Grogan C

Grogran C ~ Under Construction

We briefly visited the overly crowded classrooms of Grogan A, then headed out on a prayer filled walk toward the construction site of Grogan C. (there is a Grogan B too... Don't ask me how to find it!).

attentive students

It’s hard to describe the warmth of the packed classroom of children studying you, intrigued by you and so genuinely accepting whatever you are there to offer - a smile, a high-five, a song, or just a brief introduction. They are thankful simply for the visit. I kept wanting to sneak back into the classroom for one more high-five, nuckles, or just a smile.

Role Call!

The walk through the neighborhood reminds me that there are good and bad parts of town, even in the slum. We are venturing to another 'wrong side of the tracks' side of town.

This 'black water' river cuts up our walk through most of the neighborhoods. You simply jump or step over it and keep (carefully) walking. The heavy stench increases with the heat of the day. This is combination of every type of runoff you can imagine from an over-populated community. Essentially raw sewage cutting a path ever downward through town and back into the water supply. Clean drinking water is a real challenge. 

The eyes of the neighborhood are on us as we walk, survey the new school site and learn more about the plans for the school and community to be formed in this place.

Presently, this site is nothing more than a cleared area over looking a gigantic garbage dump at the edge of the slum. 

There’s tension in the air as this neighborhood is not so well established; there’s a bit of a turf war on who will ‘lead’ or ‘run’ this corner of town. Whether it’s a rough neighborhood in the States or this patch of earth in Africa, somehow you can sense the power struggle among people over space.

We join for a large, vocal group prayer publicly staking claim on this ground, calling for peace in the community and blessing for the work ahead.