My friend Barb left last night after a great 10 days here. We went to the daycare center where I took care of the kids and because she is a gynecologist she saw all the women. They were so grateful to have a woman physician to see, they don't have access to those kinds of doctors. (good and female and free). We spent some time in the slums, always an eye opening experience for people new to Africa. It is so good to look around the center and see pictures on the walls, the kids in clean clothes, toys all over, medical charts and supplies and know it's from my family and friends. Asante sana everyone.
After safari we went to Lamu, truly my most favorite place on earth, for 4 days. The ocean was warm and beautiful, the hotel was perfect. I can't describe how quiet and peaceful but so much fun it is. The website for the hotel is www.peponi-lamu check it out! The house next door to the hotel is owned by Princess Caroline of Monaco, she and her family are frequent visitors. I totally understand why, the hard part is leaving there!
Yesterday before she left we went on a tour of the Nairobi Women's Hospital. It was opened in 2001 has 57 beds, specializes in sexual assault and gender violence victims. They treat about 15 new victims per day, the very sad thing is that many of them are very young children. Quite a contrast from Lamu, Kenya is such a contrast between good and evil.
Now I'm starting to wind things up. Thinking about how to pack, how to leave. I still have meetings to go to, have to do my final Fulbright report, need to spend time in the village officially opening the library, (they left me 2 boxes to shelve) I'm babysitting Augustus, the other Fulbrighter's baby for 3 days. That will get me ready to see Jack! I'm spending lots of time with the D kids, just being here.
Stay safe Officer Tim, xoxoxo Little Boy
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Saw everything but rhinos and leopards.
Sorry for the silence. I have been very busy as time is really getting short now. Lots of loose ends to tie up. My friend Barb is here, so we are doing some traveling. We just got back today from the Masai Mara where we had a great safari. I have meetings tomorrow then on Saturday we take off for Lamu for 4 days. She leaves next Wednesday. I will catch up then. Kids in D are great, Eunice is shrieking with laughter, sitting up on her own, and babbles all day long. Fidelis is loving going to school every morning and spends hours everynight coloring and doing "homework." the other night when I was tucking her in she looked up and said "good night" in English!!!! Amazing what loving care does for a child.
Stay safe Officer Tim xoxoxo Little boy
Stay safe Officer Tim xoxoxo Little boy
Monday, October 8, 2007
Yet Another Girl!
We had another admission to Cottage D, 4 year old Fidelis. She arrived last week, her parents are dead, she and her brother had been living with their grandparents. However, they are quite elderly and her grandmother has what sounds like Alzheimers and the burden was way too great for the grandfather. She speaks only her mother tongue, Kikuyu, and is very shy. She seems pretty healthy and has been on ARVS. What a difference those medications make. We had her welcome to Cottage D party yesterday afternoon, she seems to be settling in. When I think of all the resources available to kids in the Western world and what these kids manage to deal with on their own it's very humbling. Every bed in the cottage is now full so that should be it for awhile for us. The sad thing is there seems to be a never ending supply of HIV+ orphans to fill the beds. One night a group of us
sat around and talked about what it will take to change that. There is a real push by institutions and the government to reintegrate orphans with their extended families. It's a huge struggle because the families are often destitute, can barely take care of their own, and the stigma is still so prevalent. For many of these kids it's a children's home or death.
Election year politics are all the news here. President Kibaki is running for his second 5 year term. He has done some good things, the economy is growing though half the population live in extreme poverty. Primary education is free though the standards and resources are generally dismal. The big complaint is that the rich have gotten richer, the poorer are poorer (sound familiar?) and corruption is still rampant. The opposition is currently in the lead. People are actually very well informed here and follow it very closely. There has been some violence, we stay away when we know there are demonstrations, you can feel the tension rise as election day draws near. It is scheduled for sometime in December, Kibaki hasn't announced the date yet, one of the incumbent perks! This democracy is only 43 years old, it's interesting to see it evolve.
My big complaint with the government, besides the state of the roads,is the lack of leadership in regards to HIV/AIDS. If they publicly addressed the issues and set better examples I think it would go a long way in fostering some much needed change.
Wednesday is a public holiday here, Moi day. He was their second president, he ruled for 24 years and totally raped the country. But,he did leave peacefully so maybe that's what they're celebrating.
Stay safe Officer Tim and xoxoxo little boy
sat around and talked about what it will take to change that. There is a real push by institutions and the government to reintegrate orphans with their extended families. It's a huge struggle because the families are often destitute, can barely take care of their own, and the stigma is still so prevalent. For many of these kids it's a children's home or death.
Election year politics are all the news here. President Kibaki is running for his second 5 year term. He has done some good things, the economy is growing though half the population live in extreme poverty. Primary education is free though the standards and resources are generally dismal. The big complaint is that the rich have gotten richer, the poorer are poorer (sound familiar?) and corruption is still rampant. The opposition is currently in the lead. People are actually very well informed here and follow it very closely. There has been some violence, we stay away when we know there are demonstrations, you can feel the tension rise as election day draws near. It is scheduled for sometime in December, Kibaki hasn't announced the date yet, one of the incumbent perks! This democracy is only 43 years old, it's interesting to see it evolve.
My big complaint with the government, besides the state of the roads,is the lack of leadership in regards to HIV/AIDS. If they publicly addressed the issues and set better examples I think it would go a long way in fostering some much needed change.
Wednesday is a public holiday here, Moi day. He was their second president, he ruled for 24 years and totally raped the country. But,he did leave peacefully so maybe that's what they're celebrating.
Stay safe Officer Tim and xoxoxo little boy
Monday, October 1, 2007
It's A Girl!!!
I have the honor of announcing a new addition to Cottage D! On Friday a 6 month old baby girl, Eunice, came to us from Kenyatta National Hospital. Her mother died in childbirth, (like 150,000 African women a year) and she was abandoned there. She laid naked in a crib for 6 months, they don't have diapers or clothes for all the babies there. She was alone in the crib because she is HIV+, the negative ones share. She has been on ARVS and is very healthy, actually a little chubby! She smiles, looks around a lot,she doesn't babble, sit up or roll over but we're already working on that. She sucks her thumb.
I was taking care of the D kids on Friday afternoon while Mum Terry was at a meeting when the social worker brought her. The kids were sleeping and as each one woke up I laid her next to them and said "meet your new baby sister." They all cried. They have had so much loss in their life, D has lost 3 boys in 3 years. This baby was a gift to us.
On Saturday night we had a welcome to D party for her, we made brownies from a mix Beck had brought, had fanta soda!!! and officially introduced her to all her new siblings and mums. It was a wonderful joyous night, we sang and danced and cuddled her. Who knows what's going on in her head, she probably thinks she landed in Disneyworld! But she is so loved.
Pictures as soon as I can.
I was taking care of the D kids on Friday afternoon while Mum Terry was at a meeting when the social worker brought her. The kids were sleeping and as each one woke up I laid her next to them and said "meet your new baby sister." They all cried. They have had so much loss in their life, D has lost 3 boys in 3 years. This baby was a gift to us.
On Saturday night we had a welcome to D party for her, we made brownies from a mix Beck had brought, had fanta soda!!! and officially introduced her to all her new siblings and mums. It was a wonderful joyous night, we sang and danced and cuddled her. Who knows what's going on in her head, she probably thinks she landed in Disneyworld! But she is so loved.
Pictures as soon as I can.
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