Hi again

Where do I start? Lots of experiences since I last updated my blog last Saturday. When Grace and I left the cyber cafe we went to a local store to buy food to make up food parcels for the parents of some of the children. Ladies from the church in Dunfermline had given me money to buy food to make up the parcels. We bought rice, flour, beans, sugar, etc as well as bags to make up the parcels in. Thank you Caroline and Sheena from Dunfermline. Getting our shopping back to the school to make up the parcels was fun! The food went on the back of a motor bike and Grace and I followed - on the back of a motor bike!! I am getting used to this mode of transport - Utange's taxis - however each time I arrive safely I say thanks. If you can imagine dirt track bikes racing over pot holed roads which are flooded in parts then you get the picture. All good fun. Sunday morning was lovely - the sun shine and I sat outside and had breakfast and finished my latest book - I'm on number three since I arrived! I could hear the gospel singing from the local church and it was amazing. In the afternoon I visited the Orphanage and the schools that Maureen and the charity hve built. At this point I want to clarify that the KinderGarten where I am helping out is a leased building and not a custom built school. That said I really love it - I love how the school sits among the trees, the swings in the shade that the children play on - I love to watch the children queue up for their morning porridge and fried potatoes. Whilst the building may lack some facilities the children are loved and happy and Grace and her team of teachers do a fantastic job preparing the children to move to the primary and secondary schools . The orphanage is a wonderful building - stone built with all the facilities that children could want to allow them to have a happy and secure home life. Currently there are twelve children in the orphanage - all well looked after by Omari and Pamela. Ormari is a kindergarten teacher and Pamela is his sister. Separate rooms for the boys and the girls of course which both contain beautiful modern bunk beds. The children have a lovely sitting area with comfortable sofas and a TV. Pamela was very proud of her kitchen - well kitted out to enable her to cook for the children. Most of the children were at church when I was there but I did meet four of the younger boys - all proud to show me their home.

I haven't been inside the Primary of Secondary schools yet but have been told that again they provide all the fantastic facilities to enable these kids to get a great education.

Sheena - if you are reading this - Grace and I visited town with Happy and she chose books, pencils, a maths set, etc with the money you sent. We then walked her home to help her carry her shopping. She was delighted with what she got - I have a picture for you of Happy and her mum. Also a big thank you from her mum and her dad for the food parcels you sent.

Caroline - likewise I have pictures for you of your sponsored children and their mums receiving the food parcels you provided.

What else have I been up to? Well I have had my first trip on a matatu - Kenya's local transport system. These are mini buses that provide very cheap and cheerful travel - the drivers compete for passengers - don't think I need to say anymore on that one, you'll get the general picture!! lol

I can't believe I have been here over a week now. I've taken loads of pics and just wish I could upload them to let you see this amazing country and the fantastic children and teachers I am lucky to have met and to work with every day.

Omar asked me today if I were to comment on my experiences of Kenya so far what would I say. He stumped me - I've taken in so much in the short time I have been here. There are a few things that have really done it for me so far. The first is the strong family culture in Kenya - certainly in Utange which is the only area I have experienced so far - families look out for each other and share what they have. Then there is the friendliness of the Kenyans - these people have made me so welcome I feel like I have known them for ever. And then - being a Belfast girl - another thing that I have found remarkable is the way in which people from different religions live happily together - in the school we have both Christian children and Muslim children working and playing happily together. It has crossed my mind on a couple of occasions that these kids could teach the kids where I grew up a thing or two about religious tolerance.

The saga of my visa goes on. Maureen is looking after me well (thank you Maureen) and Lemmy the head master and Omar the chairman of the school are both visiting the emigration offices in Mombasa today to find out what I need to do to satisfy emigration laws. So hopefully I will know soon and my visa will be sorted out.

For all you sun lovers out there - it is still raining :-) I have a good 45 minute walk ahead of me to get back from Shansu to where I live and I'm hoping the rain goes off to let me get back kind of dry at least.

The Indian Ocean isn't far away from where I am staying so this weekend I plan - weather permitting - to visit a hotel near the ocean so I can see the beach for myself. I have heard it is beautiful.

Oh - I should have mentioned I had my first class to look after this afternoon all on my own. The children are getting used to my accent - yes Maureen they are really getting to grips with this Belfast twang of mine lol - I'm not such a novelty to the kids now and they we had a great time reading and counting. Most of them are bright little sparks and soak up all the learning they receive.

Nothing much else to update at the moment other than to say I am really enjoying Kenyan food - I eat at the school every day which is great especially as I am off the don't cook, won't cook variety!!

Oh and just to say I am loving my time here - can't believe I am now down to nine weeks already!