Tuesday: Big Morning for All (Anne)

We met with Elizabeth Chester last night who is the Associate Director of OVC (Orphans and Vulnerable Children) with AMPATH. She set up the morning with the 9 youth: two youth went with a Community Health Worker to make home visits. I wasn't sure at first since us adults were going to stay behind. Although I trust the AMPATH program and I trust our youth, I felt a bit like a parent letting my children go off on their own. I think all the adults felt that way! But we knew it was going to be a transformational experience for them, so we sent them off this morning with Elizabeth.

While they were gone, we went to Mosorit to see the clinic and women's shelter. The shelter was built by the North Youth group 4 years ago. The trees that they planted were quite large - Mary Jo was so pleased to be back there! :) While we were checking out the place, we noticed children surrounding us on all sides. They were from Mosorit Junior Academy: a boarding school up to class 8. They grabbed our hands and took us into their class rooms. (I met another Anne Marie and she was quite pleased to know we shared names!) Then the main teacher called an assembly - all the children circled up with the shortest in the front. They asked us to speak, so several of us stepped up and spoke to them. Anything we said brought a round of applause! :) Eventually they had to get back to class, and as we walked away we were each swarmed with children wanting to shake our hands. We got back to the shelter and then the children were back in the yard doing "gym class." With singing and dancing they exercised and entertained us all at once.

We met up with the rest of the group at Cool Stream cafe for lunch (it is on the AMPATH campus). The youth were exhausted physically and emotionally from their morning. They interviewed guardians of the OVC which will go into the records to keep track of the families they serve. Elizabeth then informed us that this was the first time they had taken youth on home visits and because they did such a great job, this will become part of other group visits. In fact, I think Brebeuf's group (with Annie Garau) will do the same thing next week thanks to the precedent our group set. What else would you expect? They're North Youth! :)

Now we're all taking a break for a bit. Later this afternoon we'll go into town. Sarah Ellen is looking for a scavenger hunt that we can use - otherwise, we'll just explore and check out the town.

More pictures from yesterday at STPC (Sally Test Pedatric Center) below...








This picture taken by Michael - he asked for my camera, mastered it and took wonderful photos of all of us.















Helping Moses on the tricycle.

Playing jump rope with Esther (in purple dress).