Remembering a wrong is like carrying a burden on the mind.

Forgive and you will find peace.

SLOTH.

“Hi, friend! hope you continuing well with your studies. Greeting from my dear family. Ellah misses you so much and Wisdom. Victoria* was transferred to another station far away from Bungoma. Let me hope there will be a change with the new manager. I think report about her mismanagement of the Home reached the Headquarters and they took a step. Otherwise, says hi to your father and friends. Gud day!!”

Six months and my efforts finally gave a fruit of happiness after I received this message from my African partner while volunteering in Africa telling me that the manager of the children’s home we were working for was dismissed for lack of capacity to manage the place and the children in it.

A part of physical laziness sloth has also been defined, as a failure to do things that one should do. By this definition, evil exists when good men fail to act. I always say that there are no good or bad people, but only good or bad actions. That’s what I truly believe in.

When I started volunteering in Bungoma, Kenya, unfortunately I met a person that I am sure is a good one but it seemed that she made very much bad decisions that unfortunately reflected on the kids I was working with. If you already know my work and articles you know also that I am honest and sharing my experience being extremely realistic. I am sharing the positive sides as well as the negative ones.

So the truth is that from the day one until the last one I was able to see very awful scenes in one of the orphanage I worked for.

The children were neglected and the stuff weren’t taking enough care of them, often forgetting about their duties. There was not enough diversity of food and supplies even though different organizations and the community were sponsoring the orphanage. I believe there is no shame in poverty but there is in negligence and the dirt and disorder I was daily finding when going to the children’s home. The teachers were not helping the kids with their homework and after school activities. I found no order, no schedule and complete anarchy in this place. But the thing that hurt me the most was seeing kinds week by week living in these conditions with no bright future for any change.

“We don’t meet people by accident, they are meant to cross our path for a reason.” That’s what I was repeatedly saying to myself every time after I was able to talk to the manager of the orphanage and explain to her my worries in regard to the place she was running. Unfortunately, my words were not accepted as a critical feedback to bring a positive change in the orphanage, but as a “personal hatred” against her. The woman I was able to meet gave me a true lesson that I trust is expensive and some people cannot afford it.

I was suffering days after days, seeing how babies were constantly wet and there were “not enough diapers for everyone to be changed”. I was daily seeing my boy Kelvin left on the cold floor with his pants soaked with his urine and ignorance. My heart was blocked and trust me for a month I was not understanding how many kids were having some mental problems due to the lack of attention and despite the private doctor the orphanage were having Kelvin was days and days left without executing his everyday exercises that were important for his rehabilitation so one day he could walk. How many talks I had with the manager and the staff to inspire them to give more attention and help the kids to grow better and safer.

How many times I was waking up at 7 so I can bring Kelvin to the hospital and do the physiotherapy with him because no on else was disposal to do it.

And what I did wrong so my words and actions of humanity were misunderstand from the manager and she was fighting against quality changes for good in the children’s home?

How we expect a brighter and better future if we are not helping others with the gestures of humanity and living only for a personal profit?

How much time is needed to make the human race realize that we don’t live with money, we live with people and our actions of grace and love is what counts…

To be continued…

*the name of the children’s home manager was changed due to the privacy