Jambo Sana! My fourth week in Kenya

---

Hello! This has been a good week. I spent 2 days back up at Mt Elgon project area carrying stones in a rucksack and bucket to help build a house for the family of eight I mentioned. By yesterday we had it finished and it was great. I will have to source some of the other volunteers' cameras to get the pictures.
My back hurts a bit but I dont imagine there'll be many sympathetic 'oh's when you read this.

This morning we got up before 5 to leave for a hike up to a local hill for a view of the sunrise and it was superb. It was a great start to the day.

On the negative side there has been some developments regarding Sammy, the little boy who lives at the compound. Turns out his real father has turned up (not the step father who died with the mother) and is threatening to have some of the staff here prosecuted for abduction. Sammy may have to go back an live at the home he was rescued from until enough evidence is gathered to prove he was mistreated. I will know more tonight but its fingers crossed. There is a potential that the situation may have arrisen due to the charity being regarded locally as being relatively wealthy (the combination of some white people and jeeps doesn't help) and so a target for extortion, but I speculate....

Anyway, I am unbeleivably half way through my volunteering (although I have extra time at the end to hopefully do some walking) which I cant believe. I think its essential to do at least 6 weeks here just to get a feel for the issues and the problems being faced so I'm pleased I'm doing eight even though it was a bit scary to start with. Fancy dress party in the compound saturday night! Ironically with no charity shops available for costumes!

Stay sane folks, Bye! xxx

---

Comments

[iwan Morgan]

myn yffarn i!
Your building huts and I'm stuck behind a mixing desk!....I hear they are shooting the new indiana jones soon, maybe you should pop along?.....live from west wales where, you guessed it, it is raining and damp and grey.....