Well, we’ve made it through a week. It already seems like we’ve been here for a long time, and I get that feeling of about almost being home every time we drive up the road towards Ogembo and first see the clustered buildings and the busy marketplace.
Yesterday we attended our first church service at the New Church in Etora. The whole thing was about 3 hours long and the service was in both English and Swahili (which we later found out was so that we would be sure to feel included in their congregation). There was singing from groups of the kids and lots of hymns, which were surprisingly easy to catch on to, despite them all being in Swahili. Samson introduced us at the end of the service and had the whole church laughing describing our trip back to Ogembo from the Kisumu airport on our first night here. The community is clearly very closely bonded, and we felt very welcomed in, especially as every single person FIRMLY shook our hand on the way out the door.
Today was our first day working at the school. It was exciting to wake up knowing that things were going to start moving forward, and we were going to get the chance to start the work we came here to do. Having the week off to rest and get used to being here was definitely needed and appreciated, but it feels so good to dive into our to-do list.
We got to the school around 10, after our morning tea and the short, bumpy ride in the tireless blue van. The red brick classrooms were full of eager eyed students, and we could hear their lessons as we arrived. After a short conversation with Rev. Samson about the list of work we have to do for HCIC, Cailin and I set up in the church to start our work.
The main purpose of our trip is do work that will help HCIC (Helping Children in Crisis) continue to provide and support the Sacred Care Orphanage, which is run by Rev. Samson. The task list is long, but we have a long time to accomplish everything, and it feels like a challenging, yet do-able job. Throughout the course of the day I was going back and forth between feeling like we will never get everything done, and not having enough work to do, which probably means its going to be just about right.
Our work is divided into 3 main categories. The most important one is working with the children. HCIC has been collecting information on each child so that they can communicate with sponsors and keep records of all the children who are at the orphanage. We are completing these information sheets, filling in the holes and trying to help create an accurate picture of each of these amazing children. This also included taking photos and videos to be able to communicate and show what daily life is like so that we can present a well-rounded picture of the work that HCIC and the Sacred Care Orphanage is doing. This also includes our own interaction with the kids, which is by far the most fun and definitely the part I’m most looking forward to. We are all still a bit shy around each other, but the timid waves and bright smiles peering out from behind doorways and window frames puts a smile on my face every time.
We are also going to be spending time working on helping HCIC and the orphanage put together an exit plan. They have several high school students, and a few orphans that have already graduated, and a system needs to be in place to sustainably and realistically be able to continue support so that the kids can have the means they need to excel and succeed after they turn 18.
Another piece of our work is communicating our experiences and the incredible work that is being done here to everyone back home. There are still children without sponsors, and one of our goals is to get at least 8 sponsorships, if not all. We will be giving presentations and talks about our trip, and our hope is to be able to share the amazing stories and the strength of both the children themselves and the people who tirelessly and happily work to better the lives of these children.
We started on this list of tasks today by interviewing the high school kids. They are on break for the next month, so it was easy for us to gather them up and talk to them one at a time. They were shy and sweet, and it was good challenge in communication. Most of them have pretty good English, but combine that with talking about your hopes and dreams with two strangers from America and it was not surprising that they were sometimes timid, I was actually feeling a bit nervous for them. There were a few clear themes that I noticed, which said a lot about the values they have been taught. Education was a top priority. We had to start asking for something that made them happy outside of school, after getting the answer “passing my exams” every time. Each one had high hopes for getting to go to university, becoming a doctor to help people who are suffering, a lawyer to help those who are unequally represented, or a teacher to help other people learn. They all had sincere messages of thanks to their sponsors for their support and for the opportunities they were getting because of it. Reading the backstories full of violence and poverty and abuse, and then meeting the loving, compassionate, smiling people who have emerged on the other end was inspiring and powerful, and was a good reminder how much of a difference a couple of open hearted people who are willing to care for others can make.
I’m looking forward to a week of growth and of learning, and hopefully plenty of clapping games. I only hope that this work will benefit the lives of these kids at least half of how I know it will benefit me. Being around such incredible hard working, compassionate, loving people has already taught and inspired me so much, and my admiration for the strength of this community is growing every day.
I am delighted by your posts on this blog! I am living vicariously through your experinces. I remember adjusting to life in Ghana when I went there on a service trip. So similar. I am about to start teaching a course on Altruism and I may have students read your blog!