Kirsten's Updates about the H.C.C. in Kenya

Sophie sent these phtos to me a couple of days ago. The little girl is Neema, who had terrible scabies on her head and was very sickly and thin when we visited in August. With money that I brought from donors she has had several visits to the doctor and her health has improved considerably. The toilet building (pictured here) now has a roof but I'm not sure that the toilets are useable yet. Last week a child was responding to the call of nature in the bushes and was bitten by a snake. He was hospitalized but is recovering. The photo of the people with the umbrellas are the H.C.C. teachers who are using the umbrellas that Miles bought them in August when it was raining so much. They have a very long walk to and from the school/building site each day and were very grateful for the umbrellas. I have still not heard if the Ministry of Education has come to visit but perhaps we will hear more this week.

On a sad note another child died a couple of weeks ago. I understand that the child was HIV positive and died of complications due to AIDS. He was 14 and one of the card receiptants. Another child died in May of malaria which is rampant in the area. Life is much more tenuous in Kenya and between accidents and illness death is far more common amongst the young than it is in the U.S. Every one is grieving and very saddened by these two deaths and it just underlines the need for basic healthcare, shelter and nutrition for all the children.