Kenya reflection

As I sit here trying to collect my thoughts this holiday season, I wonder what Christmas is like for those in the slums where we were. No Christmas tree, no stockings, no wreaths, no lights, no music. These are the things that remind us of Christmas. Not the real reason Christians celebrate this wonderful time. This is the time to remember the birth of our Saviour, Jesus Christ. "Christ Mass" as it originated was the time during the winter solstice to reflect on the birth of Jesus. This is forgotten now. Christmas was not always accepted in the early years. It was thought of as paganistic. His death and resurrection were of more importance. Now, Christmas is a selfish time, a time not of reflection but of giving and taking. I ask myself, what do the kids in the slums get during this time. I don't have an answer. I can only say, for some of them, they have HOPE. Hope in the eternal life of Christ. Hope that they will be with Jesus. Hope that they will get out of their living conditions someday. That their life for themselves and their family will get better. Hope in the Mission of Hope to help them acheive that.

We saw children drinking filthy, maggot infested water. Children with crust filled noses. But they had smiles. Big, white smiles. You couldn't help but smile. They didn't know any different than what they had. They don't know any different life. But as the children were older, you could see the smiles turn to saddness. They lose hope as they are older. Their faces say it all. My heart breaks for the older kids, the ones who know if they don't get out of here now, they will lose ALL HOPE. We sponsor Doreen because we don't want her to lose that hope. We don't want her family to lose that hope. We want her to excel and exceed all expectations. We want her to live the life that God wants for her. We want her Christmas season to be all the time. Not just one day a year, but every day. It all starts with ONE.