Wow, I can’t believe I have been here just a little over a week. Feels like I have been here for ever and it feels like I got here yesterday. It was a crazy week as we prepared to have teams start arriving tomorrow. Along with all the preparations I got a chance to connect with many of my friends here in Kitale. It is wonderful to see their faces again. We had the Cooksey’s over for dinner on Monday night. I met them last time I was here and felt such care for them. Bella has joined their family and my heart as well. Wednesday we had Roger and Julie and their kids over for dinner. It was great to get and sit with Roger as I have never had the opportunity to get to know him. Sean and Meridith came for dinner one night and played Settlers with us. What a great time that was. Than women’s bible study, twice. The second time everyone was there and a few more that had started the bible study with me last year. I am so proud of them for continuing to meet and study together.
A visit to Veronica’s house, our home for children who are HIV positive was wonderful. The house mother had a baby a few weeks ago so I was excited to sit and hold baby Meridith for as long as possible. Last year when I was here we were looking for land for this home. This year there is land and a home with many renovations being done. The kids are so joyful. It was wonderful to spend the day under the trees playing with the children.
Last year the interns started a project with six young women from the Shimo slums close to our home. Five of these women had children. This year one has gone to high school and the others come two mornings a week to learn how to sew. They arrived on Tuesday laughing and joking with one another. It was beautiful. We have hired the oldest girl (19) for the summer to help us with cooking for our teams. I am so excited to get to spend more one on one time with her.
Evan and Mike painted the bathrooms for me. They were in great need of a new coat of paint and if it wasn’t done this week it wasn’t going to get done until the end of the summer. They look wonderful! Thanks Mike and Evan.
Meridith and I went grocery shopping on Thursday to prepare for the team that arrives tomorrow. None of you have any idea what it is like to have to shop here. It takes hours!! We went to three different “grocery” stores, the market and the meat lady. Having no car we check our bags in at each store and than call a taxi to come get us and collect it all before going home. We had so much shopping we couldn’t call our regular taxi but needed someone who had a station wagon. Thankfully Sean came along to help carry the heavy boxes. Once home we had to unpack it all! I really don’t like grocery shopping here.
Today I baked 12 loaves of banana bread, finished cleaning the rooms and bathrooms, typed up the menu for the next two weeks, and watched three episodes of “So You Think You Can Dance”. Tomorrow is the big day!
