Adventures with Kathy

Keith, Shurie and I have a special handshake. It's quite intricate; in fact, it has eighteen parts. This may sound a bit overboard to you, but one thing I've learned about Kenya is the importance of a good handshake. Sometimes we count the different parts as we go, going through the motions as fast as we possibly can. This usually results in some bruised toes and missed high-fives, but it's what we do.

Kathy and I also have a special greeting. We run towards each other with our arms wide open, squealing "EEEEEE!" and then, we hug. Next, our conversation goes something like this:

"Leshel, nataka tamu!" (Rachel, I want candy!)
"Hapana!" (No!)
"Aye. Nipe poppycorn!" (Aye. Give me poppycorn!)
"Hapana!" (No!)
"Kwa nini?" (Why not?)
"Kwa sababu nimesema hivyo!" (Because I said so!)

We've had this conversation so many times that now, when I ask Kathy to stop chewing on her hand, stop breaking the crayons, stop coloring on my students' compositions, or stop doing anything, really, she says, "Hapana!" Of course I ask, "Kwa nini?" And what is her response? "Kwa sababu nimesema hivyo!" Aye. That girl!

Yesterday after Kathy and I went through our little routine she introduced me to a new game, saying, "Hakuna njia!" (or something like that, meaning "You can't pass!") She spreads her legs as far apart as she can without face-planting, while I say "Hakuna...hakuna....napita!" (None, none...I passed!) Then it's my turn to block her passage.

So yesterday, we started this game at the bottom of the stairs, played up the little hill and around the corner, all the way to the carpenter's table. Then, she began to run away from me in her little white high-heels, clicking and clacking towards the school. I called her, but was answered with "Ha-PA-na!" I pleaded with her to go back to Jane, her nanny 1. because she isn't supposed to go to school and 2. because I was "late" to administer an exam (though, can one be "late" in Kenya? That, I don't know.)

As I tried to pick her up, she went completely dead-weight on me. Finally, I got her in a good position, propped up on my hip. We began heading back to Jane when she plopped her noggin right on my chest, colliding with my sternum. And although it was pretty painful, I couldn't help but think of how much I'm going to miss Kathy's little games in a few short weeks.

There is so much about my life at Icaciri that I am going to miss. In fact, I can't think about it because it makes me want to sob. But I must rest in the truth that God never makes mistakes and that if I rely on Him for strength, strength I will have. God bless, friends, and please continue to pray for all of us over here.