Mama Shiro

I have not blogged all week because I have been going to the center everyday and I am dead tired at the end of each day. I wake up at about 6:30 and leave the house around 7:30. It takes me two hours to take two matatus from Westland's to Rongai. When I switch matatu's I have to walk about 0.7 miles between the two stations. In the evenings when I return home I have to walk through traffic and crowds, which is complicated and scary, and then ride through traffic which is hot and miserable. I leave Rogai abou 3:30 and sometimes don't make it home until 6:00. It is exhausting. Simply exhausting. I have been trying to maintain some type of workout routine; so, when I get home I try to do a basic workout. Every night I go to bed pooped and I feel like there is not enough time in the day. I don't think I am going to be able to maintain volunteering every single day. It is simply too far to travel. I have already mentioned this before but the work that I do at the center is really psychically challenging. I do have an inspiration though. Her name is Mama Shiro. She works in the kitchen and has been working for the center for 6 years. She is all about the children and making sure they are fed. Sometimes she is not paid. Sometimes she has no help except the older children but each and everyday she is there and she is working. Chopping, picking rice for bugs, cooking in a smoky kitchen, washing dishes, sweeping, mopping but never complaining. She is simply amazing to watch. She cooks for hundreds of people, daily, and often inadequately assisted. She is one of those people who can make something out of nothing. Sometimes there is not enough food for all the kids but she has that magical ability to make it stretch until it is enough. I think that is a trait that is unique to

women who love a lot. I believe that is a gift. A God given gift. Check out Mama Shiro and her work:

On Thursday Mama Shiro made pilau. There was not enough so she added potato's so it would be filling enough for the kids...and because it was served to children, she added ketchup (Yuck! But the kids LOVE it) and all were fed and happy.

This gives you an idea of how many children are fed. There were bowls of rice EVERYWHERE. I kept worrying we were going to run out of food so I didn't put that much food on everyone's plate but she insisted that I "add more! put more! the kids need to eat." So I hesitatingly did as she said. She was right. There was enough for the kids to have a big bowl.

So my job was to first, fill the bowls, then hand the food to Mama Shiro....

It involved me walking back and forth to the window...

and handing the food to Mama Shiro...

Who made sure each and every child ate...

and then nicely returned their bowls. Notice: each and everyone of those plates is clear. You don't have to beg children to finish their food here.

This little boy was eating the last morsel. Notice the bucket of water where the kids could was their hands after they ate.

This is the most amazing picture of all. After we finished feeding the kids Mama Shiro finally takes a second to sit down and eat...when one little boy comes in the kitchen and says that he just arrived and had missed lunch. I felt bad because there was no food left. Nothing more in the pot. Mama Shiro tells him to get a bowl and takes the food from her plate and gives half of it to him. She does stuff like that all the time. This would have been a much better picture if they didn't notice me taking it! Ugha! I hate when that happens. But the act of kindness remains the same...despite the cheesy smiles at t the camera.

Everyday I come to the center I stop at the market and pick up some food to contribute to the meal: 3 big cabbages, or a bag of rice, or fruit...whatever looks good that day. I recently started to buy something special for Mama Shiro and her family as well. She so deserves it. It is the absolute least I could do for someone who I feel is deserving of so much more.