Charlie

It's Saturday in Kenya, always my favorite day.  The children are at home, and ready for fun.  It's also chapati day, if I am to be honest.  I love chapati in Kenya: like hot buttery bread right off the griddle, but better.  It goes with everything or is perfect eaten alone. Faith is off on leave for 3 nights, and Eunice was not scheduled to return until dusk.  Thus, the task of making chapati fell on Pauline and Thomas.  I helped too, but I do not have the same touch, that's for sure. Thomas told us today that he did all the cooking at his home, when his father was ill.  For lunch, he prepared rice while Pauline cooked a delicious cabbage dish.  Yum. I really do love Kenyan dishes - mostly rice or beans, mixed with fresh vegetables from the garden (tomatoes, sekuma, cabbage and carrots).  At WWC, we always combine fruit with the meals, or for dessert.  Mangoes are in season right now, and truthfully, I cannot get enough of these.  They are huge (bonus!) and spectacular.

Mutinda drove me to the home this morning, because Tony was busy with his car in the shop.  When I got to WWC, the children were too excited for words.  I knew why, but asked them, what in the world is going on?!  They took me by the hand to the shaded area behind the toilets, to introduce me to the newest member of our family:

Charlie

Charlie lived up the hill with a woman who is moving, and cannot take him with her.  Tony knows how I feel about dogs, so he volunteered to take Charlie in last night.  I'm thrilled, because I believe the children need the responsibility of caring for an animal, and learning what goes along with this.  The boys, of course, have claimed that Charlie is "theirs".  So, I took them aside for a bit to explain what this responsibility entails. They were all ears. Yes, you will walk him, yes you will make sure he always has water; no, he does not stayed tied to a chain all day, yes he needs constant shade and yes, we will build him a home! So, I am having someone come on Monday afternoon to construct a dog house with the boys. I have instructed the fundi to show them how to do this, and allow them to do as much of the work as possible.  Tonight, I asked my friend Anne to make a Maasai dog collar for Charlie.  She was all to happy to oblige. The vet will come on Monday to give Charlie his shots.  He is a member of our family now, after all.  Though…. he will remained tied up until he gets his shots on Monday or Tuesday.

It was fun and games as usual.  We played ball, checkers and brought out the legos.  It took me at least an hour to do the books, because of the constant disruptions, but I really didn't care. The older kids helped me pass out all the shoes I purchased yesterday, and gave me their wish lists of clothing. A pair of trousers, a pair of socks, one shirt and maybe a vest for each boy?  Sawa, I said.  As usual, their requests are benign.  Not once does a child ask for something that does not include everyone else.

These two (Tiff and Sheila) were my shadows for the entire day.  I tried to bribe them with bubbles and balloons, but these things only have so much staying power when they'd rather crawl all over me and torture me :-)  When I tried to get them down for a nap : Thafadali? Unataka kwenda kulala??  (Please, do you want to take a nap?)  Ha!  This is the response I got:

This is the face of one who thinks everything is funny.  I can't even discipline her anymore. She knows how to pull all my strings.  Honestly, I have to just walk away.  

Jane came to the home for awhile this afternoon..we sat for an hour with tea, discussed the children and the community at large.  I share all my plans for WWC with Jane. She is so good.  She knows that we are on the cusp of taking the Nagolie children and couldn't be happier.  We talked about my plans for the new building on the new lot, and turning it into a community/educational center.  Jane is so supportive, and brainstorming with her is a favorite pastime of mine.  She knows so much about the area, the people in the community and  is very active in the church.  Working with her is a complete joy.  She is revered in this community and rightfully so.  

Joshua and I discussed his sponsor at great length today. He is taking his sponsorship very seriously, as he should.  I met Joshua's sponsor on a flight from Boston to Tampa, back in early December.  This gentleman and I talked for three solid hours about my work in Kenya and everything else under the sun.  When I got back to Boston, I had an email from him, with notice of a donation attached.  He wanted to sponsor a child for a year, and I selected Joshua for him.  Joshua is 13, our oldest child. He is committed, responsible, a great student and a leader.  I have great faith in him, in all respects.  Joshua has a very bright future.

Eunice, acting silly.

Pastor Pete, demonstrating his usual sunny attitude.

We all had a wonderful day today, it was perfect.  I love being here, and love being with these children.  My language skills continue to grow, and so does the children's English. The little ones will look at me and speak in Swahili like there is no tomorrow.  I look back at them, and answer in Swahili, mixed with English.  The end result is them cracking up because of my mistakes, or mis-use of words.  Thomas sat down next to me today and called me fat.  "You're going to be a fat old man because of what you just said to me" I told him.  This kind of thing sends the kids into fits of laughter.  They are so easily entertained.  Life here is good and simple.  It keeps me on my toes, and there isn't a moment of any day that I am not grateful to be blessed with being here, and blessed with this passion.  

A very good night from Kenya.

Lala salama to all ~

Nawapenda wote,

Simmie, Josie (on lap), Njeri, Pastor Pete and Tiff