Once a month a group of us will head out to an orphanage on the outskirts of town to spend time with a few dozen kids. People will bring clothes, toys and books. It’s so fun to see the kids get to know the people who come each week and vice versa. This orphanage is run by an Assemblies of God mission and the director is from Ghana. Unlike the government orphanages that turn kids out when they reach about 14 years old, this group allows children to stay until they can go back to a family member or sustain themselves in society.
I love visiting this place and I will miss these kids when I leave! There are defiantly a few I wouldn’t mind taking home with me but I know that they are in good hands and Niger needs them to become the next leaders!
The kids will usually sing some songs and dance for us when we get there. They are so funny and love to laugh!
One time we decided it would be fun to bring some music and teach the kids line dancing! We taught them the Macarena and the Electric Slide. That might be my favorite experience so far!
After singing and dancing, we get out the books, crayons, toys and start to play. Some of the kids like when you read to them and some of them love to read to us. There are a few books about the U.S. and we share what it’s like to live where we come from.
I can’t describe the great things that are happening in this little corner of the world. You can’t save everyone, but you can help the ones around you. It doesn’t matter if you are in a third world country or your own neighborhood there are always kids out there that need to know they are important, intelligent and worth being loved.