IT’S MY BIRTHDAY!

November 1st…Today is my birthday and I would not want to be anywhere else! As we ride a bus for 3 hours from Kisumu to Homa Bay, it is hot, humid and wonderful. We are the only muzungus on the bus and people ignore us, for the most part, except when they see our “Obama 2008” buttons. That is a great way to start a conversation! Everyone is crazy about Obama and his grandmother is under tight security as everyone wants to visit her…we might try to see her in a few months!

As we drive along the road here is what I see: people walking everywhere and no where, women walking with huge baskets on their heads, little boys or old men herding their goats or cattle along the roadside, children filling up their jerry cans with water at every mud puddle or body of water that they can find, people bathing or washing clothes at rivers and mud holes (how do they get their clothes clean when the water is so muddy?). Naked kids splashing in the water holes, little tiny children standing along the roadside without a parent in sight, 5 year olds with their baby brother on their back, women in beautiful dresses, men in suits, young men in “Race for the Cure” t-shirts, people sitting around with nothing to do, cell phone advertisements…everywhere, little shacks and lean-tos containing small businesses, Lake Victoria in the distance, chickens in a basket of the lady sitting across the aisle from us, Boda Bodas (bicycles with pads on the back) waiting to give rides to anyone who can pay 20 shillings (25 cents), mud huts with tin roofs, goats tied up to bushes, skinny dogs looking for food. Oh, the sights of Africa. I’m not going to go into the smells of Africa right now!

When we arrive in Homa Bay, with sore rear ends after the bumpy last hour of our ride, Dr. John Ott was there with huge hugs to greet us. He had a few of his boys to help with our luggage and then we went to lunch since our chai tea breakfast had us running on empty. The talipia was delicious! I just don’t get very hungry since I am hot all of the time and my hair looks great too!!! We then went to check out a hotel room that we are considering renting for our election morning party (results will begin about 4:00 am).

John is putting the hard press on us to stay in Homa Bay instead of traveling further to Sori. We told him that we need to see what’s going on here to see what we are supposed to be doing (we still don’t know). As we walked up to the hospital, we heard wonderful singing and went in to greet the kids at a technical school. (Morgan is already thinking about being able to teach these kids how to sew). Dr John showed us part of the hospital but we were cut short because Mass was starting at the Catholic Church just up the hill. We went to Mass (we aren’t Catholic, but that is okay) and Dr J asked Nick to play guitar as he played the trumpet. It was great! The kids sang so well and we enjoyed it a lot. Unfortunately, the songs were all in Kiswahili so we couldn’t understand. The sermon was in English though. At the end of Mass, the priest asked Nick to play a song so he played a sing-along that everyone enjoyed. It was quite lively! When we were done with Mass we waited to be picked up by the “sisters” from the local convent. They invited us to stay for a few nights and had food waiting for us when we arrived. Six nuns care for 50 AIDS orphans, 10 of them are sick with HIV/AIDS, but they are being treated and are seeing an improvement. We get to meet the kids in the morning and go back to 9:00 Mass.
Everyone is so friendly and eager to offer us food, lodging and anything else we might need. Life is good!
Love & Kisses from Joyce
PS From Paul -
1) Thanks for the e-mail replies to Joyce, but due to limited time and slloooowww internet we will not be able to reply,
2) I messed up on the last blog related items, so some dup pictures, some items that didn't make it etc. And again slow speed making it hard to correct and improve, but I'll try.