Friday in Nairobi

I spent very ittle time in the handicapped room yesterday, partly out of self protection and partly becasue I felt I could do more good elsewhere. I did go in to check on my little Madani, whom the sister says is 6 or 7 years old. He may weigh 15 pounds.

I started with a level 3 math class that was learning fractions. The teacher asked me to teach nd I panicked and said, No, I will watch and teach next week." At the end of the lesson the teacher let the children ask me questions and they all applauded when I got the answer right.

Julius has arranged a private room near the handicapped room for me to do some individual work with a couple of the more capable children. I worked individually with Thomas and Colin trying to familiarize them with the letters of their names. Colin is so physically disabled that he has trouble even pointing with much pecision but he appears bright. I will work with them again on Tuesday. Monday I go to the Autism Society. I have no idea what I wil do there.

I took two two year olds, one at a time, out onto the steps outside their room to do some individual work with them. You cannot do it in their cLassroom because when you get onto the floor with one there will literally be three more climbing on your back. It was recess time for the older children and several of them gathered around while I had the little guy sort poker chips into black plastic frozen dinner containers with a similar colored disc velcroed inside. Both boys I worked with caught on quickly and seem shyly proud when I prasied them and tickled their tummies.

I even skipped feeding in the handicapped room and took some Oriental Trading Company type foam crosses with decorations for the women to do. These are similar to some of the things we do in the Upper Room class at FUMCNKC. Only two of the dozen who gathered around were capable of doing it themselves without a great deal of help. For some it seems a physical and others appeared to have a sort of learned helplessness. They were as thrilled with the crosses as with the scarves yesterday.

Two new babies had been brought into the baby room overnight. One was less than a week old, maybe a newborn. The other was a very small and thin boy of about 5 months. Two of the women are unable to pull themselves away from the babies. In fact, an appointment has been made with an adoption lawyer to explore what the possabilities are. I have realized that I am the only one of this whole group that has children. Most of the women are in their early to mid 30's and must hear the biological clock ticking.

In the aftenoon we with to Amani Ya Juh (I hope that is the correct spelling. It sounds like Amani Yazoo and means Peace from Above.) It is a collective of women from different countries who make a wide variety of crafts, mostly fiber art. They have fixed prices and high quality items. I didn't even worry about the shillings to dollar conversion rate and loaded down two bags. Hey, I"m leaving most of my clothes and all other stuff I brought and I have to bring something home in those giant suitcases. After we had shopped they brought us a huge teakettle of rich, spicy Chai-type tea. It was delicious.

Last night for dinner instead of eating at the guesthouse we walked about 15 minutes to an Ethiopian resturant. Food was brought on two foot in diameter trays lined with a spongey bread like stuff with dollops of different foods...lentils, potatoes, carrots, cabbage, and some other things that I could not identify. There was a small brazier of goat meat which was, to my surprise, quite tasty. I did set aside the little riblets, however. It was just too much of a reminder of the actual animal, partiuclarly since there were several carcasses and parts thereof hanging nearby. We tore off pieces of the spongy bread and dipped up bites of food. It was delicious. They bring a samovar to wash your hands before and after.

We have decided that instead of spending all the donated money you guys gave on school supplies we will buy some food in bulk, divide it into smaller packets and give one to each of the children from the Haruma neighborhood who come to the primary school operated by the Sisters. We will also give a packet to each of the workers who come from the neighborhood to work with the kids. I may have mentioned this before but forgive me. These women are paid a tiny wage and are given one dress a year.

I must go now. We will go to the Elephant Orphanage and giraffe center and then to a big market where we will experience bargainig with the people there.