Every cloud has a silver lining

I was supposed to travel with a friend to Mt. Longonot and Hell's Gate for a couple of days of hiking in the great Kenyan outdoors - but then the rains came!  I was planning on leaving on Friday about noon to ride a matatu to an area called 14 Falls and then onto the Lake Navisha region.  About noon, just as I was getting ready to leave for the staging area I received a phone call - "Raining cats and dogs here -what do you want to do?"  It had rained all night in Nguluni, but the day was sunny - I am thinking let's go - it will be okay.  Then I pictured the mud road to 14 Falls - the deep ruts would be filled with water and the solid soil would now be mud.  In a moment of sanity, I said "let's cancel and go after the rainy season!"  A smart choice.  It has rained every night - torrential downpours and the dirt roads are now mud.  But the fields are looking greener and the livestock have smiles on their faces knowing that there will be food for a while.  I guess I can sacrifice hiking for much needed rain!

As I was unable to be hiking yesterday, I went to the local secondary school and helped plant 400 trees on the school compound with the environmental club.  Barclay's Bank worldwide sent 30 representatives as part of their international "Make a Difference Day".  They had presenters talk about careers, motivation and of course HIV/Aids.  I met with representatives of the Green Belt Movement here and best of all I made 2 new friends - Edna and Grace.  Two Form 2 students.  We talked about their hopes and dreams and how they might achieve them.   There were over 200 students present for this event and it was great!  Hence, the silver lining in these here rain clouds!

I understand snow has come and gone - I hope it is not a sign of long, hard winter for you.  But boys and girls,  can you say "global warming"?  The rains are a month late in coming to Kenya and they are predicting major flooding in many areas.  Oh well, no controversial subjects in this blog.  

All in all, life in Nguluni continues to be good and a different adventure every day.  I am so grateful to have the opportunity to be here, but miss friends and family terribly.

kwa herini - Mutanu