JULY 19, 2013 UPDATE

I am embarrassed; my apologies for the long delay in updating this Blog. I probably had the time to do it the 5 weeks that school was closed on June, but now that it is open and Vikki is on home leave, all hell has broken loose. Somehow I kinda like it, cause there is plenty of work and never enough time. I never have to watch the clock, except to see how late I am for something.

Yesterday I spent 4 hours on data entry at the HIV center (CTC), putting in the statistics for 84 children under 15 yrs that came in on Wednesday. That is so sad to even think about 3 and 4 yrs old kids and young teenagers with AIDS from their mother; as if they did not have enough hardship with the constant threat of malaria and other common diseases of this poverty ridden area. And most of the mothers probably got it from the bad conduct of their husbands. What a culture. I think we have a lot to learn from them on how to handle adversity. How they can stand in a line at the bank for 2 hours to make a deposit for school fees to a distant relative is beyond me.

Speaking of bank deposits. When school opened (2^nd term) I had 450 girls with cash for pocket money and deposit slips to handle in 5 hours (2pm to 7pm). Since then we have been going thru the bank statement to confirm that they are all real deposits and getting them deducted from their school fee debt. Most only pay 50% every 2 months. Thank God I have a new sister, just off the boat from India, helping me. We have to issue the new debt list next week and file the 6 month report for income taxes and make salary deposits (40 employee), so it will be another crazy week.

Our new generator (15 kw) is due to arrive next week from Nairobi and I cannot pay for it until one of our new sisters becomes a signatory on our account. The new convent construction is coming along but we have another 3 weeks of hard work. Of course I have to be available to supply cash for supplies and salaries at the end of each week. Today was payday for 25 workers, plus a few at the school. I picked up 60 boxes of cookies on the way to the bank and then stopped at the electric company to pay the hospital, school and mission bills (about 80 of them). Then I had to get cash for Fr Conard and talk to the bank manager on how to transfer 23 million shillings to a bank in Mwanza for our new generator.  We hoped to pick up the 6 windows being fabricated for the convent but they were not ready. We I got back I had to take pictures and print passport pictures for 26 seniors so they can get their certificates tomorrow for the environmental club.

I hope this finds you all well and enjoying an active life.

Tom in Kowak