Slow Return

Hi friends,

I haven't been posting for awhile.

I have been quite busy with the needs in Kenya. The one friend I posted about last time has now been released from hospital and is recovering at home.

In the meantime, another Kenyan man I'm acquainted with through other contacts fell off a boda boda (motorbike taxi) and fractured his leg. These boda bodas can be quite dangerous.  I've known at least 4 people over the course of time who have had accidents and ended up in hospital.  This latest accident involved a man named Livingstone.  He spent a few days in hospital and has now been discharged with a cast on his leg to recover at home.

In Kenya if you go to hospital they will also check you for Covid.  If you test positive they will keep you in hospital or send you home with a prescription for medicines if you are not showing signs of medical distress.  Unfortunately Livingstone tested positive and so he needs help with the cost of the medications.  Thankfully he is not hospitalized for Covid treatment and we hope it remains that.  Truthfully though I am concerned about the possible exposure of his other family members. These are humble villagers and they live in very small homes.  Given he has a cast on his leg, someone has to take care of him.

We hope he can continue being treated at home and get better. He needs a variety of medications for a total of 10 days. As of the time of this post he will be going into his 3rd day of medications.

 

If you can help at all please donate to the Pay Pal account on the side bar.  If you make a donation and you have any problems sending it through please let me know as it happens from time to time.  I do not really like asking for funds.  On the other hand, as Christians who try and help others, we ought to let people know about the needs so they can help too if they are felt led to do it.  Some kind and generous people will never have an opportunity to help someone if no one ever brings the needs their notice.  This is, after all, a ministry we are doing in Kenya. It is not formalized through a registered organization though some day it may be.  It is ad hoc and really focussed on helping the very destitute who are not able to access help through organizations.  There are so many who fall between the cracks.  

I do as much as I can on my own with helpers in Kenya and I fund most of it myself. When the needs that come to my attention are too much for me on my own I post about the needs.  We could do so much more if we had more helpers but we do what we can. If  you feel led to help these people, you will know who you are.  If God is speaking to you, please be in touch. Thank you.

I've written from time to time about another young man, Alvin whom we assisted through the final years of  engineering degree.  He graduated with wonderful grades but it is next to near impossible to find work in Kenya.  He has been praying for open doors and God's leading his life. He has now moved on to what may be his life's calling and is now on the path to becoming a priest in the Catholic faith. He left a few days ago for the first phase of his multi-year training.  Though it isn't a job in engineering there may be opportunities to serve in his church with his background. Up to now we (mainly he) have been involved in getting him ready and getting all his needs in place (special clothing and other necessary items). He has been in seminary before as a high school student so the early part of studies will not be new to him. I wish him every happiness and success in life and in the ministry to come.

From time to time, I've mentioned a digital project I've been working on. It has eaten up a lot of time and energy but soon the main part will be done. Then I won't look at it again for a very long time. I'm so glad!

I've used the time in between the above activities to read a few books. Here is a collage of 4 books I'm currently reading or have read recently.  

My modest goal for the year was to read  25 book and I've now surpassed that goal.  I have several other books on the go and on hold at my local library but I will slow down a bit. I need to focus now on enjoying the summer ahead and doing some household projects and making more time in prayer and study.  There so many people in great need for a great many things, not just material needs but physical, emotional and spiritual needs as well.

Thursday night I bought a big ball of cotton yarn to make a few dish cloths. I rather like the multi-green colour. It reminds me of the spring season we are in. It feels good to pick up the needles again.

I'm not sure how often I'll be on line over the summer but I expect to pop in to various blogs and visit with you. I have already started doing it.  Hopefully I will have a chance to pop into my own blog too in between activities but I expect to resume normal blogging in the fall.  I don't even want to think about fall right now though it is one of my favourite seasons due to the crisp air and the beautiful, seasonal colours.  I am looking forward to enjoying the spring sunshine and beautiful colours as we move into the summer months.  Along that line, I have finally started working in my patio garden and once it starts blooming that is something I will post on this blog. I can't wait to see what it will look like in a few weeks.  The photo below is a before photo taken on Friday, May 14, 2021.

Stay safe

What's Happening This Week?

While I've been convalescing I have been very busy with my hands. I've already shared some photos in this post but have added to my work.

Another crocheted afghan. This is another lap cover for when one is watching television on a chilly night. I've spread it across an armchair so you can see the colour and the pattern.

This is Toffee Brickle in Caron Big Cakes yarn.

It took awhile for these colours to grow on me but now I really like the blend because the brightness "lifts" the grey, cloudy days when there is little to no sunshine outside. I enjoy this pattern once past the first 2-3 rows and have already purchased yarn in Mint Fudge colour to make a 3rd and final afghan for the year. I haven't started making it yet.

I also made several knitted dishcloths. I seem to go through quite a lot of these.

It's probably because I like to hand wash all the dishes rather than put them through the dishwasher. I also use a bit of bleach in the wash water. It's something my mother did and I now do.  The bleach is rinsed off with very hot water after the dishes are washed.  When I was a young teenager in Home Ec. class I never forget the teacher telling us that "many" people got sick from germs on the dishes. I don't know where she got that information but it makes sense. I don't recall the teacher using any bleach but I do remember her being very focussed on germs and the need for sanitation and sanitary conditions in the kitchen.

Once I have a bit of a rest, I plan to make a few simple tops and pants for myself in linen, rayon and cotton. These are obviously for the warmer temperatures ahead *smile. I've started cutting out the pants but didn't feel much like working on the clothing over the past few days.

In the meantime, I finished reading this "cosy" mystery. I was correct in my assessment of "who dunnit" but the book kept the mystery quite well until the end.

The next book I'm reading is called Refuge about a daughter and father relationship written from the point of view of the daughter who escaped Iran and  made a new life first in America, then in the Netherlands.  I've started reading it and I already like the author's style of writing so I'm looking forward to getting into it further.

This is a description from Amazon

An Iranian girl escapes to America as a child, but her father stays behind. Over twenty years, as she transforms from confused immigrant to overachieving Westerner to sophisticated European transplant, daughter and father know each other only from their visits: four crucial visits over two decades, each in a different international city. The longer they are apart, the more their lives diverge, but also the more each comes to need the other's wisdom and, ultimately, rescue. Meanwhile, refugees of all nationalities are flowing into Europe under troubling conditions. Wanting to help, but also looking for a lost sense of home, our grown-up transplant finds herself quickly entranced by a world that is at once everything she has missed and nothing that she has ever known. Will her immersion in the lives of these new refugees allow her the grace to save her father?

 

On my reading list for later in the week.

What about you dear reader?

What has been keeping you busy?

I'd love to hear from you in the comments box.

For those reading Sally's story, I will post the next installment soon.

Part 1 can be found by clicking here.

Thank you for your interest. 

Joining with Our World Tuesday.