This week at Ilula Children's Home

~ by Caroline Kiptoo | Administrative Assistant
Ilula Children's Home

We thank God for his love, care, provision and protection upon our lives in Ilula Children's Home. Everyone is doing well and all the children are healthy. No one has been sick this week and we praise God!

It has been a busy week for the children as they are revising for the end of term II exams starting next week. The older children have also been helping a lot with laundry in the evening after school because our washing machine is broken. They have known how to wash their clothes and are willing to help the assistant parents do the washing. The younger children help with chores like washing their rooms, corridors, brushing their school shoes and picking their clothes from the clothes line.

The nursery school kids had an exciting week as they received games kits from school on Wednesday. They were very happy and they want to wear them all the time. Brian, Kelvin, Edison, Ruth, Caleb and Carole made sure that they passed by the office to show me their new games kits. They are so excited! We have 8 children celebrating their birthdays this month. They were happy to have a joint party and to celebrate with the NewSong team while in Ilula. Diana Jelimo who is being sponsored by Dan Perrine was among those celebrating their birthdays. She was very happy to celebrate in the company of her sponsor.

Our children are very concerned about their education and their future lives. They would like to be doctors, teachers, pilots, engineers, surgeons, artists etc. They are working hard in school and get encouraged by seeing other people who have made it in life. For example, this week Virginia Rono (Laban Rono's daughter) graduated from Jomo Kenyatta University in Nairobi. Our children were happy, encouraged and challenged to work harder when they saw Virginia arrive home in her graduation gown. They hugged her and congratulated her for the good work. Some of them even tried to fit in Virginia's gown. Many children were heard afterwards saying, "I want to work hard so that one day I can wear a gown like Virginia's".

Chepsat's and Rono's children can't wait to move in to their new gazebos. They are so excited and makes sure that they visit their new gazebo's 3 or 4 times a day. They do so especially at lunch time from school to see the progress of the gazebos and whether there is any new thing which was not there in the morning. Every family shall be able to have their own gazebo where they will be taking their meals, devotions and family time together. The kids are very curious to know when they will move to the gazebos.

The Ilula children enjoy sports/games very much. They like playing volleyball, basketball and soccer. They normally play after finishing their duties every evening and during the weekends. They say they want to retain their trophies they won last year in Kipkaren Children's Home during this year's competition. Dancers continue every evening with their practice. They normally present at church on Sunday's and during other function.

The western wing children harvested their carrots and black night shade this week. They sold them so that they can buy seedlings to plant other crops. It is a rainy season now and the children are preparing their small farm beds for planting. They get encouraged and motivated when they harvest the crops they planted themselves. The eastern wing continues to take care of their rabbits and hens. They feed them 3 times a day and have a duty roster to ensure they are attended to everyday.

The children enjoy spending time with the intern Alwin. They like playing with him, working with him and hearing stories from him. One child said, "I like our new intern, he is very strong and above all loves Jesus and he teaches us the word of God everyday".

Two of our children Hillary and Fridah represented Samro School in the Kenya Music Festivals. They went to Kericho (provincial) for 3 days. Hillary was presenting public speaking while Fridah was doing a solo verse poem. Although they did not make to the National level, they are encouraged that it was a good trial despite being their first time. All the children are determined to get to the Nationals next year.

It has actually been a successful week in Ilula. Praise the Lord!