Another rainy evening, May 27

One of the keys to thriving in Africa is flexibility. No Dandora today, after all. HOPE has graciously figured a way to help with the costs of my transportation to Dandora, but it involves being part of their M&E (monitoring & evaluation) program. The plan was for me to be fully oriented in all their M&E procedures today & then start at Dandora tomorrow (Thurs)... but the woman overseeing the M&E program had an early morning commitment, a sick child, and was planning to come in during the late afternoon - but the rains began & she was unable to travel... so we'll try again tomorrow and hopefully I'll get to Dandora on Friday. I had taken a number of journal articles with me - so spent much of the day reading and meeting more people.

Because HOPE is in a residential area, they arrange to have lunch brought in daily for those who want to purchase it (100 bob... about $1). Today was mashed potatoes mixed with corn and greens - a wonderful "comfort food” meal. I don't think I told you that milk is delivered at 10 each morning & everyone takes a minute to have a cup of tea... so nice! Today I ate lunch with Tabitha, Fridah, and Anshu. Tabitha & Fridah have each been with HOPE for many years & really know the history of all the transformations it has undergone. Anshu is another "intern" - from the Duke MBA program. She is originally from India - and working on a sustainable marketing plan for one of HOPE's vocational programs. She was actually onsite for a short time (in western Kenya), but was staying in a house without electricity - except for solar power. In this rainy season, the home rarely had electricity - her lap top went dead, her phone went dead... she discovered they had snakes - and then decided she would do the rest of her work in Nairobi. She is going to Mombasa for the weekend... and asked me to go with her. Unbelievably, I almost said "yes"... but I haven't lost all fear yet (you’ll be glad to know, Frank) and ultimately decided it might not be best (but maybe later!).

For those who know him, saw JP today, from Maasai Land - he was up planning for the HOPE Youth Corps in July - they are planning for 50 students! JP sends his love to the family, looked great & really likes the new program HOPE has started among the Maasai people!

Had such an interesting talk today with the man who oversees two of the HOPE programs (including the child abuse/child labor program)... he is a biochemist, who is now working on his master’s in public health - and has so much experience working with vulnerable children - you could tell it was a real passion for him. One of his previous jobs was in Liberia just after the last war ended a number of years ago - he was investigating child abuse and helped to re-introduce into society many of the very young boys who had been conscripted into the army during the war. I can't even write some of the stories he told me - things he said no child should ever have to see or experience. It was heart-breaking... but he also told me stories of the difference that even a small ray of hope could make in a child's life - hope that their lives could be different or better than they were. Since I'll be in the office again tomorrow, we are going to talk further & he has some short UN and CDC dvd's to show me. Maybe that’s why I was in the office today!

Went to church tonight – Steve Mukenya taught the lesson and I got to see lots of familiar faces & make some weekend plans – really wonderful. If I’m not too late getting home from Dandora, I will go to Anyima’s home Friday evening (really interesting family.... she has a master’s in economics from a London school and with 3 children at home, has started her own line of very beautiful African clothing; her husband has a PhD in civil engineering and operates his own firm in Nairobi) – they have been completely gracious to me – including bringing me home tonight! I am joining a group of women to pray together in the “Arboretum” (a park?) on Saturday morning and then will go home with Mary M for lunch. Sunday is “African Day” at church – everyone is encouraged to wear traditional African garb to church (I have my Kisumu outfit with me – do I dare?) and then groups all over town are having traditional Kenyan lunches – I will go to Mary O’s house for lunch that day. My schedule is getting quite full for the weekend! I’m learning you have to add so much time to any appointment for transportation – I’m still not sure which is the bigger challenge – water or transportation…

I did ask Mary M tonight how she washes her dishes (even Kenyans do not use the water from their faucets to drink or cook with). I was washing my dishes with faucet water – then dipping them in bleach… but the bleach is thick, so I needed to get it off somehow (one night I ate on a bleached plate – bad). Using faucet water would “re-contaminate” the plate; bottled water is too precious to just pour over plates – so I wiped the bleach off with a napkin (unbelievably there were no paper towels sold in the store… that’s another other story – or commentary - on American waste… & when it comes to paper towels, I am the worst!). Long story short – Mary said she uses faucet water & soap to wash in… but just makes sure the plates, etc are dry before using. I’m not 100% convinced that that means they are safe, but it’s so much easier than what I’ve been doing, I’m willing to risk it!