Some things never change. In Nairobi, just like in Illinois, the price of roses went way up for Valentine's Day. The price today was 5X what it normally is! So instead of paying $2.50 for 20 roses, they were going for a little over $12.50 for 20! Lucky for us, the kids and I bought them early for Nicole.
We recently got to see miles and miles of greenhouses where they grow roses. (Most of them are shipped to Europe). Most of Kenya enjoys 3 growing seasons. On a recent trip out west, I was explaining to the men in the village that where I am from we only have 1 growing season, and it is very short compared to Kenya. They were shocked to hear that, and wondered how we were able to have so much food. (I wish you could have seen their faces when we were talking about seedless fruit - they no doubt still think I was joking.)
For all of their growing seasons, food has been in very short supply here lately. The price of maize meal (corn meal) has more than tripled in the last couple of months. It is a staple food here for much of the country, so many people are starting to go hungry. Many children have been forced to leave school to help their family forage. Last night we saw two little boys, late at night walking home with bundles of firewood - they probably spent their day collecting it. Lexi prayed a beautiful prayer for them as we drove.
Love and compassion are curious things. Nicole and the kids have been helping out at an orphanage whenever they can. We take a little girl to soccer games with us, and she has spent the day at our home - just to give her a little extra love.
We have recently "adopted" a local family who have some desperate needs. The father was seriously injured in a car accident. The oldest boy is mentally handicapped pretty severely. We are helping to provide clothing and a little bit of food each month to help them survive.
Whether it is giving flowers, food or extra attention, I am convinced that showing even small amounts of love to others makes a huge difference in this world. We love you all!
No comments:
Post a Comment