Month 1, Semester 2

Second semester has already started and I can feel the end of the year sneaking up on me, which is scary. By the time I post this will be the second month that I've been back in Sekenani, Kenya. There were many changes since I left, and many since I've gotten back! This was a long silence and I think I'm giving myself a break from weekly posts and doing updates periodically but less frequent. Shudear, Katie, and Lauran were only planning to stay here for the first semester, so this semester it's me and Danielle here at the Trust! Also, we have a volunteer nurse who is doing a couple months with us here as well! Her name is Randeep, and she comes and works with us on the weekend doing the same jobs we do. Here's the highlights that's happened each week since being here again! You guessed it, it's in pictures.

Week 1:

Update on the babies and girls: Collins left to another home since he was over a year, Shekinah went to boarding school. We also got a new girl here, Jen, who came seeking protection from her family situation. She is so smart and quizzes me on my mental math all the time. First count: 4 girls and 7 babies

Back in Kenya but this time with my parents for a week! We stopped at the coast first before coming to the trust for half a week.

Pictures from Safari 1 (with my parents)

Jeffrey, his mom, and his aunt visited for a weekend!

Pictures from Safari 2 (with Jeffrey and family)

This is the day we saw the big five in one day! If you don't know, that's the elephant, buffalo, lion, leopard, and rhino. According to our guide, seeing the big five in one day is extremely rare!

Week 2:

The highlight of this week was going to a school in the community. Three of our staff ladies (Maxi, Juliet, and Cecelia) are dental assistants and every so often they'll go to schools to give oral health presentations to the students.

Week 3:

This was a week of bittersweetness. Precious, one of the toddlers, went home. Since her mom didn't show signs of coming to get her, after much time we finally got in touch with her aunt. She came for the week to bond with Precious before leaving, and it went very well. Halfway through week, Precious left. Here's her farewell, we're so happy she's in a healthy home but sad to see her go.

(Precious on the left, Jen on the right)

A day later, Jen came into the kitchen where I was working and says, "Bye Auntie Sofi, I'm leaving." I said, "Oh okay! When?"

"Now."

That was another bittersweet day. Jen went without much warning to go off to a boarding school. This was phenomenal for her, she would stay from school while the other girls went every day since she wasn't enrolled (she came when the year had started), and she really wanted to go. I hope she's doing well!

Week 4:

We have a new baby! Her name is Marion. She's around 9 months old and the first few days she was scared of everyone and would cry, but now she's warmed up! Danielle and I accompanied Mom Clara in taking her and Joey to Narok for a doctor's appointment.

That's the highlights of January and a bit of February!

Final count: 3 girls 7 babies currently at the Trust

See you in the next entry!