I answered an email request to host some children




Daniel, age 10, and Randu, age 11, from Mombasa, Kenya are staying with us for two nights. They are here with an African Children's Choir and have left their families for three months to tour the UK and America. We were delighted to share with them their first day in America.
-----> BREAKFAST: waffle no butter or syrup, scrambled eggs, hot chocolate, pork and beans, and hot dog bun {they really wanted white bread, so that is what we gave them}
-----> ENTERTAINMENT: Elliot and Aaron's neighborhood choir rehearsal, Elliot and Aaron's neighborhood play performance, riding bikes in the street, Prince Caspian at "the cinema" {for Randu only. Daniel was too frightened by it so he and Norah and I dabbled in Speedracer on the next screen over, pretended we had money for the video games, and walked to Shopko where we had a great time getting to know each other}, Wii bowling, ice cream at the Creamery, and being adoringly attacked by Norah
-----> CHALLENGES: there were none because these boys are fantastically polite, but poor Daniel kept falling asleep, so I taught him a new word--"jetlag"

Daniel told us Americans are very rich {this is true} and that our house was too big for only six people. I wanted to let them use my cheap international phone card to call home, but their parents do not have telephones. Nor electricity. They do not seem envious of the material things we have, though. I've been on a kick lately that I have too much crap and am going to stop buying things and start reducing. Daniel and Randu have unknowingly encouraged that kick.

These boys are darling and we've all really enjoyed having them here. I wish they could stay for much longer. I do love Africa so.

Comments

Stephanie said…
My husband says I have to say FIRST, because that is what all his cool programmer friends do when they are the first to post. So, FIRST!

Holy Cow, how cool to have them come and stay with you. They are beautiful. I am with you on the having too much. I feel like I can never give away enough. My mom has a quote hanging in her kitchen that says something like... Wanting less is better than having more.
July 30, 2008 10:24 PM
Anonymous said…
You are so giving to have the boys in your home. It will be a wonderful memory for your own kids. AG
July 30, 2008 10:56 PM
Sarah said…
What a good experience for all. How did you get on that list?
July 31, 2008 9:26 AM
Sarah said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
July 31, 2008 9:26 AM
The Fish Family said…
what a neat experience to host those children!

Your little girl is growing SO fast!
July 31, 2008 2:59 PM
Jord said…
Agreed Emily, what a neat experience for all of you. And I love their honesty about your house being too big for just 6 of you. We do have an excess in every way.
July 31, 2008 3:48 PM
Anonymous said…
I echo...great experience. And, they were beautiful! Are you familiar with freecycle.org? If not, I recomment it to you....A great way to get rid of things you will not use, and it keeps the items out of landfills, etc. We use it often and have enjoyed the giving and receiving. My daughter, Malia, loves finding things in her closet she no longer needs and says, "Mommy, let's freecycle it." :)Rochelle
August 03, 2008 9:45 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Another taboo topic: money

I don't have a lot of real visible or artistic talents, but one talent that has served me well is an ability to manage and organize money well. A few of my sisters-in-law have asked me how I do the family budget, so this is a straight up accounting of how I do the accounting. When we get a paycheck: 10% tithing right off the top Then, with the remainder (net minus tithing), I divy it up into percentages and put money into different "funds" -- that I keep track of in the back of my paycheck because I'm old school like that. Mortgage: I figure out the percentage it will take to cover my mortgage. Usually 29-30%. I think this percentage needs to stay under 35% of take-home after tithing. Baby steps: 20% goes to meeting financial goals a la Dave Ramsey's baby steps. This means that you focus on one thing at a time, leaving the rest so that your money is not so thinly spread and you can make visible progress. This presupposes that one has abandoned using credit, and i...
Read more

Two things

Image
First and foremost, happy birthday to my wonderful mom! I honestly don't know anyone more generous, giving or good with people. I like to think of myself as being generous, giving and good with people, but I've got nothing on her . She schools me, bigtime. Some of the unique things that make my mom my mom: She loves my children absolutely, which is a joy and a comfort to me. When she is around, they prefer her to me. She would rather be with her grandchildren than out with the adults, but does not relax when they are around. It's constant counting heads, making snowcones, taking off too-warm clothing, changing diapers, getting drinks. It's exhausting, and she's good at it. And she loves it. (I'm pretty sure.) She hates flying, but flies all over the place, because travel and culture and enriching experiences and seeing family trump her fears every time. She also hates bridges. And swimming. And confrontation. And cooking. And bad grammar. And dopey people. And a...
Read more