Farm visit and House of Hope orphanage

Yesterday was a great day.

We visited a 5acre farm where Willy, Kami's sister's sponsoree for the past 3 years, works. Willy was a displaced person 3 years ago, today he is the head of animal health at this intensive farm.
Mikey, our sponsoree, was with us. It was fun for Mike to see his first automated milking machine and a career he can aspire to attain.

After the farm we went to House of Hope (HOH). HOH is an orphanage for babies that are disposed of in the nearby slum. Mothers abandon or want to abort their babies, and HOH staff save the babies and offer counseling.
We heard the story of each beautiful child in the orphanage (about 40 kids, the organization has run for only 1 year).  The Word of Life church in Red Deer, Alberta kick-started this orphanage. They have dreams for a larger building as well as to obtain foster parent and adoption status as an orphanage.

Enjoy the cute faces... (we did!)

Home of Hope (orphanage for abandoned, unwanted babies of a Nairobi slum)

Orphanage "moms"/caregivers

Pastor George

Sweet, lovable, wonderful (!), unwanted baby of incest.

Tiniest baby. 1 month old.

2 little gaffers.
Baby Jadon on the bottom... left for 4 days  locked in a house at 9months old.
He was found skeleton-like with his fingers chewed raw.
HOH saved him and now he is doing very well!

Wayne with HOH workers

We loved this little guy. So happy, full of smiles.

Little girl, born with HIV. At 6 months she is HIV FREE! A miracle!!

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Wayne playing "airplane" 

Sweet 4 yr old. They think she may have autism.
Very warm girl.

Nap time.

                                                    WWW.HOMEOFHOPE.CA
                                                 EMAIL: homeofhope@gmx.com

From "displaced person" (2009) to Animal Health Tech (2012), sponsorship has helped Willy become self-sufficient and given him opportunity to become his dream profession!

Willy with new motorcycle

Visit to the farm Willy manages as Animal Health Technition

talking milking...

feed mixer & grinder

Intensive and CLEAN operation

Mike - first time to see automatic milking

Willy checking for mastitis

And what's your name?

Help! I'm going to die! (oh, I just got picked up, that's all)

"That's my baby"

From the same litter!

Beloved Mukeu

We spent this last week in our "home" village of Mukeu, a 2hr matatu ride from Nairobi. This is where our Kenyan family lives and where we have both spent many wonderful days before (Wayne in 2009, Kami in 2009 & 2010).
It was amazing to reunite with familiar faces, see changes and some "same ol's". The kids & calves grew, but the adults look the same!
This area is beautiful. We both love getting back to the country, out in the hills, mountains (on the horizon) & fields, with cattle, sheep, goats, donkeys... gumboots and work clothes... fresh, cool air... It was refreshing (at 8,500 ft above sea level) in so many ways.
The project we hoped to start (an expansion of a maternity clinic in the village) didn't take off because of disagreement among the village leaders... so! we spent our time building relationship, working on small projects, and helping out where we could.
By now you know that we love pictures so see for yourself!

Wayne & Kami

Mukeu Pictures

Our first Matatu ride to Mukeu!

Matatu in Nairobi

Bruce & Daniel

Harrison, Mike, Wayne

Wayne working on chainsaw with little onlookers

The farm

Local butchery

New baby

4yr old Gail & Wayne playing "hi-5" & "fists"

Someone stole someone elses sunnies :)

Playing with the kidlets

beautiful one

Going to town

tourist attraction

friends

Dressed in gumboots and tucked-in pants for our 4k walk to church

Some handsome dudes kickin around Mukeu ;)

Foggy days

Our favorite Mikey :)

Did we mention we were a "tourist attraction"?

Buying produce

"shopping" with our fans surrounding

sweet little one

Burning corn in the cookhouse - smokey!!

Mike the corn burner

Mike's family (Margaret, Geoffrey, Peter)

Mukeu farmland

Leaving on the Piki piki for the matatu back to Nairobi
(Mike, Kami, Johanna)