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I must apologise for not replying to comments much lately. The problem is that I access the web via a cable attached to my mobile phone (broadband at home is not yet an option in Kenya) and at certain times of day it can take 15-20 minutes to open a page in blogger - 'edit posts' seems to be the worst and slowest option to take, so that is why I am responding to them in this post. However, I have really enjoyed reading the comments, they are my favourite part of writing a blog and will try to address them all from now on.
Thanks also for all the kind things you said re: helping our former night watchman who lives in Kibera slum. As I said to him, it is a good thing to be able to help someone directly and we are aware that we have comparatively so many things, so to give some away is a pleasure. I spent a dusy hour or so this morning, raking through the contents of our clothes cupboards once again and hope that some of the things are of any use. I occurred to me that it might be possible for our nightwatchman to sell or swap things if they don't fit. Plus, I hasten to add, if I was that good and kind, I would be down at Jamhuri Park helping the displaced families myself handing out supplies. I just heard today that a fellow school mum and Kenyan friend of mine has been down there every day this week helping out and listening to the horrific stories, having been so moved by the crisis.
I am always impressed when visiting out local Nakumatt supermarket, at the great pile of donations ready for collection by the Red Cross. It seems that everyone is chipping in and trying to help. While you walk around doing your shopping, you hear over the blaring radio, appeals like the Kiss FM 'caravan of hope', asking for donations of food and sanitary towels, so it's easy to throw a few in your basket and take them with you to the check out.
Jennifer - the secondary schools have been affected and start dates moved back here because the PNU party promised, as part of their election campaign, free secondary education for all from January, which was a new concept. Now that the waters have been so muddied following the election and no one in politics quite knows what is going to happen next, they are stalling the start of term. Meanwhile, private schools have waited to re start school because of the insecurity surrounding the ODM rallies scheduled for this week. We are all getting a little stir crazy after a five week christmas holiday and hope that the kids can safely go back to school on monday.
(also, Indian food here in Kenya is very good, with none of the English classics like chicken korma or chicken tikka - it took me a while to navigate the indian menus here, but it is all delicious).