PENNEY FARMS – The conditions were crude. Children were covered with chiggers and mosquitoes. There was no running water or electricity. As many as 20,000 people crammed into a three-block area.

And yet, what Teresa Scott will remember most about her trip last week to Kenya was the appreciative smiles, especially from the children, and the love shared by everyone, that they aren’t forgotten.

Scott, the President and CEO of Penney Retirement Community, helped distribute 200 Personal Energy Transportation (PET) carts to a remote area of the African nation, which volunteers at Penney Retirement had constructed for Partners for Care Kenya.

The carts are three-wheeled, hand-powered wheelchairs for those who can’t walk because of an accident, birth defect, land mine or war. Rugged terrain, especially in remote areas, and a lack of roads make traditional wheelchairs obsolete. Since PETs have hard-rubbered wheels, they can essentially go anywhere.

The cost to build each cart is about $300, and all are done through donations. Nobody is charged to receive one.

“It was very rewarding,” Scott said. “I was able to speak with residents, some who have received carts from Worldwide Mobility here at Penney Retirement Community, but also many of those individuals who’ve also received carts from other Worldwide Mobility organizations throughout the United States. I found out they know exactly how long they’ve had their carts and have done the necessary maintenance on them. They replace the tires if they need to be replaced or the chain.

Scott worked with volunteers with Partners for Care during her trip last week.

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“I ran into a gentleman who has had his cart for seven years, and it looks almost brand new. He wipes it down every day, and he drives his cart about seven miles a day to sell water and to sell fruit from his cart so he can make a living by using his cart.”

She said that despite the deplorable conditions, the children seemed playful and happy. They embraced attention, especially when they were provided with care.

“We went out into Kilifi, which was a plane ride over to a different area of Kenya, and they are still living in troubled areas,” Scott said. “We went and treated children who had chiggers. These are flea-like bugs, and they get in their skin. If they’re not treated, they could lose their feet or toes or their hands because that gets in there and causes a terrible infection. One day, we treated 45 children. I hung 45 mosquito nets in their homes to try to help and deter the mosquitoes from their homes, as well.”

Scott said residents refer to much of the residential areas as “slums.” One area had 20,000 people living in three city blocks. There were no toilets, water or electricity.

Scott joined a medical care team to provide care for two days in the slums.

Saying, "It’s the joy of the children you don’t forget," Scott said her recent trip to Kenya was one of the most rewarding experiences of her life.

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“The workers are loved by the people they serve,” she said. “It’s a remarkable relationship between two individuals. The little children will come running out to Peter (from the care team). He goes twice a week to the slum area, and he picks the children up and plays with them. He absolutely loves them. It’s the joy of the children you don’t forget.”

Scott visited a school, and the principal called the students to the village square. When the principal said Scott was from the USA, the students chanted, “USA! USA! USA!”

“I broke down and started crying,” Scott said. “It was amazing.”

Scott said the PET carts are sacred properties in Kenya. None are stolen, and recipients take considerable pride in keeping them maintained.

“If you take anything that belongs to a disabled individual, it is very much frowned upon, even if you could be arrested for doing it,” Scott said. “People said they love their carts so much, they take such good care of them.

“It was just so amazing. The trip was well worth the time and definitely something I will never forget.”