An interesting day

Today was an interesting day.  Not one that I'd care to repeat, but very interesting.

My view for a few hours... vehicles jumping median on right are trying to return to the (proper) left side... later we went from three ... make that six (from "overlapping" drivers) lanes to one.  The sign was to promote peace during the recent election.

What made it interesting?

• 6 different stops in my morning - Mass with Archdiocese Staff, Weekly update meeting, Swing by a school for a signature on a letter, Pay school fees for student at bank, Buy school badges at local uniform shop, and Pick up school supplies at stationery shop.  8:30-10:30 am - pretty productive morning
• Drive to Changamwe - 5 miles - to meet three students who are waiting for the $200 of school books that I bought on Friday evening (since they brought their invitation letters with the requirements to our office on Friday) for them to enter high school TODAY ...  Let's say this is where things got really interesting and hot.
• Curt, my fellow missioner, had warned me that there was a "jam" since a lorry (semi-trailer) had jack-knifed and was blocking both lanes of traffic off the Mombasa island to Changamwe.  He thought things were clearing, as they were allowing cars to drive on the wrong side of the highway to pass the accident.
• The next two hours I spent inching forward, sitting, sweating, commiserating, ignoring (the not-so-courteous drivers or passer-bys), pondering, should I mention sweating again? and observing the chaos of the matatus (mini-buses), motorbikes & occasionally private vehicles that would add extra lanes on both sides.
• Let's say I was VERY GRATEFUL for the last minute decision to throw a savored granola bar in my bag and that I had earlier forgotten to check my car's slowly-leaking radiator's water level so I bought an extra liter of water and then found out it wasn't needed (yay! since I would need it to prevent another overheating - of yours truly).
• After I passed the amazing sight of TWO trucks on their side one on top of the other... I pulled to the top of the hill, just about to enter the final round-about into Changamwe ... but I was stopped again.  Behind a large truck. And there I waited for another 2 hours.  The people behind me backed up and drove the wrong way on the adjacent roundabout, something I was not willing to do.  I'm losing my courage... or maintaining sanity, not sure which one best applies.  This time I was waiting for the Prime Minister, who is contesting his announced defeat in the recent presidential election, to pass by. 

The crane, which came to lift the truck off its side, also capsized

24 hours later... crane still sitting on top of the truck it came to rescue.

After waiting 5 hours for me to come with her books, Faith's ready.

The highlight of all of this was finally arriving in Changamwe and handing off to three young people what they needed to start the next phase of their life!  What these kids have gone through puts my tale of traffic woe in perspective.  It continues to be an honor me to support and challenge these young people to reach their potential.

During Christmas break, Collins made enough money to buy his own vest.

The highlight of Tuesday - Joseph off to school!