From the Lives of Children

I thought I would write one of my last posts the same way I did one of my first, with a description of the children. It has been impossible to put into words all that these children are and part of me feels it is something that can only be truly shared by those who have been here, those, like myself, who have had a glimpse of their joy, caring, and innocence.

So, I will let the pictures speak as I bounce around to different topics. Here are children imagining, well, can you guess?







Sometimes I never know with them what I am getting myself into. I still remember a very strange song from one of my first weeks here…


I still can’t figure out this game that Kato and Segawa always play.



If you remember, I asked for input about games for the kids a month in. They love dominoes, memory, and, most recently, checkers. However, the biggest hit has been simply coloring and drawing (I should have figured that out earlier!) Here are the kids at one of their mass gatherings.



Here is the artist formerly known as Job. Notice the three-dimensional door and what is most likely the largest pig in the world.



A couple of weeks ago I stumbled upon a group of the younger children “hiding” around the corner of their home. The guilty look that Esther gives me here translates into all languages. They were hoarding some fruit that they found and were meticulously counting each berry out as to divide the spoils.



Last week, I heard an uproar as I was working on something in the guest house. Five minutes later I went outside to see what the excitement was about. There was no one, not one African child anywhere in sight. This was strange as it was well after school. I did hear noises, though, and followed them behind the cooking hut. I ran into this scene.



All the children were given sugar cane to eat. I still can’t figure out how they can stand it. It is pure sugar concentrate that they suck on. Have I ever mentioned that it would be good to have another dental team come?

I realize now I never posted about the zoo. We were able to take the older children a couple of months back due to a generous donation that was given. Thank you. Both the children and I will never forget those two days. Some of the kids had never been out of this town and others had never been in a van. They all saw animals they had never seen before and the highlight, unanimously, was the chimpanzees. I also have a story about risking crocodiles to see ostriches but I will leave it at that so to not risk looking like a bad chaperone…






The children have different work projects around the property (many of which seem to be right outside my window early in the morning). They hoe, plant food, clean their homes, help with meals, and wash clothes. Despite all this, they are willing to help with extra projects as Brian and Segewa (“Boy”) demonstrate here.



On top of all these things, the children love to sing and dance. Almost every time I visit the homes before bed they perform for me. Every Saturday you can find most of them practicing in the shade of a large tree for church the next day. Here is a video of them practice (I hope it works!):


The final result…




A couple of children’s stories…

Amos, the groundskeeper here, is newly married and has a small baby. He just moved to the property here and it is great as he is closer and no longer has to pay rent. However, relatives heard about this and his sister sent one of her sons to live with him despite the fact that he is in a one room home!

When he arrived, the boy was malnourished and had a large chip on his shoulder. I saw quickly, though, how a loving family and a bit of discipline can change a child. He is now one of my favorite kids here (keep in mind, my favorites seem to change every week) and always has a smile on his face. You can find him either digging in the field, carrying water, or playing with Geoffrey’s kids. His name is Alex.




I saw him wearing this the other day and mentioned to Amos that there are some extra clothes that he could have. Things were lost in translation and two minutes later Alex came out strutting, wearing Dora the Explorer pants and a sweatshirt with a roller hockey player on it. I have nicknamed him “Hockey” ever since.



Just before I arrived, a small child was brought here to the property. I later discovered that he was rescued from a step-mother who was using him as collateral to get money from his father, who had left her. The boy was in rough shape and was said to be HIV-positive. He was withdrawn and emotionless the first time I met him.

It has been a wild four months, to say the least, and I have seen him change slowly. He is still unsure in some situations but he is smiling, talking, and the other day I experienced him taking his first steps, something I wanted to see before I left.

So, anyways, the great news. They took him to the hospital the other day and they ran some new tests. Based on what they are saying now, he is actually HIV-negative. As they say here, Praise God. His name is Zawa, but the kids soon after arrival renamed him Mukisa, which means blessed.






More to come…