Visitors to Double Joy: Hazel’s diary

Hazel visited Double Joy in 2004.

Tuesday 6 April

On arrival it was dark and we could hear lots of voices but not see very much as there’s no mains electricity. A meal was prepared for us by a local man, George, who was our cook for the week for us six visitors. That was me, Alan, Eric, Chrissie, cousin Mary and Glyn (brother of Eric and Chrissie). Chrissie was sleeping on the floor at her mum’s house but the rest of us were staying in the ‘guesthouse’. It’s basic but fine, a bit like a hot Pardshaw (Quaker place in the Lakes). Not too hot to sleep fortunately.

Wednesday 7 April

Up quite early. Chrissie and Eric gave us a tour, meeting lots of staff and children. There are 88 children aged 4+, housed in 11 houses. Each one is very basic and small: tiny sitting room with just a small table and two benches, two tiny bedrooms (1 for boys, 1 for girls) with a bunk bed in each; two children to a bed. No mains electricity but a little solar power, enough to provide dim light for a couple of hours each evening in some rooms. No mains water but rainwater collected in tanks caters for most needs. The locals drink it straight but we were advised to drink bottled water. Plastic barrels of water were decanted daily for washing.

The children can learn agricultural skills as there are veg plots and livestock: sheep, cows, chickens, donkeys. Boys get taught carpentry skills and bicycle maintenance, whereas girls learn to make clothes and basketwork. All very interesting, calm, busy and very friendly atmosphere. Had tea with Mary at her tiny house. She lives very simply. Saw the on-site clinic. Played games with the children after lunch. It was very hot.

After supper of tilapia fish fresh from the lake, the children put on an evening of entertainment – fabulous singing and dancing of traditional Luo culture – amazing energy, joy, spirit and skill – very moving indeed. They have so little materially yet are so happy – truly humbling. How have we got it so wrong in our culture? Why is there so much discontentment? Song and dance are so important.

Had to shake hands with all 88 children at the end, saying ‘Lala salama’ or ‘Otieno maber’ – ‘sleep peacefully’ in Swahili or ‘sleep well’ in Dholuo!

Sunday 11 April (Easter Sunday)

Up early to go to the catholic church in the DJ van but we didn’t get far before the van got stuck in the mud and slid into the ditch! Had a service at DJ instead. Piles of muddy flip-flops outside. (Some children wore shoes, some flip-flops, some no shoes) There was drumming for music and some of the older girls led parts of the service especially the singing.

After lunch was the ‘Sunday Meeting’ – prize-giving assembly led by Mary Hinde. Some of the prizes were newspaper cuttings of footballers and photos from the UK. These things were valued by those children. Mary also talked about HIV, saying that the HIV positive children (3 of them at DJ) are well and strong and brave, and that the DJ staff should be setting an example to others in the community and be brave and go to be tested at a clinic, in order to establish their HIV status. Otherwise the dying will continue, she said. The staff sat there, stony-faced.

Had a walk, along small paths, to a local shop in the evening with Eric to buy water. Lots of people around on the way. Shop was in a shed by a few huts. It sold bottles of pop, soap, sugar beet, sweets and various other items.

Monday 12 April

Walked 1km to Lake Victoria with Eric, Alan and Glyn – beautiful. People working in fields, animals tethered to bushes, two small wooden boats at lake edge. Couldn’t easily get to lake edge because of papyrus and water hyacinth.

Got packed. Played with the children all afternoon. There was a wonderful entertainment in the evening. The children sang the songs we’d taught them, the boys danced Alan’s Greensleeves dance and the children did their traditional Luo dances again for us. Wonderful way to finish. Felt quite tearful.

Tuesday 13 April

Set off early from DJ in the van packed full of people again including five children going to the hospital in Kisumu. Our 11.30am flight to Nairobi was cancelled so we had to re-book on the 4.20pm flight. Sat in the outdoor café at the airport to wait. It felt very strange sitting in the plane, waving out of the window at the DJ children and staff – going to very different worlds.

Hazel Warner