well I have to say today was a hard day. Its funny because I set up the orphanage visit for friday thinking it would be a good end to the work week and a happy start to my weekend. You picture that your going to feel really good knowing you helped the kids out in some way but when it comes down to the fact its hard not to feel somewhat discouraged / crushed.
We arrived at the beach and found out that actually half the school had come.. so not just the 54 orphans but 126 students... so there were alot of kids there and they were all over. So it was hard at first to get them organized to play some games etc. We walked way out on the beach... like over a km cause the tide was out and played in the water... unfortunatly one of the girls stepped on an urchin and had to be packed back to the shores to have all the spines pulled out.... not nice at all!
anyways we got everyone back and played some games and then gave them a snack. However they had come to the beach for the day but couldnt afford to pack a lunch because of space and money.. so the kids were starving and as much as the snack was good it was not enough to fill them up. Anyways I sat with a group of 4-8 year old boys while we ate and the one had sand in his eye so I used the remaining water I had brought with me (the rest I gave to the kids) and flushed out his eye. It helped a bit and he ate his buscuits, but it was pretty obvious that he was still starving.
Once we had finished we loaded the kids into their matatus... 3 for 126 kids and 5 adults (literally the size of like the 12 passenger vans we used with school....) and then got a matatu for us and drove back to kwacha. There we had all the groceries which I had been able to buy thanks to Connor and Evan and Tammy and Devin!! We loaded them / squished them into the matatus and tied some to the roofs and they head master came over and shook my hand. Its funny, when you give gifts here its very uncommon to get a thank you... its just not how hings work, not because they arent polite, but simply it isnt part of their traditions. So anyways he shook my hand and kind of gave me a half smile and put his other hand over our shaking hands... it was pretty obvious he appreciated all the help.
Anyways it was a good day, but at the same time hard to know that those kids really have nothing. They all have pretty obvious signs of malnurishment. Their hair is often falling out, they have bruises all over their legs and they have a kind of white film that covers their heads. Its amazing to hang out with them but it makes you feel pretty helpless.
Regardless it was a great day and its funny cause tons of them recognized me from the last time especially the one boy who clung to me all last visit... he happened to be the one with the sand in his eyes this time. So it was a good day, it just seems to leave me with a bit of a lump in my stumach thinking of the hard road ahead of all of them.
2 comments:
Wow! We as North Americans sure take far too much for granted and far too often we waste what we are so fortunate to have. Your visits to the orphanage are having a huge impact on me in many ways. I find myself questioning what I am doing/using/buying on a daily basis now and also thinking far beyond my own needs now. Thanks Jes.
Hi Jessie:
c: I feel really good inside to be helping all the kids at the orphanage. Thanks for taking the food to them. Sounds like the talent show was very interesting. By Jessie, we'll see you soon. Love Connor
E: I am looking forward to you coming to my house next year. If you find any more places with kids that don't have parents I would liek to send you more money. Love Evan
T&D: Hey Jess, thanks so much for buy & delivering the flour & snacks to the kids. The boys are very keen to here about how things are going there, so the blog is awesome for them. They are also keen to raise more money for you to put towards something/somewhere else. Evan just finished bringing me more money & is insistent that I send it RIGHT now :-) He has been touched by the fact that they have little or no food & no parents. Both concepts that he couldn't fathom even if he was older than 5. We are so proud of you, miss you & look forward to hearing about our new adventures. Love you :-)
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