Africa: Day 4

Day 4: Word of the day-checka=smile. Which is what we did all day, and saw on the faces of students and community members. This morning was spent in classrooms. For me-mostly grade 2. I've grown to love them like my own kids at Mentor College in such a short time. The teacher allowed me to teach a lot this morning. I read them some Canadian animal books, taught and showed them magnets (see top right picture), and shared/wrote penpal letters from my grade 2s at Mentor. During 'long and short break', as they call it, Amanda and I did some camp songs, card magic tricks ('Rebecca-are you born with magic?), and camp circle games. I made connections with the computer teacher, showing him great ed. Games online, and we played running games with the kids during PE. Today I learned about a couple of the kids' 'stories' and was shocked. A boy in the grade 2 class was crying as he wrote his penpal letter. I sat near him and helped him with ideas and spelling, although I realized there was more wrong than just academics. The teacher told me that he has breakdowns like that, thinking back on his own story. He was the witness to his dad killing is mom, and has had a hard time coping. Nyota gives kids like this a chance to start over and make a family with tens of loving brothers and sisters. Later on we went out in the community on dirt roads with Ivan Budulica Mia Orphanage and I was surprised to see that each home was a mud hut, something I've only ever taught about from a text book. Seeing rural Kenya has completely opening my eyes. It brings a whole new meaning to materialism. I cannot believe how much we have, and still want at home...while there are people who giving them a package of cookies makes them smile from ear to ear. As Ivan drove, and honked his horn, children dashed out of their homes in a panic that they'd miss us. Once they were handed cookies, they thanked us and ran to their mothers in delight, or chased the car for more. This evening we spent free time with the younger kids at the other home (on the same grounds). As we entered - during worship time - they sang us a welcome song, then a young boy, Joshua, read a biblical story to the group, with follow up questions. The kids are so well versed with the Bible, and can recite the 10 commandments flawlessly. What did, however, take me by surprise was when one of the boys raised his hand to sing a song for the group. Here I'm thinking Jesus Loves Us, or something, but he proceeded to sing the ARustasha camp song that we taught them in the afternoon (100% not a worship song lol!). The kids love copying Amanda and I, it's endearing. After we show them a card trick, they go to other people and pretend to know what they're doing. Lastly, Baby Blake (the boy I'm holding)...9 months ago Ivan received a phone call from the community chief, saying there was a brand new baby crying in a field. Ivan and a nurse rescued him, placenta still intact, ants crawling on him and took him home to MIA. The nurse cared for the abandoned, hypothermic baby until his temperature was regular. Who knows that the alternative to that story... ?