Saturday, September 09, 2006

The New Life Orphanage

This week, on Tuesday, Mark took the day off from the hangar and went to the Orphanage with Jenny! It is interesting to look at the noticeboards in the reception area and see photos of children who are on deaths door and HIV positive when they arrived ... and next to them to see photos just months later, looking healthy, happy and HIV negative!!!! In spite of protesting that he didn't need an apron because he wasn't going to pick up the kids ... Mark was quickly charmed by Clint and the two were inseparable for the whole time we were there!!! Here is Jenny with Blessed (left) and Stella (right) - Stella had recently had all her hair cut-off because of ring-worm ... but she's still a cutie!! This is milk at the end of meal time ... half of them are still in high-chairs but this little lot feed themselves!!! - it looks orderly in the picture ... but the reality is a little different! Here is Jenny holding Clarissa (one of the newer arrivals) with Eunice one of the full-time Kenyan staff who has been working at the New Life Home since it opened 11 years ago ... she's lovely and all the kids always want cuddles from her!!

Jenny at West Nairobi School

Finally ... some pics from the school Jenny has been working at 3 days a week!! - it's called West Nairobi school and is mostly American run ... but is an international school with many different nationalities amongst the staff and students! Here is a view of the lower school classrooms from Kindergarden through to 6th Grade!! Here is the 6th Grade Class hard at work!!! - Jenny helped with them each day! A view of the Library ... which has 2 floors!!!! - outside 2 of the teachers are sitting having their lunch!! - Jenny spent a couple of afternoons in the library helping out! Here are two of the teachers Angela and Sarah ... who gave Jenny lifts to and from school every day ... both American but grew up as Missionary Kids in Africa!! This is Daylan with Jenny, she is the 6th Grade teacher ... and Jenny spent 2 hours every day in 6th Grade helping Daylan! - Behind is the Banda in which lunch is served in shifts to the different age groups of the school! - it was great food! At the beginning of the school day all the lower school kids play until the bell goes ... this is them all lining up ready to go to class ... you can probably make out a handful of nationalities if you look close enough!