Day four at KDS.

Hello everyone! Today was our last day of the week at KDS. It was another eventful day of teaching. The kids are so excited to have us and the teachers are so grateful for our time, preparation, and support. The Lord is accomplishing great feats in everyone's hearts here.

Each day we learn more about the school, the schools in the area, and the overall state of education in Kenya, especially for the poor. 2/3 of the entire country lives in the slums. Although KDS is not fancy, it is a wonderful, sanitary place that provides hope, nutrition, faith-education and love to the children of Dandora. KDS's students and teachers are extremely hard-working, and their national tests scores prove this. Kenya's standards are INCREDIBLY higher than America's. Most people that come to America from Kenya can pass the GED test with an 8th grade education from Kenya. All students are also taught bi-lingually which is equally impressive. KDS is not run as a business as most other schools in the area are. Conditions are also sanitary, meals hearty and healthy, and healthcare is available with no cost to the child or parents. It is truly a place to motivate and definitely make a change. It's simply astounding to see how much can be accomplished with so little. This place is truly a miracle and blessing!

It is a false pretense when you drive into the school's gate, you see plush vegetation, beautiful greenery and gorgeous, pink blooming flowers on trees in the distance. The awful thing is that this vegetation is fueled by sewage and is definitely not able to be eaten. In actuality, there is sewage all over Dandora. We know there is some magical metaphor about the plants, this slum, and the children, but we haven't quite figured it out yet.

Most families in Dandora live in a one-room rented house with neither electricity or rented water. It doesn't matter the size of the family, 3 0r 11, that's pretty much the only option. Children are tempted by peers to pursue a life as a dump kid (searching through trash to sell and eat), join a gang, or do drugs. Some are even forced into lives of crime and prostitution by family members or other people in the neighborhood. The more you learn about it, the more you understand the perservance these children have and the blessing that KDS is.

Thank you everyone for your prayers. Please pray for continued opportunities in the future for these children and teachers.

Today I met my angel, Evelyn. She is absolutely stunning. She stuck out in church on Sunday--she was wearing the most adorable pink ballerina dress. She is sweet, a ham for the camera, and an only child. Coincidence? I think not. She doesn't know much English yet, but she is precious beyond imagination. I thank God for the opportunity to meet Evelyn and the financial means to sponsor her. God-willing, I will sponsor her until she completes University. :) I am also so proud to announce that my wonderful mother is going to sponsor a child, and Leda is too! Cindy is already a Saint--she sponsors 5 children here in Africa, and two of them from the orhpanage are here now! Our internet is being fickle, otherwise I'd post some pictures. We are creating a website like this for all of the women involved to share our photos. As soon as the site is up and running, I will share it.

Love and blessings,

The TIK team