I am reading again

I am also:

remembering to smile

maybe starting trouble

maybe defusing a little trouble, too

maybe tearing down flags

maybe bringing some light

enjoying the children; but not enough

cooking - finally

beginning to understand Kiswahili

just beginning to understand a little more than just Kiswahili

thankful.

~aB

Easter Respite

It is raining nearly every evening and morning here these days and we are appreciating the cool it brings. Of course, by afternoon the humidity is greater making the heat that much more stifling but then the evening rains bring respite once again.

The Easter holiday brought more donations by locals remembering to share the Good News with our children - and to bring food to help sustain them. All visitors were unexpected but the choir performed for each one, a unique performance for each. At night, Praise & Worship music was played throughout the night and everyone enjoyed sodas and a special Easter meal of Beef Pilau and Kachumbari Salad. HOCET Secondary School (Still Hananasif Academy to you all in the States) is closed for a week for mid-term break. Those with not extended family to return to - around 20 - are at the City Center now making sleeping an affair which takes over all available floor space in and outside the home but also adds to the joyful mood of that many more people singing, talking and dancing.

Em and I (joined with young short-term volunteer, James from the UK) were happy to see founding supporter Anna Munyagi at Church in the morning. Happy because she now lives in South Africa so getting to see her is a treat (and, on my side, I keep missing her this trip) but also happy because of the generous invitation to share an Easter meal at her parent's home. We had, I must say, the tastiest spread of African food we've enjoyed here yet. Coconut Rice, Beef Pilau (mercifully absent of bone shards), peas, chicken, and non-African dishes like a coleslaw, and pasta salad. Good conversation, good food, new friends - appreciated all around.

Now work begins again in earnest to schedule more meetings with people to encourage regular - monthly - giving to support HOCET while it continues to develop its core programming and then, soon, its own means for self-sustainability, unaided.

I'm behind again on updates to this but the work continues and it is going well. I pray the same for each of you - that you continue to do well and enjoy the onset of Spring, wherever you are...

~aB