Hi everyone!
I'm writing from the computer centre in the ICFEM office compound. I've been here for 3 days now - arrived safely into Kisumu on Thursday morning and met Matthew, who's been organising the ICFEM gap programme, and Tatwe, who's a deputy director here and also lives in the ICFEM complex. We spent the day in Kisumu, picking up some necessaries from the shops in Kisumu (Kenya's third city) and visiting Lake Victoria and a
potential activity centre for the childen spending a week at ICFEM's summer camp. Needless to say, although the roads in Kenya are somewhat bumpier than ours (this miight be a HUGE understatement), I managed to fall asleep many times on our various journeys during the day, having not slept on the overnight flight. We also met an old friend of Tattwe's in town, who took us to his house to show us the rehabilitation programme he's set up for street children. Apparently there are many such programmes here in Kenya: it's really encouraging. Everyone here is extremely generous, and wanting to help others as much as possible, even if they don't necessarily have the means. On Thursday night we travelled the three hours back to Kimilili, where I received a fantastic welcome from Solomon, his wife Ruth, Ann, and the children living at ICFEM.
The next morning, after a long rest, I spoke to Ann: we arranged that I would go with her to St James' English service tomorrow (Sunday) morning, then attend the service at Kibengei. After lunch at the guest house (where all visitors are provided with meals) I went into the village with Grace, a primary school teacher who also works at St James' Church (this is the lady who has been in contact with Christine), and a friend of hers, Lucy - to get some better sandals...to stop mites from burrowing into my toes and laying eggs there...Nice!
I've met so many people here already. The culture is very different - you walk down the road and everyone you meet will smile widely and ask 'habare?': 'How are you?'. The children are beautiful: they are fascinated by 'mzungus' - white westerners: the bolder ones will run up to you to ask 'how are you?' and to shake your hand, whilst others will give a shy wave and smile from the roadside. It's very rural here - we're surrounded by fields of maize and on the mud road, cows and goats walk side by side with people.
This morning, we were up early for breakfast, then walked to the Drea
mland complex. I was wearing long trousers and trainers, but it has rained rather a lot here over the past few weeks (unusual for this time of year), and I still ended up with mud up to my knees. The clay-like soil here is a dark orange colour, and seems to get on all your clothes - a thought for potential visitors to Kimilili! An hour's walk later, we reached the complex. I was travelling with Matthew and the four Dutch volunteers who are also here: they're lovely! We spent the morning planting trees in the Dreamland school garden, then I took a tour around the school and the hospital. The school is beautiful, and the hospital will one day, when it eventually has electricity, be an excellent facility. The latter is, however, clearly in early stages. The staff there have large amounts of medical supplies and equipment, but there are many rooms upstairs, like an eye clinic and dental clinic, yet to be finished, and building work has not yet begun for proper wards. Nevertheless, the hospital is potentially a fantastic project.
I hope you are all well, and thank you so much for your prayers.
Emma
I'm writing from the computer centre in the ICFEM office compound. I've been here for 3 days now - arrived safely into Kisumu on Thursday morning and met Matthew, who's been organising the ICFEM gap programme, and Tatwe, who's a deputy director here and also lives in the ICFEM complex. We spent the day in Kisumu, picking up some necessaries from the shops in Kisumu (Kenya's third city) and visiting Lake Victoria and a
potential activity centre for the childen spending a week at ICFEM's summer camp. Needless to say, although the roads in Kenya are somewhat bumpier than ours (this miight be a HUGE understatement), I managed to fall asleep many times on our various journeys during the day, having not slept on the overnight flight. We also met an old friend of Tattwe's in town, who took us to his house to show us the rehabilitation programme he's set up for street children. Apparently there are many such programmes here in Kenya: it's really encouraging. Everyone here is extremely generous, and wanting to help others as much as possible, even if they don't necessarily have the means. On Thursday night we travelled the three hours back to Kimilili, where I received a fantastic welcome from Solomon, his wife Ruth, Ann, and the children living at ICFEM.The next morning, after a long rest, I spoke to Ann: we arranged that I would go with her to St James' English service tomorrow (Sunday) morning, then attend the service at Kibengei. After lunch at the guest house (where all visitors are provided with meals) I went into the village with Grace, a primary school teacher who also works at St James' Church (this is the lady who has been in contact with Christine), and a friend of hers, Lucy - to get some better sandals...to stop mites from burrowing into my toes and laying eggs there...Nice!
I've met so many people here already. The culture is very different - you walk down the road and everyone you meet will smile widely and ask 'habare?': 'How are you?'. The children are beautiful: they are fascinated by 'mzungus' - white westerners: the bolder ones will run up to you to ask 'how are you?' and to shake your hand, whilst others will give a shy wave and smile from the roadside. It's very rural here - we're surrounded by fields of maize and on the mud road, cows and goats walk side by side with people.This morning, we were up early for breakfast, then walked to the Drea
mland complex. I was wearing long trousers and trainers, but it has rained rather a lot here over the past few weeks (unusual for this time of year), and I still ended up with mud up to my knees. The clay-like soil here is a dark orange colour, and seems to get on all your clothes - a thought for potential visitors to Kimilili! An hour's walk later, we reached the complex. I was travelling with Matthew and the four Dutch volunteers who are also here: they're lovely! We spent the morning planting trees in the Dreamland school garden, then I took a tour around the school and the hospital. The school is beautiful, and the hospital will one day, when it eventually has electricity, be an excellent facility. The latter is, however, clearly in early stages. The staff there have large amounts of medical supplies and equipment, but there are many rooms upstairs, like an eye clinic and dental clinic, yet to be finished, and building work has not yet begun for proper wards. Nevertheless, the hospital is potentially a fantastic project.I hope you are all well, and thank you so much for your prayers.
Emma
1 comment:
It’s great to read of your safe arrival – your Blog provides a brilliant insight…. Guess you’ll find lots of things that nobody told you about! Hope you get some better sandals.
Sounds like you’re meeting lots of people already and experiencing the big differences in culture.
Interested to hear about the worship at St James tomorrow.
You remain in our prayers
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