Today's agenda is to speak to Denise's Mary about sticking around and not leaving her kids behind. Paul will have a talk with her too. Sometimes it helps in their language and not english.
Then we picked up some school supplies for Harry and Susan's class in the town center. Took Mary and her son Paul with us so they could see the Dr. for Paul's infection in his leg.
Hillie, Denise and I went to the school. It looks really old but in fact it was built 2 years ago. This school is also open to the court yard, single level. They still cane children at school, for instance 3 per hand for being late. There are atleast 35 students in a class. School has class 1-8 and the forms go to another school (1-4). They also have a "kindergarten" class which is called nursery. Children in Kenya are in classes appropriate more for their abilities than there age. For instance Betty is in Form 3, she is 16, but would like to repeat it to get better marks, and is then better prepared for Form 4 which counts for you university credits.
We sang O Canada for Susan's class and we are sure everyone in the school could hear us as it is a pretty open style wood building. We left the school supplies for Susan and Harry's class.
After the school we went back into town and had a "sit" with a Fanta with Denise and baby Paul. Mary, Tabitha and driver Paul continued to look for a tailor who would take Mary as an apprentice. Hillie had left on a bora-bora (motorcycle taxi), to visit another family she has been helping. 100 ksh ($1.50 cdn) to go about 20 mins or so.
We then stopped by to see how the bunkbeds for Catherine were coming along. They were loading them onto the cart for the donkeys to pull up the road. We told Catherine we would be up to her house shortly.
We got to Catherine's to help her "prep" the rooms for the bunkbeds. Kenyan people are often slow and late, it was already 1pm and we wanted to leave for Limuru to pick up stuff for Catherine and hit the ATM's for more money. Since Peter was home, Catherine's husband, we were able to take off while they assembled the second bunkbed. The beds looked amazing and I am sure the children will be so happy tonight, in their new beds! Off the floor to boot!
It was a 1/2 ride to the town and we have to pass by Rift valley where Catherine and her family are from. She couldn't look, it was too painful. To lose everything! Chased out of your home, your town and to become homeless.
At the department store we purchased mattresses, sheets, and some food. Plus I bought her a cell phone as she had been using her oldest son's when necessary. We also bought a sprayer for pesticide for her crops, which is really important.
We left for home but stopped in the town just before the farm to pick up Susan (the sister of Tabitha) from work. She is working at an organization to help orphans in the area. This company is assisted by the Canadian Government.
Got back to the farm, packed up to save time in the morning and went to Catherine's for dinner.
We had a wonderful time at their house. Talking about Canada, playing games, jigsaw puzzles of course all by lantern in their small home. Dinner consisted of rice, cabbage, beef stew and chipatis which I have come to love. Can't wait to learn how to make them. They sang songs and then to end the night off we sang......you guessed it.....O Canada. Peter, Catherine and Ben the son walked us back to the farm. Only a 2 minute walk but it is in the dark with only a flashlight to shine the way. So it can be very dangerous.
Got home and had a tusker with the gang while we talked about the day.
*Biggest hit today was the glow in the dark sticks we gave Catherine's kids. They went outside and danced around in the dark, it was hilarious!
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