11/14/2010

Martyn's Visit & Report

Back in November Martyn Ryan visited West Special School to gather information to help further the project. Below I have included bits of his research and observations:

"Arrived and met Evelyn, Wycliffe and Pastor Job. After a meal and polite chat we were taken to the school. This is a single run down classroom, which previously probably operated as a shop. Children were sat at desks quite well behaved and seemed pleased to see their visitors, but one single room which is relatively cramped is inadequate."

"We did video type interviews with most of the children, with Wycliffe talking about the children. We also videoed interviews with a supporter of the school, who is the owner of the property they rent, plus some parents and teachers."

"We went to one of the children’s own home and met with his parents.
We also had a meeting with a number of officials at the local Education Offices, which was particularly useful, and clarified the schools current position. We also were taken to the land they have purchased. "

"Such children are generally not cared for properly by their parents as they have no prospect of being a wage earner at the end of the day. In a number of cases they have been abused and/or left on their own for long periods of time."


Immediate Attention:

"The school needs to move, and either has to put up temporary buildings on its new land quickly, so it can continue, OR move into more adequate premises, which the local education authority would find acceptable, and enable it to move forward to registration. Any new premises do not need to have accommodation facilities, just basic school facilities. Assumed they would stay in these premises while building on the new school took place."

"Teaching aids and resources are poor. You should immediately start sourcing these from western special schools that are probably throwing such items out. Software specifically for the deaf and mentally challenged all need sourcing. These would be useful in the new premises again before building work starts. All of these such items could be brought by individuals in extra suitcases when they visit during 2011."

10/20/2010

We have seen things move along at a steady pace. With a few set backs over the summer the vision is still being chased after. It appears that if everyone was to neglect such a cause lives would never be changed and there surely will never be a project without risk. Please, if you can, find me a life changing project without risk and I will step back.

This has not specifically become a project about the children, or the leaders, or Africa, or against corruption, or for something 'good' to do but rather it is about the very heart of Jesus Christ.

Whether this project becomes a flop or not or even a dead end in the weeks to come it is not without the fight for His heart. To sit around and only pray for such afflictions is to contradict our faith that we claim to hold onto. Faith without deeds is dead. Deeds without faith is pointless. May we reminds ourselves never to pray a prayer for which we are not willing to be the answer to. I am not saying not to pray but only be aware of the contradictions of a prayer.

What if I was to ask you to pray for this project? Would you be able to pray such a prayer with the knowledge that God might even ask you to do something about it?

Would you join us please in praying for the glory of God to be displayed here? That, friends, is a dangerous prayer.

West Special School may become a glorious reality.

Let me help you to more specific...
We need more money to do it.
We need administration.
We need willing hearts.
We need hearts.

Please don't waste your breathe and tell those involved to stop and move onto something more thought out and planned with a whole lot more comfort and less need for faith. If it is not built then it will never be a failure. The failure would be to stop trying, like so many on the road so far. The day they lost of fight was the day that they failed. God is looking right into the depths of our hearts not at what we do. He simply wants us to let go and be at one with Him.

Maybe in God's perspective, the most important perspective, He looks at things differently to us. Where are our hearts? Who do we fight for?

Ingrained in the Word of God's history we see it (Isaiah 58 - give it a read) and then in the revelation of the Son we are shown a true compassion.

Are you praying?

"Justice denied anywhere diminishes justice everywhere".

7/27/2010

Practical Needs

There is a great need for school supplies. We are working with getting in contact with a school in Washington State to fundraise these items to be sent out within the next year or so.

SCHOOL SUPPLIES

pencils
rubbers
color pencils
crayons
paper
rulers
bottle tops
bricks
pieces of cloth
waste rubber
cut-out pictures
cartons
manila papers
sandpaper
paint brushes
varnish
assorted beads
fishing lines
wires
nails
sand plastic containers
firing materials
color chalk sticks
cut-out shapes
water colors
brushes
sticks
flowers
leaves
palates
powder paints
tins
pictures
plain paper
sketches
scissors
assorted seeds
glue
stencils
ink
strings
sisal
printing blocks
reeds
wool
safety pins
needles
grass
clay
newspaper

7/22/2010

Photos




PRAY

Pray for the staff, the students, and the people helping make this vision become reality, for the glory of the King.

Specifically pray for Wycliff & Evelyn Nekesa. May their hearts be strengthened with the hope of the Father, and may their eyes be clearly focused not on the struggles of this world, but above, to the Lord.

Pray for Pastor Job Matimbai. Job is highly involved in this project and vision. He is a man of wisdom and compassion. He is a pastor, a husband, and a father. Pray for direction, clarity, and passion.

Pray for the children, many of whom are unwanted and not accepted. May the God of comfort invade their hearts and souls, and may people be moved to give and support these lovely children.

THE VISION

Mission Statement
To mold mentally challenged children to be self-reliant persons in an environment that affords them an assured future as responsible global citizens.

Vision
To be a leading centre of compassion for mentally challenged children in Kenya and an internationally respected and fearless defender of the rights of children with mental disabilities.

Project Goal and Objectives
The principle objective and aim of this project is to establish a school and care centre for the mentally challenged children in Bungoma Central District.
It is a learning centre in the Kenyan Special Education curriculum
There will be learning in basic academics.
At the completion of this project, we shall be imparting vocational training skills to learners who have gone through the basic classroom procedure.
The project will complement Government efforts aimed at making available special education to children in need.
The broader aim is to build the school with facilities that will make it a centre of excellence for the mentally challenged children and for the benefit of the local community. We shall proceed with this project in five phases upon funding.

The Idea
The idea of starting a school and Day Care Centre for mentally challenged children was mooted by Evelyn Nekesa Wafula. She is passionate about children with mental impairments and this passion had led her to choose a course and career in special Education. Having taught and taken care of such children elsewhere, she suggested that we do a survey that would determine the number of children with such disabilities within Bungoma.

Guided by the fact that there were no schools within that offered education and care for this segment of our community, hers was an ideal and noble calling. A survey showed that indeed there was a need for such and institution.
And so with nothing except faith, strong willpower, determination and experience, we set out to find the learners, rented a structure and the school was born in May 2008-with Evelyn as the School Director.





Forward by Evelyn Nekesa (2010).