TO OUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN-THANK YOU FOR THIS STUNNING DAY

Our children and grandchildren draw names at Christmas to give a gift, each of our children gives to a brother or sister and receive a gift; each grandchild gives to a cousin and receives a gift. As they read our blog and learned about the Kapsaret Primary School near the Nganiat Village they decided as families rather than receiving a gift they would like to donate the money to a gift for the primary school children. Elder Babcock and I visited with William, the headmaster about what might be the best purchase for students. The headmaster went to his Class 8 students, the oldest children in the school, children that will leave Kapsaret Primary School at the close of this year. These Class 8 students will move on to High School only if they score high enough on their end of year Kenya Exams. The Class 8 students decided there was a need for a class set of calculators to share among the grade levels, a class set of New Testaments for Class 8 so they might study for the Bible portion of the Kenya Exam, and books in English for the library.

Later that week Elder Babcock and I met the headmaster and one of the teachers in a bookstore in the downtown markets of Eldoret. Books were chosen, and we also purchased a volleyball net and ball for the lonely volleyball poles in the back of the school. We received permission to plan a special afternoon for the students during the “handover celebration” the school wished to hold. What a great afternoon we had. We invited all 10 of our missionaries to help with the celebration. We created an American Field Day with eight stations of activities for the classes to visit.

Tug-of-war and jump roping, a visit to a classroom where all the books were on display and students could see them, hold them, and read them, volleyball, sack races, duck, duck goose, relays (and the students are fast, this is the home of the famous Kenyan runners that break Olympic records), tag, and of course football (known as soccer in the U.S.A.). Many of the games they had never played, the teachers had never experienced anything like the day we planned and kept saying, “This is a day to remember, we are just speechless. There are no words to describe this day as we have never done anything like this.” Francis, one of the teachers was very much touched by the event and declared us to be never forgotten at the school. The students were filled with smiles, and giggles, and laughter, and happiness. Parents came and joined in the games. Women of the village in their native skirts loved the tug of war, jump rope, and sack races and the men enjoyed watching the soccer and volleyball.






After the games we gathered for the handover with speeches from Bruce and I, William, the headmaster, students, and the missionaries each introduced themselves. Elder Babcock and I found it interesting that the students and villagers were most attentive and interested in our African missionaries. Many were asked why they were in Kenya so far from home. All of our missionaries worked hard to make certain each child was important that day and that each student did well on each of the activities. William, the headmaster, and the faculty were so impressed with the missionaries and they were in a state of unbelief to what we had assembled and what was going on at their school. Our missionaries assisted students, were enthusiastic, and happily talked with many of the parents that attended.


Elder Babcock and I received gifts, a tiara for me and I felt like a village princess from the Nandi Tribe and Elder Babcock received a matching shell bracelet. Those are now priceless treasures and a great remembrance of a special, special day with special, special friends. We were told, “You are now one of us. You are welcome to visit the school and the Nganiat Village anytime.”

The school wants all of us back to teach a geography lesson to the primary students as we represent many countries of Africa and states in the United States. The event was an act of charity and in the true sense of the word was accepted in such a humble and sweet way that was so touching by these people who have so very little. Many of the students have no shoes and many dress in rags.

This day was a treasure but I have not even told you the miracle of the day, the blessing that we received through a special prayer by Elder Babcock. The children leave the school at 12:30 P.M. to walk back to the village to their home for lunch then they return back to the school at 2:00 P.M. All of the missionaries arrived at the school about 1:15 P.M. and once we all arrived the heavens opened up and the rain poured down. We gathered in a classroom and the rain pouring down on the tin roof above our heads was deafening but it did give us an opportunity to introduce all the missionaries to the teachers as well as to talk with one another. At about 1:45 I leaned over to Elder Babcock and said maybe he needed to bless the sky for the rain to stop and he assured me he had already had his prayer. I had been praying that it just would not rain between 2:00 P.M. and 5:00 P.M. At precisely 2:00 P.M. the rain stopped, the clouds parted, and the sun appeared. The sky clouded over again after all the activities were completed, all the speeches were over, after the children left for home, and after everything was gathered in. Please know that I know that miracles still happen and prayers are still being answered.

What a stunning day in Africa.