What a weekend! My team had an awesome farewell weekend with the kids at Great Mercy Orphanage. Friday night we had a dance party with the kids and their faces lit up! Talk about a good time, kids were breaking it down and throwing water in the air. Even the littlest 4 year old was moving and grooving. This dance party was their reward for being consistent with drinking water and they really loved it (and so did we!)
On Saturday morning we got 83 pairs of brand new school shoes in for the kids who really needed shoes. They lined up outside anxiously waiting for a new pair of shoes; we brought in about 10 kids at a time and fitted them with new shoes and they left with smiles! The kids wrote thank you notes to us before we left and this is what some of them said:
We promise you that we will keep the shoes well we will not spoil them thank you very much! -Phoebe
I did not know that one day I could wear such beautiful shoes like these. -Anthony
We were surprised to see those shoes coming into our school, some of us did not have shoes but you have helped us. -Millicent
Thank you for buying me shoes, I am so happy to have these beautiful shoes. I will remember what you have done and also help other people one day. -Jairus
Saturday evening we watched the Lion King with the kids and they loved it. We had everyone singing “Hakuna Matata” by the end of the movie. I realized that they even speak some Swahili in the Lion King and all the kids were laughing.
It was a really fun way to end our stay at Great Mercy on Sunday we were blessed with farewell presents and notes. The girls received purses and skirts and the boys received bags and authentic African shirts. We took lots of pictures and gave lots of hugs as we said goodbye to the children and said our final prayers for them.
I have been blessed by the ministry that Great Mercy is doing and I have learned so much from my time here. I will be taking away many good memories!
