Our kids love a singalong and if you just happen to be visiting you can be lucky enough to join in. Guests Dario Diomedi and Sabrina Mazzone and their daughters Flaminia and Greta had a great time joining in some family fun at a Christmas Day kidz club. It was also when Abdulmalik received his birthday gift - he turned five on December 27. Happy birthday little boy. .
Now repatriated to his family after being in the care of Happy House, Baraka Mkutano has been back to stay for a holiday. Baraka asked Mama Sue and Papa Dave if he could come to visit in the school holidays and, of course, they said yes. He's had a wonderful time catching up with his friends and helping around the house as he tells us in this video.
With Happy House School getting ready for the new academic year starting in January, work is on target to have our new computer suite finished. In this video update, made on Christmas Eve, Mama Sue brings us up to date with the progress. Grilles have now gone in on the windows, which will help ensure security, and with her usual attention to design detail Mama has had them painted white to ensure they look as nice as possible. Carlos, our builder, has now been contracted to put in the ceiling, work which was to be done by our own joiner Charo, but Mama explains that he and his assistant have more than enough work on making the furniture that is needed - some of which are pictured being the the storeroom ready to be moved in was soon as the building is complete. Charo has a willing team of eager volunteers in our kids to transport them from A to B!
Italian visitors Dario Diomedi and Sabrina Mazzone and their daughters Flaminia and Greta were given a rousing welcome when they made their first visit to Happy House on Christmas Day. The family were excited and delighted to seeing the Happy House and to meet their sponsor child, Joshua.
At a welcome gathering their was a sing-off between our girls and our boys and they had the difficult task of picking a winner. Dario and family brought with them many beautiful items of clothing and necessities which will be kept in our storeroom to be used as and when they are needed.
We thank Dario, Sabrina, Flaminia and Greta for being with us and for all the things they have brought with them. Thank you also to their friends and relatives who donated items to their Happy House collection. Dario and family are also featured on this video. Please click on the link to watch: https://youtu.be/BQFiETe01c0
There was an international flavour to Christmas at the Happy House was we welcomed guests from across the world. And our Happy House kids soon learnt a new dance from Italian visitors Dario Diomedi and Sabrina Mazzone and their daughters Flaminia and Greta. The family from Rome, delighted to meet their sponsor child Joshua, joined in the Christmas Day party with lots of singing and dancing from our kids. When they got up to demonstrate the macarena our youngsters soon joined in to give a go and followed the actions of our guests from Rome. Our family was also joined by Chris Ackroyd from London and Moza Hammad ,a paediatrician, from Dubai who were thrilled to meet everyone and to see the high standard of care at the Happy House as they mention in their video: https://youtu.be/1dRstUeAb88 Mama Sue and Papa Dave were delighted to welcome visitors on this special day. The children had double treats to eat - hotdogs and ice-cream! There were sweets brought by our guests as an added extra https://youtu.be/mttndpUOw9g More video of Dario and family at Happy House on tomorrow's blog.
For Happy House kid Diana Christmas Day, was spent with with Mama Sue, Papa Dave and the other children in their care. Mama Sue and Papa Dave have given her and her brothers, John and Daudi, and all our kids, the security and love of a family. For Diana this means the world. Mama Sue is the person she knows she can turn to and is her best friend. Mama, she tells us in this video," has the key to my heart." Sue had no idea what Diana was going to say when she was asked to take part in the video, and is visibly moved to hear the words of love spoken by the youngster. Mama Sue and Papa Dave may feel they are blessed to be so loved, but is they who are the true blessing for the children for whom they have created a safe and loving home. There was no turkey or Christmas pud for Sue and Dave, instead they enjoyed sausages and ice-cream with the kids. In the past eight years they have done so much transform so many young lives. On Christmas Day and every day they will continue to work tirelessly for the disadvantaged children of the Watamu area. Together they share the highs and the lows of being the cornerstones of the Happy House home and school. It is difficult and demanding. Sue and Dave are driven by their for the children and for each other. They inspire those of us who support them and we are humbled by their selfless dedication. So, from all of us, thank you Mama Sue and Papa Dave. we wish you the happiest, healthiest, year to come, May bring you all that you would wish for yourselves and your Happy House family.
Christmas is all about family. In a special video Mama Sue talks about the important role Happy House is playing in mending broken families. She tells of how children who have lived in our care, some for several years, find their place in their own family and community after being restored to the care of a parent or relative. The repatriation process begins with short home visits, gradually extended over time, to test the ground and to make the transition as from Happy House to home as smooth as possible. Mama says she is expecting that many of the youngsters who left on home visits when the school holidays began in October, will remain there. Uncle Ronnie, our social worker, makes regular checks and it seems that the kids are settled and happy and wanting to stay and that the relative caring for them is able to support them and look after them. If all is well then that is where a child should remain. It is heart-wrenching for Mama and Papa to see a child leave. Each child who comes into our care is a child comes at a time of great need. Mama and Papa, with love a nurture, put laughter into their lives see them grow from unhappy little beings to confident, healthy, happy youngsters. They look upon them as their own so to see them tugs on their hearts but they have always put the interests of each individual child ahead of their personal feelings. In our Christmas video Mama thanks all those of you who have made our family a part of your own family - by sponsoring, fundraising or supporting what we do. Today, she and papa will be spending Christmas with their kids at the Happy House, tucking into sausages followed by ice-cream. They will have fun in the sun. We wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful new year.
Our kids love a singalong and if you just happen to be visiting you can be lucky enough to join in.
Carlos, our builder, has now been contracted to put in the ceiling, work which was to be done by our own joiner Charo, but Mama explains that he and his assistant have more than enough work on making the furniture that is needed - some of which are pictured being the the storeroom ready to be moved in was soon as the building is complete.
Italian visitors Dario Diomedi and Sabrina Mazzone and their daughters Flaminia and Greta were given a rousing welcome when they made their first visit to Happy House on Christmas Day.
At a welcome gathering their was a sing-off between our girls and our boys and they had the difficult task of picking a winner.
