Asterias Team 2007
The first Asterias mission team set out from Belfast on Tuesday 10 July 2007 intending to build the first phase of a Girls’ High School at Kumuka in a Maasai area of Kenya. The twelve team members flew to Nairobi where we were met by a member of The Outreach Foundation, part of the Presbyterian Church of the United States. After picking up our bags we were driven to the Presbyterian Church of East Africa’s (PCEA) Orthopaedic Rehabilitation Centre at Kikuyu, our base whilst in Kenya. The next day we were driven for just over an hour to the site of our work at Kumuka. The drive took us through some of the most underdeveloped and deprived areas we had seen.
The roads had not seen any form of maintenance for years and, where there was still asphalt on the road, were full of potholes which made driving an interesting experience. Luckily for us we had Joseph, a local Kikuyu man to navigate his way for us. Our trip to the site eventually led us off any form of asphalt roads and onto roads fashioned out of the red soil of Kenya.
Our work at Kumuka was to build 4 classrooms, a dining hall and an administration/library block for the local Maasai girls of the area. (Traditionally girls in the Maasai culture do not have much of a future apart from being married off at a young age and carrying out labour-intensive work whilst the males tended the goats and cattle.) The locals had secured the land for the site of the school and had paid for the foundations to be laid. When we arrived the metal framework of the buildings had been completed and the metal sheeted roofs put on. Our job was to erect the walls – using metal sheets (mabati) secured to the frame by metal rivets using a cordless drills, known locally as “zoom zooms”, and to paint the metal doors and window frames.
We worked alongside some of the local Maasai men who were very keen to be part of the build and to learn how to use zoom zooms and to paint. These men had never used any type of power tool before and their manyatas (home made by the women from sticks and cow dung) had no need for decoration.
With their help we completed the work on time and attended a dedication ceremony for the school. The Minister for Education attended and children sang from 5 different primary schools and performed traditional Maasai dances and drama. Speeches were made by various local officials. It was at this ceremony when we realised just how much the school meant to the local community - about 2000 locals attended. These locals, many of whom are Christians, wanted a better life for their girls and they saw the school as giving them an excellent opportunity to be educated close to their homes. Before the school was built, girls attending a High School had to travel long distances and in many cases this meant that the drop-out rate was very high.
Chief Daniel, the leader of this group of Maasai, is a Christian and has already rescued two young girls, one of only 10 years of age, who had been married off to older men. He was able to place one into school immediately and, with funding from Asterias, has been able to begin the schooling of the other girl, named Gladys. He is determined to improve the outlook for all of his people, and sees the High School as essential for the girls.
The welcome given to us by the local Maasai was exceptional. From our first day on site they welcomed us warmly and gave freely of what little they had. The men worked alongside each of the team and the ladies fed us each day – Chi (a sweet milky tea) every morning and lunch every afternoon. Such Christian witness from people who, in comparison to every member of the team, have nothing but who accepted each one of us without question and who were so humble in their giving was an example to each of us in our daily walk with God.
We were also able to visit Compass Primary School in Kikuyu which was visited by the team from Ards Presbytery in 2005 and which was the catalyst for The Asterias Organisation being formed. The children looked somewhat healthier than in 2005 but still face massive challenges ahead. Clothing, food and a continuing education for these children is not a foregone conclusion and problems relating to these matters are casting a dark cloud over the school at the moment. However Asterias and some other groups which have a deep concern for and interest in the children and the school are committed to ensuring its continued existence, as well as access to regular food and uniforms. The whole team found the visit to be very emotional. The staff, some of whom are voluntary and receive no pay, are totally committed to the children. The state of the children’s clothing, shoes, etc., and their state of cleanliness and health greatly affected us. Asterias was able to supply shoes for 120 of the most needy children whilst we were there but this still left a great number whose shoes were less than ideal for walking the long distances they undertake each day to get to school and back.
After the work was completed we enjoyed a 3 day safari in the Maasai Mara Game Reserve and were fortunate to see large numbers of animals including lions, cheetahs, giraffe and many others.
We returned home after two weeks in Kenya thanking God for being with us the whole time, not only during the building but also in our team devotions and our interaction with locals. The lessons the Lord imparted to each of us was different for each individual but we each pray that He will use those lessons for His work in the future.