September 09 Newsletter

Dear Friends of Rainbow House,

There is much 'good news' from Kenya, the children are learning so fast, all doing exceedingly well considering that none of them had held a pen or seen a piece of paper three years ago, their grades at the local school far exceed the rest of the class. Their understanding of who Jesus is, is a picture to experience, they get good RE teaching from Lynda using UK Sunday School Study books weekly, combined with traditional Sunday School & Church on a Sunday. They also benefit from an annual outing, usually a visit to the sea, (much organisation for 28 children!!!)

They are healthy and well fed with 3 fresh meals a day, cooked on a 'jiko' (a kind of barb-e-que), including Porridge, Ugali/Rice/Spaghetti, being the staple diet, with Fish, Beef & Eggs weekly, or dried Beans, with Spinach/Cabbage, and Oranges daily, with Mangoes and Bananas as available from the shamba, sometimes a goat is killed when they have over bred, and milk.

There are many dangers around the compound including, Snakes, Jiggers (they bury themselves in the children's feet & have to be cut out with a razor blade, ouch!), Mosquito's, Head lice (but we keep their head shaved to stop this). A nuisance but no danger, are huge seasonal Frogs & Rats, and other 'things' at different times of the year.

All children have two changes of clothes, they have clean clothes after their evening shower, & coconut oil smoothed over their shaved heads which makes them smell delicious!

The daily routine;-

5.30am...Shower & breakfast. 6.00am...walk to school for 7.0am. 12.00...return home for lunch. "2.00pm...the older ones return to school, the younger remain for additional teaching from Matron Jennifer & or Lucy (Deputy) 4.30-5.00....Showers. 5.30-6.00....Meal then playtime-bed..

Saturday...cleaning around their beds & compound, washing up at the well (the older ones). & playtime. sat pm...they all walk to the local church area where they mix with the village children & have playtime. Sun...Walk to church for 9.00am for Sunday School till 10.00, they then join the adults in church till 2.00pm...walk back to Rainbow for lunch and playtime....

There is so much fun and laughter, they have grown into a very happy family, of course there are normal kids problems, but the staff are well able to deal with them. We have a total of 15 staff, 5 members 'live in', the other work 6-2 & 2-9 shifts, & we have a night watchman on duty.

All the children speak 'Giriama' which is the local dialect, they also now speak English (or are learning) and also Swaheli, which is the national Language of Kenya...

Now that our older children are at school, it enables us to invite free of charge about 15 children from outside Rainbow, in the village to an education as Nursery Standard, which would never have happened if Rainbow wasn't there, so we are serving the local community, also of couse, giving employment to 11 local people.

We have had many visitors, 3 lads arrived last year from Guildford, they spent 3 weeks digging a much needed well, (which the children also use for washing up the dishes), this then saves on some of the water bill. Anne Stone a teacher from Gosden House in Bramley has spent two weeks, two years running teaching the children in August, and whilst I was there in Sept another two girls, one of them from Guildford came for a week and they painted the boys dorm. & tidied & logged all the clothes in the store cupboard...

FUNDING & LONG TERM NEEDS FOR RAINBOW HOUSE

1) Building in 2 stages, approx cost £4.000....

Stage 1... To convert an existing small house in the corner of the compound into a suitable office for Lynda/room for sleeping visitors to stay in, or for Lynda in an emergency. A shower & toilet to be added and additional windows put in for 'air', a verander to the front for shade & a fence of Bougainvillea planted around for privacy.

Stage 2...Building Male/Female shower/toilet facilities for staff and day visitors, near the staff quarters. The staff and any visitors use the older children's toilet/showers, at the moment. We know the Kenyan authorities will require us to build this soon anyway.

2) Pick up Truck, approx cost £5.500-£6.000..
Originally we wanted a mini bus, but we now believe a pick up would have greater use, the children would still go in it as families in that area use them all the time, but we would also be able to use it to purchase provisions, eg, sacks of ugali/rice/charcoal, when needed. We have no transport at the present time, only Lynda's own car. Rainbow need to be more self-sufficient!

3) A Bicycle, approx cost £35...
This can be invaluable for the staff to collect small items instead of walking the mile to the local shops. I also think we can teach the older children bicycle repair....which will be useful for them as they grow up.. Bicycle's are used all the time

4) Power, approx £9.000, (but we think more likely to now be £12.000).
( the quote we had was early 08 and prices have risen much, and it was only a quote!..) Rainbow has no power, we use paraffin lamps, and on occasions a generator, but that costs a lot to run it ... The main electricity cable has to run the mile from the main road first.

5) We have space for 4 more children, but not enough monthly income to feed the children at the moment.
It costs approx £4.00 per day per child (all incl.) to live at Rainbow.