A Year Without Ice Cubes One year through Africa and Asia

I have 10 minutes before I'm going out for dinner, but I just wanted to quickly blog about the great day I've had!  Today I started volunteering at the Moi University Hospital in at the Sally Test Center , which is in the pediatric ward and provides day care services for young patients as well as activities and education for orphans who are housed at the hospital while under treatment.  Michelle and I had visited the center a couple times already, played with the kids, talked to the teachers, and I decided that it is where I wanted to spend the next two months of my life.  The kids are sweet and amazing and beautiful and so friendly and playful and full of joy despite their backgrounds, histories, and illnesses.  So this morning I showed up at 10 am and was immediately asked to pick up a tiny baby, John, and wash him, put a diaper on him, dress him, and feed him.  I went with the flow, not having expected to be taking care of babies and fully aware of my lack of experience with babies...I totally put John's diaper on backwards (gimme a break, I don't have any kids or baby siblings!), got him in his jumper, and started feeding him with his bottle.  At this point I was aware that I had put his diaper on backwards and figured I'd tell someone or change it when he was done eating.  Well, I didn't have to wait too long because after about 10 minutes John took it upon himself to throw up his breakfast all over me!  It was actually hilarious, I had milk stains all over my pants while all the Kenyan assistants were saying "Pole sana" ("so sorry") while they watched me.  Jane, (an American college student who has been at the Sally Test Center for the past month and is leaving this weekend) was with me and helped me clean up the vomit and change John's clothing...perfect opportunity to fix his diaper, too.  Then I changed my pants and it was time to play with the toddlers and older kids, which trust me, I'm much better at.  The kids are great, the other assistants are great, and I really just had such a great day pushing kids around on old bicycles, putting together puzzles, singing Christmas carols, and reading stories to them (I'd read the English and Helen, one of the teachers, translated into Swahili).  Had lunch with Kareem and our friend Lucy, spent a few more hours at the center, and then met up with Michelle.  And now I have to run to dinner, so I'll finish this entry later!