As if impeccably timed by some higher authority,
our arrival in
Kenya coincided with a tremendous downpour which lasted most of
the first week. There was slight dismay within the team that we
should
be confronted with rain having just escaped the throes of a British
Winter, but everybody acknowledged the importance of it.
The heavens
opened to cascade its contents upon the parched earth below, and
unbeknown to the team would transform a brown, desolate land into a
place of rich, lustrous green. The drive to Dagoretti from Kahawa gave
a glimpse of how beautiful and fertile Kenya can be. Rich in minerals,
areas of landscape had exploded into vibrant colours endorsing the
uniqueness of the continent of Africa.
Dagoretti Children's Centre is an orphanage that caters
for the needs of physically and mentally handicapped children. Not
exclusively for the disabled, it also cares for abandoned children
including newborn babies. Our task here was initially quite a simple
one; a lick of paint and perhaps a bit of electrical work, hang
some curtains and a bit of plumbing maintenance too. Dave Jarvis,
having recently been elected to the board of Governors at Dagoretti
had another idea namely, the transformation of an old police building
into a library and learning centre. This was indeed a challenge
for with little over a week before our return to UK the transformation
would involve a great deal of work. Undaunted by the task, the
team
proceeded to knock walls down, brick up doorways, make a path,
hang
ceilings, install windows, mix an awful lot of concrete to produce
a wheelchair ramp, lay floors, do a lot of painting then purchase
and install bookcases. Dave already had a healthy stock of donated
books to fill the shelves with and had even acquired a few computers
to install as well. It never ceases to amaze me what truly motivated
people can achieve because, against the clock and with limited
resources
our final task was completed on time. |
