Roommate?

I suspect that there might be a rodent in my ceiling. When I built the house, I tried to make sure that there's not a single entryway for an uninvited guests. However, having been gone for a few months may have given some determined creatures the time to make their way into my abode. But only into the ceiling. I shall have to find some poison, and then make sure someone removes the thing before it smells!!! I'm not yet certain that it's there. I've just woken up a few times at night to the sound of a possible invader in my ceiling. But the sound of doves landing on my roof could be mistaken for something closer. This evening, though, while I lay here reading for a while, I heard it again: the sound of itty-bitty nails running accross the ceiling. I don't want it up there. It may chew through the wires that connects me to the world, or through the electric wiring for my 5 ceiling lights. That's the extent of the lighting in my Ilula home.

I went to church at our rehab center this morning. After 8 people shared testimonies, I was asked to share some words. Then came the sermon. I love going to church at the rehab center. The people's testimonies are so powerful, of God bringing freedom.

I drove home via town so I could pick up some vegetables. Picked up a lady on the side of the road; she was asking for a ride. The moment she got into the car, she started telling me how she needs money to send her 8 children to school. (Keep in mind I had never met this woman before. I simply stopped to give her a ride because she asked for it, and since she's a woman, I didn't mind stopping.)

The money issue is one of my biggest challenges in Kenya. It's hard to always know who to help. The Bible teaches that we should always help the poor. I don't know if my faith is simply too small, but I try to help those I know, people in my community. Or I'd buy food for the street kids in town. Wisdom. I need wisdom in so many areas. Don't we all?

Many of the kids stopped by as they came to Sunday school. To them, it's odd to see me sitting on my porch wrapped in a blanket. "Did you sleep here all night, Adele?" Rose asked in Swahili. I find it funny. I explained that I just had the blanket with me to keep warm, that I really do sleep in my house. They saw the chameleon hanging out on the passion fruit vine next to me. I let it go--the chameleon, that is. I decided that it'd be too much of a challenge to drive it back and forth with me everytime I go to Kipkaren. And I can't very well expect someone to feed it whenever I'm gone. Even though some of the kids would love to do that, their moms are deadly afraid of chameleons, so that won't work.

I decided to show the kids the rest of Charlotte's Web today. They really enjoyed it! They had tons of questions. I also have the book, and there's a list of boys who've asked to read it. Hillary asked first, so he's busy reading it now. He and I had a long chat this afternoon. He asked me about some birds he had noticed around our compound. He was very keen to learn the name of each of the birds and to find out more about them. I'd love to take him and some of the other kids to the forest one weekend.

I'm tired tonight. Not entirely sure why. Perhaps just because it's Sunday. I don't like quiet Sunday nights like tonight. It's just tooooo quiet out here. I might go and say good-night to the kids...