Jambo everyone,
Well its been a while and I cant remember where I left off on my last email.......
I have been even busier than before, my feet haven't touched the ground. I have been working with Richard and some of the boys getting designs for cards and putting them together, as well as working with the boys to make beaded necklaces and mounting them on cards too, for something different to sell. We are doing this to raise awareness of SCANN in Kenya and to help with funds. It has become a full time venture. I am going blind if nothing else. The lady in the bead shop asked when I was coming back to Kenya as I am now a regular customer and she is worried that her selling levels will drop.
I have been taking time out one afternoon a week to work with Ruth the bead lady in the market. Well what a crowd drawer I am, I sit on a stool in a designated parking space beside her market stall, Ruth sits beside me and we do bead lessons. People come up and stand around talking to me, some pull up a stool, some just sit on the ground, they all want to know who I am, why I am here and why I am learning the art. Some come over every time I attend lessons and just like to exchange stories and life styles. I have to change my times though as I go on a Wednesday afternoon at 2. By 4 it is windy and raining so we have to retire to Ruth's friends travel agency business on the 5th floor of a nearby building. Last time we were there we all got chips, the friend made chai (milky tea) and had a real woman's group, it was great, and it was a great view of the market from there, even though it was pouring with rain. Must go back soon with camera on a clear day and get some shots. Ruth said I am a very quick learner and is now worried that I will be competition. Unfortunately, whilst I am sat at the market everyone comes and adorns me with their wares so I end up buying things too..... not good!!
Ruth's friend in the travel agents has offered to help me with a letter so that I can get a work permit as and when I return to Kenya.
I am not sure if I told you all that I eventually bought my sewing machine. I have been waiting
for a tailor that I met and wanted to volunteer his time, to come and work with me showing me how it works. Unfortunately, with most people here he is rather unreliable, and hasn't shown up!!! I did a long teach myself lesson, I kept sewing backwards which wasn't really practical! After a lot of hard work I can now use the machine and spent a whole day working with it. I sit on the veranda of the computer room sewing, the boys love coming and talking to me whilst I am sewing, they sit and chat and sometimes when I am bored I get them to sing for their sewing!
On Thursday the heavens opened and my sewing machine got soaked, we store it in the corridor of the computer room, unfortunately, the roof leaked. Yesterday, I spent ages, dismantling the machine to dry it out. Today I will oil and reassemble, my usual problem is that I always end up with a part that finds no home!!!!! Um that maybe interesting! Needless to say the boys have bought me a mountain of clothes, pictures were taken to prove it. I have put up a paper sign "Susannah's Tailor shop, welcome" they thought this was great but many of them who came with their clothes apologies that they had no money to pay for the sewing. I told them they were to pay with prayers that I can return to SCANN, they said they would pray very hard.
Today we are having a SCANN Fun Day, we have arranged a party and sports day-------- I will need to come home soon as I am exhausted, the party will finish me off!! The boys are getting very upset at the thought of me leaving so I talk to them as much as I can so that they get used to the idea, (and so do I). My last day at SCANN will be Saturday, I fly on Tuesday 5th back to the UK, I am taking a few days to distance myself before I leave, it will be so hard.
Ok, I need to go now as tears are welling at the thought of leaving.
What a looney I am.
All of you take care, see lots of you soon.
Big hugs.
Susannah
Well its been a while and I cant remember where I left off on my last email.......
I have been even busier than before, my feet haven't touched the ground. I have been working with Richard and some of the boys getting designs for cards and putting them together, as well as working with the boys to make beaded necklaces and mounting them on cards too, for something different to sell. We are doing this to raise awareness of SCANN in Kenya and to help with funds. It has become a full time venture. I am going blind if nothing else. The lady in the bead shop asked when I was coming back to Kenya as I am now a regular customer and she is worried that her selling levels will drop.
I have been taking time out one afternoon a week to work with Ruth the bead lady in the market. Well what a crowd drawer I am, I sit on a stool in a designated parking space beside her market stall, Ruth sits beside me and we do bead lessons. People come up and stand around talking to me, some pull up a stool, some just sit on the ground, they all want to know who I am, why I am here and why I am learning the art. Some come over every time I attend lessons and just like to exchange stories and life styles. I have to change my times though as I go on a Wednesday afternoon at 2. By 4 it is windy and raining so we have to retire to Ruth's friends travel agency business on the 5th floor of a nearby building. Last time we were there we all got chips, the friend made chai (milky tea) and had a real woman's group, it was great, and it was a great view of the market from there, even though it was pouring with rain. Must go back soon with camera on a clear day and get some shots. Ruth said I am a very quick learner and is now worried that I will be competition. Unfortunately, whilst I am sat at the market everyone comes and adorns me with their wares so I end up buying things too..... not good!!
Ruth's friend in the travel agents has offered to help me with a letter so that I can get a work permit as and when I return to Kenya.
I am not sure if I told you all that I eventually bought my sewing machine. I have been waiting
for a tailor that I met and wanted to volunteer his time, to come and work with me showing me how it works. Unfortunately, with most people here he is rather unreliable, and hasn't shown up!!! I did a long teach myself lesson, I kept sewing backwards which wasn't really practical! After a lot of hard work I can now use the machine and spent a whole day working with it. I sit on the veranda of the computer room sewing, the boys love coming and talking to me whilst I am sewing, they sit and chat and sometimes when I am bored I get them to sing for their sewing!
On Thursday the heavens opened and my sewing machine got soaked, we store it in the corridor of the computer room, unfortunately, the roof leaked. Yesterday, I spent ages, dismantling the machine to dry it out. Today I will oil and reassemble, my usual problem is that I always end up with a part that finds no home!!!!! Um that maybe interesting! Needless to say the boys have bought me a mountain of clothes, pictures were taken to prove it. I have put up a paper sign "Susannah's Tailor shop, welcome" they thought this was great but many of them who came with their clothes apologies that they had no money to pay for the sewing. I told them they were to pay with prayers that I can return to SCANN, they said they would pray very hard.
Today we are having a SCANN Fun Day, we have arranged a party and sports day-------- I will need to come home soon as I am exhausted, the party will finish me off!! The boys are getting very upset at the thought of me leaving so I talk to them as much as I can so that they get used to the idea, (and so do I). My last day at SCANN will be Saturday, I fly on Tuesday 5th back to the UK, I am taking a few days to distance myself before I leave, it will be so hard.
Ok, I need to go now as tears are welling at the thought of leaving.
What a looney I am.
All of you take care, see lots of you soon.
Big hugs.
Susannah
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