Visit to an HIV/AIDS Orphanage

Let's try this post again. I was about 4 paragraphs into typing when the screen blinked and I lost everything. Frustrating, but I'll get over it.

Seeing as how Geri and I were probably asleep by 9 on New Year's Eve, we were up very early and on the road back to the farm. We made record time as there was absolutely no traffic. We pulled into the farm in time for coff/tea and brakfast.

It was the last day on the farm for Phil and Maggie from Canada. They were heading to Kisumu to meet her brother and sister-in-law for some sightseeing and family history hunting. They were both bron in Kenya and wanted to try to find some family records. We agreed to drive them to Kakamega where they were spending the night and making a donation to an HIV/AIDS orphanage on behalf of a friend. Geri and I pulled together some of the school supplies so that we could add them to the gift.

The building itself is a new one for the children. They moved into it from an older on in August. It still has some work to be done but is very nice. For example, it is wired for electricity, but will need to have the wires run from the main road when funding permits.

The home has 38 children but only 20 were there for our visit. The others had gone home for 2 weeks to visit what family was still living. The head of the place, Veronica, never lets them go for more than that because they come back with problems like malnurishment or ring worm. The stigma is still so great that the relatives don't always take care of them. Or, the few remaining relatives may be ill or poor and so the environment is simply not a healthy one. The 20 children their are completely alone and have no relative alive or willing to accept them. The children range from about 3 years to 16. Some were still very shellshocked, but many seemed to be happy and playful.

The chldren sang for us, recited a poem about children's rights, and laughed and giggled as we shared the spirit of the day. There are so many orphans in Kenya and Africa, but is was good to see that these were being taken care of. Veronica said that she had been abused as a child and so she knows the pain that some of the children are going through. When they arrive, they are very withdrawn but they come out of it over time. It defintely makes me count my blessings and be happy for the support of my family, friends and communty.

I know that I am still behind on blogging, but this will have to do for today. I will try to get caught up over the weekend. We are finally going to make it to Uganda tomorrow and I'm hoping to have some time and better access to a computer.