February 2013

Pictured above: Anett

If you purchased a 2013 West Special School calendar (American version) you will find this photo on the February page. Anett is a very sweet young lady in her mid-teens. When she was three years old her mother discovered an issue with her hearing. She is not completely deaf, but does struggle to hear the majority of the time. She also has other mental and physical challenges to due family health history. She is a joy to have a West; her smile brings great happiness wherever she goes. 

January 2013

Left to right: Cynthia, Kevin, Francis, Dan, Brenda, Marion, Timothy

If you purchased a 2013 West Special School calendar (American version) you will find this photo on the January page. Pictured above are seven students sitting outside one of the classrooms enjoying their delicious lunch of ugali (corn meal) and sukuma wiki (local greens). Remember them in your prayers as the students begin a new year of learning and growing. 

Website Launch

We are pleased to announce the launching of the West Special School website. Visit www.westspecialschool.com to view photos, get to know the teachers and students, receive more information about various projects, and donate to the school.

2013 Calendar

September 2012 - The Schoolhouse

We continue to be amazed at what God has done for us at West Special School. Remember that many said it would never happen? Well, it appears God had other plans, plan that exceeded what anyone had dreamed. It is with this sense of awe and reverence we have the pleasure of announcing that the new Schoolhouse is being lived in.

The house itself has been under construction for the last 6 months or so. We have been given enough funds over the last few months and weeks to finish the building work off. Although the Schoolhouse, something more resembling a castle, is not finished through and through it is still enough to be inhabited. The walls still need painting, a few doors need to be put on and a few more windows need glass in them. These are important and will be added within the next or so when the funds arrive in Kenya.

Personally, I can see that Schoolhouse to be an important milestone for the school. It means that the leadership, Kutete and Evelyne, can now live on the site. It also means that the most desperate children will have a place to live, and are not required to run the daily gauntlet two a day on the way to school. I can imagine a sense of safety has invaded their young and impressionable lives.

Next on the agenda is the completion of the dormitory. This we began during the summer months and have done little in the way of construction since the Schoolhouse has demanded the attention of those concerned. But now, since the Schoolhouse is nearing the completion of the finishing touches we can now turn our eyes to the dormitory. With the donation already given we can expect to have the building finished fairly quickly. It has been difficult to estimate the costs involved (due to the fluctuating economy), which is why we must be wise in how we spend the donated money.

We all must now turn our affections towards God. We must remember to give our thanksgiving, as it is deservedly due. With this thanks we look to the coming months and weeks. We again, ask for blessing and to see work that amazes us all. The world must stop and take a look at West Special School for just a moment. Look and see that the God of the universe is undeniably and unashamedly concerned with those precious children, and for that very reason we will continue the pursuit.

Presentation Evening:

Sunday 29th July 2012

Bradfield and Rougham Baptist Church 

6:30pm

Initial Review

It's been about 6 days since we have all left Kenya and returned home. Even so, there is still quite some digesting to do. I find it hard to put everything into a concise little blog post that explains it all perfectly. So much happened in such a short space timespan that even a 1,000 page book would not do justice to the time and energy that each event needs.

We traveled to Chwele with more money than we've ever had. Our plan was to buy land and get the dormitory started before the 'Mums' arrived. By God's goodness we managed to do just that. The land was not cheap due to sharp rises in the price over the last year or so. However, we are pleased with what we got for the price, and remain optimistic for the future in getting more land. The cost to lay the foundation of the dormitory wasn't cheap either. We decided to go for the bigger foundation that allow us to build up to 3 or 4 stories if need be in the future. This meant that the builders could finish the walls before we left but it will leave us in a good place in the future months and years. This progress, along with the schoolhouse, will take West Special School to a whole new level.

Aside from the construction side of things, the development of the children has been remarkable. They have put on some good weight since last (testimony to the hearty meals they've been getting), their learning skills have improved and there was a generally good atmosphere in the classroom and during play time. Although we don't have trained teachers in place at the moment, I was pleased to see the improved care and attention they give the kids compared to last year. The children now all have a new uniform, shoes, socks and underwear. It was a special moment to see the children walk home like real African children after receiving their uniform. I don't suppose many of us have seen children get so excited over the gift of a school uniform. Perhaps the children's perspective is one for us to emulate.

The ladies trip was nothing short of a resounding success. The whole idea of the trip was for the children to be cared for and loved, and to receive what every child should have, a loving pair of arms to be embraced by. The tears shed and the love administered, I believe, have changed the children's lives forever. On the ladies' last day, the children went home with springs in the their steps knowing that at least a small group of ladies from the UK and the USA love them dearly. No one can ever take that from them and we thank Father for that.

All this being said there is still a mountain to climb. The dormitory must be finished as soon as possible. The schoolhouse is on the brink of being finished and is in need of more funds. We need more classrooms and vocational training. More land, electricity and water is also imperative. The journey has only just begun. Although there is long way to go, we are thankful for how far we have come.

If you are interested in doing something about all of this please email:
westspecialschool@gmail.com

The following picture is students in their new school uniform.