Springs of Life

Water is hard to find in the Kaisut Desert. Duh. There are "Water Diviners," though, who are, according to Rendille culture, so knowledgeable about the inner workings of their landscape, that they can supposedly identify with great accuracy the location of an underground river or water shed. We "wazungus" (white people) took our chances with a professional surveyor, who proved his worth! We've now got gushing bore holes just outside our home gate, one at the proposed site of the new secondary school (so now we have the water, but no buildings or funding...), and another at the proposed site of a Rendille hospital! (Again, now there's water for the hospital but no buildings or funding - a divine puzzle it seems.) Come to me all you who are thirsty! Ready, go!

Christmas in May

Momma Westwood went to town this year for "Christmas in May!" My fellow missionary's daughter came out for a visit with her new fiance (they actually got engaged underneath the most beautiful Korr sunset I've ever seen - the Lord knew what was up) and it was the perfect opportunity to get a package from California to Kenya safely. (One of my girlfriends once received a box in the post, and on the inside every single bag of candy had been opened and clearly sampled... Tacky) I got a replacement computer for my old Dell which a Nairobi repairman described as having "components burned past recognition." I've also just opened a new box of much needed vitamin supplements. As mentioned before, my student, Catherine, has recently had a baby boy who received a blanket with his name stitched into it. Somo Chawle, my adopted Rendille brother, received a really awesome adjustable book bag sewed from some classic soccer fabric. Here he is smelling it, or something, and looking quite excited to have the coolest book bag in school! Thanks Mom!

Catherine and Gideon

(Gideon with his new teddy bear. He'd rather be eating it than anything else!)

You may remember me telling about one of my students getting pregnant last year, and as a result, traveling home to give birth. Well, Catherine is now the ever-patient, healthy, and happy mother of a baby boy; Gideon! I don't know his weight, but he is HUGE! Especially by Rendille standards. He's brown (not very dark skinned), fussy, but getting less so, has soft hair (as many Rendille do), and we share the birthday of January 30th! I've been out a couple of times now to visit Catherine and the baby, so I've got plenty of photos for you to "ooo" and "awww" over!

Gidi (his nickname) and Auntie Claire!

Mommy is comfy!

Napping with the embroidered blanket Momma Westwood made for him.

Dancing with Auntie Emily (another Tirrim Secondary School student)

Grandma!!!!!