SURPRISE!!! GRAMA'S BACK

I fuss and fussed around with this blog until I could get the german words off. I don't know how they got there. Well, things are great in Kenya. we got through the rainy season and it was great. When it rains here it doesn't just sprinkle for a few moments. it comes down in sheets. and that would be every day. I love the rain. We harvested one crop of corn and tomatoes and eggplant and carrots and beets and spinach. Far more than we could eat so we sold the beets and gave most of harvest to our workers. They tasted sweet corn for the first time and loved it so we planted 2x the seeds and it is almost ready to harvest again. We tried watermelon but it needed some manure. So we got dump trucks full and are spreading it so the harvest should be better than ever. We have these wonderful cooks who cook tons of fresh food. We eat, they eat, the guards eat and it is gone. We never have left overs. There is always someone there to eat it to the bottom. We have a little plant nursery in the shade where I have flower seedlings growing. When they are ready we will plant them in the places by the house. We built a patio overlooking the ocean it is wonderful and we have planted many flowering bushes and plants. It is so fun.

MY GARDEN IS BEAUTIFUL

I LOST THE COMMENT I MADE ABOUT MY GARDEN SO I WILL JUST AD A PICTURE. WRONG PICTURE BUT TAKE MY WORD FOR IT === IT IS BEAUTIFUL. WE ARE HARVESTING CORN AND BEETS IT'S AMAZING HOW THINGS GROW HERE.

MY GARDEN

Finally some details!

The crew at a Yehu Bank branch meeting.

Claralyn, Kayler, Sunni and Christian being gawked at by the Mwambalazi primary school children.
One year old coconut trees planted on the Shama la Salama beach.
View of the house and the garden from the water tower.
Sunni and Kayler sitting at the desks that their elementary school helped build.

So my mother hasn't been doing her duties by blogging about her experiences and Kenya, and I like the rest of you, are dying to know how they are doing. Well, I am here visiting for 12 days, so I can update for her! Both Louis and Chriss are in heaven! They feel a little guilty that they don't miss home more.

They have had a crew of 12 come to visit, partially for a Asante Foundation board (my dad's foundation), and partially because we miss grandma and grandpa! They moved into their new house only days before the guests arrived and how quickly they have learned what needs to be fixed. The first night they were without lights and only a few working faucets! Slowly but surely things are falling into place and before you know it there won't be a river running through the kitchen because of leaking sink! that is Louis's hope anyway.

Despite the glitches in the house, it is heaven on earth, the place is called shamba la salama, which means peaceful home, (or peaceful farm). Chriss has a huge thriving garden with everything you could think of planted. They got two German Shepard puppies, named Homer and Bart, to help keep the place safe. Today we added 5 chickens to keep the dogs entertained.

The Asante Foundation meetings have been productive, with very talented minds coming together, and we are all bursting with enthusiasm to get working and create some jobs here on the coast of Kenya. Louis has so many ideas, he can't contain them, and can't wait till the glitches are worked out of the house so he can focus on the REAL reason he is here.

As for me, it has been 10 years since I have been in Kenya. Instead of living in a gorgeous house on the beach, me and Fairb lived in a mud house in the village. We visited that village today, and although it was fun to see the same people, I was reminded of the poverty that still exists. Now that I have my own children it, sorrows me for the mothers of these village, and with all the efforts, manage little for their children.

It has been a great trip, hope to share more later!

Natalie

This is the house so far see them plant the grass. This is the meal the rs ladies made for a going away party the the interns Aaron and Andy. The whole ward turned out for it. I made 3 cakes and still didn't have enough. They were cutting it in 1 inch squares. Oh well. I began planting my seeds too.

Young Womens first activity

They all came, some with their mothers. I had made some beef/barley soup for dinner that night. I had made an extra bread earlier so they could all have a taste. They ate the two made earlier, and the one we just made and all the soup. Some of those moms can really pack it away. But they are cute girls and I enjoy working with them. Our next activity is my birthday party!! I presented them with pouches (you can see some of them on the girls shoulders. It had a journal, pen, pencil, and a set of three in one and a bible. They were all thrilled. I find it hard to give a lesson without the scriptures. Now I am the only one without scriptures (they are in the cargo container)

THE HOUSE IS MOVING FAST

I was at the house all day today directing the landscaping guys. I was there all day yesterday. We marked out the garden and dug out the good dirt and put sawdust in the paths. It looks so good and it will be a huge garden. The dirt is really good I had them chipping out the coral to make it flat for a carport and washing facilities and a nice herb garden right next to the kitchen.
they are putting the roofing shingles on the roof it's about 1/4 done. They layed down the racking boards on the grand room floor and poured the cement around them.. Monday they will probably start laying the hardwood floor in the grand room. All floors will be complete. they will start sanding and painting. Dad is in Nairobe speaking at some conference. He's been gone for a full week and won't be home till Saturday afternoon. I have the young women and their mothers coming to the current house. We will teach them how to make that artisan bread. They are all so excited. I'll make one earlier then make one while they are there. While it bakes we will be decorating their YW Journal, dad is bringing home some scriptures for each of them and I had little bags made up with a pencil, pen, personal progress book and these scriptures. It will be fun.

Sunday Evening: email from Mom

We went to church as regular. Easter is a religeous holiday. They had parades of people carrying all their fancy trappings and carrying a cross. There is no Easter Bunny or any celebration except everyone gets Friday off. I thought of all you guys and the fun you may be having. I keep my computer viewing the weather in Springville. It seems you guys are having really bad weather. (good for water but not fun). It is starting to rain here and it is cooling down. When it rains, it really rains. Big lakes off the side of the road and dad loves to splash the people on the side. He is so naughty. We had all the youngsters down for the weekend. They had a girl from KEVA Some sort of funding organization yahoo is trying to woooo. She slept over like the rest of the kids (andy,aron, sam, sophia, and this keva girl) Theisy had fun staying up till midnight. Yesterday dad and I went to some place up north to some expedition from Provo. Koins foundation. He just loves to talk to people. They had government people and they asked him to report on his work. Everyone thinks he is so wonderful. He justs keeps going like crazy. There is certainly no retirement here. Me I just cook and get fat. Andy and aaron are going home and the branch are going to have a party. In a leadership mtg Kenneth said he had a special calling for me but it would be in private. Everyone was going oooooo ahhhh. When it came down to it. He wanted me to make a big cake with something written on it. I said yes but I don't do that sort of thing. Now everyone is wondering what big deal the pres wanted me for. DRAMA. Dad goes to a conference in Nairobe early tomorrow and sam is going too something. That will leave me along for a few days. Scaaaarrrry. Driving on stree the wrong side of the id not my specialty.But everything is good.

THE HOUSE INSIDE AND OUT 4/3/10

Here is the house inside and out. It is really open and the breeze off the ocean flows through. You may see how primitive their building is. This floor has 2 inches of sand on the floor

THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE

This is the front of the house. They chip away at the corral then put 6 inches of top soil and plant grass one blade at a time. It is going to be beautiful!

A new place

We followed some bad winding road in the back villages to a project from "coins for Kenya" Dad wanted to see what they were doing. I sat on their porch and talked with the participants. They were having meetings with government people. Dad did his little speil. Hopefully we will be going home.

WE HAD TO WEAR THESE VESTS. THE HUGE MACHINES MADE US FEEL LIKE ANTS WALKING AROUND. THESE CONTAINERS WOULD BE PICKED UP AND PUT ON THE GROUND. THEY WERE ABOUT 5 CONTAINERS TALL.

EASTER HOLIDAY

It is Easter Holiday and everyone is going somewhere. The interns are going to take over this house and dad and I are going somehwere else. I have to show you the opening of the crate. Jason's fertilizer spilled all over the furniture and those taking the stuff out of the container walked all over stuff. I'd say some of the lighter furniture is ruined. Dang!!!

Just back from the new house

Just got back from the new house. Things are moving a little faster now that dad put on a financial deadline. They are planting grass one blade at a time and the area is huge. They do it all by hand and the crappiest tools imaginable. I will show you a picture if I can find one. It is fall now in Kenya and the mango leaves are turning red and falling off. I don't know what the other trees will do. Dad is keeping REALLY BUSY. I am home most of the time and the electricity goes off almost every day. When the electricity goes off so does the AC. And then it really sucks. But we are still in an adventure that I wake up each morning and can't believe I am living it!

It's so dang hot!!!

Dad is in a meeting with some people so I am relagated to the other bedroom with AC. I did my errands this morning when it was cooler. I am now cooking baked chicken. It really makes the house hot. Dad's mind is just zinging!! You thought he was bad a while back, he is really got his mind on so many possible business - - - If he just had money!! And such is life in Kenya

Another Sunday bites the dust

Today we took the 1.5 hours to get to church. Dad and I were the speakers. Everything was grate untill the power went off. We sat in the heat and died. Then it was time to speak, still no AC. I spoke on honesty, integrity, and trust. Kenneth said afterward it was the perfect talk for the people at that time. Dad did a wonderful job on faith as he always does. Then we went into SS but I was so hot I had to go to the car, start it and turn the AC on. after a while dad came to tell me it was making too much noise so I went into ss. It's so hard cause I don't understand. And it was so hot and sweaty. Dad got a call to be the ym president so I guess we have the young people under our supervision. Each week I have a new girl come that wasn't that before. Today we have 8 girls. It' s fun and I keep them laughing. But I am so emotionally beat when I am done I just about die. But I think I am doing something good. It will be interesting with dad doing the boys Oh well, another Sunday.

Sitting in Old Town Kenya with the AC blasting

There are so many people in this world. And they all live in Old Town. There is not one spot that does not have people selling something. I would love to just walk up and down the streets at my leisure I guess Friday is market day cause the roads are filled with people

In Old Town picking up tile and light fixtures. The lights are gorgeous. David will start the electrical process now. I can't wait. When I get a picture I will send it

And there appeared . . .