Leaving Well

Hello All,
The month of Dec is very hard here on the local people.  RVA (the school) is closed down and many people go away on holiday, etc.  So, they are not here to buy the normal items that they buy from the locals.  We are getting hit up hard here in this last week that we are around from acquaintances that are going to have a hard time even getting food on the table this month.  Please pray for us that we will have a peace about what we can give (or not give).

We had such a good time at thanksgiving, and I wanted to tell you about what my house help (Rose) said.  Her granddaughter, whom some of you are helping to support through school, was with us that day, and she can not stop talking about it!  It was such an amazing experience for her.  This surprised me when Rose told me, but they just never have gatherings like that.  Yvonne tells all of her friends and even others about the big day (Siku Kubwa) at the Wazungu (white's) house.

Yvonne's graduation from Kindergarten

She has done very well in school (she is thriving there) and graduated from kindergarten.  She will start standard 1 (1st grade) in January.  She went with us yesterday to Naivasha to go on a boat ride to see the hippos.  This was the first time she had seen a hippo!  But, I guess it is a lot like when you live in a place with things that are so familiar and you just never get around to seeing them.

We wanted to go camping in Nakuru, but the rains have been excessive!  I did not want to find myself in the rain, in a tent, with 3 kids for the whole night (with the lions outside)!  Here are a few more pictures from yesterday:

We had a good time and, as we were sitting in a dry living room playing a game at night, it was pouring outside!  I was happy!

We are heading home on Tues.  I thought we would be at the point of just getting ready to go by now, but that is not to be!  We have been in meetings and wrapping up loose ends with the hospital projects every day.  We have failed with the immigration services here to obtain the kids' re-entry visas (which would cost about $2 each).  So, we will have to buy them at the airport when we come back (for $50 each)!   The constant delays are very frustrating and very expensive!  Fortunately, Jim and I have our e-permits and re-entry visas so we can get back in at a $2 cost.  We are looking forward to our visit home.  I have just gone through the kids' closets and taken inventory of items needed.  Here is a picture of what Timothy has left for socks!

He will not let me throw these away because it is his second to last pair!  You can get things like socks here, but it is not easy and the quality is horrible.  He would probably be embarrassed about this picture so don't mention it to him!

But, Sallie is in the worst shape.  I am only packing one extra outfit for her to come home because she needs just about everything new!  She is very excited to get to Target.  I may have to drug her to survive the day!  She has already asked, "What time are we leaving to go shopping and are we having lunch."  That's my girl!

One more story about cleaning out closets:  I gave a bag of Timothy and Trevor's old things to Rose to find someone that could use them.  There is a lady friend of hers that works for an organization called Little Lambs.  It is a place that takes care of orphans that either have AIDs or have lost parents to AIDs.  This lady has not been paid in 6 months due to lack of funds.  Rose came back yesterday and told me she had given these things to this lady, and she was over the top grateful!  The shoes in particular were very appreciated.  It just strikes me that something that I consider so little can be so appreciated.  Oh, the things we take for granted!

I forgot to mention something from a few weeks ago.  Timothy entered a car in the Pinewood derby and won a prize for craftsmanship!  He was very excited!

As you can see from the picture, the award has a matchbox car glued to it.  It has been all we can do to keep him from ripping it off in order to play with it!  I think he is in matchbox withdrawal!  He doesn't buy them here because they are $3-4 each (and they are $1 at home).  He has been saving his money and is planning on shopping for several, specific matchboxes.  We were very proud of him.

I may not be blogging as much while we are home, so don't be disappointed if you don't see something new.  We leave on Tues (Dec 6th) and return to Africa on Dec 31.  We went to a seminar recently called "Leaving Well."  It was for people who are transitioning from one culture to another.  Even when you have lived in a place for a long time, and then return to that same place, there are issues.  People change (you change and your friends change) and sometimes it is hard because of your expectations.  Jim and I experienced this on our first time away in Italy.  I didn't think there would be any culture shock when we returned home, but there sure was!  We understand it a bit more now, but the kids will experience it I am sure.  Please pray especially for them, that their expectations will not be too high, so they are not disappointed when things don't work out.

Thank you so much for supporting us and praying for us!
We are so blessed!
In His Hands,
Jullie T.