Jeniba laughs

Andrew: You wake me up every day. Don’t need no starbucks. I was like baby baby baby OOOOOOOHHHHHH. Like baby baby baby OOOOOHHHH. That was on Foday’s radio today and I just had to laugh and think of you! For anyone who doesn’t know, Andrew is a huge Justin Beiber and Miley Cirus fan.
This day was mostly spent at the center. We gave the kids their sponsor gifts. For some of them it was the first toy they had ever had. Amazing what a joy a $1 hot wheel can be.
There are so many little things I noticed today that I decided to just make a list instead of paragraph form.
• Sierra Leonian drivers honk their horns more in one day than Americans do in two years. They honk for all the people in the street to move. They honk at dogs. They honk at the guards to open the doors.
• We passed a gate today where someone had handwritten in white paint ‘look out for bad dogs’. I don’t know why but that really made me laugh for a long time.
• TO HOLLY: The kids loved the bears, raccoons, rabbits, and bumble bee’s! You should be so proud of all the time and hard work you spent on your hot chocolate and lemonade stand. Here are a few pictures for you.


• Jeneba laughs and smiles now!!! If that were the only thing I saw this week I would be reaffirmed that The Covering is a great place.
• Today I saw bulges in John’s pockets so I asked him what he had in there. He proudly displayed one red and one blue bottle cap (like from a plastic water bottle). I am not sure what he usually does with such treasures but today we tried to flip them by slamming our fingers on the rim. He laughed hysterically so it attracted the attention of several others which began a long line of ‘turns’. Why do I note this? Because he obviously wanted them and yet he didn’t try to keep them in his possession. He was happy to let the others play it to. I was surprised because I mistakenly assumed he would act selfishly. Why would I assume the worst when everything I have seen from these kids indicates the opposite? They are so helpful to each other. I saw several kids at lunchtime feeding the younger kids. And I saw several sharing their brand new toys from sponsors willingly and happily as soon as they walked around the corner with them. I also saw Albert standing by Dauda looking concerned and supportive when he got a bad scrape on his shin. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, they are such beautiful little people!
• If you would like to give to a great cause for 79 orphans, there are 2 needs at the center: one is a water tank which cost about $900 to buy and install. Also, they need a generator which runs about $1200. For more information you can go to Savetheorphan.blogspot.com
• So, after watching the process of feeding about 75 kids I have decided not to complain about how many pieces of silverware we go through or how I have to sweep after every meal. These people do such a great job! Everything runs so smoothly, especially considering the staff to kid ratio.
• Lastly, the staff had washed and hung all the laundry to dry before they went home for the day. After a while I saw a few of the pieces had blown off b/c they don’t use clips they just drape them over the line which by the way happens to be high on one side and very low on the other. So I went over to pick them up and put them back on the line. Isatu followed me and ran her hand down the length of the line bunching the clothes up until they would fall off in the dirt. I turned around and said “No Isatu” and began hanging them again. Just as I got the first one up she had gone around me to the other side and did it again! And twice while she was doing it I said very sternly “No Isatu!” and she giggled and giggled and did it a third time! I had to get Fodey to tell her to stop. I would like to give her the benefit of the doubt and say she didn’t understand but I find it highly unlikely……..