HELP!!

Cary!!! Where were you this afternoon?!! I got trapped in the office with 15 children all demanding " Auntie Simmie! Auntie Simmie! Auntie Simmie!" GAI! I nearly lost my mind. Cary, fyi, gets this last minute push, and generally takes over by telling the kids "DO NOT ASK AUNTIE SIMMIE FOR ANYTHING!" Peresia, always the good soul, kept telling the children enough is enough, and to stop making requests. I kept looking at him, smiling and saying 'asante'. Despite his help, my head was spinning as I left the home at 5:30 - only compounded by the fact that the sky was looking increasingly threatening. Moses, Simon and Kanai walked me through the shortcut to the road, which I appreciated immensely. These three boys are very special to me - all of them so darn good.

Backing up, the children and I were picked up this morning in a 'bus' for a field trip, sponsored by AFEW or African Fund for Endangered Wildlife. Each week, this organization selects a school or a children's center for underprivileged children, and treats them to a day at The Giraffe Center, Mamba Park and The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. (Please visit their site if you are interested in elephants: http://www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/). We had to share this 'bus' with two other centers, unfortunately. Both of the centers were late for pick up, which meant that the rest of us couldn't make it to Sheldrick, as they are open only twice a day, at feeding: 11:00am and and 5:00pm for bedtime. Grrrr. So, in lieu of Sheldrick, we went to Nairobi National Park, and visited the animal orphanage there. All in all, it was a great, HOT day, but one that ended with exhausted children and one wiped out Auntie Simmie. I didn't have the hands available for picture taking (again: CARY!!), and only snapped a few:

The highlight of the trip was after lunch, when the warthogs descended on us to eat whatever hit the ground, and the baboon raided the garbage can full of banana peels. The kids scampered like rats leaving a sinking ship, which made me roar... I couldn't grab my camera fast enough...

We headed back home around 2:30 or so, and most fell asleep. Once we got to Farmers, I bought 2 cases of milk and asked Jamo at the store 'for all your bread' and 'gomu'. I thought the kids were all heading back to the home with the goods, while I went to chat with Agnes. Nope, they were all waiting for me in the cabana, so I said: why haven't you started drinking your milk and eating the bread? It's the simplest things that make these kids happy. Milk and bread turned into another party. Simply amazing :-) I continue to learn from these wonderful children.

The CDO called me today while we were at Mamba Park. He will be visiting Ereteti tomorrow and has, evidently, taken my case very seriously. I will be there at 1:00pm and 4:00pm, and offered to be there if he needed me. We shall see...

More tomorrow - I'm hitting the hay early tonight, can hardly keep my eyes open! Never mind the mosquitoes that are swarming and attacking my ankles, and the hyenas screeching close to my tent. GAI!


Nzuri usiku kutoka Kenya. Mimi nawatuma ninyi upendo wangu wote.


Upenda kutoka,


Simmie and Lato