Finding a Maid

I've been thinking of how to go about finding a trustworthy maid to help me around the house for a while. Our first Sunday, a lady followed me into the bathroom and immediately offered to help me. I took her number, but didn't really feel good about it. 

Then, a very intelligent and trusted man from Hunter's fellowship said he had a resume/"curriculum vitae" for a girl he knew who wanted and needed the job. I interviewed her, and again, didn't feel very strongly about hiring her, even when I prayed about it.

Then I thought to ask my friend Miriam. We were having her over to dinner last night, so I thought it would be a good time to talk about it. I learned that she IS interested in working. We worked out an arrangement which is good for both of us, and I think I made the right decision. She has been extremely helpful.

If someone asked me what superpower I wanted, I would have either said I want Mary Poppin's powers, so I could snap and have my household messes clean up themselves, or I would wish to be able to split myself into two or three of me without splitting up my energy sources. Well, having Miriam around, is like having Mary Poppins around, or having a second ME around. I developed somewhat of a schedule of tasks to be done each day, but even without it, Miriam looks around for what needs to be done, and does it. It's AMAZING!!!

She helps me with laundry, dishes, sweeping, mopping, shopping. She cares for Reyna when I'm busy. She taught me how to cook Chapati the other day. It was awesome. I'm so grateful I have someone who can translate when I need help, or shop for me so I don't constantly have to pay "white people" prices. (Funny how people think we're white here, and think we're black in Utah--well, at least some kids do). Our days our full of work even with the two of us working. Things just take longer here. It's kind of interesting.

Anyway, she's extremely honest. She's never taken so much as a spare shilling left behind in a pocket. When I asked her if she had already swept all the floors she said yes…then a minute later came out of the laundry room and said "the baby's room, I didn't do yet." It's like she was thinking about what she had just said, and realized it wasn't exactly true, and felt she should correct it. That's exactly how I am! I'm always playing and replaying the things I've said in my mind to make sure I was completely truthful, etc. It's a weird trait of mine, but I'm glad Miriam has it, too. I depend on her honesty.

She's a huge blessing. I'm so glad I hired her.

The kids call her "Mama Betty", by the way, because her daughter, who is Paulo's age, is named Beatrice, but goes by Betty for short, and since she's the mother of Betty, she said the boys could call her Mama Betty. Super cute.

Industrious and Resourceful People

All the Africans I've seen do everything by hand. When I watched a team of builders constructing some glass boards, which were to be used as white boards, for Hunter's office, they did the cutting with a plain old hand saw, the connecting with a hammer and nails.

The other day, I watched Ma's gardener "mow" the lawn with a metal tool that's bent at the end like a hockey stick, and he swung that thing back and forth, whacking at the weeds for, I think I counted FIVE HOURS! No power tools.

When the handy man, Mtinda, came to fix the aerial/antenna for our TV, he literally sat outside and welded us a new one. Crazy!

These are the most hard working people I've ever seen. People who are fortunate enough to have employment during the day get up at 4:30 to begin the laundry for their own households. The kids are off to school at 7:00. Then they go help as maids for a full day's work at the home of someone who can afford it. By the time they get home during rush hour, it's already dark, and they begin to make dinner, then bed, then they do it all over again. I've smelled dinner from our south neighbor's house at like 9 p.m. I think they just learn to live off of less sleep.

Doesn't that make you appreciate the times you can kick back and relax or watch TV before going to bed? it does for me.

Our New Home In Kenya

It is  awesome in Kenya. I have a story to tell. I once was at a place called Nakumatt City Mall and on the way back we had a crazy day. We had the matatus go wrong. We went on the wrong matatu. If you are asking what a matatu is, well, its a 12 seated van-like bus. Well, when we got on the wrong matatu and my mom ask the conductor if we are headed to the Nakumatt Cinemax, it is the landmark closest to our home. Instead they were driving West not East away from Nakumatt Cinemax. Mom asked where are we going to the conductor and he said he would tell us how to catch another matatu toward Nakumatt Cinemax. We got off that matatu and suddenly, some kind person helped us catch the other matatu to the Nakumatt Cinemax. We felt good. When we got home, it was dark. Suddenly the power went out while Andre and I were watching TV. I thought it was just one tiny "brown out" (a short black is what people say in the Philippines.) Instead, the power went back on and off again 3 times more.

I was scared and wanted my dad to come home from work. He was totally late! Finally on the last brown out the doorbell rang really loud. It was dad and I was glad but sad that he missed the brown outs with me. The next day, I went to my dad's  work and asked them what they did during the brown outs. They watched the lights go on and off at the Nakumatt. I had a fun time after that. Some day my dad says I can come to his work with him to work. It will be cool. I hope there is another brown out when I am there so I can see what they did.

I love it here in Kenya. The End.

Jambo! Jambo Bwana!

it is awesome here in kenya. 

ther is a beach

i figured that  ther is some monkeys

no frogs we picket a elephant here in kenya

it is just fine i have a fanta collection

i love it here in kenya..

Packing and Postage

Things I wish I had brought: 1. My little rice pot Hunter bought in the Philippines. 2. More chip clips to seal off my food from ants! 

Things I wish I hadn't brought: 1. ANY high heals or nice shoes--pointless in the dirt. 2. So many jeans! Hard to hand wash, takes longer to line-dry.

Things I'm glad I didn't bring: 1. Reyna's car seat--it would have been completely useless here. 2. Cups. Plenty here.

Things I'm glad I brought: 1. My little sewing kit--I've used it twice. 2. The umbrella stroller--not for walking, though--I use it as a high chair. 3. My baby carrier. I use it every day. It's absolutely essential that I'm able to have free hands when i'm doing errands, and I could use my African cloth to strap Reyna on my back like the other African mommies, but this is so much easier. 4. Tampons. I've only seen pads at the store. 5. Orajel for Reyna--She just broke her third tooth!

Anyway, please don't bother trying to send us anything. There are no actual addresses here. I'd have to get a P.O. box to receive mail, and I've been told, it's definitely not secure to try to have someone ship something to me, so I haven't bothered to open one.