Saturday, September 14, 2013

Need Some Neurosurgery?

Hello All,
This has been another very busy week.  The craziness just seems to magnify!  I was able to get into town last Monday to finally get loaded up on groceries.  The first week was pretty sparse on the kids' lunches.

We started soccer with the Titchie (elementary) kids this week.  We are going to run a 4 day a week program.  I say "we" because I have another teacher helping me out.  There are about 70 kids so we can each take 2 days and the kids will get a lot more playing time.  Last year, we only did 2 days a week.  We have a playing schedule for the next 11 weeks.  Please pray for me!  Keeping up with 1-4th graders at my age is not an easy thing to do!

Need any Neurosurgery?  This was a question posed to Jim this week!  Our resident neurosurgeon wants to repay Jim for all the help he has given them in fixing things that are wrong with their apartment.  But, I think we will take a rain check on that one!



Today is Saturday, and the day for people to "visit."  We have had almost non-stop visitors since this morning.  Mostly people needing money, or coming to work, or coming to sell us something.  The challenge is in the having empathy, no funds to give and being able to get anything done.  It is not easy and one of the hardest parts about living here.

I may have mentioned about how we were able to raise some funds while we were home for the people that come to the door to ask for money for education.  We were able to connect with a few of them this week and let them know.  They are all so excited.  Jane is finishing up High School.  As she waits for her exam results (they take "the Big Exam" in Dec and the results come in Feb or Mar) she wants to take a computer class.  She is 18 and has never operated a computer.  It is hard to imagine in our world, but it happens here all the time.  Kenya Kids Can is a program started by a friend from RVA that sets up containers as computer class rooms at local elementary schools.  If you want to check it out, their web site is http://kenyakidscan.org/  She will be able to take a class for about 3 months to learn about computers while she waits for her results.


We also let Patrick know that he is funded.  He was so happy!  

He is just about to finish his Grade 3 level in electronics and will now go on to Grade 2 in Jan and hopefully grade 1 the following year.

Esther also found out that she can continue.  She has a diploma (18 months) in Catering and Hotel Management and wants to continue.  We are searching for the best program for her and she will be able to start in Jan.  We are so grateful to all who have helped us help these people.  It is so cool to be able to tell them they can go to school!  

Today Trevor and Timothy went on outreach programs with the school.  Timothy went down into the valley to an orphanage.  They played with the kids for a few hours and had a great time.  Trevor went over to the sokoni (local market) and was helping to make some coverings for the window openings.  It gets very cold in the building so this will help so that the ladies don't freeze.  

Trevor and Ted helping

Those are the plastic coverings for the windows

Sallie and her "big sister"

Sokoni

We have has several issues with projects around here.  

Bethany Kids:  Not sure what to say here.  They need a lot of prayer right now.  They are having issues with the contractor and have a big meeting next week to determine if they will even continue with them.  It sure would be costly in money and time if we have to find a new contractor.

RVA Art Center:  We had some failed concrete cube tests this week.  We went to the lab in Nairobi to watch them crush our 28 days samples.  If I had done a lab like that in college, I would have failed!  They were not precise with the data, but claim to have gotten it accurate.  Not sure about the whole thing.  The structural engineer has a "fix" that will not be too painful, but it will take some extra time.

Upendo Village:  Jim stopped by there this week to talk about making stabilized soil brick (the kind we did a year and a half ago).  He also saw some columns that have just gone up with large cracks in them!  The structural engineer has some work to do here too!






John 10:27-30
27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. 
NIV
I love this verse.  He will never let us go no matter how hard the going gets.  We have lost some babies in the hospital this week and a good friend has lost her sister.  There is nothing to say, but that He is with us.  Here is a link to a blog that a missionary in Tenwek, Kenya wrote.  It is a children's book that tells the story of the loss of their baby girl last winter.  It is well worth reading:
http://www.aaroninkenya.com/

Hope you have a great week.  We have soccer, massive shopping for Senior Store, more soccer, projects to progress, meetings, drawings to finish about projects, kids to feed (I almost forget that one every week), and bible studies to attend.  


In His Hands,

Jullie T.




No comments:

Post a Comment