Today we went to Kitale Forest Primary school do to some follow up interviews with all the boys that live in house 1 and 2. I love getting to go to there. Every time we go it seems like the whole school runs up and surrounds us.


I talked with the deputy about teaching P.E. and I think Im going to be teaching all day on Tuesdays. 3 different classes in one day, classes 5, 6, & 7 & a little bit of office work if they need it. Most of the house boys are in those grade with the exception of Evans…
Here are their new pictures...

Future President of Kenya Braumwel


Officer Edwin ...


So on with the interviews…The boys had been interviewed when they first came to Oasis, but for some that was years ago so Geoffrey and Lydia wanted to update their progress and photos to see where they were and where they are now and see if they actually had made progress…I think it’s safe to say that they are light years from where they were on the street, but we still have to make sure…

Pastor Evans


Doctor Johnstone...

Jonah the Banker...


There were 12 boys and Allison and I split them up and interviewed them individually in separate rooms. I loved getting to sit down and just talk with the boys. We went over where they were from, their past, what their life was like on the street and their life now.

Doctor Joseph


Future Engineer Martin...



Their stories were unbelievable! It broke my heart to envision them living the life they were describing. Sleeping under shop verandas, digging in the trash for food, beaten by police, glue and drug abuse, horrible family lives, if they even had families…

Doctor Moses, although he's reserving the right to change his mind...


Paul the Pilot...

Future Member of Paliament and Professional Hip Hop Dancer Steward

Future Engineer or Chef Timothy (he's got time to figure it out)...


You realize just how extraordinary these kids, as well as kids all over Kenya, really are. How hard they work to succeed, it’s crazy… They are brilliant, energetic leaders that have goals of being doctors, lawyers, pilots, Members of Parliament, even future presidents!


When we got home we had to get started on dinner…it’s definitely something you cant really just throw together at the last minute, especially if you want beans or chicken. We still have no propane so we had to use the awesome little gadget from last night to get the beans ready…They take 5 hours to cook! No pre-made beans here…

Cooking it, Kenyan Style...


In the midst of the bean making process Chris came home with some home made sweaters we had “ordered” 2 weeks ago…theyre pretty sweet and definitely warm, because in Kenya gets really cold. Although mine was a completely different sweater than I had ordered…I gave her blue yarn and somehow ended up with a light purple/pink sweater and I don’t think Allison got her right color either. The sizes were wrong too so we switched…what do you think?
I know what you're thinking, this is pretty close to blue... Pimp Right?


Check out Creepy Chris in the Background


This also occurred just before dinner…Chris has been attempting for the last couple of days to kick this hanging light in our living room, why you ask? Perhaps some light stretching?…He still has yet to accomplish this fete, but hes getting closer...
The warm up…

And the kick!

Not quite, maybe tomorrow

Old Fashioned Cooking

Here are some random but funny photos of todays various events...

We were about to leave the house to go to Oasis and just as we were leaving we spotted a lizard in the house...


Chris & his weapon...


This guys hands are HUGE! Allison says I look like a Lillipution


Our propane tank went out this evening so this is how I had to cook dinner...


Rice, Corn, and Chicken were all made on this...

5:19

So it's a beautiful day in Kitale...we made it through the night safely after our (unnecessary?) scare and had a good morning at Oasis and in town...
But Im super sad...Today Im having a rough day and trying hard to not miss home. And when i say miss home, I dont mean in the sense of wanting to move back or anything.

It has just been a big weekend in Nashville as far as stuff going on and for the first time I'm having a really hard time not getting over not being there.

Theres another big event tonight that Im missing the most and it involves my best
friend and one of my favorite places in the world...

I feel bad for Allison because she has seen me crying randomly throughout the day for no apparent reason. I just cant help it...Since Ive been here I havent wanted to be back in the states as much as I do today...
Even as Im writing this, with tears in my eyes, Im looking at my wallpaper on my computer, which is all the Oasis boys (Evans, Moses, Martin, Timothy, Paul, John, Edwin, Steward, Braum, Elvis, Jonah, Joseph, Johnstone...) and Im reminded of why I'm so happy here, why I feel at home here...
So it cancels out the tears for a minute before I start crying again and selfishly wishing I could just go home for today and come back tomorrow...
If only right?!

What Are You Doing Up @ 2:45 in the AM?

...Oh I dont know, hearing noises...
I dont know what it was we heard but it was freaky enough to wake Allison up at 1AM and enough for her to wake me up and put our friend that works at the prison, James, on speed dial...
We still havent figured out what the sound was but were safe and its gone and now we cant sleep...hence the random blog...
On a lighter note, we had to make dinner in the dark...
Homemade hamburgers and fries!

Today we went to the womens prison where our friend James works at and spent some time with the female prisoners...we weren't allowed to take pictures so thats why there aren't any...sorry

From the prison we had to rush home and get everything we needed because we were meeting all the Oasis kids at Lydia's house to hang out and have lunch...

Steward, Joseph, Moses, and I played basketball for a while before we made lunch..Then lunch began and it was downhill from there...

Again, with the 'stache



We didnt have much water to work with so our pasta ended up being some sort of noodle goo with random crunchy pieces...oh and not to mention that Kenyans HATE pasta sauce...Note to self, don't ever cook pasta sauce for Kenyans...They won't eat it...We had a hunch going into it, but had to make it just to be sure...we were right...


None the less, Steward helped me prepare the sauce, he's going to be a Member of Parliment as well as a Chef


Allison & Joseph...



Evans, I just love him...this is us in a time of peace...


Which always leads to this...Thankfully there were no bloody noses in the end...


I'm not quite sure what Allison and Edwin are up to...

I opened Garage Band on my computer and had the guys sing a little...

The reverse 'stache...

"Chapati Over Here!"

So an update to my previous post…2 hours after my good hair afternoon, we went to town to get groceries and as soon as we got on a motor boda to go home, it started POURING…I mean it hurt it was so hard. So by the time got home we were soaked and my good hair afternoon was over. At least I had it for a couple hours…it was enough


Tonight we went to some of the Oasis boys homes for dinner. There are 3 boys homes and we will switch every week and go to a new one. Tonight was house 2 with Steward, Joseph, Moses, Martin, John, Johnstone, and Timothy.
Words cannot describe how fun it was…

Timothy, Allison, and Joseph in the kitchen making Chipati


Edwin & I brought the ChaPARTY...

Moses making Chapati


Before dinner entertainment

Allison & Johnstone before...

Everyone after...This is what happens when you decide to use Chipati flour for something other than its intended use...


I mean it was so great to just hang out at their house. It was a little less crazy because it was a smaller group of the boys and we could talk to them a little bit more about school and how they were doing. But it doesn’t stay calm for very long around these boys even if there’s only a couple…

Oh you want some of this chapati??


I gave Moses some new music to listen to


Stewie


Martin...


Its amazing what these boys do to our hearts, they are just incredible and we absolutely love them. My cheeks usually hurt because I seriously can’t stop smiling….

Joseph's moustache pose...were not really sure what it is or why he does it...

Imitating Joseph's moustache pose


Praying at the dinner table...Lydia would be so proud


Chris was still feeling under the weather from his Malaria, but he was able to dig deep and still show us some of his best poses...


If tonight was this much fun i cant wait until tomorrow...we get to have them the whole day

Vanity at it's Best...

Ok fair warning this is going to be the lamest, most self absorbed post, so either get ready or turn away but…


I just had the best hair day since being in Africa…Not to mention putting on makeup to complete the effect!
Judge me all you want, I don’t care…Im overjoyed to actually feel like a girl right now so I don’t care one bit…


Im so overjoyed in fact, I had to share it with someone and Chris is at Sister Freda’s getting shot in the bum for his Malaria and Allison is watching One Tree Hill on her computer hence why it became my post for anyone whos out there…Thank you for listening. And to those of you who do judge me I say to you, you come live here and try and feel like a pretty girl!
I don’t need much but once in a while, it’s amazing what feeling like a clean human can do for your spirit…
So I hope you enjoy your day while I enjoy my hair