After a ride on the “Yes We Can” matatu this morning and a 20 minute walk, I got to visit one of my favorite places in Kenya, Nyumbani Children’s Home. It takes in HIV/AIDS babies and children. These kids are cared for probably with the right medicine and nutrition. For the younger children, they live in a little house with a mother and father figure. Older kids are self-sufficient in different homes on the same property.
I was greeted by Sister Mary, an English woman who has been helping run things since 1969. She asked me about my trip and future plans. She told me how she thinks the Peace Corps is a great program run by the U.S. government. After a little chit chat, she was like I’m sure you just want to go play with the children, I definitely responded with a yes.
Oh, how I love the little ones. 5 years and younger kids were playing outside while the older kids did a library, computer, and study time rotation. So there I was, 12 coloring books (thanks Meg), 1 big kit of Crayons and 1 Muzungu to pay attention to about 20 children. It was for sure a good time. The mother from C house, Jean, made sure they did run me over. She was also pointing out many children’s names and told me a brief story of how and when they came to Nyumbani.
Of course I saw Nicolas ‘Salad & Chipees’ boy, Anne, & Winnie but I have two new favorites: Gilbert and Canary. Gilbert was 3 and seriously the best colorer out of all the kids. He was all over the Hulk coloring book. Gilbert was the quietest one as well. He would walk up to me, point to the area he wanted to color then I would hand him the right color. He is new to Nyumbani only coming a month ago because his mother passed away and the father can not properly care for him. Canary was sleeping when I first got there but as soon as he woke up Jean walked out with him and was like you need to meet this little boy. Then for the next couple hours he was attached to me. If I’m remembering right he is 2 years old but very small for his age. He wasn’t well taking care. Jean said when he first came he was so thin with a big swollen belly and could barely sit up he was so weak. Now he is much healthier and has a wobbly walk for a 2 year old but was a lot of fun.
Eventually, it was time for lunch and I took it with C house. This is the home of Nicholas, Gilbert, and Canary. We had chips, soup, some sort of meat (I couldn’t really figure it out, chicken maybe?) and salad. Maybe this is where Nicholas got his famous “salad and chipees” phrase. Anywho, it was great to eat with all the little kids. I didn’t complain like I do at Thanksgiving where I’m 22 but still at the kids table.
After lunch, it is nap time for the little ones but the older kids have free time. So I got to hangout with Edel and her friends. We colored and chatted. One boy came over and was like can I please color the high school musical coloring book. I apologized saying I didn’t have one of those and tried to make him feel better with the Spiderman one. He wasn’t too disappointed but then he explained how much he liked the movies and how he has seen all three. I told him I hadn’t seen any of them and he looked at me as if I were crazy. It made me laugh. Eventually 4ish rolled around and I thought it was getting to be the time that I needed to head back to Shalom. I thanked Sister Mary for allowing me to come. I might be going back during the week to help with whatever chores might need to be done.
20 minute walk back to the nearest big junction and then caught a 111 matatu toward Shalom. I, thinking I was being clever, tried to pick a matatu that looked empty. Oh boy, do those things fill up so quickly. I ended up sitting next to a preacher. He began chatting with me asking if I was American and what was a doing riding in a Matatu. He told me most Muzungus are scared. I told him that I’m comfortable in Kenya and if there is to be trouble that I was grew up between two brothers and know how to handle myself. He got a laugh out of that. He told me how he had studied in Chicago at Loyola and that he misses the snow. The ride was probably not more than a 10-15minute ride. Then jumped out at my stop.
The security guard named Julius welcomed me back and asked how my visit went. We stood there and chatted for a few minutes. With how excited he is to chat with me, I am guessing that the average Westerners that come through don’t probably have much time for him. The random little conversations are what I enjoy the most. I have noticed that I am the only Muzungu who eats dinner at Baraza. If there are other Westerners they often eat at the Italian restaurant in the compound. And I have yet to see any other white people in a Matatu. They are missing out on the experience.
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