So the day started off awesome! I was well rested (for being in Kenya), got my coffee at 7:30, my shower water was finally lukewarm (you don't know what a blessing that was) and off to the Virginia Home we went. Walt taught about sinning today and I took some great photos and got some great "quips" from the kids (which I will still share with you). We went outside for some free time and Q&A from the kiddos before lunch. We've done that a million times! I gave Walt my backpack since he was sitting down with a group of children and I was walking around. He reached in my side pocket to get our portable router but grabbed my phone instead. He slid it back in the pocket and then found the router in the other side pocket. As you can see, the children kinda crowd in real tight when you are showing them photos (yes, Walt is really in there!), so I decided to take my backpack to the car so they wouldn't fall on it and land on my laptop.
A bit later, Walt and I headed out to lunch in town. We sat down at the table, and I reached in my side pocket and my phone was gone. I kind of had this sick and panicky feeling, but knew I needed to go look in the van to see if it had fallen out. Walt was concerned that maybe he had missed the backpack when he was trying to slide my phone back into the pocket, so we knew we needed to get word to the children's home to check the yard. Our driver, James, and I searched the van with no luck, and he tried to make contact with the director of the home, with no luck. So during lunch, Walt kept asking me what was going through my mind because I looked upset. It wasn't about the phone, stuff is just stuff, but it was this nagging feeling that one of the kids had stolen from me. Walt told me not to jump to conclusions, but my gut just said it was so. We have been coming to Kenya since March 2011. We've let the kids carry our backpacks, use our cameras, sunglasses, etc. NEVER fearing one of them would steal from us. When we arrived at the van after lunch, James informed us he had spoken to the director and they would look for the phone. On the drive back Walt again asked what was going on in my mind because I was so calm...I did not tell him what I was wrestling with as I knew that what I was feeling now would be the direct opposite of what I knew was right. I was feeling that IF the phone was indeed stolen, maybe we were in over our head and shouldn't be supporting and trying to deal with these kids. But I knew, once I thought it through, no matter the outcome of my phone, "bailing" on them was not the answer.
When we arrived back at the Virginia Home it was scary scene. Everyone was at the site where my phone went missing. I mean everyone! The director looked very angry, an older boy was yelling at some boys sitting down and an angry mob was starting to form. My phone had been stolen and they had decided on their suspects. I just stood and watched in disbelief from afar. I did not know what to say or do, but I felt nauseous. The director yelled at the suspects to go to the dormitory and wait for them. When they stood up and I saw who they were accusing I was shocked! One of the boys I had known for a long time and I knew it couldn't be him. The kids kept running up to me saying it was them, they knew it! One girl had remembered where everyone was sitting and they were the only two it could be! Walt said to me, "Go get your camera! You were taking lots of photos, maybe we can see if she was right about where everyone was sitting!" As we looked through the photos, we came upon this one:
See my backpack to the right of the boy in the navy sweater? It was him and the boy in the white shirt (the boy I'm close with) who were the suspected thieves. While they were in the dormitory, the crowd moved altogether from one place to another, talking and shouting about what was going on. I just stood off in the distance, honestly not even knowing what to think or how I felt. I do not want to make assumptions about a culture, but the Kenyan ways are DEFINITELY different from the American ways. What I am told that happened next, I'm just not sure what to make of it.
I am told that our driver went into the dormitory and told the boy in the blue sweater that he was not playing around and where was the phone?! When he came out of the dormitory, he was putting his belt back on so I'm not sure if it was used or not. The next thing I heard were chants that they had found my phone. I stood still, I was scared to move towards the action. They brought me my phone and told me it was in the garden next door, wrapped in socks, a cellophane bag, partially buried and covered with a rock. The boy in the blue sweater said that he had taken the phone, passed it under his leg to the other boy who took it to the dormitory, wrapped it up and put it in the neighbor's garden. The general feeling is that these two were "true dirty thieves" who had been planning this and needed to be punished. I did not see them afterwards. I kind of wanted to see Joe (the boy in the white shirt) and ask him why? I am told they were put in the director's office for a long time and when released they both ran away (like legitimately ran away, never to return). As I am typing this story, I still cannot believe it. I am told it is to be expected that they were whipped in the director's office. That is their normal. It is a different culture than ours. As I was looking through my photos I found this one:
It is of the two boys who took my phone. They had asked me to take their photo just a short while before the incident. I really would like to understand they "why" behind it all.
We stayed for a couple of hours after this incident, laughing and visiting with the other children, including this group of Seniors and Juniors which is where it all began for us in 2011!
It is because of this crew that we have come back time and time and time again! We are so thankful that their schools gave them the afternoon off to come and catch up with us!
Each time I visit Kenya I develop a special bond with a child I interact with. It's always surprising to see which child it will be. It may just be a smile or a quick conversation. This go round it is probably this guy:
He has got the cutest smile and is super sweet! His name is Peter and he laughs at my jokes!
All in all it was still a good day. A lot of great things happened!
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