First Day at Mercy Care Centre

Yesterday with all the travel and mess up with my carry on bag & 5 others, it was a really LONG 18 hours of traveling.  But, it was all worth it.  This morning we got on the bus and headed into the valley.  You think by looking at pictures you can get a pretty good image of what it is like.  But there is nothing that can prepare you for the VAST reaching arm of poverty here in Mathare Valley.  We passed many thousands and thousands of shacks made of tin or cinder blocks.  Each had its own purpose.  There were motels, hair "salons", and even furniture makers.  

David, they make their furniture from Cyprus or Teak.  They were using hand planes because there is very little access to electricity in the valley.  

Besides the shacks lining the road, you could peak down side dirt paths lined with trash and see the valley below and see a streaming line of tin roofs.  It was an unbelievable site. We turned a corner and I can not describe the site.  This time it was horrific, it was beautiful.  

There was a sea of blue.  No, not quite the ocean, but just as beautiful in site and sound!  The children were lining the road to the school in their blue school uniforms  and singing welcoming songs, bible songs and with the most beautiful voices I have ever heard.  After the bus passed each group, the all followed the bus and continued to sing.  I was completely overwhelmed.  Once again the pictures can not describe the feeling, sites nor sounds anywhere near reality.  

The school has improved SO much. The attendance is back up since the riots in the winter to 450.  There are 100 preschool children in ONE room.  But, the kids don't seem to mind even though they have to take a "nap" sitting at their desks with their heads down because their is not enough room for them to lay down.  

Going from room to room, grade to grade was awesome.  The preschool teachers have used plastic woven feed sacks that their food comes in from Feed the Children to make educational posters.  They are very good with such rough materials!  

I think the thing that amazed me the most was how happy every child seemed to be.  Now don't get me wrong, there were true signs that they were just like our children in many ways.  I saw two scuffling to be this first in line.  But, to have no playground, no toys, few musical instruments - I'll get back to that in a minute, these children were genuinely happy to see us.  It was amazing! 

After we had given each child a t-shirt, been introduced to the some of the teachers and had chai tea, we were invited to go out to the schoolyard where they performed some amazing monologues, songs and dramas that they have won many awards for.  There is truly some talented children at this school. 

One step closer

Today was extraordinarily difficult!  I tried to not get too upset for Gabe's sake, but when he called after I had been gone about an hour and was crying so hard.  It broke my heart. Hopefully he will be okay and enjoy the time with Daddy and all the special things he has planned.  Grayson was not upset - he's a daddy's boy....He said, "Bye Mom." and fell asleep while he was watching The Waltons.  Can't get much better than that!  :-)

Tomorrow morning will be stressful trying to get 60 bags checked.  Once we are though the security everything will be down hill!  

Good night!

My last night at home

Well, I tried sleeping and that did not work, so I thought I would jot down some words instead.  Tonight was really sweet.  I asked the both the boys to sing me a song as I tucked them in.  Grayson sang Twinkle, Twinkle the Old McDonald.  Gabe sang Away in the Manger.  I should have recorded them on my iPod so I could listen to them on the trip.  I might do that tomorrow.  Neither of them noticed the tears streaming down my face as I read them their book.  It was hard to think I won't be doing that for 14 nights!  

David and I are going to be busy tomorrow trying to get all of those bags in my car!  I wasn't thinking it would be any problem, but I forgot about my 2 carry ons  and the tennis equipment bag!!!!

Bye for tonight.  Going to try sleep one more time.

WOW!

I was so excited to read my new message from Patrick, the lead teacher (principal) at Mercy Care Centre.  His words definitely gave me a calming feeling as my heart and soul and excited and nervous at the same time about the nearing departure!  The tennis bag is packed which is going to be so much fun for me to show these children the fun of tennis - guess that will be my Wimbledon this year!  ;-)

Introductions

Hi! I am Toni Sheets from Mount Sidney, Virginia.  I got involved with the Mercy Care Centre through my friend Bethany Butcher when she worked in Augusta County.  I have come to know and adore her entire family. It amazes me the things that can be accomplished when a need is known how people open up their hearts, shoe closets and even wallets to help another human in need.  I hope that this trip will allow me to open my heart to the human race and God's children.  It is these those little beings that are going to give me a completely new outlook on the world and life and why we are here on this Earth!  

My family has supported me in amazing ways.  My husband, David, my two sons, Gabe,7, and Grayson, 3, will be viewing the blogs and sending well wishes while the team is gone.  

About me....I work for Augusta County Schools as an assistive technology resource teacher. Before that, I worked as an instructional technology resource teacher for 7 years and started my career as a classroom teacher.  Hopefully my educational experience will help at the school.  I am also taking some tennis equipment donated from our local tennis pro and tennis association.  It will be fun to introduce a new sport to the students at Mercy Care Centre.  

I am looking forward to the trip and the experiences to be had!