Monday, April 6, 5 p.m. ish

This probably will be my last entry from Kenya. Yesterday, Sunday, I became a tourist again for a day. I had a wonderful time seeing some "local sites." Elephant Orphanage....I can't believe the way they raise these orphaned elephants....they are mostly found having fallen into the water holes around the country. Sometimes when their mothers know they are dying, they will go near a ranger's station so their baby will be found. Elephants are very human in their need to be in a family, and they truly never forget! If they are two year old and under, they have a caregiver who stays with them constantly. They sleep with them, feed them a special infant forumla, etc. This is at the Sheldrige (sp?) orphanage for rhinos and elephants. Elephants develop about the same as human in terms of life stages....When one gets to be 5 -6 y/o, it's considered a teenager....The same caregiver stays with it and begins to take the elephant out into some wilderness area so they can get to know life outside the orphanage. The caregiver walks with it, etc. Some of the mature elephants they encounter stay away from the teenager, since they don't like the smell of humans.... Poaching is outlawed in Africa, but it's on the rise again since the Chinese value ivoery it for items and they have a large presence in Africa. Some countries, like South Africa, (LJ-SK: Can you find South Africa in Africa?) allow for thining the "herd", but it is thought to be unnecessary by most countries.

I also went to the giraffe center and fed them! Karen Blixson, who wrote "Out of Africa" (later made into a movie with Meryl Streep and R. Redford) lived there. The guide was very knowledgeable, and I think he might have been old enough to know her!

When I ate lunch, I sat next to two women who I could tell were from the US....language, you know. Anyway, they were a little younger than me, so I asked where they were from. They said, "We live in Nairobi." So I clarfied and said, "No, I mean your country of origin." They were born in South Bend, Indiana. Both Southern Baptist ministers. So, I said, "Well, Kenya is quite a Christian country, so your work must be very appreicated." To which they replied that, while it is a Christian country, some of the interpretations of the Bible "We a little bit off." I thought I'd laugh out loud, but restrained myself!

Kenya is a very Christian country. Each night I sit with the family with whom I'm staying and there is Christian radio or TV (NOT like Rush L!) playing....Cell phones ring with "Praise God" as the ring, etc. Although there is a considerable number of Muslims in Kenya, they are largely on the coast and they live together quite well in Nairobi....

Today was my last day at the home. I'm the school photographer, so I set up a little "studio" with a lilac (Ann's deceased daughter's favorite color) chair, table with a globe on it. I took each child's picture individually, then a home/school picture. Unfortunately, it's difficult to organize 40+ children into a group when you don't speak their language. What a hoot!

Ann is staying until the opening of school (she's on sabatical) in a few weeks, and she'll come back for the opening of school in August. I'm going to send her things to bring over in August. She's requesting socks (grey, navy, red (NOT white), and underwear. Honestly, they clean every day, and in two minutes, everything is either covered with red dust or red mud!

It's raining now, so I'm glad....the rainy season gets shorter and shorter.

Kenyan phrase: When will you be picked? The word "up" never seems to follow it!

BTW--Obama's step-grandmother is from west Kenya, Kogelo. The govt here paved a road to this rural place, and she has to have security provided by the govt. I was happy to read in a headline of an article in the paper that said, "Tame graft or forget my help, Obama tells Kenya."

Just because this is my last blog doesn't mean I won't check email....most likely in Amsterdam on my way home!