What a day-Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Wow, what a day!!!!  We woke up around 5:30 to the sound of crowing roosters and children talking, laughing, and getting ready for school.  Those of us that had water, some hot and some cold, took showers, but some of us did not have any water.  We gathered at the front of the Home around 6:15 to walk the older kids to Secondary School (our High School).  During this walk to school, you really get to learn about the kids and their lives.  The stories are heart breaking.  These young people have experienced a lot of sadness and loss in their young lives, but they all have such a strong relationship with the Lord and the belief that God has a plan and purpose for their lives.  It is truly amazing.  After leaving the Secondary School, we came back to the Home and walked the kids to the Primary School (our elementary school).  When we got to the school, the kids mobbed us.  They just wanted to have contact with us.  Some were very shy, but some were outgoing and willing to talk to us.  They were so excited to have us there and they wanted to show us their classrooms.  When school started, we had to leave and begin our day.

We met for breakfast at 7:30 and afterwards, we had devotions led by the Parish Minister, Reverend Patrick.  He leads 8 Churches-can you imagine?  We then went on a tour of the Secondary School and the Primary School.  Both schools have seen some improvements over the past 2 years, but there is still so much the schools need.  At both schools, you could tell how the kids were so serious about education.  At the Secondary School, there was a new computer lab.  They also has a home economics class, that both girls and boys take.  Interestingly, the school has a agricultural class and the students are given a little plot of land on the school and are required to come up with a plan for what crops to plant, raise the crops, and then write a paper about it.  Both girls and boys take this class too.  The school has over 400 students, but only about 9 classrooms with wooden desks and black boards.  The Primary School has even more students, with  about 12 or 13 classrooms.  In the first grade class, there were 56 students and one teacher!!  The teacher  sharpened the pencils with a razor blade.  The amazing thing is that these students would sit still in class and none of them were disruptive or disrespectful in any way.  The Principal of the Primary School told us that he had recently given out 50 pairs of shoes to students.  He showed us the list of who got the shoes and believe it or not, the shoes were TOMS!!  Isn't it wonderful to know that shoes actually go to children in need.  Go buy some TOMS-these kids need shoes!!!

After the school tours, we toured the Tumaini facility.  Here the children are housed in dorm style rooms with bunk beds in each room and a bathroom down the hall.  There is tailor shop, where Beatrice makes the school uniforms and other things are made and sold.  The money goes to the Home.  The Home has a garden for food and cows for milk.  Recently, the Home partnered with Africian Presbyterian University to establish an E-Learning Center so students can take their college classes here and the Home recieves compensation for the use of the facilities.  It is a win/win for everyone.

When the tours ended, we ate lunch and then started our work project, which consisted of clearing an area in front of the Church, which is part of the Home, so a cement wall could be built.  We did a lot of shoveling of dirt and clearing of plants.  Before we started to work, Alice, who was in charge of the project, said a prayer.  She said that you have to pray before you work.  After we finished the job, we spent time with the children as they returned home from school.  The young ones get home around 4:00 and the older ones get home around 5:15.  We played games, talked, etc.  Of course, the children have assigned chores and they must complete those chores before they can play and all chores must be completed before they can eat their supper, which is usually between 6:30 and 7:00. We had a lot of fun spending time with the kids.  We then ate dinner and afterwards, met for group time.  When group time was over, some of us went to help the students in study hall.  At 9:00 study hall closes and the children must go to bed.  For those who did not get to take a shower, it was shower time, hopefully, with hot water, and then off to bed.  The next day will start again around 5:30 when the rooster crows and the children start moving about.   We will be going to the Heruma Children's Home tomorrow.  Please continue to pray that we will be a blessing to these children and will accomplish whatever God has planned for us.