Although they are well taken care of, the lives of our orphans at the Home of Grace is routine and rather boring. Today Valerie and I and the orphanage staff took all the kids on a grand outing. We started off with a visit to the Giraffe Center. It’s a lovely place out in the country where the children can feed giraffes right out of their own hands. And, boy, did they feed them. For over an hour our kids placed food pellets right on the long tongues of 12 foot-tall giraffes.
Following that, we made a trip to a place called Mambo Village. Mambo Village is a crocodile sanctuary. Here there are hundreds of giant crocodiles laying around in pools of water. Our tour guide was a guy named David who specialized in kids. He was positively amazing! At one time he jumped the fence and walked right over the crocodiles. He poked them with sticks and made them snap. Everyone jumped back from the fence every time he did. Then the kids held and petted little crocodiles and land turtles. It’s really sad that these kids live in the land of giraffes and crocodiles, but have only ever seen pictures of them.
After our adventures, we took the kids to the Nakumat Store (A Kenyan Walmart) and gave each one 500 Kenya Schillings ($5) and told them they had a half hour to buy anything they wanted. Most of them bought treats, but many of them bought special school supplies and little dolls.
The final joy was a trip to KFC for the best fried chicken in Kenya and an ice cream cone. You know how our kids eat a few bites of their food and leave the rest for the trash? Well there was not one french fry or one tiny piece of meat on any bone in the place.
We pulled back into the Orphanage at 9 pm knowing that these wonderful kids will remember this time for many years to come. The Kenyan adults had as much fun as the kids. What a wonderful day!
I can’t tell you how much these kids mean to us and I thank God for the 50 or so sponsors that support them from America. We knew these kids from the time they first came to the orphanage and, believe me, the transformation that has taken place in their lives is truly amazing. They are beauty out of ashes! The weak things of the world that have become strong and their future is bright. Hallelujah!
From Kenya
Richard and Valerie Vicknair
