Tumaini Children's Home

All day today I rode shotgun in the matatu (van) next to the driver and learned so much about Nairobi and Kenyan culture. We first went downtown to shop...mostly for items to resale at the Global Market back in the States and send the money to the kids here in Kenya. We all bought fun souvenirs too. We ate lunch at an Indian restaurant...the wait for the food was one hour (needless to say we were all cranky and delirious) but the food was amazing and some of the best Indian food I've ever had. Then we headed off to Tumaini Children's Home (tumaini means "hope" in Swahili). There are 15 kids who live there and they all have HIV/AIDS...but you would never know it by meeting them. They are so full of life and joy. They sang for us and recited poems. We got to take pictures and just snuggle with them. They loved seeing their pictures on the digital camera display. We all played with a huge parachute and it was great to see their laughter as they shook it and ran underneath back and forth. Then one of our team members read a story as all the kids sat on our laps. I had three boys sitting on my lap. One in the middle and one on each knee. They just wanted to be held and touched. Last they showed us their bedrooms...they were so proud! They sang us another song and then two kids prayed for us. They were so sweet and kind hearted. Our goodbyes lasted forever...it was difficult to break away from them. They yelled goodbye and waved furiously as we drove away. I have lots to process and will take time to write more about my thoughts and feeling in another posting. We drove to dinner at Java House and ate outside on a patio. The weather is beautiful...so much like San Diego. Alice who is the wife of Solomon, our Kenyan "partner" on this trip, sat at my table. We picked her brain about Kenyan life and I even wrote down a couple of her recipes. Lots to absorb but I'm loving it. I'm totally soaking up not being in an all-white world. I really enjoy watching the people as we drive through the city and I wonder about their worlds. Tomorrow we're going to Jamii Bora a poorer children's home. P.S. There is a dance studio next door to our hotel and I am really hoping to take a class there if I have free time. It would add a cherry on top to an incredible African experience!


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