I don’t think I’ll ever understand the government of Kenya (or ours for that matter).  The whole country is in a drought/famine situation and yet the Education Officers have required Nice View Academy/Orphanage to build another dorm area.  The original dorm area had the boys on one side and the girls on another with a courtyard separating them (picture below).  The girls have teacher Jane living in a room connected to their section and the boys have Mutie (the night watchman/handyman) living in their section.

The new dorm is built so the boys and girls are now in back-to-back dorms instead of facing each other.  (i.e. not having the entrances facing each other)

Will the government help with funds so we can finish the dorm? – we asked and the answer was no.  Will the government repay us for the materials we’ve used so far for this dorm? (materials previously earmarked for use for the new school building) – no.

There are so many questions and concerns we would have loved to bring up to the Education Officer, but not being there is an issue.  And I can’t even begin to try to explain how difficult it would be to try and work these concerns out from here in the States.  In Kenya it’s so important for someone to be on the ground (Kenyans way of saying being there) to deal with these issues. 

When Chuck and I are living in Tala we will be able to address situations as they come up.  We will also be able to:

•  frequently check on the shamba (garden) to make sure it’s watered (if there are no rains)
• continue building relationships with neighbors  
• hand out more Bibles and set up Bible studies

Living with our Kenyan brothers, sisters and children, being a part of their lives and showing by example how to live full out for the Lord, is how I see change happening in Kenya.