Visiting Day

It's not jail...but boarding school in Kenya can be akin to that...in that the food is bad and the accommodation below par. But visiting day at any boarding institution is about two things seeing family and eating mom's home cooked food. Okay their happy to see their family but they barely acknowledge you until after they've eaten!

My mission committee at First Presbyterian Church in St. Cloud, MN along with individual donors responded in earnest to my plea in the November Chameleon's Tale newsletter for education funding to send five primary age orphans to boarding school.

Now Soni, Sitelu, Lenkai, Njoki, and Shiko (their nicknames) are enrolled at Joram GM Academy in Matasia, which is about 15 minutes by car from Ngong. Both Judie and Omondi also go to school there. So it was quite the party, when Mama Jeri, their matron at the farm, and Grace's grandson's Ian (13) and Brian (3) and I showed up on visiting day laden down with stew and chapati, salad with Marsala chicken, fruit salad and apples and oranges. We feasted. And then if you're Sitelu, you just keep right on eating. He is 12 and tall and skinny and we don't know where he puts all the food he eats but man can he put it away.

Sitelu eating again.

Sitelu also managed to loose his flip-flops so I bought him another pair and wrote his name in big letters along both sides of both shoes...he was only slightly amused.

Njoki is the oldest of the kids at 14 but is only in 1st grade. She was kept at home by her mother who wanted her to care for her six brothers. Njoki took a spill from the swing set three days before and knocked out a tooth and did some damage to her mouth. Her mouth was wired up a bit but it didn't stop her from eating!

Njoki carefully eating her lunch.

Njoki's wired mouth!

Soni (Mary Muthoni) is 13 and in class 6. She didn't like her old school and was gushing about boarding school. "Auntie we read (study) all the time. I love it here." Soni was sexually abused by a family member and has lots of trust issues along with other psychological issues. But she is such a joy. A sweet, soft-spoken girl with a heart of gold.

Chatting with me and Mama Jeri after lunch.

Moses Lenkai is the youngest of the bunch at 9 and is in class 3. He came to stay with Grace when he was five and his mother died. She had never been married, so he and his three siblings were given to area children's homes by his uncle. Moses is a joker and clown but with a sensitive side. He is always giggling!

Lenkai enjoys an orange after lunch.

Ten-year-old Shiko has an infectious smile. She is Brian's caretaker at the farm. She is very sensitive and pretends to be shy but is actually very outgoing and silly.

Shiko (Alice Wanjiko) relaxes after lunch.

We ate and played and met their friends and laughed and caught them up on what was happening at home. Fun was had by all.

Ian has some mad juggling skills!

Visiting Day with the Kimuga orphans at Joram GM Academy.

Even Judie, my rather moody teenage daughter, had seemed to turn a corner. All my, "you have to make the best of it," speeches must have paid off...or better yet...one of her friends gave her the same advice and as long as it didn't come from me, she got the message loud and clear...ahhh teenagers!