2012
The children running up to greet me and very curious about who my new partner was! He quickly settled in and he had his little favourites. He would play Rugby with the boys whilst I was sat there doing nails with the girls! (So unlike me, as I am not a girly girl. But for these girls....anything!)
It rained quite a bit of the time we were there, but alleulia for rain! We take it for granted at home. We would usually go to the nearest cow for milk but sadly because there was a lack of crops this year we had to find a store for milk. The milk is expensive this trip. But we had to keep the childrens bellies full. Particularly the ones who have HIV as they tend to eat alot more due to the medication they are on.
Being inside the house meant we spent many a special moment with the children. Just whiling away the hours playing games, the kids playing and obsessed with my hair! Forgot how many times i had to brush the knots out of it! But I don't mind. Alot of the children don't have hair becase of nits, as it is expensive to treat. Lots of singing and dancing from the kids! Perfect.
During our trip we carried out an assessment on a little boy called Happy age 7 We went into the middle of the village which they were not used to seeing 'mzungus' in and were greeted warmly by the locals. They helped us go to 'Happy's house and upon arrival we saw a fairly well sustained house and some people outside. We were greeted by a little boy with a beaming smile and the older lady there told us it was 'Happy'. The child was in fact well and clean. Albeit
The house was not one that you would expect a child to have To live in but Happy was provided two meals a day, education, medication for the recent bout of malaria that he had just beaten and had a roof over his head. We decided as the grandmother was still sustaining Happy, that he was provided for that he did not need intervention at this time. The decision was made objectively (heartbreakingly) and the grandmother understood. As we were leaving we were then informed about the plight of another lady who was ready to abandon her 3 1/2 year old child. She has no where to sleep, no job and cannot provide for her child. We went to look for this lady but we could not locate her. We could not find her.
I feel so sad for these people. Let's pray the government wake up soon and see the poverty. If you could see the hardworking people of Kenya, they too would Know these people deserve a chance. You can see the pain and suffering on a day to day basis. It's in their tired eyes.
We visited the feeding station whilst we were there. The day was truly humbling. It was extremely hot and again nearly 2000 children attended. Still time didn't change anything. Still these children were having to walk several miles to attend to be fed. It is like Time stood still.
Whilst we were there I knew we weren't allowed to really speak to the children, but I saw one young girl carrying another young girl. She must have been about 10-11 carrying a 2 year old on her back. I immediately without thinking and to be honest I couldn't have cared less in that moment, went over to them and took the young girl off of her back and gave her water. I handed over the water to the young 10 year old too and she was so grateful. It was like in that very moment in time the relief and exhaustion left her. She smiled very sweetly at me. We couldn't understand each others language but we didn't need to communicate in words. Just the actions alone did it. I held the little girl for a short while whilst she caught her breath and then helped wrap her back up in the shawl she had on to place her back on her back. How I could have lifted those two out of that situation if I could have done, I would have done. ALL of the children if I had a house big enough would be living with me at this rate!!! I watched her as she left and she glanced back and gave me another smile and a wave. That moment was the highlight of my trip. I knew that even though it was a very small difference......it was a difference. She knew someone cared. That was truly humbling.