Cathcing Up on My Blogging

Hello All,
I know it has been a few days since I've left any messages. I didn't go into town on Christams and yesterday was Boxing Day so almost all of the stores were closed.

Christmas was wonderful. We went to the church that is on the school grounds. It is Rueben's old church and is a Charismatic Epsicapol Church. Service was about 2 1/2 hours, but there was a lt of singing and dancing. The bishop came to give the sermon. Fortunately, he did that in both English and Kiswahili. The church is small -- maybe the size of a 3 car garage. We had a big lunch afterwards. In the evening we ate mango crisp that some of the volunteers made in the wood oven. They figured that mangos were the consistency of peaches and so it turned out perfect.

Our problem boma-mate was moved into the house on Saturday night. She didn't move her belongings out until yesterday. Instead, she just came in and out all day long to change clothes and show her presence. We didn't say anything because we did not want to spoil Christmas. We asked her yesterday when she was moving her things and she said she would do it IF she had time. We told her that if she packed it up that we would carry it up to the house, but that she had to do it that morning. She realized that we weren't joking about it and moved it to the house.

Our other boma-mate, Brenda, left for Nairobi. She was really wonderful, but now Geri and I have the place to ourselves. Each of us has our own little room. We went into town and bought some little plastice shelves and an area rug. We will leave it behind, but it makes it a bit home-ier. With our kerosene lamp in the evening, we have it plush.

I have begun driving and that is an experience. For one thing, you drive on the opposite side of the road. I drove six of us out to Weboye Falls on Tuesday. They are some beautiful falls. They are only about 100 feet high, but are pretty powerful.

Today, Wednesday, Geri and I drove the other two "mature" volunteers down to Kisumu. It is about a 2 hour drive on some fairly decent road. Phil had a malaria diagnosis on Friday, took the medicine, but is still not feeling great. We brought him to the Aga Kahn Hospital so that he could have it looked at by a bit more qualified medical staff. Geri and I had lunch and will be heading back once I am down here. Phil and his wife Maggie are going to spend the night and will return to Kabula by matatu. I think that he is pobably just dehydrated because the medicine they gave him caused some bad diarrhea.

So far, neither Geri or I have had any intesinal problems. Thanks to my naturopath and the Florastor that she reccomended. Knock on would that it all continues. I hope that everyone had wonderful holidays.