Wycliffe, Staci, Kami - the decorating crew 
at the staff meeting/staff appreciation party
some of the guards playing with one of the babies
at the staff meeting/staff appreciation party
Shadrach at the farm with Gifton and Lucy
me and my pal Margaret "Margie"
Benson
Yesterday I got to be present for the Staff Appreciation gathering at the Baby Center. Staci had told the staff it was a staff meeting but then surprised them with a celebration of the heart and soul and sweat they put into their work.
Over the course of the past year several of my friends and family have adopted children from outside the U.S. Hearing their stories has helped me better appreciate what I’ve seen here. The children here may not have a family of their own, but really they’re part of a large extended family, the Baby Center family.
When I walked into the room where everyone was gathering underneath the streamers and balloons Staci, Wycliff (friend, youth pastor at the church next door, and Baby Center volunteer) and I had secretly put up (without any tape!) the night before, I was met with a beautiful sight. I knew Staci had planned for all the babies to come to the meeting so none of the staff had to miss it, so I wasn’t surprised to see the kids there. What was beautiful was to see almost every lap, both male and female, filled with a kid. And the laps all seemed very happy to be hosting their charges.
It looked like a big family of aunts and uncles playing with their nieces and nephews. Staci had told me that all the staff seems to really care about the kids, but it was neat to see it in action yesterday. The guards and farm workers and kitchen and laundry staff were as interested in playing with the kids as the regular caregivers were. From what I’ve heard it’s especially abnormal for Kenyan men to give children so much attention.
It’s been really neat to see that, though the Baby Center kids are orphans, they don’t suffer from a lack of love. They’re getting a good start to life. They’re given experiences and love that kids raised in good families receive in their early days. From playing outside on the playground to visiting the farm and learning about animals to field trips to town to lots of hugs and kisses, the children at the Baby Center are being well-cared for while they wait to be united with their new families.
Over the course of the past year several of my friends and family have adopted children from outside the U.S. Hearing their stories has helped me better appreciate what I’ve seen here. The children here may not have a family of their own, but really they’re part of a large extended family, the Baby Center family.
When I walked into the room where everyone was gathering underneath the streamers and balloons Staci, Wycliff (friend, youth pastor at the church next door, and Baby Center volunteer) and I had secretly put up (without any tape!) the night before, I was met with a beautiful sight. I knew Staci had planned for all the babies to come to the meeting so none of the staff had to miss it, so I wasn’t surprised to see the kids there. What was beautiful was to see almost every lap, both male and female, filled with a kid. And the laps all seemed very happy to be hosting their charges.
It looked like a big family of aunts and uncles playing with their nieces and nephews. Staci had told me that all the staff seems to really care about the kids, but it was neat to see it in action yesterday. The guards and farm workers and kitchen and laundry staff were as interested in playing with the kids as the regular caregivers were. From what I’ve heard it’s especially abnormal for Kenyan men to give children so much attention.
It’s been really neat to see that, though the Baby Center kids are orphans, they don’t suffer from a lack of love. They’re getting a good start to life. They’re given experiences and love that kids raised in good families receive in their early days. From playing outside on the playground to visiting the farm and learning about animals to field trips to town to lots of hugs and kisses, the children at the Baby Center are being well-cared for while they wait to be united with their new families.
3 comments:
Kami,
Thanks for the blogs. I actually sit and read them. I just didn't want you to get discouraged that there were no comments for a while and think that nobody was reading so I decided I better comment.
Dad
Very cool about all the love at the baby center...the kids are adorable...don't you want to take one home with you??
What a neat 'word' picture!
On a related note, Mom just visited Ellie's orphanage on Monday for the first time. Would love to tell you about it sometime! I hope to have some photos on the blog in a few days.
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