Week Twenty One – Heading for Home!

A big hello to all of you!  Soon I’ll be able to say hello in person – at this time tomorrow I’ll be flying over Canada!  I can’t wait…

As I expected, this last week has been a whirlwind of activity and emotions.  A true roller coaster.  Here is how I spent my days…

I had a chance to do a couple of things in Kisii this week that I had been talking about doing since I arrived.  The first was a hike up one of the tall Kisii hills.  As I think I’ve said before the scenery here is beautiful – rolling hills and green, green, green.  I had always wanted to climb to the top of one of the huge hills that surround the area but, like at home with scenery that we take for granted, people here thought I was crazy to feel the need to do that.  But – since I am now certifiably crazy – I persevered and got my wish.  On Thursday afternoon me and ‘the guys’ – 10 of the oldest boys here – set off.  It took us just over an hour of climbing to reach the top – and I’m happy to report that I only needed the occasional hand to help me up the steep and muddy parts. (Either I’ve become tougher and stronger or just even more stubborn and independent!)  The scenery along the way and the view from the top was great – and people who live along the path were happy to greet us.  Coming down was, of course, easier and quicker.  And, within two minutes of arriving safely home the rain poured down.  Great timing.

Thursday is ‘market day’ in Kisii so I tagged along with Maxwell and Benter as they did the shopping.  Everything from charcoal to clothing to vegetables to rice to fabric.  Crazy, busy, muddy, loud, colourful chaos  – and so much more!  Benter and Edina have their favourite vendors – and there were people there who recognized me from when I had visited their churches and greeted us warmly.

Home of Grace works hard to help the children keep connected with their next of kin.  So I had a chance this past week to visit the father of Samwel a 6 year old who was placed by the children’s department at Home of Grace not because he is an orphan but because his family is destitute and unable to care for him.  He is the fourth of five children (as I am in mine!).  Talking with his father and seeing their home was a good reminder for me of what a difference Home of Grace is making for the children who live there.  Samwel’s future is now so much more hopeful and bright than it would have been otherwise.  His father asked me to pass along his sincere gratitude for the help we are giving to his family.  Humbling indeed….

I had a final visit to Jarod the manager of King David School on Friday.  He invited me to see the work they had started on the new latrines.  Three men were hard at work on the teacher’s’ toilets – digging the 40 foot pit by hand and with no ladder (don’t ask….) They should be ready when the teachers return to school next week.

On Friday we headed off for the much-anticipated weekend in Kisumu – all 40 of us.  34 children and 6 adults crammed into a rented school bus.  And all the food and kitchen supplies, mattresses, blankets – and, yes,  a goat – tied to the roof, naturally. (Saturday’s special party supper!!)  It was a field trip to remember for sure!  Some of the children made the same trek with me when I was here three years ago but many had not.

We traveled to climb the Kit Makeye rocks (I am sure these rock formations were the inspiration for Lion King), stopped at the Equator for an impromptu geography lesson! and then made our way to Kisumu.  Maxwell’s uncle is the director of a secondary school there and since it was school holidays we were able to stay in the dormitories.  We (as in, Benter!) cooked camping style over open fires.  Saturday we headed out first thing Kenyan time  (11 am) to the Impala Park (zoo), to Lake Victoria for a boat ride, to another small orphanage for a friendly game of football and back, exhausted, for supper.  Even Benter and Massai had never been to Kisumu or seen Lake Victoria or been in a boat – it was exciting to experience it all through their eyes.  The time at the Impala Park was fun – seeing Massai view the lions through the fence was a bit mind-bending.  After all – at his home in the Rift Vally lions roam freely.  We also took the time to pick up the new Home of Grace staff bike, purchased through World Bicycle Relief.  Maxwell especially is excited!!  Supper was a farewell for me of sorts so we had quite the feast – we ‘sacrificed’ two chickens, the goat,and ate those together with chapatti, rice – YUM.

Sunday was the day for swimming – almost the whole day was spent at a hotel pool – and I have the sunburn to prove it.  Swimming with 30 children who are non-swimmers was hard on my nerves – I spent most of it treading water in the deep end, ensuring that they didn’t go in over their heads.  Luckily, when 15 year old Jonathan decided to jump in over his head (after being carefully warned, of course – but he’s a teenager after all!) the lifeguard jumped in for him and pulled him to safety.  Shortly after that the ‘lifeguard’ told me he was leaving and to have fun.  (Yikes!).  But it was a great day – and a perfect way to end the weekend away.  We pulled into Home of Grace at about 7 pm, just before dark.

The trip to Kisumu was in fact a perfect way to end my time with my Home of Grace family … immediately the next morning was my time to head home.

While I have been counting the days down until I return to Craig and to Canada I had also been dreading saying goodbye. Monday morning was a tearful time – saying goodbye is a hard thing to do, especially when the timing of return visit is uncertain.  (2014?  2015?)    I am hopeful that the good memories of the trip away will overshadow the sadness of me having to leave them.  Gladys from King David dropped over to say goodbye and the children presented me with beautiful farewell letters, all very touching…. But hard all the same….

Maxwell and Edina dropped me off at the bus and I headed off, teary-eyed and exhausted,  to Nairobi, 5 hours away.  The return trip through the Rift Valley was beautiful – even more so because I now know this area is home to my new friend Massai.   Lorna met me at the bus and we took a taxi to Julia’s apartment (remember – the Canadian ‘modern missionary’ of International Teams.)  One look at me and Julia sent me off to bed for a long nap.  After a warm shower (yahoo!) we had supper at a small restaurant nearby.  FULL CIRCLE.  This was where I ate with her on my first night in Nairobi with my Refugee Learning Team friends – almost exactly 5 months ago.

Today – Tuesday – started out with the much-anticipated cup of coffee and was spent packing, relaxing and attempting to get reacquainted with the luxuries and culture of city life. My taxi arrives tomorrow at 5 am to take me to the airport.  Home is just 24 hours away, not counting he 7 hour time difference!!

I ask you to keep the children and staff at Home of Grace as they get used to ‘normal’  life once again, without the ‘mzungu’ to keep them company. Edina reports that they spent most of Monday being unnaturally quiet and teary, moping around and not interested in eating. Feelings of guilt set in as I began to wonder if my being there had done more harm than good.  A few strongly worded emails from my wise friends and husband helped me get over that (for now, at least…)  Today they were already getting better and I received a phone call from them, allowing me a chance to speak with each of them in turn. Their resilience never ceases to amaze me – but I know it is hard on them all.  It was great to hear their voices and Edina and I have arranged for regular skype calls to the children each Saturday from now on.  It will be important for me to find good ways to stay connected with them.  And it’s probably even more vital for them so they can know that Canada is still with them – at least in spirit!

Until the next – and last – time….