This was our last weekend in Weru and it started off with a trip to a disabled children's home. Pastor Mwiti told me and Dylan that families with disabled children often hide them so that they won't be shamed by their conditions. At the home, Dylan and I met 9 young boys who were in the care of two women. Most of the boys couldn't speak English (some could barely communicate at all) while others were confined to old rickety wheelchairs. One thing I notice and really admired about these boys was the way they watched out for each other. The older and less handicapped ones would serve those who needed help. For example, some of the younger ones in wheelchairs can't use the restroom by themselves and so one of the other boys would push him outside. I could't help but be impressed by the two women who served the boys. It's a thankless and tiresome job to be sure but I'm certain that God will reward these women for their efforts one day in heaven. We played games with the boys, threw around a ball (which was a heck of a lot of plastic bags bunched up and wrapped by a few rubber bands), and toured their school which was up a hill. It was both heartbreaking and heartwarming to watch as the boys pushed others up in their wheelchairs. Truly, no one got left behind.
Their brotherhood is more sincere and sacrificial than 99% of friendships I've observed. They don't pretend to laugh at each other's jokes, sit around talking about girls, or suck up to each other. They go through all their trials together. They suffer together. It's sad that it takes poverty and disability to see the best of human nature. I hope that these boys will be each other's brothers and keepers so long as they live. They're all each other has.
Dylan, Me, and the boys
Later that day, we had visitors. Our GP teammates from Mathare and Huruma came to visit us. It was a pleasant surprise and cool mini-reunion as Nathan, Rich, Jackie, Paula, Katie, and Melissa drove up to our family's house in their matatu. We shared stories about what we had gone through, Katie's crazy surgery (I still thank God and marvel at the fact Katie was in Nairobi for her assignment), etc. Dylan and I gave our friends a tour of the area and I'm sure the kids in the area had never seen so many foreigners before.
That night, after we ate a super feast of a dinner, we figured out who would be serving in the Sunday service the next day. It was exciting to ministry together and I'll never forget just being there in our family's house, sitting with our friends, talking about how God was working in and through us. Good times. Blessed times.
From left to right: Rich, Katie, Jackie, Melissa, Nathan, Paula, and Dylan. I'll never forget being all together in Weru for those few days.
