Another day at the orphanage! I love being there. Today we started with all the kids jumping around, playing and getting ready for school. Once they went off to school we started washing the walls down. The employees used soapy water to scrub the walls. I used an old t-shirt for a rag and water to rinse off the walls. The ladies working were very kind and joyful. Some of them would sing songs while working, as did I.
When we were done cleaning I asked Elizabeth to share some stories with me of the children there. Elizabeth has worked in the orphanage since it started in 2006. She enthusiastically shared information with me about the orphanage and the children in the orphanage. There are 2 regular volunteer workers, 18 staff members and 31 children. Many visitors come from around the world to volunteer their time to the children and the work that needs to be done there. The youngest child is around 6 weeks and the oldest is 13.
Most of the children are HIV positive. However, babies that have never been breast feed by their mother have the chance of testing negative if they are treated properly. Children with AIDS can live for a very long time if they receive proper treatment. The children at the orphanage are treated with outstanding medical care. They receive a mild antibiotic to help prevent sicknesses. The antibiotic also helps the child recover from a sickness when they do get sick. There immune system is boosted by the medical treatment they receive.
A typical day for children starts at 6:00 a.m. The boys sleep in one room and the girls in another. The rooms are wonderfully painted with bright colors, cartoons and cute sayings. There are bunk beds for the children to sleep on with cozy sleeping bags and pillows. The three babies have cribs to sleep in. When the children wake up they take showers, get dressed for the day and brush their hair. When they are ready for the day all the children gather together to sing church songs and say the Lord’s Prayer. Then breakfast begins. All the children fill their tummies with a freshly prepared meal. By 9:00 they are off to school! At 12:00 they take a lunch break and have play time until 2:00. From 2:00 till 4:00 they are in class again. Directly after class they play, or watch cartoons and take a shower. By 6:30 they are all ready for their yummy, well prepared dinner. After dinner they have a choice to finish the movie or tell fun stories! Right before bed they have prayer time and singing time. By 8:00 all of the children are in bed. Although not all of them fall asleep right away.
The happiness of the children is very apparent. They are constantly smiling, laughing and playing with each other, or with the visitors. They are full of life and energy. All their characteristics bounce off of each other! They are very well taken care of at the orphanage. Listening to the staff and volunteers, I can see and feel how much they all love the children. As Elizabeth said, “We are all one big family here.”
When we were done cleaning I asked Elizabeth to share some stories with me of the children there. Elizabeth has worked in the orphanage since it started in 2006. She enthusiastically shared information with me about the orphanage and the children in the orphanage. There are 2 regular volunteer workers, 18 staff members and 31 children. Many visitors come from around the world to volunteer their time to the children and the work that needs to be done there. The youngest child is around 6 weeks and the oldest is 13.
Most of the children are HIV positive. However, babies that have never been breast feed by their mother have the chance of testing negative if they are treated properly. Children with AIDS can live for a very long time if they receive proper treatment. The children at the orphanage are treated with outstanding medical care. They receive a mild antibiotic to help prevent sicknesses. The antibiotic also helps the child recover from a sickness when they do get sick. There immune system is boosted by the medical treatment they receive.
A typical day for children starts at 6:00 a.m. The boys sleep in one room and the girls in another. The rooms are wonderfully painted with bright colors, cartoons and cute sayings. There are bunk beds for the children to sleep on with cozy sleeping bags and pillows. The three babies have cribs to sleep in. When the children wake up they take showers, get dressed for the day and brush their hair. When they are ready for the day all the children gather together to sing church songs and say the Lord’s Prayer. Then breakfast begins. All the children fill their tummies with a freshly prepared meal. By 9:00 they are off to school! At 12:00 they take a lunch break and have play time until 2:00. From 2:00 till 4:00 they are in class again. Directly after class they play, or watch cartoons and take a shower. By 6:30 they are all ready for their yummy, well prepared dinner. After dinner they have a choice to finish the movie or tell fun stories! Right before bed they have prayer time and singing time. By 8:00 all of the children are in bed. Although not all of them fall asleep right away.
The happiness of the children is very apparent. They are constantly smiling, laughing and playing with each other, or with the visitors. They are full of life and energy. All their characteristics bounce off of each other! They are very well taken care of at the orphanage. Listening to the staff and volunteers, I can see and feel how much they all love the children. As Elizabeth said, “We are all one big family here.”
Kristen--thanks for all the inside info. I was curious what their days were like--as we only got a glimpse when we were there for an hour! Thanks for continuing to be my eyes in Kenya as I miss it so much!
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