Zoe first went to Kenya on Wednesday 1st August 2007. She has experienced many different situations there and has now settled with the Nyongesa family in Kakamega. They have recently been registered with the Kenyan Government as a child rescue centre and home. They have taken on two abandoned babies permanantly, Grace and Hope, born in March 2009, and have provided a temporary home for several abandonded newborn babies until foster families are found for them. Jesca and Zoe also provide support and help for many in their local community.

Zoe writes in a newsletter.................

.............I felt that God was releasing me back to Kenya to develop the ministry I have had a vision for, for many years - that of working in the African community with the poorest of the poor, and specifically lifting needy children and orphans. More news will be coming on that shortly, but generally involves feeding support, clothing, school fees and uniform and personal care and encouragement for kids and parents.

Kenya Newsletter December 2009
 
Dear all,
 
This newsletter is a bit different!  Zoe has suggested that you might like to hear about the recent 10 day visit her mum Julie & I made to Kenya to stay with her & to tell you from first hand experience the work that Zoe is doing & what life in Kenya is like.
 
Julie & I flew out to Nairobi on the 22^nd November, leaving the rain-soaked UK behind in exchange for the warmth & sunshine of Kenya.
 
We had to connect to an internal flight from Nairobi to Kisumu but had a 7 hour wait ahead of us, so we put our cases in a left luggage office & after tense negotiations we got a 'deal' at a small tour office for a taxi to take us on a visit to Nairobi National Park, the highlight of which was seeing the baby orphaned elephants, whose mums have sadly been killed by ivory poachers.
 
Our 45 minute internal flight took us to Kisumu, where Zoe & her friends, Pete & Paula met us.  Pete & Paula are living & working in Kisumu & are known to Zoe & her family through Fareham Community Church & they very kindly put us up at their home for our first night in Kenya.
 
The following day Zoe, Julie & I visited the New Life Home in Kisumu, one of a number in Kenya & which is run by Christians. The Kisumu Home has the facilities to care for 50 children who are either orphaned or abandoned, some of them have aids &/or have special needs.  We visited the nursery which had around 15 young babies' resident.  We donned aprons, washed our hands & set to work with the delightful task of helping to feed them!  Many of the babies will be adopted but any that are not will be cared for until they are adults.
 
Later that day, Zoe Julie & I caught a matatu to Kakamega.  The journey lasted for around an hour & a half & was hair-raising!  The matatu is like a mini bus & was packed with passengers all squashed in.  Julie & I rode up front with the driver & watched in horror as he swung the 'bus' all over the road in an attempt to avoid potholes. We wondered whether our luggage, which was tied on the roof, would still be there when we reached our destination - but of course it was!
 
We stayed at the 3 bedroom house which Zoe rents in Kakamega, where Jesca, Joseph & family also live. Having seen photos of them all in the past it was lovely to meet them.  We also took great delight in meeting for the first time Grace & Hope, Zoe's two beautiful, 8 month old girls, rescued earlier this year.
 
In addition, they had staying with them a tiny, 4 week old baby boy, who had been found abandoned & whom they named Moses.  So, in all, there were 12 of us staying at the house, although the 4 older children were sleeping in a building outside the main house.
 
Zoe & Jesca had an itinerary for our visit which included a 3 day Women's Conference, which took place in the Church at Mukumu village, about a 35 minute journey from Kakamega.  We journeyed there by matatu & then by 'boda-boda'.  Boda-boda is a man on a bike which has a small, padded seat on the back, where the 'passenger' sits (ladies sit side-saddle).  It was rather like riding a bucking bronco on the heavily rutted, dirt roads & 'staying on' took all my concentration!
 
The conference was very successful, with around 80 mums & babies on day one & nearer 120 by day 3.  We had a great time of praise & worship with them each day, followed by different activities.
 
Zoe & Jesca had arranged free food & drink to be laid on for those who came to the conference, which was eaten outside the Church, under the shade of trees.
 
Julie, who is trained in baby massage, gave demonstrations on the technique, which everyone seemed to enjoy.  Zoe did some preaching, with Jesca interpreting, although in fact Zoe can speak & understand  kiswahili very well now.  I talked about the Old Testament story of Ruth & we also did talks on nutrition, health & hygiene.
 
On the last day we gave out seeds of carrots, red & green peppers & coriander to encourage the ladies to grow them in their gardens.  We hope it will introduce variety into their often bland diet of 'ugali' (made from maize flour & water) & improve their nutritional intake.
 
We also gave out around 40 second hand bras, donated by ladies in the UK before Julie & I set off for Kenya.  Zoe had told us that the ladies in Kenya can't get bras & could we bring some with us!  We were almost overwhelmed with the response to the appeal!  All were gratefully accepted by the ladies, we just wish we'd had more!
 
Lastly, we presented a new, treadle sewing machine to the ladies of the village, so that they can learn to do tailoring.  Five of the village ladies know how to sew & will teach the others.  This could even lead to a small tailoring business & it will also give them the means to make some of their own clothes.
 
In return the village ladies presented us with eggs, fruit, sugar cane & a live hen!!!  The hen provided our supper a few days later!  We were overwhelmed with their generosity when most of them have so little.
 
Julie & I had an amazing time in Kenya.  It was shocking in some respects because their culture is so different to ours & most of them live hard lives.
 
It was good to observe Zoe's work first hand & we hope that our visit gave her encouragement. We certainly learnt a lot.
 
What so impressed me is that Zoe not only has chosen to take in abandoned babies & find permanent homes for them but that she & Jesca also somehow find the time, energy & commitment to visit outlying villages to bring practical help & encouragement to the women & to share the Gospel message of love with them all.