One week and counting

Excitement is building as we prepare to depart for Kenya. Yesterday we held our final meeting to go over last minute details. All that is left to do is to pack our bags. We have collected soccer uniforms for a girls soccer team, shoes for school children, books for the library, and purchased power tools, paint brushes, screws and a variety of tools to be used on the project. Hopefully, we will also have a bit of room left over for clothes in our bags!

Once again, Fredrick Gituku will be leading the group as Mtoto Africa takes on its most ambitious project yet. The group of eleven will complete construction of the first public library in Gikumbura, Kikuyu Kenya. The building, on the grounds of the Musa Gitau Presbyterian Church, is almost complete. We will paint the interior, build book shelves for 7000 titles, build tables and seating for 90 people and catalog and shelve the books - all in one week! Fortunately, members of the church and local villagers will join us in the work.

Team members include St. Anne's Episcopal Church members Ethel Wright, Nancy Brockway, and Barbara and John Wyle, Hannah and Julia Michels of Hendersonville, NC (Ethel's granddaughters), Bonnie Turner of Athens (Barbara's sister), Caroline Cummings of Columbus (Ruth Pattison's daughter), and Josette Landry and her mother, Debbie Landry, both from Atlanta.

You can follow the progress of the library and our adventure on this blog. We ask your prayers and support while we are away.


Below: members of the church and local villagers helped dig the foundation for their new public library.