I’ve been sponsoring a girl in Nairobi, Kenya, through Compassion for just over 3 years now and on my way back to the UK I stopped over to visit her the first time. It was a very special way of ending off my trip!I was told that I would visit the project office first and would then be taken to her house afterwards. Upon arrival, they surprised me - Lilian and her mother ware waiting for me at the office. They took her out of school to spend the day with me. There she stood in her, probably, nicest dress (all tattered and very old fashioned) but she looked lovely. We had the chance to quickly talk a bit and she then guided us to her house. Fortunately, being only 12 years old, she peaks English almost perfectly and made more in depth conversations possible. As we walked to her home, she tried to teach me a song in Kiswahili, her mother tongue, and I think I didn’t do too badly. I wasn’t aware of this before, but she actually lives in a slum in Nairobi. I’ve driven past slumb/plakkerskampe a thousand times in my live in SA, but never entered one deeply. This was a shock but exactly as TV prepared me. Raw sewage and horrible smells, litter everywhere and dilapidated houses (made of mud and sinkplaat) almost on top of each other. Luckily hers wasn’t far away and we reached it within five minutes’ walk. I got to meet her family and hear more about their situations. Afterwards, I had a bit more private time with Lilian and then we had lunch together before I had to say bye.
This was such a very brief meeting but meant the world to me, and I hope to her. Through letters and pictures, you can only gather so much about a person and now at least both of us have some reality to hold on to. I also know that no matter what, I want to see this girl through University in order to make sure that nothing keeps her from fulfilling her potential in life.
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