Mama Grace and damask sheets?

Our second full day at Reach-Out! Meg & I did two more sessions of the “Great Child” program –another one with a second group of secondary students and one with a group of the primary students (all girls) – again, the responses were so positive and the “deputy head teacher” of the primary school joined us for the final session. She will begin pursuit of her masters in psych & early childhood development in the fall and was very interested in the program. She will take it to the other teachers and hopefully will continue to promote the development of a positive self-esteem among all the students.

Frank, Jeanne & Peggy spent the early part of the day planning their strategy for taking updated photos of all the Reach-Out children and documenting some more personal information – all to improve communication with their sponsors (or potential sponsors). Late in the afternoon (once primary children had completed school for the day), they went on a number of home visits with the help of Isaac & Maureen (who served as guides and translators).

Frank, Meg & I visited Mama Grace for the first time on Friday… she is such a beautiful, but weathered soul. Her skin is very dark and looks like shiny worn leather; her eyes are dimmed with age, but her smile and warm greeting is priceless. As on previous visits, she called me her daughter… the “last born in her home”. She is a tiny woman who has borne many burdens in her life, including the loss of her husband and children. But I’m sure she considers raising her two granddaughters and a third unrelated orphan girl, a joy and not a burden. Their home is a short walk outside the Reach-Out compound… by goats and a maize field… and past lots of curious barefooted children, some who look as young as six or seven carrying a still younger, often close-to-naked, sibling on their hips. Mama Grace’s home is only a mud and stick hut with a thatched roof and dirt floor, but it is filled with love – and inside there were beautiful new white chalk floral designs that covered the dark brown mud walls… we later learned they were Irene’s work. Really very beautiful! Emily and Marguerite were as transformed as Irene – both are in primary school now. I last remembered Marguerite (in 2006) as just bigger than a toddler wearing a dirty lace party dress (someone’s hand-me-down outfit, I’m sure)… she was sick, but let Kate hold her for the better part of a day. We finally got her to the clinic and with medicine she was much better by the second day – and quietly loyal to Kate for the rest of our visit. Today she was a healthy-looking, giggly little girl. Emily too was bright, expressive and looked so healthy! Mama Grace asked for glasses (which Meg had already purchased back in the US for her) and shoes… and it was readily apparent that the girls were sorely in need of shoes as well. We took sticks & broke them into lengths that matched their feet – and later that evening we went into the local Nakumatt with our sticks to buy shoes for everyone in the family. The man at the Nakumatt who helped us select the shoes didn’t seem surprised at all by the stick-shopping technique… maybe it’s a routine way to shop?

It was quite late when we finished shopping - nearly 9 – and we hadn’t had dinner yet… so found a small restaurant near the Nakumatt and what a surprise – it was almost “American” … we had pizza (not Brixx, but better than anything we’ve had thus far in Kisumu) – and the service was quick! We were so happy that we celebrated with ice cream for dessert!

Then back to our Orange Palace for a bath (in a bucket) and bed… oh, did I tell you? Last night our bottom sheet had a damask pattern on it… the top sheet & pillows didn’t match, which made me think we were likely sleeping on tablecloths….