It has been an amazing, sad and inspiring couple of days. We were up and raring to go on Tuesday morning, looking forward to seeing the beautiful children of Hope Home once again. We brought more supplies with us today donated by friends of Karen’s and Luann’s. This time it was beanie babies of all shapes and sizes and the kids loved them, even the older ones were happy to get a soft toy. We had paper and coloured pencils with us so the kids spent lots of time drawing pictures. At one stage we were sitting in the nursery room preparing beans and little Moses (Kibaki) started crying. I think he had been hit on the head so I picked him up and cuddled him while he cried. I sang to him and he quieted down a little. So precious. He stayed in my arms until lunch was called…there are priorities you know :-)
Lucy explained to us later that some of the children had some bacterial sores on their hands that were being contracted by the other children so she had to get someone in to spray the orphanage to prevent it spreading. After that was done we said goodbye to Gathiga and drove with the spray guy – that’s his official name of course ;-) to the other orphanage Lucy runs.
A lot of the children at this orphanage are HIV positive and although they are usually no risk to anyone, all the children play a lot, fall down, cut themselves etc so the risk of infection is a little higher; not much but enough so that Lucy thinks it best to have most of them together. Some there do not have the virus but because they have brothers and sisters there they are kept together. We met one such family. Brian, his brother Joseph and sister Bobo, were introduced to us. Their single mother had died of AIDS and they were left alone. As Brian was the oldest at age 7 or 8 he assumed the role of father and would go out and have to beg to bring in money for his brother and sister to eat. I’m not sure for how long this went on but Lucy heard about them and brought them back to the orphanage. Brian is now 11 years old and, through his mother, is HIV positive although his siblings aren’t. He has drugs to keep him as healthy as possible and doesn’t show any signs of illness. He is shy and quiet and has a smile that could melt the stoniest heart. For I don’t know how long he had the weight of the world on his tiny shoulders trying to keep his family together and alive and now he can just be a little boy and be looked after, such is the amazing work that Lucy and the others do. Although Brian was quite shy, he still laughed and smiled when his beanie baby ‘jumped’ on his head and bounced around him. He smiled even more when I ran around the courtyard chasing him. He was way too fast for me though. All the children are so incredibly special but he is one little boy that has touched my heart.
One of the older residents gave us a tour around the little orphanage and we found out that he, Julius, was one of the original 6 children who didn’t want to leave Lucy’s house all those years ago and therefore, one of the inspirations for the orphanages. He is doing incredibly well and is so grateful to Lucy for everything she has done. It was so fantastic to meet him.
After the spraying at this orphanage was done and we had finished giving out some of the clothes Karen and Luann brought we were off home. The children lined the fence to wave and say goodbye.
We had been asked earlier in the day if we would like to do a street kids outreach that Lucy runs. We would go early in the morning to give out bread and tea to some street kids in Nairobi. Most of us were keen so it was organized for the next morning. We put money together and headed to market to buy supplies. One of the guys that came with us, Dan, was also one of the original 6. He has such an amazing attitude to life, so positive and forward-looking. It was wonderful to be around. Later that evening, after dinner, we buttered and jammed (doesn’t sound quite right but you know what I mean) the bread to get ready for the next morning. I wasn’t sure what to expect but was looking forward to being part of it.
Time for bed.
Lala Salama.
Wednesday
Did my alarm really just go off at 4:20am? Yep, it did. Ok, up I get. Luann, Ana and I got dressed and headed downstairs to help prepare the tea. Actually we just watched as chai was made (in one of the enormous pots that is used at the orphanage) over wood and coals in the backyard. When it was boiled, a lot of the burning wood was pulled out from under the pot to stop it boiling over – you can’t just turn down the stove on this thing! The whole lot of it then had to be strained bit by bit and then poured into huge plastic containers ready to take to Nairobi. We headed into the city with Duncan (Lucy’s husband), Calvin, Francis and another guy whose name I don’t remember to the area where a lot of the street kids they know sleep. Not long after Duncan and Calvin went to let them know we were there, a lot of children and some adults came and stood with us by the van.
It was heartbreaking to see young children around 8 years old come by themselves or in a group of others just as young. Everyone’s clothes were filthy, some had shoes, others had only one and still others walked in bare feet. Although some smiled others’ faces showed the strain life on the street had taken on them. They stared blankly into the crowd, waiting for our meager offering. The poverty was palpable. We opened the van and started giving them tea. There was a sea of hands, jostling for prime position, straining to get some hot tea in cups we had supplied. I tried to look up and smile at them all but there were so many and they kept coming thick and fast. I remember one boy, maybe around 12, who was shaking so badly when he came up with his cup that I had to steady his hand with mine. Although I managed to keep it together while I was there, writing this has brought me to tears. The bread was then distributed. There just wasn’t enough although it seemed like most people got at least one slice. They all began returning the cups when we had gone through everything; no fuss, no trying to keep them. One image keeps running through my head: a little boy, no older than about 2 or 3 walking slowly towards me with his cup. One of our guys was going to take it but he moved to avoid him and kept walking to me. I bent down and he handed me the cup then shuffled away again. We all know there is poverty, desperate poverty, all over the world but to see it, feel it, touch it is quite different. The orphanages are full and Lucy can’t take any more children but she is still doing what she can to help them.
When we prepared to leave we noticed that a little girl who, to us, looked about 3 years old but was actually closer to 6, was put in the van. We were to take her with us. She was meant to be at the orphanage or with her aunt out of Nairobi for the break. Somehow she had ended up back with her mother and was on the street again. Lucy had said that if the guys found any orphanage children there to bring them back, as it is unsafe on the street. The little girl (Mary) sat on my knee all the way back to the house, smiling and giggling, pointing and waving at everything and anything. It turns out she wasn’t just overly happy and excited she was high. Her mother had given her glue to sniff! What the …. ?? Hard to fathom.
After breakfast and a rest we all headed into the orphanage. I was happy to see Brian and his brother and sister along with the other children from Kihara (the other orphanage) at Gathiga. They had been moved over because of the spraying yesterday. It was a really fun day playing games – a couple of drama games, jump rope, hand clapping games and more. It seemed like the kiddies really enjoyed themselves, we definitely did. Just spending time with these gorgeous little people really fills my heart with joy. Simply holding their hands or watching them play is so special. There’s also something wonderful about sharing lunch with them, sitting with them while we all enjoy the same meal. It still hits me sometimes that I’m actually here in Africa, privileged enough to spend time with these incredible people, people who have endured so much, people who have dedicated their lives to helping others, people who have so little but give so much. I’m really very lucky.
I’m not going to be able to simply go home and put it all down to a great holiday. I will make sure as many people as possible know about what life is like for some in Kenya and that we, regardless of how little we may have, can help. $20, even $10 can help. That’s wood for the fire for the children’s meals. That’s fuel to transport a child to hospital. That’s bread to feed the street kids. And amazingly, to sponsor a child at these orphanages is only ksh4500 a month – about $50 – which pays for their schooling, clothes, food and so much more. A group of 3 could sponsor a child and change their life for about 55 cents a day and the money goes directly to the orphanage, not to any administrators. Goodness, I sound like a TV ad, sorry. I guess I’m just amazed at how little it takes to make such a difference. Anyway, food for thought.
Josh, an IVHQ volunteer who has been here three months, came out to visit as he was at Gathiga for a few weeks early on in his stay. The kids were really excited to see him. After more playing, hugs and high fives we headed back to the house. We had organized to go out to dinner at Artcaffe (great restaurant) as it was both Luann’s and Josh’s birthday the next day. Lilly’s had been on 2 December and mine is the 20th so we celebrated all the December birthdays. Tania and Nadia, other volunteers joined us there. It was such good night. Great food and company. Although I really enjoyed it, part of me felt a bit guilty splashing out like that after what we had seen that day.
Three days here and I have seen and felt so much already! What will the next couple of weeks be like??
I have organized to go back to Vumilia IDP camp next Monday and Tuesday with Kush from NVS. I know I am going to hear heartbreaking stories but it is important to me to collect them and share them with you and anyone else who wants to know more. I’m ready.
