The vision of a Village

18th February, 2010 - Posted by Camille Cotton -

I wrote this when I got back from my second trip to Kenya this past summer and thought I’d share it with you.

With my sponsor child, Maurine

Exactly one year ago, I walked the property at the Open Arms Village in Eldoret, Kenya, watching David Gallagher (OAI founder) point to sections of land and describe in detail the future buildings that would make up the Village. It was hard to imagine then, but the vision was so compelling, I couldn’t wait to see it come to life.

One month ago, I walked the property again, and I couldn’t believe my eyes. I was actually seeing the things that David had so carefully described! At the end of my first outreach last year, I knew that I had to return home, tell my church family about my experience, and bring them with me next time. And what do you know—they came! Our group of 19 from New Hope Community Church in Portland, Ore., traveled halfway across the world to bring hope to orphans in Eldoret.

We spent our first two days at the Kambi Teso slum, where OAI runs its feeding program for more than 100 children. The reality of poverty broke our hearts, and we relished the gift of loving on the children there. Our team was able to build a shelter for the feeding program, so when it rains, the food won’t get flooded or blown away. We also helped feed the children a nutritious meal, which is the only meal of the day for many of them.

Our team hard at work

The rest of our time was spent working at the Open Arms Village. Every day, we shoveled dirt into wheelbarrows for hours and moved the dirt around the children’s homes to level out the ground. The red dirt of Kenya lodged itself deep into our pores and lungs, but our smiles shone from the joy of serving. Yes, we worked hard, but it was easy knowing it’s all for the children. After we finished filling and leveling the dirt, we planted sod and trees, creating a beautiful yard for the kids to play in.

The best part of working at the Village was spending time with the children who live there. What a difference I saw in their faces compared to the children at Kambi Teso. The regular meals, a roof over their heads, and the love of house
parents and siblings gives them security and hope. It’s clear why the Village exists and why we’re working so hard—to look after orphans in their distress (James 1:27, NIV, paraphrased) and give them hope for the future.

The finished lawn

On our last day at the Village, I took a step back, surveyed the work we had done, and smiled. It feels good to know we made a difference in the lives of children. Even if we didn’t help build an actual home, we brought the Village one step closer to being a place of hope, security, and love for orphans in Eldoret.

Camille