First of all, Happy Birthday to my seems to be “catching up” sister Bonnie and speaking of birthdays, Pendo adored her gifts so big thanks go out to Auntie Pam and Heidi for loving her! She is a happy little girl and shares all of her toys very generously with the other children.
Oddo met me at the airport and so did Harriri, Latifa and Liadi who chatted nonstop all the way back to Usa with me . . . IN ENGLISH!!!! Latifa could speak almost no English when I left. Liadi was coming and Harriri was farther along but they actually conversed! “How is Baba? Where is Lohai? Is your plane ride nice Mama?” I was dumbfounded! The other children are advancing so very quickly also and in only three months! Martha, big Daniel, and Margaret are vocalizing much more and they are doing so in English . . . it really is something to witness.
The children are well for the most part . . . we have some nasty rashes going on here . . . Christina, Priska and Pendo and Gerehad and Liadi all have body rashes (most are ringworm but Christina and Priska have a new rash I haven’t seen before). Many of you will remember how Zawadi (Joseph) suffered with a terrible rash all over his face? Well that is completely cleared! His mouth has healed from when he fell off of the bicycle (although he is loathe to ride again) and his beautiful face is clear and bright again!
IT IS COLD! Not a little cold, but where the heck are my socks cold! Sweaters, even during the day but I marvel at how few colds we have amongst the children. . . thank you Jamieson Vitamins! We could do a commercial for you! Everyday a child comes to me asking, “Mama may I give the vitamins today?” They pronounce it “veetameens”, and they love them! We lock them up because the children are convinced they are pipi (sweet) even when we explain they are dawa (medicine). How can something shaped like a lion and in a variety of colors possibly be dawa?
A friend sent me with some money for a fun day for the children and so next week we’re having a play day picnic with our volunteers. Games, picnic, fun and treats! Wait for our photos!
All of the children are home now from school and do we have some work to do! Almost no one has shoes . . . school or sport and flip flops are mismatched and torn and we’re down to them. It is frightening how quickly they go through shoes but there are no roads, just mud and dirt and rocks and they only have one pair of school shoes soooooooooooooo . . .
Speaking of school, report cards are in . . . Angela, they are checking but she may just be the top of her SCHOOL! Either way, her performance is outstanding and her test results range from a constant high of 100% all the way down to 94%!!!! Ema, #2 in his class of 58 and Lazaro #7 in the same. Francis #1 in his . . . Some of our children still struggle but Martha, Gerehad, Jenny, are showing remarkable improvement! We are going to town for a lunch date to celebrate. This will be their second time ever, in a restaurant. And on the subject of food we made Baba’s burgers last night with chips (fries) for the family. I purchased 7kg. of ground beef in town and made patties and Raymond cooked them on Baba’s grill. The family had not had burgers for the three months since I left and so enjoyed them immensely! The favor was returned today when I enjoyed pilau which is rice and meat mixed with spices and was “tam, delicious. Pilau is a favorite of mine . . . and tomorrow? Beans and chapattis!
Harriri accidentally kicked the ground yesterday while playing football (soccer at home) and folded back ALL of the skin off the tip of his big toe. It was ugly . . . I rebandaged him this morning and after church he came to me saying, “Mama when I was playing outside” (Harriri has one of those whispery voices) I sedently (accidentally) removed my bandage.” No kidding, five years old and he “removed” something. . .
Kelvin has a sore throat and so came over and learned how to gargle with warm salt water . . . afterward, on his return to the main house he looked over his shoulder (the big boys are home from Amani) and when he saw the coast was clear said, “Hug Mama please”. Life doesn’t get any better . . .
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