More about my kids..

Happy
Originally uploaded by An Smith.

We had dinner at the orphanage the other night and sat around beforehand helping to peel cucumbers and slice tomatoes and just hang out with the kids. Dinner prep - what a thing to witness!! I can't even imagine having to cook for forty (plus) people everyday. (And keep in mind there is never ever the option to say hey, let's call in for some pizza or Thai tonight I'm tired or hey cook yourself, I'll be out). The great thing is to watch everyone help because they all have a task, nobody complains and they totally have fun. I can remember my dad telling me to set the table after school.. I could barely peel myself away from the Y&R long enough.. and the whining and complaining (um, sorry Dad!! :/). So anyway. We treated to chicken and sodas and Denise and I planned to spend the night at the orphanage. This being a special occasion meant they get power (I guess?). When the generator started with a huge bang the children went crazy like nothing I've ever witnessed before in my life - you would have thought they had won millions in the lotto. The generator going on is exciting for them - it means electricity at night instead of candles and they appreciate it so much that they cheer and jump and scream and run around in circles and it's absolutely hilarious. (Yup, you can learn a lot about the small things in life from these kids).

Speaking of, we took them to the beach Saturday. First time ever. Can you spell FUN children? Ice cream, sodas, swimming and a Dala Dala ride. The look on their faces on the way into town is something I can't ever forget. They take in absolutely everything. (They don't leave Buswelu Village very often. To and from school is pretty much it.. maybe a trip to the doctors). And the little ones.. they don't even really know that there is a world outside of their compound because they don't even go to school yet! Davy (he is three) fell asleep on my lap (on the way home) and had a look of terrified bewilderment on his face all day. He is a really quiet guy, loves a lap to snuggle up in and is a total doll. (Best hugger ever). Doesn't speak much or get into trouble and he does the cutest nose crinkle thing. Anyway, he woke up at one point (remember before I gushed about him for ten minutes he was sitting in my lap on the way home) and he had a complete heart attack when he woke up in the middle of the ride because he didn't' have a clue where he was. It was so funny, and so cute and everyone burst into giggles. After he realized all was okay in his very small world he smiled and nuzzled back to sleep. (Oh, and somewhere on that ride he managed to pee on my lap). Poor Lil guy. Couldn't handle the soda which was practically the size of him.

Okay, so backtracking a bit. The sleepover at the orphanage was SO FUN. It was like having a giant girls sleepover. Well, it wasn't like it. That's what it was.. but it was like being back in camp again. Denise and I each had a bunkie (I got Irene who was a good snuggler and she wrapped her hands in my hair somehow while we slept.. not sure why but it was okay I worked around it). Denise had Hannah who was a kicker and she didn't sleep a wink all night. Anyway, it was really fun. We got in trouble (um, noisy) from Joel a few times because we were doing photo shoots (and it put the kids into fits of laughter when Denise and I would pretend to be scared and dive under the mozzie nets hiding from Joel).

And that brings us to now. I'm sitting at an Internet cafe in town on the way to a bbq and I'm realizing that we only have 9 more days here and then we are done teaching (although we are staying around for almost two weeks longer to help with organization of some other stuff with the kids). I am really dreading leaving and I'm trying to enjoy every moment with them. I realize it's harder on me than them.. they will have a new set of volunteers and forget about us in seconds but I won't even forget the impact they've made on my life.

I hope there is steak and caesar salad at the BBQ! I gotta go :)