Week Five – Settling in …

Hello all!

I hear the weather has been cold in Southern Ontario – not here.  I’m amazed at how the temperature and weather changes throughout the day.  Today I started out with shoes and a hoodie, wore flip flops at midday and slathered on the sunscreen and am now back to socks and a hoodie while the rain pours down.  I’m learning to always have a water bottle, sunscreen, jacket and hat in my backpack.  And I don’t go very far without my gumboots!  No one here comments on the weather – there is no sense – it will only change later on….!

Craig has now returned home to Canada and has reported that many of you have commented on how much you like receiving my updates and the details that they contain.  Thank you for that – I guess I’ll keep them coming!

So – I am now adjusting to life at Edina’s and in Kisii.  This has been my first full week alone – after four full weeks I now have no other muzungu company.  I’m getting used to the rhythm here – and even the neighbours seem to be getting used to seeing me walking the pathways.

So here’s a bit of what that rhythm is shaping up to be.  Each morning at 7:30, two or three of the Home of Grace children arrive at Edina’s to walk with me to school – a half hour walk away, up hill and down, past cows, a small tea plantation, goats, chickens, and fields of maize.  I am teaching for these first few weeks at Loma Academy where six of Edina’s children are in class (grade) eight.  Right now it is ‘tuition’ time – formal classes are on holiday but children attend for extra tutoring with the teachers who use it as a way of earning some extra income.  I teach six 40 minute classes with a half hour break in the middle.   English composition for class 5, 6 and 8 and class 4 and 5 science are what I’ve been assigned.  Imagine – I’ve been teaching about poultry and cows – to children who have them in their own yards!  And nutrition to children whose daily diet consists only of ugali (corn meal) and skumo-wikki (cooked greens).  It feels quite surreal.  We leave at 12:30 for the walk back to Home of Grace.

I will have lots ot say about schools and the Kenyan education system as the weeks go by.  Comparison to Canada is not only unfair but unrealistic.  There are so many factors to consider.  I will only begin to get a basic understanding of why things are done the way they are.  But one huge thing I’ve learned this week – and that I will learn constantly in the weeks and months to come – is to suspend judgement.  Nothing is as simple and as black and white as it appears.  One observation I will share, though, is the huge role primary education seems to be playing in bringing Kenyans ‘up to speed’ perhaps with regard to knowledge.  The prescribed textbooks are chock-full of stories, examples and teaching that are aimed directly at issues everyday Kenyans seem to face and need to be informed and educated about – deforestation, tribal issues, customs, taboos, health practices, family relationships, drugs, disease – you name it. The children may learn it all by rote and memory – but learn it, they do.  How well they may understand it and be able to apply it is certainly another issue – and one for another email…. but at least there is a starting point.

While I am at school the ‘goings on’ of the house ‘go on’.  Faith does the laundry each day (mountains of it!), cooking is constant and the children who don’t attend school ‘hang out’.  There is a government school across the laneway and 15 high-need children who were identified by the teachers there now come to Home of Grace each day for lunch.  They often stay all day – so it is hard to tell who is ‘ours’ and who is ‘not’.

After school I return to Edina’s to drop off my school things, change out of my ‘teacher clothes’ and head over to Home of Grace.  The pastor, social worker and I have begun a group with the teens – a chance for them to discuss and share with us and with one another without the ‘little ones’ underfoot.  So far so good – my youth pastor days were obviously not a total waste!!

Then it is a time of playing and ‘hanging out’ – endless games of cards (Fish was popular this week) tic-tac-toe, help with homework, sharing books or toys or craft supplies that I have brought.  Colouring, bubbles, balloons – I’ve been trying to introduce one or two things each day. I spent a lot of time before I came choosing carefully what I would bring.  I knew items would have to be durable, washable, socially appropriate and things that all ages could enjoy together.  Jenga, strong foam building blocks, dominoes and card games have been a hit so far.  Developing english skills is always a priority – the language of schooling is English – so abc puzzles and games and basic picture books were also on my Canadian shopping list.   With the rain, the children spend much of this time inside.  The living area is small so ‘crowd control’ is a good skill to have.  It sort of feels like day camp on a rainy day.  Chaos – and not of the organized kind!  But it is fun.

While this is going on the children do their chores – mopping the floor (endless mud – it is rainy season), fetching water, having their daily shower, cleaning the bedrooms, helping in the kitchen….There are two younger children here who sleep in the afternoon.

The children enjoy songs of all kinds – even the older ones – and we often sing a bit with Pastor until supper is served.

Auntie Benta – the house mom – does all the cooking, along with help from the older girls.  (I now am quite an expert at sorting beans before they are put on the stove to simmer.  And I never even used to LIKE beans!)

After supper, Pastor Opin leads the children in songs and prayers and it’s off to bed.  Quickly for the littler ones – the older ones head off after their homework is completed.  They wake up close to 5 each morning, to begin the day all over again.

Weekends are different.  This past Saturday was spent shopping.  I was given some funds before I left as a gift (thank you!) and Craig and I decided before he left that they be spent on the physical aspects of the house.  Up to now, the only funding we have been able to send Edina each month is for food, rent, electricity, salaries, medical care and school fees.  Other things like furnishings, household items and upkeep has just not been possible.  So Saturday was a flurry of estimating, budgeting and shopping.  I am happy to report that work is now underway.  Yesterday the electrician came and there are now brighter lights in the living room (my old eyes can now read the children’s school books!)  A carpenter has been there all day today repairing the couches and chairs – bracing them for the wear and tear that 30 children offer!  Items on the ‘to do’ list are begining to get ticked off – much to everyone’s delight.

Sunday morning is church.  Craig had helped me design some bible story colouring books for the pastor and I to use – we introduced them this week to great excitement. – each child has their own.  This week was “A is for Adam” – a chance to talk about God’s creation and His love for each person that He has so lovingly created.  (I’ll save the apple and the snake for another time!)

After church the older kids headed over to the school to play a game of football (soccer).  I treated them to a soccer ball on Saturday – they were thrilled.  And, wow!, can they play.  Girls as well as boys.  The field is not exactly regulation – small, uneven, muddy, with a huge puddle at one goal, a hill at the other and surrounded on two sides by a barbed-wire fence.  (The children used to play at a neighbour’s empty field – it has since been planted with maize so their play area has been lost.)  The ball barely survived the barbed wire (the outer leather is worse for wear but luckily the inside is intact) but it was a great way to pass the afternoon.  Rain came (again) forcing us all inside for another round of “Go Fish”, colouring and songs.  And with that, the weekend was over.

So, not exactly a day by day account, but I hope this will give you a flavour of how my days seem to be shaping up – at least for now!

When I left a good friend reminded me that I am there “to be, not to do”.  In other words, my North American approach of checking things out, coming up with a plan, and getting it done just doesn’t work here.  And it shouldn’t.  Because this is not North America.  Just like I am learning through my work at the school, I constantly have to check myself, remind myself to slow down, be respectful and think differently. I am a person who normally likes to be ‘in the know’ and understand everything that is happening.  But since I don’t speak the language this is impossible.  So I just have to sit back, observe and wait without jumping to conclusions.  Life is never what it first may seem. This experience is definitely stretching me – especially on days when I have not slept well (yes – that pesky rat seems to like my bedroom best!) and on days when ‘something comes up’ – that is, virtually every day.  (A new child arrived at Home of Grace today – surprise!!)  I knew this would be the case – and so far I was correct!!

I thank you for your emails and messages.  Several of you have asked how you can help and what you can be praying for.  I am thankfully not feeling as overwhelmed as I was when I wrote to you last week.  So I would appreciate some help closer to home.  I know that Craig and the Home of Grace board are struggling to raise the school fees needed for May 1st. I know now only too clearly how essential it is that our children be able to attend school.  Prayers and help with this would be so appreciated!!

Love to all of you!
Until the next time,
Cathy