Tomorrow the team is planning to visit Spring Valley and bring some food baskets to 10 - 15 families. The morning will kick off with a trip to the market, followed by making up the baskets, meeting Rev Stanley and visiting some of the families. We will then go to the orphanage and spend some time with the kids and finish painting Christine's small office and the kitchen storage room. After that, we have been invited to Christine's home as a thank you from her daughter, Salome. Marty has raised enough money for Salome's eduation and she wants to thank her for that. We all get lucky enough to be included and visit a local Kenyan's home - a rare treat as I understand it. Thank you, Marty! : )
I may not be joining the others on their trip to Spring Valley. Christine has asked me to go to the HIV clinic with her and some of the smaller children - Thomas, Danny, Joseph, Little Mary, Carol and possibly a few others.
More later . . . It is La La Salama time! Goodnight!
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Little Visitor
We had a little visitor in our room when we returned from dinner tonight. Thanks to the two Sandi/ys for their courage in collecting the little creature as I was in the bathroom. Many of us have dissentary or whatever it might be. Some of us are coughing and throwing up, too. Sandi and I are both sick, so one bathroom between us is becoming a challenge. But, this too shall pass - literally! I ran to the bathroom so fast, I didn't even care that there was a lizzard in our room! This is not good! Thanks to Joe for sharing the Pepto at the worksite today, not knowing if he'll need it for himself later or not. And, thankfully I bought my Immodium at Sam's Club in bulk - we might need every last tablet by the end! Be flexible, be flexible, be flexible! Or, as they say in Kenya, "a kuna matata" (no problem)!
Children's Laughter Was Music to Our Ears
The playground set was completed today and the kids had their first chance to swing and climb on the rock wall. I was at the market when they finished so I missed this joyous event. But, to hear their laughter all afternoon long was music to our ears. The children were so happy. I noticed they were counting as they swung back and forth. Joe was telling us that they were bargaining for swing time with each other. It was quite commical. They counted in English instead of Kiswahili. In Kiswahili it would be moja, mbili, tatu, nne, tano, sita, saba, nane, tisa, kumi. I am having fun counting with Danny in Kiswahili.
I helped paint the boys new room today. Blue, very bright blue. I was covered. The older girls all wanted a chance to stand on the table and roll as well. Some got into it more than others. The girls entertained us all afternoon long as we painted, it was really great! They sang and laughed and told funny stories. The picture attached is of Sylvia and Beverlyne laughing as we painted.
The Best and the Worst
Jennifer and Johnny joined us for dinner tonight. Jennifer asked us what the best thing was so far. That is such a tough one. The only thing I could answer for her was what was the worst.
And, that happened for me today. There is a little girl here. Her name is Carol. She is 9 years old. Her favorite color is purple. Her favorite animal is a cow. She is in the 2nd grade and her favorite subject is Kiswahili. She loves to play soccer and wants to be either a policewoman or teacher when she grows up. If she grows up. She is HIV+ and has TB. She is absolutely beautiful. She has the longest eyelashes I have ever seen - lookout Hollywood! She recently got out of the hospital and she has been very weak our entire visit. But, today, today was the worst. She was so lethargic that she could hardly move or participate. She didn't eat her lunch and threw up the little she had eaten. I asked Christine if I could put her in her bed to rest a little and she said to do so. When I picked her up, there was nothing there. Her little arms are so skinny. She had to have wieghed less than most of the younger girls and boys at HOREC. It broke my heart. I cry everytime I think of her.
As for the best, there are so many things. One memory of note is my visit to the market today with Christine. WOW! It was so much fun to buy all of the food on her shopping list and to watch Christine bargain with the shopowners for a deal. She got one lady to give her 20 extra heads of cabbage - a total BOGO (she had purchased 20 heads)! We loaded the truck up. Thank you Kerry for sending some money to buy the food and giving me this opportunity! While we were in town, we stopped and bought sodas (pops for you Yoopers who are tuning in) for the kids, workers and missionaries. It was Bryan's birthday and Thomas (from the company that arranges our drivers - Nappet Tours) and his wife made Bryan a cake and we had a birthday celebration with the kids. Someone brought noisemakers and it got so loud in the new dining room, it was absolutely amazing. Danny kept tooting his horn long after the celebration was over. He is an absolute doll! A pistol as Sandi likes to call him.
It was also nice to spend some time with Christine. Some of her stories broke my heart - like the one about how the hospital originally refused to treat Carol for her TB even though TB treatment is free in Kenya. Or, how they nearly left Danny to die because he was HIV+ and sickly and not worth saving. Or, how Mary is treated differently at school because her skin is discolored from HIV. Or, how all of the kids are shunned at school because they live at an orphanage. With one in six in Kenya being HIV+, you'd think attitudes would be different. But, not only have these children been abandoned, they also are continuously shunned (refer to the story about swimming in a public pool). Yet, they have smiles on their faces. They call Christine "mama" and Alois (Christine's husband) "baba" as though they are their true parents. She calls them her kids. It is great what she is doing to help them. Yet, I cry as I write this. I was just so sad today as I heard these stories and recount them for this blog. So sad. Yet, I praise God (Buana Yasifiwe) because they do have a mom and dad in Christine and Alois.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Our Work Begins
Our vacation was over bright and early Monday morning. But, the kids are on vacation the entire time we are here - YEAH! How lucky is that! Thanks to Will and others for excellent planning! : )
We were rudely awaken at 5 in the morning by Priscilla's scream! The shower broke and the handle blew off from the water pressure. It flooded their room and started into Bryan and Shelley's room, too! We all were running around to fix the shower and move the luggage, etc. Some of us got to move some really interesting things, right Priscilla? ha ha. Joe climbed the very wobbly water tower to try and turn off the water. Eventually, he jammed the hole with a shampoo bottle that he got from the hotel in London (they were delayed overnight on the way here, unfortunately, but I guess God knew they needed that water bottle!) and stopped the water. AMEN! Buana Yasifiwe!
After all that excitement, a good breakfast and Bryan's devotional, we headed to the orphanage and started our projects. The guys and CJ started the playground set. Not an easy task with 12 inch rulers (thankfully, we packed some school supplies!) and a manual drill. But, they got a lot done. Every piece of wood had to be hauled back into a building at night so it would not be stolen. Not an easy task, but Sandi P. and the others were up to it mere hours after they had hauled it all out the first time. Thankfully, everyone knows the rules - be flexible, be flexible and be flexible. We have already had many opportunities to learn them here! : ) Today, they have nearly finished everything. They put the set into the ground and poured the cement before heading back to the hotel. The finishing touches of the rock climing wall and swings will be added tomorrow.
The paint didn't arrive until late on Monday, so we were only able to clean the walls of the dining hall on Monday. We primed and painted the walls - green - today. I am not the best painter. Thankfully, we will be tiling the floor so my mistakes will be hidden! The dining hall looked great when we left today, but that was some toxic paint! Robb, Marty, Sandi, Sandy, Priscilla and I all came home a little green - in more ways than one! Alois (Christine's husband) also helped. They really had fun with the rollers. That is something new for the local Kenyans. Even Anthony (the contractor) was amazed by the roller. He showed us the brush they would have used and told us it would have taken them all week to paint the building. They did a nice job with the building. We were all happy that they completed it before we arrived so we could finish it while we are here!
The girls (mainly Sandi P. and Shelley) hauled rocks to fill in the road as you enter HOREC. The ruts were so deep it was hard to get through them with the van and Land Rover. The HOREC girls helped. It was so neat to watch Beverlyne with a rock balanced on her head and another in her hands. WOW! What balance she had!
Betty and Carol kept the kids occupied most of the day. Betty was singing songs with the little kids - where is thumbkin, where is thumkin, here I am. It was so fun to watch them try to follow along! Carol was mainly with the older kids - reading and sharing pictures from home.
I started my personal mission, which is to start a sponsorship program for these kids. Once the girls found out I wanted to find out information about them, they swarmed around me. They were happy to share their favorite colors, animals, school subjects, etc. as well as birthdays and what they wanted to be when they grew up. Some want to be lawyers, doctors, police, soldiers and get this, even accountants! They were thrilled when I told them I was an accountant. I continued my interviews today. I love spending the time with the kids.
Today, we also assembled the other beds and replaced the matresses and sheets on all of the beds. We left each of them a note that the kids in the BUMC Sunday school wrote and colored for them earlier in the year on their new beds. It was fun to do this project because we noticed how they had all left their treasures under their matresses - school tests, buttons, coins, pictures, etc. Wow!
The contractor was there today to put metal doors and window coverings on the dormitory and big gates as you enter the property. Finally, these kids may now be a bit safe. They were telling us of how people would come and pilfer things from the property and also try to hurt the girls. It is just all so sad. Why? Why?
What a couple of busy days - a lot of work, a lot of laughs and a few tears!
La la salama (goodnight) for now!
We were rudely awaken at 5 in the morning by Priscilla's scream! The shower broke and the handle blew off from the water pressure. It flooded their room and started into Bryan and Shelley's room, too! We all were running around to fix the shower and move the luggage, etc. Some of us got to move some really interesting things, right Priscilla? ha ha. Joe climbed the very wobbly water tower to try and turn off the water. Eventually, he jammed the hole with a shampoo bottle that he got from the hotel in London (they were delayed overnight on the way here, unfortunately, but I guess God knew they needed that water bottle!) and stopped the water. AMEN! Buana Yasifiwe! 
After all that excitement, a good breakfast and Bryan's devotional, we headed to the orphanage and started our projects. The guys and CJ started the playground set. Not an easy task with 12 inch rulers (thankfully, we packed some school supplies!) and a manual drill. But, they got a lot done. Every piece of wood had to be hauled back into a building at night so it would not be stolen. Not an easy task, but Sandi P. and the others were up to it mere hours after they had hauled it all out the first time. Thankfully, everyone knows the rules - be flexible, be flexible and be flexible. We have already had many opportunities to learn them here! : ) Today, they have nearly finished everything. They put the set into the ground and poured the cement before heading back to the hotel. The finishing touches of the rock climing wall and swings will be added tomorrow.
The paint didn't arrive until late on Monday, so we were only able to clean the walls of the dining hall on Monday. We primed and painted the walls - green - today. I am not the best painter. Thankfully, we will be tiling the floor so my mistakes will be hidden! The dining hall looked great when we left today, but that was some toxic paint! Robb, Marty, Sandi, Sandy, Priscilla and I all came home a little green - in more ways than one! Alois (Christine's husband) also helped. They really had fun with the rollers. That is something new for the local Kenyans. Even Anthony (the contractor) was amazed by the roller. He showed us the brush they would have used and told us it would have taken them all week to paint the building. They did a nice job with the building. We were all happy that they completed it before we arrived so we could finish it while we are here!
The girls (mainly Sandi P. and Shelley) hauled rocks to fill in the road as you enter HOREC. The ruts were so deep it was hard to get through them with the van and Land Rover. The HOREC girls helped. It was so neat to watch Beverlyne with a rock balanced on her head and another in her hands. WOW! What balance she had!
Betty and Carol kept the kids occupied most of the day. Betty was singing songs with the little kids - where is thumbkin, where is thumkin, here I am. It was so fun to watch them try to follow along! Carol was mainly with the older kids - reading and sharing pictures from home. 
I started my personal mission, which is to start a sponsorship program for these kids. Once the girls found out I wanted to find out information about them, they swarmed around me. They were happy to share their favorite colors, animals, school subjects, etc. as well as birthdays and what they wanted to be when they grew up. Some want to be lawyers, doctors, police, soldiers and get this, even accountants! They were thrilled when I told them I was an accountant. I continued my interviews today. I love spending the time with the kids.
Today, we also assembled the other beds and replaced the matresses and sheets on all of the beds. We left each of them a note that the kids in the BUMC Sunday school wrote and colored for them earlier in the year on their new beds. It was fun to do this project because we noticed how they had all left their treasures under their matresses - school tests, buttons, coins, pictures, etc. Wow!
The contractor was there today to put metal doors and window coverings on the dormitory and big gates as you enter the property. Finally, these kids may now be a bit safe. They were telling us of how people would come and pilfer things from the property and also try to hurt the girls. It is just all so sad. Why? Why?What a couple of busy days - a lot of work, a lot of laughs and a few tears!
La la salama (goodnight) for now!
Amazing Children
I am in love with the 24 children at HOREC! Who couldn't love them? They are all so amazing and smart and beautiful. I am sorry for not updating my blog sooner. The days have gone by so fast. I don't even know where to begin . . .
We arrived at the orphanage on Saturday afternoon after getting settled into the Sportsview Hotel in Nairobi. My eyes filled with tears as we were greeted by waving and dancing kids. Agnes was playing the drums while her older sister, Alice, led the others in song. We moved into the newly constructed dining hall for the performance of a lifetime. They sang and danced and played the drums for us. It was AMAZING! After the performance, they each introduced themselves and quoted their favorite bible verse. The kids told us they didn't sleep the night they found out we were coming. They were especially happy to see Marty again - she was there in January, too. There was a note on their blackboard that counted down the days to Marty and it read "0 days to Marty!" It was so cute!
On Sunday, we joined Rev Stanley and his wife at the Spring Valley Church. Spring Valley is a slum area. He told us how the people of Spring Valley were thrown out like garbage by the government. He said he personally buried 418 children who died of starvation/malnutrition. He started a school and meal program a few years ago and they have not lost a child to starvation since. Buana Yasifiwe (Praise God in Swahili)! We joined the children of Spring Valley for Sunday school. This little girl came up to me and crawled into my lap. Her nose was running, her eyes were watering and she was coughing, but I could not put her down. She kept stroking my arm and burying her head in my chest. She just wanted to be held. We sang and we danced with the kids as they played the keyboard and drums. I felt so alive with all of those children. They recited Proverbs 10:1 for us by heart. They were all so smart and well behaved. It was absolutely amazing. The HOREC children joined us for the main service - this is a rare experience for them so it was wonderful that we could make it happen. I ran to the van to greet them with CJ. My heart was just so filled up when I saw them. They were introduced in the service (as were all of us - twice!) and then they got up and sang for the congregation. They didn't even seem afraid or nervous about doing this. Meanwhile, some of us were nervous to just get up and say "I am _____."
After church, we went to a hotel with a swimming pool and had lunch (french fries, ugali, potatoes, boiled goat and BBQ goat). It was really good. The kids enjoyed swimming. The girls were embarrassed to put on their "swimming costumes" and were giggling in the changing room and covering themselves up. It was sad to see the other kids get out of the pool when the HOREC kids got in because they were from the "other side of the tracks" so to speak. We joked that it was because Robb Bourdon and Joe Lynch had gotten into the pool. Who wants to swim with murangi (white people), right? ha ha After swimming, they enjoyed putting my sunscreen on. Their skin was so dry from the chlorine in the pool. My sunscreen was white and very thick. The little boys enjoyed making pictures and designs on their arms with it!
What a super weekend! My heart is so full from these AMAZING CHILDREN!
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