Kimisagara

After lunch on Sunday, our team split. Half went to the Best Family and half to Kimisagara Orphanage. I went to Kimisagara. We drove for a bit and then stopped at the bottom of a hill. Kimisagara is a very needy orphanage. There are about 100 children there. The biggest need they always have is for food, so we brought some with us. As we arrived, we unloaded the van. I was standing there, when someone put their hand in mine. I looked down to see this little girl and couldn't help thinking that she was awfully bold to take a stranger's hand. Where are her parents? Is she from the orphanage? Her name was Anj and I don't think she was from the orphanage. Later in my trip, I would realize that many children just come and take your hand. It's such a beautiful thing... it connects us a people. It's so simple to hold a hand, yet with it comes such compassion and love.
A bunch of boys from the orphanage came down the hill and immediately took the large bags of rice and other food from us, lifting it to their head like it weighed nothing. We are so weak :) A boy took me by the hand and led me across the street and we started up the hill. Part way up a girl came and led me by the hand. These kids booked it up this hill, pulling us along. :)

As we entered the orphanage, we came through a narrow passage. The building is on a cliff up the hill and there were rooms on one side and a wall on the other. Immediately we were surrounded by many children. Toddlers would walk right up into your legs, wanting to be hugged. It was overwhelming! Each of us on the team were literally surrounded by children, each holding onto us. We weren't really sure what to do. I started asking names and would just smile a lot. Eventually Jane, our guide, had the children split into groups. The boys stayed in the bigger area to do rec, and the girls went into 4 rooms, by ages, for us to do crafts with them.

I was in a room with the older girls. We'd brought beads and string to make bracelets with. Jillian and I showed them what to do, and the girls dove in. They knew some English, but wouldn't really speak to us. We'd ask questions, and be answered in silence, or the girls giggling or speaking in Rwandan. It was difficult. Eventually, a few started to talk with us, and a couple toddlers joined on our laps too which lightened the mood.

We'd been asking the girls to sing for us. All of a sudden, one of the girls who'd seemed stand-offish started singing a little, walking around the room. She then came and sat right next to me and said, "You sing for us!" :) So, I sang a song from my childhood about Jesus walking on the water. After, she began to sing a song in English. It wasn't a common song, so uncommon that I can't for the life of me remember it now, but I knew it in the moment and got to sing it with her. It was such a special moment with this girl.

  After crafts, all of us went back to the main area to hang out. One of the team members had brought letters from her home church and she read them to the group with Jane's translation. Most of the rest of our time, we simply were with the children. There wasn't a program or structure. Just being with them. One girl, also named Jane (left of me in the picture below) was with me for the afternoon. She was so sweet and gentle. I really enjoyed her. She would help me translate. When she was talking to me about my family, she found out I have brothers. She said, "You tell your brother that I love him." so silly.

  Another little boy came and sat with me. He had a mask they made in craft time, and loved my sunglasses.

It was so hard to leave this place. This children wouldn't let go. I don't think they have very many visitors, but they are so sweet. Kimisagara is run by an older man. I didn't see other workers, but there are many older boys there who really take leadership in helping the younger ones. In taking to one of them, he told me that when he grew up, he was called to care for the orphans. He was only 14 and yet you can see that he is being impacted by the man who runs things here and wants to be part of caring for children. It was inspiring. Before leaving, we got a tour of this small place. To the left is the view from Kimisagara, high on the hill. The kitchen was bare, with an old stove and big pot... really not a kitchen. There was the larger area where the children play which was really quite small. There were 4 or 5 rooms where there are a couple bunks that are shared and then mattresses are laid on the floor for the others to sleep on. They convert into classrooms in the day. And then there was the shower area- 3 small shower stalls and 3 small rooms with holes for a toilet. What a reality check. We are so very rich. As I said, this was the neediest place I visited and my heart goes out to them. Please be praying that God would meet their needs.