So good to be feeling good

I am falling in love with Courtenay, BC by being here in Kakamega, Kenya. Not for the reasons you might think -- sure it is beautiful, and the roads are smooth and the internet is fast! But what has my heart fluttering is all the encouragement we are receiving from home. You just never know who is watching... especially with blogging. We have been so pleasantly surprised by the response to our blog and to our call for jewelry orders. Some people have even sent spontaneous donations along with their jewelry orders. There is so much good to be done here!

Yesterday was my first day of not feeling up to par. It really started the day before when my tummy was not all that comfortable and it was showing in my mood -- which translates to: I wasn't being very nice to Terry! So, yesterday I slept most of the day and watched a light, fluffy movie -- cried and laughed in all the right places -- while Terry enjoyed his first day of not being accountable to anyone. More than not feeling well, I was worried about having something more serious (our friend after taking $2,000 worth of Malarone, got malaria). So, waking up and feeling healthy was a great relief physically and mentally!

I'm feeling back to myself again and we had another good day today. Terry rented a motorcycle and after watching him practice some, I trusted him to carry me about the town. We managed to swerve our way around potholes, cattle and marketeers and found our way with some assistance to Julius' place. Actually, we had a tiny run-in with a ditch and used that as our opportunity to call Julius. His phone wasn't working, but we happened to have a picture of him with us and asked a local woman if she knew Julius. We were directly in front of the turn to the dirt road to his place. I love how things work out. So, a young boy with very good english hopped on the back of the bike with Terry to direct him there as I walked behind. We gave him a little soccer ball for his help and he was very happy.

Because of the orders that are coming in for jewelry, Julius will be able to plant and buy fertilizer... not sure what his plan b was, but people go on faith here.

We had a very minor run-in with a bodaboda on the way home... no injuries, I lost a shoe, a little village girl picked it up and ran it to me. I did lose my free and easy feeling after that though, which made for extra squeezing and a little nattering at Terry.

Earlier in the day I met with Frederick, the bodaboda driver I am considering helping, again and learned more about him and his family. He lives with his mother, three brothers and his wife. He is 21 years old, the youngest in his family. His mother is "only at home" with no job; sometimes she digs other people's shamba for 50 to 100 shillings a day -- the current exchange is around 60 shillings to the dollar, so there is the less than a dollar a day we in the west so often hear about. Here is a text message I received from Frederick yesterday. It will be clear why I want to help him:

Dear my sweet heart,
i would if you can request i go to driving school
then if u can also like to help those childrens
who are orphans through u if you will
request please late me take care of them
if I said what is wrong
please I beg u forgive me
reply

When we were speaking today he was worried that I would be angry at him if he told me his idea for helping the orphans. Imagine.