Better To Own Something Than Be Owned By Someone. Family #8: Mama Victor

A brief recap:
One of the largest factors of trafficking in persons--especially in the developing world--is poverty. A lack of means to provide for their families leads people to accept "too good to pass up" employment offers, often at the expense of freedom and dignity.

If only 2% of trafficking victims are ever rescued (and 80% of those rescued will go on to be trafficked again), if a true count of victims is unknown (and seemingly unknowable) because the crime is so well-hidden, then the most promising solution must be prevention.

With a stable source of income, families and their children will never need to search for employment in places that may take advantage of them. And so, I've launched a program to provide business opportunities to local families. I believe it's better to own something than be owned by someone.

So far, I've introduced you to seven families {here and here} and, over the course of this week, I'd like you to meet four or five more. {This afternoon, we're trying to make it to see two or three...and I can't wait!}

Since long recaps are overwhelming {for me to write and for you to read} I thought I'd break it up and introduce you to one family at a time.

First, here's the beginnings of seven farms. How fun is that?!

Each time we load up the car with items like these, I am giddy with excitement to bring them to the families. Imagine someone handing you a gift that will generate income to both sustain your child's health and development AND relieve that stressful "where will I get the money to...?" feeling that, for many families all over the world, is a constant.

What a joy it is to be able to give these types of gifts thanks to your generosity and support!

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We have found that Sunday afternoons seem to be the best time to visit, since nearly everyone is home resting and preparing for another busy week. So, last Sunday, after church, we headed out to see six families: three first visits and three follow-ups.

Mama Victor // seeds



Victor {in the red and blue beanie} is 8-years old and was born with Schizencephaly, which, essentially, means one side of his brain never developed. {His brain scans are completely dark on one side.} His mother, Phoebe, had him at fifteen and, though she loves Victor very much, she struggled to provide him with the level of care he needs.

She and Victor live with her mother and younger siblings, but with the adults at work and the kids at school, Victor was often left alone in the house all day. And so, a few months ago, he came to live at the Precious Kids Center. {Read more of Victor's story here.}

Phoebe visits often and even brings his younger sisters and grandmother {seen above, on the left, holding Victor's youngest sister, Faith} along when possible.

Victor knows his mom's voice and will instantly smile and laugh as soon as he hears her walk in. One afternoon, as she and I sat in the living room and she held Victor {then Julius and Isaac, two boys who, like Victor, can not sit on their own and need to be fed} and I held Faith {because, look at how cute she is and excuse the fly on my head!} we tried our hardest to make conversation through my beginner's Swahili.

This young mother has done her best to care for her son. That afternoon, I saw the depth of her love and compassion as she held her son, and other children whose stories she does not know, but whose struggles she can identify with. When she left, I knew I wanted to help her family begin a small business.

During our visit on Sunday, Phoebe and her mother explained to us {well, to Sammy, who translated for me...I'm getting there, but still have trouble translating at the speed of excited chatter} about the crops that grow best in their village. {Since they are far from the river, they prefer plants that don't need much water.} Her mother even ran outside and brought back samples of the crops to show us.

So, this week, we'll be picking up the seeds and delivering them to this sweet and loving family! I am really excited to show you their progress and follow along as both the farm, and Victor, grow.

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If you would like to be part of changing the trajectory of the lives of families like these--with a one-time gift of $30--you can do so in one of two ways:

// Tax-deductible giving //

Checks made payable to Reaching Beyond Ourselves can be mailed to:

Allison Hibbard

c/o Reaching Beyond Ourselves

39 Donatello

Aliso Viejo, CA 92656

// Online giving (non tax-deductible) //

You can give via Paypal: allihibb@gmail.com

Or online: gofundme.com/allihibb

Small Business Updates, Launches, And Goals

In the two weeks since I announced the launch of this new small-business project with the hope of offering sustainable sources of income to families who may otherwise seek employment in places or from people that may take advantage of them, so many great things have happened:

• Many have asked how to support these small businesses. Thank you so much for your belief in this program and for your excitement to join in! {Donation information can be found at the end of this post or on the right-hand side of the page.}

• A few donations have come in so far! which means...

• We've been able to identify more families who could benefit from this program and begin plans for their start-ups! 

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First, an update on those whose start-ups have begun:

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Mama Rispah // shop

(I wish I had a better photo, but the lighting was terrible and I had walked there and the route finishes with a huge, steep, rocky hill, so I was awfully sweaty and out-of-breath when we arrived. Next time we visit, I'll go by car so I can make sure to pay more attention to the documentation process.)

What was once a shop filled with buckets of charcoal--which is a big seller!--now carries even more necessities for day-to-day life in that neighborhood: laundry soap, bath soap, tea, salt, sugar and matches. Many of the items had almost run out due to popular demand and Mama Rispah was telling me, with excitement, of her plan to restock.

Yesterday, her youngest grandson came to school in a new-to-him pair of high tops (as opposed to his old crocs or worn flip flops) which he was SO excited to show me. I love the small, tangible ways this extra income is already improving the lives of Mama Rispah's family. I'm hoping to make another visit sometime this week to see how the inventory is holding up.

Baba Boniface // farm


Each time I meet Baba Boniface--Steve--I like him more and more. One afternoon last week, we went to pick out the types of crops he would like to grow and he, excitedly, talked about the various types of each vegetable and how they vary in price, cultivation, and even taste. He went home with two different tomato plants and one package of cabbage. {He'd also, very helpfully, chosen the kale seeds for Jackson, Allan, and Paul's farm.}

As we were waiting to take this picture, (with his son Boniface) he told me that he would be heading home to prepare the soil and would let me know when he was ready to plant so I could come and take more photos of the process.

Looking at the prices on these seeds, I was (again) shocked by how helpful this relatively small gift can be. This man, who knows quite a bit about planting and tending crops from his years of working the farms of others--who makes the equivalent of a few dollars a week--would have to save for years (barring any unforeseen expenses or emergencies) to have a spare 750 shillings (about $7) to purchase just this packet of cabbage seeds. And now, thanks to your generosity, he and his family will have an entire acre of vegetables to harvest and sell come January!

A quick update on Mama Rose. I received a donation specifically for Mama Rose's chicken business (thank you so much!) and wanted to share that it is also in the works! We have plans to begin construction of the chicken coop this week, but are awaiting the end of the rainy season to purchase the chickens themselves in hopes of longer life-spans once the cold (and chicken-disease-ridden) weather passes.

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And now for a few of the new families!

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Eve // hair salon

Eve is a single mother with two children. A few years ago, she participated in a women's Bible study run by Sammy and a few other American college students who spent several back-to-back summers serving here. She's been a dear friend to Sammy ever since.

We visited her house, where we met her son Barack and heard a bit about her dream to open a hair salon. She had no idea why we'd come to see her...she thought we were just stopping by for a visit. What a fun surprise it was, at the end of her story, to tell her we'd like to help make her dream a reality!

Kenyan women (of all ages) have their hair done in various styles (weaves, plates, braids) about once a month. Eve knows how to do hair, but could not afford the salon-quality blow dryer required to get the business up-and-running. Customers bring most of their own items, (combs, rubber bands, beads, or hair extensions) so all the stylist needs is a blow dryer, but this is still quite an investment for a single mother of two.

Eve is warm and welcoming. We walked to a few nearby homes to meet her landlady (and a man who wanted to say thank you for the treatment he received from a recent medical clinic provided by a team from Texas!) and drew quite the crowd--she knew them all by name. When we arrived back at her house and I asked to take her picture, she invited all of the neighborhood kids to join.

The next day, Sammy and I brought her her very own blow dryer. When she opened the bag and saw the box and said, "Oh! I'm so happy I could jump up and down! God bless you! God bless you so much!" before hugging both of us. Even though it was nearly dinnertime, she quickly said, "Oh! I'm going to look for work today!" I am really, really looking forward to watching how this small tool will help shape her family's future.

Lea // seeds


As we talked with Eve, her landlady came by to say hello. She had heard that there was a car on their narrow, bumpy roads and came to check it out. When she saw that I was taking pictures, she invited us to her house to photograph her kitchen. (I'm not sure why, but we obliged.) Once we arrived, we found a small one-room house with a mattress on the floor and a few belongings. (I have to imagine that being the landlord of a home or two in a slum is not a lucrative business. I'm willing to bet it's more wandering back and forth, reminding people that the rent is overdue than actually collecting any money.)

Just outside of her home was a small dirt box that she called her farm. As we drove away from the neighborhood, Sammy and I talked it over and decided to surprise Lea with a packet of seeds to grow kale in her little farm in hopes of giving her income a small, but ongoing, boost.

Mama Lavender // seeds


Mama Lavender has four children: three girls and one boy. Her third child, Lavender, has cerebral palsy and has been part of the Precious Kids Center for over two years. On school breaks and holidays, Lavender goes to stay with her mother (and her come-and-go father.) Mama Lavender has tried to find work here and there, but with four children--and one that requires a little extra care, (for example: being carried to and from the toilet several times each day) it's difficult to find a steady income.

Outside of their home is a large piece of land that is ready for planting. Mama Lavender told us that she had planted there before, but the neighbor's chickens got in and ate all of the sprouts, so there was nothing left to harvest. Next week, we will bring her new seeds--she's asked for two very popular and easy-to-tend vegetables--plus netting to keep the crops safe.

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A few details...

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My birthday is coming up. I will be thirty-three on October 24th. My goal is to help 33 families begin their 33 new businesses for my 33rd Birthday. I have a running list of families who would benefit from this project...and I am so excited to see all of those businesses up-and-running by December 1st.

If you would like to be part of changing the trajectory of the lives of these families--with a one-time gift of $30--you can do so in one of two ways:

// Tax-deductible giving //

Checks made payable to Reaching Beyond Ourselves can be mailed to:

Allison Hibbard

c/o Reaching Beyond Ourselves

39 Donatello

Aliso Viejo, CA 92656

// Online giving (non tax-deductible) //

You can give via Paypal: allihibb@gmail.com

Or online: gofundme.com/allihibb

I am really looking forward to sharing more updates on these businesses. And introducing you to more of the incredible families we've chosen to partner with.

It's So Much Better To Own Something Than Be Owned. The Launch Of A New Project.

In the last three months, as I have read and researched more and more about trafficking in persons, I have found proof of what I have suspected to be true: one of the largest factors of trafficking in persons--especially in the developing world--is poverty. A lack of means to provide for their families leads people to accept "too good to pass up" employment offers, often at the expense of freedom and dignity.

If only 2% of trafficking victims are ever rescued (and 80% of those rescued will go on to be trafficked again), if a true count of victims is unknown (and seemingly unknowable) because the crime is so well-hidden, then the most promising solution must be prevention.

And so, as I've shared before, I'm working on a conference to help educate the local community; to give them the tools to identify and avoid trafficking situations.

But I'm not stopping there! 

With a stable source of income, families and their children will never need to search for employment in places that may take advantage of them. And so, I am launching a program to provide business opportunities to local families. I believe it's better to own something than be owned by someone.

We have chosen four families of various size, location, and skill--several families of students from Precious Kids Center School--all families we know and trust--to be our test-pilots.

We've also identified SO MANY MORE families who will benefit from this program. (And know that there are so many more we have yet to meet!) Just think: for $30 (a one-time gift of $30!) we can alter the trajectory of a family's life!

Each of these families are given the choice of three business options: chicken, seeds, or a shop. They have been given the starting block for their business under one condition: they are to return a small portion of their earnings to the program to go toward helping jump-start another family's business.

Let's meet these families, shall we?!

Mama and Baba Boniface (Steve and Jenny) // seeds

Steve and Jenny were the first stop on our tour. And, my, was it beneficial! They have three boys, the oldest, Boniface, attends Precious Kids Center School for an education suited to his needs. These two look-after a small piece of land for a local family, and with their knowledge of farming, will thrive with a small plot of their own. They gave us a tour of the grounds they keep and estimates on cost of seed, the length of time from planting to harvest, and an educated guess on how much profit various crops could yield daily, weekly, and monthly. To say it was the right first-stop would be an understatement.

We will set him up with the seeds for a few of the most popular-selling vegetables. Not only will he be able to grow these vegetables to both sell and feed his family, but he will also have the opportunity to teach a tangible skill to his sons. (He's also agreed to help train those who are interested, but not yet proficient in farming!)

Mama Rose // chicken

Mama Rose and her husband (not pictured) have four children, three boys and one girl. The oldest (Rose, seen here) and youngest (Collins) attend Precious Kids Center School to receive a specialized education suited to their developmental needs. The middle two boys attend local secondary schools. Her husband is a teacher, but due to a nation-wide teacher's strike, there has not been a paycheck in that house for about two months. With four sets of mouths to feed, school fees to pay, uniforms and supplies to purchase, not to mention all of the costs of keeping a home running, this family is in need of income that will help meet their financial needs without taking away from the physical and emotional needs of her children.

She's chosen to raise chickens. We will provide her with four hens and one rooster, a coop, and a small bag of feed. She can collect and sell eggs, (also using some to feed her family!) while also breeding additional chickens to sell. The first four will be returned to the program to help another family, but the rest are hers to keep or sell as she sees fit.

Mama Rispah // shop

Mama Rispah is a single mother of five daughters (several that I have known since I worked with Oasis of Hope.) Over the years, her children have returned home only to drop-off a grandchild before heading off again. Two of her grandsons, Chris and Steve, attend Precious Kids Center school.

Mama Rispah recently used a small amount of money to begin a shop outside of her home. She has a great location in her neighborhood--just around the corner from the local water source--so there is a lot of foot-traffic along her road. She was selling charcoal when we visited, so when we offered to purchase some other commonly-used items for this community, she made a short list: soap, laundry detergent, matches, salt, and tea.



When I visited a week after dropping off these items, she excitedly told me how well things were selling. She also mentioned that, with some of the profits she made last week, she was going to purchase a few other items to sell. We have agreed upon a small amount of money to be returned each week for the first month of this shop, once again, to go back to the project and begin a business for another family.

Allan, Paul, and Jackson // seeds

These three boys have been living alone for the last few years, scraping by to finish their education. This November, they will sit for the National Exam that marks the end of secondary school and, officially, enter adulthood. To give them a sustainable source of income as they make the leap from student to grown-up, we (with some much needed coaching from Baba Boniface) are going to set up a small (1-2 crop) farm.

They will be able to plant and tend to the crops while they finish school and, by the time school closes for the year, the crops should be fully grown and ready to eat and sell in local markets to pay for the items they will need to run their home while they await exam results and, potentially, begin University. Like the other families, we've agreed upon a small amount to be returned to the program each week for the first month of sales, in order to help launch a new business for another family.

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Please be praying for these families. For wise business choices, for generous spirits as they give back to help additional families, for protection over the plants and animals. Pray that they would be surprised by the abundant blessings that come in the first few months of these businesses. Please also be praying that I would have wisdom as to the next guiding steps for these existing families (savings, business growth, etc.) and discernment going forward as we choose the next set of families to partner with.

If you are interested in being part of this new project--interested in giving $30 to change the life of a family--there are donation options on your right or you can email me: allihibb{at}gmail.com for more ways to give.

Two Pieces Of Exciting News

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Yesterday, I met with a woman named Susan who has agreed to partner with me for our very first women's conference! We met for coffee and mapped out a timeline, to-do list, and rough budget for the event. I sent the first of many emails today and am so excited to choose a date in early November and really move at this dream!! Thanks for your support and encouragement leading up to this point and for your continued support over the coming months.

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Thanks to the generosity of an organization called Reaching Beyond Ourselves, I am happy to tell you that, as of today, all financial support is now completely tax deductible(!!!)

If you would like to give to my time and ministry here in Kenya (a one-time or monthly contribution) you can do so by mailing a check made out to Reaching Beyond Ourselves to:

Allison Hibbard
c/o Reaching Beyond Ourselves
39 Donatello
Aliso Viejo, CA 92656

Truthfully, any amount is helpful and appreciated.

{This organization does not keep any of the funds. 100% of the contributions will be used in the field.}


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I am so grateful to those of you that have been part of this adventure...prayerfully and financially. I have already learned so much and know that there are even more exciting things to come!

Please continue to follow along here, on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. (I'm also on Snapchat as allihibb) AND consider coming for a visit sometime. We'd love to have you!

The Two-Month Mark

Hi friends.

Well, today is September 1st, which means I've been here for two whole months now! It's crazy how quickly time has passed!

The last eight weeks have included so much laughter and joy...so many pictures and dance parties and snuggles. They've included rainstorms, cartwheels, bike races, jumping rope, re-learning to drive a car, my first jigger and first women's Bible study (which was also my first night staying alone in the house and the day I locked myself out of the house), a new kid at the center, several trips to hospitals, medical clinics, and slums, visits to homes of kids we love (and a few we've only just met!), countless replays of Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift, and quite a few teams from all over America. (Oh, and definitely fewer showers than you'd think!)

We have really had a lot of fun.

The last two months have also included a lot of tears. A lot of lying awake at night with questions about my future, worries about finances, and insecurities about what's to come. And a lot of space to process things that I had emotionally bypassed in the months leading up to moving here. 

More than anything, these two months have brought up the old wrestling match in my head and my heart over the definitions of value and success and identity. (Ugh, if I have to learn this lesson one more time...!) Each day that I don't do what I said I was moving here to do, I feel like a failure in the eyes of those who helped me get here.

Thankfully, God has been shifting my thoughts. I have had to remember to consistently surrender what I'm doing here, how long I am here for, and how quickly I want to make and move at plans while He has consistently reminded me that He has it all under control and following His plans will make my time here so much better than anything I could attempt to arrange. 

Five years went by in-between placing on my heart the dream to end human trafficking and my first visit to explore the possibility of acting on it. It's been two months of living here and I'm learning Swahili at a reasonable rate, making connections to women both in the slum and in local leadership, and finding space to listen to God's voice.

I'm moving toward the goal...even if it's at a MUCH slower pace than I'd like.

I have been wanting to write with a little more vulnerability here, but wasn't sure how to share these thoughts in the midst of feeling them. I didn't want to give the impression that things have been terrible, appear ungrateful for my time here or seem uncertain that this is, still, exactly where God wants me to be.

I firmly believe that God is at work, in me and in this community. That He is good and near and faithful. I want to believe this more deeply...

They have been a stretching two months, to say the least. And I'm slightlynervousbutalso looking forward to being stretched, pruned, and reshaped more in the months to come. Thank you for following this adventure and for your words of encouragement (to me and to the people I'm working with!) You can't possibly know how much strength, comfort, and confirmation they have brought to my heart.

I'm thankful to be able to call you my people.
Love, Allison

How The Generosity Of Others Makes My Days Amazing

I was able to do some pretty rad things today...I'm excited to share them with you. And, I'm aware that the last two weeks have been full of long, overly-wordy posts, so today I'm hoping to give you a few more photos and a bit more brevity. 

Here goes nothing.

From the moment I walked in today, Dinah was calling my name and asking to be carried around. She's a tiny child, but she gets really heavy after awhile, so I brought her straight over to a chair in the shade to hang out.

Male joined us for a while...kid loves her photos. She keeps putting scraps of things over her eyes and asking me to take her picture.

I taught Linah the beauty of the topknot, too. She got in to it and even had me re-do it a few times when it came loose.

Dinah is really cute. And she's a genius. She sat on the patio and let all the other kids come to her to play.

Victor had a prime lounging spot in the middle of the living room today. He was right in the center of all of the action and LOVED it!

Phoebe's cousin June visited the house today. Linah kept calling her "the beautiful child." She would whisper to me, "Tell her she is beautiful." It turned out, Linah thought June only spoke English and then was super embarrassed when she realized June had understood the whole thing! I asked them to sit for a picture and Linah said, "No! I'm afraid of her! She's beautiful!"

Sammy has been in Nairobi for two days and the kids are missing her like crazy. I came outside today and found them in a group, talking to Sammy on speakerphone.

Trinah fell and hurt her arm today, so she sat on my lap until she felt up to playing again. She also finished my tea in the meantime (which is great considering I was semi-forced into drinking tea today!)

Bram pushed Allan around all day. They went around and around the compound, stopping to make jokes (and cause trouble!)

Manu also loves to have his picture taken. He had been surrounded by friends until moments before this photo, but I love this lone-shot of him!

I was holding Dinah until she saw John. He is so kind and loving that all of the littles love to spend time with him while he's home from school.

Christine had Mickey Mouse hair today. She's incredibly cute and has an adorably tiny voice...I take about ten pictures of her everyday.

There are 7 students from Oasis of Hope who are still in school in Kitale. They have been fighting to make ends meet and achieve their dreams of finishing secondary school (THREE of them will graduate in November!) As a special treat, before school begins again on Monday, I took them to town for chicken and fries. And sodas, of course. All really special treats for these guys. (Our motorcycle taxi driver also joined us for lunch.)

The lunch crew: Allan, John, Amlango, Sheila, Paul, and Jackson.

Okay, I lied. Here's a quick story:

This is John. He lives on the street and, a few weeks ago, was beat up pretty badly by another street boy. He found us in town one day and told me his arm was broken. I asked him to come to the clinic we were hosting in Kipsongo the next day to seek a doctor's opinion. Upon the doctor's request, we sent him to get an X-Ray, and then have a cast put on until the fracture healed. Today, I was able to give him a big package of milk and the small amount of money it will cost to have the cast removed. I am sad that he still lives on the street, but so excited to see him with two fully functioning arms.

We came back from town with some food (to give to the three school boys who live on their own) and everyone wanted to help unload. Moses took his responsibility over this salt very seriously.

Someone lent the boys a Playstation and, as classic teenagers, they took turns playing and watching each other play a racing game for a few hours before dinner. (One even offered me a turn...so kind of him!)

Today I was reminded of the amazing opportunity I have been given. Today, I was able to treat kids who have no one to care for them, to a special lunch. I was able to give street kids packets of milk and give one money for medical care he would otherwise not have received. I was able to do all of these things because of the generosity of people who believed that this is where God wanted me to be, at this time, and gave to make it a reality.

To say I am grateful to live these stories each day would be an understatement. Thank you to those of you that gave--and continue to give. Thank you for your prayerful and emotional support as well. It's such a gift, to me and to those I have the privilege of serving.

24 Samosas, 9 Drinking Chocolates, 8 Boys, 5 Ponytails, And One Bike Ride: Tuesday

Today began with a little more physical exertion than I had planned. I went outside to, once again, prove I know how to ride a bike and then was challenged to a race. I, unlike Sammy, am not really a daredevil (except for my skateboarding accident on my first day at Mariners) so I declined the race, but agreed to a leisurely ride around the block. 

Holy moly was I wrong about the "leisurely" part! Riding a bike that's built for a 12-year old on roads that are tricky to drive on...whoa did that seat get uncomfortably quickly! (Not to mention my skirt got caught in the back tire and slowed me down considerably.) Manu and I rode around the corner to visit Sam, one of the house kids who'd gone to visit his parents for the week, and then came back home to let me sit on the couch and continue sewing for a while.

That was the plan, but then I saw all of the great hairstyles Phoebe had given to each of the girls and I knew I had to take my turn.

Check this bad boy out! Everyone watched as she put in one rubber band after another and kept pointing and saying, "You have hair like a small child!" One of the teenage boys said, "Oh, this is not good!"

I did want to make sure to get a picture with Linah and her (yet again!) Spice Girls hairstyle.

I finally made it inside--out of the sun--to do some sewing and catch my breath. I finished Willie's jeans from yesterday and worked a bit more on the pillowcase.

Anyway, back to the sewing. I sat across from the physical therapist as he moved one kid after another for their turn. Moses absolutely loves therapy. He kept waving his hand and squealing to get my attention so I could watch as he laughed at whatever muscle was being stretched at the moment. The kid is a mismatching dream.

Before long, I realized it had been awhile since I'd seen Suzie. I asked around and no one was sure where she'd gone. Finally, someone said she'd gone to the farm across the street with Manu, so the panicked search was unnecessary. You never know with a kid who can't speak! She can't holler, "I'm here!" Or tell anyone where she lives if she's lost.

When they came back from the neighbor's, the boys started up a game of soccer. They ran back and forth across the lawn, dodging a flitting Suzie who has no desire to actually kick the ball, but wants desperately to follow it up and down the field.

I brought her back inside the gate, but she found a small space between the fence and the bushes and ran back outside. Twice. And then later, escaped, crawled under the bushes across the street and ended up in another farm. So, she was in a bit of trouble. When she's being really crazy, the house moms know there's only one place she'll sit still: in the corner by Mama Shiko (the laundry woman who's love for Suzie rivals my own!) Here's Suzie in her version of time-out.

Lunchtime came and went and, as promised, I loaded up the older boys and took them to our house for snacks and a movie. The original plan was Fast and the Furious 7, which we knew they would love, but when the DVD didn't work (dang those 50-cent burned copies!) we settled on Mad Max: Road Fury, which was definitely not what I wanted to watch, and, despite the fight scenes and explosions, did not hold the attention of eight teenage boys as I'd hoped it would.

I made a giant bowl of popcorn--which they ate in the time it took me to boil two pots of water for drinking chocolate--and then asked for water, milk, sweets, playing cards, and headphones. It was all very "If You Give A Mouse A Cookie."

It was simultaneously very fun and incredibly exhausting.

When the movie was over, they asked for a second, to which I said, "Oh nonononono. Let's go! I have a surprise for you!" And they all piled in to the van. I began to drive toward their home, but then turned at the last minute to go to the gas station. I parked and ran inside for 24 samosas. (Three each.) The boys cause a scene wherever they go: at one point, while I waited for the samosas, I looked outside and Hillary was standing on top of the van, pulling berries from the tree above. There was a table of old men who looked and them, then at me, and laughed. They understood the madness of carting around a bunch of boys.

I drove as slowly as I could so they could enjoy their samosas before being bombarded by the other kids and forced to share. Augustus found a poncho in the car, put it on over his head, and secretly ate his final samosa under the blanket. They each said thank you about five times...it was very sweet.

When we got back, everyone ran around outside for awhile while dinner was cooking. Here are seven of the eight boys I took with me today...each clearly excited to post for this photo.

When we came back inside the gates, Allan wheeled up to me with this giant branch in his hand and asked for a picture. How can you turn down this smiley tree?!

And then there was this pigtailed beauty. I can't begin to explain how much Linah loves her long hair. I wish the hair wasn't quite as heavy or I would try to recreate my prize-winning Pippy Longstocking costume from 2nd grade. (Who am I kidding? I'm definitely going to try this week!)

And, with that, I was wiiiiped out! I came home, expecting to eat dinner, do the dishes from all of house guests and blog before bed, but then the power was out for over an hour, so I sat in the dark working on this post and am now pretty unmotivated to do the dishes (I can be honest...this is a safe place, right?!)

Well, there you have it, folks! A post about today. Today! I'm fully caught up and ready to take each day as it comes--and tell you aaaaall about it. Are you ready? Are you ready for this? Are you hanging on the edge of your seats? (It was either a Queen lyric or a Destiny's Child reference...I assumed my audience would prefer the former. So, you're welcome, Mom!)

Quite The Musical Monday

It's a really good thing school is back in session next week. I mean, I'll miss having these kids around, but they're running out of ways to keep themselves entertained all day...

Case in point:

Suzie is pulled up there with them nearly every time now. I'm always afraid she'll jump straight off the edge.

Now that the women who do the laundry know that I like to sew, they bring me new items everyday. I brought the bag with me today and spent most of the morning mending clothes and tracing a pattern for a water-proof pillowcase for one of the smaller (and drool-ier) kids. 

When I walked in with the scissors and thread in my hand, Phoebe looked at Willy and said, "Look, Alice can help you." and Willie immediately took off his jeans and handed them to me. We all giggled as he walked, his long shirt covering his underwear, back to the house to get a new pair of pants for the day.

The entire time I sewed and Sammy wrote a blog post, Willy sat and listened to Justin Bieber's "Baby" and "TikTok" by Ke$ha...on repeat. I quite enjoyed his playlist, since these are songs I know all of the words to...Sammy, on the other hand, was not as excited about it, but loves Willy enough to let him play what he wanted.

At lunch, I sat with a few of the kids and then went to town with Sammy to pick up a few school supplies as a surprise for some of the secondary school kids who live on their own. 

Around dinnertime, as we drove back to the kids house, we were greeted by a handful of boys out front racing around on their bikes. While we were still in the car Sammy said, "I think I have to have a bike race tonight." She did just that. (Unfortunately, she lost...but we can blame it on the bike being too small and the road being too bumpy for a fair race.)

My sunglasses have been a big hit--rightside up or upside down. I told Jabal he looked like an alien with them on like this...Sammy blamed in on too much Roswell.

Sammy sat down in the grass and Linah immediately said, "Watch this!" to which Sammy replied, "Oh yeah?! Watch this!" Needless to say, everyone wanted to try after that.

Anytime the camera is pulled out, at least two additional faces pop in to the frame. At least they're really cute faces!

Suzie is finally figuring out how to smile for pictures! She laughed as she watched this picture happening on the front-facing camera. Dang I love this kid.

Once it was too dark to be outside, we moved in to the living room...and all of the kids who were sitting around Sammy, were not practically sitting ON Sammy.

But Lillian and Maureen know, "The sun never sets on a cool person."

Linah wanted to play too:

From here, we moved to the backyard where Suzie fell asleep on my lap and Sammy and I ate really delicious cabbage and ugali made by the house moms. All to the soundtrack of swahili dance songs mixed with Taylor Swift and Whitney Houston, of course. These kids love "I Wanna Dance With Somebody." And, really, who doesn't?!