Well I'm back! We are not supposed to do threads about threads, so I haven't started another one.
But for those of you who asked to know how I got on, here is a relevant excerpt from the blog I wrote about our travels, which included being charged by an elephant and stroking a cheetah! If you would like to read the blog, then for a guarantee of confidentiality I will send you the link if you DM me, so you can see the pictures.
"We had a phone call to our hotel room in Kisumu at 8.20 am to say that a project director, was waiting for us. We tried to take everything we had collected for my girl (I'll call her J) and her daughter down in one go, but it was impossible as we had been given so much, so after introducing ourselves, DH went back for the rest.
I was sadly disappointed to see that J wasn't with the director, as we had been told it had been agreed by the the UK Office, so that we could go shopping together. It turned out that she had never met J, she was from another area, so perhaps a breakdown in communication somewhere.
We set off through the traffic, into the poorer areas of Kisumu, a bit of an eye opener for DH who has never been to Kenya before. The Director was taking calls, as we were half an hour late by now, and the project staff must be wondering when we were going to arrive.
The car bounced over the rough, pressed rubble roads, weaving amongst other cars, people, tuk-tuks, cattle and goats. Eventually I spotted a sign for 'Deliverance Church', the school when Jecinter goes on Saturdays for extra education, including on health and life skills. The peeling iron metal gates were opened and in we went, parking in the middle of a field. Around it were low huts with corrugated iron roofs and cut outs for windows and doors.
I had no sooner got out of the car that I was enveloped in a bear hug, J had found me!
We were encouraged to sit in the school's office and introductions were made all round.
We learned that the school had 313 pupils during the week, but that hardly any of them were sponsored. On Saturdays the Project staff took over, bringing in local children, adding to their education including health care and religious education, though no pressure is put on a child regarding their faith.
We were shown into the Board Room, with a table laid out with plain cakes (exceedingly dry) and offered tea or coffee and soft drinks. I asked for the laptop I had bought J to be brought in, and I opened the bag and showed her how to set it up.
I also produced a mobile phone from the pocket of the bag, and this resulted in a gasp of delight and another bear hug! She seemed to know how to use that straight away, telling me that her friends had phones and communicated wtih each other through WhatsApp. She seemed very surprised that this 70 year old woman from thousands of miles away was on WhatsApp too! The staff then also informed us that we would be planting a tree each, what an honour!
A tour of the school followed, the children are lively, happy, friendly, and very curious about these strange white people in their field.
Behind the huts was a fence with two holes dug just in front of it, and 30' apart. We were presented with our trees, little spindly everygreens, and set about planting them and watering them with gusto. In true royal fashion we were debating about who had done the best planting, I am sure mine was straighter than DH's!
Now it was time to set off for J's school and house, We were about to go when J was called out of the car to speak to the staff. I could tell by her drooping shoulders that she was not happy. It seems that the project health director and accountant were away in Mombasa, not expected back before Friday. The staff felt they needed to see the laptop and phone before Jecinter could have them. This was a bitter blow for her. It was explained to me that because of safeguarding they need to make sure everything was okay, and they assured me that she would get it back. On reflection I could understand their concern, it is possible I was handing over a laptop with unsuitable images on it or something, although from the look of me it was hardly likely, but I supposed rules are rules. The laptop and phone were locked in the office, and the cars set off for J's own school.
I was shown J's class, many students crammed into small desks with no room to walk between.
Her school has been growing, and they have run out of space, there are 60 in her class. It would have been more crowded, but about a dozen of them were away at a physics lesson. We looked in on that one too, as her form teacher was taking it, and she wanted me to meet him. Here I made a cardinal error, commenting that there didn't seem to be any girls in the class. The teacher patiently pointed out that there were five! It is just that they all have extremely short hair and are dressed alike, above the waist at least!
The visit was brief, time was running short, back in the cars we went to visit J's house. The road got even bumpier, how J manages to cycle along these roads is beyond me, but she assures me she gets good use out of the bicycle I bought her a year ago.
We pulled up in the middle of the road and everyone piled out. I received another hug from J's mama, you can certainly see the resemblance between them. Their house has mud and dung walls and corrugated iron roof, with mud floor. It was little bigger than a bathroom in the UK. The loo is a separate shed a little apart. Inside is the one bed that they sleep on, and extra plastic chairs had been borrowed so we could all sit inside. There was a small coffee table with a very browned lace cover on, and a sofa, but that was about it. I assume their kitchen area was a small curtained off area to the left of the doorway (no door).
I was incredibly cheered to see that there was a single light bulb in the ceiling, they told me it was linked to a solar panel on the roof. Obviously not enough to power a laptop, but I have been assured there is a neighbouring house with electricity that she can use.
We all went out and brought in the bags of clothes, books, shoes, toys etc that we had brought, and showed the family some of them. Her little daughter was very taken with a pair of trainers that had belonged to one of our grandchildren, and it took her only seconds to work out that if you banged them together, little lights flashed in the toes!
J carefully untied the green string from the box and showed her mama the food etc that we had bought in the morning. I also took out the soft green scarf that I had brought and draped it round mama's shoulders, to wide grins all round.
The family were embarrassingly keen to express their gratitude for J's sponsorship, the project staff telling me that without it, she would not have gone to school at all. In turn I thanked mama, through a translator, for looking after her little girl so that J could continue her schooling.
As the cars bounced and rolled their way back, no-one was talking at all. I think we were all tired in the heat, but more than that, emotionally wrung out, after all I would not see or talk to my sponsored child after today, it really was hello and goodbye in one go.
Going back into the office, I was distressed to see J weeping. Goodbyes are never easy, and it was hard for both of us, but I encouraged her to keep in touch and let me know how her exams went. However having given her the laptop, I am hoping we can support each other through email, once she gets her laptop back."
I hope that gives you an idea of our emotional journey? 
