Apparently Bill Clinton is in town and staying really nearby. This really has nothing to do with us except it's filled up all the local hotels. So a couple who specially requested our room has forced us to relocate, again. So we've lost our bathroom door. It's unfortunate...but we're all still coping rather well.
I stayed back at the hostel today. It seems that each day there are two of us that are ill or somehow or another under the weather. For the most part we're doing quite well. The babies have been passing around eye infections and colds...we've managed to keep the germs at bay. But we've all had to get a little extra rest every now and then to help. Today Val and I stayed behind. We helped move our room then Val fell to sleep while I sat on our little porch and read. There is an artist that the hostel employs called Justin. The little Nik-Nak shop is filled with his creative offspring...over the last few days I've noticed him cutting and sanding lots of small round circles. They are coasters. He cuts and paints them with safari designs. So, as I sat on my little porch, reading a book I read first in the 5th grade I noticed Justin carry over a large tray of these cricles. Painted a lovely bright blue. The sunshine hit them in a just a way that intrigued me...so I moved closer. Then he brought over a tray of shiny red circles and yellow and then red and yellow stripes. They sat in the sun, all day, to dry. I was really sort of blown away by the purity of the colours but also of Justin's patients. He's been working on these coasters for days and only now is he painting them. Later I noticed him painting the same scene on each coaster.
I've been thinking a lot about the work I see people do here in general. The nannies, for example, are so skillfull at taking care of 32 babies! Yesterday I fed baby Neema. By the time I'd fed just one baby the nannies around me had fed a few each. Playing with toddlers can be exhausting and they do it every day! By the time our group arrives back at the hostel each night many of us are ready for bed or a nap, at least...but here these women are doing it all day!
The other day Davona's, the director, twin daughters baked a cake for the toddlers. They brought it out on a large sheet that read "Come fly away with me"...I was confused by this for a moment but I realised the half eaten cake had been a butterfly! The toddlers knew something special was about to happen as soon as the twins brought a small table outside. Their eyes sort of filled with excitement and they payed close attention to the door the twins had come from. The cake was presented and in each little hand a piece was placed. Before too long all of their little faces were dribbled with pink frosting. Simony and Zawadi were among the first to finish their pieces. They got up and headed back to the table for more. Jessi, rightfully, decided that more was a bad idea! They'd each had pretty big pieces and snack had only been a few moments before...so she took the cake inside. I was standing in the middle of the group when tears began to swell in their eyes. Before too long I was surrounded by 10 screaming toddlers! It seemed like everyone of them was crying...though I suppose I recall a few sitting contently...still eating their own cake. Big Neema and Maria were about to join the chorus when Jackie broke a tiny piece of her piece off for each of them. By tiny I mean nearly microscopic! So neither was satisfied for long...Abby, having realised Jackie was handing out free pieces tottered over for some and Neema pushed her back. Jackie broke off three more tiny pieces but the three girls began to cry. I was beside myself with uncertainty! Who do I comfort first? Do I comfort anyone? Should I just start crying too?! But, alas, the moment passed and before too long something else had caught their attention and off they went to explore!
Goodnight.
Maria
PS...Oops there are 10 toddlers...how can I forget little JJ?!
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