first i should explain where i was. i worked with an organization that rescues abandoned and orphaned babies in kenya.  they have many homes across kenya, but the main place we worked at was in nairobi.  they rescue babies between 0-6 months and then take care of them, make them well if they can (some of them remain positive for various diseases), and shower as much love on these babies as possible.  they are there until they are adopted, or until they are 3 years old.  the next step is being addressed now--what to do with the children who are older?  they are working on a new plan, a further step in their outreach.  hopes remain in adoptions before they reach three years old.

amy arrived at the home the night before we arrived.  she was small, but had been well taken care of.  but for whatever reason, she was abandoned, and they brought her to the home.  with lots of love and attention, this little one brightened up quickly within the week and a half we were there.  she even put on some weight... as the directors said, the kenyans love to feed their babies! :)

abel was in the crawlers room, but he climbed and almost-walked more than he crawled.  a strong boy, he'll be a leader for sure.  in this picture, he's trying to get to my camera.  and in this picture, he's sitting on his friend so he can be the center of attention.

one day we went north of nairobi to another home that was getting ready to receive it's first baby.  we painted the walls of the front room and the play room with a cheery jungle mural, and two of the baby rooms with a noah's ark mural.  about halfway through the first day of painting, the first baby arrived.  and the next day, when the paint was mostly dry, charity, one of the caretakers, took baby adam around and 'introduced' him to all the paintings.  "this is mistah lion. he goes roar roar."

chaz. i just love this picture :)

chris was one of my buddy-buddies.  he was a sweet boy, sensitive.  he cried these soft, quiet cries, nothing that a little attention couldn't cure. he had fun trying to get my camera too.

beautiful chrissie.

clarissa playing with one of the ladies from our group.  she cracked me up with the way she walked and drooled and ... enough said...

clint thoroughly enjoying his snack.

clive is an older boy that we taught little bible school lessons in the mornings.  i think he helped me take this picture of himself.  i think it caught his personality perfectly. :)bike riding... clive, anton, and sonia play on their bikes.  clive is towing anton on the little bike, and sonia has attatched a dump truck toy to the last bike with a jumprope.  she'd sit on the dumptruck, they would go, and she would fly off the truck and onto her bottom.  they were truly enjoying themselves

my happy boy! noel was one of the happiest babies i have ever seen, with a look of mischief in his eyes, he ran around the room in his walker, grabbing other kids toys, stealing other volunteers' attention, always on the go, almost always laughing.  we had fun together.

my sunshine. serena and i spent the most time together.  she and i spent hours together while i was feeding her and singing to her and just praying for her.  she was tiny, i dont know how old, but small, with a  distant look in her eyes the first time i picked her up. by the end of the week,  she was cooing with me while i sang to her... "you are my sunshine, my only sunshine..."

the last pictures i want to share i am submitting into the pain and suffering challenge...

this is jenny.  suffice it to say she arrived malnurished and neglected. the pain in her cry and the pain in her huge eyes were enough to make one's stomach churn.  she had the appearance of an old lady, withered away by a hard life.  but she was only 9 months old.  and weighed as much as an itty bitty newborn(6.6 lbs).  (update--she is healthier and gaining weight steadily... still a long way to go, but God is good... :))

the trip was amazing.  the kids were wonderful. and i still have to process through hundreds more fotos... until next time...

amandaP