Much more than just a mattress.

The Lord had provided the funding ABOVE and BEYOND what we had asked, and we had a feeling there was more to the plan than we originally thought.  With the new funds in hand I headed back into town to find another sewing machine and purchase large quantities of vinyl sheeting to make "rain jackets" for the junior mattresses.  The team continued their training workshops in culinary, sewing and medical.  We knew we could not even think about starting on the mattress covering project until we had completed the classes we had planed for the children.  What a blessing to watch the excitement in their eyes as they learned and applied what we were teaching.

As our first week in Kenya was coming to a close we all were ready for some much needed rest.  Sabbath (Saturday) couldn't have come sooner . . . we spent the day studying, worshiping and praising the Lord for His amazing gifts in our lives.  During that afternoon we enjoyed the beautiful Kenyan countryside as we walked with the children down to the lake.  FIWAGOH lies on the edge of the Rift Valley and I don't think I will ever tire of seeing Lake Elementaita or the hills and views that surround the orphanage.  It is truly amazing to see the creativity of our God.

With Sabbath behinds us our second week started with a flurry of pent up activity.  We had to move quickly if we were going to get every mattress on to a bed before we left that coming Friday morning.  Honestly, we didn't know HOW it would all come together, but we were determined to pull 'all-nighters' if that was what it would take to get the job done.  God had provided the funds and now it was our turn to be His hands and feet in action.

Our first challenge was to figure out how to best sew material covers for the sheets.  Doneva and Kris came up with a pattern to make large pillowcase style mattress covers to go on every mattress.  Our second challenge was how to make vinyl "rain jackets" that could fit down over the top and sides of the junior mattresses to cover and protect from any wetting issues.  Since we were concerned about our sewing machines holding up to the heavy plastic sheeting our two seamstresses came up with another design to cut the plastic sheeting to size, slice the corners and then glue them together with Superglue.  With a strategy all laid out the team started on the vinyl covers while the seamstresses tackled the mattress covers.  We organized ourselves and started unloading the storage room and moving mattresses, blankets and pillows up to the dining hall into a make-shift assembly line.  With our mini-factory in full production all eating and worship (morning and evening) which normally took place in the dining hall had to move outside.

Stacks of mattresses were piled and organized into three different size groups.  Rolls of vinyl sheeting were stretched out, cut and glued together.  The first evening we stayed up till mid-night and had the seniors join us for a night of measuring and fabric cutting.  As they finished each piece they would run it to the sewing room and returning to fit the new covers on the foam mattresses.  Somehow we even managed to fit in a rubber band war in the middle of it all!   What fun to see these kids laughing, helping and playing.  God is SO good!

Sewing late into the night...

Things were moving along well until our seamstresses made me aware of a small . . . well, actually a rather LARGE problem.  After taking a full inventory of ALL the fabric provided to them by Pastor Benson for the mattress covers they realized it was only sufficient to make 23 covers.  We had 146 mattresses . . .

So back to town I went to purchase 375 meters of fabric so the team could make the rest of the mattress covers.  After a little searching we found what we needed but we had forgotten one thing.  How would we carry it all back to our waiting bus which was parked quite a ways across town?  Pastor Benson's solution was to flag down a Tuk-Tuk, but Liz (my daughter) wasn't so sure.

The thought of fitting twelve bolts of fabric and three people into that little taxi seemed like a mismatch . . . but after squeezing everything in we realized it was the perfect visual for the overflowing blessings we had received!  I was beginning to realize WHY God had provided ABOVE and BEYOND what we had asked. At every turn we were prepared and able to handle the additional needs that kept popping up as our large agenda kept getting larger!  It took everyone being involved over the next four days to measure, cut, sew, and fit the covers onto the mattresses. As the final night arrived we were very tired, but oh so happy as we finished the last cover!

The OLD mattresses...

... and the NEW.

The old mattresses coming out...

... and the new ones going IN!

Stacks of pillows ready to go on the beds.

As wonderful as all those experiences are to look back on I have to say the very BEST part was having the privilege of carrying the finished mattresses into the dorms and placing them on the children's beds.  Seeing the JOY in their eyes as we helped them make and climb in to their new beds was such a blessing.  Those joyful expressions were cut into my memory even more as we took the old mattresses and covers that we had just replaced back out of the dorms.   My heart broke as I realized they were falling apart and wreaking with the smell of urine.  What a contrast to the pillow-top mattress I sleep on every night back home with multiple pillows, soft clean sheets and blankets.  All of that taken SO for granted!  Humbled. Speechless. Fighting bad tears.  NO words can describe the overwhelming emotions as these children HUGGED and HUGGED my neck saying "thank you Auntie Diana for my mattress, blanket and pillow!" How cute to see their little faces snuggled down in their beds, blankets pulled up to their chins and GRINS from ear to ear. Even better was when I would come across a bed with two or even three little faces beaming back at me. Their eyes dancing with excitement at this simple, but amazing GIFT.  This was NOT just a mattress, to each one of them it was a visible expression of LOVE.  NO words . . .

And even as I try to write this . . . reliving those moments . . . tears fall.  I struggle for a way to make sense of it all.  How can I live in a world SO blessed, SO comfortable while they struggle each day to have the basics of life?  All I can say is that God has opened my heart as He meets these orphan's basic needs right in front of my eyes.  By leading me here He has shown me just a little glimpse of the immense need in this world . . . armed with this new perspective I know now that it is my responsibility to MAKE A DIFFERENCE and at a minimum EQUIP ONE.

The Sewing Plan...

EQUIP1 Ministries purpose in Kenya is to come along-side the FIWAGOH Mission Orphanage in the construction of their new vocational school to equip the older teen orphans with skills they can eventually use to support themselves.  EQUIP1 support is not limited to the construction of the building, but also includes outfitting the various classrooms with equipment and supplies to teach each trade as well as conducting training workshops in some of the trades that will be taught at the school.

The EQUIP1 team that recently traveled in June went to jump start training in the areas of culinary, sewing and medical/first aid.  Our goal was to provide beginner classes in these trades as well as provide some of the initial equipment/supplies the school would need to start classes once the building is complete next Spring.

For the sewing workshop we went armed with many of yards of fabric, spools of thread, bobbins, needles, pin cushions, patterns, scissors, measuring tape and two VERY talented seamstresses!  We also went with the assumption that the 4-5 electric sewing machines that had been donated to the orphanage in the past were in good WORKING condition. Sadly, they were not.  

So on our second day on the ground in Kenya, sewing classes started while I headed to town in pursuit of sewing machines and an iron.  Kris and Doneva (our sewing instructors) began their classes with things they could teach without sewing machines.  They explained the basics of measuring, laying out patterns and choosing appropriate fabric for the projects we planned.  The girls in the class were very attentive and eager to learn.  The teachers were beyond patient and understanding as they explained and worked individually with the girls.    

Meanwhile I was in town going from shop to shop in search of sturdy, functional sewing equipment.  After much searching I was able to find ONE heavy duty manual/electric Singer sewing machine and table for $650.  

I had hoped to purchase more than one, but at that price the girls would have to take turns learning and sewing on a single machine.   It felt good to know that we now had a reliable machine to be able to teach the sewing classes we had planned. Little did I know, God had a much bigger PLAN in store than our simple lessons.  

Over the coming days the girl’s sewing projects turned out wonderfully.  They were each very proud of what they were able to learn and then “wear”.  

While I was in town shopping some of the team had been searching through the storage room in the basement of the orphanage's main building.  They were looking for additional supplies to be used in our various projects and instead found stacks of brand new mattresses, pillows and blankets sitting unused.  We had heard that a previous mission team visiting the orphanage had purchased these items for the children and were puzzled as to WHY they remained in the storage room and were NOT on the children’s bunk beds in their dorms.  When I asked Pastor Benson why these items remained in storage, he shared that they HAD the fabric to make mattress covers, but did not want to use ANY of the mattresses until they could purchase the necessary plastic material to cover those beds of the children who were still prone to wet (or "rain") at night.  Since funds were not available, the mattresses sat idly in storage.  

And just like that . . . I knew our PLANS were about to change.  

But before I committed the team to take on such a large project, I decided to discuss it with them over dinner and share the need. The challenge we faced was that our trip funds were limited and I knew we would have more material to purchase and we could NEVER get it all done with just ONE sewing machine!  The team quickly agreed that we need to get the mattresses OUT of the storage and ON to the beds. Many of the team had been in the children's dorms and had seen that they were sleeping on very thin foam mattresses or just a blanket directly on the metal wires of the frame. Knowing that our funds were limited, the team felt strongly that we should SHARE the need with friends and family back home and leave it to the Lord to provide.  

So that night I typed a short message outlining our request for additional funds.  I explained that we needed to purchase a second sewing machine as well as some personal hygiene supplies for the children to meet another need of which we had become aware.   All in all, we asked for about $1000.  I tagged everyone on the team, posted it on Facebook and the team headed to bed.  While everyone else slept, I was online talking with Bret and uploading pictures from the day.  Within minutes funds started pouring in and before we knew it, almost $4000 had been donated in just a few hours.  Tears flowed as I sat there watching God provide in a BIG way.  I was overwhelmed with the realization of HOW much He LOVED these ORPHANS and was moving to meet their need.  How humbling to see him USE us to accomplish His PLAN.  

Recently my personal Bible study time has been in the book of John.  I am learning over again how MUCH God LOVES us.  In the quiet of the wee hours of the morning in Kenya . . . I opened my Bible to John 15 and read out loud...

"I am the vine; you are the branches.  If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit, apart from me you can do nothing.  If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.  If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples."  John 15:5-8

I went to bed with my heart full and overflowing.  I hoped to get a few hours of sleep before sharing the news with the team at breakfast.

In the morning I read to the team from the passage in John 15 that I had read in the middle of the night.  I shared with them how very important it was that we remain in Him . . . and how He has promised that if we do, we can ask and He will provide.  Then I share that He HAD.  Needless to say, there was not a dry eye in the room.  We all sensed that we were now caught up in what He had planned all along and we had much to do . . . some of it still yet to unfold.

We headed into the day with a renewed sense of calling and purpose.  God had a plan and we had a small part in it.  How humbling . . . and what a privilege! 

What's Cooking?

Culinary was one of the training workshops we planned to do with the older teen orphans while in Kenya. We went with suitcases FULL of cooking utensils, mixing bowls, cutting boards, knives and LOTS of spices.

With Ryan as the instructor... it was sure to be a lot of FUN!

The first day was spent learning what each piece of equipment is and how it is used in the kitchen. Positions and jobs within a professional kitchen were discussed, as well as taste testing of different spices.  By the end of the day... they were ready to COOK!

Each of the three cooking days had a theme, the first was Mexican Style.  There was plenty of chopping and mixing as they learned to make fresh salsa and guacamole dip.  Of course there was lots of taste-testing going on as well.

It was fun for us to sit back and watch the sheer JOY and EXCITEMENT of getting to try new things, use new equipment and prepare a new dish.  SO much LAUGHTER in the ROOM!

Cooking Day #2 - Italian Style
Ryan had each of the kids taste both green & black olives, Italian dressing and spices.  There were lots of scowls on their faces at the salty/bitter taste of the olives, but once the pasta salad was all mixed together.. they LOVED it!

Cooking Day #3 - American Style
What else could we make, but..... fruit SMOOTHIES and SOFT PRETZELS!  You have to understand that these kids DO not eat sweets, nor do they eat COLD things...so SMOOTHIES were quite a NEW experience for all.  The previous day, Ryan had the kids cut bananas, mangoes, and pineapple and put them into ziplock bags to freeze overnight.  We purchased a new blender/food processor for their culinary classroom and it was put to good use blending fruit juice and frozen fruit.  There were several different combinations made, but hands down... the majority LOVED the mango/pineapple smoothie!

Next was soft pretzels.  After showing them how to roll the dough and make a pretzel twist, we let them loose to make their own creations.  Such CREATIVE kids!  They had a blast rolling and designing shapes, then adding different spices to flavor them.  We were SO surprised at dinner the next day when their CREATIVE designs showed up again in our fried bread they make for us.  No longer was it in plain cut squares, but now we had stars, hearts and even circles linked together.  We LOVED seeing them apply what they were learning in class to our meals.  They are SO eager to learn!! 

THANK YOU to ALL who donated to the cooking supplies.  We were able to take at least 3 of EVERYTHING... which is an amazing START for the new culinary classroom in the vocational school which is under construction.  One set of everything is being used in the current kitchen, and the rest is being stored until the new classroom/kitchen is ready to be EQUIPPED!