April 30, "My Day"

by Caroline, age 11

My name is caroline. I am in stand six and my day was very fine. I was as happy as a kind in the morning I drink some porrigne and launch time I act some good and four o'clock I drink tea and supper I eat good.

Before going for supper I first go to the field but the field was not intresting so I go bakck and I started playing the basket ball I was a happy as prophet elijah in his way to heaven. He cause the day was very fine and the basket ball very good

in the morning I used to tution to read Our teacher name is teacher wamgui. And go track at seven oclock and come for launch we use bell for telling us how that bell means is it means supper we are all go.

The bell rang and then we go for supper. I finished the food I go out and brush my teeth and we didn't watch the news. Then I go to read in study room to read because what brought me here is education.

So I am very happy because of that I alway perfome well in the exams.

My was very fine.

That was my day.

I am writing to caryer lora and jonathan. I thank you very much.

April 28, "A Our Body My Self"

by Lucy N. (9)

My name is Lucy N.

I have a nine year old. I am in Standard 3. I am a church of PCEA. I want to eat githeri. I am a subject kiswahili. I am going to church of PCEA Githenya Church I am reading school of Riamumurwe primary school and my sister is Reading of secondary Riamukurwe.

April 27, "My Self"

by Maureen, 12

My name is Maureen. I am a girl. I like in Tumaini Children’s Centre. My school is Riamukurwe Pri Sch. I am in grade eight. I have two sisters who are Carol and Cynthia. Carol is 9 years old, Cynthia 6 years old. While I am now 1&half years older. My mum is 32 years old, while my dad is 34 yrs old. Although my dad passed away in 2004 by a road accident.

My hobby is reading storybooks. Writing notes and also running marathon. In this week I have run for 3 [5.5 km circuits] several times. I like Partisipating in such games I have Knoki [no] problem because here in Tumaini we are provided everything we need.

April 27, "My Life"

by Dorcas, age 11

My name is Dorcas. I live in Tumaini Children's Home. I am 11 years old. I am happy when I am in Tumaini. I go to school at Riamukurwe primary school. I use to be happy when I am in school and when I'm learning and when ou r teacher teaches us. I am happy when I am in Tumaini. I enjoy playing with my friends and learning. We stay in peace hear in Tumaini. We love one another and enjoying the life of tumaini. I pray every day when I am going to bed. I like to run everyday and I live to learn. My favourite subject is math, English, social studies and CRE. I like to study every time. May God bless our home Tumaini. May God bless hands so that I can be able to work hard.

April 25, "The Story of My Self"

by Grace, 10

My name is Grace Nyamura. I live in Tumaini Children’s Home. I am ten years old. Tumaini is a good home is where children are helped. I am in Std. Five, and I am doing well in school. I like to pray football my best subject is mathematic. I have a prayer partner in USA. She is called Linda S. I love the people of USA and I love my prayer partner. My pet animal is dog and it is eat meet and its drinking milk. I went to school at Riamukurwe Primary School and I was position two.

April 25, "My Self"

by Monicah, age 12

My name is Monicah-I like to talk about my self, but I don’t have any time to do it. Oh time has come to write about my self. I like reading books such as story book. I am in class six. I like playing football so much. I like reading bible. Every day I must barth and sometimes you would find me pray another game called hide & sick, because this make me fill happy. At school my favrint subject is Maths, Englis, and Science. Every-time I like to been happy. And so to be nice to every body. I don’t know my tilent. but I like to be nice to every body in world. My first school to attendant it was called hill farm primary school, and the secend was kigongo primo school the third one is here I am. In a home called Tumaini Children’s Home. The school is called Riamukurwe—Primary school. My hobby is painting. I am 12 years old. My self is clean as a new pin. I don’t like eating more food. My self like pretending. Sometimes you would find me pretending like a bird. I likes pretending as a doctor. More to that I would like to be a doctor. When come out to the school I like’s cooking chapati. I have a pretty face I am brown in coulour so I am very beautiful. I like making fan or joking with people. I don’t like waering hipster. I am very takertive. More to that I am saved. My self is not lazzy. I like to be good and some-body who work hard. I laugh laughing. I enjoned my self.

Glossary of Terms

We hope some of the following notes may help you in understanding all of the Tumaini Kids’ posts! As always, you can email us with any other questions that come up when reading the kids’ posts.

Best,
Claire and Lara!


A note on spelling:

Kenyan pronunciation makes Ls and Rs very hard to distinguish, thus many children (and adults) get them confused in writing. The children regularly write “pray” when they mean “play,” and have horrible problems writing the names “Lara” and “Claire.” Additionally,
“Read” and “Learn” are the same word in Swahili. For this reason, you see in many posts children saying they ‘read’ at their school, when they mean study.

Some Common Terms:

• CRE: is Christian Religious Education, which is a required course at the public schools the children attend. Kenya is supposed to provide education in the religion of the child, but more often local religious predominance limits the number of religions offered.
• Fellowship: A student led worship service of wild dancing and singing (“presentations”) that the children run every week at Tumaini.
• Form: Secondary school, or high school, is made up of four forms: Form 1, Form 2, Form 3, and Form 4.
• Githeri: A traditional dish – a mix of maize and beans – that the children at Tumaini eat for 70% of all their meals.
• Leaver: A leaver is an individual who has already graduated from secondary school.
• Manager: The head of Tumaini.
• Matron: There are two matrons at Tumaini. Along with the Manager, they make up the only full time staff.
• Reverend Muindi: Reverend Muindi is the recently retired champion of Tumaini and one of the most revered ministers in East Africa, respected not least for his social activism.
• “Tution” (Tuition): is an extracurricular academic course the children are required to take during vacation times.
• Standard: Primary school goes from standard 1-8, encompassing both US elementary and middle schools.
• Ugali: A bland maize polenta which, for unknown reasons, is the favorite dish of most Tumaini kids!

April 24, "My Day"

by Margaret, age 10

When I go to school today I read many books one is one in Christ. I done maths I get all of them I was so happy. Then our teacher told us to go for break.

We come out and play with Edita in play ground in filled. We play and play hide and sick. it was so good in that play. We come home and went for Lunch. We eat then after eating. We wash our clothes in behind the house. I cleaned my shoe in after tea. My day was so good. I am happy.

April 24, "Ephantus Myself"

by Ephantus, age 10

My name is Ephantus Thank you very much. the first thing that I would tell you is to great you and you great those people whom you work with in your job. Today is Monday. I was playing football and we run today after tea 20 km with Loral, crayor, and Jonathan and other people others were playing ball in the field and I like enjoying my life everyday thank you.

April 23, "Myself"

by Editah, age 11

I am Editah am very good, am nice. This week am fine we are eating enough food. We are wearing clean clothes, shoes...am faithfulness and God is my person savior for me today am very fine and nice and good I go in tution [tuition] today we are staying in Tumaini Children’s Home.

We are washing clothes everyday we are bathing the body and I was clean. the Lord will keep me in good home and in my heart we are going to school very.

I am pround like a peacock and I am very very clean. I comb my hair and I came smart. I love my self very much and God bless this story.

April 23, "Poem"

by Chris, age 17

MY SON,
STOP GAZING AT ME

AND WALK STRAIGHT AHEAD
I KNOW THERE IS NO ROAD AHEAD
BUT, OPEN YOUR EYES
AND WALK THROUGH THAT FOG OF REALITY

KEEP RUNNING MY SON
KEEP RUNNING FOR INTO THE UKNOWN
YOU MAY STALMBLE UPON YOUR FORTUNE OF HAPPINESS

IGNORE THE MOTURATED BODIES
MY SON
IGNORE THE EASY PRESSURES
THAT APPEAR AND DISAPPER

OPEN YOUR EARS WIDE
AND HEAR THE MESSAGE
OF THE WHISPERING VOICES
OPEN YOUR EYES AND AVOID THE DITCHES SON,
BEING ALIVE IS NO EASY TASK


BY CHRIS. M.

FAQ about TumainiKids

We are so pleased that Blogger has chosen Tumaini Kids as a Blog of Note! The kids are thrilled - and so are we (Lara and Claire; contact us at HopeRuns@HopeRuns.org)! We have received many questions about the children here and we would like to take a moment and answer them.

"What does Tumaini mean?"

In Swahili, Tumaini means Hope!

"What brings a child to Tumaini?"

There are four main reasons that the 170+ children have ended up at Tumaini, and why there are so many more hoping to enter.

1. Either one or both of a child's parents died of AIDS. A common misconception is that the term "AIDS Orphans" means that the children themselves are sick. This may not be the case. The term actually refers to their parents' cause of death, and can be used on a larger level to refer to the "Silent Crisis" behind this lost generation.

2. The child is orphaned for another reason.

3. The poverty level is such that a child's parents cannot support him or her.

4. The parents are mentally unfit to care for their children.

"What languages do the children speak?"

For most children, their first language is Kikuyu, their second language is Kiswahili (the National language of Kenya), and their third language is English. School is taught mostly in English.

"Do you go running with children who are sick or malnourished?"

No. We only run with those children who are healthy, and who have been at Tumaini long enough to become so. We also are not only running with the children, as the Hope Runs program's primary focus is on establishing the first structured after-school athletics program.

"Who runs this blog?"

Claire and Lara, who started Hope Runs: Partnering with Children to Outpace Poverty (www.HopeRuns.org) at the end of their 8 month trip around the world. You can read all the entries from that trip, as well as their daily current posts on their award-winning blog: www.TrippingOnWords.com.

However, we are currently in the process of training the children with the internet and typing skills to continue this work after we leave Tumaini in August.

"Who funds this blog?"

You do. Currently Hope Runs and one generous donor have given the equipment and part of the funds to make this initiative possible. But this is not a long term solution. The children have some computers in the computer room at Tumaini, but there is only internet when there is money to run it. All internet is done through a dial-up modem through a donated Celtel cellular phone.

Hope Runs is exploring technology grants so that the Tumaini Kids can continue to have internet after we leave. Internet access here will run close to one hundred US dollars per month. Tumaini also opens the computer room to the greater community when the children are in school, providing the only internet within an hour walking radius. They charge a small fee for these services.

"Are there any other projects besides the blog?"

--Hope Runs: Partnering with Children to Outpace Poverty is a new non-profit we have started. Hope Runs works to empower children in impoverished communities with an understanding of personal health, social entrepreneurship and technology through running. On-site service learning coaches lead daily running programs, while also organizing an internationally-attended race that calls global attention to the community and its unique challenges.We are using Tumaini Children's Center as our pilot site, and hoping to export this model to future children's centers next year. See HopeRuns.org for more information.

--Books: we are working to bring over the 500+ books we have collected to the orphanage. We are also looking for ways to gather more.

--Art: we are introducing some structured art programs that are not provided in school. We have begun an art therapy project (Hero Booking) for the primary school, and a drama project of student-written plays for the secondary students. We are also hoping to record a CD of the Tumaini Children's Choir that visiting churches have expressed interest in purchasing.

--Website: we are setting up a website where Tumaini can sell the handmade crafts created in the sewing rooms. These sewing rooms provide income for local women, who work to provide the children with school uniforms and to teach the kids practical crafts skills.

"How can I help?"

There are so many ways! Any ideas you have on how you would like to get involved would be so very welcome!

These are some of our current needs:

--Videography and Production! All elements of video creation from production to editing. You can see the great need for this, as well our past videos on YouTube through TrippingOnWords.com.

--Airline Connections to Help Ship running shoes and supplies.

--Sponsorships or Endorsements through Companies interested in helping the kids here, the running cause, or any of our upcoming races!

--Running and athletic related equipment and supplies

--Technology Support, including the money to pay for monthly internet here at Tumaini (see above)

--Marketing and Public Relations

--Writers and bloggers interested in the cause to create a grassroots awareness network

--Donations through PayPal

--Connections to running clubs, marathon tour groups, or marathon tourists interested in helping us with our inaugural 10K out here at Tumaini!

--Other children's centers and orphanages interested in any of these activities

--Volunteers! We are grateful to have a number of volunteers coming this summer, and would love to host more.

"How can I contact the kids, Hope Runs, or Claire and Lara?"

To contact a child directly, you can leave a comment on the blog! If you would like to email a comment to a child, or get in touch with Hope Runs or Claire and Lara, please use HopeRuns@HopeRuns.org!

Thank you for reading, and have a great day!

Lara and Claire
hoperuns@hoperuns.org

April 23, "My Run"

by Kelvin, age 16

My name is Kelvin and I am 16. I live in Tumaini. I started running 2004 in standard seven. Since then I stopped because I had no one to support me. In the year some new friend came to Tumaini Claire, roola, and jonathan Came and started support those who had talent of running. I thank God because I was so happy when I am running. I am looking forward to be Kenyan Marathon and I Hope with God all things are possible.

From Kelvin

April 23, "Dear Thomas"

by Hannah, age 9

Dear Thomas:

We love and miss you too we are happy that you will have a baby on October you are a wonderful lady we pray for you and we ask God to help you to do your best we know He is giving you hope and that He has great plans for you and we are glad that you like to do things on the computer read the fruits of the holy spirit

The fruit of the holy spirit
Love
Joy
Peace
Patient
Kidnes
Goodness

Thank you very much God bless you

Gathoni

April 23, "One on One"

by Margaret, age 17

I live in Tumaini I'm aged 17 I go to at Rimukurwe Secondary School I'm in form two .

This is what we always do here , During school days we wake up very early in the morning at 5.00 a m we take a shower we after all preparations we go for preps at 5.30amto6.15 am .

From there we go to take our breakfast we then go to school some minutes to 7.00am because we should be at school before 7.00am .

chemistry, physics, English, Geography

We study Biology,chemistry,physics,English, Geography, History and others. We live school at 5.00pm in the evening and we get home at 5.20pm we take tea we then go to wash our clothes and by 6.00pm we are thrugh with our work and by 6. 30 pm we take our supper.

April 23, "Losike"

by Losike, age 20

I am form four leaver. I am planning to join a college soon. I am Turkana from
the northern part of Republic of Kenya. I am a fun of soccer, athletic.

I am a good runner in the long races. It is my hope that in future I will be an international athlete. I have a puppy and a kitten I like them.


To Brian & Katie.

How are you? It makes me sad to remember the way we were close and you Left us in Tumaini. I usually pray for you & it is my wish that one day we shall Meet once again.

Both of you can never be forgotten ever in my life.

My the almighty God BLESS YOU.

Katie remember you taught me piano & Brian taught me about the computer

Thank you for that.

April 23, "Run"

by Hannah, age 9

Today we woke up go to tea. We go to Tichon we come to lunch.

Lara tell us we go and help her we go. We tell them they ran. Karicho was number one. we give a water and biscuit. We give the and then they ran 20 kilometres and the smallest pupuls ran 3 kirometres.

We come back we stretch we go to eat we come to write letters.

April 22, "Rhoda"

by Rhoda

My name is Rhoda. I am 18 years old. Today I enjoyed playing valleyball and football, cracking jokes with my friends here in Tumaini. I also enjoyed my Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Maths lessons. After classes i enjoyed my nice made lunch.

P.S.

To Brian and Katie. Congraturation to the good news you shared with us today. May the new member of the family going to be born grow to be a God fearing child. May God bless you all and please Brian remembers to say high to your dad and mum.

Good bye Brian and Katie although i miss your computer lessons.

High erik Roggers am still praying for you that God may fullfill your future dreams and make you whatever you want in life Amen.

May you have a nice time.

Bye Bye.

April 22, "About Chris"

by Chris

My name is Chris I am 17 years old.

This you Elaine Wilson goes to how is you my friend hoping you are fine. I want to take this chance to inform you I ussually proceeds with our Aids club I also joined the club of peer counsling where we ussually advice students .on the other hand here in Tumaini we have friends from u.s and I am happy to be with them they are Crala,Lara,Jonathan they are good friend to be associated with.now I like making friend ,running ,singing love songs and also dancing please send me back. Good-bye.

From your tumaini friend

Christopher

A Note From Hope Runs

Thanks to everyone who has been commenting thus far on our new TumainiKids blog! Everyone at Tumaini is so excited, and we cannot tell you how much your readership means to all of us.

Since Tumaini has limited funds for internet usage, and lacks the money for children to send letters overseas, some children's posts will occasionally include personal addresses to the friends they have met from around the world.

This week, for instance, the children learned from the comment section of the TumainiKids blog that Brian and Katie, two Alaskans who lived with them for a year, are expecting their first child! The Tumaini kids are wild with excitement, and want to let Katie know that they think she'll have a boy!

Thanks,
HopeRuns.Org (Lara and Claire)

April 19, "Wednesday"

by Edwin M.

I am Edwin M. and I am 8 years.

This was a day of happiness whereby I woke up bathed from which I proceeded to my tuition as usual. After I had learn enough for that day, I went and changed to my cloth, and wore the PE Cits I went into the field and played a lot. I never knew how time went….The bell of supper was rang and I obeyed it.

April 19, "Hannah Banana"

My name is Hannah Gathoni. I am 9 years old.

I live in Tumaini. Their lots of peoples and school there is. I love here in Tumaini because we have anything. Please come and see us. And we play games and run. And I have 2 sister and 4 brothers. I love God so much. I am in standard three. Here in Tumaini we obey all the rules.

Thank you. Hannah Banana.

April 18, "Behind Karicho"

by Karicho

This is Karicho from Tumaini children in Nyeri Kenya and I am 20 .I was given this name by my mother immediately I was born this was true because my mother told me so and every baby in my place always they are given names just like I was given mine. My mother is a Kikuyu just like I am .Though I don't stay with her I know wherever she is she think about me. Here in this home I am usually happy person because of care am given in this home. This is by people like our revered and our cucu (our grandmother) and others. I also like the friend I have in this place from within and from abroad. This home called Tumaini (hope) just like name suggest it give me hope of once being aeronautical engineer.

April 18, "One On One"

by Margaret K.

My name is Margaret I am 17 years.
It was on Sunday when we woke up very early in the morning with my friend whom we live with.We did our duties and after we had finished our work we went to have our breakfast at around 7.30 am and by 7.50 we had had all taken our breakfast, that’s when our maytron told us we are free to go to church by 8.00 am I was in the church.
I was very anxious to hear what the preacher was going to preach. After five minutes the preacher came in we all stood up and said the lords’ prayer and after the Lord’s Prayer we sang one song and by that time the preacher was standing at the alter ready to preach. The first reading was from the book of proverbs 24.1; 5, he preached for half an hour and the offertory was collected.
We prayed for the offertory and we ended with the benediction and the service was over .We went home and on a ourway home everybody talked about the preacher.

April 18, "Wedding Day"

by Carolyne N.

My name is Carolyne from Tumaini Home in NYERI. I am 16.

15April 07

It was on Saturday morning when I woke up at dawn to prepare myself for a wedding ceremony that took place in our church When I woke up I first had a cold shower and within no time I went for my breakfast that had already been prepared .When it was almost at 10.A.M., I really walked very hurriedly to at the church because the ceremony had started.
I was very anxious to see that wedding because the bride groom was my Head teacher in primary school. It was attended by many people from the nearest village because it was along time since there was a wedding ceremony in our church. It was very interesting and also enjoying. When the service was over we went outside where we had the bride and bridegroom being rewarded some presents by the relatives and also their friends. In a couple of a minute we had our lunch that was a very delicious meal. Finally the ceremony was ended with a word of prayer and that marked the end of the day.
It was really a very enjoying day.

April 18, "Poa"

by Samuel I.

My name is Samuel I am 15 yrs old .

15 April 07
Saturday There was a wedding in my church, so I used Lara’s camera to take videos .I was as happy as a king because I was a videomaker in conjunction with other videomakers . I am looking forward to be a videomaker. So I had to wake up so early in the morning. Do my usual chores as usual. Take breakfast & I was



16 April 07 Sunday
I woke up very early to wash the apartment that I live in. After that I went to have a shower. I took my breakfast after all I was ready for church. I was frightened to see an old woman preaching to us. I think my prayer partner is listening to me that is DJ. ORR.

17 April 07 Monday
Iwoke up very early to wash the apartment that I live in then after that I went to have a shower. I took my breakfast that is porrige after all I was ready for devotion. After the devotion I went for tution classes. Immediatelly at one o’clok I ate githeri[ a mixture of maize & beans].

April 18, "My Day Today"

by James G.

At age 20, I have done my "O" levels & I'm waiting to go to pursue my course at an institute of higher learning. I spend most of the time doing the many chores in our home.
I retire in the evening at around 5:00 p.m. Basically it's enjoyable to be here with friends and people who care about you, like some of our buddies i.e Claire, Lara,& Jonathan, Paul & Stephanie. I play soccer,& also in the evening we play basketball. Today i woke up at 8:00 a.m & took a shower. I prepared myself coz i was going somewhere to say goodbye to one of my friends who's joining Kampala Int. University in neighbouring Uganda to study medicine. Twas a wonderful day.

April 18, "Shama"

by Mercylynn W.

I who will take you through am Mercylynn W. and I am 17. Am born again and I love Christ as my saviour. I love reading the Bible as our mum does. I come from a single family of four. I have one sister, Colynn, whom I love with a passion and two brothers. Am the youngest. I feel so proud to be in this position since I obtained a lot of favors from mum.

I joined this home, Tumaini, in the year 2004. It was on 20th May. That day was my first day to be in the place and also hear of that name. I had also never thought of myself being in a children’s home because I had an uncle who used to encourage me to work hard in school so that I can support our family. He showed me a lot of love and besides all the adversities I passed through, his warmth was enough for me. At times I used to stay with my grandmother, whom with a lot of compassion brought me up learning more about God. She used to read for us the Bible so often and encourages us to go to church to join up with other kinds.

The day I joined the home, I felt so much uneasy especially to cope up with the other kinds and later I got used to. Since east west home is best, I just wished to be next to my grandma. I currently enjoy living with our new large family. What I find so fun most is our mum who is Mrs. Eunice. She is a retired teacher. She teaches us music as in songs, which we do present on Sunday services and sometime we go for music competitions. We love her so much.

Here in our home, we are usually allocated duties of cleaning the pavements and utensils. We also clean the church compound on Saturdays. We help in the kitchen in cooking especially when cooking chapattis. We also help in carrying firewood.

During the holiday we do attend remedial tuitions where we obtain a lot of academic help. We also attend computer and tailoring classes. We find it fun especially when we are with the Americans who live with us in here in the orphanage.

Usually, we do have prayer partners. My prayer partner is Emily. She writes to me and sends me her photos. She writes that she wish to be in Kenya. In reply I do tell her of how much fun it is to be in Kenya. I would like her to pay a visit. It would be a pleasure it meet her face to face.

I love to pass my regards to our sponsors inclusively our guardian Rev Bernard Muindi, the Parkers, Dr. Eve, Mr & Mrs Thomas, Sarah, all our prayer partners, well wishers and the long list go on.

May god bless you all.

We will be writing in this weekly please comment.

We're Online!

Hello! And welcome to blog of the Tumaini Children's Center in Nyeri, Kenya. At this children's home, over 170 children, aged 7-21, live and attend school.

Here, you can read about the experiences of those who live at this children's home from their personal stories, pictures, and writing. This is the first time that these children's voice has been published on the internet, so we strongly encourage any comments! Thank you for reading!