Sunday Afternoon

Sunday March 15, 2009
11:11 PM Tenwek

Ben and Jen had us over for a spaghetti lunch. Then eight of us went on a very bumpy 45 minute car ride to see an orphanage. The orphanage is supported by a local church. There are 35 kids, 12 of which were girls. They didn't have much but seemed generally happy. We played frisbee and kicked a soccer ball with them. I don't think they had seen a frisbee before but they caught on quickly! Two five year old boys there have HIV. It started to rain, so we went inside the dining building. The school master shared with us about the school. One thing he said the children would love is musical instruments. The kids have one drum that they got out and played while they sang. The kids all introduced themselves and said what class they are in in school.

Adoption is not something done very much in Kenya. Family and bloodline is so important as well as tribes. We were told it would take knowing Christ to adopt here. No one has been adopted from this orphanage.

The kids loved letting us take their pictures and then laughed so hard when we showed them the picture on the back of the camera.

The visit was very moving. Hugging an orphan child with HIV in Africa sure makes me think differently and look at the world differently.

I spent the rest of the day working on a 3D model of the hospital campus that will be used for marketing and raising support for the hospital and new building. I got to learn some new software which has been interesting.