Hello, again to everyone!


As we have very little light in the room this evening [not unusual, of course!] I am typing up another bit for our next diary of events. I wish I could do touch typing, because it would be easier in the dark!

This morning, 16th March, I spent some of the time making new labels for all of Nancy’s spice and food jars and tins. Large bright ones that can be seen more easily in the dark or semi darkness of the early mornings and evenings!

Later, Marguerite [one of the Domestic staff] took me to the local tailor/dressmaker shop [mud hut, about 6ft x 12ft] to be measured for an African dress!! There were 6 ladies industriously working in the small room, machining, ironing, cutting wonderful multi coloured fabrics. Between M’s Swahili and French, my limited French, I THINK I know what I’ve ordered! It was all accompanied by lots of fun and laughter. The male boss measured me for a top and skirt, and it will be ready TOMORROW! The cost is 10 dollars [£6.40] and the material cost only about £3.50!! And if I would like another outfit, it will only cost 8 dollars to make! I obviously made a good impression; or gave them their entertainment for the day! They loved having their photos taken, and crowd round to see the photo on the camera! Children are fascinated.

Marguerite then took me to the local market as she needed to buy bananas. She and the stallholder went into fits of laughter when I said I had never seen or eaten as many bananas in my whole life! We have them with nearly every meal, raw or cooked/fried in various spices!

Janice

It’s the little thing that you begin to appreciate about home after a while! I was called upon to open a couple of cans of tomato paste (it comes in small cans and not tubes here) which were resting all attempts to open with an assortment of openers. I managed to get some of the paste on my fingers and proceeded to lick them only to be severely reprimanded! The outside of the tin could be contaminated with goodness knows what! Actually Typhoid is quite a serious problem here, even in the piped water supply so all water that is drunk or used for food preparation without boiling is filtered. There is an embryonic health insurance scheme for the locals and joining this scheme entitles the participants to a water filter kit. The picture shows some being taken off on the back of a motorbike! Immediately after this picture was taken they promptly bounced off!!!!

Work is quite frustrating as it is difficult to get a grasp of the class / marking structure used. The mains power is off again and unfortunately the batteries on the solar system are practically flat. Normally they have the afternoon to charge up but the fridge freezer was left on all this afternoon leaving little for the batteries so it will be early to bed. This Blog will not go off until am on the 19th.

19th. On Friday mornings the students gather for worship at 7.30 am. This morning was dark and very overcast. Very few of the students have watches so there were not many there at 7.30!! Following the worship about 60 or so stayed behind for a test. I was asked to invigilate which was a novel experience as in this morning’s sermon they had been warned against the evils of cheating!!

Just after arriving at the college at about 10am the overcast sky gave up its load of water all at once!! It was the sort of downpour that we in England get perhaps once a year and went on for about an hour. The water was pouring off the roofs into the guttering which is not attached to the roof but is a concrete channel around the houses or else just onto the ground. From the window I could see the water streaming across the open ground. It smells very fresh and clean now and has laid the dust which was beginning to follow every vehicle that passed.

Janice has gone out for a “ladies night”! She told me to tell you that she has got her dress and she will tell you about that later with picture no doubt. She also says that her labelling skills have extended to the Pharmacy now!!

Hope to get this posted this evening. No mains electricity but at least we have light from the solar batteries tonight.

Blessings to all.

John