Tuesday

Today we started out a bit earlier in order to get to the school and have enough time to prepare some things before VBS started. So we were all a little sluggish, but ready for the day. After breakfast, Josh led devotions - focusing on the Kosovo school's theme of "The Mountain of God" and how each small thing we do may seem insignificant at first, but is really another pebble added to the mountain that is growing there. Good stuff.

After arriving at the school, Jimmy and Josh starting filling water balloons for their game time, while the rest got the craft supplies in order. I spent some time with Charity discussing some of the logistical details that would help things run smoother.

And things did run much smoother today - VBS went very well and the kids had a blast. They sang, learned about Zacchaeus, finger painted and threw water balloons... fun by anyone's standards. It was fun to hear the children continuing to sing throughout the day, the songs they had learned that morning. Every now and then from a classroom or down the hallway you'd hear a few of them chime back into one of the choruses as they walked... Tomorrow the older kids will start their 2-day VBS.

Meanwhile, painting began on the interior hallways of the school. I was joined by Ben and David, two Kenyan men who helped with last year's mural. It was really great reuniting with them and picking up the brushes together again. (Phil - they say "Hi" and "Congratulations on the new baby!") Today we primed most of the interior hallway areas. Even just the primer layer makes the place look so much fresher. After VBS was over, Megan joined the paint crew since she's not able to walk down into the slums with her bad ankle. We tried to add some color to the halls, only to find out that the entire paint supply we ordered was mixed up and they brought all the wrong paint! So... small setback, but they were able to switch to the correct paint so we'll be ready tomorrow.

The scaffolding also went up today for us to extend the mural to the two additional floors they've added on the building. The scaffolding is still sticks and scrap wood (gulp), but it does look more sturdy this year... I'm trying not to think too much about climbing it later this week.

Linda and Michelle did a second day of Mobile Medical. But before they headed out, they helped treat 3 sick children within the school. Then, they visited 3 homes - one of which was unusually cramped and crowded, even by Mathare slum standards.

Jimmy and Josh went out and did Bring the Light (putting sunroofs in homes). They were able to do 3 homes.

Then the storm came. Literally. The heavens opened and a serious torrential downpour blasted the entire area. Jimmy and Josh had just gotten back, but Linda and Michelle were still in one of the homes - which meant they extended their stay there to wait it out a bit. They eventually made it back of course, but that was a serious drenching. Perhaps it was the sound of the rain hitting all those metal shanty roofs - but it felt like the entire area was rumbling.

The rain started to let up a little right as it was time to leave - so we started the drive back to the hotel... Rain in most cities has a negative effect on rush hour traffic. In Nairobi, it turns the city into a parking lot. It took us 2 and a half hours to get back to the hotel! At one point we sat deadlocked in a single spot for over a half hour.

By the time we finally made it back, we had about 10 minutes to freshen up and make our reservations at a local Ethiopian restaurant (a regular stop for missions groups in Nairobi). The food was excellent and we were joined by Oliver and Ednah, their son Farris, and our driver Peter. Josh impressed us greatly with his eating capacity. A nice, relaxing end to another long (but fulfilling) day...

Zzzzzzzzz....