Lawrence

So there was one more reason why I went to Maisha, but I felt like it deserved a separate post. My parents reached out to Maisha a couple months before I arrived in Kenya. They decided to sponsor a child to go to school. Ironically it happens to be close to where I live in Tabaka.

The child they sponsor is a five year old boy named Lawrence. The idea of sponsoring a child sounded great but never in a million years did I think I would be able to actually meet him and see how much his sponsorship really affects his family.

Meeting Lawrence I can safely say was the best day of my life. Beatrice was able to arrange a ride for Lawrence and one of his older brothers, Sunior, to meet me at the orphanage. The day I met him I arrived at the orphanage not knowing he would be there. When I arrived the director told me that Lawrence was in the health clinic waiting for me. Excited and nervous I hurried over to the health clinic to meet what my family calls “my new brother”. I walked into the health clinic and there they were, two little boys staring wide eyed at what might have been the first Muzungu they had ever seen. Immediately I hugged them, but in retrospect that was a terrible idea. Sunior was shaking and Lawrence was about to cry. Being the overly emotional person that I am I started to cry, I was so happy to meet them. I really wish I could have known what was going through their heads. If I had to guess it probably would be what’s wrong with this weird ladies skin.

I really had no expectations as to how Lawrence would be. But very quickly I realized these two boys were incredibly scared making them incredibly shy. I just wanted them to like me as much as I already liked them. Looking for anything to make us friends I found bubble gum and a plastic recorder in my backpack. They were too scared to touch the recorder so I resorted to the bubble gum. I gave them each a piece. They looked at it timidly and put it in their mouths. Finally, the ice was broken. I tried explaining who I was but I feel a lot of it got lost in translation.  However, Sunior did understand the word sponsor. The word made him break out into the biggest smile I had ever seen. Unfortunately, later that day I came to find out Sunior does not have a sponsor to go to school.

We spent the reminder of the day hanging out. At lunch time they got to join the children at the Maisha Academy for lunch. For many of these children the lunch they receive at school is the only meal they get all day. It was great to see Lawrence and Sunior eat, but, I noticed before lunch they stuck their gum in their pockets to save for later. So gross but so adorable.  

Finally, it was time for them to go home. I had the opportunity to ride the motor bike home with them. They live in a small village about 20 minutes by bike from Maisha. I arrived at their house to find a couple of chickens running around and a home made out of mud. I also arrived to meet Lawrence’s three other brothers, mother and father. They invited me into their house and made me sit down. Their father immediately started the conversation, good thing too because I have a tendency to be awkward. They started by thanking me for everything I had done. Eric, Lawrence’s father went on and on about how much it will help their family. He said his boys have been chased out of school because he is unable to pay their school fees on a bicycle repair mans salary. Overly emotional I began to cry again. I had so many mixed emotions, first, it’s not me, it’s my parents paying for Lawrence to go to school, second, it’s really not that much money for an American family, and lastly, there are still four other boys that do not have sponsors to go to school. The meeting ended with Eric, standing up, looking me in the eyes and shaking my hand. He then told me how much he appreciates it and how it will change his family. This meant the world to me. All I could tell him was it’s my pleasure to help his family out, and I will try my best to help find his other children sponsors to go to school.

Meeting Lawrence’s family was such a humbling experience. To be able to sponsor a child and have the money actually go toward the child is incredible. I knew it would mean a lot to his family but I never realized the significance of it until I was sitting in their mud house talking to them. Education is your ticket out of poverty. I intend to keep my word to Eric about helping find sponsors for his children. If any of my readers are interested in becoming a sponsor to any of Lawrence’s older brothers it would mean the world to them. Email me at bmckinnon90@mail.com and I will help you with sponsorship. Also if you like my work and want to help please donate at http://support.cmmb.org/site/TR?pg=fund&fr_id=1010&pxfid=2060

I forgot to add, as I was leaving Lawrence’s house in the distance I heard the sound of the plastic recorder. Sorry Eric and Rosemary…. I guess a loud annoying instrument is not the best gift for a small child.

Lawrence, Sunior and I

Eating

Lawrence and Sunior

Lawrence's Family

 

Lawrence's house. The mud is painted to look like bricks.