Today I went to visit an AIDS hospital. It was so good to see everything the hospital was doing for the community, which is a township, but so sad to see how many people were dying of AIDS. About 70% of the people that come to that hospital have AIDS; but it's also a hospital for childbirth, burns, other sicknesses etc.
We saw some premature babies which were TINY!! She also took us past wards full of people that were dying of AIDS and there's nothing more that could be done for them.
I have heard some awful stories of people who will do anything to get government grants so they have money to buy food. They starve their own babies, or have babies and then abandon them. There are so many abandoned children here the situation is pretty desparate. They have a children's ward at the hospital and some of these kids are abandoned and will stay at the hospital until they're ready for adoption.
I would have loved to stay in the children's ward longer and play with the kids because some of them looked so sad. One little boy about 3 or 4 was sitting up in bed with a drip attached to him and he was just staring at everything around him the whole time. There were other kids that were well enough to be running around; they were so cheeky!
Friday, July 25, 2008
Thursday, July 24, 2008
God's Golden Acre
Today I visited an orphanage called God's Golden Acre. A lady showed us around and explained everything to us. We didn't get to meet any kids because they were in school so that was disappointing. But at least I am getting lots of information about different ministries here; makes me dream bigger for the future :)
I liked the Makaputu Childrn's Village better though. Clunken's dad drove us around the Valley of a Thousand Hills; I can't get over how beautiful it is, I love it so much! Apart from that there's not much else to say. Clunken's niece Erin is 1 and adorable! She loves me; I was kicking a ball around and making faces at her and she was screaming with laughter haha. It's been so cool living with her, it means I get to play with her all the time fun fun,
anyway tomorrow I am visiting an AIDS hospice. On Saturday one of Clunken's family friends who's 24 is taking me out for the day so that will be fun.
I am looking forward to coming home and seeing everyone again!
I liked the Makaputu Childrn's Village better though. Clunken's dad drove us around the Valley of a Thousand Hills; I can't get over how beautiful it is, I love it so much! Apart from that there's not much else to say. Clunken's niece Erin is 1 and adorable! She loves me; I was kicking a ball around and making faces at her and she was screaming with laughter haha. It's been so cool living with her, it means I get to play with her all the time fun fun,
anyway tomorrow I am visiting an AIDS hospice. On Saturday one of Clunken's family friends who's 24 is taking me out for the day so that will be fun.
I am looking forward to coming home and seeing everyone again!
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
I made it to south africa!
I made it all the way from Nairobi to Johannesburg to Durban all by myself without getting lost or catching the terminating plane!!haha jks :) nah i made a new friend on the airport and followed her around the Joburg airport so I can't really take any credit for that...
Anyway, south africa is very different from Kenya. It's a bit isolating staying in a big house with so much security...huge fences and stuff. But apparently there are 100 murders and 30 rapes a day in south africa. So I guess security like this is very much needed.
Yesterday Clunken took us to the beach at Durban, just for a walk, it's very pretty. And hot here too! It's winter now, I can't imagine how hot it gets in summer.
Today I visited an orphanage called Makaputu Children's Village in a place called Valley of a Thousand Hills. It's so pretty the area!! But at the same time it's such a desparate situation there; more than 2 out of every 3 people are infected with HIV/AIDS. People are dying every day from AIDS and there are thousands of child-headed households. The guy who was giving us a tour of the orphanage pointed to a hill and said "See this big mounds of dirt piled up? That's a mass grave. About 4000 unidentified bodies have been buried there; they've died of AIDS." It was a reality shock.
The children's village is reaching out to the community in very effective ways and is making a great impact. It was so good to see what they were doing. Unfortunately I didn't get to see the kids because they were all in school (they go to local schools). But it was awesome to have a tour of the place and hear what they are doing.
Tomorrow there is a national strike across the country so we'll be staying at the house. On Thursday I go to another orphanage called God's Golden Acre. That's the one I read a book about so I'm very excited.
Apart from that there's nothing much else to write so I'll go and not waste internet time :)
Anyway, south africa is very different from Kenya. It's a bit isolating staying in a big house with so much security...huge fences and stuff. But apparently there are 100 murders and 30 rapes a day in south africa. So I guess security like this is very much needed.
Yesterday Clunken took us to the beach at Durban, just for a walk, it's very pretty. And hot here too! It's winter now, I can't imagine how hot it gets in summer.
Today I visited an orphanage called Makaputu Children's Village in a place called Valley of a Thousand Hills. It's so pretty the area!! But at the same time it's such a desparate situation there; more than 2 out of every 3 people are infected with HIV/AIDS. People are dying every day from AIDS and there are thousands of child-headed households. The guy who was giving us a tour of the orphanage pointed to a hill and said "See this big mounds of dirt piled up? That's a mass grave. About 4000 unidentified bodies have been buried there; they've died of AIDS." It was a reality shock.
The children's village is reaching out to the community in very effective ways and is making a great impact. It was so good to see what they were doing. Unfortunately I didn't get to see the kids because they were all in school (they go to local schools). But it was awesome to have a tour of the place and hear what they are doing.
Tomorrow there is a national strike across the country so we'll be staying at the house. On Thursday I go to another orphanage called God's Golden Acre. That's the one I read a book about so I'm very excited.
Apart from that there's nothing much else to write so I'll go and not waste internet time :)
Friday, July 18, 2008
Goodbye Kenya :(
Today was my last day at Mercy Care centre :((( It was very sad, a lot of them were crying when I left and of course it was hugs all around. I am going to miss them so much. They all got me to write down my home and email address so they can write. They kept saying "greet everyone in Australia for us and tell them that we love them!"
I am back at the guest house now after staying a week with Patrick's family. I got a true taste of African life! I caught crazy matatus that play awesome loud african hip hop music, walked through crowds and traffic and car fumes and also through the slum a few times. I tasted Kenyan tea which is awesome. Tea back home is bad but this tea is so good. I also finally got to have mandazi! (african doughnuts, they taste amazing!). And of course I had ugali, which is the staple food in Kenya.
Yesterday I went with group of girls from Mercy Care to visit a 14 year old girl called Mercy who lives in Mathare. She has a daughter called Precious who is 6 weeks old and she was taking her to the clinic that day to get a vaccination so she wasn't in school. But we visited her at her home and brought her gifts. We talked for a while. They first talked in swahili but then took pity on me and talked in English! Mercy is one of the most amazing girls I have ever met in my life. She has an incredible amount of strength and dignity. She wants to greet everyone in Australia and tell you that she loves you! :) It was so cool to see how much the teachers and the girls encourage each other. Mercy Care has such a beautiful atmosphere and everyone is so supportive of each other.
I have photos and information on every child so I will be organising child sponsorship which is desparately needed at the school. Well my internet time is running out so I better go.
I am back at the guest house now after staying a week with Patrick's family. I got a true taste of African life! I caught crazy matatus that play awesome loud african hip hop music, walked through crowds and traffic and car fumes and also through the slum a few times. I tasted Kenyan tea which is awesome. Tea back home is bad but this tea is so good. I also finally got to have mandazi! (african doughnuts, they taste amazing!). And of course I had ugali, which is the staple food in Kenya.
Yesterday I went with group of girls from Mercy Care to visit a 14 year old girl called Mercy who lives in Mathare. She has a daughter called Precious who is 6 weeks old and she was taking her to the clinic that day to get a vaccination so she wasn't in school. But we visited her at her home and brought her gifts. We talked for a while. They first talked in swahili but then took pity on me and talked in English! Mercy is one of the most amazing girls I have ever met in my life. She has an incredible amount of strength and dignity. She wants to greet everyone in Australia and tell you that she loves you! :) It was so cool to see how much the teachers and the girls encourage each other. Mercy Care has such a beautiful atmosphere and everyone is so supportive of each other.
I have photos and information on every child so I will be organising child sponsorship which is desparately needed at the school. Well my internet time is running out so I better go.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Mercy Care
Hey, I haven't had much time to write but I am now staying with Patrick and Pamela in their apartment in Nairobi. I am getting a true taste of African life! The first morning I got up at 5:30am to catch a matatu (mini-bus) to mercy care. It was raining and extremely muddy. The matatu drivers are crazy and they crowd people in and play really loud music. The music was cool though my ears just hurt LOL. They drove a little bit through the slum; or rather slipped and slid and bumped along the roads. We got out and walked a little further to the school.
It is different staying there by myself than with a team. But the kids are all amazing I love them so much and these two little girls wrote me a letter asking me to stay longer because i was their best friend! I have got to know the year 8 class so well. It's hilarious I am the centre of attention all the time and am bombarded with 50 different questions at once about Australia and my life. They all want to come back to Australia with me and want me to greet everyone in Australia. I have a few letters they wrote to give to Phil and Carla, Susannah Hudson, and brianna lewis. They were SO touched by the letters you all wrote! I won't be able to describe the look on their faces when they realized people in Australia cared about them.
They kept saying "we will miss u when you go! are you coming back next year?" man friday will be one sad day :( When another girl from the american team left last friday all the kids were crying! That's how much visitors mean to them; it gives them hope.
Yesterday I visited a girl's home. She is called Mercy and she is 14 and one of the most inspiring people I have ever met. She has been through so much but is so strong. I will tell you her story when I come home. She is going to tell her story on film on Thursday. It is an awful one but the way she has dealt with everything is so amazing. That can only be God and mercy care.
I got all of the kids to write about themselves on a piece of paper. On Thursday and Friday I will be taking pictures of every single one of them so I can organise sponsership and prayer partners. When I come back I have a lot to do! It's very exciting.
Got to go now back to Dorna Academy.
It is different staying there by myself than with a team. But the kids are all amazing I love them so much and these two little girls wrote me a letter asking me to stay longer because i was their best friend! I have got to know the year 8 class so well. It's hilarious I am the centre of attention all the time and am bombarded with 50 different questions at once about Australia and my life. They all want to come back to Australia with me and want me to greet everyone in Australia. I have a few letters they wrote to give to Phil and Carla, Susannah Hudson, and brianna lewis. They were SO touched by the letters you all wrote! I won't be able to describe the look on their faces when they realized people in Australia cared about them.
They kept saying "we will miss u when you go! are you coming back next year?" man friday will be one sad day :( When another girl from the american team left last friday all the kids were crying! That's how much visitors mean to them; it gives them hope.
Yesterday I visited a girl's home. She is called Mercy and she is 14 and one of the most inspiring people I have ever met. She has been through so much but is so strong. I will tell you her story when I come home. She is going to tell her story on film on Thursday. It is an awful one but the way she has dealt with everything is so amazing. That can only be God and mercy care.
I got all of the kids to write about themselves on a piece of paper. On Thursday and Friday I will be taking pictures of every single one of them so I can organise sponsership and prayer partners. When I come back I have a lot to do! It's very exciting.
Got to go now back to Dorna Academy.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Mercy Care
I am back at Mercy Care; these last few days have been a bit chaotic with the music competitions going on as well as taking kids to an animal orphanage so I haven't been able to do much filming. But today I went with the primary choir to film them at their music competition which was very cool. I saw some amazing performances!
Monday, July 7, 2008
pics
http://mccsummer2008.blogspot.com/
Follow that address up above and you will see lots of pics from the american team. There are many different blogs you can follow from there with more pics. If your smart with computers!
Follow that address up above and you will see lots of pics from the american team. There are many different blogs you can follow from there with more pics. If your smart with computers!
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