Sunday evening, October 21, 2007

Katie and I are making slow but good progress. Fridah teaches at Kenya Methodist University on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays and is terribly tired much of the time as she currently is dealing with a bout of malaria. So Katie and I are doing our best to prepare a projected budget (July 1, 2007 through June 30, 2008); a list of current and projected projects and their approximate costs; a financial statement that covers the past 18 months (with income and expenses summarized); a solicitation letter for mailing to friends and supporters in the US; a brochure about Makena Textiles and a general brochure about the foundation; etc. These will all have blank spaces that only Fridah can fill in as she has the time and strength.

Last week, Katie worked on writing up essays about the foundation for a website and we both worked on setting up a more sophisticated system for record keeping. The family members have done a great job of keeping records but, as the foundation grows, it needs a little more jazzy system. We bought a printer/copier/scanner for the office for only $150 and are setting up a computer at the office. We have also just been hearing about all of the wonderful projects the foundation has accomplished since Fridah moved back from Oklahoma.

We got to visit the library and interview patrons andd the librarian. We also got the new office setup.

This week we begin holding meetings with people – starting with Rhoda Kibiti, the Headteacher at the School for Hearing Impaired Children, and Rev. Kiogora, the Superintendent Minister at Kaaga Methodist Church. And we are getting out notices about a board meeting next Sunday for members of the MKM foundation board of governors to discuss various options for moving forward on the library on the deaf school’s campus and other projects.

So we are busy. And we’d even more accomplished except that we "have to" stop and play with the baby on a regular basis and listen to Steven’s wonderful parable/riddled filled stories!

It was good to go to church today at Kaaga Methodist Church. There was a guest minister and the theme was ending domestic violence and community violence (right up my alley). We had lunch at the restaurant at the White Star Hotel. Steven ate a BIG fish with its head and eyes staring at us the whole time. Katie and I ate spicy Indian dishes and Ravena ate her regular (fish and chips). we also paid for 3 big plates of fried potatoes for a very old blind woman and two very small boys who led her in to the restaurant begging for a meal.

We are about to sit down for dinner. Afterwards I am going to make a proposal to Steven and Ravena on how their rapidly maturing family foundation might gracefully conclude its relationship with the School for Hearing Impaired Children. (Fridah, Katie and I have been hatching a plan. We'll try it on family members first and, if it is well received, propose it to the board of governors next Sunday. Wish us luck!)

So God is good all the time and we are very blessed to be here helping as we can this remarkable, grace-filled family. Keep us in your prayers, please.

Love to you all.