30th Oct 10:50pm

I am about to go to sleep, there is nothing to do, the kids are in bed ready for school tomorrow, the mommas are busy and there are no other volunteers.

I just wanted to write because there are a few things I was thinking about that I don’t think I’ve mentioned the first… The children have books to write in; but it’s just paper wrapped in newspaper à they have all backed their books with newspaper. It first I wondered why they had brought a bag full of newspapers to school! Haha!

The second… I’ve seen so many monkeys its untrue, I keep trying to take a photo but I never have my camera! There was a really big one yesterday jumping and swinging from tree to tree, I will try and get a photo because there are pretty cool.

I also saw a bush baby, there quite small actually.

                           

30th Oct 7:40 pm

After dinner I went to the waterfall with Alex and Lovein, two of the boys from the orphanage. I figured it wouldn’t be far if the boys were allowed to go. Boy was I wrong?

We walked for about an hour and a bit. Now I’ve done d of e gold, twice. I’m a tough cookie, but the heat, the dust, the sheer height we climbed left me so sweaty, my heart was racing in my head and my thighs were spasming. I looked over at Lovein and Alex who were running up the hill in flip flops! I had walking boots on and I was struggling.

It was so worth the throbbing in my head and legs, once we got to the water fall. It was spectacular, the water was so clear and it was so high there was a breeze (which helped the overheating situation)

I can’t explain how beautiful it was, when you looked up it felt like an age until you saw blue sky.

Once we got back (which was much easier downhill) I guzzled a load of water and then went to find Calvin, one of the boys who is getting a solar lamp.

I found him explained how it worked and he just threw his arms around me, thanking me over and over. It was nice to see true gratitude. Some of the children become greedy when it comes to sweets or stationary.

30th Oct 2:10pm

At dinner Amanda and Stephen were both poorly, so to get them to eat something, we played the aeroplane game.

Neeuuuummm!!            ✈

30th Oct 12:40pm

I went to get the paint for the black boards after my picture spree ad the paintbrushes seem to have gone, so one coat will have to do. If they turn up Kristina can continue the project since she is here for a lot longer than all of us.

Instead I went to the orphanage to see all the kids, I’m spending as much time with them as possible before I go. I took some pencils down which I handed out and some skipping ropes which the girls and the boys loved!

Margaret got some paper out and I drew with a group of them. Drawing around objects and writing what they were, that sort of thing. Then I read with little Unis and Adita, we read a book about a spoilt little girl called Rebecca royal and a poem/limerick book which they found hilarious.

I got out my camera and everyone seemed to want a picture, so we were snapping photos of everyone. When I went outside to sit in the sun, I found Margaret playing with a dismantled weighing scale. My good deed of the day was to take out the capacitors, because they store charge for quite a while. My original thought was, ‘the metal is sharp, put the whole thing in the bin.’ But let’s face it, these kids walk around holding machetes with no handle, ready to chop up plants and food.

30th Oct 9:00am

I got up so early this morning, I just couldn’t sleep. Everyone had left already, Kristina wrote me a letter before she left, which made me cry, she seemed so proud of me and I’ve only known her a few week. I can’t read the letter again or I will get upset, but it’s so lovely of her to do that!

I finished off all the Swahili instructions and boxed all the lamps up. The room looks much more tidy now the lamps aren’t all over the floor.

I quickly went and took pictures of Peace Matunda, the orphanage grounds, and where I am staying, because I want to remember what it looks like forever.

The Volunteers Seating area

Amani House at Night



Broken Swings Behind the School



The Massia Hut

The Old Peace Matunda Huts and Kayaa's House

Volunteers Dining Table

The Hallway to Our Room



My Bed



Lucy's Wall Murals



Largest Boys Room




Boys Room

Amani House Living Room

Wall Mural Outside Amani House

Vegetable Garden

30th Oct 3:30am

I cannot sleep, the cockerel is making a right racket, and I think there is a bush baby outside my window which would be cute if it wasn’t so friggin early.