RAINBOW ROOM

I know I posted yesterday, but this was really exciting for me.

 

So, at Kagando, there is a rule that every patient has to have an “attendant”; a family member who bathes the patient, feeds the patient, is there to watch over and provide history for the patient, etc.   However, only one attendant is allowed to be in the room with the patient.  As a result, there are a lot of people who have to bring their children and leave them outside to roam around/do nothing.  Side note:  it is a cultural norm to let children wander- there is a big emphasis on community and it is expected that the whole community care for the children, so it’s not dangerous to do this.   Anyway, there is also a very active Pediatrics ward with children who just sit around.  I live with some student teachers from Belgium who decided that they wanted the children here to have more of an actual childhood so they created the Rainbow Room, which if you’ve ever worked at St. Chris, is kind of the equivalent of Childlife. 

The seven colors of the rainbow represent 7 areas of focus: Pastoral, Health, Music, Art, Play, Movement, and Learning.  As the end goal, we are trying to get activities for all 7 areas set up so the children around Kagando can learn and have fun.  Today, we intended just to have a planning meeting, but when we went over to the newly erected tent, we brought some toys and started to play with a child.  Before we knew it, children were coming from all over to play!  Even the parents were intrigued by what we were doing and came to watch. 

The first child we played with is one who is near and dear to Kagando.  He is ~10 years old and a leper.  As a result, his father abandoned him here at Kagando and he’s lived here for ~6 months.  I’m told that he has the desire to go back home to his father even though he beats him.  A while back, people eventually conceded to letting him go back home and a ride was set up to take him there.  However, the ride dropped him off in the middle of nowhere and the boy walked himself back to Kagando.  He’s been here since.  For us, it was so rewarding to see him come play because it allows him to regain some of the childhood innocence that was taken from him.  

Here are the first few kids playing with us and the parachute. :)

 

Everyone was really encouraged by the turnout, that we hurried home to make more activities for the children.  Although we didn’t intend on really launching this until next week, I think we might go back tomorrow. :)