In England...

Lots of apologies for the length of time between this post and the last. It has been a bit of a rollercoaster ride! We were very busy finishing of school and work in Kenya, and preparing ourselves, house and belongings to return to the UK for four months. We flew back on the 5th April (courtesy of Virgin Atlantic - Libby even got a marginal upgrade and a bottle of champagne, as her TV screen wasn't working!) and have been trying to settle in since then.

 We were shocked by how cold it is! I don't know how people live here all the time! I guess we have got used to being warm most of the time, but we were also expecting it to be reasonably warm - as it is Spring after all! However, we were sorely disappointed in that regard. I guess we should have expected the rain - April showers and all that.

I have almost got my 'remote office' up and running. It was all going reasonably well until I got virused this week :( I had to run various anti-malware and had to do a system restore. I got everything back, but for some reason Skype will not longer run on my computer :( When trying to operate remotely to Kenya, this is a bit of a problem :( So I am running all my other work stuff on my work computer, with our personal laptop on one side for Skype...if anyone has any clever ideas as to how to mend Skype after being attacked by the S.M.A.R.T. HDD virus, please let me know...

Libby and her mum have been hard at work trying to educate the kids - we have decided to home school them, as we felt that 'new school' trauma on top of 'new country, new house, new baby' trauma would probably be a bit too much. This has mostly been going OK, although Caleb has differing views to his mother about how much work per day is appropriate. Caleb seems to be struggling most with all of the transitions, and is coping by being more difficult than usual. Please pray for us in this regard, as it is difficult to know how hard to be on him when has so much change to cope with.

Libby has managed to get herself back into the UK health system. She celebrated yesterday by spending 4 hours in the Royal Berks Hospital waiting for a prescription...She has been diagnosed with obstetric cholestasis (the condition she suffered from during pregnancy with both Bethany and Caleb) which means she will need to be on drugs to control her liver function, and probably at least weekly blood tests. However, it seems the policy on early delivery for sufferers has now changed, so the likelihood is that she will have to hang on until 39 weeks, rather than a couple of weeks earlier - which is what we were expecting.

We have managed to purchase a Vauxhall Zafira for our time in the UK - this seemed to be the easiest and cheapest option (it is not so easy to transport what will be 6 people around any other way!) Unfortunately the vehicle had certain repairs that needed doing - and still do...After a week of waiting for the parts to arrive I just went and collected the car, with a promise from the dealer that he will ring me when the parts come in. I hope they do!

Because of Libby's condition we are not planning to do a lot of travelling, but if anyone wants to visit please do get in touch! It would nice to see as many people as possible while we are around for such a long time!

Until the baby comes, it is unlikely that we will have much interesting news. Please don't be too disappointed if the blog continues to be a bit quiet for the next couple of months...

Daniel finally writes a blog... (but Libby chooses the title)

Hello All

As Libby has pointed out, it's been a while since I have contributed to the blog. This is partly because life has been a bit manic, and partly because, despite the manicness, there has not been a lot going on that is worthy of publication. Work has been very busy with all the additional flying towards the end of last year as a result of our assistance with the famine relief effort (which continues). In addition we are still working on building our capacity in Juba so that we can increase the flying in South Sudan more efficiently. At the moment we have Nairobi-based pilots rotating through Juba on a weekly basis, and several rotating short-term staff helping out with operations and administration. We are hoping that in time we will have a full complement of staff and the accommodations and infrastructure to support them. All means lots of work...

In addition I am trying to get ahead of myself at work, and trying to set things up so I can work remotely. This is because we will be returning to the UK for 4 months at the beginning of April. Number four is due at the end of June, and given Libby's history with pregnancies and births we have decided it is prudent to not test the Kenyan medical facilities to their limits... :)

So we will be in the UK for the longest we have been since 2006 - which should be an interesting experience! It willl be interesting to see how the kids (and us) adapt to 'normal' UK life, albeit for a short period. Although we will probably not be up for a great deal of travelling we hope to catch up with as many of you as possible. We would be grateful for prayer for all the logistics of packing up here; travelling to the UK, and setting up a short-term life in the UK!

Incidentally, this is our 600th blog post since we started way back in 2005 - and according to our statistics we are just short of 10,000 page views - thank you all for your continued attention and support, especially in the times when we are short of inspiration!

Classic Caleb, age 7

I love the conversations I have with Caleb.

Yesterday before bed.

Caleb: “ Mummy, do you know the difference between Ninjas and spies?”

Caleb: Mummy, do you know how to draw a Ninja? Would you like me to show you?

This morning at 6:30am Caleb climbs into bed with me. Being such a nice little boy, you would think that he would say, "good morning mummy, how are you". Alas, all pleasantries ignored he cuts straight to the chase,

Caleb: "Mummy, why haven't I ever held a chicken head skeleton?".

Me: (Thinking) Good morning to you to Caleb.

Me: I’m not quite sure, you just haven’t. (failed again as a mother)

Caleb: "Mummy"

Me: Yes Caleb"

Caleb: “Can I take a chicken head to school today for show and tell?”

Me: “ No Caleb, I don’t have any chicken heads, how about you take your alien instead?”

Caleb: “Mummy”

Me: “Yes Caleb”

Caleb: “What I would really like is to hold a chicken without its head on and see what it does”.

Me: “It won’t do anything, it will be dead”

Caleb: “Yes but chickens sometimes move a bit after their heads are cut off”


Caleb wonders off to go and see if he can annoy Bethany.

A bit later.

Caleb: “Mummy”

Me: “Yes Caleb”

Caleb: “ Why are the Somalis trying to blow me up?

He reminds me of Calvin as in Calvin and Hobbes.

A muddy afternoon

How else would you spend a Sunday afternoon!!

Birthday Boy

Well the Star Wars party is over. Thank goodness for the beautiful African sunshine and a lovely garden in which to entertain 12 energetic children. And thank you Lord for a great husband who designed a fantastic Jedi obstacle course and was happy to have over 100 water balloons thrown at him by small enthusistic Star Wars fans. Just for interests sake, my 3 children aside,the nationalities of the children were, Canadian, American, French, Russian, Finish, Scottish and Indian and 1 Israeli who was unable to come.

After the party there was what sounded like a big explosion. No idea what it was, so it was either a terrorist attack or another car driving into a transformer. For those of you who are interested, the bollards outside our house have been crashed into again and replaced, I think that is the third time in almost as many weeks.

Bethany went on a 3 day camping trip this week with school, which I think she enjoyed, but her mother didn't. I said goodbye to her on Wednesday morning as they loaded all the luggage onto the roof-rack of the bus together with all the food and supplies they might need. The cooks had gone on ahead in another bus. I don't find it easy to send my children on trips across Kenya to places I don't know and with people I don't really know. Still she saw mount Kenya, had a monkey jump on her arm, roasted marsh mellows around a camp fire and came back safe and sound. I am sure it was a good experience for her. Joshua has a trip to Mombassa in a few weeks which he is very excited about. I am not so thrilled, but you have to let them grow up!! I am sure they would not have such exciting trips if they went to school in England.

Caleb is currently planning what sort of job he will do when he grows up that will enable him to earn enough money to have a swimming pool. The current plan is to be a vet. He is not impressed by the fact that we do not have a swimming pool. Joshua and Bethany have managed to make friends with people who do, (good move I think). Despite the fact that according to Caleb he has over 200 friends (this may be true), none of these friends have a pool. Choose your friends carefully I say!!!

Currently not enjoying...


As usual the traffic. Calm and composed I should be, but most of the time I drive around yelling at other drivers, (with the windows shut I hastened to add) and honking my horn.

Waking up in the night to gun shots and car crashes. There have been quite a few car crashes outside our house recently, often in the night and sometimes combined with gunshots. The new bollards outside the house have been destroyed for the second time since they were put in a few weeks ago. At least they stop people crashing through our wall!!

The potential of a rat invasion. There are rats on the compound, big ones with bodies around 15cm long, or maybe rats are just that big. Our neighbour had them in her kitchen running around and eating things. So far we have escaped that and I have only seen one in the garden that the dog killed. We were warned that there can be rats in the house so I will be on the look out!!

The security situation which remains. Most people generally avoid crowded areas, and the big shopping centres. However Bethany managed to lose her gum shield this week, so I had no choice but to go to one of the so called banned shopping centres to get one. "If you don't mummy, I won't be allowed to play hockey and will have to spend the lesson running round the field"! Yes sure Bethany I am happy to risk a potential terrorist attack to buy you a gum shield".

Currently enjoying...

The weather which is fantastic. Sunny, 27-29 degrees C everyday.


Currently watching...

Downton Abbey.

Strangely feel like I understand a lot more about life in this period having someone who works in my house for me. I also find myself looking at the type of candlesticks they use as we are often use candles when the power is out. Wine bottles seem to work the best.

Currently reading... Well I have just finished the White Masai, very interesting, particularly to anyone who has ever live in Africa. It's quite old now, but about a Swiss girl who marries a Masai and lives with him and his family in Kenya.

Currently working on projects...

Planning Caleb's Star Wars party. Just the challenge I love, especially when there are no star wars party things to be had in Kenya. Still, having been made to watch all the Star Wars films 1-6, (actually I think I managed to escape 5)I have a much better idea of what I am supposed to be doing. All I can say is thank goodness for the Internet. Whatever did people do without it.

Currently wishing for...

Star Wars party stuff, that my cooker will be fixed today so I can cook dinner and on a more serious note, peace in Kenya.

Guest Blog #8 Phil (Pop)

In the middle of our 'chilling out' in this warm urban haven, we had an opportunity to join Daniel and Libby and family at a Missionary Conference at Brackenhurst near here. Gate crashers we are. (Yoda speak - verb at the end - sorry, we get a lot of Star Wars here). A lovely time with some lovely people, some having travelled for 2 days to get here.
It was actually cold at times (high) which seems an anomaly at the equator! But a lovely spot. You might recognise a few faces here.


We went on a walk through a tea plantation - lush, green.

Back at the MAF 'ranch' we chilled in the sun, visited the various magnificent shopping centres replete with goodies, coffee shops (with cake), and security guards using oversized dentists mirrors to check for bombs under the car. Did some sights, too many to mention here. Had a run in with a local bank whose cash machine gobbled up my purchased 20,000 kenyan shillings before I could get them in my bag. I am still short of the £160 and waiting for payback which they assured me on three visits will arrive! Local expatriates (Simkins ones) are very chilled out about it. They are confident it will come.



We did another gate-crash onto a MAF flight heading for Dadaab with some aid workers who seemed to be visiting to better engineer the latrines. The refugee camps look very tidy from the air, we were not able to get any closer. It felt a bit voyeuristic, but hopefully we will be able to subsidise a future flight.



Lots of wild life. No need to go to the safari parks for these:-












and..


Also managed an engineering project with Joshua - construction of this chopper:-


Which reminds me how I was green with envy at all the motor bike riders in this balmy weather (except for traffic).

Anyway, must sign off now as up early for onward trip to Ethiopia.

Guest Blog #7 Viv (Grandma)

Pop and I have been house guests here since Boxing Day (or the day after Christmas for non-Brits)and a thoroughly interesting time we are having, too. This is my first visit to Kenya, Pop's second if you include the hair-raising journey he had last year driving the car from Tanzania.
The house occupied by the Nairobi Simkins reminds me partly of my childhood home, a bungalow in a large garden plus black dog, and partly of our Reading house on Wokingham Rd, for the quantity of noisy traffic that passes. The setting seems pretty idyllic and I have never enjoyed hanging washing out so much, watching the birds in the soaring tree above! On the other hand, the rolls of barbed wire atop the wall, the two sets of gates before the road, the guard at the entrance, the doors locked, chained and barred, all remind you this is not quite paradise. This weekend we have been warned it is not a good idea to visit tourist places or crowded shopping malls as there is a terrorist threat.
But we have had some outings. Even being brave enough to drive the small car ourselves into the maelstrom that is Nairobi traffic, but not as brave as Daniel when it comes to negotiating unbelievably potholed dirt roads. One outing was on Saturday (before the warning) when we went into the centre of Nairobi (not Libby's favourite place so only the three of us went). We treated ourselves to a drink at Nairobi's equivalent of the Savoy and one of few remaining old buildings, the Norfolk Hotel. Ordering coffee would have been OK but I had the temerity to ask for a chocolate croissant and six arrived. The bill was such that although we only ate two, we asked for a doggy bag for the remainder and had the gall to ask for the four little pots of jam to be added too. The waiter was momentarily nonplussed, but had the grace to jokingly decline including the plate!
My private mission (bee in the bonnet, says Daniel) has been to find a library for Libby the bookworm. Surely there must be one somewhere near.. We did find a mausoleum of a vintage one in the centre of the city with coloured paper jackets on the books, fifties-style, plus layers of dust. But not quite the ticket.
The weather for us Brits is wonderful. Most days have been warm, but when there are shady trees, and we aren't stuck in traffic, that's not a problem. We have spent time outside as much as possible, and can't quite understand when little people prefer to watch a DVD inside. But then it isn't such a treat for them as it is for us, and to do them justice, they spend a lot of time on the trampoline using up that wonderful little people energy. Tomorrow they are back to school with varying degrees of enthusiasm.
Also on Saturday we went to the MAF BBQ a few paces away, and met others on the team, a very pleasant bunch.It's nice to know the family have these folks around them.

Update on the Christmas tree

Hot weather does not make me feel Christmassy, but I sure do like waking up to bright sunshine every morning. It is very cheering. Well the hunt for a Christmas tree is over. On Thursday we prayed (not exactly sure about praying for a Christmas tree!!) and then went to one last store where we found 1 wonderfully plastic, slightly lopsided tree that the kids thought was great. In their opinion this is infinitely better than decorating the exercise bike (Daniel’s suggestion), buying a banana leaf baobab tree (my suggestion, and actually looks really nice decorated, but according to Joshua is not authentic) or any other real species of tree that isn’t really a Christmas tree. The good news is that the lights still work, even after two years in a box, so we now have a fully flashing Christmas tree.

Christmas frivolities aside it was quite a sad week. MAF medevac’d a pastor from Dodoma to Nairobi for an operation, but he died and had to be flown back in a body bag. Also a 4 month old baby that had been medevac’d from Dar (son of two teachers at the international school there) also died after being on dialysis for a few days. It was very sad because the baby had survived the medevac which was thought unlikely and had been doing quite well in hospital. The third thing that happened was that a Dutch medical student was medevac’d from Kampala after been dragged under a lorry. She has broken her pelvis in 4 places and is waiting to be medevaced to the Netherlands for further treatment. I have now discovered that our medical cover entitles us to be medevac’d by Lear jet back to Europe. Quite fancy the shorter trip by Lear jet, but am not sure that I want to be in a situation where I need to be medevac’d.The final thing was that the gardeners brother was killed by a hit and run driver in Nairobi.
Anyway, if you remember please pray for these situations.

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree

Sorry to anybody who has e-mailed recently and has not got a response. Our power is very erratic and when we do have power the internet is often down. Most days the power is out at least some of the time. It wasn't helped by the fact that someone drove into the transformer outside our house and blew it up. Quite scary in the middle of the night, a huge explosion with a massive flash. I thought someone was throwing grenades outside the house. (Yes I always do jump to the worst possible scenario). That took around 16 hours to fix and we had power for a few more hours until it blew up again and the power was off for another long stretch. Combined with pouring rain it has made it very hard to do and dry laundry.

The children have now broken up for school. I have to say I don't really enjoy Christmas here that much. It just doesn't feel like Christmas. I know that isn't really the point of Christmas, but I do enjoy all the lights and the festive feel. We are having trouble trying to find a Christmas tree. The children are not very impressed by the lack of a tree, but I have been trying. There is a choice between a slightly dodgy looking Christmas tree sold by the side of the road, that although real, is definitely not quite the right type of tree and probably unable to support any decorations. The other option is an artificial one, but the supermarket only had a 20 cm one and one that was about 8 feet high!! The search continues. I haven't even started looking for a Turkey. I bought a Christmas pudding at a yard sale in April, so at least we can have a traditional dessert. Those things do last for ever- right? The good news is that there are plenty of Panetone to be had if you want to pay £20 or more for one. Where is good old Lidls when you need it? I have managed to buy Christmas presents for my children and the other children in the family, but that is it. I keep planning to go on line to look for other people, but it is difficult with no internet. So people, do not have high hopes for on time Christmas presents from this end. I am thinking about it though!