Karibu Felix and Roy

Felix and I visiting at his elementary school

Today we decided to bring two new boys into the Jemo House crew.  They will not be living with us, but will be sponsored at home with their caregiver.  Their names are Felix and Roy :)  Felix is in 4th grade and has a mischievous smile that will melt you.  Roy, Felix's older brother,  is in 7th grade and is sweet and shy.  Their story is unfathomable but sadly not uncommon here.  Their parents died when they were very young, as did their 6 uncles and aunts.  Their grandfather took on the care of the 15 grandchildren that were left behind.  Their grandmother had already passed away, and the grandfather remarried some time later.  Last year, they lost their grandfather.  A friend of ours told us their story so we went to the home to visit this adoptive step-grandmother.   There are no pensions or retirement accounts here, so she was living off the land, feeding the kids from her shamba (fields).  The problem was she had absolutely no money coming in to pay for things like school fees, medical care and uniforms.  Some of the other children had sponsors or community programs that were helping with basic needs, but Felix and Roy did not have any resources.  When we visited their compound I was very surprised to see an immaculate yard and several mud homes (probably built by the children's parents before the died).  They were simple, but very well kept.  They boys each had a bed, blanket and a mosquito net.  (I have a theory that you can tell how well a child is cared for by seeing where they sleep).  It appears they are very well taken care of, but they just need a little help.  So help we shall provide!  We stopped by the Felix's school a few days later and his teacher commented on what a change has come over this sweet little boy.  She said he had started raising his hand to answer questions a lot, he was excited, engaged, even a little giddy.  A Kenyan way of describing this is to say, " He has become very bright."  I love that term and the thought of how light works in people's lives, sometimes to the point where you can immediately see the change when it enters.  It is proof-as if we need it-that hope is never to be underestimated.

Jessie