More New Learnings

While the kids were still on break in Aug. I also got to spend a few days in Nairobi with some new friends I have gotten to know since coming this time.  Patrick is a pastor and Rose in the head of the Christina Union at a college.  They leave at the collage.  I left with Dorris at 3:00am Thurs. morning for Nairobi.  We travelled by Matatu (big bus with no leg room).  It costs just under $6.00 to travel this way.  It is about a 3 hour drive.  Very cheap.  We arrived in Nairobi around 6:00am.  We had something to eat and then started are morning.  There were a few things Dorris needed to do and then I needed a haircut.  The haircut is only possible in the bigger cities where there are more white people and salons that are used to their hair.   So once I was done with that we met up with Rose.  Dorris then traveled back home and I started my time with Rose and Patrick.  We didn’t get to their house until around 5:00.  Rose had some things to do in the city before heading home.  Again I had decided that God would only call me to service is a big city.  It was crazy.  The good news is that Rose and Patrick live outside the city a little so once at their house it does not feel like you are in the city.  So the first evening was relaxing and catching up.  The next day was more relaxing and catching up.  The afternoon consisted of cleaning rice and beans (sorting through from stones) and the porch.  Very relaxing.  Then their daughter joy and niece Suzy and I made chapatti.  We had lots of fun as you can see from the pictures.  We also made roasted maize.  There corn here is very hard and does not get soft no matter how long you cook it.  When roasted it tastes really good.  I have seen it done but never done it myself.  So I learned and had fun doing to.  I left there house Sat. around noon and heading back with Patrick who was speaking at Pastor Mugo’s church on the Sunday.  It was a good time away and with good friends.

Mombasa

On Aug. 9^th I left with a group of six high school kids along with Dorris the other missionary here at PACE for Mombasa.  Mombasa is a big city on the cost of Kenya.  The school takes a group of kids every Aug. So since I had never been there I took the opportunity to go.  We left around 5:00 pm from town.  We took a Matatu (Van the mode of transportation here) to Nakuru which was about an hour and a half ride.  I will make this disclaimer right from the beginning.  You can assume that none of the modes of transportation are a smooth ride.  After reaching Nakuru we had some supper and then at 9:00 pm boarded another bigger bus to start our long ride.  It was a long night filled with not much sleep.  We arrived in Mombasa around 7:30 am.  Then we boarded tuku’s (three tire vichles that only fits three people) and headed to the place we were going to stay.  It was a pretty cool place.  As you can see from the pictures we lived in sand.  It was an experience that is for sure.

After settling in we had breakfast at a small place close by.  It consisted of chapatti’s and chai.  For me that was three chapatti’s every morning.  Trust me if you would have them made right you would know how good they are and totally worth it.

Then we heading to the beach (Indian Ocean) to take the kids snorkeling on a glass covered boat.  This was an amazing experience for the kids and a great way to start are week. Most Kenyan’s fear water.  They have never been in it their whole lives.  They don’t have baths so never immerse themselves in water.  So for some of the kids it was really hard to first get in the water and then but there face in the water and believe that when they breathe through the tube it will work.  The pictures tell the story best.

Then we had something to eat at the beach.  They make fresh fried food right there.  It was amazing.  Yes I had fresh made chips (French fries) every time we could.  I always said I worked it off in the water anyway.

Once back at the place we were staying we showered and relaxed for the rest of the night.

Some other highlights from the week.  Besides the kids never seeing the ocean they had also not experienced the tide going in and out.  So one morning we went early to the beach so they could see how far the tide was out.  We spent much time there walking and looking for shells.

We also visited a place called Holler Park.  This is a park that is all natural.  It is like being in a rain forest.  They have different animals and it is really cool place to be.  Especially since it is in the middle of the city.

We also took a fairy to another part of Mombasa.  Again an experience the kids had never had.

We had pizza one night for supper.  Four out of the six kids there had never had it before.

We took the kids to Mombasa Aviation College.  These kids have no idea what opportunities they have in life.  This college offers many different opportunities and it was good for the kids to see.

We also took them bowling.  Again none had done it before.  It was ten pin bowling which I have not done in many, many years.  We had a good time.

On our last day we spent time at the beach and were in the water as the tide came in.  The kids could see it happen which was good for them to experience.

We ended our time with a 19 hour travel home.  It should have taken about half that time.  There were a few delays that were not expected.  We were ready to be home.  I had a nice long hot shower (it was cold showers all week) and headed to bed early.

I was reminded through the trip that I remain to be a small town girl that does not really enjoy the big city for long periods of time.  It was a bit crazy at times but Dorris is an expert so it all worked out.  It was also a change to go from the cooler fall like weather to Mombasa which is hot and humid.  I was thinking that I would miss the humid weather this year since I would miss summer at home but I had a week of it and that was good enough for this year.

So it was a great experience and I was so grateful to be able to spending with kids from school.

School is Out

Well it is hard to believe but the kids have left for their Aug. break.  The school is very quiet.  Before they left Jillian and myself went and bought cupcakes to give to all the kids and teachers.  Very special treat for them all and we could give out 400 of them for under $40.  So easy to bless them.  We spent the last day off school with them.  It was a little hard as they would come up to you take your hand and quietly say they will miss you.  And of course there was a quit a few that are missed for sure.  I have never played so much Uno in my life as I did or the last three months.  But believe it or not I am missing it.  The saying good bye came easier knowing I would see them again in Sept. when they return since I will be staying until Oct. 13^th.

Every year the school gives an opportunity for the high school kids to take a trip to Mombasa.  It is on the coast of Kenya.  About a 9 hour bus ride. This year 6 kids are going and I will be going with them along with Dorris who leads them every year.  I have never been there so am looking forward to the trip and the time with the kids.  We leave Sunday and return Aug. 15^th.  Should be a good time.  I am sure I will be exhausted but that is good.

Jillian left this week back to Ontario.  So I am now the only one here.  It will stay that way for the rest of my stay.  In one way it is nice to have the space I am sure I will miss having someone to talk too.  But it all feels like home so that is a good thing.

Canadians

Well the last few weeks have been busy once again.  I team from Guelph was here.  It was so good to spend time with some Canadians.  Since they were “our people” we did a lot of hosting.  They were here to do some construction at the school.  There was also a teacher in the group who came and helped during my library time over lunch.  The kids loved it.  Then team would also come after school to spend time with the kids.  There was a few from the team that played chess so the high school kids were excited to have some time to play with them.  When the team was in the library it got really full and crazy.  I forgot I was the white person as all the attention was on the new white people.  It was interesting.  When they left there was a lot of sad faces.

I have also made two trips to Nairobi in the last two weeks.  The first trip was to spend time with a couple that I have met since being here.  The second trip was to go and take the team back to the airport which was fun to do.  We had supper with them were I enjoyed a wonderful hamburger and a taste of a T-bone steak.  I do and will miss BBQing this year.  I also went to purchase Microsoft Office for my computer since I have not had it since it fell when I first came.  Now I have it and it makes life a lot easier.

The library continues to go well.  The kids only have until Aug. 5^th before school will be done for this term.  So there time in the library is coming to a close soon.  Next Friday they will start there end term exams and then will all go home on the 5^th.  Then I will clean up the library.

The weather here continues to be cooler.  The rains have come which is good because the crops really need them.  With the rain comes cooler weather.  A fire in the evening is defiantly needed.  You also know when it is cooler in the house is when margarine in hard.  But as they say here the rain means full bellies.  So let the rain come.

Continuing in God's work

I have come to realize that it has been a while since I posted a blog.  Life here has been busy  and filled with lots of good things.  The library continues to go well.  The high school kids continue to enjoy learning chess.  They are looking for it every day.  It is good to see.  It is a game I never thought I would enjoy but I am coming to enjoy it more all the time.  The academy kids continue to looking forward to coming to the library.  Monday after school was full as you can see from the pictures.  Sometimes hard to maintain but good to see the them enjoying themselves.  I have also added a cabinet to the library which has been very helpful in organizing things.  This help with not having to carry items back and forth and the hope of keeping them much cleaner.

It is hard to believe that my scheduled time here in over in less then two months.  Because my visa was only valid for three months and I am hear longer this required me to have it renewed.  This is not always an easy things but last week it was done.  I have it extended until Oct. 14th.

The weather is getting cooler.  July is the coldest month in the area that I am staying in.  The mornings and evenings are quite cool.  Some mornings you can see your breath.  So most evenings we have first in our living room.  It is so nice but a little weird to be thinking of doing this in July. The heat stays in the living room so when it is time for bed you warm up in front of the fire and then jump into bed.  In the morning you hope the sun comes because it will warm you up.  It has been sunny for quite some time.  We are is desperate need of rain.  The crops are planted and coming well but the mazie is in strong need of rain for it to continue to grow.  As they say here "it will come it has too".

Today I helped cut potato's for the kids to have for supper.  It take a lot to feed 300 kids.  I was also cutting them while sitting on a bench hunched over.  Not the most comfortable but how they do it.  There will be more to cut as the week goes and will be happy to help.