Another Morning Stars visit

This past weekend we again visited the Morning Stars children’s home and had another good time. We arrived at lunchtime – a big mistake. Many Kenyans eat their meal with the fingers/hand. That day lunch happened to be kusimo(?) (a favorite Kikuyu dish made of corn meal, potatos, a local green spinach-like vegetable, and other bits of vegetable – all mashed together) - topped with a sort of “bean medley” and avocado pieces on the side. All nice and squishy. As a result when we got out of the car 50 children were waiting to shake our hand, with their dirty “bean medley/avocado” hands - an interesting slithery sensation!

Actually we are now in the hugging stages with some of the older kids. Kenyan friends also greet one another European style with a touching of cheeks on both sides. It’s nice to be seen as their friends.

Next we ate some kusimo - not about to become a favorite. Then we told the kids some stories we had brought (having honed our skills at story telling during our time in Campbell River). It was a good time. I did a couple of finger rhymes, a felt story and then a great story called “Going on a Bear Hunt (with Judy leading the actions). Judy then read a Bible story. Some of the kids were a little old we thought for the stories, but they all joined in and we had fun. No one had ever told them stories before.

Then they sang, we played some games on the grass and they danced for us. Singing and dancing are of course, their favorite pastimes.

We ended the afternoon by going to fetch water with some of the girls. I carried a bucket of water up the hill “Kenyan style”, using a scarf tied around the forehead and then to the bucket which hangs on the back.. (One of the girls slung the scarf and bucket over her shoulder. The other balanced it on her head.) I learned just how hard this work is for young kids.

Philip then drove us home. It’s been a hard couple of weeks for him. We weren’t aware of his financial problems but apparently he wasn’t able to afford gas for his car last wek and food is running low. The problem is that he gets most of his food by way of donations from stores, businesses and churches in Kenya. With the political crises here however these donors are giving what they have to the Red Cross for the displaced people – leaving Philip in a tough situation. I don’t want these posts to become ongoing appeals for money, but if anyone would like to help Philip, please let us know. We helped him a bit, but he (and his kids will need more to get through February).