Kenya - Part 2

(Pictures from top to bottom: Three students from CBM school walking home, CBM Schoolhouse, teacher Miss Eva and her kindergarten class, two girls enjoying their lunch and Rachel preparing lunch for school)

Sitting in a field watching cattle. That's often the alternative to being in school for children in Eburru, Kenya. Education and nutrition were two major needs that Camp Brethren Ministries saw that needed to be addressed. The existing government run schools in town were not providing the level of teaching that these children desperately needed. Not to mention for many children school of any sort is not an option due to tuition fees required. In addition to education, daily nourishment for children in Eburru had become a major problem. Eburru had suffered a severe drought from 2006-2009, which in a town that depends almost entirely on agriculture to survive can spell devastation.

With the help of David's Hope International, Camp Brethren Ministries has established a school in Eburru to address the educational needs of the children they desperately needed and desired. In the past year school classrooms have been constructed, teachers hired and school conducted for over 120 kids. I spent many days at CBM school while I was in Eburru and it is remarkably similar to elementary school in America. One afternoon I sat in the 4^th grade class as Miss Eunice taught on liquids and solids. One trait that seems to transcend cultures is the desire for students to showcase their knowledge before their peers and teacher. As they reviewed yesterdays homework almost every child's hand shot up as they pleaded almost in desperation for Miss Eunice to call on them so they could share their answer – followed by a proud smile.

The school also provides a nutritional meal for every student at the school. Rachel is the “cafeteria” cook and provides lunch for all students and faculty every afternoon around 1:30pm. Much of the food is cooked via a wood burning fireplace and is typically a stew of some sort. The meals are carefully planned to ensure that they are providing desperately needed nutrients and protein. The majority of the food prepared for the students is grown on the farm land owned by CBM and one goal of CBM is to be able to provide 100% of the meals from CBM farms and animals.