A clean body and clean clothes!!

Greetings to all of you!
After a very long and dusty trip (10 hours) on a local bus I am back in Nairobi. First shower since I left Canada! How wonderful to feel the water on my body this morning and to be able to wash my hair.....
I will leave for Lamu tomorrow morning for about 4 days to meet with the Serodio Family who visited me in North Maragoli last week. I have been really busy with all the meetings and documents necessary to register the school since my arrival. the walls of the dorm are coming up as you read this e-mail and the children continue to warm my heart every time I see their smiling faces!! Nothing is easy and I did not expect it to be otherwise but the children are giving me courage and determination to continue.... I have some wonderful pictures and videos of them singing and dancing, can't wait for all of you to see them!
The weather has been good, it rained most nights but not nearly enough. The draught has already affected so many people close to the borders of Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya. Unfortunately, I expect it will only get worse.
Everything is so much more expensive here this year. The price of certain food items has almost doubled but we are feeding our children very well regardless although the diet is quite plain the children have full bellies and of course "mama" Louise always has "sweets" in her pocket when she visits the school.
We have made beautiful models with the "beannie babies" that I brought from Canada. Thank you Miguel!! The children are in awe of the colours and shapes!

OH LA LA!!!

Bonjour!
After three days of travel I reached Maragoli on Wednesday late afternoon. All went well with the trip and I have managed to stay healthy and able to work. The children at the Muungano school had a special presentation for me and I was greeted with so many "OH La La!! The children danced, sang and played the drums while another student played the guitar. I was so amazed to see them all together so engaged in the concert. My heart was simply bursting with joy and regardless of all the other problems I am facing with the work here they are giving me the energy and courage to follow throught. Tomorrow I will be dressing everyone in a soccer shirt for a special "sports day" the first for our school.
I am spending too much in meetings since I have arrived and I am really looking forward to spend more time with my children. The process to register the school is very long and complicated so I need to be patient.
The dorm is in construction and I am hoping that all will be completed before I leave in August.
My cat Maxi Puss is still around with two of her new babies. Wee Puss and Charlie Puss. They keep me company at night. I also have been taking care of a dog in the neighbourhood who just had 6 puppies but unfortunately only 3 survived. The puppies are so cute!!! I go by once a day to feed them and they all come to me waiting for the feeding.
I hope to write soon,
the internet connection is really bad so is the power in the area at this time.
"mama" Louise

July 1st, Being Thankful

As I am feverishly packing and repacking my bags tonight I cannot help but feeling so thankful for all the wonderful support I received again this year from all the Jeanne Sauve community and friends of Muungano. As I reflect tonight on the adventure that began 5 years ago I am reminded of all the wonderful people that I have met through my work and not to forget the wonderful Canadian children who have open their heart to their friends in Africa. If you were to ask the following question to many of the little ones I taught at Jeanne Sauve "What does it mean to be a humanitarian?" They would tell you that it simply means to "Open your heart and share". I am a very proud and thankful teacher indeed!
Mme B.