Kipsenende

This morning left our temporary home at Kapsabet and drove over to the third orphanage in this area, Kipsenende.  This place is almost a year old, and it’s one of our best looking orphanages.  This is the place were we first installed the new high efficiency jiko (wood stove) that we are now putting in every orphanage.  They are making good use of them, though they have feeding capacity to spare.

We arrived around 10, and recorded the choir first.  This has been a great experience for us, since every choir is trying extra hard to do their best, knowing that so many donors will be listening when we publish the CD.  After that, we walked around and saw the place.  It’s looking good.  Then we met with the elders, like we try to do at every place.  They had a list of questions (requests), some that I had to say “no” to, and some that I got to say “yes.” 

That may be the hardest thing that I do, deciding what projects are worthy and what are not.  It’s easy to say no to one of the elders asking for college tuition for themselves, (that happened).  It’s harder to judge which worthy project of several possible ones to fund.  I hope I get it right more often than not, just trusting in the Holy Spirit to guide me.

Susie and I then got to spend some time with the kids, answering questions and hugging and laughing.  Q&A sessions have been very good this trip, with the kids really opening up to Susie.  Then it was time for lunch, a big spread as always.  We then said our goodbyes and hit the road for Nakuru as we begin the long, homeward journey. 

The drive took about 3.5 hours through some big potholes and road construction on the Eldoret-Nakuru Highway.  That highway makes me laugh, because when it was built the pavement was only laid about 4 inches thick over a base of compacted soil.  Not near enough highway for the heavy truck traffic that it carries, so the lanes have developed ruts, like a dirt road would.  Some are more than a foot deep, making passing a real adventure!

When we arrived at Nakuru, we made for the Nakumatt to restock water and stuff, and were greeted with another great surprise.  A Nairobi Java House had just opened a few weeks ago right next door to the Nakumatt.  What a sight for sore eyes.  We decided to have dinner on American schedule, (Kenyans like to eat at 8pm).  Stephen was having none of that, he just had a snack saying he was in need of ugali at the right time for dinner!

So now we are at the Kunste Hotel, leisurely repacking and resting.  We plan to sleep in a bit and then stop at Kikitemo on our way back to Nairobi tomorrow.  Thanks for reading!