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ACTS Volunteers Kenya - 28 June 2010

Highlights from volunteers:

“What I enjoyed the most, was to visit the people here in their homes and to see how they really live. The people here are full of joy, that impressed me.”

“The Cheshire girls’ Mombasa trip, the Power Women’s Group, and finding myself coping with things that even a few months ago I would never have expected I could!”

“The development of relationships at both of my projects as well as the relationships that were developed with the ACTS staff at the ACTS house. But my most memorable highlight here with ACTS would have to be when I got the opportunity to take 4 of the boys from the Limuru Children’s Centre out for a fun day. Joe, Dan, Gerald, Sam-Well, Alex and I all got to go see a movie at Village Market, then do some bowling and even got some pizza. I think it may have been one of the best and most enjoyable days of my life, and I mean that 100%.”

Things learnt and perspective gained

“I have learnt to be thankful for what I have and to cherish these things. Also to live my life more intensively and to savour every moment.”

“Wow… well it’s definitely got me out of the tiny bubble I was in, that I didn’t really realize I was in, and definitely didn’t realize I wasn’t really happy in! It made me realize some of the things I was worrying about before I came did not matter in the bigger picture. Yeah, it’s just broadened my horizons so much, and I guess challenged me on what I make my priorities and challenged my faith and just the way I view everything … “

“It has broadened my perspective a good amount and opened my eyes. I have been given a new view on poverty, and what poverty really is. I have been given a gift to see the beauty in the people, culture and nature that my parents saw when they lived here 30 years ago. I am truly taking so much back with me that I couldn’t find anywhere else. My level of patience has improved so much with the opportunity to work with the children at “In His Image” and my work ethic has substantially grown with the numerous opportunities to work with Patrick, Francis, the Mamas, and even some of the children at the LCC.”

Reflections:

“Before I came here I thought I could help the people, because I am more fortunate than them (in terms of financial and material things). But I have learnt that this is not the case. The people here are content with what they have, you can see that in them. They were already so thankful, just because I came. And I think I have gained more from them than I could give them. God has shown me that He is an eternal God, and that the perishable is not important to Him. And in His creation I saw how creative and mighty He is.”

“It’s a really great program I think. It really does give the opportunity for people with all sorts of different skills/interests. I have most definitely gained confidence and a surprising ability to talk to people… And I’ve been able to get to know people and their stories, which is just great. This volunteering has been a challenge to the way I think, and kind of humbling too in that I’ve been made to see that the world does not revolve around me (not that I really thought that before, but just it’s made me see the bigger picture I guess). God popped my bubble and almost gave me a slap in the face, telling me to stop sitting around in my hole worrying about things that don’t really matter. And just somehow took all these things away… I’ve been able to read the bible like never before and pray like never before and be more consistent in it. I guess he’s just revealed himself to me more through all sorts of different things. And I hope there really have been real proper changes and not just things that happen while I’m here… “

“I think this whole experience has been nearly flawless. I have never connected so well with a staff in my entire life and I feel that I was truly a part of this family. God taught me how to roll with the punches, to be ready for road blocks on the mission field, but the most significant thing that I have reaped from all of this is a new found knowledge of God’s sovereignty in all of this, regardless of how things turn out at times, whether good or bad, I now know that God has His hand over me and He knows what is best for me and knows what that experience is going to do in my life. God also has established some pretty awesome and significant relationships in my life. I feel as if each and every person I have interacted with has impacted me in a different way. God has just shown me so many different aspects of mission work, and He has blessed me with some brilliant ideas of what I may want to pursue in the future to help bring glory to His kingdom. I know there are so many more things that God has done for me during my time here, but these are the ones that stand out to me the most. “

Volunteer Involvement in April and May

We had two short-term volunteers, Valentina and Vera, who were sisters and came from Germany. The amazing thing about their time with us was they hardly spoke any English, only German. So we wondered how their time with ACTS on the projects would work out, but our worries soon disappeared, as we noticed their amazing talent. They are great artists and redecorated so many gates and walls at schools and orphanages with beautiful pictures. The projects we work with were so thrilled and thankful to them. They loved it. They also did sports days with the kids and helped out with the babies at “In His Image”. It showed us again, that the language barrier should not keep us from doing God’s work! Everyone has gifts and talents that can make a difference if we let Him use them! Our two long-term volunteers, Bethany and Josh left ACTS in May, and we missed them here greatly. Josh had built up great relationships with the children at LCC. He took them on their first fun outing to a Mall, enjoying just being boys and having fun with bowling and the movies. Bethany got strongly involved with Care for AIDS in her last few weeks with us. Once a week she went on home visits for the whole day, visiting about 8 different homes, encouraging the men and women there, who were diagnosed with HIV AIDS. This was very challenging to her, but very uplifting at the same time. The patients felt honoured to have a girl from England come into their homes to encourage and pray with them. We had another Volunteer, Jacob, who came for three weeks and decided to get involved strongly at Cheshire. Jacob enjoyed getting to know the women and building relationships with them, while teaching them marketing skills and doing fitness exercises with them.