Pangani Lutheran Children's Center

In the historical city of Karen (think out of Africa) is the Don Bosco Retreat Center where 91 orphans from the Pangani Lutheran Children's Center (PLCC) have gathered for a 5-day camp. The day begins with the ringing of bells, breakfast and devotions. Stephen and Dominic, a lay leader with KELC who will soon to be a seminarian in Tanzania, are both leading devotions in English and Swahili. There is a beautiful labyrinth garden in the back full of flowers even though it is winter here now, and we are all housed in dorm-style rooms, which must seem like a palace to these orphans from the streets of Nairobi. There are three meals served daily. Children play team sports in the afternoons followed by dinner and devotions again in the evening.

Our team is joined by four others from Austria, Germany, and Belgium. Mary, the Director of PLCC, and her staff have created teams to organize different types of morning activities for the children. Some of these activities include embroidery, candle making, collages, bead work, and sports. Creativity and resourcefulness were required to make some of these projects a reality. For example, candle making required building a fire to melt 25 kg of wax in small metal containers, and children were industrious, hacking large bars of wax into pieces small enough to fit into the containers. The children also had to braid their own wicks using material "borrowed" from the embroidery group. Except for a few tense moments when melted wax spilled into the fire and flared, all the kids really enjoyed this activity and were proud of the candles they made.