The Day Before Christmas

Spent an hour or so sitting in the sun in the backyard reading "Eat, Pray, Love" with lemon juice in my hair. I got brave last week and went to Karen to get a haircut. A guy named Freddie cut/shaved my hair. So I told him to shave the back a bit - but I think he didn't hear the "a bit" part, because I'm basically without hair on the back of my head. Anyway, lemon juice turns the white hair yellow, the part that should be "brown-er" will have to wait until I can go to Diamond Plaza in Nairobi... that's where all the good Indian stores are - then I will buy henna and will have smart, albeit very short hair.

I was a bit put off by the first section of EPL where Liz is in Italy. Was a bit too yuppie to hold my interest, but this yogi stuff in Indian is fascinating. Would like to get to the point where I can just "be" with God.

It's Christmas eve and I'm at the cyber. Judie is home writing Christmas cards. We have to do a little shopping this afternoon. So we have some treats for tomorrow at the farm. Most of the children have gone to visit a relative. Grace's biological children (at least two or three of the five) will come to the farm as well as the three orphans that didn't leave and Judie and I. Not sure what we will do, but am sure we will have fun. I will definitely post a Christmas photo.

Judie and I will hopefully go see Buddha on Sunday.

I sent out a Christmas request this morning. We have five children whose sponsorship has been discontinued and school starts in less than two weeks. So I may post it here too.

Judie and I are having a wonderful time together... it seems that she is growing out of her teenage angst somewhat. Although I still see flashes of it. We talk very openly about boys and sex and the future. She is a solid person. Her world has a lot of black and white and not a lot of gray. She is incredibly compassionate. One of the youth that lost their sponsorship is an 18 year old named Raymond. Raymond and Judie are both going into 10th grade. Raymond is really stressed out about not having school fees and Judie keeps telling me, "Mom, we have to pray for Raymond, what's going to happen to him, he's so stressed." And I tell her we'll pray and God will take care of Raymond, because if there was anybody who deserved a break it is Raymond. He's been on his own since he was 13. And you would think that would give him rough edges, maybe a weariness that he wears like a coat. But Raymond is nothing like that. He is tender and kind and honest and hardworking. He reminds of a lost puppy who only wants to be loved and cared for.

Okay, so I'm going to post the request letter next. You have to understand how badly these children want an education and how hard they will work to succeed. I almost think we have things to easy in the "west," we take things like education and food and shelter for granted... we take our parents for granted. We have so much and we don't appreciate it enough... Stepping off soapbox...

Here's hoping your holidays and safe and happy! May God Bless and keep you all!

Peace & Blessings,
Jessica