Locked out (again)

February 25, 2009

I was just about to sit for an hour before my next appointment after a busy morning. Terry was reading comfortably in the shade on the grass and I just wanted to ask him something quickly before I could relax… there was a nice breeze and then, the door slammed shut. ARGH! Our door locks automatically. We are locked out. I am wearing short shorts and we have only one pair of flip flops outside the locked door. One of us will have to go to Sheywe Guesthouse to try and get our keys. Since I’m typing, I guess you know who has gone. He’s not at all pleased about it, but one must be flexible in Kenya!

This morning got off to a bit of a frustrating start when the Musingu Boys were over an hour and a half late for our shopping day (there was a mix up with their school bus). But once we got started, it all went very smoothly. The 8 boys arrived with their list of wants and needs and we got them all sized for shirts, trousers and shoes. Rotary has granted $50 for each boy to top up some of their lacking educational needs. I think we will be able to manage most of what they are asking for. Even though I have done the shopping myself, it is still hard to grasp that $200 will outfit 8 high school boys in uniforms, text books and math supplies! We bought everyone sodas, mandazi (doughnut type things) and a full lunch afterward (9 people) for 20 bucks, I KNOW you couldn’t do that in Canada.

Julius came by to drop off the first order of jewellery. He is so happy. I will pick up the rest next week when it is ready. It was gratifying to hand him all those 1000 shilling notes and listen to him talk about the possibilities it brings for him and his family. He spoke of planting, beginning to save for more land and of solar panels so that his children can study at night. He is excited about the women’s literacy program that Patricia will begin in late September when she returns. I wish I could be here for that.

Right now I am waiting for Frederick to come by at 4:00pm. Things are working out so well. I was asking our friend, Williamson, who has been making the desks for Daisy School, about a school I had checked out for carpentry – did they have a good reputation, does he hire graduates of that school, etc. He told us that he has promised himself that he will help at least two boys a year. He trains them on the job, feeds them lunch and pays them a small wage until they are fully trained when he employs them until they are eventually ready to go on to open their own shop. He interviewed Frederick yesterday and has agreed to take him on! The training wage will not be enough to carry him through, but I can look at perhaps getting his wife and mother into a small business to make up the difference in the short term and hopefully begin a real lift towards a life of something more than just barely surviving.

Terry just came back with Sammy who was able to pick the lock and get us in! Hey, so much for high security.