We were promised that the sanitary repairs would be completed by 2pm yesterdasy (which is so precise as to be worrying) and of couse it was not, so we are still in our temporary accomodation, hey ho, at least we have a bed, occasionally electricity and water if we are lucky.

Yesterday was spent with Pastor Steven touring the Rock of Joy School - amazing changes have taken place and the school is transformed. They have a new "cooker' which means that they no long cook over an open fire - previously their firewood bill was 450,000 shilings per term. This term it has only cost them 150, 000 which is an amazing saving for them. Thanks go to Ash Green primary school whose Harvest Festival collection funded the new cooker!

They have 3 new classrooms all fully equipped with desks benches, blackboards and book shelves, with books to go on the shelves. The nursery class (previously 60 children) has been split into two and it was a sheer delight to go into the classroom and be greeted by 30 gorgeuos little children jumping up and down in excitment to see us. They were all resplendant in their new uniforms and proudly vied with each other to show us their new school badges embroidered on their clothes. We were treated to several choruses of "we are happy to receive you welulcome" (sung to the tune of she'll be coming round the mountain) which was wonderful!

My joy at being their was tempered though to hear their sadness at the recent death of two children, one aged 5 a girl called Topi from asthma (we think) because her parents couldnt afford to take her for treatment and the other a 3 year old, Sammy, who lived next door to the school and who they had adopted although he was too young. Sammys parent had shut him outside the house everyday since he was old enough to walk whilst they went to work. He spent a lot of time wandering around the school and the children looked after him whilst Gladys, Stevens wife fed him..... so sad, they think he died of measles. There are so many difficult stories here.... it is very easy (a nd necessary) from home to concentrate on all that we need to do to keep the kabanda trust running and yet, here we become involved in the difficulties and struggles of peoples lives - it is very challgenging.