Kenya: Suswa & The Maasai Girls Rescue Centre

The Mashimoni Children were off on Monday following Easter, so our group took a trip to visit another project, the Soila Maasai Girls Rescue Centre in Suswa. Not only was it an opportunity to see a different part of Kenya, but it was a blessing to visit this ministry.
The website says, "The Suswa Project was launched in November 2005 and its aim is to provide for the welfare, security and education of Maasai girls who are rescued from Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and thereby empowered to change their lives and those of generations to come. In all cases, the girls’ parents have given their permission for their daughter to embark on this new way of life." The Maasai are one of three main tribes in Kenya, are nomadic and live very simply, herding their cattle and building homes of cow and zebra dung as they move from place to place. We had seen the Maasai as they brought their herds through Nairobi for food and water, but visiting the home was a different experience.
Unfortunately the girls were home with their families over our visit. They go home once a year in April during a time when the project are confident the families will not perform the traditional circumcision ceremony. Even in their absence, it was easy to see that the school is a special place. The ladies in charge showed us the beautiful school building and simple dorms. Over 80 girls live there, ranging from 5 to 16 and all are unique in that they are Maasai girls receiving an education and participating in an alternate right of passage. Traditionally Maasai girls are circumcised and married off at age 10. Their lives are very hard as they build the homes, take care of the children, and do everything related to home life. For these girls, the rescue centre is a place of hope and an agent of change.
As part of our visit, the ladies running the home spoke to a nearby Maasai family who gave us their permission to come into their home, called a manyatta. It was truly a unique experience. The homes are built of dung, wood, and straw, are very dark inside and have a very strong smoky smell from the fire that always burns to prevent mosquitos. The families sleep on animal skins and live completely off the land. I don't know how many westerners have been inside such a home, but I believe we had a truly unique experience in doing so.
The best part of the day was praying with the school ladies and the Maasai family for the rain they so badly need. The Maasai are not Christian, but I believe the rain that fell later that day was a strong testimony to the faithfulness and power of our God.
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