Saturday, 12 April 2014

To-Do-List: LISANI


Unajua Lisa? You know Lisa?



Lisa was a volunteer in Heritage of Faith and Hope in the months of November and December last year.
We had the greatest time together!
Although were 10 years apart we share exactly the same kind of humour.
The children said: "You and Lisa! You're always laughing! Even when you were saying goodbye it was always crying-laughing-crying-laughing...etc."
Soooo by the time Lisa left she was determined to come back to Kenya as soon as possible.

She did!!
No one knew about her return except of me and the directors of the home.
SURPRISE!
One day in March the kids woke up at 4 o'clock getting ready for school and found Lisa waiting for them.
Just like they hadn't woken up and were still dreaming.





Lisa told me in advance: "Ey Imani if I gain a lot of weight again like last time I'm gonna be single by the time I arrive home." [Joke :D]
A common problem for us western people...Come to Kenya and grow a boOoty!
Anyway and then she unpacked plenty of pudding-powder >.<
Kenya and diet? Utopia!

The creative spirit is back! We love to experiment with everything - especially food.
The last time we've been cooking things like mangoe-rice or broccoli with pineapple.
Now we came up with a new creation of tea! Rosemary-pineapple-cinnamon-tea!


Every day life...








The good soul of the home Ceciiiiiiliaaa!!
Everyone loves her. She's one of the most hard-working persons in the home.
I can't even say how grateful I am..


















Luna and Imani's cuddling hour <3




same old story ;D can't keep my hands of the pudding sufuria










 Why this blogpost is called "To-Do-List: LISANI"? 
Two reasons:
I. Lisa and me just discovered that we both love writing to-to-lists. Every day each of us is producing, let's say, two lists. They never get fully checked :D However they are everywhere! We even have a to-do--done-list (empty ._. :D). ADDICTS!
II. Although we never stick to the to-do-lists (not even the very significant one on the door) we are very productive together! Here's the best example: www.volunthearts.com

when the rain comes...
The warm/mild rainy season has come

Just the other day was a functioning in our orphanage.
It was so cool! National celebrities und MC's came and threw a really nice party.
We all had a lot of fun and entertainment that day!



 The last months we had a biiiiig problem on the girl's side!
Us girls had a common enemy, called BED BUGS/Kunguni.... grrr

Every single night I went to bed telling myself:
Good night, sleep fight, let the bed bugs bite....

Horror! We were all victims some people more, others less.
Some even started removing their matresses and sleeping on the floor or in other dorms.

I never signed up for this kind of blood donations?!
Finally some specialists came and sprayed the whole rooms with insectizides. Every week.
So everything had to be removed... Work... At least most of the kungunis (I like the Swahili name) are dead and gone now! Peaceful sleep yeah!



Part of Lisa and my daily exercise is to pick up Dorcas (the one in the middle)  from school.
We have to walk like 3 km through the bush and the heat to the next city, called Mlolongo.
It's always a nice experience tracking through nature.
That day we were carrying milk home.






Last but not least... We agreed: A life without beer is not possible! ;)
A couple of weeks ago we met a woman on the streets of Mlolongo. When she saw us walking she screamed: "MZUNGU!!!!!!"(WHITES). :D
Since that day we connected very well! Her name's Gretchen and she's from the US. She has been working for a month for a project, which helps HIV-positive people.

Gretchen is 47 years old and perhaps the craziest and coolest woman I ever met!
Let me write down an anekdote describing her. Everytime she got on a Boda Boda (motorbike-taxi) she told the driver with a wink: "Ride safe! Use a condom!   -Aha you do? Then go tell your friends!" 


And if anyone asked her who she is and what she's doing in Kenya she told them she's "Malaika"/angel.
That her son moved out, her dog died, she was fed up with her job so she decided to travel the world for some months and move to California after to work in the wine industry.
Now she has already left the country.... Anyway now I'll have the best place to stay when I'll go to California!

Sunday, 23 March 2014

Splish, Splash, Birthday Bash



23.03.2014
People refused to celebrate my 18. birthday for a second time...

Sooo I'm 19 now!
Wow..
It doesn't even sound impressing

Lisa and her friend Julie (arrived yesterday) woke me up at 7 am with a hot, black coffee, chocolate and Steve Wonders' "Happy Birthdaaay".
A good start in the day despite the early hour.


We had already prepared juice yesterday. It smelled/tasted like chewing gum >.<












Waking up so early had a reason! My parents donated a waffle-maker. So we dedicated it and indroduced the children to the awesomeness of waffles! 
45 eggs, 4kg flour, 2kg butter, 4kg sugar, 11l milk....
I hope I'll have a big family one day. I love cooking in masses!
And Banana-Chocolate-Cinnamon... Flavouuurs!




Da geiern se







There's a birthday tradition in Kenya called "Shower of Blessings". People poor water over the birthday person. A lot. In my case mostly dirty water. Like the water the dishes were washed with, the water Matumbo was washed with, the water were the ducks bathe in etc. Any water!
At least the weather was fine and I mentally prepared :D

generous as I am I didn't hesitate to pass my blessings ;)

Time to dress up. At least it's my day.


My former school grade had over 4000€ left over after we graduated last year.
Collective we decided to donate 50% to the flood victims of the philipinnes and 50% to the childern's home I'm staying.
Today 3/4 of the donated 2000€ reached Heritage of Faith and Hope Cildren's Home!
Most of the money will be used for the education of the children by paying their school fees.
About 400€ will get used for planting fruit trees and buying dustbins. 
Projects, which I aimed to realise for quite a long time.

The other 500 € of the donation will be donated to the Mama Tunza Children's Home in Ngong for building a path before the rainy season starts.
The catastrophal, muddy cirsumstances shall be solved very soon.
A project my parents inspired, when they went to visit the orphanage last month.

A VERY BIG THANK YOU TO THE CLASS OF 2013!!!
FRIEDRICH-LIST-GYMNASIUM REUTLINGEN



Waffle time!



Sweet hearts for the sweet-hearts!



Second, unexpected shower of blessing!


Haahaaa! Let the water war begin!!