Was at the orphanage first thing this morning, reading through case studies of all the children that have not received sponsorship, putting together each "story" (seems such an awful word to use when speaking of a child's reality) so that Megan can deal with each sponsorship quickly as they come in ...there is a lot for this amazing woman (angel, actually) to be trying to achieve on her own & so hope to help her set up as much as poss before I go home next week.
I still stand in complete awe of these children, seeing their past written in black & white to then walk out of the office into a warm bath of smiling children ...to believe what I am speaking of can only be gained by experiencing it.
I had taken my camera with me to take individual photos for sponsors & some snaps of the children busy with their art ...the children LOVE the camera ...real gorgeous little posers! who then have to see their photo I realised that maybe they have not ever seen their own reflection.
We added another animal to our farm today ...a turkey ...the wall already looks amazing, even though "Old Mcdonald" only owns a flock of sheep & turkeys so far *smile* ...the children asked me if we could give "Old Mcdonald" a wife ...really made me laugh.
I then got out the playdoh ...after quite a cool drum session on the tubs *smile* (mental note to make musical instruments) which after explaining it was not to eat, they got the jist & made incredible little models of people, animals & little babies in cradles ...was a real shame to have to squash them & put the play doh back in the tubs ...I am now on a mission for clay!
And ...yep, the morning did include the good old "hokey cokey" at demand ...who needs jogging when you have the hokey cokey *grin*
Michelle Roberton - Jones
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Old McDonald
Was greeted this morning with an abundance of cuddles & smiling faces. The children seem to never stop smiling & are always eager to hold hands, welcome me with a "hi, how are you?" & carry anything I may be holding.
Last week I decided to teach the younger class that stay at the orphanage every day, the song "Old Mcdonald" ...I have broken it down, so last week we talked about farmers, & drew "Old Mcdonald" ...today we took the song a step further by introducing the first animal, a sheep. This was great fun!! I had bought more sticks of glue, (as patient as they were last week sharing only 2 sticks, I decided to buy more) and cotton wool ...well, needless to say they had lots of fun making pictures of woolly white sheep as we went over the song ...I think most of us had as much cotton wool stuck to our fingers as the pictures.
"Brian" who has not yet interacted, made a picture today & held my hand ...felt very humbling.
I have asked the teacher if we can display "our farm" up in the hall, as the walls of the classroom are made of very rough concrete blocks & it is very difficult to stick anything to them. I am looking forward to seeing the children's faces as they watch the song & all their beautiful art build up.
They are all really enjoying circle songs & stories with repetition that they can join in with.
Tonight Megan has made play dough, which I will be taking in with me tomorrow ...something the children have never seen, yet alone played with.
I have a huge feeling I am going to miss these amazing little souls when I go home.
Michelle Roberton - Jones
Last week I decided to teach the younger class that stay at the orphanage every day, the song "Old Mcdonald" ...I have broken it down, so last week we talked about farmers, & drew "Old Mcdonald" ...today we took the song a step further by introducing the first animal, a sheep. This was great fun!! I had bought more sticks of glue, (as patient as they were last week sharing only 2 sticks, I decided to buy more) and cotton wool ...well, needless to say they had lots of fun making pictures of woolly white sheep as we went over the song ...I think most of us had as much cotton wool stuck to our fingers as the pictures.
"Brian" who has not yet interacted, made a picture today & held my hand ...felt very humbling.
I have asked the teacher if we can display "our farm" up in the hall, as the walls of the classroom are made of very rough concrete blocks & it is very difficult to stick anything to them. I am looking forward to seeing the children's faces as they watch the song & all their beautiful art build up.
They are all really enjoying circle songs & stories with repetition that they can join in with.
Tonight Megan has made play dough, which I will be taking in with me tomorrow ...something the children have never seen, yet alone played with.
I have a huge feeling I am going to miss these amazing little souls when I go home.
Michelle Roberton - Jones
Mogra's First Volunteer
My time so far at Mogra ...29th of April 2010
Was not sure I would get here ...my flight was cancelled on the 22nd due to the volcanic ash ...I sat at home patiently *grin* not bugging the air flight company to much ...and so arrived here the early hours of Monday morning to be greeted by the gorgeous Megan with a ready made name tag & "wow wee" heat ...this is their coldest season apparently, the locals wearing coats & suits while I am close to passing out *smile*. We drove straight to the orphanage, greeted by shy faces eager to help me to my "home" for the next 18 days...
On the morning of day two I just wanted to run home to be honest, I found myself wanting to help so much and feeling pretty useless, so many children and not enough pairs of arms to give them all cuddles ...to top my low mood the water run out... this is my first time in Kenya, in fact pretty much my first time anywhere ...an adventure now my own four children are old enough to leave for a while...
But how could I stay grumpy for long with so many sun beam smiles waiting for me ...to them the orphanage is paradise compared to the horror stories the children have come from ...beaten, bitten, tied up, burnt, fed as a tied up dog, left on the streets, all suffering from malnutrition & a huge lack of love. Yet here they all are so ready to give love!!!
I spent the morning with the under tens who do not yet walk to school (the children are woken at 430 every morning to have breakfast so that they can walk the hour journey to begin school at 7, come sun or African downpour they walk). I showed them flowers I had picked, we talked about gardens ...I had bought with me tissue paper & crepe paper in glorious colours ...their faces lit up when they saw the paper rainbow before them, spending much time just feeling the texture of the paper ...each child created a garden of flowers... spending so much time in being precise ...I felt it was important that they were shown that I was proud of them & that they were given the opportunity to be proud of their work too ...so together we displayed the work on the bare walls of the classroom ...another magic moment *smile*
That evening after the long walk home from school I was bombarded ...literally *grin* with what seemed to be hundreds of children, I had bought them a skipping rope so we skipped ...yes I skipped too ...played stuck in the mud, hide & seek ...& I taught them the "hokey cokey." I don't think I have ever felt this way ...like being bathed in a warm endless shower of love that demands & expects nothing in return.
The centre is clean, pretty bare, & some children have to share beds ...so much has been done for the children & yet so little, walking in with new eyes I see there are ways in which I can help change a tiny patch of the world ...teaching the staff of the importance of bedtimes & sleep, the importance of health & last but not least how to nurture the children with play, songs, & stories... which reminds me ...their voices when they sing ...Wow ...never before have I heard a sound that reaches deep into the core of me & brings such peace.
The water does not matter anymore, nor does trying to wash my hair in a cold bucket ...I see how I thought I was a certain person to find I am not ...what does water matter, when here I can share all my love with no restrictions or rejection or "British closed ways" ...I can be me, know that is accepted & in my sharing of who I am I am blessed with love a million fold.
I am blessed to be here, I agree with the children this is paradise!!!
Michelle Roberton - Jones
Was not sure I would get here ...my flight was cancelled on the 22nd due to the volcanic ash ...I sat at home patiently *grin* not bugging the air flight company to much ...and so arrived here the early hours of Monday morning to be greeted by the gorgeous Megan with a ready made name tag & "wow wee" heat ...this is their coldest season apparently, the locals wearing coats & suits while I am close to passing out *smile*. We drove straight to the orphanage, greeted by shy faces eager to help me to my "home" for the next 18 days...
On the morning of day two I just wanted to run home to be honest, I found myself wanting to help so much and feeling pretty useless, so many children and not enough pairs of arms to give them all cuddles ...to top my low mood the water run out... this is my first time in Kenya, in fact pretty much my first time anywhere ...an adventure now my own four children are old enough to leave for a while...
But how could I stay grumpy for long with so many sun beam smiles waiting for me ...to them the orphanage is paradise compared to the horror stories the children have come from ...beaten, bitten, tied up, burnt, fed as a tied up dog, left on the streets, all suffering from malnutrition & a huge lack of love. Yet here they all are so ready to give love!!!
I spent the morning with the under tens who do not yet walk to school (the children are woken at 430 every morning to have breakfast so that they can walk the hour journey to begin school at 7, come sun or African downpour they walk). I showed them flowers I had picked, we talked about gardens ...I had bought with me tissue paper & crepe paper in glorious colours ...their faces lit up when they saw the paper rainbow before them, spending much time just feeling the texture of the paper ...each child created a garden of flowers... spending so much time in being precise ...I felt it was important that they were shown that I was proud of them & that they were given the opportunity to be proud of their work too ...so together we displayed the work on the bare walls of the classroom ...another magic moment *smile*
That evening after the long walk home from school I was bombarded ...literally *grin* with what seemed to be hundreds of children, I had bought them a skipping rope so we skipped ...yes I skipped too ...played stuck in the mud, hide & seek ...& I taught them the "hokey cokey." I don't think I have ever felt this way ...like being bathed in a warm endless shower of love that demands & expects nothing in return.
The centre is clean, pretty bare, & some children have to share beds ...so much has been done for the children & yet so little, walking in with new eyes I see there are ways in which I can help change a tiny patch of the world ...teaching the staff of the importance of bedtimes & sleep, the importance of health & last but not least how to nurture the children with play, songs, & stories... which reminds me ...their voices when they sing ...Wow ...never before have I heard a sound that reaches deep into the core of me & brings such peace.
The water does not matter anymore, nor does trying to wash my hair in a cold bucket ...I see how I thought I was a certain person to find I am not ...what does water matter, when here I can share all my love with no restrictions or rejection or "British closed ways" ...I can be me, know that is accepted & in my sharing of who I am I am blessed with love a million fold.
I am blessed to be here, I agree with the children this is paradise!!!
Michelle Roberton - Jones
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