As many of you know, in August my husband and I travelled to Kenya to do some volunteer work at an orphanage. We spent 2 weeks at the Thika Child Rescue Centre which is an all boy orphanage just outside of Thika, about an hour north of Nairobi. The boys at TCRC range in age from about 4 to 17, with many orphaned by HIV/AIDS, abandoned, or victims of abuse or neglect. At first we both felt quite overwhelmed and unsure what we could do to help. Over the following days the initial shock subsided and we both got to know many of the 100 or so boys there. Our days were filled with playing games, teaching (and learning!), and giving lots of hugs. We both learned so much in our time there (including that I can have 8 kids sitting on me at once!) – truly a life changing experience. We are missing them very much and hope to return someday soon.
I took many portraits of the boys – each one with his own unique personality and story. Here are some of my favourite shots from our stay at Thika:
