The Graduates

Earlier this month, Agape Vocational Training Center (AVTC) or the Farm, graduated 10 young men as Kenya's newest mechanics, masons, and carpenters.  I've been really impressed with these guys: they are all hard workers, but most importantly, they all love the Lord!  One thing that we're trying to improve upon as an organization is job placement for these young men once they graduate, so Lebaus, my right-hand guy at Agape, and I have been working closely with the new graduates to try to find jobs for the new graduates close to their rural homes.

Earlier today, we departed Agape with one of graduates, Peter Odhiambo Oluoch.  Peter's home is about an hour northwest of Kisumu in a small town called Yala.  Peter trained as a diesel mechanic, and our goal was to help him find a job working as a piki (motorcycle) repairman at a place called Jomo, a small mechanic's shop where Peter worked on attachment during school breaks.  After meeting initially with the shop owner, we thought it best that we have Peter's father join us in the discussions of employing his son.

Walking the trail to Peter's house.

Peter greets his younger brother, Matthew.  Upon arrival, we learned that Peter's mother and other siblings were in another town, and that his father was working . . . so we had to go in search of Peter's father.

Peter took us to his father's employer's house, and after waiting for some time we had an opportunity to sit down with Peter's father, Meshach, and his employer, Fredrick.  Fredrick expressed some concern that the small shop where we were planning to place Peter was too small for him to make any money, but in the end we decided to keep him there so that he could continue living with his father. 

Peter's father, Meshach, negotiating the terms of his son's employment with Jomo, the owner of the shop.  We came to an agreement, and Peter will begin working in January!

Peter and his father prepare to walk up the path to home.