Rain at last

The long rains are coming at last, announcing their approach gradually. On Tuesday evening I was driving back from town when the rain started. The entry to our side road is difficult at the best of times and hard to negotiate when slippery and wet when following our usual route. I decided to come in the longer way with an easier turn and climb. Mistake! Just before I reached the turning a matatu came barreling down the crown of the road towards me (the grader leaves steep sides). I had to move over a little and my off side wheels slid into the ditch. We managed to put the vehicle into four wheel drive even though one wheel was hard up against the bank and pulled out. But it was only the next morning we realized the wing mirror had been knocked off. Of course, there was no trace of it. On Saturday there were a dozen large drops. Yesterday afternoon the clouds rolled in and thunder rumbled all evening, but with no rain. Amazingly, the power stayed on! The rains cool things down, but make the dirt roads into a nightmare.

I completed the Virtues training for teachers on Saturday in the Maseno area. The new facilitators did an excellent job for us. It was very powerful to have them speak of their experience of using the Virtues in their schools. Much more meaningful that just hearing from me.
When we arrived the boys and girls from the orphan feeding programme held every Saturday were sweeping leaves from the compound. Bibiana, the town councillor I mentioned before, was with me and sprang into action. Fifteen minutes later she was up to her elbows in a container of cow dung, mixing in dry leaves. She showed everyone how to make the cow dung fuel and made them promise not to cut down more trees for firewood.

The Virtues training requested in Nairobi has been confirmed for the two days before we leave. So we will leave Kakamega on March 20, stay two days in Nairobi and leave for the UK on 25.
Later today we will go to Kisumu to change our tickets from Kisumu to Nairobi. Tomorrow (Tuesday) will be the opportunity to say goodbye to the clergy as they come into town for their monthly meeting. On Wednesday I will present my report to the Board of Education. On Friday we leave for an anticipated visit to Marich Pass in the West Pokot. We love any time we spend there and are happy to be able to fit it in. We plan to take the two girls who work in the computer school. They have never traveled more than a few kilometres from Kakamega and are wildly excited. The road north from Kakamega to Webuye is beyond description, so we may decide to take a longer route with better surface through Mumias, Bungoma.

The following week I will try to visit Emmaloba (receiving the Rotary grant) and Ebumbayi (whose head teacher wrote to me last week). We have one full bag packed with gifts and items for resale. The others will be packed soon. Our cleaning lady Virginia will come for an extra visit to attend to the nooks and crannies. It really seems we are going home!