Friday, June 10th - Our Final Work Day

Our team and the Comet House boys in front of the newly completed Sibley Study Hall

We have been off line for a few days but are now catching up on the blog.  Friday, 6/10/2016, was our final day to work and to dedicate the new Study Hall at Comet House. We have been successful beyond all expections.  In five days,

• We tore down Mama Anthony's home and constructed a two room home with a living and sleeping area and an outdoor kitchen. The cooking fire is no longer in the sleeping area. 

• We built a new home for Peter and Wycliffe's family. Their mother had been saving metal sheets to put a roof on their mud hut.  Instead, they received a totally new home.  

• We completed the new study hall at Comet House and built bookcases, desks and benches to go in it.  We obtained new mattresses for the boys and the 2 new homes, a utility sink for the bathroom and completed touch up painting on Comet House. 

• Basketball goals were erected at Comet House and at the Thogoto Model Primary School (fomerly called the Magatuini School).  This is the same school where we built a library in 2011 and that Fredrick attended as a child.  The school is a struggling public school near and dear to Fredrick. Siblings of the Comet House boys go there along with Sylvester of 2012. Spikeball sets were presented and tetherball poles erected at both the Comet House and school.

 Our primary project was a Study Hall for Comet House.  We dedicated the Study Hall in honor of Jane and Jim Sibley of St. Anne's, whose support made the new building possible.  A copy of the dedication service is at the end of this blog entry.

Trey and Eliud erect the sign.

A shiny new building for studying.

Sprinkling with holy water.

Laying on of hands to bless this new building for learning.

After lunch we departed for a football (soccer) match at the Thogoto School where the Comet House/St. Anne's Team triumphed over Thogoto 3-1.  Perhaps it was our St. Anne's Serves t-shirts that gave us the edge.  The kids were welcoming and loved touching our hair and braiding it. Several of us found ourselves surrounded by children while they looked at our cameras. Touch is so welcoming and loving by these precious children of God. They begged us to return "tomorrow". There is no doubt we all want to return. 

A new basketball goal for the Thogoto Model Primary School.

Benno taught shooting skills.

A two-pointer!

Comet House/St. Anne's vs. the Thogoto School.

Judith got a new hairdo from the girls...

... as did Sally.

Nancy's new friend enjoyed selfies.

Our day ended with a team dinner and a celebration of Caroline's 22nd birthday. Tomorrow the Jarrard's will go home and we will go on Safari in the Maasai Mara.

Happy Birthday, Wanjiko!!

Ruth has been our spiritual leader leading us in reflections. She has blessed us with new insights on world mission to which we are all called through our Baptismal vows.  We have found the Gospel in Kenya!  We go in peace to love and serve the Lord, guided by the Holy Spirit.

Dedication Ceremony for Comet House Study Hall

A reading from Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8  

"For everything there is a season...I know that whatever God does endures forever.  God has done this, so that all should stand in awe before him."

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

A Litany

We give you thanks O God for our teachers and instructors.
For Eliud.  We give you thanks.
For Thomas.  We give you thanks.
For Ann.  We give you thanks.
For Sho Sho. We give you thanks.
For Nancy. We give you thanks.
For Lucas.  We give you thanks.
For Peter. We give you thanks.
For Kevin.  We give you thanks.
For Jessica. We give you thanks.
For Fred.  We give you thanks.

Blessing of the Study Hall and Asperges.

This is the Time.
We are here now.Bless this water O Lord, by your Holy Spirit.God is in this water and it is Holy, and by it we bless this place.

(With asperges and responses)
Bless these corners, that this would be a firm foundation for these boys and for their learning."This is the time.  We are here now.

"Bless this roof to shield them from the elements so they will know they are hid under the shadow of God's wing."This is the time. We are here now.

"Bless this door for their coming and their going that they will know God with them at home and away."This is the time. We are here now."

Laying on of hands 

All gather around the building and lay hands on the walls, together saying.

In the name of God the Father Son and Holy Spirit ~ Bless this Place! Amen. "

Another post will follow soon.