I am saying goodbye until next year.
Adding highlights of my amazing trip. You will all be getting invites to the Race for Rehema fundraiser. See you all there and thank you for the support you have shown me and the children of Rehema.
Heading home. See you in 14 hours.
On Sunday, I went with the Reagan family on a hike in the Karura Forest. It is a forest within the city limits of Nairobi. There have been some tremendous rains causing flooding throughout the area. Schools remain closed and roads washed away. You could see the impact of the storms through out the forest by the overflowing of the creeks and blowdown of trees.
The last day at Bukura is always the hardest. Flight was not until 7pm so had the day to spend time on last minute projects and giving the kids as much joy as possible. One of these moments for them was trying on their new school shoes. Remember, we bought them with drawings of their feet on pieces of paper? I have to say we had success.
What better way to spend the last time together but with a water balloon toss:
Goodbyes were said, last hugs given and headed back to the Kisumu for our 7pm flight to Nairobi. Little did I know I had some loving children waiting for me to return at Rehema Nairobi and would see them on Sunday afternoon.
Kwaheri, Bukura. Will be working hard for you all year to spread the word of your needs, raise awareness and funds and be thinking and praying for you every day. See you next year if not sooner.
Every year my phone disappears and what I get back are pictures seen through the eyes of the children. Enjoy.
I decided to start calling Lady the Dog since she continues to have to be everywhere the kids are. I leave to go back to Nairobi tomorrow. The time has gone way to fast and to be honest, not ready to leave Bukura. This is such a special place where my soul gets renewed and my heart fills to the brim. I am already making plans for my next visit. Anyone want to come?
Today was an easy day at the home and not much to report. Wesley and George took the kids swimming at a local hotel giving Mama, Jennifer and I some quiet time to discuss the current and future needs of the home.
Wesley set up a Bukura spread sheet to help manage the income and expenses of the home and better prioritize where our fundraising efforts need to concentrate on. We have a lot of work to do and you will see me even more active than I have been in the past. It has been a great time spending so much time with those that run the home to truly understand their challenges and struggles. The Aunties and I had lunch and I was able to bring out all the jewelry I brought for them to pick through. It was so much fun to bring joy to each of these amazing women with such a little item. They are the heroes of Rehema. They take care of these children without regular pay and out of the goodness of their hearts.
We also spent time going through all the donations especially the shoes. We wanted each child to get a new pair of shoes and socks something they do not get. We presented the children with their gifts from their sponsors and enjoyed seeing them receive items they don’t ever receive.
Yes, another torrential downpour and an outage of electricity. This time some card games and play time with the new toys until the lights came back on and could once again provide the excitement of movie night.
Update on Lady the Cat. She had to be where the kids are and in the middle of it all.
Wake up calls around here are different and the same. Having a cat stare at you until you wake up to feed them is the same. The chickens and goat sounds — not so much but all are a welcome sound and site.
Today we are going back into town to complete our errands which include filling up the gas tanks for the generator and getting new propane tanks for the countertop burners used in the kitchen for the children, upstairs where Mama lives and downstairs where guests and team stay. On our list is to purchase a new countertop burner for the home kitchen that only has one working burner. How would you cook for 16 children, 3 meals a day on one burner – well it can be done, but two is better.
On of the common sites you see are these trucks filled with sugar cane. They are piled high with workman hanging onto the back. They not only help keep the pile on the truck going over the never-ending speed bumps but also from the children running along side trying to grab a stick.
The other common sites to see on our way to Kakamega is the shops along the way. They may look different but as you an see most are the same – butcher, cyber cafe and clothes and food shops.
First stop was the bus station to pick up the suitcase I forgot in Nairobi. After a bit of back and forth on who sent it to who, who’s suitcase it is and who can sign for it we finally were able to retrieve the precious cargo of donations.
In Kenya, it is mandatory that all children wear uniforms. This is a common uniform shop that carries all the different colors and patterns determined by each school. The children need to wear black shoes and must be polished daily. Most children only receive one uniform for the whole year and must be taken care of to make it last the year. Wesley explained to me that every day at Rehema the children would take off the uniforms, neatly prepare it for the next day and polish their shoes. The pants we bought today were $9 and the shirts were $4. This is extremely expensive given the annual income is just over $2,000. Most uniforms are passed down. We received a generous donation for the children in Bukura to get needed new items.
It was a long day and we got everything on our list. After dinner it was movie time until it wasn’t. Right on time the electricity went out as it does most nights. What do you do when that happens, you have a dance party with the glow in the dark sticks that my friend Tracey Hall bought for the children.
Heading to bed — will see what and who the morning brings.
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