Back: Revd Margaret Mugo, Julie, Grenville, Carole, Michael and Allan. Front: Jamie, Rhiannon and Rachael (Anne behind the camera!)
A group of young people have just returned from a trip to Africa. Four youngsters and their leaders, from 1st Sleaford Boys and Girls’ Brigades, drawn from the Methodist, New Life and United Reformed churches of Sleaford, and Spalding URC spent twelve days in Kenya. The first nine days were spent visiting the Kenyan Boys and Girls’ Brigades in and around Embu, seeing what they do and sharing experiences. Two of the days were used to provide training to the leaders of the Embu district Brigade companies and the group also visited two orphanages. Despite the 4,500 mile separation there are many things held in common, but also some stark differences. Embu is in central Kenya and its people live a hard life, with un-tarmaced roads linking remote villages, where the Ox and cart and hand ploughing of fields are very common. Despite the abundance of fruit, tea and coffee plants in the area it’s people are poor in all but spirit and generosity. The Lincolnshire group were warmly welcomed wherever they went and the Kenyan hospitality often extended to providing food and drinks on arrival and departure. The Easter trip follows a previous visit of young people to Embu in 2003 after months of fund raising. Unfortunately a planned trip of the Kenyan Brigades to Sleaford could not go ahead as they were unable to obtain entry visas. The money that was raised for that reciprocal visit was instead sent to Boys Brigade International in Kenya for use within the Embu Brigades. During the trip, and thanks to the generosity of the people of Sleaford and Spalding, the group presented gifts to 33 Kenyan Brigade companies to assist with their work with the young people.
The final three days of the trip were spent resting in the Samburu National Reserve north of mount Kenya. Here the group experienced a totally different life style, one that is experienced by tourists to the country, and worlds apart from that experienced in Embu. The opportunity to see elephant, giraffe, buffalo and other animals in their natural environment will be remembered for many years alongside the warm welcome of the Kenyan people. If you would like to know more about the work of the Boys and Girls Brigades then please contact the United Reformed Church in Sleaford or Spalding.
© 2007 Sleaford United Reformed Church.