Rovers Return

Oh, I'm so happy, so very happy!
Clive & Mary are back on the dusty red continent again.

And we managed not to burn the place down in their absence.

It's so good to have them back.

It means that tomorrow is the first morning since I got here that I don't have to get up at 6:30am.

Yippee!

Susanna

Birthday Brother

After a long & tiring day of celebrating your big brother's 9th birthday, there's just nothing like curling up on a big comfy chair in the fleecy pyjamas your Gran & Pop bought you last Christmas.
Bliss!
Guy (reading Gerro's mind)

Birthday Boy

A certain young man turned 9 today.
Before church, Levi unwrapped one of his gifts and yes, you've guessed it ...
added another set of Lego Star Wars to his ever-increasing collection.
He was very happy (photographic evidence to the right).
After church, the kids from The Ark, many of whom were at New Life at the same time as Levi, came over to our place.
After hot dogs & birthday cake (a football pitch design, made by Susanna) all the kids went outside and played "soccer".
Levi's verdict, when all his friends had left?
"Dad, I've had a really good birthday."
Result!
Guy

Into The Everlasting Arms

Baby Ivy died last night.

Over the weekend she had become increasingly poorly.

Last night, at midnight, the nurses called me.

As I held her and prayed with her, the wee darling slipped peacefully from my arms into the "everlasting arms".
It was very special, but heartbreaking.
It hit us all very hard, as Levi had named baby Ivy and had dreams of adopting her.

This morning, Guy & I took her to a lovely mortuary, where she was gently washed, as we watched.

Even in death, New Life affords great dignity to these little ones.

Thank God that this precious little princess did not die without knowing she was loved.
Susanna

Mud, Mud, Glorious Mud

Gerro came running up to me when he got back from school today.

He'd played in his first proper inter-school rugby match and couldn't wait to tell me ... and show me.

He was covered in red African mud.

And very excited about it.

I asked him what the score was.

He didn't know.

So I asked him who'd won.

But he didn't know that either.

He was just happy to be dirty!

Guy

Braeside Bliss

Our boys have been at Braeside School a little over 3 weeks.

But just before going out the door today, Levi said: "Dad, I think I like Braeside School as much as Methlick School".

Gerro thought about this and added: "I think I like Braeside more than Methlick.”

This is very high praise indeed, as both boys were very, very happy at Methlick School.

We're so thankful that Levi & Gerro have settled so quickly here.

Guy

Farrah's Flying

Just booked Farrah's flight out here.
The golden eagle - yes, she's changed her hair colour again - lands on 9th July.
Yippee!
Guy

How Do You ...

... celebrate a grand-daughter's 1st birthday when you're 4,500 miles away?

Well, if you're Susanna, you make a carrot cake & write your grand-daughter's name on it (in this instance, "Harry") with real carrot sticks, of course.

You then position the cake in front of a photo of said grand-daughter (with oldest son), light a large candle to illuminate the cake & photo - that's right, imagine a shrine - and then lead the African contingency of the family in a rousing chorus of "Happy Birthday", both British & Kenyan versions.
Follow this with a dinner in the absent grand-daughter's honour.

Hope that helps, should you ever find yourself in a similar predicament?

Guy

Home Alone

Two weeks ago, it was Mary waving goodbye.
Tonight, it was Clive & CJ.
Leaving us "home alone" for the next 4 weeks.
Clive is the distinguished chap on the left.
CJ is the football fanatic below.
Dad & son fly out to Sweden, where Mary already is.
Later next week, all 3 of them fly to the UK.
Clive & Mary's oldest son Mark, a pastor (like his dad), and his family live in Savadalen, Sweden.
Their middle son Wesley, a Regional Operations Director (also like his dad?), and his family live in Wisbech, England.
Our prayer?
That over the next 4 weeks Clive, Mary & CJ will truly "wind down" and "charge up".
Guy

Bore The What?

Gerro loves to sing.

One of his favourite songs is a hymn which includes the words:
This, the power of the cross:
Christ became sin for us,
Took the blame, bore the wrath;
We stand forgiven at the cross.
Today I realised how deep an impact his 4 years in Scotland have had on him, when it dawned on me that he was actually singing: "took the blame, bore the BROTH".
I'd never thought of Jesus as a glorified soup carrier before!
Guy

Running On Empty

Went to a shopping mall today.
Got there by "matatu" (overcrowded minibus), but splashed out on a taxi for the journey home.  Bad idea.
Turned out there was less than a pint of petrol in the taxi - and none at all at the petrol station!
Conked out in the middle of nowhere.
Note to self: check the fuel guage before getting in.
I used to do that, when I was here before, but had forgotten that taxis run on empty here.

Susanna

Babu's Babes

Like any proud "babu" (the Kiswahili word for "grandad", pronounced like "baboon" but without the final "n"), it just didn't feel right to post a photo of my utterly adorable grandson & then not to post photos of my equally utterly adorable granddaughters.
That's Anise (3) on the right & Harry (1) on the left.
I have absolutely no idea how my grandkids get to be this good-looking with at least some of my genetic material in them.
There must be a scientific explanation out there somewhere.
Babu

What Did We Do Before ...

Skype?

Finally got our communication problems sorted.

Spoke "face to face" for 90 minutes tonight with my mum & dad, our daughter Lauren, and our grandson ...
Lucas "Skywalker" Bastable.

What a blessing to see as well as hear them all.

Thank you, Skype.

Guy

Sally's Shot

Our dear friend Sally is a journalist with the Aberdeen Evening Express.
She wrote a piece on New Life & us before we left.
Now we're here, Sally wants to run a follow up story.
Today she sent an urgent request for a picture of me holding a baby.
With the sun setting fast, I grabbed the nearest baby not yet in bed & got Guy to snap a shot while there was still daylight.  Just made it!
Susanna

Basket Case

I've already got about 50 baskets on the container making its way here.
But simply couldn't resist buying 8 more today, at just 40p each.
Here's one filled with regional & seasonal fruit & veg from the "duka" (road-side stall) just outside our gates.
I know I'm a "basket case", but doesn't it look lovely?
Susanna

Back Home?

Earlier today Levi & I were talking.
I mentioned someone or something back in the UK.
I used the words, "back home".
Levi looked genuinely puzzled.
He said, "But this is home".
We've only been here 4 days.
Now that's what I call rapid reorientation.
Guy

Matron's Missing

We arrived 3 days ago.

And Mary left today.

Was it something we said?

The "matron" is off to see family & friends in Sweden & the UK.

Clive & CJ will join her in 2 weeks.

We arrived just in time for Mary to give Susanna a 2 day crash course.

Gulp!

Guy

Braeside Boys

Just 3 days after jumping continents, our brave boys were facing their first day at their new school.
Don't they look smart?

Braeside School is English speaking & follows the British curriculum.
But most of the staff & pupils are Kenyan.

So the boys will learn Kiswahili & be introduced to Kenyan culture.
They came home happy.
Phew!
Guy

Coming Up Roses

Adrian & Lindsay Rose turned up at our door this morning ... with a BIG bouquet of exotic flowers.
What a lovely surprise!
The Roses and us come from the same home church.
But they beat us out here, arriving 17 months ago.
Adrian's a pilot - surely every boy's dream job? - with MAF.
Guy

Dudu vs Doom

Top of my shopping list today?
Doom Spray.
It's the first line of defence against any "dudu" (pronounced "doo-doo"), the Kenyan word for any big bug or pest.
No comments, thank you.
Guy

Croc Crunches

We are not alone!
We're sharing our new home with some rather corpulent cockroaches.
Or, as our grandson Lucas calls them ... "croc crunches".
Guess they see us as the intruders?
Guy

(New Life) Home ... At Last

We made it ... eventually.

It was 2004 when Clive & Mary (the couple on the left with the big smiles) invited us to join them in Kenya.

Last night - 6 long years after that initial invitation - we finally got here.

That's just the end of the beginning, I guess?

Guy

Karibu

That's how we say "Come in!" or "Welcome!" here in Kenya.
Thank you so much for dropping in.
We look forward to seeing you again ... soon, hopefully.
Guy