Tony and I went straight to school from the Nairobi Airport hotel I stay in each trip. Right now there is a nationwide teachers strike (a repeat of last year) so all the children in Class 3 and up are at home. We pay school fees for the younger ones, so their teachers MUST show up. Sound convoluted? It is.
The children were finishing up with their porridge, which the school provides (at our expense) before they are dismissed each day at 1:00pm. I hid behind the school wall, popping out just as they were close to Tony's car. What an adorable moment! The ten smallest children all fell into my arms, laughing and crying at the same time. It was just one of those beautiful moments in life I will never forget. Once piled into the car, the children all begin singing the songs they performed at Super Kids Africa. Proud? You bet! They were simply glowing. What an accomplishment!
We are already scheming on how to show up at SKA next August, incognito once again. The children were so animated about their experience, and admittedly a little disappointed about not winning the whole shebang. Never mind, I told them. Look what you did and look how beautifully you did it. Tomorrow, we are celebrating with a goat here at Whistling Thorns, and I have asked the kids to re-live the entire competition for me so that I can video it for them (and me!)
Can't wait to see it!
Catherine has left on maternity leave. We all had suspicion that she may be carrying when I was here last month, and I advised Tony to keep all inquiries about this to himself. In any case, I suggested we contact Eunice, one of the three original matrons who departed on her own last year, due to family issues. Tony agreed, called her yesterday, and she is reporting on Monday. She'll be a great fit with Penina and Grace. Penina and Grace continue to do a terrific job, able to utilize their sharpest skills without being asked, and without conflict. Bernard continues to please; he is now armed with a new drivers license, the required driving hours and ready to do any and all errands at a second's notice. He is so proud, I cannot help but smile.
Bernard and Njeri, discussing the pending rain. I am always told that when it rains on one's arrival and departure, we bring blessings. Once again....
Fantas, the man Tony hired in July, did not work out.. he came to work when he felt like it, so he was sacked. We are hiring a young man to work the shamba as we prepare the next crops, all of which were harvested early August.
This morning, Tony and I met with Ryan's Well Foundation's point person on the ground here in Kenya. Sammy arrived with an assistant, per Mark Hrljac's request, so that I can glean information from Sammy's experience contracting wells and the infrastructure that goes along with it. Sammy agreed with our decision to go with the particular contractor I selected, and has contracted out this driller in the past. He will be taking Tony and me into the bush on Tuesday to visit two or three completed projects so that we can get a more comprehensive understanding on storage tanks, piping and everything that goes into the process of drilling. Ryan's Well Foundation will be gifting WatotoWorld at year end in their end annual giving, and has suggested that we hire Sammy to oversee and monitor the entire project in my absence. With Sammy overseeing this project, it is unlikely that we will encounter selective problems from the Ministry in the application process, and any potential opposition in our community.
After our meeting, Tony and I headed to Ngong to get to the Forex - my time here is limited this week, so it really was the only opportunity. We will be doing a small tiling project in the dormitory beginning next week, so I sent Tony in to exchange my currency, which is currently very strong in our favor. ( He gets the 'points' for this, which most readers know KILLS me!). Tony got into the car looking like the Cheshire Cat. "What was the exchange??" "It was 1.03KSH to 1.00USD." Raising an eyebrow, Tony laughed. "I bartered to 1.04KSH". I love to barter as much as the next person, but I had NO idea one could do this at the Forex Office. Very impressive. These rates won't last forever, and I want to get moving so that we can take full advantage of the exchange right now. We are really pushing for our Deed from Kajiado County, who has our paperwork completed and in order, but the officer in charge is never available. Tony has been hounding him since July. Once we get this, we'll hand everything over to Sammy and let him take over.
Peter, in love with the bag of Lego's I brought with me:
...and Jacinta. She was very busy making a vehicle from Harry Potter.
Speaking of Harry Potter, the older children are all on their way to finishing the series. With the teachers still on strike, the kids are plowing through their 'story books'.
I never did get to the children later this afternoon...remember the little car I borrowed last trip? Well, the owner did think I should be committed for only offering $825 (tops) for his 12-13 year young vehicle. (He was asking 4K USD) Tony picked it up for $1500 (still a rip-off), but I'll be having a car to borrow while I am here, after all. After being serviced and washed, I picked it up in Kiserian and headed back to the kids around 4:00pm. I think I made it about 4km until being forced to pullover, due to a faulty accelerator cable. GAI. I called Tony immediately, but noticed he left his car keys for the other car with me, which meant his phone was locked in his car. After maneuvering around this, Tony showed up on a piki-piki (motorcycle) and tinkered with the cable for an hour until the mechanic turned up. Off we went, circling back to the petrol station and then back again to pick up Tony's phone. "GAI Tony! I'm rubbing off on you!"
"Tony ni mschana!!" (Tony is a girl!!) I yelled to the mechanic! We all cracked up and drove away.
It's so great being here, back in the fold of Kenyan craziness, with the children (who I will spend the day with tomorrow) and reconnecting with friends, the markets and even the insane drivers. It's all good - or, as we say here in Kenya,
mzuri kabesa! (Excellent!)
Lala unono from Kenya,
Simmie and Mondia
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