Sports Day

While much of Nova Scotia was having a Snow Day this week, Rosslyn was having its Annual Sports Day. This is a day for all Elementary and Middle School students and teachers to enjoy a day of sun and activity.

The students are divided into 3 teams (Red, White, Green). Lisa was the Red Team Captain this year. The Red Team did not win the trophy for most points but did win the Spirit Award for being the most enthusiastic and supportive of each other.
The students participate in a number of track and field events. Simon won the 400 m race. Max had a personal best in long jump.

Perspective on Age

It is so much fun for us to share with our Kenyan friends about our life and family in Canada. They have such interesting questions: Does the snow burn your skin? You mean that if someone doesn’t have food to eat, they can go to a bank and get some food? You mean there really is no Santa Claus?Recently our discussion revolved around the photos that we brought back from Christmas vacation. Seeing pictures of our parents, the Kenyans were surprised at their ages and yet how young they looked! They said that most Kenyans have no teeth left by age 50, walk stooped over by 55. They doubled over with laughter when we said that our parents, in their 70s, are still driving!

The Kenyan life expectancy is 46 years (partly due to the AIDS epidemic). An “old” person is anyone over 30. Because of the hard physical work, their bodies just wear out sooner. Also the sun weathers skin and gives it the appearance of being very old. Some of the Kenyan women have commented on my skin looking very young – I have explained that I also have access to face moisturizer and sun block. Most of them tell me they put Vaseline on their faces for moisturizer……

Happy Valentine's Day

Here is my Valentine bouquet. Just like in Canada the price of red roses goes crazy in the week leading up to February 14. Normally roses are 200 shillings a bunch of 20. This week the price went up to 350 shillings for 15 roses. And for those who wait until Saturday, the price will be 600 shillings! I bought these 2 bunches and greenery earlier in the week for almost $8.
Today James, a carpenter on campus, was here to put up some shelves for us. While we were eating lunch I asked if Kenyans celebrate Valentine's. He grinned like a teenager and said that he was going to buy his wife one rose, a piece of fabric to make a skirt, and a chicken wing. It will be a very special surprise meal on Saturday night. James has 2 daughters who will also keep the secret and enjoy celebrating their parents' love.

One of my Norwegian friends came to our house today and was shocked to see Valentine cards for Max and Simon from their grandparents. She just learned about celebrating Valentine's a few years ago. She understood it to be a holiday for young couples in love -- but not for families! Tim and I will celebrate Saturday evening with the boys. We will have a lovely meal of teriyaki steak and then lay in the soccer field and watch the stars.

We wish you all the same peace and love in your families.

On the Move in East Africa

After seven months without a vehicle ........

We have purchased a 1998 Mitsubishi Pajero from a family whose children attend Rosslyn. This family is extremely generous and consider us family members, so sold the Pajero to us at a great price.

We took possession of the truck on Friday and then attended a briefing given by a Special Agent with the Regional Security Office for the U.S. Embassy. The presentation was entitled "Personal Security and Carjacking Counter Measures". On the first day of owning a vehicle, Lisa decided she would never leave the campus.....

The vehicle only has 68,000 km on it and has been well maintained. Tim wanted to make it look more like an off-road East African vehicle, so he had a few modifications made: a roof rack (for gear on safari), a high lift jack and high lift jacking points (to change a tire quickly or to get out of a mud hole), a bull bar bumper on the front (to protect the front end and prevent someone from stealing the headlights), and window tinting (to keep cooler and to prevent people from easily looking in and seeing who or what is inside).

The truck works really well and has four wheel drive so will be helpful if we are on dirt roads during the rainy season. It also came with a 10 disc CD player (we did not bring even one CD with us). It can seat up to 9 people. It also has an altimeter, digital compass and an inclinometer (to know what angle the vehicle is on - before it rolls overs).

We look forward to having many new adventures.

A visit to Eastleigh

On Thursday I went on a field trip with the Grade 1 students of Rosslyn Academy. It was a science field trip to learn about the process of making pottery. The students asked great questions about the pottery wheel, the temperatures for firing the pottery, and the hardening of the pottery.

Erica and Aaron Kenny, Canadian Baptist Missionaries, work at the Eastleigh Community Centre. The Kennys teach English to Somali women. The Rosslyn students were able to spend time reading and colouring with a group of Eastleigh students.

I was especially excited to visit the shop with the water filters. Over Christmas, so many of you gave us money to purchase water filters for Kenyan families -- thank you!! However, we returned in January to discover that the Eastleigh pottery studio was all out of stock. They had sold their entire supply at Christmas! Praise God for the blessing those families received! They were also back-ordered another 60 filters. The studio has now begun its 2009 production.
I met Patrick, who is responsible for making the ceramic pot for the filters. I was pleased to be able to purchase one filter to take home with me. I also bought a couple of mugs, a casserole dish and a pot just for "chocolate sauce"! Simon and I enjoyed an afternoon snack of fresh pineapple dipped in hot fudge sauce (the perfect recipe for the perfect pot).

Friends for Brunch

On Saturday morning we invited Cathy (who helps me with housework and cooking 2 days a week) and Emily (who works for the family next door) to come share brunch with us. Cathy and Emily are sisters and have become good friends of mine. They talk a lot about their families and this was an opportunity for us to meet everyone! Here we are with Emily (far left), Cathy and her husband, Ken (far right).

Despite the fact that my oven was not cooperating (the muffins and strata were undercooked, the pancakes were burned), we had a fun time. They said many times that they were honoured to be invited to share a meal with us. Cathy’s husband, Ken, said he had never been inside the home of a mzungu (“white man”).
We had brought back a few gifts from Canada for them – cotton underwear, socks, lego, hand towels, stick deodorant, nail polish. The children were most excited about the pyjamas that my mom made for Ricky (age 2), Tony (age 6), and Brian (age 9). We explained our family tradition of having new, hand-made pyjamas for Christmas – Max and Simon showed off their new ones. Tony and Brian insisted that their new pyjamas would be perfect for church! We tried to explain how we have different clothes for sleeping – this differentiation is not known to most Kenyans.
After eating we all went to the pool in borrowed swim suits. Most Kenyans do not know how to swim. This was the first time that Emily, Cathy or the kids had been swimming. They thoroughly enjoyed splashing around the wade pool. Emily even ventured to the big pool and became proficient with the flutter board!




At the end of the day we had bottles of pop and sat on the deck quietly watching the view. Emily thoughtfully said “This was a classic day Lisa.” (I think classic means special.) Cathy quietly followed with “Our minds can’t take any more.” It was a special day for all of us.