“Brydges Orphanage”

Most of the children were in school when we got off the bus at Brydges Orphange. Those who were there were more than willing to take us each by the hand and show us all around. An 8-year-old boy named Dennis chose me, a girl named Ruth grabbed onto Val.

In the main building there were several bedrooms, a large room used as a dining room and all purpose room, a small kitchen area and a small room that was set up as a store. The children had for sale various crafts that had been made by hand. There were beautiful necklaces and beaded bracelets, interesting carved figures of elephants, hippos and birds, braided potholders, crocheted baskets.

All of the other rooms were bare, with only the most basic of necessities. Each small bedroom had at least three bunk beds and not enough space for anything else. There were several outer buildings, one housed a small library. A few of the children grabbed books and insisted on reading to us.

After 45 minutes or so, Dave and Jen were anxious to get back on the road and started herding us into the bus. The orphans hated to see us go and only the promise that we would see them in a few days allowed us to depart as easily as we did.

Swahili: thank you is "asante"; very is "sana". So to say "thank you very much", you would say "asante sana". (Pronounced pretty much like it looks.)