CRS Instalement No 2

Me again, just popped to the room for a drink of water.... As mentioned in my previous post, have been here a week or so. Behind on the blog so you will just have to do with a summary of the past week, no moaning now please. I know you were hoping for a blow by blow account, but just been too busy.

So anyway we have been accepted by most of the children, some are still a bit prickly. Understandable considering their circumstances and also that they are used to volunteers coming and then going. Most of the children are well, only 3 with HIV. HIV treatment is now free in Kenya so those with the virus are managed well on anti-retroviral drugs. You definitely would not be able identify two of the children that have the illness. We have one boy here, John who has broken his foot so it is wrapped up in plaster, I started the English tradition of signing his cast and now it has a lot more drawings on it. The cast is due off on Friday, myself and Kathleen (American Volunteer who was here last year as well) are taking him to the hospital and then going to do lunch. The kids don't get out of the Orphanage, as there is no spare money. So trips away are looked forward too especially if they get some yummy food and pop.

We have plans to take all the kids (67 plus Aunties) to the beach in a couple of Sunday's time. Costs about 100 english pounds for the transport as it is a 15 minute bus ride from here. The last time they went was last year when Kathleen came and paid for it. The three of us are funding this trip and I think us adults are probably more excited that the kids. Although that will change on the day of the trip. We cannot wait to see their faces, hopefully it won't rain. The rain is easing off, days are getting hotter, luckily CRS is shaded with many trees. So our white bodies don't get too much sun each day.

So what have we been up to? Well Wednesday morning we were put to work doing the laundry, wow that was fun. The Aunties have to do the washing for the younger kids. There is a huge pile each morning and it is all done by hand in big outdoor sinks and then hung of the line. The instruments used are soap powder and a scrubbing brush. Oh the joy of washing machines. Whilst washing Mr Marine turned up one of the trustees of the board for the Orphanage. He is responsible for getting the money to keep the place running. He is a fairly nice man, slightly arrogant, but hey you can forgive that when he keeps these kids with a roof over their head. Anyway he didn't want us washing, and took us away from the sinks to 'have a chat' he did most of the talking.

So phew we got out of doing all the washing and have only had to do our own since, with the scrubbing brush of course.

Food now that is interesting. For breakfast it is a piece of bread and Kenyan Tea (milk, tea and sugar boiled together). Lunch and dinner are similar, rice or ugali (bit like mash potato but bland) and beans or veg. On Monday's there is a boiled egg for breakfast as well and on Sunday's the kids have meat - goat to be precise. The goats are home grown and slaughtered on site. Poor Jennifer had a bit of a shock when she looked up and saw a goats head at the sink. We have of course declined the delicacy of goat being non meat eaters.

We have escaped the Orphange for two meals and a couple of beers. But mainly we are here eating with the kids and eating exactly the same food. Oh how we miss pepper and salad and everything else we don't get here...

We are escaping again tomorrow as we need to book our tickets for Lamu (going on Saturday for 3 days). So we shall be having lunch and a couple of cheeky beers before we come back.

We have been invited to formerly visit a local family on Friday, need to be there for 2pm, I don't know if that is English 2pm or Kenyan 2pm. Have already managed to insult them by saying no thank you to chicken. Apparently it is traditional to slaughter a chicken for guests the first time. Have said yes to maize though, boy I yearn from maize (Corn on the cob to you philistines)! The family are parents and relations of Michael who goes to the school. Michael and I have seriously bonded and we all play ball etc after school. I have been helping or more like hindering him in getting the cows and goat in from grazing this evening. They have three cows, they look like miniture versions of our cows. Got to go shopping tomorrow to buy a gift, been suggested that we get sugar or maize flour or something of the like.

Must blog off now as bed time - will continue tomorrow hopefully and even more hopefully will be able to upload some photos.