Thank you everyone

A very big thank you to Limavaday Rotary Club in Northern Ireland for helping to make Christmas so special for our children.
The club sent a donation of £200 to provide the Christmas meal for our children who tucked in to turkey with pilau followed by cake.  Later on in the day they enjoyed ice cream also thanks to their Rotary friends.
Limavady Rotary Club sponsor our little Harry who is pictured here receiving his Christmas gift from Santa.
Thank you to everyone at Limavady and to everyone, from around the world, who has sent gifts and cards or helped in any way at all to make Christmas so very special.
We cannot send individual photographs of each child with their gifts as it is really wouldn’t be fair to the kids who were having just so much fun enjoying themselves.
We do thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your love and support for our family.
We hope that your Christmas will be every bit as special as our own here at the Happy House.
*The partying is over and life has returned to normal for our children. December 25 will be celebrated quietly, as a family without any visitors, with a meal and one gift left by Mama and Papa for each child. They will Skype the kids from the UK so that they can share Christmas love and greetings. It is hard for them to be apart but they have so many fundraising commitments to fulfil with Auntie Libby, but will be back again very soon.

Santa in the sun

Santa arrives

Santa came out of his North Pole hideaway a few  weeks early to bring Christmas joy to our Happy House kids.
And the air of excitement was almost tangible as the kids waited eagerly for the arrival of this most special of guests.
There was an intake of breath followed by screams of delight when Santa came through the gates followed by two mischievous elves - Elf , the naughty one, and Safety, the playful one,

What's in the bag Jeddy

Santa introduced them to the children who just couldn’t quite take in the festive antics of the two elves as they led Santa a right song and dance.
Then it was time for Santa to distribute the children’s gift. Every child waited patiently for their name to be called and very politely shook Santa’s hand and said thank you before walking off with their bag of goodies.

Gifts for Hope

Everyone was thrilled with their gifts - every single item sent to Santa by our friends from the UK, Italy and elsewhere in the world  - and eagerly showing them off to their brothers and sisters. 

Mama , Santa and helpers

John

When all the gifts were distributed and every child happy, they chorused a goodbye and thank you to Santa and his elves who, not used to the intense sun, were keen to get back to the cool of their North Pole workshop.

Musyoka

They had made their flying visit by special request because our children wanted to have Christmas Day with their Mama and Papa who, with Auntie Libby, have to fly back to the UK tomorrow to meet fundraising commitments.

Then while some stayed in the banda to dance other kids went off in groups to take a closer look at their gifts, to try on new clothes or to read their book, play a game or just to take a quick nap.

Uncle Josphat and Auntie Joyce

Uncle Josphat, our cook, and his assistant Joyce had prepared a delicious lunch of turkey and pilau, which the kids wolfed down in almost total silence!
It was the most wonderful day, filled with love. The kind of day that every child will remember and will tell their own children about in years to come.

Suleiman

Uncle Billy, Pendo and Ushindi

Those of us who were there to share it and to feel the Happy House magic at work are truly blessed.

Papa with Shakila

Maria and Auntie Rose

Mr Omoi's big day

Lovely Lily

Happy House teacher Mr Omoi couldn’t get married without inviting our very special family to be a part of his big day.
He asked for a Happy House page boy and flower girl to take part, and the kids were asked to choose who they would like to represent them. They held a vote and Oscar and Lily were selected.
A party of our older kids went to Kalifi  with Uncle Billy and our teachers for the wedding, 
Margaret, our Happy House reporter and photographer, tells us all about it:
Hello everyone!
I hope you are fine and well, me too!
I just want to talk about the wedding of Master Omoi and Miss Lillian.

Happy House kids!

We had a wedding of  Mr Omoi and Lillian.
They invited us the Happy House family and teachers. Mr Omoi teaches us, he is our French and computer teacher. 
So he had invited us as his members. So we waited for it and we were very happy to hear that our teacher is going to have a wedding!
In the morning we prepare our selves and we started our journey we started with a word of prayer and so that we have prayed God guided us and we had a nice journey.

Our Oscar

We reached to Kilifi very safe and we were surprised to see our  Happy House kids Lily and Oscar are  in the wedding procession and also our secretary, Auntie Velma,  and our teacher, Mr Mdachi! 
The maids started marching they marched nicely and slowly so the marchers marched and they make two lines and the bride came in.

We listen to the programme and they were told to join together and they hug each other.

Auntie Velma

 The cake was brought and they cut it and they give even us so that we may taste the cake!
We were told the Happy House to make a picture with the bride and her husband we ate good and we really enjoyed it!  
So may God bless Mr Omoi and his wife Lilian . 
Thanks for inviting us! 

Santa's early call

Papa Dave, Lucinda, Mercy Jane, Janet and Maria

Christmas is coming … TODAY!
Santa is making an early visit to  the Happy House in answer to a special request from our kids.

Hassan

Their Mama and Papa, and Auntie Libby, fly back to the UK on Tuesday and the children didn’t want to celebrate Christmas without them.
Since our children came to the Happy House it is their Mama and Papa who have brought joy into their lives and to  mark this most important day of the year without them was unthinkable. So they chose today as Christmas Day.
We have all been busy putting up the decorations and Santa’s little helpers have been working overtime to get the children’s presents ready.

Francis and Karembo

Fikiri

Santa will be arriving this morning, accompanied by his two cheeky elves, to distribute the gifts.
Then there will be a special meal for all the family of turkey pilau  and vegetables, followed by ice-cream,.
Mama and Papa were very touched that their kids asked to have Christmas early, but they have ensured that there will be one gift each for every child to receive on December 25.

Handyman Uncle Lanson

*You can read all about our Christmas on the blog on Monday - as tomorrow is the Kids’ turn to take over  this space!

A romantic proposal

Love was in the air when Gary Burns surprised his girlfriend, Rachael Clamp by getting down on bended knee  to propose in front of all our Happy House family.

 A delighted Rachael was thrilled as he placed a sparkling solitaire diamond on her finger while all our kids clapped and cheered.

Our family, in on the secret, had created the perfect platform for a romantic proposal as our kids did their own wedding march to a traditional Swahili song, showering Rachael and Gary with flower petals gathered from the garden.
With Gary’s proud  parents, Terry and Wendy Burns, and Rachael’s mum, Karen Clamp, and partner Steve Durkin, looking on the couple sealed the deal with a kiss.
Rachael, taken completely by surprise, loved the decorations of palm and flowers created in heart shapes by our gardening staff, and cut the cake made by our cook Uncle Josphat.

Rachael fell in love with our Happy House family when she came to the opening in 2010 and at the time Mama Sue jokingly told Gary it was time he proposed.  So their return visit provided the perfect opportunity and setting.

We wish Gary and Rachael, from Burnley, every happiness in their future together and we know for certain, they will never forget this special day or very special place.

With love from Lancashire

Terry and son Gary 

 Every desk and every chair in our school was once used by pupils in Lancashire schools.
When schools have been refurbished in the county furniture, which once would have gone to landfill, is given new life by Burnley-based charity Furniture for Education Worldwide.
Terry Burns, who founded the charity, his wife Wendy, son Gary, am FEW trustee,   and Gary’s girlfriend Rachael Clamp, have flown out to visit the Happy House.
They were here for the opening in March 2010, when the first FEW container-load had provided much of the furniture in use around our home. And what a difference they are seeing.

Welcome

With them are Rachael’s mum, Karen, and her partner, Steve Durkin, a Burnley businessman.
So when guests who have done so much for use come to visit we like to give them a real Happy House welcome by putting on a show. FEW trustees also sent a donationt to buy everyone ice cream and sodas.
For Terry, political officer for Unite the Union NW, is thrilled to be able to see just how every item his charity has given is being put to good purpose - one of the reasons they choose to support us time and time again.
The most recent shipment also contained  computers, now up and running in our computer room, filing cabinets given by Senitor and mattresses from Silent Night. Plus other items surplus to requirements from  schools, offices and local businesses.

Natasha and Peninah

Kids judge adult dancing

For Terry, whose charity has sent shipments to other areas of the impoverished world, the link with the Happy House is the strongest because they can see where it is going and exactly how well it is looked after and being used.

Ice cream for Rose

To greet our special guests our children repeated two of the performances they had presented at the Closing day and Graduation, to the delight of everyone. Followed by a dance competition - which is always the kids’ first choice for entertainment.
Looking around one of our fully furnished new primary classes Terry said: ‘’And to think all this was once in Lancashire schools and would have just gone into landfill. We waste so much, this should be a wake-up call.
‘’The Happy House has come on such a long way since we were here What Sue is doing here is incredible. She is an inspiration.’’
Mama Sue said: ‘’We are thrilled Terry  and his family have come back to see us. He and his trustees are so supportive of us and we know how much it means to him to be able to see every stick of furniture they have sent us being put to use by our family and making a difference to children's lives..’’

Mama's a material girl!

Mama chooses material

Everyone in our family takes a pride in their appearance and all our staff come to work in clean, neatly pressed uniforms.
They are allocated two sets each.
After more than two years of being washed and worn, every day, uniforms are looking very tired and faded. The sun soon drains the colour out of the fabric and the salt water it  is washed in doesn't help either. 
Mama has decided that new uniforms are now a priority and went to the hardware and haberdashery shop to get new material.
Nothing is simple in Africa. When she spotted a fabric she liked it would take a phone call to the wholesaler, and a detailed description of the colour and pattern etc to discover whether or not he could supply enough. A barcode would have been so much easier.

Headteacher Rose with Sifa

After about four attempts, four different patterns, the deal was sealed and a colourful material picked for the house staff while teachers have a very smart black and white.

Sifa busy at work in his workshop

Uniforms give such a professional look, but also make it easy to identify who works where in our ever growing family home and school.
Sifa, who makes our uniforms, has now been in to measure everyone and to cut the cloth and is now working on sewing up the finished articles.
 It’s a big job, but he has been working as our tailor, making all our  uniforms for staff and kids, for more than a year and is both skilled and reliable, so we know they are in safe hands. And the work we have given him has enabled him to set up his own workshop.
The uniforms are another expense, but everything wears out so quickly here we  have no option  but to find the money.
Pier pressure

It's well over a year since Marc and Thalia Venturi  brought out baseball caps donated by Brighton Pier for our kids and as you can see from these pictures of Mwende they are very popular with the kids.

It's an other illustration of how what is given to our charity goes exactly where it is intended and get used time and time again.