Lucy is an amazing woman. I have incredible respect for her, for what she has done and for what she continues to do. Children’s lives have been changed for the better because of her. Many would have died if she had not taken them in and to the orphanage.
Let’s go back to Sunday before I tell you about the home. Ana and I met Tania and Jackie (other IVHQ volunteers) at Junction Mall, had some delicious frozen yoghurt and went to the movies. All very civilized. We were going to catch a taxi home but heard that the other three volunteers had arrived, had had their orientation and were about to be taken out to the homestay so we arranged to catch a ride with them and the boys from NVS. We met Luann, Karen and Lilly. Luann and Karen are sisters and Lily is Karen’s 12-year-old daughter. They are all from California and are here in Kenya for two weeks. Because of flight delays they missed their connecting flight to Nairobi and had to stay a night in Amsterdam, hence their late arrival. Anyhow, we all headed back to Lucy’s place and they settled in. Karen and Lilly were in the room with me and Luann shared with Ana. The power had gone out that morning about 9am and wasn’t back yet when we returned so it was torches until about 8pm when the house flooded with light again. Much better. Quick, charge everything…again!
As I’ve said, Lucy’s house is two-story but did I mention the stairs are a death trap? They spiral slightly up to the second floor with no railing at the side or at the top so the second floor landing basically drops off at the side of the stairs straight to the bottom. You could certainly do some damage should you fall! We have to make sure we walk around the ‘stairwell to hell’ to get to the top of the stairs. Karen was concerned that Lilly might need to go to the bathroom in the night and not see where to walk in the dark and fall so they have moved to a different room today (closer to the top of the stairs) which leaves me with my own room. Nice but strange to have no one else in here. I’m sure I’ll manage :-)
This morning we woke up to the sounds of renovation and loads of voices. More people. No idea who they are but hi! Because of the rain, the water tank water, and therefore all the water in the taps, toilet and shower is very dirty. No shower today but by tomorrow I’m sure I will be dirtier than the water so I will definitely have one. We had breakfast and headed off with Francis (he lives here but I’m not entirely sure if he is related or what. Lucy said she helps at the orphanage) driving the van. The roads were completely muddy and filled with bright red dirt and water because of the heavy rain the past couple of days. It was quite an adventure getting to the orphanage that’s for sure. A couple of times we nearly got stuck; other times the back end of the van would slide out to the side and other times the entire van would slip to the left or right. Fun! Well, in hindsight it is, at the time I just hoped we would avoid slipping into the ditches at the side. Anyway, we made it and were introduced to Gathiga Children’s Hope Home.
What a wonderful place. A lot of the children have gone away for some of the holiday to extended family or friends in and around Nairobi or further afield. Lucy feels it is important that they keep in touch with where they come from and with people they are connected to. There are usually about 97 children (ranging from 3 – 23) at the home but at the moment there are about 25. We met some of the older children who were all doing chores, cleaning, preparing beans etc. We were introduced to Doka who is 19. She said she used to live on the streets but that Lucy took her in 4 years ago and she is much happier and safer. She is finishing high school and wants to study to be a nurse or chef. She took us around the orphanage to show us the ‘dorms’. The boys and girls are separate and the children sleep in rooms according age, well size really as the smaller ones sleep 4 to one bed, the slightly older/bigger ones 2 to a bed and the oldest/biggest get a bed to themselves, basically because there is no room for anyone else! They top and tail. Doka giggled when I asked if she steals the covers. “No” she said “but there is a lot of pushing.”
There are about 3 makeshift prefabs split into two areas with bunk beds for all the children. The beds were all perfectly made and any clothes they have were neatly folded and put away. They really take care of what they have. There is a classroom that is for the nursery age children. There are a few benches for the children to sit. The walls are beautifully painted with pictures. There is a tree painted with the children’s handprints as the leaves, all recently done by volunteers. There are a few other areas for the kitchen, dining area and office. The buildings are solid enough but very very basic. Despite this, the children seem really happy and the whole orphanage has a wonderful feel to it.
We sat down with Lucy and she told us the story of how it all started:
She used to go into Nairobi very early and see the street kids sleeping on the ground covered by whatever they could find to keep them warm. She would see the same children later on in the day sniffing glue or loitering in groups, as they had nothing to do and nowhere to go. She said she heard a call from God telling her that something needed to be done and it was her calling to do it. She wasn’t sure what she could do as she had her own children and little money. What she did have to spare (which usually meant the family went without) went towards buying some bread and cheese for the groups of children she came across. By doing this and co-opting some other women she knew to do the same, she got to know a lot of the children and heard their stories. Some had parents who had died from HIV, others had been abandoned and others had to run away. After some time, Lucy invited some of the children back to her house to meet her family and to have a home-cooked meal. At the end of the evening, many left but 6 (I have since met three) of them begged her to let them stay. She said she didn’t have enough mattresses etc for them but all they wanted was a piece of floor and a roof and that’s how it all began.
To begin with, the children and Lucy’s family all lived in the same tiny house (which is now one of the dormitories) until extended family members and other donations enabled them to build other ‘buildings’ for the children and it just grew. Now Lucy and her family live in their own home away from the orphanage, built for them by some relatives, and there are more constructed areas for the kids on the original site. Many times Lucy questioned what she was doing and wondered if she was doing harm to her own children by making them share everything with the street kids but Mary, Wambo and Moses are all grown now, are happy and healthy and admire what their mother does.
We met two beautiful little boys when we arrived. One was found abandoned at the gates of the orphanage when he was a baby. As they didn’t know where he came from or what his name was they called him Moses (after the bible story) Kibaki (after the president of Kenya). He must be about 3 now and is a total sweetheart, so gentle and cute. We walked around holding hands for a little while today. Another little boy was given to Lucy on the street by a mother who couldn’t (or wouldn’t) care for him. Lucy has managed to keep in touch with her although she is difficult to find at times and is often drunk when she is found. At least the boy will know who his mother is. Others have known who their mother is but sometimes they disappear or will die on the streets. Despite these tragic circumstances, the children are safe, happy and have a future thanks to Lucy and her incredible efforts.
She showed us the food store, which is quite depleted. There were some sacks of beans but they had run out of everything else. I guess I know what I’m buying them! There is no government funding. They simply survive on money donated by volunteers and others and Lucy gives what she can. I so wish I could just go out and buy everything they need. More blankets, sacks of rice, flour and cooking fat, pots to cook in, money for wood for the fire, and the hundred of other little things they need for the children to be healthy and happy. Luann, Karen and Lilly brought over about 4 suitcases of donated toys and clothes so they took one today full of clothes. It was so wonderful to see the delight in the eyes of the kiddies as they tried on their new clothes.
The clothes that I brought over donated by my incredible friends have all been given to the IDP Camp I visited on Outreach and will be going to again next week. Some of the books have gone to Mlolongo Primary School, others to the little slum school I visited and others will go here. I can’t wait to read them to the children this week!
We spent our time with the kids singing, preparing beans for lunch/dinner and chatting with the children. One boy, Joel, showed me all his exercise books from school and his tests and results. He really likes science and drawing and is great at both. He was so proud when I told him how good his pictures were.
We had lunch there (rice and beans) then were brought back home about 2:30. What a humbling, uplifting, inspiring day. I told Lucy she was incredible and that it was an honour to know her. It is really hard for her at times, she has so many worries, but she knows she is changing children’s lives and they are all grateful to her.
Francis took us to a mall so we could pick up some supplies and buy a few things for the orphanage tomorrow. Chuppa Chups it is! We went to Nakumatt to get a couple of things but Francis told us that a supermarket closer to home was cheaper so we went there. It was market day so there were loads of makeshift stalls in amongst the shops and mud. It was buzzing and so much fun! We picked up some supplies and wandered along looking at all the wares. We definitely want to go back there again!
Finally we went home and stayed home. We played some cards (Last Card again) and had dinner, spaghetti with incredible tomato sauce! Yum!! And now I am sitting up in my room about to fall asleep and looking forward to spending tomorrow with incredible, beautiful children. I am blessed.
Lala Salama.
