Can you spell 'Relax?'

Hello All,
We had a very successful week that started with some relaxation.  I wasn't even sure I could spell "relaxation" anymore!  Jim and I left right after banquet cleanup (7 hours to clean up what took a week to put up)!  We went to the Enashipai resort for 2 nights and actually got to talk to each other.  Liz stayed here and kept the kids from dying, except Trevor did get locked out one night and had to search for a place to sleep (thank you to late night dorm parents).  We ate well, slept well, played cribbage and had a cold drink - it was heaven! 
But, as I write we are back to frustrations.....  Jim is on the phone dealing with an issue from the BK wing.  The plumber came and gave the hospital 1.5 in couplings to fix our piping if it breaks.  The problem is that we don't have any 1.5 in piping!  It is all 2 in.  What??  Also, the run that they were supposed to do as a fund raiser was delayed and they waited 2 hours to start and then gave up.  It was getting hot by then and they were tired already and just couldn't go the 3 kilometers up the hill.  You just have to laugh or you will go crazy.

The BK wing:  The columns were coming up like gangbusters this week.  The contractor came up with a new excavator that is functioning and they were making good progress.  They are still behind for the main building but are planning on catching up.

 

 

The Quonset Hut:    The Quonset Hut relocation is going well now.  Jim was able to get them a method that works well to get each section up and they should be done by the end of next week with the 2/3 section.  We split it into 1/3 and 2/3 sections for different purposes.

 

Putting the sections together on the ground

 

And raising them into place.

 

The Fuel tank:  The underground container is getting finished today.  They were able to get the walls up and plastered and finish the floor this week.  This means that we will be able to get our new fuel tank delivered and filled before the Mar 4 elections.  This is good because we are needing to stock up on materials before the elections in case we have to stay put for a while.

 

before plaster

all plastered and working on the floor

 

The Sorely house project:  This is also screaming along.  The contractor is doing a great job and trying to get as much done as possible before the elections.  Tracy is a wreck, but dealing with each issue as it comes.  It is such an adventure building a house especially in another country.

 

Tracy and her contractor Dipu

The plot cleared

Slab and first course of stone

curing the slab

 

 

The HDU Project:  This High Dependency Unit in the Bethany Kids Pediatric wing (existing) was a remodel of a plain room that we finished for them back in Dec.  We just had a meeting to make sure they were happy with the results.  Here are a few pictures:

 

What it was supposed to look like

Close to finishing

 

The HDU in use

 

 

Here are a few more pictures from the Banquet last week.  It was such a blur, but I have reconciled it to the fact that it really wasn't for us, so it is OK that we couldn't enjoy it because we were so exhausted.  It is really for the Senior class.   But it was a fun experience and the kids really worked hard.  I think they learned a lot about projects, deadlines and results!

 

Trevor and his date Elizabeth -  So Handsome and Pretty!

All of the sponsors dressed up - We really do clean up OK.

 

 

Liz, our house guest, is leaving tomorrow.  We will be sad to see her go.  She has fit into our family with such ease and joy.  She has been in a gap year from undergrad to graduate school and is waiting for replies from universities.  She got one this week from Portland State!  She was so happy.  They wanted her to accept or reject by this coming Wed though, so not sure what she is going to do.  You can pray for wisdom and guidance for her as she goes to this next step in life.

 

Liz and Sallie with new puppy next door

Sallie and Liz

Liz teaching at the Kijabe Girls High School

One of the 3 classes she taught

 

Below is an excerpt from a friend's blog post.  He is a man that works up at the school (Rift Valley Academy) and is the school's college counselor.  He has written several books and this is about his latest.  He started a food program for the local schools here after seeing how the kids were laying on the grass in the afternoon with no energy due to the lack of food.  Then he started a program to provide computers in containers that are solar powered.  His latest book is being released in March and I recommend everyone pick up a copy.  He is funny and he tells about life here with such God centered view.  Here is what he writes....

We had a great run of building computer centers for several years, but when the economy collapsed, it was all we could do to continue to operate the ones we had built. We received a large gift recently which enabled us to open another one, and let me tell you, when you wonder if you will ever get to build another one, a new one is especially rewarding.

I asked the headmaster how many of the 700 students had electricity in their homes and he laughed and said `I don't have electricity in MY home. None of them do.' Less than 100 students own shoes; it is pretty grimly poor there.

So we opened this center, and a mother of a little girl came to me and she was crying. She finally got out, `I never thought my daughter would have a chance to learn how to use a computer.' I hadn't been able to say this for the longest time, so it was especially sweet to say, `There are people in America who love your daughter.'

Then she hugged me and we both cried. God is so good, and sometimes if you hang in there and don't give up, He gives you the nicest moments, especially when you have learned not to take any for granted.

Your pal,

Steve

PS. We received the covers of our book today and it looks great! If you go to Amazon, you can find A Dream So Big: http://www.amazon.com/Dream-So-Big-Unlikely-Journey/dp/0310326095/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1361018318&sr=8-1&keywords=a+dream+so+big

 So, Please go to amazon and get your copy.  It will be refreshing to the soul!

 

Have a great week and remember that God loves you so much no matter what.

In His Hands,

Jullie T.