Full House

Tony picked me up at 5:50 this morning so we could get to the bus "station" (a bench next to  busses jockeying for space) to meet Grace and Anna. Tony called me at 5:30 to tell me he was on his way. Dressed and ready, I was already walking to the tarmac. All I could see was Tony's smile through the darkened windows when he pulled up next to me. When I opened the passenger door, he burst out laughing, we both did...nothing really needed to be said.  Still smiling 30 seconds later, Tony said: "I am going to make you very happy."  Nini!?? (What!) "We will get Michelle as soon as the area Chief signs off with a supporting letter" (always part of the process). "Kesho?" I asked. Laughing, Tony said  "Maybe tomorrow..but this week". Clapping my hands with glee, Tony added: "We can take in the 2 1/2 and 4 year old sisters, too." These two sisters are a recent development - Tony only found out about them last night. With rescues, Tony and I always prefer to take in children between 2 1/2 - 5 years, because WWC shapes and lays their foundation. I am thrilled to pieces about this development, and don't know the story of these little girls just yet. There is a lot on the plate already tomorrow (my last full day) so I don't know how the day will shape up, but am hoping we can prioritize bringing all three of these children home. Watoto World Center has a full house again. 

There was very little traffic heading into Nairobi this morning - we arrived at 6:30, and found Grace and Anna sitting on a bench, waiting for us. It was quite an emotional reunion for each of us, and truly wonderful to see these girls again; all of us have missed them. Grace is now 15, Anna 13. Both look the same, but I instantly sensed the lack of beautiful innocence we knew and loved three years ago.  Each girl was wearing a jacket, ratty clothing and only carried small packs that had seen better days. As we chatted, and Tony grilled them about school, what I heard greatly saddened me. Mum is a drug dealer in Mombasa. Brother is useless. Grace should be in Form 2. Anna should be in Class 8. Grace has not been in school since her mother abruptly and completely disrupted their lives. From what I gather, Anna had one year of school, and is currently in Class 6. (We will get all  confirmation with paperwork on this case this week). What will likely happen when the girls go to Ereteti on Tuesday for assessment is Grace will enroll in Class 7 and Ann in Class 5 or 6.  They've lost three years of their education.

When we got to Rongai, I quietly asked Tony if we could stop so that I could get the girls the necessities they must have before going to WWC. During a rescue, we generally assume the child has nothing when they arrive, and are prepared for the worst. Being Sunday, nothing was open but the large grocery store in town, so we picked up the necessities, specifically: underwear, shoes, soap, trousers, shirts, sweaters, toiletries and shoe polish. This scenario is something I am fairly used to, so it was easy to corral them back to getting the job done without haste. When we got back to the car, Tony stared at me. Reading his mind, I simply rolled my eyes and said "wasichana" (girls). 

Anna, Grace and me

In between the demands of the smaller girls today, I observed Grace and Anna continually. It wasn't difficult to asses that both of these girls have had little direction, free rein, deep pain and trauma, and God only knows in what form. I pulled Penina aside this evening and went out to the shade (when it's dark, the children leave us alone). "We have a challenge ahead of us, and our two girls are going to give us stress" I announced. (Kenyan speak)  We didn't have to say much, we both felt and saw the exact same thing. I suggested we run intervention immediately and Penina agreed. These girls originally came to us in 2013 traumatized, and have returned once again in the same shape, at more vulnerable stages of their lives. It is a heartbreaking story to witness, one that saddens me on a deep level. To see the good work we did being undone to children formerly under our charge, is one thing. To evaluate and heal is going to be another.  We will connect with the DCO in the morning and begin trauma work with our girls immediately. 

Meanwhile, we spent the day yesterday at Wasta Villa, a picnic site about 30 minutes away from WWC. I promised the children we would go last month, so off we went. The children had a ball, and spent the entire day in the pool, minus one hour where by they stuffed themselves with fried chicken and chips. It was quite a scene, one hard to put into words, so I'll let this video tell the 30 second story:

The kitchen repairs are coming along nicely.  The make-shift kitchen in the dining hall is making me nuts, so I supervise the cooking each meal, due to the fire hazard. Everyone else is taking it in stride and couldn't care less, so I am pushing to get this job done Tuesday before I leave. Otherwise, I will ask that any cooking be done outside, in the jiko. 

It's been a long day and I have another early start in the morning, with a long list to knock off. Lala salama from Kenya tonight.  

Lots of love from Simmie and Mundia