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Just like the song, “I Left my Heart in San Francisco,” many High Pointers who went to Kenya last year on a mission trip left their heart in Kibera, a large slum area in Kenya.

“The first time I saw the slum area, I knew I would be back,” said Scott Heiman, team member. “The people have such a beautiful spirit, and the smiles of the children are blinding, yet materially they have so little.”

On their last day there, many of the team members left some of their own clothes with the children and their families.

Last year, 13 people went on the trip to Kenya. This September, many are going back, along with others, bringing the total to 18.

The youngest member of the group is 11-year-old Benji Omungu. He has been playing soccer since he was about 4 and looks forward to running soccer camps for the children.

Others collected clothes, made donations and used their talents and skills in whatever way they could. Daniel Whitaker, a student at Davidson County Community College, made a grill for some of the women in the group to use for cooking.

That first day, when Heiman saw the poverty, he started to think in terms of “freight.” After all, he’s in the freight business. The company he works with often ships merchandise in containers on ships.

Heiman talked to the two mission trip leaders, Drs. Ben Omungu and Robert Steelel about his idea.

“I knew about ocean containers,” he said. “I thought we could load a container with relief supplies and ship it to Kenya. Our sister church there is Emmanuel Church in Kibera, and I thought we could distribute supplies through that church.”

Ben Omungu’s brother, the Rev. Cannon Habil R. Omungu, pastors the Kibera church.

Many in the group were already planning to go back this September. Heiman thought they could ship the relief items so that they would be there when the group arrives in September.

The items would be shipped to Mombasa, on the coast, and taken to Nairobi by truck. A secure place was needed to store the items until the mission team got there. Habil Omungu’s church would help with this.

Back in High Point, team members shared word of the collection with Green Street Baptist Church and members of the community.
The request went out for clothing for the children and adults and books.

Heiman hoped for enough material to fill a 20-foot container.
The middle school at High Point Christian Academy collected school supplies for the children in Kibera — enough to fill up two feet of the container.

Pretty soon, halls were overflowing with clothes and shoes for the children of Kibera.

On a recent night, High Point Central students Miller Heiman and Caroline Batts were among volunteers folding and sorting clothing.
Miller Heiman went on the mission trip last year when she was 15. She worked in a school there with elementary students.

“Many of these people have absolutely nothing. I am so glad we can go back with clothing and books,” Miller said. “The children are so smart and want to learn. Most of them speak three languages — Swahili, English and French.”

The freight container was shipped out Saturday and should arrive in Mombasa on Aug. 13. It will be trucked to Nairobi Aug. 19, and the items will be put in a secure location until the mission team gets there Sept. 9.

Team leaders figure it will take up to six weeks to distribute everything. They will be there for 10 days, and some items will be distributed by the Emmanuel Church after the team leaves.

The team sees the clothing and school supplies as evangelistic tools. They want to take care of the people’s physical needs first, and then their spiritual needs.

“They may not be hungry for a day because of the food.” Heiman said. “They may have clothing on their back for a week after we are there, but there is nothing bigger than God that we can bring into their lives. God will stay with them. All these other items are a means to an end.”

Heiman said he loves the Kenyan people. “They live in terrible conditions but still have the capacity to laugh,” he said. “ I find it uplifting and powerful.”

The team learned last year to say “Yesu anakupenda” — “Jesus loves you” in Swahili.

It is good that Heiman is one who thinks in terms of freight. That knowledge, God’s guidance, and the support and prayers of a lot of High Pointers will help make a difference in the lives of people on the other side of the world.

If you have information about High Point, please contact me at mjohnson2@triad.rr.com