Christmas is here!

The day is not over yet but even already we know that this is a Christmas  we will never forget!  We are loving being in Kenya and enjoying a very different Christmas to all our usual traditions.  The day started at 6.30 with my eyes streaming from 2 hours of onion chopping but I enjoyed the time being with the mama's.  They were preparing the biggest pots of pilau I have ever seen!  The boys and John witnessed the killing of a chicken - another new experience (one I never want to have!)

In church this morning wrapped presents were given out to everyone.  A lovely thing to do.  I had a little girl sat on my knee and as the present bag was coming closer I could see it was nearly empty.  I was cringing inside when I realised there were none left for her... I was panicking thinking I have nothing to give this little girl and my eyes filled up.  I was then struck by my own nagging voice ringing in my head!  How many times have I lectured the boys that Christmas is not all about presents it is about celebrating the birth of Jesus.  So I realised of course I have something to give this little girl.  I gave her a cuddle and prayed that her life would be touched by Jesus, that she would grow knowing the good news that she is loved and Jesus came to die for her and He makes all things new...  the most precious gift of Christmas.

As more sorting was done a present was found for this little girl.  I will never forget the wonder in her little eyes as she unwrapped her present - a small packet of biscuits which she was thrilled with.

So wherever you are celebrating today we send you much love and hope you are enjoying this special day.  We pray you will be reminded today that you are loved.

Christmas Party

An annual Christmas event here is a swim party for the local Mama’s organised by Maureen.  It was a delight to share in an afternoon of relaxation with these Mama’s who work so hard and relished in having a well deserved break.  Maureen was great fun creating much laughter and splashing in the pool, even with her own version of water aerobics!  I would love to show photos but I know what us ladies are like about being photographed in swim suits! Maureen and her friend Sydney had the lovely idea of encouraging us to massage each other’s feet with coconut oil.  We all really enjoyed being pampered and taking time to relax and chat.

I partnered with a lovely Mama who was so good at giving a foot rub.  She is a lady who I have often smiled with but longed to chat with.  Many times I have so wanted to listen and share stories with her but been so cross with myself for not knowing the local language.  She has been through many real hardships and yet she always turns up at church and bible study with a big smile on her face.  She has beautiful children who are loved and always full of fun.  I felt so honoured to share this time with a lady I long to communicate with… as I rubbed her feet I prayed for her.  As she rubbed mine I smiled, relaxed and kept saying Asante (thank you).  Once again I learn the power of touch and a smile… breaking any language barriers… showing love... I love how us Mama’s are the same worldwide.  We worry about our kids, we work hard with many chores but we also know how to have fun together and enjoy taking time out.  This is one Christmas party I will never forget.

Blakeley Birthday Bash

David has been counting down to his birthday for the last three months. Turning 8 is a big deal. Obviously in Africa things are a little different to his usual birthday but he had an awesome day. Here are some pictures of his 8th birthday that he will always remember.

David's Birthday Lunch - A mega treat of an Ice Cream Sundae

David after his traditional birthday soaking - he was drenched and totally loved it!

Visiting Friends in Turi

Recently we got to see more of Kenya and had a great time. We stopped off in Nairobi for a night in order for us to negotiate Kenyan Immigration and then went to see friends up in Turi. Having lived here for nearly a year we know that Kenya is a place of extremes but we hadn’t experienced the vast differences between the climate in Mombasa and Turi. On the journey we saw the lush Great Rift Valley, Lake Nakuru and Lake Elementaita. The beauty was astonishing and there was so much to see.  The climate in Turi was so different - we wore jeans every day and we all relished in using duvets again!  We even sat beside a gorgeous fire in the evenings.  Kenya is such a beautiful country and we loved the opportunity to explore somewhere new.   Dan and Rachel work very hard as teachers and houseparents at a school.  We were impacted by their dedication and very positive input into the children's lives there.  Big thank you to Dan and Rachel for putting up with us amidst a busy term!  We all benefited from a short break from the heat.  We also loved meeting more wonderful Kenyans who we learnt so much from.

Hello

This weekend it struck me that Nottingham and Mombasa are not all that different.  We were walking along the streets in the city of Mombasa.  Now reading this you may think that  sounds idyllic but with two boys it is a mixture of moaning about the heat and the nearly there yet question featuring quite frequently.  However your senses are fully alive as there is so much that is so different from our city centre back home.  So many vibrant colours, different smells, incredible variety of people and the awesome relief of crossing manically busy roads and still being alive!

There was a lady sat on the pavement with a little cup to collect coins.  I looked at her and greeted her.  Wow, her face lit up with the most beautiful smile and an element of surprise that she had been spoken to.  This reminded me so much of a time in Nottingham when I had been doing a shift at the homeless drop in.  I greeted one of the visitors with a smile and a usual hello, how are you?  I was moved when he told me that I was the first person to speak to him that week.

I suppose I feel saddened that this is something that big cities world wide share in common.  Please understand I am not making a judgement here.  It just got me thinking this simple greeting didn't cost me anything, so why so many times have I just rushed past people without even a hello?

P.E lesson with a difference

Home school can feel a real hard slog at times.  Living in the same room where you do school can leave you feeling a little caged in.  Being parents and teachers to the same children can be challenging.  Our boys are great and work hard but occasionally our creativity runs low as does their concentration!  It all can get a little intense and we have moments of panic thinking our boys should be in regular school.  They need a class room with other children and energetic primary teachers with loads of great ideas.

Then there are other days when something like this happens...

I was on the beach digging holes with the boys when these gymnasts came along to do their training.  They invited the boys to join them.  They were the happiest gymansts we have ever met and the boys had a total blast... as did I!  I mean who wouldn't with some gorgeous men on a bright white beach on the indian ocean.  School is not normally like this. The boys will surely never forget this time of education beyond any curriculum.

Anyway back to the table for some literacy and times tables

The boy who wanted water (by John)

Even though we have been here a while now – every now and again something new impacts you. Life is a struggle for so many.   When driving in the city of Mombasa it is fairly typical for people who are begging to come up to the car at various points of the journey and ask for ‘something small’. The needs vary. One elderly woman who is blind is escorted by her daughter to beg, one skinny little girl asks for some coins. Some people approach the car in order to sell something.

And so it was last week on one of our trips when, as we pulled up to a junction two small boys, probably about 8 years of age approached the car as we were waiting in a queue of traffic. One boy held out his hand and asked for money – I didn’t have any for him. Then the second boy approached. He caught sight of my litre bottle of water and mimed to drink. I lowered the window down a bit further and gave him my bottle. He shouted ‘asante’ (Thanks) and we drove off.

I will never forget this moment. The bottle was half full of tepid water. His need was so desperate, so elemental, that it brought all my feelings of injustice and hatred of the causes of poverty to the fore. I don’t know his name and I doubt I will see him again.

I want to find him, ask his name and say ‘asante.’ 

Invigilation - African Style

You have to love the way things are done here. When I heard that students took their final year examinations seriously, I believed them. What I didn’t bargain for was how seriously the  authorities took the exams. I couldn't resist this little snapshot of some  invigilators. Cheaters BEWARE. (Yes that is a gun under that beret!!)

PS For those people worried that any students with a mobile phone might be shot - don't worry. These men are employed to ensure that there isn't any trouble from outside the compound.

Something you don’t see every day (By Mikey)

Here is some thing that you don’t see every day - a play ground full of African children. This is usually the place where we play lots and lots of games. David and I get really sweaty and hot but we play fun games which are really fun. We usually play a game called chaco ball which is basically chasing friends around with a ball which is really fun.

I'm my own worst enemy,,,

Last week I embarked on my first session doing some Bible study with the high school girls here.  It was quite ironic that the session was all about self worth and I was going into it thinking I am not good enough to do this… there must be someone better or more equipped, a more dynamic communicator that should do this!  However many times in life I have seen that when I feel I have nothing left to give I should try to give that little bit more… my experience has been that at those times God surprises me in a new way.  So despite the challenges of the week, the fears, the worries and my inadequacies I stepped out to do what I was meant to do.  A good friend here said to me the people you are teaching don’t know how you are feeling and nobody was born a preacher.  This was just what I needed to hear!

It was an honour to share that hour with the high school girls.  Our issues with self-worth cross any cultural barriers, girls here wrestle with questions about their worth and value just the same as girls back home. 

I shared how my self image and worth changed when I started to see myself through God’s eyes.  As I was saying it I was reminded of how this needs to be an on-going process.  I was grateful to those girls for reminding me of a lesson I need to keep learning.

PS I nearly didn't publish this blog wondering if it is good enough!  Time to learn that lesson again...

Tomatoes!

Anybody that knows Lynda knows that she isn't too keen on tomatoes. Ketchup is fine but the actual squishy innards with the seeds floating about - she's not too sure. So, imagine my surprise when she said that we were going to lend a hand to plant some!

A bit of background first. Education for Life is looking for more ways of becoming self sustaining. One of the more practical ways in which it is looking to support itself is the planting and ultimately the harvesting of tomatoes. A great way to provide food for the feeding programme!


The Blakeley family decided to give it a bit of a go. Under the expert tuition of Mr Patrick, our family learned how to plant tomato seedlings. Mr Patrick has been very dedicated in training people to prepare the ground and implementing an impressive drip feed system.  The soil feels very sandy here so it needs a lot of water.  The boys loved getting even dirtier than normal and had a great time. It was a great learning experience as well as fun with our friends here.

Mister Patrick and his new students

Four Weddings but no funeral!

We were delighted to be back in Kenya in time for the weekend so we could join in the celebrations  at Tumaini.  On Saturday four couples from the church here were married and it was a very special day.  It was vibrant and joyful with great music and much colour. We have never experienced anything like it before so it was an amazing experience and we were very thankful to be part of this incredible community.

Nestling in the lush green valleys of Northern Ireland’s County Fermanagh sits a beautiful church. St John’s, Killesher is a vibrant place of worship and we joined them earlier in the summer  for a special service of confirmation. We had asked if we could attend the church in order to say thank you to the congregation for a financial gift that we had received in order to bless the community of Tumaini. We spoke for a few minutes explaining how the money raised had been spent and how the people worshipping at Killesher had had a special impact on the people at Education for Life. We were taken aback at the end of the service when we were invited back up to the front of the church where we received another financial gift to support the work of Education for Life. We left that church reminded that ordinary people can have an extraordinary impact on the wider world – and reminded of Mother Teresa’s words. “We can do no great things-just small things with great love.”

Summer Time...

We have been very lax with the blogs for which we apologise!  We have had some time back in the UK and are now preparing for our return to Kenya.

Although it was a while ago we wanted to blog about a very special day out that we had in June with the kids home at Tumaini.  When you have a family of 23 children it is quite a challenge to organise a family day out!  Thanks to a gift from a church in Ireland this was made possible so we were delighted to join Charles, Mary and the kids for a fun day out.

Mikey and David felt sad that they had been given opportunities to see African animals when so many of the kids who live in Kenya have never seen them so we visited Haller Park where everybody enjoyed seeing giraffes, crocodiles, hippos and many monkeys!  It was a great day out with fun on the matatus, tuk tuks and the ferry.  This family have meant so much to us during our time at Tumaini.  They have taught us so much about hospitality and made us feel so at home in their home.  We have shared much laughter and meaningful conversations.  We count it a real honour to have them as our neighbours and friends. 

Father's Day by John

One of the great things about being here at Tumaini is seeing the number of sponsored children who are supported by people from other countries. Very good friends of ours from St Luke’s in Nottingham sponsor one such child – Samson. We wanted to visit Samson's home to meet his family and take pictures for our friends in England.  Samson's father passed away so his Uncle Kai has taken him and his brothers into his home. Kai works here at Tumaini and lives in Timbwani in a 2 roomed house which he has built himself. He lives there with his wife and 6 kids. You can imagine it is quite a busy house!

We spent a couple of hours with them and we heard about Kai’s story and his family. He shared with us his struggles and his hopes.  One of his children is less physically abled than most kids. He is four and unable to sit up, he doesn’t walk or talk like other kids his age. Kai patiently placed callipers on his legs, part of a daily exercise to strengthen his son’s legs. All throughout this the other children helped and Kai kept cooing to his son to keep him calm and make him smile. It was a very touching display of tender hearted fatherhood. 

Later we read from the Bible together and I had the privilege of praying for the family. They didn’t ask us for anything, although their needs were great. All we shared with them was the love of God and lots of smiles. What an inspirational family to be with on Father’s Day.

Safe Haven

Last week we had a day out with some of our friends, the Davidson Family.  We always love time with them as we laugh a lot and the kids enjoy being together.  They were going to visit a Baby Rescue Centre in Mombasa and we said we would really love to go with them.  We are very glad that we did… what a special place.  Looking at the building from the outside you would never know the haven that lies within those walls.  

 We received such a warm welcome from Selpher who runs the centre with her husband Peter.  We walked in and were amazed at an incredibly bright and welcoming room with many cribs!  The boys loved playing with the little 3 year old boys and Mikey helped feel a baby who was only a few months old.  I held a gorgeous little girl who was only two weeks old.  This precious little baby had been left at the hospital by her mother.  As I held this adorable bundle of beauty I was overcome with so much emotion.  For me there is always something very special about holding a newly born baby.  This time was no different but I was overwhelmed that this little baby had been abandoned.  I was deeply moved by the loving and safe home that Peter and Selpher had given her.  I was also emotional thinking of the many more babies out there waiting to be rescued.   In this home there is room for 11 babies but at times there is not the financial support to make this happen.  We had such a lovely morning, lots of laughter and fun.  We all enjoyed the cuddles and having an opportunity to learn some of the story of this centre.

There are many babies abandoned in Mombasa and many reasons for why that may happen.  It is inspiring to see how Peter and Selpher work to provide a haven for these babies.  If you would like to find out more their website is http://www.babyliferescuemombasa.org

Happy Birthday Johnny!

 It has been a real pleasure to have our friend Jonny  with us here in Kenya.  We have known him since he was a wee lad and now he has blossomed into a professional photographer.  He is working hard here at Tumaini developing more promotional materials.  For those of you who know Jonny we thought it would be good to share with you some of the transformation we have witnessed in him since he has been here...

Although it is very touching to see his maternal instincts displayed in this photo, does he realise it is actually a goat he is cradling and not a baby?

We know at times he struggles to show his face but maybe this is taking covering up a bit too far?

Many of us have known he would make a lovely lady very happy one day, but this wasn't quite what we had in mind!

We have really appreciated his help with child care.  But at times we
are really concerned about the influence he is having over our children.

I mean would you let him near your children?!!!

Maybe his new style of meditation will calm him down

Back to what he does best, the photography and being a local tourist attraction...

But he looks like he really has had enough...

Maybe he can dance the stress away

We love you Jonny and have really enjoyed celebrating your 23rd birthday with you

Visitors Welcome

One of the things that has been really important to us since moving here in January is maintaining contact with friends and family.  John and I obsessively check email and although we are not always good at replying we love receiving news from home!  We are so grateful to all of you who keep in touch so thank you.  There was much excitement recently when one of our friends came out to see us in person for a week.  Ruth arrived laden with gifts, cards, messages and many other things which meant so much to us!  The boys were particularly excited about the Easter eggs, new toys and films Ruth brought!  Aside from all the exciting things Ruth brought it was so great for us to show her around and share our experiences here together.  She was only here for 1 week but we packed a lot in and she was very much at home here.  It was very hard to let her go back but we owed it to her saintly husband!

Ruth helping prepare lunch for 700 kids

Mama Sema (mother's talking) in the village of Timbwani - a group of ladies
who meet every week to pray and learn together

Our Trip To Haller Park

On Saturday we  all set off to a place called Nyali with our Canadian friends Shaun, Mandi and their two daughters Brooklyn and Rosie. They then took us to a place called Nyali Shopping Market where we had lunch. After that Shaun and Mandi were ready to take us to Haller Park this is meant to be the most exciting part of this day out by the way.

 When we got there we all checked in and began to make our natural journey. We started off by walking to the place where we get our tour guide. On the way we had seen loads of monkeys (Vervet Monkeys) they are cute but deadly. When we got there we found a guide. He showed us a MAHOUSIVE tortoise which Me, Brooklyn, Rosie and David could sit on easily but, we obviously didn’t because that would be cruelty to tortoises. Then he took us to a fish farm where there were Talapia fish which they sell to local businesses.

After that, the guide took us to Giraffes where we fed them with little pellets we stuck our hands out and they would just lick it off it felt really slimy. Then the guide took us to a reptile farm where there were snakes there were puff adders, (really poisonous) grass snakes and many more.

The guide then took us to see the hippopotamuses feeding. The staff were feeding them pellets on the floor and they gobbled away. They made a snortling sound.

Finally the guide took us to see the crocodiles feeding. A member of staff dangles meat above the crocodiles and then the crocodiles leap out of the water and eat it. It was amazing when their jaws clamped shut and you heard a really loud pop!    

Here are some photos of our lovely day out.   

Mikey

African Fight Club!

We had a very funny night recently with some friends here with our own version of fight club, think the photos say it all really!  Be assured no one was harmed in the making of this blog