Jambo!
=).
Here I am again, in my faithful internet café (I really should take a picture of it!) after a long week! I am alone, unfortunately, because Rahel was sick yesterday and is resting today. The week has been pretty standard. On Sunday morning we finished with the parable of the sower (good soil, the early church as an example) and the kids finished off their little books. By the time we were through it was too late to go down to church with Vitilus so Rahel and I were able to get a bit of rest.
This whole week all the kids (or, almost all of them) have been coming to Final Class and it is a handful! Interestingly, although he still makes noise Cavin Akech is miles better than before and it is surprisingly Devis that is making all the classroom chaos. I think there is something not quite right with him, he lives with an alcoholic father and really is behaviour is very erratic and he is always dreaming somewhere far off during class, or singing or making noises, or standing up, so it was pretty trialing, but you can’t hate any of them (even if your temper decides to get lost) – it turns out it is the most troublesome ones you get attached to. Rahel was King Nebuchadnezzar and I was Daniel on Monday so that was pretty fun =).
I am a shame to my family because of my attire. I had my flip flops and after Queen stood on one and it “got kaput” I switched to my sandals and they did not last long on the rocky terrain that leads to the main road and the soles started coming off. So then I switched to my good flip flop and my okay sandal and used them over this week (much to the amusement of the kids that realized) until the sole fell off my sandal and that was when Vitilus suggested I give it to him to take to the fundi on the main road. So now I am in trainers again. Walking home the same day Susan commented on my ripped skirt (In various places) and suggested an exchange: she would give me a skirt from her stock and I would donate mine to be a rag to wash the floor at nursery school. So now I am decent again. It was particularly funny that we went to a little shop and left our shoes outside as we were in… Rahel said the girl went to sort the shoes out and picked up my flip flop, couldn’t find the other one, looked decidedly confused and then saw an odd sandal for the other foot and put them together. He he.
Thanks for the rain prayers, there have been a few rainy days but we still need more =). Pray for our health, my skin is drying up again but this time I have the medicine so let us hope it gets better and that Rahel could get up her strength as well as a safe trip to Nairobi to renew our VISA (on Sat).
Lots of love,
Kat
Ps. Last night at midnight I woke up and my eyes were killing me (or, the skin around them) so I couldn’t sleep and neither could Rahel as she had been lying in bed practically the whole day, feeling rotten. It took us about an hour to realize the other person was awake so at 1am we turned the light on, shared a cereal bar (the last one!) and talked till about 3.15am when the light suddenly switched itself off (it tends to do that) and so we went to sleep. So today we are a little tired, but it was a good time and we were grouchy when we woke up but as we talked we laughed, shared and had fun. =).
Thursday 16 July 2009
Thursday 9 July 2009
Last month already?
Hello!
It has been a very long week (is that possible?). Since last time I was here the team left our house, we celebrated Anne’s 11th birthday and have been very tired these last days of school.
Having the team was great, despite the few hours of sleep we had we enjoyed their company and all felt a bit flat on Saturday when they had all gone. However, the kids are still singing the two songs they taught us and loving them so they will not be forgotten! We were exhausted by the weekend though, especially Vitilus who was going everywhere with them and when we got the house in order we all slept a lot!
Saturday was Anne’s birthday and it was interesting to see the family tradition! In the morning (Susan had her seminar/graduation to go to) Anne was sent off to the neighbours to have her plaits taken out as Sarah made her present (and the one from Dan and the one from Stephen). Every time she walked into te house everything was hidden and Sarah often moaned “Anne stop looking! You will see” so consequently Anne felt on top of the world. We had lunch, rested, and then at tea time (4pm) (when Susie was back) we brought out cake, presents, juice and called all the neighbour hood kids in. We sang, ate, she opened presents and after a bit we sang songs (mostly nursery ones), Susie told us a story and then Rahel and I led the birthday games as Susie made chips en masse for dinner. It was a good day and Anne certainly enjoyed herself.
Sunday was a GOOD DAY, after taking the Sunday school we walked the sweltering half and hour to RIAT church and by 1.00pm we were HOME. Susie made her wonderful sweet breads with caramel sauce and vanilla pudding (I will learn to make them!!) and we had the afternoon off… we slept, read, played… it was really enjoyable and we spent some quality time with Vitilus. On Monday afternoon we spoke to Vitilus, or rather, he biblically encouraged us and it was really a great time =).
The week has been dragging on and we have felt pretty tired, not quite sure what is is and today was WW3 against Mr. Akech as he was CONSTANTLY told to “be quiet” “shut up” and “SILENCEEEE”, got the angry face look and finally had his scissors violently wrestled off him and he started attacking students and teachers with them (and wouldn’t let them go). I hate his disruption and I hate myself even more for getting so angry at him but the scissors had to be taken off him! I was exhausted after lunch but hearing news from family and friends has got my sprits up again!
It was also quite emotional to go through my family and friend leaving the country even though I was far away in Kenya but Vitilus and Susan were great about it =). So I am looking forward to this coming weekend greatly . Orriti for now!
It has been a very long week (is that possible?). Since last time I was here the team left our house, we celebrated Anne’s 11th birthday and have been very tired these last days of school.
Having the team was great, despite the few hours of sleep we had we enjoyed their company and all felt a bit flat on Saturday when they had all gone. However, the kids are still singing the two songs they taught us and loving them so they will not be forgotten! We were exhausted by the weekend though, especially Vitilus who was going everywhere with them and when we got the house in order we all slept a lot!
Saturday was Anne’s birthday and it was interesting to see the family tradition! In the morning (Susan had her seminar/graduation to go to) Anne was sent off to the neighbours to have her plaits taken out as Sarah made her present (and the one from Dan and the one from Stephen). Every time she walked into te house everything was hidden and Sarah often moaned “Anne stop looking! You will see” so consequently Anne felt on top of the world. We had lunch, rested, and then at tea time (4pm) (when Susie was back) we brought out cake, presents, juice and called all the neighbour hood kids in. We sang, ate, she opened presents and after a bit we sang songs (mostly nursery ones), Susie told us a story and then Rahel and I led the birthday games as Susie made chips en masse for dinner. It was a good day and Anne certainly enjoyed herself.
Sunday was a GOOD DAY, after taking the Sunday school we walked the sweltering half and hour to RIAT church and by 1.00pm we were HOME. Susie made her wonderful sweet breads with caramel sauce and vanilla pudding (I will learn to make them!!) and we had the afternoon off… we slept, read, played… it was really enjoyable and we spent some quality time with Vitilus. On Monday afternoon we spoke to Vitilus, or rather, he biblically encouraged us and it was really a great time =).
The week has been dragging on and we have felt pretty tired, not quite sure what is is and today was WW3 against Mr. Akech as he was CONSTANTLY told to “be quiet” “shut up” and “SILENCEEEE”, got the angry face look and finally had his scissors violently wrestled off him and he started attacking students and teachers with them (and wouldn’t let them go). I hate his disruption and I hate myself even more for getting so angry at him but the scissors had to be taken off him! I was exhausted after lunch but hearing news from family and friends has got my sprits up again!
It was also quite emotional to go through my family and friend leaving the country even though I was far away in Kenya but Vitilus and Susan were great about it =). So I am looking forward to this coming weekend greatly . Orriti for now!
Monday 29 June 2009
Italiano!
Habari!
Well its not my usual day to be here, but I am sending off my prayer letter and making the most of my time in the internet café. Probably the most exciting stuff going on has been the Italian team. 5 Italian girls, 3 USA missionaries living in Italy with their sons and a couple from Hawai! Speaking Spanish means I can sort of communicate with the girls that have very little English and it is fun! We are all camping in the living room and it has been fine but now we are waking up at 5am when Anne and Sarah wake up to go to school and going to sleep 10.30 because of the team’s meetings but it is 100% worth it, learning from their experiences and getting to know them is fantastic! By the end of the week we will probably be exhausted but definetly worth it.
Today they took over the nursery, so we had nothing to prepare, they did songs, shared the gospel, played games with us, taught us the songs, we are really grateful they did the whole program . We have an outside shower now so we really are living in the BUSH (just take a bucket and a jug, pour out the water from the big container and splash yourself a shower), it is the best view I have ever had in a shower (second best being Tambopata in S3 lol). Susie is really working hard for the visitors so the food has been fantastic (even more than usual) but after the first few bites you are engrossed in a conversation so interesting that people are collecting up the plates and you realize you are not finished yet! The girls want to have a sleepover and I am shocked to her myself say this but, they will be on a bus the next day for 6 hours and we will have to work (heeeeelp I am becoming a groan-up) but I think we may still go for it!
Anyways, I leave u for now as I put pix on facebook (its working now!)
LOVE!
Kat
Well its not my usual day to be here, but I am sending off my prayer letter and making the most of my time in the internet café. Probably the most exciting stuff going on has been the Italian team. 5 Italian girls, 3 USA missionaries living in Italy with their sons and a couple from Hawai! Speaking Spanish means I can sort of communicate with the girls that have very little English and it is fun! We are all camping in the living room and it has been fine but now we are waking up at 5am when Anne and Sarah wake up to go to school and going to sleep 10.30 because of the team’s meetings but it is 100% worth it, learning from their experiences and getting to know them is fantastic! By the end of the week we will probably be exhausted but definetly worth it.
Today they took over the nursery, so we had nothing to prepare, they did songs, shared the gospel, played games with us, taught us the songs, we are really grateful they did the whole program . We have an outside shower now so we really are living in the BUSH (just take a bucket and a jug, pour out the water from the big container and splash yourself a shower), it is the best view I have ever had in a shower (second best being Tambopata in S3 lol). Susie is really working hard for the visitors so the food has been fantastic (even more than usual) but after the first few bites you are engrossed in a conversation so interesting that people are collecting up the plates and you realize you are not finished yet! The girls want to have a sleepover and I am shocked to her myself say this but, they will be on a bus the next day for 6 hours and we will have to work (heeeeelp I am becoming a groan-up) but I think we may still go for it!
Anyways, I leave u for now as I put pix on facebook (its working now!)
LOVE!
Kat
Monday 22 June 2009
Kiaumu --> Nakuru --> Nairobi
Greetings from Nairobi!
Here we are again, and it has been quite an enjoyable and completely unexpected weekend!
Rahel and I left Kisumu on Friday at 7.30am and walked to the main road with my carry on luggage (small, yes, but after that walk suddenly all the clothes I had seemed unnecessary!) and got a matatu to Tuskys. It was SO cool to be walking to the bus station, the sun shining, the sharp clearness of the morning… I was so happy! The trip to Nakuru was uneventful (I am reading: A Voice in the Wind at the moment) which is a good thing and we were welcomed in. To not make this too long, lets just say Nakuru was great, we were in Mission in Action, a baby orphanage and we walked in and went to greet the kids (about 50 maybe?) and they all came running over “what is your name?” and started climbing all over us and speaking to us in ENGLISH! Half the kids are younger than those at nursery school yet they were blabbering away in English and it was great (Ivan and Mary are the “mummy and daddy” of these kids, they are Australian (so I got a little taste of the land down under)). The house was made for the kids as well as the family so it is one big family! We stayed Friday to Sunday (after lunch) and played with the kids, fed the babies (OK, they were gorgeous, and I was officially initiated on Sunday when little Daniel projectile vomited all over me), spent time with some of the volunteers and at nights we were able to watch a DVD (Christy… reminded me of Anne of Green Gables a bit, when she teaches), there were warm showers, very different from Kisumu but it was nice to visit.
Sunday afternoon (was it only yesterday?, it feels like ages ago) found us on a matatu going to Nairobi, we arrived safely, wandered around looking for the bus stop and got to Rose Avenue. I was able to visit Colin and Fey again (they are still here!! =D) so we had a chai and a chat and then came down to Rose 5, had tea and stayed there the night . This morning we woke up early, had granola, oats and milk (oh bliss) and went to the office for our visa’s….OK.
* Originally we were going to come back on the 20th (date of expiry), do our VISAs and stay in Nairobi till my flight the 27th
*We decided to extend our stay until August so we could finish the term with the kids so moved our flights to the 6th of August
* We decided to come back to renew our VISAs in June, halfway through our time here so we didn’t have to leave Kisumu to do the VISA just before the exams start.
TURNS OUT, we can only renew our VISA on the DAY of its expiry. So after considering the other possibilities (doing it in Kisumu, no too risky, it may not work with the immigrations and someone would have to come out to Kisumu to do it with us or being illegally in Kenya for 2 weeks, no) we realized we would have to come back. So we return to Nairobi on the 18 – 21st of June to do the VISA (traveling at night is not recommended). That was a bit gutting but we had the rest of the day off so we went to Java House and then home.
The backs of my legs are if anything worse, and at Nakuru they were really itching and my left leg has a big infected wound. Brigitte the nurse here saw them and gave me the number of a doctor, so at 3.30 I called the reception, was told the doctor finished at 4pm, got a taxi at the speed of light and Rahel and I went to the dermatologist to see about them. It turns out to be eczema so I was prescribed 4 different medicines (one for the infection, one for the outbreak, one for dry skin and one for dry scalp). I was a bit discouraged… I have been fine with my skin playing up but when I had to pay it wasn’t that expensive but it was the money I had got out that morning to last me a month in Kisumu and bus fares there and back again. Rahel said she could lend me some until we come back here. It was a challenge to bring my necessity to God and remember that he is in control of what happens… I remembered the sparrows he talked about… and then later on Colin and Fey gave me the money I had just spent and I gave them a cash withdrawal paper so they could withdraw from my account what the gave me, so it is all well now =).
It has been a pretty mad weekend (especially today) but I am glad we got the time off, even though it seemed to be unnecessary, I got my medication, we got to see folks in Nairobi (I thought I wouldn’t see the Holtums again!), we relaxed, enjoyed a pizza and tomorrow we get up early-ish to go back to Kisumu. The guests arrive this Friday (chaos!) so I don’t know if I will get down to town on Thursday, no doubt we will be helping prepare everything (plus, I have had internet today). So that’s all for now, will be in contact next Thursday. =).
ps. I will attempt to add pix to facebook now!
Here we are again, and it has been quite an enjoyable and completely unexpected weekend!
Rahel and I left Kisumu on Friday at 7.30am and walked to the main road with my carry on luggage (small, yes, but after that walk suddenly all the clothes I had seemed unnecessary!) and got a matatu to Tuskys. It was SO cool to be walking to the bus station, the sun shining, the sharp clearness of the morning… I was so happy! The trip to Nakuru was uneventful (I am reading: A Voice in the Wind at the moment) which is a good thing and we were welcomed in. To not make this too long, lets just say Nakuru was great, we were in Mission in Action, a baby orphanage and we walked in and went to greet the kids (about 50 maybe?) and they all came running over “what is your name?” and started climbing all over us and speaking to us in ENGLISH! Half the kids are younger than those at nursery school yet they were blabbering away in English and it was great (Ivan and Mary are the “mummy and daddy” of these kids, they are Australian (so I got a little taste of the land down under)). The house was made for the kids as well as the family so it is one big family! We stayed Friday to Sunday (after lunch) and played with the kids, fed the babies (OK, they were gorgeous, and I was officially initiated on Sunday when little Daniel projectile vomited all over me), spent time with some of the volunteers and at nights we were able to watch a DVD (Christy… reminded me of Anne of Green Gables a bit, when she teaches), there were warm showers, very different from Kisumu but it was nice to visit.
Sunday afternoon (was it only yesterday?, it feels like ages ago) found us on a matatu going to Nairobi, we arrived safely, wandered around looking for the bus stop and got to Rose Avenue. I was able to visit Colin and Fey again (they are still here!! =D) so we had a chai and a chat and then came down to Rose 5, had tea and stayed there the night . This morning we woke up early, had granola, oats and milk (oh bliss) and went to the office for our visa’s….OK.
* Originally we were going to come back on the 20th (date of expiry), do our VISAs and stay in Nairobi till my flight the 27th
*We decided to extend our stay until August so we could finish the term with the kids so moved our flights to the 6th of August
* We decided to come back to renew our VISAs in June, halfway through our time here so we didn’t have to leave Kisumu to do the VISA just before the exams start.
TURNS OUT, we can only renew our VISA on the DAY of its expiry. So after considering the other possibilities (doing it in Kisumu, no too risky, it may not work with the immigrations and someone would have to come out to Kisumu to do it with us or being illegally in Kenya for 2 weeks, no) we realized we would have to come back. So we return to Nairobi on the 18 – 21st of June to do the VISA (traveling at night is not recommended). That was a bit gutting but we had the rest of the day off so we went to Java House and then home.
The backs of my legs are if anything worse, and at Nakuru they were really itching and my left leg has a big infected wound. Brigitte the nurse here saw them and gave me the number of a doctor, so at 3.30 I called the reception, was told the doctor finished at 4pm, got a taxi at the speed of light and Rahel and I went to the dermatologist to see about them. It turns out to be eczema so I was prescribed 4 different medicines (one for the infection, one for the outbreak, one for dry skin and one for dry scalp). I was a bit discouraged… I have been fine with my skin playing up but when I had to pay it wasn’t that expensive but it was the money I had got out that morning to last me a month in Kisumu and bus fares there and back again. Rahel said she could lend me some until we come back here. It was a challenge to bring my necessity to God and remember that he is in control of what happens… I remembered the sparrows he talked about… and then later on Colin and Fey gave me the money I had just spent and I gave them a cash withdrawal paper so they could withdraw from my account what the gave me, so it is all well now =).
It has been a pretty mad weekend (especially today) but I am glad we got the time off, even though it seemed to be unnecessary, I got my medication, we got to see folks in Nairobi (I thought I wouldn’t see the Holtums again!), we relaxed, enjoyed a pizza and tomorrow we get up early-ish to go back to Kisumu. The guests arrive this Friday (chaos!) so I don’t know if I will get down to town on Thursday, no doubt we will be helping prepare everything (plus, I have had internet today). So that’s all for now, will be in contact next Thursday. =).
ps. I will attempt to add pix to facebook now!
Thursday 18 June 2009
Hello from Kisumu! Today it feels like a very hot Thursday, there has been little rain (well, the rainy season is officially over) and Rahel is at home because she woke up this morning with a headache and a sore throat. I am feeling fine, it seems my cold has gone away, but with the past experiences here, who knows? However, my spirits are up and its nice to be down in town to be in touch with people again.
- Tomorrow we leave for Nairobi as we will get our VISAs renewed on Monday, and so we will travel halfway to Nairobi to Nakuru, and go to the baby orphanage where Rahel was working before she joined SIM. We will stay there until Saturday evening and then go to Nairobi and the compound. On Tuesday at 6.30am we will leave to be back in Kisumu by the afternoon and start up again on Wednesday. It is a lot of traveling (6 hours aprox) but it will be nice to have a change.
- I thought I should talk a little about the lesson we have been giving the kids. They SHOULD know their ABC and how to write “Aa Bb Cc…. Zz” but we always go over it in their books just to practice. We have been doing three letter words and each week we start on a different vowel (i.e. on Monday we see “ba ca da fa..” and write it, on Tuesday we read “bad, cat, hat”, on Wednesday they change the words from small to capital letters “bat BAT”, o Thursday they do the opposite and on Friday there is a dictation of the words to see if they remember. The biggest problem is they know the alphabet letters “ay bee sea dee ee ef jee” but not the sounds “ah bih cki di eh” and so when they see the word “hat”, they think “ach ay tee” and it should say achaytee but it reads h-ah-tuh (= hat). So now we are trying to focus on the letter SOUNDS more than their names. This is English, we also do Maths, Enviroment, Social and Music and movement but more on that another day =).
- Tinderet was wonderful! We were all crammed in the 4x4 and left on Friday night. We waited in Ahero (1/2 out of Kisumu) for Sarah’s school trip bus to come back (it was supposed to be back at 5.45 and but 7.00 it had still not gotten past Ahero) so we decided to leave her and go on. She stayed the night at a teachers (the house is to far away to get to/ walk to at night) and it turns out the school trip bus arrived at 10pm (the parents were NOT happy). Saturday morning found us in BEAUTIFUL tinderet, in the mountains at the Diguna mission station. Vitilus gave us a tour and then we went in the pool with the best view you can imagine (pix on facebook when I get to Nairobi!). That evening was the “Kwaheri” party (goodbye!) to two couple that were leaving (which is why we went) and it was a really enjoyable time. On Sunday it was nice to relax without rushing to church, we had a quiet morning, went in the pool around 11 and left around 1pm to go back to Kisumu. It was great weekend, like a mini-holiday.
- So apparently the internet conection seems to have gone in the whole of Kisumu but I am still sending my emails so either this is a miracle or they were exaggerating a bit. There is only one other lady in the internet café, everyone else has left! So anyway, I have been here too long now and will now cut off for this week.
- Cavin Akech had made me lose my temper but he is improving, there is improvement!!!, thanks for your prayers! Hebalyne is also showing signs of being a human, smiling more, but also making Loice, her classmate cry (although we never see HOW it happens). I have a little space in my heart for Pancreaus (yes that is his name)… he is quite behind in the class but is sweet (stubborn) and hyperactive (he reminds me of myself). When he has to do something he speaks to himself under his breath at top speed, which is what I did in stressful times before exams. I just pray he can catch up with the others and FOCUS so that he will not have to do Final Class again next year.
So, we will be in Nakuru, Nairobi and then on Friday a team of 13 people come to stay with us for a week (so we will be camping in Anne and Sarah’s room and relinquish our hold on the guest rooms). That will be awesome chaos that I am looking forward to. I have made a routine and now I enjoy breaking out of the routine.
Ok, now I depart! =D
- Tomorrow we leave for Nairobi as we will get our VISAs renewed on Monday, and so we will travel halfway to Nairobi to Nakuru, and go to the baby orphanage where Rahel was working before she joined SIM. We will stay there until Saturday evening and then go to Nairobi and the compound. On Tuesday at 6.30am we will leave to be back in Kisumu by the afternoon and start up again on Wednesday. It is a lot of traveling (6 hours aprox) but it will be nice to have a change.
- I thought I should talk a little about the lesson we have been giving the kids. They SHOULD know their ABC and how to write “Aa Bb Cc…. Zz” but we always go over it in their books just to practice. We have been doing three letter words and each week we start on a different vowel (i.e. on Monday we see “ba ca da fa..” and write it, on Tuesday we read “bad, cat, hat”, on Wednesday they change the words from small to capital letters “bat BAT”, o Thursday they do the opposite and on Friday there is a dictation of the words to see if they remember. The biggest problem is they know the alphabet letters “ay bee sea dee ee ef jee” but not the sounds “ah bih cki di eh” and so when they see the word “hat”, they think “ach ay tee” and it should say achaytee but it reads h-ah-tuh (= hat). So now we are trying to focus on the letter SOUNDS more than their names. This is English, we also do Maths, Enviroment, Social and Music and movement but more on that another day =).
- Tinderet was wonderful! We were all crammed in the 4x4 and left on Friday night. We waited in Ahero (1/2 out of Kisumu) for Sarah’s school trip bus to come back (it was supposed to be back at 5.45 and but 7.00 it had still not gotten past Ahero) so we decided to leave her and go on. She stayed the night at a teachers (the house is to far away to get to/ walk to at night) and it turns out the school trip bus arrived at 10pm (the parents were NOT happy). Saturday morning found us in BEAUTIFUL tinderet, in the mountains at the Diguna mission station. Vitilus gave us a tour and then we went in the pool with the best view you can imagine (pix on facebook when I get to Nairobi!). That evening was the “Kwaheri” party (goodbye!) to two couple that were leaving (which is why we went) and it was a really enjoyable time. On Sunday it was nice to relax without rushing to church, we had a quiet morning, went in the pool around 11 and left around 1pm to go back to Kisumu. It was great weekend, like a mini-holiday.
- So apparently the internet conection seems to have gone in the whole of Kisumu but I am still sending my emails so either this is a miracle or they were exaggerating a bit. There is only one other lady in the internet café, everyone else has left! So anyway, I have been here too long now and will now cut off for this week.
- Cavin Akech had made me lose my temper but he is improving, there is improvement!!!, thanks for your prayers! Hebalyne is also showing signs of being a human, smiling more, but also making Loice, her classmate cry (although we never see HOW it happens). I have a little space in my heart for Pancreaus (yes that is his name)… he is quite behind in the class but is sweet (stubborn) and hyperactive (he reminds me of myself). When he has to do something he speaks to himself under his breath at top speed, which is what I did in stressful times before exams. I just pray he can catch up with the others and FOCUS so that he will not have to do Final Class again next year.
So, we will be in Nakuru, Nairobi and then on Friday a team of 13 people come to stay with us for a week (so we will be camping in Anne and Sarah’s room and relinquish our hold on the guest rooms). That will be awesome chaos that I am looking forward to. I have made a routine and now I enjoy breaking out of the routine.
Ok, now I depart! =D
Thursday 11 June 2009
Habari gani? Mzuri
Wamgeni,
A silly song that gets stuck in your head very easily! Basic Swahili! Only a week has passed? So much has happened it seems like it should be more! .. As I continue to write I realize that not much HAS happened that is out of the ordinary :o).. define ordinary XD, it just feels long...
- I am breaking through cultures and merging them. At breakfast sometimes I have ugali (I cut into slices) with marmite and today I joined the
- Today I was talking to Hebalyne and she smiled at me, it was really an amazing moment… its just taking the time to sit down and spend time with the kids, or talk to them, even if they don’t understand you, it shows you care. I know many people have been praying for her, I am so thankful I am allowed to be the one showing her love.
- My third cold (or, third strong wave of the first cold since I got here) started up this morning with a sore throat and a runny nose. It seems Rahel and I have taken it in turns to have colds, they seem to go and suddenly appear again. Last week we had a rough time emotionally (it was a month since we arrived) and with flight arrangement stress for her it wasn’t the cheeriest of times but we have each other to lean on so we are ok! This week has been a lot more positive!
- Cavin Akech has made me cry in frustration but I am really getting to love him (!). Vitilus came in and talked to him (“the pastah, the pastah!”) and that seemed to calm him down and we have him sitting with the girls at the back (Susie had to bring a stick into the classroom to get him where we wanted him to sit) and it is A LOT better now (except poor Queen who is sitting beside him ended up hitting him yesterday cause he kept talking her puppet off her and today he did it again, she hit him and he hit her back and she started to cry). We are working on it… but I really want to understand him. His mother is in prison and he is looked after by his grandmother along with his three half-brothers (the same mother) so life is not easy for him. He seeks attention by being noisy, trying to be loved that way. Its funny, we can talk about him for hours at the dinner table. If he fails to get into primary one he won’t want to go to nursery again, he is way to old and too big and if he doesn’t get into primary school now, he won’t go cause he is much to old and he’ll end up wandering the streets. Keep praying for him, and for the teachers (pacience, LOVE and wisdom to know how to deal with him).
- I have also developed a rash on the backs of my knees and my right arm. I thought it was eczema initially, then Rahel said it looked like ringworm, a nurse came to visit and said it was a fungus and now no-one knows what it is. It was very itchy and about a week ago I scratched like mad and my right knee one opened up and there was a wound that got infected. Rahel has been faithfully washing it with warm salt water and it is getting better. I am applying “daktarin” cream to the fungus/eczema and it seems to be drying out but is not gone. I am taking antibiotics for the infection and my cold and I think that the rash may be because of the doxycycline (anti-malarial, a tetracycline for those Chem HL freaks). It makes skin sensitive to sun but the backs of my knees are never in the sun. So hopefully that will get better, if not when we go to
- We are going to a missionary station in Tinderet tomorrow because a missionary couple are leaving the field so the whole family is going for the weekend to say kwaheri, us included! That ought to be fun (and we may get some swimming done =D!)
So that’s all for this week, thanks for the e-mails (even those that have made me laugh out loud in the middle of the internet café!) and all the support.
This is Kat in Kisumu, over and out (with lots of love!)
xxx
Thursday 4 June 2009
Kisumu in June
Hello again!There is NEWS =) (Bullet points are easier to work with so bear with me please)
- I have successfully (or well, the SIM Team have) managed to extend my time until the 6th of August, which means that I can stay in Kenya until the term ends so the kids can do their exams and final preparations with us there! Rahel and I hoped to fly to Switzerland and Scotland on the same day, but it doesn’t seem it will be possible, unfortunately! So that is really good! (I add this later on: it seems that Rahel has to pay for her flight to be booked (it was an open return) and it is a bit discouraging as it was not expected, pray that the situation could sort itself out and she could get the needed support).
- Susan had to make 3 wedding cakes for a friend that was getting married (someone else was doing the other 4!) so she baked them and then we talked and planned and tested and retried ways to decorate it (the colours had to be navy blue and cream!!!) and we worked on it in the afternoon, the evening and finally Susie, Rahel and I finished at 11.30pm (which is actually very late for us now… a late night is 10.30pm) and then we sat in the dark (the solar panel charge had run out) drinking some hot chocolate! It was a nice experience though! My first wedding cake hehe… pictures to be posted on facebook at sometime in the future.
- The next day I had a sore throat and the start of my second cold here! Now it is almost gone but it was a bit discouraging to get another cold. I had one when I arrived, Rahel then got it, then Rahel got it last week, and I had it this weekend and this week. So hopefully it is getting better and will stay away! And I was bitten by a safari ant, but that is just plain cool (h). Hehe.
- On Sunday we WENT to the wedding! Hehe, it took about an hour to start after we arrived (we arrived 1 ½ hours late) but it was really nice, the bridal procession took an hour to come in (not joking) but after thinking initially that they walked at the speed of snails, you appreciated the way they bounced to and fro, and it meant the people were not craning to see, because you knew they would eventually come into sight. I had some mendazis (Kenyan doughnut, not that sweet) that Susie gave me and was smuggling them to the kids and to Rahel during the service. The service finished at 3 and then the reception (starting at 1pm) would take place somewhere else so we decided to just leave them, especially because we suspected the cakes would be covered up until the end – after all the speeches. So we never knew if the cakes “went” with the decorations but there you have it.
- Cavin Akech… I am definetly more patient with him (ignoring him sometimes works) but he is really behind because he missed a term (no one is quite sure why). The kids have different strengths and weaknesses but its nice to get to know them. James is opening up and smiling more and HEBALYNE was reported to have smiled today… she smiled once when she was skipping and the sun shone (more than it already was).
- Since we are extending our time here, we will renew our VISA’s on the 21st of June so we will travel to Nairobi at the end of next week (it seems too soon!!!) and we may stay in Nakuru for a night or two (a baby orphanage where Rahel worked before she joined SIM).
So that’s all / enough from me for now, it is still lovely and hot here and I am grateful I can be here!
Love, and lots of it!
Kat
- I have successfully (or well, the SIM Team have) managed to extend my time until the 6th of August, which means that I can stay in Kenya until the term ends so the kids can do their exams and final preparations with us there! Rahel and I hoped to fly to Switzerland and Scotland on the same day, but it doesn’t seem it will be possible, unfortunately! So that is really good! (I add this later on: it seems that Rahel has to pay for her flight to be booked (it was an open return) and it is a bit discouraging as it was not expected, pray that the situation could sort itself out and she could get the needed support).
- Susan had to make 3 wedding cakes for a friend that was getting married (someone else was doing the other 4!) so she baked them and then we talked and planned and tested and retried ways to decorate it (the colours had to be navy blue and cream!!!) and we worked on it in the afternoon, the evening and finally Susie, Rahel and I finished at 11.30pm (which is actually very late for us now… a late night is 10.30pm) and then we sat in the dark (the solar panel charge had run out) drinking some hot chocolate! It was a nice experience though! My first wedding cake hehe… pictures to be posted on facebook at sometime in the future.
- The next day I had a sore throat and the start of my second cold here! Now it is almost gone but it was a bit discouraging to get another cold. I had one when I arrived, Rahel then got it, then Rahel got it last week, and I had it this weekend and this week. So hopefully it is getting better and will stay away! And I was bitten by a safari ant, but that is just plain cool (h). Hehe.
- On Sunday we WENT to the wedding! Hehe, it took about an hour to start after we arrived (we arrived 1 ½ hours late) but it was really nice, the bridal procession took an hour to come in (not joking) but after thinking initially that they walked at the speed of snails, you appreciated the way they bounced to and fro, and it meant the people were not craning to see, because you knew they would eventually come into sight. I had some mendazis (Kenyan doughnut, not that sweet) that Susie gave me and was smuggling them to the kids and to Rahel during the service. The service finished at 3 and then the reception (starting at 1pm) would take place somewhere else so we decided to just leave them, especially because we suspected the cakes would be covered up until the end – after all the speeches. So we never knew if the cakes “went” with the decorations but there you have it.
- Cavin Akech… I am definetly more patient with him (ignoring him sometimes works) but he is really behind because he missed a term (no one is quite sure why). The kids have different strengths and weaknesses but its nice to get to know them. James is opening up and smiling more and HEBALYNE was reported to have smiled today… she smiled once when she was skipping and the sun shone (more than it already was).
- Since we are extending our time here, we will renew our VISA’s on the 21st of June so we will travel to Nairobi at the end of next week (it seems too soon!!!) and we may stay in Nakuru for a night or two (a baby orphanage where Rahel worked before she joined SIM).
So that’s all / enough from me for now, it is still lovely and hot here and I am grateful I can be here!
Love, and lots of it!
Kat
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