Late night thoughts

It's late. I should be heading to bed. Wanted to jot down a few thoughts before I head to Dreamland. I have a headache. Perhaps for spending several hours on my computer today. Perhaps from not having coffee today. I don't think it's that, though. It feels like I need a neck massage. Badly.

There's a team here from the church where I used to worship in California. Tonight, another team lands and will drive to Kipkaren tomorrow. It's a 12-hour journey in a big bus over bumpy roads...

It's the birthday of one of the team members, so the children's home dancers came to perform as a surprise to her. As they sang and danced to "He knows my name..." tears welled up. I looked at the group. I knew every single name. I knew some of their stories. And seeing them singing worshipfully, "I have a Father, he knows my name..." moved me. As they left, I went out and gave each one such a big hug.

Tomorrow, I'll be going to my first ever Kenyan funeral. The sister of a staff member passed away, and I'll attend the funeral in support of the family, though I'd understand very little. As they were over here for supper the other night, they talked about how people will be gathering in the deceased's home tonight to talk and to look at her body. Most likely, no-one will sleep. Her body will be in the house all night. They were saying, "It helps to have the body there. But when the body goes into the ground, people cry REALLY loud." I don't know what to really expect.

On Sunday, I have to go and do interviews with people who had graduated from our alcohol rehab program and will be visiting our rehab center. On Monday, I am going to Kipkaren to paint the ELI logos in various places at that center. On Tuesday, I'd have to catch up on e-mail correspondence to future teams. I hope to get some time to take a breather on Wednesday, after the current team has left.

One would think life is slow in Africa, but it really isn't. And because we can't get away from our workplace, it's sometimes challenging to find time to really rest.

I sound like I'm complaining. It must be the headache... I am heading to bed with the picture of those kids singing--especially Lishudi, the kid who was found herding cattle. He has no relatives anywhere that we know of. Yet he knows, "I have a Father. He knows my name..."