Safari!!

I have now been back in Nkoaranga for almost two weeks now and have so much to write about - it has been fantastic.  But for now, I want to tell you all the 'safari' (trip) which we took the kids on!  We had decided that it would be really fun for the kids to visit an outdoor play area which Bekka found near Arusha.  Aside from being a little nervous about the possibility of huge downpours, everyone was really looking forwards to it!

The trip started off with all the younger children piling into the dala dala (local bus) which we had hired to take us there.  We were really sad that we were unable to take the children who had already been in school with us, due to them being picked up by TFFT for school that afternoon (we'll be writing about this year's kids starting school soon!), although to be honest it was probably a good thing space wise.  I think the kids were just as excited about the trip the playground as actually playing there: they sang songs, calling out the names of everything they saw out the window, waved at people walking along the roadside, and yelled in excitement at every speed bump!

The playground was great, really big with LOTS of swings, trampolines and see-saws spread out over a big grassy area.  It was perfect for all the kids to run wild and try everything!

Peddling backwards seemed to be much easier than going forwards!

Simoni pulling a goofy face

Zawadi loving the trampoline

Neema and Holly on the swing

When the rain arrived (it had been threatening to for some time), it was time for a little break and we all sat under two thatched umbrellas and the kids tucked into some peanut butter sandwiches, juice and biscuits, thanks to Christina, Therese and Emma for providing these!  Needless to say, everything was enjoyed immensely.

Baracka (left) and Pendo (right) tucking into their sandwiches and juice

Neema getting excited over the food

After that it was time for some more playing before the final excitement arrived - a big blow up slide!  Although there was some initial craziness as EVERYONE pushed to get up both the steps and slide and slide down five kids at a time, once Megan was installed at the top of the slide to keep some kind of order (thanks Megan!) there was a constant stream of kids climbing up and delightedly sliding down before heading straight back up again!  As the kids became more confident we saw lots of inventive ways of getting down the slide - I think they enjoyed flinging themselves down and finding that they just bounced!

Queuing to get to the top... 

...and David and Baracka grinning from ear to ear
as they slide down!

Finally it was time to head home.  We all climbed back into the dala dala and all the kids got lollipops...and needless to say, everyone was very excited and got very sticky!  Aside from lots of calls of 'MAJI MAJI' ('water') every time we passed a river (or puddle at the side of the road), everyone was quieter - tired but happy!  We got back to the orphanage just in time for dinner - what an amazing day!

Thank you for your continued support which lets us make days like this happen!

A Mixture of Feelings

I have always been surprised about the combination of feelings you can experience because of the children of Nkoaranga Orphanage. Happiness when you see their smiling faces, sadness when they're crying, annoyance when they're being a bit too cheeky, overwhelming joy when you're lucky enough to see them taking their first steps, and utterly, crazy, unconditional, never ending love. Always love, no matter what.

An incredible previous volunteer, Jasmine, has just returned from spending a month with the kids and I am unbelievably jealous of her. It feels so strange because I lived with Jasmine in Nkoaranga last year and have spent many hours with her, reminiscing about the wonderful times we had with the kids. When she returned, one of the first questions I asked her was, "Do they remember me?" The kids are always there, in the back of your mind, so you often wonder if they do actually remember you. And, I was so happy to hear, that they do in fact remember me and kept asking Jasmine where I was. It was so wonderful to know that they remember us, and still love us as we love them. But this wasn't the only feeling I experienced on hearing this. It also made me feel sad. I feel guilty for not being there and knowing that they do actually still think about us from time to time. It made me think about something that the lovely Emma has touched on before now: whether coming into the children's lives and then leaving does more harm than good.

But, then I thought about all of the wonderful times that we have had with the children.

I thought about how Gracie first learned to stand by pulling herself up on my legs. I thought about the times I had spent getting Simoni to run and jump and try to do anything we could to help his legs to improve. I thought about the night Megan and I sat singing to all of the children, whilst we fed the babies, because they were getting scared by the power cut. I thought about the first moment we all walked into the orphanage and the way the children immediately ran up to us and started hugging and climbing all over us. I thought about the hundreds of times I had told the children that I love them and they told me they love me too. I thought about when Nsima turned to me on her last day at the orphanage and said, "I will miss you, Emily". I thought about Saimoni singing the 'Embily song' and Stevie playing 'wewe chakoula'. I thought about the hundreds and thousands of beautiful, heart-wrenching, perfect memories I have of those beautiful children and all of the love that they have shown me and I have shown them.

If we hadn't gone to the orphanage, then we wouldn't have been able to hug them when they were crying. Make them laugh when they were feeling sad. Protect them when they were scared. Play with them when they were feeling lonely. We wouldn't have been able to show them the love that they deserve; the love that the Mama's, the children and the volunteers are always showing one another, every single day.

When you hear that the kids have been asking after you and missing you, but you can't be there with them, it's hard. It's really hard. So, I have to hold on to those memories and cherish them. I try to think about the wonderful times I have had with them and the fact that I was able to help them when they needed it the most. I think about the fact that, even though I'm not there with them, I was there. And I will be there again. I think about the fact that they are safe and with people that love them.

As Emma says, 'If every volunteer, at Nkoaranga Orphanage, does what they can to help the children, make them laugh, make them feel safe and happy, make them feel loved, then hopefully, the memories of their childhood will be a happy blur of all the love and support from all of the volunteers to whom they mean so much to'.

The kids can make you experience such a range of emotions, sometimes all at once. But, I know that they are safe and I know that they are happy, and this is all that matters. I'm so overjoyed that the kids actually remember me, even if it does make me feel sad that I can't be there in person. When I think about all of the wonderful times I have had with the kids, all of the love I have shown them and all of the love they have shown me, I know that I wouldn't trade this for anything.

Gracie's first attempts to stand

Simple fun with Baracka, Neema and Eman.

Thankful

We're an international crew here at The Small Things, but today is as good a day as any to reflect a little on the past year and the (many, many) things we're thankful for. So without further ado, a bit from each of us former volunteers about what we're most grateful for from the last year.

Stevie, Emily and Dainess

Emily Butler: Amongst many things, I would say one of the things that I'm thankful for is the fact that I was ever able to know and be loved by those beautiful children - that I was able to experience them running up to me, shouting my name and jumping on top of me the second I walked into the orphanage.

Emily and Mama Vicky

I'm thankful for all the support The Small Things has received and the fact that over the past few months between us, we've raised enough money to put in water filters, hire another mama, send three beautiful children to school and get started on the fund for next years schooling already. I'm so grateful to know that our wonderful children are being looked after by such loving and caring women- it gives me piece of mind to know that, even though we are all so far away from them, they are safe and happy. And I'm grateful for all the brilliant people who are helping to support the children and mama's - including my fellow board members!

Dorothy with Dainess

Dorothy Goldberg: Who knew at the start of this year that I would be part of an amazing organization like The Small Things? I am so thankful for the courage and passion of my daughter Bekka, who opened up a whole continent to us that otherwise we may never have experienced. I am thankful for the wonderful people of Nkoaranga Hospital and Orphanage, who opened their hearts to us when we went to visit in April. I am thankful to be a continuing part of the lives of the children and Mamas there, who are teaching us so much about love and commitment. I am grateful to the young volunteers who give months or years of their time to help improve the lives of the children at Nkoaranga. And I am thankful for all those people, all over the world, who understand that we can make a big difference through small acts of kindness. Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Megan cuddling Dainess

Megan Williams: I'm thankful for how the Small Things has taken off. I'm thankful that it means I'll always have some way to be in the kids' lives. Probably the thing I am most thankful for is that Project Education means that Stevie, Eriki and Dainessi will be off to school. Originally I was quite concerned that they might not get there and I think all three of them are the kind of children that will really really make the most of it.

David with Simoni

David Ross Russell: This Thanksgiving I am grateful for the experiences of the last year: travelling to Africa to visit Nkoaranga, for the friendship and lessons learned there, for family and friends, and for continued good health. We were so lucky to be able to travel to Africa and meet some truly amazing people- to learn from them some real values- that small things (people, acts of kindness, open attitudes) can make big differences and that so much of what we think we need is truly not a requirement for fulfillment.

Not least I am thankful to have had the chance to meet a truly inspiring group of wonderful young volunteers who give me a renewed sense of purpose and energy to believe that seemingly intractable problems are worth fighting.

Marie with David

Marie Korfits: I am so thankful for how far we have gotten with The Small Things - it is heartwarming to see how many people from all over have supported our work. It is truly amazing how small things can make such a difference, and I am looking forward to establishing further projects to give all these wonderful kids a bright and safe future!

Bethan with Simoni

Bethan Crisp: I'm thankful for my whole Tanzanian experience and the great opportunities I have been given - it taught me so much and made me see life in a totally new way. I'm grateful for the beautiful children that just make you realize what is important. I"m thankful for my family and friends, for the love and support they have given me and for helping me return to Nkoaranga this Christmas. They've led me to what I regard now as my extended family - the wonderful children, the devoted mamas and of course, The Small Things. Thank you for making it possible to do such amazing things for such amazing people.

Ebeni's struggle

Emma and Pendo

Emma Shaw: I'm thankful that the children are generally so happy, healthy and loving individuals, despite all the stuff some of them have been through. I'm thankful that we've made enough money to employ an extra mama specifically to look after Peace until we can get out to Tanzania. I'm thankful for all the support and enthusiasm from both my fellow board members and everyone who's supported The Small Things so far, and made everything possible - you're amazing! And I'm thankful for Zawadi and Simoni overcoming rickets so well, and for Ebenezer making it through the pneumonia that he was struggling with when I left, and for Pendo and Miriam settling in so well, after their struggles at the beginning! Thank you so much.

Farajah and Maureeni cuddling

As for me (Bekka), I'm profoundly thankful for so many things - for Maureeni's kisses, for Frankie's smile, for David's laugh, for Ebenezer, Simoni and Zawadi's incredible progress, for the strength of the mamas, and for Amy's help in keeping us up to date. I'm grateful for Mama Pendo's incredible devotion to the children for over 22 years, and her warmth and openness in working with us to improve their lives. I'm so thankful for the love that the children have for one another, and the way that sustains them and feeds their souls.

We miss you, Reziki

I'm grateful beyond words for the support that has been shown to us from all corners of the earth - by the Seedlings Foundation, by Real Nappies, by Kozy Carriers, by Rebecca Woolf of GGC, by Tracey and Anna Black, and by everyone else who has contributed whatever they had - every bit makes a difference. I'm thankful for the tireless work of the board, and of the volunteers who are currently out there and those who are planning to head out. I'm thankful for getting to know Reziki during his brief sojourn on earth. I'm thankful for solar power, which hopefully in the next year will allow us to make blackouts a thing of the past for the kids, and for preemie formula that will help struggling little ones like Peace, for water filters that keep the kids healthy, and for vitamins that make them strong and prevent more rickets. I'm grateful beyond words to every one of you reading, for loving our kids. Thank you.

Simoni's incredible progress walking - and his silliness!

Mama Pendo's patience and love

Maureeni's kisses

And David's giggles

As always, there are a number of ways to help us out, and we are grateful for anything you can give.

Board Bios - Megan Williams

From left: Abdulli, me, Farajah, Stevie,
and Andrea (under the hat!) 

My name is Megan Williams. I am a student from Manchester in Northern England and I'm just starting my degree in Politics, Sociology and Psychology at university this year. I have never wanted to go straight to university; taking a year to see and do completely different things isn’t something you often get a chance to do. I was in Tanzania from January to July 2011 on placement in Nkoaranga with Emily, Emma, Bethan and other volunteers with a company called Oyster. Our placement was technically a teaching placement in the local Primary School. I absolutely loved teaching, but we were only teaching one English lesson a day, either a 40 minute single or an 80 minute double. Gradually we became more and more involved in the orphanage.

Although I loved visiting, for me really feeling part of the orphanage was a gradual process. Other volunteers got very attached to the place and the children very quickly, but for me it took a bit longer. I found it difficult initially when I felt I didn’t know what was going on or what to do. I hated feeling like I wasn’t being useful or helpful to the mamas. It was definitely worth sticking with though, because as I got to know the children, the orphanage and how life runs there, I grew in confidence and learned to love it so much. By the end I was turning up at 6am, choosing to be there to help with one of the most demanding shifts of the day – waking up, bathing, dressing and breakfast. It became my favourite part of the orphanage day, despite the fact that it was hectic and often stressful. By 8.30 in the morning I could feel that I had actually done something that needed doing.

Fashionable with Farajah

What volunteers do at the orphanage is amazing for the children. It’s not just that the children learn your name and want to play with you, although that’s great; it’s that they start to trust you. When they are upset they come to you not to tell tales or complain but just for comfort. When they are having an off day they just want to stay with you, and when they’ve done something good they are bursting to tell you. It’s that side of the relationship with them I valued the most, much as all the fun and games and tears are wonderful. Playing with them and feeding them and looking after them is extremely rewarding, but the times I felt like I’d given them something were the times they came to me upset and I was able to make them feel better, or when they came to me proud of themselves and were bursting with happiness when I agreed they’d done well.

One occasion that sticks out in my mind was during my last week with the children. We were just getting towards the end of the early shift and everyone was dressed and in the playroom waiting to go to school. Somehow Saimoni trapped his finger in the wooden playpen and he must have done it hard, because his finger was literally flat for ages and then started to swell up. Of course, it must have been hurting him a lot and he was upset. He came and sat on my knee and I tried to distract him from it, and by the time I needed to leave his finger was back to normal size and he’d brightened up. When I told him I had to go he started clinging to me and wouldn’t let me leave, although he seemed fine about his finger. I was late for where I was going, but also really touched by the way he didn’t want me to leave him, even though he’d recovered from his accident.

Of course the relationship that volunteers build with the children is very important and special, particularly as the huge demands on the mamas often mean that they don’t have time to play and cuddle and push swings for hours on end. Of course it’s important that volunteers do as much as they can for the children, but another whole set of my favourite times at the orphanage are the times I could be sure that the mamas had really appreciated my help. I was always worried at the beginning that the mamas didn’t feel we were much help; that they thought we were just there to play with the children and have fun, but not to do any of the actual work. Over time, as I learnt how day-to-day life at the orphanage works, I hope I became more useful to them. I really think that you can grow in the eyes of the mamas just by voluntarily starting to sweep or wipe up after a meal before they’ve started doing it. It shows that you know what needs to be done, but also that you don’t expect them to automatically do it. This is so important because they would never dream of actually asking you to do it. The moments I felt most accepted by the mamas are very important to my memories of the orphanage; by the end they would greet me by name, ask me to do things and include me when they made chai for each other.

Simoni in backwards overalls

Both Emily and I left the orphanage to return to England at bedtime on our last day in Tanzania. It was very difficult to say goodbye, which meant that 2 nights running the mamas had a crying volunteer on their hands after we’d said goodnight. Of course, it was 2 different sets of mamas on shift the 2 nights, but all of them were so genuinely caring and honestly seemed sad to see us go. When they said ‘Karibu tena Tanzania’ as we left (Welcome again to Tanzania) I really felt they’d be glad to see us come back. The way to the mamas’ hearts is not just to help them with the harder work and show an interest in them, it’s also to show them that you really care about the children who are so important to them and who they spend their lives giving so much to.

I think that one of the most important things The Small Things can do is provide a secure future for the children once they reach 5 and leave the orphanage. It’s crucial that they get to go to school and are happy and well-cared for, as most of them don’t really have much of a family situation to go back to. By giving them education that they would never otherwise get, the Small Things and the children’s sponsors can change their whole lives, as well as their first 5 years. Equally important to me is that the mamas feel supported and helped by the Small Things. They are an incredible group of women and anything we can do to make their lives easier and better is so, so worth it.

As for me, currently I don’t know if I’ll be able to get back to the orphanage or not. I would love to go, and I will be hanging on the stories of my fellow board-members who are going at Christmas. I wish I could be going too. I know that there is so much the Small Things can do in Nkoaranga and I am so happy that I’m able to be part of it even from home. It means that if I don’t get the opportunity to go back I can support and help the orphanage. Nkoaranga has given me so much: experience, confidence, wonderful new relationships. I’m glad that through the Small Things I can still give something to the orphanage that became such a huge part of my life.

Cuddling with Stevie (rear) and Dainess

Nearly a month already!

It's impossible to believe that I've been home for almost a month, it has actually gone really fast, but that would be because I've barely been at home in that time, so I've completely failed at blogging. My last evening with the kids all that time ago was really great though and a wonderful way to say goodbye to them.

This video is from the day before I left. The filming is a bit erratic because it's quite hard to keep your hand steady when you're being climbed on! One of the most amazing things about the orphanage as a volunteer is how excited the children are to see you. Whether you've been gone for days or just nipped home for some lunch they greet you with amazing enthusiasm, bouncing towards you and shrieking your name. You feel that just by turning up you've given them something and your arrival is always something to be excited about - which isn't always good if you were just quietly trying to sneak in to feed the chickens and not attract any attention!

Of course it takes a while, but for me the point that the children knew my name was when I really fell in love with Nkoaranga orphanage. Before that I had struggled to feel a part of it, but this kind of welcome means you know you are wanted there as much as you can be there...and more.

Proof

Welcome baby Daniel to the Nkoaranga family! May you grow to be as beautiful and wonderful as your many "brothers and sisters," and may we have the privilege of helping you to be as happy and healthy as possible.

AND, here comes Miss Z, walking up a storm (albeit with a VERY serious face on) - you show those rickets who's boss! Also, notice sweet Neema clapping for Z in the background during the second half - so proud! 

On a good-for-us-but-hard-for-them note, let's give a warm but sympathetic welcome back to Emily and Megan, who have returned from their travels and I'm sure will update us as soon as their culture shock and jet lag have subsided to manageable levels. Lots of love and all my sympathy, ladies. 

Everyone doing their bit

I've now been away from the kids at Nkoaranga Orphanage for over a month, and I honestly feel like I miss them more each day!

Megan told me that Dainessi asked her, "Emma ni shuleni Uingereza" ("Is Emma at school in England?") at bedtime the other day. I was so touched that she still remembers me and I can only hope that I had a positive impact on her life.

It sounds a little clichéd, maybe, but I think its probably something a lot of volunteers worry about - whether coming into the children's lives and then leaving again does more harm than good.

When I told Emily about my concerns she made me see it differently (awesome person that she is!). I now think that what is important is that each volunteer does their bit to make their time with the children count: to try and boost the confidence of each little individual, to help them believe in themselves, to encourange them while they attempt to put their own shoes on for the first time, to pick them up and cuddle them when they fall over (or just whenever they need it!), dance with them, laugh with them....just generally let them know how much they are loved! And if everyone does that then, hopefully, the memories they have of their childhood will be a happy blur of all the support and love which so many volunteers have given them.

So that's what I hope, anyway!

And on a lighter note, the picture above is of little Dainessi, feeding Miriam and giving me a toothy grin - she'd just lost her first tooth!

Out of time

I'm leaving Nkoaranga today and I'm using my last seven minutes online in Africa to write this. I'm only here in the internet cafe because I've just put the finishing touches to the Volunteer Guide we're putting up on the notice board - last minute of course. Tonight, after I've finished packing up the hospital house (the White House) I have to go and say goodbye, which will be completely horrible. I really admired Emily for how well she did it last night, I just wish it wasn't my turn! We had a lovely afternoon with them yesterday though and hopefully I'll be able to say goodbye well. They ask after a whole list of volunteers every couple of days: wapi Bosk (Ross)? Wapi Andry? Wapi Bethan? Wapi Emma? Wapi Jasmine? Wapi Bekka? It kills me that I have to be the next person who leaves them, and that when I'm gone they won't have anyone to ask - guess we'll just have to make sure we go back!

Make the most of it while I'm here

I'm still in Nkoaranga and writing this from a nearby internet cafe. Scarily Emily, Ross and I (Megan) are running out of time. I only have 19 days left before I'm off back to England, which is hard to really imagine. The children here do become so much part of your life when you see them every day. We'll be going in to help put them to bed tonight and I'm planning to be back at 6am to help with the bathing, changing, dressing and feeding. It's frantic, but it's my favourite shift - when you've finished you feel like you've really done something useful (this is occasionally confirmed by the mamas offering you chai for 'kazi njema,' (good work) then you really know you did well!)


The last few days I have loved watching Zawadi walk properly, standing straighter than I've ever seen her before and marvelling at how big they've got in our 3 weeks we've just been away travelling. I got a disapproving correction from Faraja on Saturday when I thought little Maureen was Gracie from the back, because Maureeni couldn't possibly be that big!

This picture is one of my favourite ones of Andrea out the front of the orphanage because he just looks so happy. That was a brilliant afternoon for photos.
It's amazing how much you learn from being here, how much the children here can teach you. It's wonderful to be in a place where you know you can make a real contribution to their lives, but they are also well-cared for and happy. Every time they see you arriving they all throw themselves on you and make it perfectly clear that they are glad you came, even if you've only been gone 2 hours. I'm looking forward to spending my last weeks here with them, but already dreading having to leave.

Mama Afrika and Mama Ezra

The last few days have been pretty wonderful, albeit a tad stressful. On Saturday, a group of seven volunteers, one Mama, and a hospital driver piled into a car with fifteen of the older orphanage kids - from Pray and Simoni upwards - to go see the Mama Afrika circus, which I can state pretty confidently was a comprehensive success. The kids were incredibly excited, loved just getting out into the city - I think they had as much fun waving to the drivers and talking about everything we passed on the road as they did at the circus itself, not that I minded - and have spent the last few days compulsively and constantly trying to replicate everything they saw. Several have announced very seriously their intentions to join the "Cirakasse" when they're older. Frankly, I don't blame them, it was a lot of fun!

Farajah is rapt, Andrea is... something. Falling asleep?

The whole crew - dressed in their best school clothes for the trip

We had one slight hitch in the whole process, and I have to say, it was completely hysterical, as bad as I felt at the time. In one act, a woman went up in what was essentially a large hula hoop and did various acrobatic things in and around it - nothing particularly death defying. However, Simoni absolutely LOST it, and started crying hysterically, terrified that the girl was going to get hurt. He couldn't watch the whole act and only recovered when dancers came on for the next act - and, ok, when I went to get him popcorn to distract him.

Simoni's greatest fear

However, for some reason, he had recovered his confidence enough by the second half that he was fine with the - much more terrifying, in my opinion - flying circus men, as featured in the video below. You should note, though, that he still flew back about a foot (on my lap, directly into my face, as fate had it), when they whirled in our direction.

Then, as though that wasn't enough excitement for one day, when we arrived home the family of one of the hospital doctors were setting up the birthday party of their daughter to share with the orphanage kids, which is apparently a tradition they partake in every year, and the kids were thrilled. So to recap, circus all day, special junk food for dinner, and cake to finish it all off - not a bad Saturday!

In their pretty little party hats

The birthday girl (center) sharing her spotlight

On Sunday, Bethan and I went to the house of one of the kids who goes to the orphanage school but is not an orphan himself, named Ezra. His family also owns a store on the corner that we frequently frequent, so to speak, and they invited us to the house for a home cooked meal and a taste of rural Tanzanian life. Ezra and his brother Felix led us through three kilometers of jungle, sometimes on dirt roads and sometimes on single person paths, through villages hidden in the jungle that I never knew existed so close to us, before we arrived at their gorgeous house. The location was just incredibly, the food was delicious, and the kids incredibly sweet - their oldest, Magdalena, was adopted from Nkoaranga orphanage as a baby, so they have close ties to the organization going way back.

Ezra (on my lap) ate more than I've ever witnessed a child that size consume, and then proudly showed off his bulging belly - I'm convinced the kid has a hollow leg because there's no WAY that much food is in the stomach alone. To be fair, he's a total live wire, spent the whole trip running ahead then dashing back, so probably ended up covering twice to three times as much ground as we did, in addition to skipping, jumping, running, and swinging his way along. A sweet, wonderful, active, healthy, five year old with a loving family - always a pleasure.

Final preparations are obviously commencing for operation parents, including (sadly) banishing my wonderful cat Paka from the house so that it can be scoured of her hair so as not to kill my lovely father. Sad, but she will be fine - she lived outside before I came and frequently stays out all night anyway, she will just miss the cuddles. Other than that, all appears to be going to plan (knock on wood) - so we shall see how the next few days go! I had my first good cry last night - at 3 am on the phone with my long-suffering father - about how much it's going to hurt to leave, as that tsunami is just beginning to wash over me. I'm trying not to let it overwhelm the pleasure of the time I have left, and that is my goal for the next to weeks. To live them, to get as much out of them and the kids and my friends as I can, so that I can leave with no (ok, with as few as possible) regrets.

A big part of that is going to be thanks to all of you who have contributed medical supplies, either directly or through the wish list, to help make sure that we leave these kids with the best possible care. That includes

Meghan Sellars

Rachel and Andy Hechtman
Maura Casey
Michele Abrams and Dalton King
Priscilla Jencks
Rick and Anne Calvert
Ruth and David Sack
Patty Harris & David Bolinsky
Rita Goldberg and Oliver Hart
Susie and Ed Brubaker
Ben Kahn
Eve Robinson
Sally and Michael Laden
Cynthia and David Damer
Amy and Steve Eppler-Epstein
Joanna and Brad Waley-Cohen

I am honored to have you all in my life! Thank you, thank you, thank you again.

The Emily Song and so forth

So the past week has been... full? Always busy at work, of course - especially with a new baby, Joyce, who made me realize how BIG our last "new baby" has gotten. Ebenezer seems to have doubled in size, comparatively, overnight - and thinking about how little he used to be of course makes me think of Reziki, who came in at the same time. Still, I'm able to mostly be thrilled with Ebenezer thriving and not be dragged down too much by the comparison. And Joyce is ridiculously gorgeous, just a beautiful, beautiful kid.

This is a PG-13 blog, I'm assuming you can handle the lack of a modesty patch

Bethan has fully moved in, and we've been tackling lots of little projects - got the chalkboards done for the mamas and for the school, etc. Her focus is going to be on trying to get a filtration system in for the water, I think - a really important but manageable sized project that will save a ton of money and time spent boiling water every day, or worse, not boiling it and having the kids either end up dehydrated or be given untreated water by mamas who don't feel like doing their jobs (pet peeve much?)

Bethan looks like a model in the front, the others are various other wonderful volunteers

The other girls from Bethan's group have started working almost every day, which is really nice - and the kids adore them and have started really bonding. My particular favorite manifestation of this is in the "Emily" song, as recited below by Simoni.

I'm a little offended there's no Bekka song, but I'll take him coming out of his shell. Totally worth it. Today in addition to the extra volunteers, a man came by who is looking into adopting from one of the local orphanages with his wife - both work at the Rwanda tribunal, I believe. They had the very disheartening experience of falling in love with twins at another orphanage, only to have the father refuse to give permission for adoption, despite his complete lack of contact for the last three years - oh wait, no, he visited TWICE, clearly a very involved parent. Anyway, their loss will be the gain for one (or more) lucky kids. It made me realize that as much as I want Z to be mine, I'd be happy as long as she was with a loving family - anyway, they're probably looking for a baby, so we'll see what happens. As you can probably tell, I'm a little attached. Thanks so much for the comment on the last post, Marie, it helped a lot to hear from someone else who has been in a similar position.

As for medical supplies, things are slowly but steadily trickling in. So far we have a microscope and a few computers, as well as a source for vitamins. It looks like we're going to have to make retail purchases for thermometers, and we may not be able to help at all with blood pressure cuffs, etc, unless someone steps forward. Financial donations, as always, would be a huge help and make a big difference for the kids. On a related note, the kids have an unhealthy obsession, I don't know why, with Bob the Builder - apparently he transcends all physical and political barriers. All they have is one DVD and it's stuck in French. Don't ask me. Anyway, if anyone has additional BTB DVDs or hard plastic toys, it would be greatly appreciated - and I'll send you video of the kids singing the BTB song, BONUS! It's truly adorable.

That's all for now - family, friends, are you still out there? I haven't heard from most of you in a while, pretend you care what's going on and send me a darn comment or an email.