Day 3.

The girls are getting very competitive - they're discussing their aim when on the loo - gross!

It was quite a late night last night - must have been midnight, so everyone was a little slow to start - even still, we were all up by 7am. The noise and excitement from the children was infectious - they all looked so smart in the school uniforms - well, I'd say 50% had uniforms. After breakfast - salty porridge and/or mini bananas, it was time for assembly. We walked out to see 121 children all standing perfectly still, across 3 sides of the square. Then we heard chanting as 10 children came marching in, singing all-together. They stood still, completing the square, and came to attention. They then moved alongside the rest of the children. The children range from 4yrs to 15. The Headmaster, Mr Dedans, then came out and addressed the children; "Good morning, how are you?", "I'm fine thank you Mr Dedans, how are you?", "I'm fine". It was very special. We all had huge lumps in our throat. Over the next half-hour the children performed a series of songs, poems and stories. It was amazing - fantastic - we were all transfixed :) It was then time for us to be introduced - we all stood in-line at the front, and John introduced us one-by-one, and again after saying our names, they would repeat, "Hi …." - what a buzz! :) John mentioned Megan was from America, "you know where America is don't you?", and they all replied, "Yes! Barack Obama!", who's Grandmother of course was born in Kenya :)

Next it was time to hand out our clothes. First the 4yr olds. They all lined up neatly and the teacher read out their name to Tania, who after a quick check to see the football shirt would fit, wrote each child's name in indelible ink in the collar. With 131 children, this would take some time! But to see the faces of each child was magical. Of course, when a Manchester United or Chelsea shirt came out, you could hear the boys all softly call the team name - usual school football fans then, just like back home, all supporting Man U, or Chelsea - and not one Nottm Forest fan - what!?

Tania and I were then introduced to Stephen - we're sponsoring Stephen for $30 per month which pays for all his food, education and school uniform. Stephen knew we were his sponsors; we noticed he had no shoes - this was very upsetting. We told him about our son Connor, who at 9 is the same age as Stephen. Connor had written a letter to Stephen - we gave it to him for one of his teachers to read to him later. We called Connor on my phone so he could speak to Stephen - Connor asked which team he supported, "Manchester United, and my favourite player is Rooney!", "really! Same as me" Connor replied! :) We then had some photo's taken with Stephen, and with his 2 brothers who are also at the school. Every time we took a picture they want to see it - their friends would then say who's who - some of them have never seen their own reflection and so of course they don't know what they look like! :( One of the girls had never even seen a mouzungu (white person) before - she was 4 yrs old, and so so cute! :)

We didn't have time for lunch - we needed to start work on Grace's new houses so we took a picnic with us and the 10 children from the home that came along to help us :) The 9 of us then squeezed into the Hope and Kindness Land Rover - it looks like it's very much on it's last legs, mind you with the roads around here its not really surprising!

I can't stop giving my clothes away (Tania here) - yesterday a small girl was sweeping the yard at the school, and her dress had lots of holes & rips in it - I went and gave her one of her Abercrombie T-shirts and later that day she was wearing it - she looked so cute :) Today when building Grace's house, a boy had a T-shirt with rips in it - I took off my "Cisco volunteer" T-shirt off and gave it to him - Phil asked him his name - he replied but he voice was very quiet - he was very shy. "Pardon?" I replied. This time I heard him "Clifford" he said, just like phil's dad - suddenly that made us sad as Phil'sls dad passed away from cancer 2 years ago, and at times Phil in particular still finds it hard.

A group of us went off for a little side visit while the rest were finishing the house, oh my goodness you just cant believe what its like, a woman with 11 children in a tiny little mud hut, no water, no electricity, no real furniture to speak of, a picture from the side of a packet of razors is what they have to decorate their walls with. We had some little toy cars and some biscuits, but sadly not enough for all the little children. We'll be back there tomorrow with some aid :)

(Wrighty back now). I must say all the girls did an amazing job (Rachel, Helen, Polly, Megan, Emma & Tania). They were covered in sweat and thick mud - Tony couldn't resist and stop taking lot's of photo's - so lookout fella's for a 2011 Cisco Calendar special! ;) All this and it's still like 3pm in the afternoon!. House finished - well the first mud layer, so we decide to be very decadent and go for a soda on the way home, thats a coke to you and me. No diet coke here, you just take what you are given and be grateful - tasted blooming marvellous out of a cold fridge!!!I It was like out of the scene from Shawshank Redemption when they're on the roof having a cold beer! OMG that cold coke tasted good - the best coke I'd ever had! And talking of beer, we almost snuck in a cheeky beer in too, even though bars were not opening until 5pm we found someone who would serve us - we agreed a price of 800 Kenyan schillings for 8 large bottles (no negotiation - we're not here to barter). However, just as our mouths started to drool, when we touched the beer bottle it was warm - very warm! Tania hates beer but even she was nearly tempted. I wasn't having it, so the beers went back. Off back to the home, muddy, filthy dirty, all rushing for a nice cold shower, getting used to them already. Looked like Rachel had decided to have a bath, her bowl was almost overflowing!

Entertainment is quite interesting here so I challenged Tony to a game of fly frying in the teachers office (which has been turned into our chill-out room) - first to 5. It was a close game, and at 2-2 we changed ends. 4-4, match point! The kettle was whistling, and complained the tea/coffee needed to be made - we clearly pointed out that if it was for our skills they'd be 8 more fly's buzzing around their noodles (it was a fair point, but an hour later the tea still hadn't been made!). Whilst I was going for a backhand smash, i heard the crackle crackle hurt which meant Tony had won, 5-4. A close game, and one in which I feel a re-match coming on! Yep thats right, not TV, no X-Factor, no I'm a Celebrity, no blooming anything, but we've been playing cards and Perudo which is a lot of fun, and ok, Tania won at cards - damn where's the TV!!! :)

Now dinner here, well I said I'd try anything but tonight was pretty hard, that cement stuff ugly, just call it ugly, they pile it on their plates, then some whitebait type of fish (heads and all of course) and some seaweed stuff, big fat yuk! we came back and ate noodles with some salad stuff and loads lovely biscuits, that is our saviour, biscuits.

Big rain tonight but literally for half an hour, it wont touch the sides but at least it might be a little less dusty in the morning. We have all piled into bed early (all by 10pm) we are just so exhausted, so lying in our mozzie net sweating while it snows back home, how surreal does that feel.

Early brekkie tomorrow and then shopping for food parcels to take out to the community - they are all so desperate we agreed that would be a good use of our time and resources, so time to say goodnight, blog you for tomorrow with no doubt more sad stories to tell, but hopefully generous portions of laughter thrown in :)

Ps… just as I'm about to post this there's some weird noises coming from the girls room next door (Rachel, Megan & Polly) - sounds like a donkey trying to catch it's breath after carry a fat bloke on Skeggy (Skegness to you) beach! Noise has gone now - I think one of the girls must have thrown a pillow at whoever it was - come on girls, own up! :)