When we arrived, we were given a tour of the facilities. Since our last trip in 2009, the facility has grown, as has the number of children. I was shown the kitchen that now has a tile floor. A lady was there preparing lunch and informed me that they eat 50 pounds of ugali (similar to grits) each day!
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| Making ugly for lunch |
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| Girls dorm houses 38 girls |
Another new addition is a posho mill. This is a place that grinds maize into flour and is then used to make ugali. They use the mill both for their own corn and also for the community. By keeping a percentage of the ground maize brought in from the community the mill helps feed the children.
Our girls particularly enjoyed the school room which is used to teach elementary age students. The ABC’s, 123’s, and shapes were all sewn on something similar to burlap sacks with yarn.
One thing the girls loved at Umoja were the hens. They have over 200 laying hens so they can sell eggs to missionaries and to the community as a source of income.
After we met with Joseph, the man who runs the orphanage. The children introduced themselves, quoted scripture and sang songs. They have an electric piano and one of the boys is quite talented. He is teaching some of the other boys how to play. We then went outside where our girls played and jumped rope with the children there.
What an eye opening time it was for our girls. And it also reminded us of the beautiful picture of adoption given in the Bible. It is truly amazing that God has adopted us as his sons and daughters (Romans 8:15–17).
