Leaving Where I Felt Most At Home

Yesterday, we visited Nyumbani (aids orphange) to help with chores in the morning and play with the children in afternoon. I enjoyed helping Edel with her homework again. Worked on knowing the value of money and practiced writing English. I never enjoyed homework so much. I also got in on many games of Old Maid and UNO. After a full day at Nyumbani, we headed out to Anita (the girls home) for a slumber party. We were greeted and then taking to the hall where all 50 something of them get back together. Then for the next hour and half we had the greatest dance party ever. Rick also tried to play popular american songs that they girls knew on his guitar while the rest of us sang along. I don't know how successful we were but I know we provided alot of laughs. Eventually, we headed up to the houses where 8-12 girls leave with a house mom for dinner. I enjoyed cabbage, beef stew, rice, and potatoes. We had great dinner conversation about our families, music and a number of other random topics. Whitney, Nathan and I headed to bed fairly early around 9 because some of the girls have school on Saturday morning. Not before Nathan had Whit and I hyperventilating with his Neil Diamond routine. We slept in til 830ish-9. By the time we got up the girls had the majority of their morning chores done. For breakfast we had tea, and chapti. We made the chapti (tortilla like bread thing) into a sugar roll. Whit and I added butter to the surface and then dumped mounds of sugar. It made for a delicious morning breakfast.

After we helped the girls clean the table so we could play games of UNO. The rest of the morning til lunch we just hung out with the girls: played on the playground, kicked a ball around, took goofy photos and such. Some how during this process girls started doing our hair. Right now I have a half head of micro braids, look pretty ridiculous. We eventually had a enormous lunch. But the afternoon had to come to a close which also brought the end of the last visit to Anita. I had grown attached even more this year to a little girl named Lucy. The girl is absolutely the greatest thing. If there was a way to adopt I would be a mother. I gave many goodbye hugs but Lucy was my last one before getting into our van. As soon as I turned to the van the tears started to flow. )
This trip has been great but incredibly challenging as well. But my time at Anita was pure joy. I could with no doubt spend forever there. If the peace corps only posted people there... (this might be the last blog before safari and heading to the coast for some days