Friday, May 30, 2014

Eli is Sick... Again

After recovering from the virus he recently had, Eli is sick again. There is a really bad flu going around Moshi and Eli has it. Poor thing has all the symptoms - fever, runny nose, sneezing, watery eyes, fatigue and worst of all, a terrible cough. I know it's bad when he takes a three hour nap. Despite all these things, he was so wonderful today. I had the best day with him. I just love him for being so precious and a joy even when feeling bad. That's not always the case and after the days of nonstop crying a couple weeks ago, it was especially heart warming.

Please pray for Eli. That he heals quickly. It could be a simple, standard flu, but it could turn dangerous quickly. The cough and chest congestion are most concerning due to the limited medical services in Moshi.

Thanks!

Sunday, May 25, 2014

21 Months

Eli is 21 months now. Everyday he cracks us up. I love seeing the little person he is becoming.

He is losing a lot of his "babyness" and is more and more like a little boy. Although, he has been wearing the same sizes for over a year (since my mom and Al brought them last April). His 18 and 24 month clothes have been awesome and have lasted us so well. Man, he was a chunky 8 month old! His weight has been the same (13 kgs) for almost a year. He just stretches up, not out I guess.



(11 Months ago)



(Today)

I think the time outs are working. He has been in time out much less than the last month, so I think we are doing something right! He gets it now. He is not perfect, but much less naughty and very few tantrums.

His speech continues to develop as he starts to put words together and form sentences. Now, I am not saying he is a genuis (although George will!) and using full on sentences (Good morning mother. May I start the day with a glass of milk please.), but things like "It's cold" , "want nanas (bananas) pease (please)" and "mama get it." His speech has been fun and helpful. Yesterday as I was doing dishes, he was in the hallway and said "Mama... snake." I froze for a second, sure that this was the day I would finally see a snake in the house. Our neighbors found one in their house recently. I quickly ran to where he was and saw a small, thin creature. I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw it was a centipede. However, some of those are poisonous here so I kicked it out of the house.


He loves singing. We figured out why he was singing "Hakuna Pizza." He is trying to say "hakuna cabisa" which is the beginning of the chorus to the Kiswahili version of "Nothing But the Blood of Jesus." Now it makes much more sense! He is amazing at identifying songs. Sometimes at night, I hum songs and he'll name them by saying either the word that starts the chorus or first verse like "asante", "kote kote" , "wewe" etc. Names and directions remain his superpower. It's really incredible. He is really fun to read books with. He knows the names of the books and likes to find the picture in the book that is on the back and front cover. It takes a long time for each book, though, because he has so much to say about each page.


Eli is just now noticing movies and tv. He was never interested in them before, which was more than ok with us. We don't have a lot of movies so he doesn't get a lot of choices. We have let him watch two movies "Lion King" and "Frozen" which he loves. He can't sit and watch the whole movie, so we just skip around to the songs and avoid any scary parts ("Be Prepared" in Lion King is terrifying!). He can name the songs so we just go back and forth according to what he wants to hear.



Right now he is into reading, building tall towers with his blocks, taking walks with Papa, and cleaning (sweeping, wiping surfaces).





He is still very friendly with everyone. He loves kids and adults alike.



(Here he is reading the newspaper with our good friend, Charles. Eli calls him "Uncle Charlie" and yells "Charlie's office" when we drive by it.)



Our neighbors gave him a bike. (One cool thing about the ex-pat community is everyone passes their things around when they leave or don't need them anymore. We all know how hard it is to find things here or bring things here. So, anything like this is much appreciated.) Eli LOVES it.



He is not the only one!



As I watch Eli grow and learn, I really have realized how important it is to be intentional with his upbringing. He learns by repetition and observation. We could teach him anything and he would watch and then eventually do it. He won't just learn how to do math on his own, he has to be taught. Same with learning about God. It's so important we incorporate God into all we do so Eli will grow up to know God and love Him. Eli is learning to pray right now. It's so cute. He knows how to fold his hands and close his eyes. Then he says "Amen" or "Amina" after he hears "in Jesus name..." It's just the start, but our own relationship with God started at some point too. Mine, when I was little and George when he was older. I pray Eli's start blossoms into his own lasting, solid relationship with the Lord.

Friday, May 23, 2014

Waiting and Waiting

We are still working on the orphanage land. It is a long and frustrating process. It makes one appreciate the ease of buying land in the US - which is complicated enough. Imagine trying to buy land in a place where rules are not always enforced and laws could change at any time. Also where bribes are expected (sorry... not from us!) and many people pose as land owners and sell land to others that they don't own. It's a scary process with lots of money at stake. We have talked to many lawyers and are waiting to hear back from others. George has also been meeting with local and government officials, feeling out the situation. It is difficult to be stuck in this waiting period. We are at a place where we need to move forward or consider other options, such as renting or other locations. We really need the Lord's wisdom and guidance to fall upon us.

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Fun with George's Mom

We had a great visit with George's mom. She left last Friday after staying with us for twelve days. We felt bad that we couldn't take her on any sight seeing trips or to any fun places, but she seemed content just to be with us and see our lives here. We got to take her to church where she saw George teach. Of course we took her to the most exciting place in Moshi... Nakumatt, the grocery store! Most of all, we were happy to provide her with time to rest and relax. And, I think she liked my cooking! I got thumbs up on my ugali cooking skills, a must pass test for any Kenyan wife!

Eli loved having her here. She loves being a grandma and was willing to play with him all day.



While Mom was here, we had another visitor, Mike. George's parents host exchange students from the US. They have been doing this for over ten years. Many of them keep in touch and consider themselves part of the Okech family. Mike was one of their students. He returned to Kenya to work with students in a camp. In December he traveled to Kisumu to visit the family which is when we met him for the first time. He works on the Kenyan side of Mt. Kilimanjaro, which isn't too far from Moshi. Mom called him to see if he could visit her while she was here. Fortunately, it worked out. Actually, it worked out really well for him. He also planned to meet two of his friends in Moshi who have been traveling the world. They had arrived in Moshi a few days before Mike, but he stayed with us for one night when he arrived. We invited his friends for dinner. Of course, we happened to be having a stereotypical American meal that night - burgers and fries. We rarely have that so it was funny to have three Americans in our home that night unexpectedly. The next day they went on a safari and then all three stayed with us again on their way back through Moshi. It's always fun for me to meet Americans and talk about home.



Having Mom here was great. She was a great guest - easy to please and low maintenence. We were sad to see her go.

Monday, May 19, 2014

Eli

Sorry I have been quiet. Eli has been very sick for the last four days. He caught a virus which made it extremely painful for him to eat or drink anything. In addition to being in a lot of pain, he was also very hungry and not able to eat resulting in a very unhappy and frustrated boy. He cried all day and didn't sleep well. It was so heartbreaking to see him go through this and not be able to help him. We knew it would run it's course and in time he would feel better. Fortunately, he started to eat and drink a little today so I think he is on the mend. Please keep him in your prayers as he continues to heal.

More updates to come soon.

Monday, May 12, 2014

Belated Easter/Mother's Day Celebration

Moshi is a funny, odd little town. I know I have said that before, but it's true. It really is a small town, but because it's close to Kilimanjaro, there is an international presence here. Maybe that's why we have such luxuries as a grocery store (however poorly stocked), a few restaurants and a couple hotels with pools. Outside of Moshi, there are people still living here who benefited from the colonial days.

Today, Eli and I got to experience a little bit of luxury here. A couple months ago, the Baby Club group planned a special outing for Easter. However due to travel plans of a few people, we pushed it back a couple weeks so that it was the day after Mother's Day. It was held at a lady's house. Her name is Melinda and she lives on a large property about 30 minutes away from Moshi. She opens her home and serves lunch and dinner on Saturdays. Many foreigners go there, but we never have gone because it's a bit pricy. She arranged a special outing for the moms and kids of Baby Club. Her place is so pretty. I didn't feel like I was in Moshi anymore. It reminded me of the tea plantations outside of Nairobi.




When we first got there, the kids went on a hunt, looking for hidden chocolates. They put the chocolates in a bucket so they could be distributed evenly.





Then they played for a while before eating their special lunch - fries and a a cheese sandwich. Then the adults got a fancy lunch - quiche and salad. Last was fancy pie and treats for the kids. Oh yeah... and to drink, she served fresh raspberry juice! I haven't had raspberries since I left the US, more than 2 1/2 years ago.





Hayley, the mom who set this up, brought craft kits for the kids to make hats, however we ended up taking them to do at home because it was past nap time for the kids and they were getting cranky.

It was a really nice afternoon. It may seem silly and not so fancy, but to me I felt spoiled... a nice lunch, beautiful place for the kids to play..... it was just what I needed.

(Amy.... there were dogs!!!! One big, nice older dog and two tiny ones! It reminded me of Kembu.)



Saturday, May 10, 2014

Cold Weather

I don't remember the rainy season being this intense last year or the year before. We have had so much rain. We don't see the sun for days. Most of the time the sky is covered in thick, dark, gray clouds. It rains more than it doesn't. Everyone is having the hardest time drying clothes. We have to hang them in the house where it takes days to dry. Currently Eli is out of pants to wear. He has 6 or 7 of them, but they all are wet! George's office has turned into our laundromat! Clothes are hanging all over the place.



The weather has been very cold. Well, cold by Tanzanian standards. I like it because I get to wear sweatshirts and socks, things I rarely wear here. Keeping Eli warm at night is a challenge though. Houses here don't have heaters or air conditioning. Plus, Eli doesn't sleep with a blanket. He would just get tangled up in it and frustrated in the night. So, we have to dress him warmly at bedtime. But the trick is not to make him too warm. Often the night starts cold, but warms up. I often start off sleeping in a sweatshirt and flannel pants, but at some point in the night I get hot and have to change to just a tank top. I stress out every night about the temperature in Eli's room. Is he too hot or too cold? Poor little guy is too little to do anything about it during the night.



And the power outages are crazy. Yesterday it was off from 2:00am until 4:00pm the next day.

I guess it could be worse. Lately there hasn't been much thunder or lightening, which I hate so that's a good thing. Soon enough, I know it will be over. We'll just have to deal with it until then. And even enjoy it as much as we can.

Thursday, May 8, 2014

Grandma Is Here!

No, my mom didn't fly in from CA. I wish. :) Instead, George's mom is here from Kenya! She arrived on Sunday and will be here for a couple weeks. She came with us two and a half years ago to the first town we lived in (before we had moved there) so it's fun to show her our current town and give her a glimpse of our life. Four of her kids have visited us here and we are glad she finally could make it. She is a very busy and strong woman. She has raised eight of her own children, taken in two of her grandchildren and four of her nieces and nephews when they were orphaned and welcomed others like George who had no other place to go. Needless to say, she does not get much rest. Her body is feeling the effects of many years of stress and hard work. There are still kids living at home (the youngest is 9) so it's difficult to get a break there. We are happy to host her and give her time to do absolutely nothing. We want her to sleep in, take naps and do no cooking or cleaning. It has been wonderful having her here. Eli loves having “Bramma” here to play with. She is a softy and can't stand it when he is in time out. She tells him sorry!

Monday, May 5, 2014

Tooth Brushes Galore!

This past Saturday, the leaders of the playground ministries put on another health outreach for the kids. This week's topic was proper toothbrushing. Dentists, routine cleanings and check ups are pretty much non-existent here. When a toothache occurs, most people have the tooth pulled. We hope by teaching them the correct way to brush their teeth, the kids can make a difference in their families by saving them pain in their mouths and avoid the cost of teeth pulling. Finally we were able to put some toothbrushes that Africa Harvest of Hope had collected to good use. We donated some and a bunch more were purchased here by other individuals along with tooth paste.

The day started by dividing the kids into nine different groups for a time of play. They once again rotated between different stations. We had the parachute station. It was a lot of fun and a good one to keep Eli entertained as well.



Then we lined the kids up to listen to a drama where kids from a church in Moshi taught them how to brush their teeth the right way.



After, each group went off to a different area where the kids could practice in small groups.



Many houses don't have sinks or bathrooms so most people brush their teeth outside and spit into the grass. It is what we did in Sudan and in Kenya as well. So, the kids lined up to practice!



Then each group ended their time in prayer.



It has been great to be a part of these health outreaches. We hope to do more and repeat some on a regular basis.

Saturday, May 3, 2014

Need For Prayer

Can I ask for your prayers tonight? We have been going through some challenges recently. Well, challenges are always present, but a few have been really hard lately. I have been feeling very discouraged, worried and sad over the last few days. I know it's the enemy trying to get me down so I am trying to battle those thoughts with the Scripture and reminding myself of the Lord's promises, including the one that tells us He will never forsake us. However, I sure would appreciate you lifting me up in prayer today. Please pray that I will be filled with hope and peace. That I could have a positive attitude in my home and around others while hurting inside. That we would draw closer to the Lord during this time and that we would grow in our faith as we depend on Him for everything.

Thank you prayer warriors!!!!!

New Neighbors

There is a new family in our neighborhood that we have befriended. They live in the house next to our previous house, which is very close to our current home. George and Eli met Daniela and her son, Flynn, while they were outside our house going for a walk. He invited them in to meet me. Since then, we have kept in touch and gotten together a few times. Daniela and her husband, Chris, are from Switzerland and moved to Moshi a couple months ago. Flynn is 11 months old and really cute. He is a happy baby who just started walking. Eli loves him and often asks for "Baby Flynn."

Last Saturday, they came to our house for dinner. We made a Mexican themed meal: chicken soft tacos, beans, guacamole, salsa, homemade tortilla chips and flan. It was delicious (if I do say so myself!). Eli loved having Flynn over and was really hyper and over-excited the whole time. It was an early evening for both since the kids got tired around the same time (6:45). Next time, we get to have European food at their place. Then it's back to our house for a Kenyan meal. Fortunately, they love ugali!

Thursday Eli and I went over to their house to play since it was a holiday and Daniela had the day off. Eli loved playing with Flynn's toys (and Flynn too!). Later we saw them at the grocery store and gave them a ride him. George and Chris have enjoyed hanging out a few times as well.

It has been great making new friends, especially ones who live so close. Moshi is a funny, little town. You never know who you will meet.

Thursday, May 1, 2014

Easter

I didn’t blog about Easter because I didn’t know what to say. A few people have asked about what we did, so I thought I should write a quick blog about it.

For some reason, Easter is not a big deal here. I am not talking about big family dinners and the Easter bunny. I wouldn’t expect that here, just as I don’t expect Christmas trees and presents at Christmas here. However, I do expect it to be a big deal at church. But, it’s not. I know we need to be thankful for the resurrection everyday and not take it for granted ever, but I love that we have Easter, a special day to celebrate it and reflect on it. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem to be the case here. If George didn’t mention it while preaching, it would have been normal for everyone… just another Sunday. I don’t know why it’s that way. I have thought about it a lot and really don’t have any answers. So, for me, it was a day of internal reflection and meditation on the resurrection, but it was a little sad too. I miss the big celebration at church. I was hoping to hear “He is risen…. He is risen indeed” (or the Kiswahili equivalent), but I didn’t. It made me realize that I need to help make it a big deal. So I have plans for next year and am looking forward to it. Maybe we’ll do an all church tea where we invite the neighbors. I don’t know, but we can do something to celebrate this special day together.

Many people go home (to their rural home, or for our Kenyan friends, to Kenya) during the long Easter holiday so many of our friends were gone or on vacation. George and I wanted to do something to make Sunday a special day, but no one was around. So, we had dinner at a restaurant that we had never been to. It was a special treat for the three of us.

So, that was our Easter. :)

He is Risen!