Orphanages

We went to two orphanages while we were there – one on Tuesday, and one on Thursday.

The first one was an outdoor area in the middle of a shantytown, wedged between two makeshift buildings with a tent covering over part of it. The kids were all in a line, waiting for us as we walked in, and they sang Christian songs to welcome us. It was touching, and a bit overwhelming. They had so little and seemed so happy to see us.

We heard about this place through some twice-removed connection (I think Auguste used to work with someone who knew someone who was involved with it, or something like that), but we were so happy to be there. The kids were great – they sang songs with us, answered questions about the Bible, and played games like “Duck Duck Goose” and “In the River, On the Line.” We gave out candy, then sandwiches, then shoes. We prayed for all the kids, and then for the adults who were there working with them. I think we there for over two hours; it flew by.

Paul said that we were the first Americans to ever visit that place.

Our experience at the other orphanage was just as good. That one was also a preschool – the woman who greeted us was their main teacher, helping them prepare for primary school when they got older. She taught them about Jesus in between the other subjects; we could tell that she was awesome at her job and had a genuine love for God and for the kids.

The children there were so happy and easy to entertain. We blew bubbles with them, read stories, took pictures, ran around. We got into a circle and told Bible stories, then talked to them about how much God loved them and how much He thinks about them. We painted faces; we gave out prizes that Paul and Auguste had previously gathered.

This orphanage was also outside, but that was because the building had burned down a few weeks earlier. Paul said they thought someone had done it on purpose, one of the many, many people who were squatting on the extra land they owned. Construction had already begun on a new building, however, as a Kenyan group had heard about their trouble and mobilized construction and funds to put up a new shelter. We got to meet some leaders of that group, as they stopped by to check on the construction while we were there.

Once again, the time went by incredibly quickly. We left tired but happy in the knowledge of the work God is doing through that orphanage/school and its teachers.