Friday, December 01, 2006

10/4 – No More Matatus

We were feeling a little tired this morning and decided to take a personal taxi over a matatu. We were pretty confident they would be crowed and didn’t want to deal with the hassle. This turned out to be a very good decision on our part. Further up the road – about five minutes from our home, on the same route we travel – we came across a matatu that had been hijacked a few minutes earlier. We totally could have been on that matatu. The hijackers had robbed the people abroad but were shot point blank as they left the cab. Their bullet ridden bloody bodies were strewn up beside the ditch for all to see.

We found out later that matatus get hijacked frequently the first few days of the month because that is when everyone gets paid. It would have been nice to have known that earlier. We made a pact not to ride them as much anymore. They are cheaper than cabs but not cheap enough to risk my life over.

Next stop was over to the school to double check the contracts and see that they had started ripped down the buildings on the land that was bought with the donated money. The tiny houses on either side were totally demolished but the actual school was still standing. We took some photos in front of it.

Then we went off to buy supplies. We bought so much that we couldn’t fit it all in the cab and it had to be stored at Lucy’s friends house in the city until later. It’s amazing what you can buy here with even a little amount of money. I’m really starting to see the difference we are making and it feels great!

There wasn’t any electricity in our home when we got back so we went on a walk to use the Internet. It is times like this I wish I had a laptop. Looks like I have something to ask Santa for!

This evening I was really homesick. I missed Jeremy so much I cried myself to sleep. I really wish that he could have come on this adventure. I learned a lot about myself already, and look forward to sharing some of my thoughts with him when I return. I tried to call him on my cell but he wasn’t there. Jeremy, where are you? I miss you!

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