Preparations for the Opening

I’m so tired I can hardly walk! We were up at the school today to set up for the big day tomorrow. So setting up tables and chairs, carrying desks, cleaning and dusting etc. Then back home for a bite to eat, and back to the school for a couple hours tonight to set tables and put out flower arrangements. The Kenyan way is for the boys to do the outside work and the girls get stuck inside!! I didn’t think it very fair. Brian and Jonny helped to carry stuff, of course, and any other boys whom we could shame into helping.
It was a good day, though; I had a chance to meet a lot of the school kids and get a chat with some of them. They’re all very friendly and affectionate, although some are still shy around white people. Pray for these kids – they have a great privilege in attending a Christian school. We went to the church in Emboghat on Sunday, and one of the young men asked me to come and give a word of “encouragement” to the young people. They were all going back to boarding school on Monday, and some of them (as young as 11 or 12) go to Roman Catholic schools. In other words, for 9 months of the year, they are under the direct influence of Rome, 7 days a week.
The big group from Ulster arrived yesterday. They went into Kitale to do some shopping, and I met up with them after observing/helping with a few piano lessons. The bookshop in Kitale was filled with white people – it looked really strange! They are staying in the Kitale Golf Club, which is about the only place here that would have half-decent accommodation. It’s not bad – the golf course, swimming pool, squash court, etc. I felt a bit in limbo actually when I was with them – I’m not one of the missionaries, but I didn’t feel like one of the “visitors” either!
Keep the meeting tomorrow in prayer, that everything will go smoothly and God will be glorified. Dr. McClelland is preaching, and I know there will be unsaved there. A lot of people from the community are coming because Mr. Moi (the former president) will be there. In fact, some people wanted to do the traditional welcome dance for him, and of course they weren’t allowed, and now they’re saying they will do it right outside the school gates! Mr. Moi has never come to this area before, and it’s quite funny to see how the potholes are being filled up in the local roads and other things made shipshape. Anyway, I’m going to go do a bit more and then head to bed. Keep in touch, everyone!