Sunday, July 4th -- Independence Day!

"All you have to do is to pay attention: lessons always arrive when you are ready, and if you can read the signs, you will learn everything you need to know in order to take the next step."

Today was not my typical 4th of July celebration that I usually have with my extended family in Sag Harbor barbecuing, eating lobster, watching the fireworks at the beach, and thoroughly enjoying each others company. Being away from important events makes me realize how much they mean to me. I guess absence does in fact make the heart grow fonder. I went to 7:30 am mass at the school. Julia and I are putting together a slide show with a soundtrack for Saturday of all of our pictures and video clips for everyone at Our Lady of Grace to watch. Sister Mary showed us a slide show that she made of the safari she went on in 2007. Watching the amazing video clips of all the animals she saw made me very excited for our safari. Its starting to hit me how little time we have left in Kisumu -- 7 days.

The boys built a fire pit out of bricks and mud behind the convent. This can be used to grill food for the kitchen in the school and also for the sisters. It was a great Saturday project because they were able to work together as a team and now they will be able to enjoy the results of their service.

I noticed that there is a tiny house behind the convent that a young couple lives in. I asked Sister Mary who lives there and she brought us right over to introduce us to Kristen. Kristen just had baby twins! 2 boys - Kevin and Calvin. They are 1 week and 4 days old. She graciously welcomed us into her home and shared her bundles of joy with us. She first gave me Calvin and then Kevin. They were the two tiniest babies I have ever held because they were both only 4 pounds when born since they were born at 7 months. Luckily, she was able to give birth naturally. Sister, who used to be an emergency room nurse at Penn State, was giving Kristen advice as a first time mother. At the hospitals here, the mothers and babies are not kept there very long. The babies are still both very, very tiny. They looked like two little angels (one with straight hair and one with curly hair) wrapped in a pretty purple printed cloth. The humble one room home they have is separated into two rooms by a white sheet. Their home looks like a shed to store tools in. She was so happy that we were able to take her first picture with her babies. Holding the two of the babies, one in each arm, who were peacefully sleeping was the most peaceful and serene feeling I have had since being here. I hope to come back to see Kristen and the babies this week.

Sister Elizabeth from the Mount Kilimanjaro area and Father Martin from Nairobi came to spend 2 nights in Kisumu. Julia and I arrived back at the house with Father Martin at 8:00 pm after dinner was over. The three of us ate together. I really enjoyed getting to know Father Martin better. Father Stephen surprised Julia and I and bought vanilla ice cream and Tuskys (Kenya's beer) to celebrate the 4th of July! He generously also gave us t-shirts from Maseno University.