The Benefits of an Unannounced Visit....

...cannot be understated.  This time, more than ever.  While nothing was amiss at WWC, there were external factors that cemented my belief that if left alone, the inmates will always be willing to run the asylum.  One cannot operate a rescue center or school in Africa from afar.  While there may be little concept of time on the African continent, one thing people do know is: America is far away, and it is expensive to travel to and fro.  Once I am gone, it is assumed I will not be back for months. When Peter leaves for a few days, I always take his truck out of the garage and leave it in the driveway.  I'll move it around and park it in different positions, then put it back.  If people are watching in Haverhill, MA?  You can bet they are watching in Kenya.

Kenyans have a common denominator when it comes to discussing the subject of being ripped off: they act indignant about their fellow countrymen and women, shake their heads in disgust and mutter something about "stupid Kenyans".  And then they laugh. It's a laughter of resignation and acceptance. I've spent countless hours in the car with Tony over the years, and lately, with his good friend Joseph - Joseph drives me when Tony is unavailable.  Both men work hard. Both eschew the act of idleness, and openly judge drunkards, takers, users - anyone who looks at me with dollar signs in their eyes, and people who  talk too much.  They are reticent to trust, and never fail to advise me on what they deem to be bad motives.  Kenya is a country full of citizens with poor intent and malicious motives. This is not just a sweeping generalization; rather, it is fact.

Tony and I were driving past the Smith Hotel the other day and I scoffed at the hotel, labeling it a poorly managed death trap - there is only one exit in the even of a fire -  full of workers who attempt to con and openly lie to their (mzungu) guests at every turn.  This is the hotel I stayed at the previous two trips, and brought significant business to in the form of other guests. If you recall, I thought I had won the battle when I departed in August. I was given a discount, but the promise to send an invoice never materialized. Hence, when I received my credit card bill a few days before departing for Kenya two weeks ago, I scanned the charges and saw a "miscellaneous charge" for $220 USD from The Smith.  Go figure, this was my discount. I asked Tony to stop the car and pull in the parking lot.  Tony, a man of many words when it comes to being ripped off, stayed in the car, which was curious to me. "Why aren't you coming with me, Tony? You love this stuff" I said, grinning. "I will wait here."  

There is no way I can aptly describe the look on the faces of the management team at reception when I walked in. I saw the cast of characters before they saw me, as they were far too busy looking down at their cellphones. "Habari asabuhi" I announced.  Three heads popped up. "Madam Simmie. You are back."  "Ndio. Iko bili hapa" I said, dropping a copy of my American Express bill on the desk. (Yes, here is my bill. Fix it.) "Madam, what seems to be the problem?"  Too late, I was already geared up for conflict, but was very short on words.  I already know I intimidate this bunch, so I used it to my advantage. These women descended into their usual confusion until I interrupted them for the final invoice I never received. Lots of lies and denial we being spewed from their side of the counter so I sat down and waited silently until the invoice was handed to me 45 minutes later.  I scanned the invoice, seething and snickering at the same time.  "Asante" I said and walked out.  When I got in the car, Tony gave me his usual look, the same snicker I imagine I was wearing on my face. "My credit card company has already disputed the charges and reimbursed me. I just got the invoice for them that they need as proof."  Snicker snicker. It was worth the 45 minute wait.  I will hold off on my Trip Advisor review for a little longer.

        Teach the children so it will not be necessary to teach the adults.

       ~ Abraham Lincoln

The video below is another (of many)  reasons I could no longer stay at The Smith. Every morning the honking starts up at 5:10am sharp.  I like to say it's the only business that keeps time on the continent. This noise pollution is highly illegal, and the drivers get fined/pay off police multiple times a day.  Apparently it's worth it!

After a good laugh, Tony announced to me why he stayed in the car. "Remember Samantha?" "Of course",  I said. Samantha is one of the lovely waitresses at The Smith, who took time out to visit WWC with Kathy and me (twice) and once after my departure. "She cheated me" Tony said. "She called me two weeks ago, and asked me to send her 3K KES because she was stuck in Nairobi. (This is about $28 USD - a LOT of money in Kenya). "She said she would return the money when she got home. Instead, she has refused to take my call and cheated me out of my money. This is why she didn't come to the WWC party, she cannot face me."  I just shook my head.  "I'm sorry, Tony. I'm sorry about your money, and... what about the children? They suffer, too. People make all sorts of promises to me about visiting the children when I am gone. She is the first one that actually did. Now I understand why she failed to show, without the promised cake - or even a phone call to say she wasn't coming. What will you do?"  "I will go to The Smith next week with a friend for dinner, and demand that Samantha wait on me. We will order a dinner for 5K KES and I will walk out after leaving 2K for Samantha." This time, of course, we both dissolved into fits of laughter. 

We are not just teachers. We are also managers of the world's greatest resource: children!   ~  Robert John Meehan

I had asked Tony if we could visit our oldest boy Joshua, at his boarding school 2-3 hours away. I have missed him badly; it has been six months since I have seen Joshua. Tony is always up for a drive...both of us are, even if the roads are ruined.  So on Thursday, we set off at 8:30am for a town called Machakos, in a southern highland area of Kenya I have not been to. Thomas and Joshua's guardian lives in this area, which is why Joshua attends a boarding school here. It was a beautiful drive on real pavement, and the temps dropped the higher we went.  The Machakos area is where much of Kenya's avocados and mangoes are grown.  It's avocado season, so we stopped to pick some up from a Sho-Sho (old woman/grandmother) sitting on the side of the road. Tony got in the car laughing, with his considerable bag. "Ngai, Tony, what did you pay for this haul?" After making me guess (incorrectly) he said 5 bob per avocado. 5 bob doesn't even resister on our currency scale. Mwezi! Thief! (Tony, that is!) "I told the Sho-Sho she could go home now. Her business is done for the day, I bought everything."  I have never just peeled an avocado and eaten it in the car. Much less two. They were the best I have ever had - huge, perfectly ripe and sweet. 

There can be no keener revelation of a society's soul than the way in which it treats it's children.  ~  Nelson Mandela

Right now, boarding schools across the country are prohibiting visitors from entering their compounds. Reason being? The looming KCPE (Kenya Certificate of Primary Education) exams are scheduled at end of October,  for all Class 8 students in Kenya. The government is trying to prevent mass cheating in the form of stolen exams by over zealous parents who will do anything to see to it that their children can perform well on this test. Any score above 300 will grant admission into a decent government secondary school.  All schools have police stationed at their classrooms where the exams take place. (They're easily bribed, though). Tony ignores these types of rules for the most part, and generally gets away with it.  That said, we did get to see Joshua after waiting quite a bit, and it was worth every second to me. Joshua looks great and is very happy.  Aside from struggling in Math, he is doing very well. I know this visit meant the world to Joshua. As he said, no one else has had a visitor the entire trimester. 15 minutes later, we were ushered out the door. It was a 6 hour trip, worth every second.

This lorry is full of goats, piled on their sides.  I told Tony to hurry up and pass it, because I couldn't bear to follow it, knowing how these animals were packed in.  Treatment of animals in Africa is one thing I will never accept . It takes all my energy to resist screaming at people who drag crying goats with their feet tied together, across the street in town; or those who beat donkeys to move faster.  I simply have to look away.

No one would believe me if I didn't have a picture to prove it.  This man was galloping down the new bypass around Nairobi, on our way home.  As Emma said, this would be like seeing someone gallop down Rte. 95 on the eastern seaboard.  Tony and I roared of course, but we had to pick our jaws up off the floor first. 

The man looked a bit irritated with me for snapping my phone at him when we passed, but this time I had the advantage :-)

It's business at usual at WWC!!  While I had no internet or networks for 6 of my 9 days, we sure had a great time!  

Joseph and me picking the children up from school again....13 of us packed into a tiny vehicle.  As Joseph said "Simmie, if you stayed behind, there would be a lot more room."  haha

Children are like wet cement.  Whatever falls on them makes an impression.

~ Dr. Haim Ginott

Eunice (left) with me and Jacinta. I'm very happy to report that Eunice has really come out of her shell.  While I wasn't in Kenya for long, I got quality time with her. It made my heart feel good that Eunice is socializing more with the rest of the children.  I give thanks to my wonderful staff for paying attention to this request of mine, to work harder with her. 

Grace, Eunice and Penina

         

                             Tony's wife Jecinta and his mini-me Carala. 

Nothing is impossible.  The word itself says "I'm possible".

~ Audrey Hepburn

Our shamba is beautiful.  The short rains have arrived and will hopefully stick around until early December.  I did not have time to get the chicken project up and running - or the drip irrigation. The chicken project will be completed next month, up on my return. I did get quotes for a greenhouse, which we will discuss when I get back.  If we have a small greenhouse, this will enable us to grow tomatoes year 'round. From the picture below, you can see the bright green netting which was put up this week at our neighbor's substantial shamba, as we watched.  I'm not happy about what the color of this netting does to our landscape, but there's not much I can do about it.  I guess we'll be easy to find on Google Earth when it gets updated again.

Muvua inakuja! (Rain is coming!)

Tony is on me to put a new lawn on the main compound.  I keep putting him off, as it is not essential.  We'll see.  

My sister-in-law Arlene put a major project together for the children.  Everything made it in one piece!  Arlene put together boxes full of paper, scissors, crayons, markers, glue, pencil sharpeners and a ruler for each child.  Watching the children receive this gift was adorable and very special.

I was fascinated by the way the kids wanted to stuff their boxes full with anything they could find - scraps of paper, materials, the lei's they had around their necks...anything.  I think it is safe to say that orphans are hoarders. I've seen it over and over again: children will take their gifts to their room and will leave them in their original packaging.  Once opened, they save the packaging, paper it was wrapped in and any cards that go along with the gift.

Patiently waiting:

Children's lies are signs of great talent.

~ Gabriel Marquez

Catho and Sheila, busy discussing their gifts.

                                  Jacinta and Eunice, clearly thrilled!

Josie, off to put her box in a special place!

Thank you Arlene, from all of us at WWC.  The children were and are delighted with their special boxes of art supplies. Thank you for the time you put into this project, and for having such a big heart.  Asante sana!


It was a wonderful week, extended by two days due to my flight being cancelled this past Sunday. After some 40+ trips to Africa, this is the first time this has happened to me, so no complaints. It was actually a pleasure to get unexpected time with the kids and staff.  We are all very fortunate at WWC, and we all know it.  While Tony may gripe occasionally about staff not pulling their weight, I leave this to him, as it certainly is not visible when I am there. Another reason to show up unannounced.  The children are happy, well taken care of and comfortable.  I am continually amused and pleased by the fact that they fight like siblings.  This is quite extraordinary, as it is not common to see in many rescue centers.  It speaks to the children's level of comfort and the fact that WWC is nyumbani. Home. It is also my home away from home.  Peter and I have discussed building some sort of structure on the compound for me - whether it be a permanent tent or a container made into a home, I do not know.  But it makes enormous sense for me to stay on the compound while I am there, with a little space between the children and me.  It will be a cost effective move, and will also look good to government officials who, while not always visible, are consistently watching.  

From somewhere over the African Continent, I am on my way home.  I am continually grateful and so very happy about the progress we have made and continue to make.  The bumps we encounter along the road are minor, not insurmountable. I give so many thanks to Tony for continuing to be my eyes, ears and mouth when necessary.  Tony runs a tight ship and keeps everyone guessing.  Thank you, Tony.  

Thank you all for your continued love and support. I leave once again, with a full heart, only to return shortly. Most of all, thank you to Peter, Emma, Cary and Tarak and Robert and Bertha.  My continued absences are not possible without your support.  


 Tuonane baadaye.


                                              Much love to all, 

                                        Simmie, Njeri and Tiffy