Monday, January 19, 2009

Sunday- a day off

An extra Hour sleep in for an 8 o'clock breakfast provided by our cook- hired for us by CACHA and the Sisters here. 
We get a choice of eggs , and toast and peanut butter (local pb) and a great instant coffee.
Mass was to be at  10:30, but was well under way when we arrived. There were about 1100 people in the church, about 3/4 children.
The Catholic parish sponsors the hospital,   and some of the schools, while CACHA runs support program for the people with aids and the orphans.
Everyone was dressed in their Sunday best, naturally, with a joyful noise rising up.
One parishioner was wearing a Chanel headscarf, while her friend had a beautiful plum motif kanga (robe, dress,with scarf). The kids were best of all- lots of young kids taking care of younger siblings, and we had fun with the camera after the service- all the youngsters want their photo taken.
We noted that the adults mostly did NOT want theirs taken, even when we politely asked. In the market, this reluctance went away with the offer of a mall payment. Even in our compound, we found a chill when we brought out our cameras. One of the Sisters explained that the visitors come and take hundreds of photos, but the people here never see them.  I saw one chap on a shiny Chinese motorcycle and we chatted for a few minutes.- Even though he was proud as punch of his 'bike, he refused a photo until we promised to mail him a copy- snail mail.
Sunday noon we ate at a hotel about 1/2 an hour away by dalla dalla- a mini bus with about 20 people in it- and visited the local Chagga (local people) museum, took a hike down a gorge to a terrific waterfall, and sat around the pool.


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