Good News from Kenya!

So after 6 months...(that's right, I said 6!) the soccer equipment finally arrived at Al-Huda Primary school in Kenya!  Mid-September I received a phone call from Mr. Musa, the principal.  He said he had good news...which was a surprise in itself!  Sure enough, both packages had arrived, with all of their contents! 

I can't even tell you how excited I was!  I had really almost completely lost hope of them getting there at all, wondering if the contents had been stolen.  But HALF OF A YEAR, and many, many prayers later...the boxes finally did arrive.  A miracle in my books!

  I am told that the kids are very excited.  From the pictures...it's hard to tell.  They are not really smiling...but I learned while I was there, that this is quite normal.  Almost everyone poses for pictures in Kenya, with a very serious face.  

One of the things I loved while I was there, was seeing these people who had literally only the worn, simple clothes on their backs (if they were lucky), smiling and laughing and playing like they were missing nothing. I wanted to capture that in my photos.  I wanted to show others who these people are, not just their circumstances. 

So when it came to picture time, there was often a little prompting from me, "Come on you guys!  SMILE!  I'm not taking the picture until I see you SMILE!!" More often than not, they would crack, revealing these great, genuine laughs.  Even thinking of it now just makes me happy :) 

So, as I was not there to prompt these smiles, the kids are mostly smile-less.  But I have kindly requested smiles for next time ;) 

I just want to again, thank all of you for your support throughout all this.  The things we are doing with Collecting 4 Kenya make a difference, even if it's small.  All of you are helping me to do something I could definately not do on my own.  Thank-you for that. 

Mr. Musa and Al-Huda Primary, have asked me to thank-you, but I think I'll just end by letting you read the message he sent me today: 

"Pass our regards to all your friends who contributed to the school.  We are really praying for you people and looking (for) them soon (to) visit our school.  You are great friends.  The boys and the entire school were very grateful and praying for you all.  They are all excited and the parents have also sent their warm regards during this festive season."

p.s.  Mark off March 10th, 2012 on your calenders!  Collecting 4 Kenya will be having a benefit concert and small silent auction to raise the rest of the money for the Poultry Project, and hopefully even more to contribute to new projects with some of Kenya's orphans.  Stay tuned...