The Open Arms village is located in Mlango, Kenya (about 30
minutes from Eldoret) on 52 acres. Within the village are several children’s
homes with Kenyan parents, an assistant, and 20 children; a baby
house for 15 infants; and a primary school - Open Arms Academy (OAA). Property
has been purchased to build a permanent school about a mile from the village,
but construction has been halted by governmental red-tape. Thus, we have been
using various buildings at the village for classrooms.
There are several dilapidated mud-walled structures at the
village that were on the property when it was purchased. Those buildings have
served a variety of roles, including children’s homes for our first two
families. Most recently, they have been utilized as classrooms for the younger
aged children in OAA – preschool through class (grade) 3.
The three preschool classes (ages 3-5) were moved into a
temporary, tin-walled building several months ago. An identical structure was
recently built for classes 1-3.
Thursday, March 13, 2014, was moving day for classes 1, 2,
& 3. When I arrived at the mud buildings that afternoon to help move desks, I found all of
the children sitting at their desks outside the buildings. They were waiting
for a “surprise” that was highly anticipated.
The older children recited a poem, which was photographed
and video-taped by a multitude of mzungu (foreign visitors) before the
processional across the village to the new classrooms. The parade was led by
the head teacher (Lillian) and Open Arms president (Rachel 
They were greeted by a gauntlet of older children who
welcomed them to their new classrooms. Once they had all arrived at their destination,
the head teacher requested Open Arms co-founders David and Rachel Gallagher to
cut the ribbon. Cheers and applause filled the air as the severed ribbon fell to the ground. The keys to the three new classrooms were handed to the respective
teachers.
The teachers were nearly trampled by the awaiting children
as they open the doors to the new classrooms. The children ran around the
rooms, arms raised high, with screams of glee. Such exuberance reminded me of
participants in a home makeover episode. Too bad we did not have a bus
available to unveil the new building.
I started praying this afternoon (3/16) for Open Arms - Kenya because I know how much trouble the government has been creating. I went to my quiet spot, where I go when I really want to focus when I pray. At first I was frustrated because my words seemed to be incoherent. So I told God I wouldn't use words, I'd just pray with my heart. As I focused my heart on God with love for Open Arms, a cross blazed into the darkness. I could tell it had beautiful etchings on it, but they were hard to see because the light was so bright! Then the cross grew larger and larger until I could see only the center of the cross. I knew it was growing larger from so many believers around the world lifting up their hearts in prayer too! Wow, it was awesome!! God is certainly wrapping His arms around you! Please thank everyone at Open Arms for what they do!
ReplyDeleteIn His love, LeeAnn