Ingrid's Kenyan Journal, Part 3, July 29, 2010

My new favorite Kenyan smile

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Chikomani - Painting Windridge School, Visiting

Windridge school in Chikomani in the distance, from the porch of KCC

Walking to Chikomani

View of KCC and BTW Workshop in Mnyenzeni, from the Windridge School

New addition at Windridge school, roof being finished as we painted

Cindy painting, this worker jumped into the photo as I was taking it

School kids enjoy watching us work, sitting in desks in front of the school

After breakfast we walked to Chikomani. We were going there to paint and turn the new classroom over to the Windridge school and community. We painted Cindy's new classroom. It truly looked like it had been finished that morning. We were painting over wet mortar.

Our group painting inside the classroom

Sam painting a window opening

A boy shows off his homemade toy

Block making machine and blocks used to build schools

Cindy's 6th grade class raised the money last year to build the extra classroom.   I am certain the parents and students are very happy about the new addition to the school and also the teaching aids the the Workman's and Tingey's brought with them.

Mike, Cindy and Anthony addressing the teachers and parents

Curt with books to give to the teachers

 While the Workmans were handing the school over, several of our group was playing with the kids.

Catelin reading to kids outside the Windridge school

Nearly completely painted Wind Ridge school

Cindy and Mike were celebrated, they left reading books and teaching aids with the teachers, then we hopped into vans and headed back to the KCC.

We had tuna fish sandwiches and oranges for lunch at the KCC. The Frampton parents and Austin hadn't yet arrived from Mombasa, so a group of us headed to the Sean Michels school. I hadn't seen it finished. We broke ground for it the last time I was here in the fall of 2007. We were greeted by Jemimah, the head teacher for the SMS, and trained in teaching special needs kids, and Egga, the matron who cares for the children and sleeps in the girls dorm at night. They introduced us to the kids that were there and took us through the facilities.  The kids are currently attending classes at the Miyani primary school, which is on the same grounds as the SMS. The kids sleep at the school, and have net covered beds in the separate dorm rooms, girls on one side with Egga and the boys on the other side. There are toilets and a place for bathing on each side as well, plus a small food prep/storage room and a room that houses the solar lighting battery.

Sean Michels School for Special Needs in Miyani, Kenya

Girls dorm at SMS

4 of the children went out to swing on the swing set that was made by Hal Peery during the March trip. No one in the area had ever experienced a swing set at the time. Even the workers who made it didn't know how to use it. If the kids didn't understand how to swing at that time, they certainly do understand it now. They were happily swinging for a long time, pumping hard and getting some great height. This swing is a coveted item, and the kids realize how lucky they are to have possession of it. It is for the exclusive use of the SMS kids.



Bret brought Beja, a little boy with cerebral palsy, out to a set of parallel bars, and he worked his way, all by himself, quickly from one end to the other. It was pretty amazing, considering that in March this little boy could barely raise his head off the floor, and had spent the majority of his young life sitting on the floor, on his bent under legs, without moving. Bret had him do his bar trick a few times, and since Bret witnessed the helplessness of Beja in March, it brought him to tears to watch him do so well.



It was great to see Jemimah and Egga working with the kids. They are kind and patient, and good to the children.

Jemimah, Bret and Egga at SMS

We returned to the KCC, although a group stayed at Miyani to distribute pencils there. Shelley, Jason and Austin Frampton had arrived so we greeted them then they returned with us to the SMS with some clothing for the children sent by Matt Reinhardt from CWD Kids in Richmond, VA. We arrived at the school and the Framptons were able to see the building and talk to Jemimah and get a feel for what we have done there. Sherrie went as well. We were able to give a new outfit to each of the girls and a shirt for each of the boys, we had the kids demonstrate the swing and the parallel bars for the Frampton's, then headed back to the KCC.

SMS Kids with new clothes from CWD in Richmond, VA

Bret with Beja and his million dollar smile

Bret's girls

 "Bret's girls" Phyllis, Nancy and Lucky, arrived with their mother. He visited with them, feeding them cookies and water and providing them with an outfit. The Framptons played with kids in front of KCC, soccer, bubbles, jump rope, and just getting Austin acclimated to the experience. Unfortunately, Kenyan kids are physical and can be cruel when they play.  The Framptons are brave to bring Austin to Kenya.  He is officially the youngest person to come on an expedition with Koins, and his Downs presents issues that most of us don't have to worry about.  Keeping him clean, safe, fed and happy are priorities.

Austin with Mnyenzeni locals

McCall and Jason jumping rope with village kids

For dinner we had macaroni and cheese, squash soup, avocados and tomatoes. I think it was a good choice. Austin liked it.

After dinner we had our usual round of games, journaling and visiting.  Another day full of activity.