First, Happy Mother’s Day to all you mothers and caregivers of all types. Spending time at a children’s home where the children do not have mothers was something pretty amazing. Day in and day out these Aunties take care of these children when they also have children at home. We also found out that they have not been paid since the beginning of the year which makes it even more amazing. Some of the money that you all have donated will be going to help them and we can’t thank you enough.

It was also Sunday and wanted to share with you what 7am looks and sounds like at the home. There is a girls boarding high school across the street and their beautiful voices are heard very

So, what are you eating over there?

Well, glad you asked. Today seemed to be all about food for some reason. Let’s start with the children. Every child from the age of 3ish and over eat the same meal. What ever is served for meals is served for everyone. Here is a menu that shows the meals. Meals are served in tin bowls and eaten with hands and sometimes a spoon.

The babies also eat solid foods out of tin bowls and fed by the Aunties and the children. They also have milk after lunch and water after dinner. Feeding 10 babies at once does take all hands of deck.

Auntie Rena is the cook for the home and is here every day from 6am to 6pm. We were introduced to Omeno today. It is a tiny fish that is readily caught in Lake Victoria. You can buy it on the streets where you see it drying in piles. They use it for protein for the children since they don’t get much of that. It is boiled and makes a soup file the babies and stirred into rice for the older ones.

As far as Tom and I, we have Auntie Lois cooking for us. She cooks us 3 meals a day from the food that we buy in town or at the market. Breakfast is always scrambled eggs with vegetables. Lunch ranges from cold vegetable salad and rice or left overs from the night before. Dinner can be rice and beans, chapati and vegetables or ugali and greens, Tonight was chapati, bean stew and yes, omeno.

For Mother’s Day we had a cake made to celebrate the Aunties, Mama Jacinta and Auntie Lauren (missionary) for their amazing dedication.

It is now after 9pm and as I write this blog I wanted to share with you what every night sounds like. Each night the night-shift Aunties say sing their evening prayers to watch over all of their children as they sleep-just like mothers do.