Just as I was settling in to write this, my phone alerted me to a message. My nephew Max and his wife Jacqui just welcomed Sweet Baby James Rhodes into the world at 8lb 5oz. All day long I’ve been waiting for this news. My Mom died 35 years ago today and I think she wanted to be sure we celebrated her life by sending this little one. Welcome James! I can’t wait to meet you.

We gathered early this morning for our last day in Kenya. It has been such a treat to be here and see old friends and meet new ones. Today we went to Arina Primary School in Kisumu to distribute 100 MoonCatcher kits and teach our curriculum. Phoebe did the teaching.

Phoebe was her usual dynamite self. I’d forgotten how much I love watching her enchant young students. She starts with quiet, shy little mice and by the end of the hour has to cut off questions that are hurled at her faster than she can think because we’ve run out of time. She makes the girls laugh and get serious all at once. What a gift!

We handed out the 100 kits and then went outside for photos of girls with a thank you sign for us and a group picture under the school sign.

Later, Agnes, Linda, Jacky, Bella, Rachel, Helen, Phoebe and I met in the principal’s office for cool drinks (I always have one orange Fanta while traveling in Africa and this was my chance).  We discussed The MoonCatcher Project, our work in the Kisumu area and our curriculum.

A lovely lunch was provided and we had a little down time to eat and chat together before hitting the road for the long journey back to Uganda.

It was nice to settle back into the Nile Hotel, have dinner and get to bed. Tomorrow, we teach another class with Tabitha.