Back in Action in 2014

Coming back to Kenya in 2014 is such a great feeling. This time last year, I was surrounded by a different people, language, culture, everything! It was my first time coming to Kenya and I was trying to take it all in, make a new normal, and start the life that God had called me to here. Well now, 1 year later, I return feeling refreshed, after having been with my loved ones for a few weeks, as well as READY.

I was returning to something familiar and a place that I had learned to call “home” for the past year! I returned to our little wooden cottage, to my black cat, Fupi, and to a place that I now felt a part of. I was excited to start the year on a good foot with many goals set in place! I was praying for new students to come to our school and for new successes within our organization as a whole.

Now, I am about a month in and so much has been going on that I have not had time to sit down and write. Or, if I did have time, I did not know where to start! But, since returning, we received 2 new Form 2 students and 3 new Form 3 students! They have been received well by the returning girls and are adapting to this fast pace life that is Uhuru Academy. There is always something to be doing or a place to be going. It’s also a place where you establish yourself in your identity in Christ and set your goals and plans to achieve them. I can’t wait to see how they continue to grow throughout this year!

I have to get used to calling these girls Form 2s now instead of Form 1s!

Some of the Form 3 girls a.k.a. Sassy  Squad.

So, the Form 1’s did not return until last week because they did not yet know their test scores from the KCPE (a standardized test they must take before applying for secondary school). Because of this delay, Christine and I chose to start GLOW Club (our life skills club) with Leadership. Empowering these girls before the younger ones get here on how to be a leader and role model this year was something we valued to be very important. We want the older girls to understand how great of an impact they have on those around them whether we realize it or not. They were challenged with this question:

“Will you BE the influence or become the one BEING influenced?”

Playing a game where the blindfolded person has to decide which person is good and bad peer pressure while they are both talking to her at the same time.

It has caused quite a raucous!

Screaming also ensued hahaha

I think that question has stuck with them throughout this leadership series and they are having to really think about how they will proactively become the leaders of Uhuru Girls.

A verse that I would like to see come to life through our girls is,

"Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it BUILDS ITSELF UP IN LOVE." 

[Ephesians 4:15-16]

Now that we have 6 new Form 1’s at our school who are settling in, we get to see these girls put this knowledge of how to be a leader into practice.

Hopefully the first of many new Form 1s

We also have been going through a series on Friendship in bible study based on the Sean McDowell video series. It covers issues such as loneliness, peer pressure, comparison, and identity which have all taken well with the girls. We want to show them what true friendships look like and how these issues are talked about throughout the Bible. Also, we have been focusing on where we find our identity as believers in Christ and how that effects how we speak and act day to day and also who we let influence us. Challenging them to not just read a story in the Bible but to learn how to ask the hard questions and apply the themes to their lives is our goal. 

Teaching them to read the Word of God for spiritual fulfillment instead of just duty, teaching them about gospel obedience versus religious obedience and the heart behind both, making them into women who love Jesus and claim their beliefs as their own so that when they are ready to leave Uhuru Academy and enter the real world, they know who they are and where they are going. 

Uhuru girls are confident and determined, yet humble and loving.

As we kick start this year with a lot of hopes, we had our first school assembly yesterday with all of the students! They introduced the school schedule to the new girls and we heard a few words from various staff members about what is expected from Uhuru Academy students. Afterwards, we just listened to music, danced, drank some soda, took pictures, and enjoyed one another’s company. It was awesome!

Group Assembly picture in the Dining Hall

Hanging out afterwards with the girls

Ann trying to make her eyes bigger in the picture hahaha

Making mischievous looks at the camera

Best friends :)

There will be more to update in the near future as more events unfold, but for now we are still praying for more students as the term progresses and for continued growth and maturity in every area of life for these girls. 

Education is FREEDOM!