Week Four – I’ve arrived!

Hi friends!  Well – I’m finally here!  Craig and I arrived at Home of Grace in western Kenya a week ago.  And what a week it has been!  Here are the highlights…
Thursday we left the comfort of the hotel at Nakura and the game reserve and made our way along the long and bumpy roads and detours to Kisii, some 5 hours away.  We arrived at about 4pm, dropped Scott off at the local bus station and met up with Edina.  It was so wonderful to see her again!!  And great to have Craig finally meet her in the flesh.

We made our way to her small home, dropped our bags and then walked the few minutes down the road to the orphanage.  The kids were waiting for us, singing and clapping.

It has been just under three years since I was there – and wow have the children all grown!!  It was such a treat to see them.  Supper was ugali and greens “scuma-wikki’ – Craig and I learned quickly how to stretch the bounty as we dished out the food to the hungry children and staff.

Friday it was right to work – Edina had made an appointnment for me to meet the head master at Loma Academy, one of the four schools where I will be volunteering.  As is the tradition, Craig and I were treated to songs and poems from the schoolchildren and many, many repeats of “How are you” and “Muzunga!!”  From the school we drove in a taxi along the absolutely worst road I have ever seen – Craig says the Mozambique backroads can’t even compare to these! – and headed to the local Nakumatt (Africa’s version of Walmart) for two necessities – gum boots for Craig (it is rainy season – the mud is deep, sticky and slippery!) and a modem for me so I can have internet connection.  Supper – greens and ugali.  (notice the variation in menu….!)

We are discovering that as Muzungus (white people) we are providing our Kenyan friends with plenty to laugh about.  Case in point:  Craig and I lost many hours of sleep Friday night by a rat in our room, praying that it didn’t climb up the mattress or nest in our suitcases.  Lesson learned – never leave the window open at night, no matter how hot it is!  Needless to say, Edina found our worries quite funny – rats are just a part of life here.

Saturday morning we rented a neighbour’s car and drove to a village to see and purchase Kisii stone carvings – this is what this area is famous for.  What a selection!  Craig’s suitcase is now, literally, full of rocks……  Then we did a bit of shopping in town – to purchase new drinking water buckets for the home and for Edina’s.  Clean, pure drinking water is still an issue for them.

On Suindays the children have their own church service at the home, led by Pastor Opin.  He, together with the Massai guard Olaynayu do a wonderful job with the kids, combining music, teaching and prayer.  Each child gets a chance to share and to take turns leading.  I was invited to teach – I used the story of Ruth and Naomi and the memory verse “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up.”  The staff work hard, the older children are great helpers – I figured everyone could use a bit of encouragement!  Craig was the preacher – shared with the children how people far away are encouraging them and helping them – people they don’t even know.  Then he distributed letters to each child sent along by Melanie, Joel and Katie – the kids were thrilled.

When I was here last time I ‘blew the budget” and took the children on a field trip – a two day trip to the city of Kisumu, some two hours away.  We had really hoped to be able to do another trip this time too and the children were counting on it – but even with staying overnight at a friend’s orphange and cooking our own meals the cost was going to be just too high.  Instead, we taught the children the word ‘compromise’ – not getting exactly what you wish for, but getting something you can still live with.  The compromise?  A PARTY.  Complete with a rented stereo system (the best 500 shillings we ever spent – about $6.50 Canadian!), soda, popcorn, and a meal of roasted goat with all the trimmings.  WOW can those kids dance.   And were they surprised to see that Craig could dance too!  We had such a fun time – the kids ate and danced until they were stuffed – everyone slept soundly!  (and no rat!!)

Yesterday – Tuesday – Edina, Maxwell and I drove Craig to Kisumu to the airport – a newly constructed International Airport, in honour of the much-anticipated visit of Barack Obama to this area – Kisumu is near to his father’s homeland.  He may never end up coming – but the new airport is a wonderful change from the previous tiny one.

 

It was a hard goodbye – Craig had a great time here and quickly became attached to the children.  (They refer to him as their father)  He especially enjoyed spending time talking with the Massai Olaynyamu – an extraordinary man who will definitely be the subject of a future blog entry.)  The reality that I am now on my own here for four full months and that he is going home to an empty house hit both of us hard.

As we returned to Home of Grace Edina and Maxwell filled me in on some of the real difficulties they face raising these 30 children – financial ones for sure, but also problems of discipline and management.  Imagine 30 kids under one roof, kept inside often because of solid rain outside, ages 3 to 17, all from difficult home backgrounds (after all, that’s why they are here ….) and the entire community – and country – struggling to eke out an existence.  Add the stress of a rented home that is in desperate need of repair (but which the landlord is unable and unwilling to do anything about), and  impossibly high academic expectations at school (For example, the class 8 students preparing to write their all-important final elementary examinations will attend school from 5 am to 9 pm for the entire term – the schools are that anxious to be sure they perform well – an obscene example of teaching to the test and terrible pressure on 13 year olds.)  and you have a small picture of reality here.  Yet, in spite of all this, the staff and children do more than just survive – they really do thrive.  It is a wonder to see how the older ones help the younger ones, how the staff provide support – the feeling of home and family is very much in evidence.  Edina as director is a wonder!

So – yes, tonight I’m feeling a bit (a lot!) overwhelmed – for myself, for the staff and for the kids. The ‘do-er’ side of me would like to just take over and get things done.  But that is not the African way – and I am in Africa.  And what help would that be in the long run?   Besides, as we all know, life is never that simple!  So I am holding my breath and counting to ten……you’d all be proud of the way I handled myself at today’s staff meeting!   My prayer is to stay calm, wait, go slowly.and – as that scripture says – be an encourager.in order to build us ALL up.

There you have it – an honest and frank account of this, my fourth week in Africa and my first week at Home of Grace.  I am very conscious of the support from you at home – I thank you all.  Tomorrow is another day – and although it is pouring rain right now,  I know the sun will burst through..!

Until the next time,
Cathy