My African Homecoming

So, I'm back!

I can't describe how amazing it feels to be walking into the orphanage at 6 each morning again, because, in all honesty, it feels like I never left. I feel like I'm 'home,' just with extra big babies and kids around me that seem to have grown overnight!

They are absolutely awesome. I didn't think they could get more beautiful or funny or wonderful but they've certainly grown up and are maturing and outshining anything I could have imagined. The Mamas are, of course, still doing a fantastic job of caring for these individuals and truly deserve more praise!

One person I would really like to mention that doesn't get heard about so much is big Franky - an amazing role model for the children who, despite being deaf, works tremendously hard for the kids, is so reliable, always there to help out, blowing up balloons for the Christmas tree, caring for any crying children and cheering them up in no time, making us volunteers laugh just as much! He really is a fantastic, selfless human being. I can't think of enough words of praise to give to all of these people!

Baby Peace in a Christmas hat

So, after a very tiring 10 hour bus journey from Dar, it was all made worth it to hear the calls of "Bessan!" as I arrived at the door to the orphanage. I was greeted by a massive hug from Eman Ndogo which was such a lovely surprise. Seeing all of the toddlers up and running, the babies crawling and our two beautiful newbies; Peace and Shudja. So gorgeous and precious and extremely smiley.

As for yesterday, wow, what a very dazed group of children as they awoke to find Baba Christmas out in the garden! All very sleepy and not really knowing what was going on, they soon hyped up to play with the masses of new toys and books that had very kindly been donated by Tracey, Wendy, Anna and Rebecca Woolf - so a big thank you to you all for your generosity and for making this Christmas extra special for the children.

So with lots of balloons, photos, presents, food, soda, cake, fake snow, the Nkoaranga Christmas party went very well. Lots of messy, sticky, smiley laughing, children; what a perfect way to spend my christmas.

Abdulli with a Christmas toy

As for the general welfare of the orphanage, it is going wonderfully. The play area is great and much safer and enjoyable for the children (and I might well brave the adapted slide now it no longer resembles a vertical drop!) The chickens are all healthy, growing, laying, clucking and doing everything chickens do! Everyone is doing a great job and I have never seen the children so happy and developing so well.

In particular I would like to mention what a huge change I have seen in Abdulli. He's developed much better socially and is so interacting with the other children lots more, playing games rather than sitting alone and is also more verbal. Very pleased with him so lets hope he can keep it up!

More updates to come on the children's development. To all of you lovely readers, thank you for your support and love for the children, a very merry christmas to you all.