We arrived in Maai Mahiu Friday at 11.am – it didn’t hit me just how much I missed being here until I stepped off the matatu and stared into their barren land and tents. I was completely overwhelmed with emotion. Janie took me to our host mum’s home where we were to stay. It is a beautiful place on the opposite side of the highway than the camps where it is a lot greener and her place is surrounded in trees. I immediately thought this as being a place I could spend much more of my time. A place I could live. We dropped off our things and went directly to the school – Southern Cross Academy – a sweet little school that Janie and I helped build with our own hands last year. It was absolutely wonderful to see everyone again. In photo are the teachers from last year who are still teaching, only 1 is absent – Rose and Teacher Doreen who I was very close to last year (and pictured with me immediately above) was offered a head cooks position at a neighbouring orphanage but told Janie and I that she is considering coming back to Southern Cross. Even though the pay is far less, she feels the children need the most help. I love these teachers, they really do it for the love.
I am happy that I was finally able to give the school the teaching material that Grant and his family from Kawana in Queensland gave to me just prior to leaving. They are incredible tools and so well received. The teacher grouped together immediately discussing how to best use them and who would share them first. The children swarmed at the new and exciting books - already a massive hit!!
Right next the school, Janie is building a Medical Clinic for the camps which is fantastic. The progress is slow but amazing. Medical care is desperately needed in the camps and the process of building is providing much needed employment for the locals. There are so many projects under way here they still have a long way to go but are well on their way to self sustainability. It’s great to be back and see the changes for the better.
A number of exciting things have happened in the last week. On Tuesday I visited the HIV families I spent time with last year. Judy is so strong now, has put on weight and can walk again. Each time I visited her over the 5 month period last year, she was very frail and sick with HIV/Aids and TB. She was unable to get out of bed , cook or clean for herself. I am amazed by her progress. Obama (the little boy who wouldn’t stop screaming at the scary white person) come straight to me and didn’t’ cry, not once!!! His mum (Lilian) was as shocked as me – he has only seen a handful of white people at church in the past 12 months and couldn’t’ look at them. I was so happy – everyone remembered who I was. It was a beautiful, rewarding reunion. I can’t explain how wonderful it was to see them again. I took Janie and Vicki to visit them again 2 days later where we bought and cooked them Ugali and Sukuma Wiki for lunch which was fantastic.
I have so much more to write. I will continue this post later today.
Keep smiling
Tarsh
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