the latest

School’s out for April
I went to Karunga’s closing ceremony. I must say that now I know what “too much of a good thing is not so good” means. It was so good that this ceremony happened, but it was so drawn out and like my friend Dismas says, “We Kenyans like to say the same thing in our own voice. Everyone just says the same thing.” It is true, people like to say the same thing using the beautiful melodies of their own voices  We sat outside in the shade, but as the speeches went on the shade kept moving. Everybody must have moved at least four times. Until after four hours, the originally organized seating looked more like a meteor had dropped in the middle and dispersed the people, leaving a crater of sun scorched grass in the middle.

The village Mzee (elder) was there with his whitened hair and chin stubble, and his cane, which, after seeing him dance and clap around—I don’t know how he has trouble walking. He was a very dramatic, humorous man and we all hung upon his words. Not because his age demands respect but because he has lived long enough to know life is to be enjoyed and laughed at. It made no difference to him whether others were laughing at him because he was making a fool of himself or because he was funny; for he himself was laughing at life. It seemed that everyone gave him their awe because they all knew he had earned it. He had been there in that time of life when decisions are serious, when troubles are heavy and now they let him be a bit free.

Mouth and Foot Disease
I vaccinated about twenty cows the other day! I was just watching and then David said, “Now it is your turn.” So I did most of the rest. The floor is covered with cows and manure and urine. You have to catch them first. They slap the back hip loudly ad say, “Shaw tzz tzz…” He whistles a slow note and slowly slips a noose around her neck, quickly pulling it and wrapping the end around the side board. She jerks in protest until two brown fingers snatch her nostrils to still her. I place my hand on her neck to check her reaction, then tilt the syringe toward her body and jab the needle into her tense skin. Sometimes she is still and I push my thumb down and the pink liquid disappears. Other times she whacks my hand into the board and we rush to resume our holding positions; A tighter grip, a racing dart for the dangling needle.

Passion Week
We celebrated passion week almost as an advent time for Christmas, but instead, a waiting, preparing, and thinking about Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. One thing I didn’t know was that the word passion also means passivity, it means the opposite of action. When I heard this, at first I thought, “Why would it be called passion week if it is a passive word?” It is also means fiercely emotionally attached, and strong affection for something. Isaiah chapter 53 is my favorite Easter passage. It explains to me why we call the week of Easter, “passion week.”

Egg Hunt
We had a hard boiled egg hunt on Saturday and then an egg eating party with everyone! It was really fun because eggs are quite a special food. It is hard to imagine, since we buy a dozen eggs for the same price as a cup of black coffee.

I live down in the heart of the farm, right by the dairy. I live with a girl named Grace, from Rwanda who just came back, so I have only met her for 2 minutes. I also live with the “cowgirls” from Nandi, Evalyn, Mary and Rose. They are awesome! We are also with Alicia from America, and a Karunga teacher, Timona. We all live in what used to be the chicken coop which they now call “the girls dorm.” We have a small yard where we have a cooking fire and a wash line. We have to go somewhere else to use the latrine and don’t have a shower, so we “basin bathe” in the yard when it is dark in the early morning or at night. I love living in this way, and learning to live a more typical Kenyan women’s lifestyle. My favorite part about living down at the end of the farm is that we are only a few steps away from the pond.

I have been here a week now, and still, I can’t stop being grateful that I am here right now. It has been the best time so far. I have several families that are my family and several new people that I am growing to know more. Everyday people say, “ Anne, why don’t you take breakfast with us tomorrow?” or “ Anne, you are coming for supper tonight?” or “ Anne come help me with the goats…” so I have been spending a lot of time working in the goat shed with Jane, cooking, talking to many, many people—renewing lots of friendships. One especially fun thing is that I live so close to the Wakhungu family, who have been great friends. The father, Dismas, used to tell me all the time last year that he was going to come running with me, but he never actually would. This time, he and his girls and I have a little evening or morning run everyday! They also teach me Kiswahili and I tutor them in math. Next week actual tuition starts so I will have the 4th and 5th grade class.

Cerebral Malaria
I got really sick. More strangely sick than I have ever been in my life, luckily the worst is over and I am feeling much better. I went to lay down one afternoon because I felt a bit feverish. A few hours later I was so hot and sweaty and cold. It got worse and worse very quickly but it was raining so hard I couldn’t tell anyone. It was the weirdest experience. I look back remembering everything, but feeling so different now, that I know I was in some weird half-consciousness. I remember wailing and uncontrollably crying and rocking back and forth for probably three hours. Later, my head hurt so bad, and I lost the feeling and mobility in my arms and legs. The ladies that I live with came home and tried to help me. They kept telling me to stop crying, but I thought I was going to stay paralyzed. I was in such a weird delirium that I remember not being able to control anything I was saying. It was as if I was saying exactly everything I was thinking and exactly how I was feeling, but being a helpless child. My hands were all stiff, cold and distorted as if I was born without the ability to spread my fingers. I made them walk me up and down so I could assure myself, that even if I couldn’t feel, they would still go. They went to get help and someone came in a car and brought me up to the Kruegers house. Jeff had to carry me inside because I couldn’t walk. Everybody’s voices were so distant and foggy, and I was saying nonsensical things, but I remember most of it, and remember laughing at myself for the things I was saying, but not being able to control it. I had a 104 degree temp and they gave me lots of drugs and wrapped me with wet wash cloths. I kept falling over in sleep but, I know that there were a lot of people in my room praying for me and taking care of me in the night. After my fever broke, I was in such a different mind set, and felt aware and sOOO much better! So now I am recovering quickly and sleeping a lot. It is kind of strange to get it when you have only been here a couple weeks, but it looks like I have all the symptoms for cerebral malaria. So I am so thankful that is over and that I recovered so fast!