A new year!

Week one of school is finally underway and I am able to catch some down time to finally update everyone on life here in Kenya and projects that you all made possible! I am so happy to tell everyone that after returning from a Holiday of a lifetime the well is being dug and water is about a week away!

My time off from school was filled with travels, training of the new education volunteers, saying good-bye to other volunteers, experiencing new cultures and meeting many new friends along the way that I won’t ever forget.  It was a Christmas and New Years that nothing will compare to, such a unique experience and I feel very fortunate to have been able to experience it. Arrived back home to the rainy, green wonderland of Western and immediately started the well. Thanks to all of you, while I was traveling enough money arrived in order to get it started! By the time I was able to make it to the school the workers had already started that perfectly round hole in the ground. I started giggling and laughing with excitement, couldn’t believe it was actually happening!

The first few days of digging

This is into the first week of school. My kids are fascinated by the process. 

After about 2 weeks of digging, the well is about 45 ft. and the dirt has become so soft and wet. My kids are constantly my little eyes assessing the work being done, as they sit and watch every bucket of dirt being brought up they say, “yup, its wet…there is definitely water down there…” Thought is was cute for the first 50 times… They are great helping the workers in whatever they need, some water, more cement, a brick…you name it if the worker even begins to look around there are 10 hands begging to help.  The bigger kids are keeping the little ones from getting too close to the hole and are so excited that they will NEVER have to walk to the river again! My older girls will say “My last trip!” As they swing their bucket in the air making their way down to the river…and then they make another trip at the end of the day…I don’t know if they realize they have one more week of trips down to the river or if they just don’t care. Regardless they realize what is coming and are so excited about it! The whole school board has come to see the progress of the well and are moved beyond words with gratitude. The happiness and smiles that this well has given is priceless and my pictures just don’t do it justice. I hope you all know how much you have given this community!

It has been so fun being back in my village and school. After being gone for any period of time (even if its an afternoon) all I will hear the next day is “You have been SO LOST!” It is nice knowing that you have been missed. Everyday Eregi becomes more home to me. It is fun to realize how comfortable I’ve gotten here, situations that used to cause stress are no longer stressful, things I thought were offensive I now understand better, things that I didn’t fully appreciate before have become priceless.  A better understanding and integration of Kenyan culture in general I guess. All of these aspects make me so excited for this new year! Getting off to an amazing start and I couldn’t ask for anything more in my life. Can’t wait to see what else this year brings!

Love you all and hope that your new years are off to wonderful start. From all the kids and staff at Eregi Special School we send our love!! (Especially me! Xoxo)