Greetings from Kenya!

Brydges Centre ground breaking with founder Rosemary Wafula

We have had a great experience here in Kenya. After arriving on the evening of 3 March and getting a good night’s sleep, Scott and I hit the ground running, scheduling meetings and all the other things we hoped to accomplish.

The first couple of days are always rough due to jetlag, and this trip was no exception. Our first priority has been the new water well, or borehole as it is called in Africa, at the new Brydges Children’s Home in Kitengela just outside Nairobi. Unfortunately, the driller contracted to drill the bore hole has been delayed due to complications at another bore hole. This has set the timing back on the bore hole at Brydges Centre until sometime in April.  We are trying not to be discouraged as this was one of the main focuses of our time here; however, in Kenya it is impossible to make things happen just because “we are here and this is our plan.”

We realize it is particularly difficult for those of you in the U.S. as you would not imagine the difficulties surrounding a major undertaking like drilling a bore hole.  We contracted for this bore hole many, many weeks ago and even though the driller was feeling optimistic that drilling would commence no later than 13 March, there was no way he could have foreseen losing his drill bit down the bore hole he is currently drilling.

We celebrated with the Brydges “family” and Dave and Jennifer Bell for the ground breaking ceremony at the new Brydges Center property on Sunday 7 March. Dave and Jen are missionary friends we met in Kenya before we moved here.  They have worked with the children and staff at Brydges for several years. Eleos Project and the Never Thirst Again clean water initiative is partnering with them on the new Brydges water bore hole, both financially and technically.

Another priority for this trip was to visit several future clean water projects in Kenya. One project was a school for deaf children in Machakos, about an hour from Nairobi. Even though we were very jetlagged, Scott and I had a wonderful visit with these gifted children, and they gave us our “sign name.” Jennifer Bell signs very well and was able to help us communicate — but smiles and hugs translate in any language.

On Sunday, we traveled to Kisumu in western Kenya on the shore of Lake Victoria where more clean water projects awaited us. Scott has been traveling and working in this part of Kenya for several years. We visited many orphanages and schools to learn about their need for clean, safe water. At times, we were overwhelmed by the children and staff at each location — they all had a story to share with us, and they all showed us incredible Kenyan hospitality. We went to Kisumu knowing that water was needed. We left Kisumu convinced we must do something to help with clean, safe water for these children. We also realized that the need is very great, and one drilling rig will not be enough.

After returning to Nairobi from Kisumu, we traveled to Masaai land and the community of Ewaso-Ngiro to assess a hand pump at a bore hole that had stopped working last November. The bore hole is located at a primary school in a very rural area in the Great Rift Valley. After evaluating the condition of the bore hole and pump, we determined that although we had brought the tools and parts we thought we would need to make this repair, the damage was extensive, and the pump will need a major overhaul and some of the main components will need to be replaced. It is apparent we will also need to educate the community about how to care for this important water resource in the future.

As we begin wrapping up our trip here in Kenya, we still want to visit several children’s homes and churches in the Nairobi area. We look forward to sharing more about our time here with pictures and stories by connecting personally with our families, friends and partners in the U.S.  Thank you for your prayers and thank you for continuing to keep us in prayer.

Constantly in His Grip,
Mark and Scott