Eight thousand miles stand between Rochelle and Nairobi, Kenya. However far the distance a friendship has stood the test of time the last 20 years.
Two members of First Presbyterian Church Rochelle recently traveled to Kenya to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the friendship. Blackhawk Presbytery, a local group of Presbyterian Churches, began a partnership with the Presbyterian Church of East Africa Imenti North, Central and South Presbyteries in 1996. At that time the General Assembly of Presbyterian Church recognized a 20-year agreement.
The agreement included a visitation program allowing preaching/ teaching opportunities and shared work projects, as negotiated. To celebrate a successful 20 years of building friendships and deepening relationships a group from Illinois traveled to Kenya to reconnect and celebrate.
During the 20-year celebration, children who were born the year the agreement was enacted put on a program as the churches came together.  
The connection with First Presbyterian Church began when former Pastor John Hamilton traveled to Kenya. He made many return trips during his time with the church and left the congregation with a heart for the Kenyan churches. While Hamilton is no longer serving the local church in the Blackhawk Presbytery, his passion for Kenya continues to inspire church members.
Local experience
Diane Graham and Nan Good sat in the church pews and their hearts were opened as they listened to Hamilton’s stories from his trips. The two decided to carry on the Rochelle church’s connection and traveled to Kenya this past January.
Graham previously traveled to Kenya through the connection while this was Good’s first trip to the country.
Graham stated, “it was a wonderful experience, I enjoyed this trip even more than the first time.”
While the purpose of the trip was to celebrate 20 years of relationships, it provided Graham an opportunity to reconnect with those she met three years ago. The ladies stayed in host homes provided through the local churches. Graham had the opportunity to stay with the same family on both trips and enjoyed reconnecting and deepening their friendship.
One her first day in Kenya Graham was walking to church with her host family and was humbled by the experience.
“You could hear worship in every direction, their faith is very strong and apparent,” stated Graham. “I am not teaching them anything. They teach us.”

During the two-week trip, the group traveled to local churches in Meru that the organization is connected with. Graham explained in Kenya as a church works to upgrade the building and construction halts once they run out of money and then will begin at a later date once they have acquired the funds. Graham enjoyed seeing the progress each building has made since her first trip three years ago.
Good described the trip exclaiming, “wonderful, awesome, very exciting, full of blessings.”
Staying with a host family allowed Good to experience Kenya in a personal manner away from the tourist attractions.
“I was a little nervous at first, however they helped me experience everything especially all the food,” stated Good. “We were able to learn from each other, it was a two way street and a lot of give and take. I was able to dispel myths they had about America.”
Highlight
For both Graham and Good the highlight of the trip was distributing food to the drought-ridden area.
The Illinois group divided between two villages to distribute food to locals. The distribution was the final phase of “Coins for Kenya.” Presbyterian churches in the Blackhawk collect spare change that is used to bring healing and hope for drought-plagued Africa. Prior to food distribution in Isiola, Afrifa, the Samburu were coming out of the church in their traditional attire while singing, chanting and dancing.
Good described witnessing that scene as her “National Geographic moment.”
Due to the drought, locals are not able to grow food and animals are dying due to starvation. Twenty-one million Kenyans are at risk for starvation due to the drought effects.
“Distributing the food was without a doubt the highlight for me,” stated Graham. “You see people who are so desperate and we take it for granted. Here if you are in need you can go and get food.”
Graham continued, “It was frightening, the effect of the drought is scary knowing how helpless it makes these people. I wish I could bring them home and let them live with me.”
Good explained their help serve food to about 300 families at each distribution site.
The drought is also affecting the natural wildlife in Kenya. The animals are traveling into the villages and wandering into homes in search for water. The thirsty animals have been known to attack humans to access waters in a house.   
Strike
Graham who works as a nurse was shocked to learn about a doctor strike currently happening in Africa for over two months. Public hospitals are sitting empty as doctors are striking because the government is not paying them. While visiting the public hospital, Graham was amazed to see a men’s and women’s ward equipped with 50 beds that is typically filled with 100 patients sitting empty. Graham who has gone on many medical mission trips has never seen doctors go on strike before. The stories of the patients affected by the strike devastated Graham to hear.
Experience
While Graham was able to enjoy her return trip more than the first, both women returned to Rochelle with a sense to serve the country.
“I would go back in a heartbeat if I could,” stated Good and Graham agreed.
Good added, “I learned we need to care for each other more. They connect on a deeper level and care for each other. If a member of the church stops attending others reach out and connect.”
While language was not a problem as most adults speak English and Swahili, Graham learned gestures have different meanings. She explained she would wave to a child opening and closing her fingers on her palm and was surprised when the parents brought the child to her. Later Graham found what she though was ‘hello’ actually gestured ‘come.’
Both Graham and Good were overcome with compassion and love for the Kenyans.
“They were warm and caring people,” stated Good. “They are very vocal about their beliefs and anxious to help each other.”
The group also stayed at a safari with tents surrounding a water hole. Early morning and late into the evening animals would migrate to the water spot and cool off with a refreshing drink. During her first trip, Graham did not see the variety of animals nor the amount visit the water hole. She believes the drought is causing animals on the reservation to travel farther distances to find water.
Both Good and Graham encourage others to go on a mission trip and visit other countries as the opportunity is an eye opening experience.