Six weeks later, I'm back again! While this time frame is close, at times it can seem like it's been months, once I first lay eyes on the children and process their rapid growth. They literally change before my eyes.
When I left off at the end of February, we had just re-rescued two girls from Mombasa, and four children from a hospital in Rongai - a town about 40 minutes from us. My radar was acutely active during this rescue, for many reasons which I discussed in my last blog. Nothing rang true to me about this "hospital"; everything about it felt wrong. The four little children were settled in on their first night, and I left first thing the next morning to return to the US. Tony and I talked and texted constantly while I was back home. He reiterated my concerns to the DCO who acted more promptly against this hospital than I have seen in 11 years. My suspicions of trafficking and worse, were not unfounded. Two weeks later, the part of the hospital we rescued our (four) four year olds was shut down, and 17 children were relocated. The administrator will likely be going to prison for a long time. While I have not heard about the whereabouts of those little children we met, we wish we could have taken them all.
Tony set out to immediately do his own investigative work on our four children, once I departed, and found the little boys' relatives, after much prodding and insistence. Of course, none of the relatives knew about these children until Tony told them the boys would be put up for adoption in two weeks if they did not take responsibility. Almost immediately, this situation was resolved with the DCO and our little boys were exited out of WWC within two weeks, to their families. In turn, we took the sister of Mueni, one of the new little girls, and brought her to WWC. We are calling her Kanini (this means 'little one') in Swahili; I was told she is two years old.
I got to WWC and immediately found our matron Wambui, holding Kanini. Penina asked me: Auntie, how old do you think Kanini is? "18 months" I told her. Penina agreed, and I added: "We were lied to. The DCO knows we do not take children under 2, and the only way they knew we would take her is if she is two". Hence..she is here to stay regardless, and is she ever an adorable handful! (pics will follow tomorrow).
For our part, the DCO has reiterated that we are the one Rescue Center in Kajiado County she has no issues with. She has praised our work, due diligence, impeccable record, and compliance. This is lofty praise from a woman who is reputedly tough as nails and a force to reckon with. I give all credit to Tony and my amazing staff. I cannot say this too much or say it often enough.
There is much to talk about in the coming days.. a great deal of excitement is happening around Watoto World Center. I know it isn't kind to leave you with a quick check-in and no further information, but I must. It's always something, and this time it is a computer malfunction I am working diligently on in the evenings - not an easy task to speak with support in the US from Africa, but we are getting there.
Lots of love to all. I'll be back tomorrow with more.
Simmie and Shiko
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