First Day of School!

This morning was the first day of school for our kids in the orphanage.  In the past two weeks they have moved from living in compounds into our new home and have had MANY adjustments.  From understanding how to use a refrigerator to realizing there are consequences for your actions, everything has been a new experience.  They have been remarkable and I am so proud of them!

I woke up this morning to pouring rain, which is no surprise since it is rainy season.  The kids were anxious about today and I knew it was a big deal for them.  We have spent the past two weeks getting uniforms, new shoes, belts, grey socks (have to be grey!), and they received brand new backpacks for Christmas.  The orphanage doesn’t have a car so I jumped in one of ours and called Jennifer, the house mom to tell her I will drive the kids to school since it was pouring rain.  I got there to find all 8 kids fully dressed in their uniforms and rain gear on ready to go.  I was shocked to see this!  I figured we would be getting them ready for school and frantically looking for socks, shoes etc… at least that is how it happened in my house growing up.  Instead I found that they had been up since 5AM in anticipation. 

We sat inside for a while and talked about the day and checked to make sure we had water bottles and our new shoes were tied.  Then we took some first day of school photos:

After our individual photos we took a group photo with their rain gear on.

And then finally it was time for school!  I threw the small girls in the back of the car and got everyone piled in and drove the short distance to the school.  It was raining so hard and the dirt roads were like rivers.  After hitting many mud holes we made it.  I was concerned about the kids since they have never been to a school this nice and I didn’t know protocol on how to drop them off or anything.  Luckily the headmaster, Ms. Mbwewe was standing at the front waiting for us.  It helps when you have 8 children in the school, people seem to know you.  She met us at the car and quickly said thank you and started walking them to their classes. 

And I stood there like a lost parent,  THAT WAS IT?!!  They just walk away?!?  I was so sad, I wanted to go in the classrooms with them and get them all settled in their desks and make sure we didn’t loose the rainjackets we have paid an arm and a leg for!  What about Dorothy’s lunch, is she going to remember where her water bottle is? I didn’t even get to remind Peter to make sure to walk everyone home on the main road!

I jumped back in the car and drove away for the day wondering what I was supposed to do now?!  And then I quickly remembered the many meetings I was supposed to be in and the lost luggage I needed to try to find at the airport. 

When school gets out at 4PM I think I just might have to sneak over there and try to spy on them as they walk home to make sure they take the correct route.  Since white girls with blonde hair can blend in so easily over here 🙂

– Alissa