Easter Sleepovers!!!

Since 2007 I have been known as Aunty Sarah, Waithera and sometimes Mum. I have stayed with kids in a couple of orphanages, taken them on trips, loved on them. For the first time ever last Friday I had the privilege of having sleepovers with some of my babies at my house! It was WONDERFUL!

I organised with Pastor Steven from Jesus Helper's for him to choose 2 boys and 2 girls who have worked very hard at home and at school to have a special treat (a night away from the orphanage!). He chose 4 wonderful children aged 12 and 13.

I am really missing having children around my house and up all night! The place I live is a compounded community, where children stay in their own places. The noises are different, the community is different. So I jumped at the opportunity to have a bit of noise in my house!

I went and picked up the children from Uthiru at about 2pm and brought them home to my house. They were SO excited. It meant that they didn’t have to do their chores or care for the younger children or do their homework for 1 night! They excitedly ran around my compound...looking at everything, exploring, smelling, touching all the new things. It was almost like watching someone have a visual overload!

We then went inside and they said “This is just paradise”. “It is SO clean”. To give you an example, the community where the children live is full of dust and mud and little grass. My home has some grass and trees and not much dust! So they were very happy. They then wanted to go and play...Femmy immediately began rolling down my tiny hill, screaming with excitement!

 

After some snacks I took them to play at my school. They were overwhelmed by the space that the school has. Tennis courts, big fields, trees...and best of all a PLAYGROUND! They ran with excitement and asked if they could play...They swung and swung and swung...Laughter filled the air. They spun on the grass, they rolled, the jumped, they explored...Oh what a joy to see them being kids! They then came and had a look inside my classroom. Again, they seemed overwhelmed to see such a big classroom.

 

 

I then text a friend on campus to see if they had a ball we could borrow. She said they did, so we went for a walk to get it! It was such a blessing to see these kids play football and basketball.

 

After that, we went back home to my house. My guard played ball with the boys while the girls came upstairs to help me! So sweet. We baked a cake together. They were so excited to crack eggs, stir things and use an oven! They tested all the electrical equipment with much eagerness.

 

 

The boys then came up and we all made dinner together. They laughed the wholllle time. We cooked fried potatoes, hotdogs and salad. We also had juice to drink. They were so happy and excited to eat a different meal. The kids back home were eating beans, so they thought they were pretty lucky to have potatoes! J This was also one of the first times for them to sit at a table. The kids just loiter around, standing or sitting anywhere they can to eat. We talked about life...the good things, the bad, their relatives. It was very special.

 

After dinner we decided to watch a movie. We watched Prince of Egypt and ate popcorn. After they got bored of the movie I taught them how to play Uno and they Uno battle began. We played for what seemed like hours.

 

After this, Kevin was interested in watching old movies that I’d taken of them at the orphanage. So we lay down and watched the movies. While we were doing this the kids were taking turns in the shower. This was the first time in a shower for them all and they were SOOO funny/cute. They didn’t know how to turn on the tap, so Aunty went in between each shower to teach turning on and off! Priceless. And the shower was warm!!! A reallll treat! Usually the kids just use a bucket of cold water to soap down! At about 11pm it was time for bed...so we all piled into bed. The girls shared my bed and I could hear giggling all night! They boys shared the visitor’s room. I had the couch! J It was beautiful hearing their chitchat and seeing them as kids.

 

Saturday morning arrived and the kids were up around 7am....a nice sleep in for them (Usually they are up at 5!). We made a big breakfast (toast, cereal, hot chocolate and eggs). They watched to see how a toaster and a jug worked. They also enjoyed seeing the microwave. I asked someone to pray and Kevin prayed the most wonderful, Godly prayer (He’s such a gifted child and I know God has BIG things in store for his life!) They gulped it down with such care. After this, there was no time to waste.

The kids wanted to go back to school to have another play on the playground. We piled into the car and went back to play. They met some kids from Rosslyn and struck up a friendship with them. They borrowed the boys’ bikes, played games and swung again for about 2 hours! We then went to return the ball to my friend, Suzanne! She gave the kids some cookies to share. They kindly shared them with each other and offered me some too. We were walking back up to the car when they saw one of the boys they’d been playing with. I was ready to go by now so was trying to get them into the car...Kevin and Steven ran off to which I was like “come on guys”...and then they did the most wonderful thing. They each gave a cookie to the boy they’d been playing with and thanked him for letting them ride on his bike. As they came back I had tears in my eyes...I told them I was so proud of them. Nothing more needed to be said!

We then went and got my friend Teopard, who has become a really great friend and mentor to the Jesus Helpers’ kids. They were SO excited to see Uncle Teo (They LOVEEEE him!!) We went back to my house and the kids had to re-shower! We also had some yoghurt and packed up all the beds.

It was time to take the kids back home and they said they wanted to stay with my forever...I told them I wished that too. L On the way back the kids insisted that we take their brothers’ and sisters’ something special. We took the 2 cakes we had made and they wanted to take them bread. So we stopped at a shopping mall to buy bread. They were so excited to see a mall and to buy something for their siblings! It was precious.

We arrived home to excited families all around. They were happy the kids were back and I was sad to see them go. We then had a birthday party for my little baby Moses who turned 4! He was excited to have a freshly baked cake! It was then time to say goodbye.

I have said that every school holidays I will take 4 kids to my house for a treat...so now they have all promised to work hard at school so they can be chosen by Pastor!

I see God’s hand in these children. I see the way He has rescued them. I am thankful for the people who care for these orphans- day in, day out. I am overwhelmed by these people’s spirit of joy and love and peace. I am thankful that I see in these kids an attitude of hope. I am reminded of all I have. I am glad. I am happy. I am home.

Jesus saved me from a pit of despair...and he’s done the same for these kids too. In one sense, we are ALL orphans- until our heavenly father reaches in, we repent of our sins, we ask for forgiveness and God welcomes us into His family with open arms. Jesus died for us, so that we may live and live to the full. That’s what He did at Easter...and I’m glad I got to share this special holiday with those kids.

John 11:25-26Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.

 

I pray for these kids, that they may love fully and learn deeply so that they can continue sharing what they know with others. They WILL change the world...They sure changed mine....That’s all! J

 

Blessings,

x Aunty Waithera! :)