school visiting day!

This last weekend kicked off visiting days at a number of our schools. Friday morning Susan and I were on our way down the hill to go to Wellsprings to see Catherine, Joyce and Irene.  In town we saw two girls with the Wellspring uniforms and wondered why they were out (boarding schools here are like prisons…you need to get sprung to get out!).  We followed them until we caught up and learned the school decided to let out for 4 days!  Good thing we hadn’t food shopped for them yet!  So we got a bunch of other runaround errands done and went home to meet a few cu-cu’s in the afternoon. Saturday morning we cooked up rice masala, sausages and chapitis for our two Hannah’s at Utumishi Primary Boarding, …we stayed with them for a couple hours before having to head to Good Shepherd’s visiting day where Mercy, Elizabeth, Denis and Patrick go.  The two Hannah’s looked good but are having some issues with the head-matron who is proving to be a bit on the abusive side verbally.  Seems she has issues with me the mzungu (white mama).  So will have to deal with that or find a better school.  Their school doesn’t get out until after I leave Kenya so the Headmaster has agreed to let them come stay over one weekend….this will be nice for all of us.
Our lunch at Good Shepherd was really fun.  We brought chicken and chips (Mercy’s request), sweet bananas, milk and juice.  Then each of their cu-cu’s and even Elizabeth’s mother (who made an 8 hour bus ride to join us) with all the kids other favorite foods…it was a real feast with lots of laughing and teasing.  Two of our big girls that are now hairdressers Grace and Anastasia joined us too. Then Elizabeth started teasing Mercy that she got to go spend the night with her Mother and Mercy had to stay behind.  So got me thinking if Elizabeth could be let out – why not Mercy…then the boys felt left out so I asked the Head Mistress if the three could come home for the rest of the weekend.  So she gave her permission and all four got out for the weekend. We had a full house as Grace stayed over and did Mercy’s hair in beautiful braids, the next day Joyce showed up and she stayed and then by lunch Titus, Stephen, Gitu, Peter, Josephat and Agness arrived.  It was a madhouse of laughter and fun. Only Mercy, Denis, Patrick and Joyce stayed Sunday night…the girls made a delicious rice marsala and because of my dog bite I couldn’t get my hand wet and they did the dishes and cleaned up all—-may have to keep my hand tied up the rest of the stay!  In truth the girls are really great helping out! Monday morning I escorted the kids into town…Denis needed new trousers and couldn’t return without them, Mercy needed to go get her HIV meds at the clinic, we met Anastasia at her hair shop and she did Joyce’s hair while I came to the computer (as my modem is once again down).  As I walked out of the cyber cafe met Mercy who needed something else from the pharmacy and I remembered I needed my next dose of anti-rabies…so off we went.  Then again to meet up with Joyce who needed food for her cu-cu and school supplies as they too won’t get out until after I leave.  As I walked through town was most pleased to run into our John Wainiana now working as a boda boda taxi (bicycle)…we thought we had lost him and in fact he is doing well and making money with his business and happy whenever we run into each other which is regularly now. Headed home to get school issues sorted with Daniel as Wellspring had made an accounting error and tried to get a lot more money out of us and Gilgil created some “private” fees for the teachers as the government doesn’t give them enough.
Grace had agreed to meet me to come to the laundry as all is done by hand…she brought along Anastasia… I told them I’d pay them for helping me.  I made a big lunch as they labored away in the yard with a pile of clothes and sheets.  As we sat down to eat our Catherine popped in and joined us. They cleaned up the kitchen and were heading home when I took out the money promised and they refused to take it saying I was their Mama and they wanted to help me….as Carole Kahn would say these two are real honeys (and Carole, Grace is your girl!  A real honey).  So instead I paid Grace to do Catherine’s hair and away they went with boda boda money and smiles.
 The day never really ends….then the hungry cu-cu’s show up…. I had extra from lunch for them too!  So all left happy and I collapsed (for a few minutes anyway)  Think Titus popped in after they all left with his empty stomach and a request for Susan and I to come to prayer day at school on Thursday. Susan is back from Nairobi today and lots more planned the next couple days!!!