Time at the orphanage

I am back from our mini week at the orphanage(s). We spent 2 days at Good Hope orphanage here in Arusha (I think there are many with this name so don't get too excited if you have heard it before). We spent most of the days in "middle class" at the Good Hope School. This is similar to Kindergarten with children ages 4-6 and there was even one 8 year old whose Grandmother has been holding him back because she doesn't feel his reading is up to speed, but needless to say he is the top of his class. We graded homework, helped them with their in-class assignments and hand wrote their homework in their workbooks each day before they left.







We would return to the orphanage at around 4 in the afternoon and just played with the kids, had dinner, and helped the older kids complete their homework before bedtime.

This particular orphanage has 12 children ages 3 years old to 9 years old and was pretty evenly mixed girls and boys. Cassie and I fell in love with different children (which is good because we wouldn't want to fight over who would get who!) She wanted two of the girls, a 5 year old and the 3 year old. And I wanted one of the older girls who was 6 and a little 4 or 5 year old boy. His name was Living...yes as in the opposite of Dead! I'm not sure I have ever written about the various English words that have been given as names here...but they are very interesting to say the least! :) But all joking aside all the children were so cute and so well behaved!

Living sitting on my lap


Yesterday we actually ended up back at our hospital with the little 6 year old girl I liked so much. She had an infection under her arm that required antibiotics. I think the director was a little upset that I told him that it would require treatment that I was not able to provide. They also have a child who is thought to have a seizure disorder, and a 7 year old with a decent size umbilical hernia. Otherwise the children seem very healthy!

Prisca and Me




Cassie and her little Rachel



Today, we went to a different orphanage with one of our other housemates. This one was mainly young children, 12 months to 5 years and it was a zoo to say the least! We were constantly holding at least one child if not 2 or 3 and all of them had a very bad cold of some sort. Green snotty noses and a very congested cough was true for every one of them. It didn't seem to be slowing them down and I felt no fevers, but this is hard as the temperature is so warm here and they dress the children in sweaters and at times even wool hats.

Well that's it for now....today is Cassie last full day. Tomorrow at this time she will be waiting for her ride to the airport to go home. So next week I am a bit undecided where to spend my time, but will let you know!