Day centre Kimbilio reopens.

The Kimbilio team started this morning early at 5am, heading out into the market near to our centre in the Kenya district of Lubumbashi. We were accompanied by Keira and Mia two visitors from Ireland. Our intention to meet children sleeping rough in the area. We soon met one of the gang leaders, himself only about 19. He knew us from previous street visits. As he knew our intentions were not to harm the children he was not suspicious of us as he had been previously and readily led us to 2 children sleeping in a restaurant and 3 who were waking underneath a market stall. One of these boys was one of the Kimbilio regulars two years ago and knew my name, I'm afraid to say I had forgotten his in the ensuing time! Unlike two years ago when we were just setting up and making our original street visits, Kimbilio has now become more established and has a positive image in the area, therefore the children did not take any convincing to come with us. We spent some time with them chatting, drinking hot tea and eating bread. They were anxious to get back on the streets as they had left someone guarding their few possesions and also they wanted to get to the markets where they earn small amounts of money, packing bags and carrying boxes of vegetables for the traders. We gave them some soap and just after 7am they headed back off to their fragile worlds. One of the boys refused his soap, saying he had some left among his bundle of clothes, he was afraid someone would steal a new one so asked us to keep it for him until Thursday when we have invited them back again. We are intending to open 2 days a week at present in order to support these vulnerable children and their friends who are likely to appear when they hear we are open again. We hope to support them in this relatively small way and gradually build up relationships with them, assisting them to return to their families when possible and generally being there to support their needs as and when they arise. We were really impressed with the existing residential members of Centre Kimbilio, former street children who welcomed these new comers with open arms, sitting next to them and reassuring them. Its hard to believe that 2 years ago these lads themselves were in a similar position as todays new arrivals, sitting shivering and disheveled on the same benches! Well done guys, we're proud of you!