days as a team in awe of what we had witnessed on the landscape of the Masai Mara. Our three-day safari was awe inspiring. Such beautiful landscape and the animals of Africa are just amazing to watch in their own habitat.
I am excited to bring many fun experiments into to my classroom from my adventures in Kenya! From an Equator Water Experiment to understanding how hot air balloons lift off; I can’t wait to have my students learn a little more about my trip through Science! If you want to hear more about our mission or want information on how to join a future mission trip, please feel free to reach out.
Houston Girl Scouts made blankets for Kenyan children.
