What I Really want for Christmas

~The first Christmas Tree, with Christmas stockings filled to the brim, at Karim Orphanage~

Well, its that time of the year again, when everyone is out running around, spending money they don't have & stressed about what to buy that special loved one, family or friends. Well, we have FIVE children, that have FOUR significant others, TWO grandchildren and a Mother...in a Pear Tree! couldn't resist! So, I have ALOT of gifts to shop for. I hate to shop but I love to GIVE. The excitement, the smiles, the screams, the 'Kodak' moments of watching someone receive something that you gave them....that's what I enjoy. Most of all, I enjoy being with family and friends. This is the first time in a LONG time that all 5 of our children & their husbands/wives/girlfriends and my Mom will be together! I could not be happier and am so excited "my bum tickles" !

My children are constantly asking "what do want for Christmas? What do you need for Christmas?" The truth is...I do not want or need anything! I do not want them to spend money on ME! I don't want anyone to spend money on ME!

So here is 'what I really want for Christmas' from ALL of you:

1. to ALL my children~don't stop thinking I'm a nerd for blogging, at least you are thinking of me.

2. to my daughters, Andi & Lisa~don't stop the xoxo's after ever text, I don't know what I would do without your hugs & kisses.

3. to my son, Mike~I know your 25 years old now but don't stop hugging me when you walk out the door & don't stop telling me "love you, mom" after our phone calls.

4. to Michelle & Tom~don't stop buying me Mother's Day cards & flowers.

5. to my Mom~tell me the same story 5 times, even when it annoys me that you don't remember, and I know one day I might wish you told me 10 times.

6. to my Nephews~don't stop teasing me about my snackies "mmmmm, snackies", it makes me smile.

7. to my sister~don't stop calling me everyday even when I'm busy at work; don't stop making me laugh so hard, I snort; don't stop sharing your snackies with me; I know you want to be like me but STOP dressing like me!

8. to my #1 nephew~don't stop chatting with me on facebook, I like being 'Auntie Lizzie'

9. to my little brother~don't stop making me laugh & don't stop saying you're proud of me~I'm proud of you too!

10. to my other brothers~I want you to visit me more, I miss you.

11. to my BFF~ don't stop being a 'Princess'; call me more when you need me cause I NEED you.

12. to all my friends~don't ever stop being supportive of what I love to do.

13. to Rehema~don't ever stop calling me 'Mama' cause I will always be your Mama; don't EVER give up hope!

14. to the Karim children~ don't stop calling me 'Mama Linda'; don't stop yelling & screaming when I show up and don't stop telling me "you love me to the moon & back"

15. to my Grandchildren~ Brody, don't stop touching Nana's things even when I give you 'the look' cause I actually turn my back and smile. Natalie, don't stop smiling at me even when I know you haven't got a clue who I am yet! Always visit Nana, even when I seem to busy.

16. to my lovely husband, Greg ~ always remember why you married me, even when I loose it, when you leave your orange peelings in the sink & not the garbage. Don't stop snoring, cause I miss it when I am gone & you are not beside me. Don't ever stop supporting me in what I LOVE to do even when it means I have to leave you home alone for 7 weeks.

So, this is what really I want for Christmas! I hope you all have a Christmas full of fun, laughter & love with your family and friends. I know I will. And don't forget it is better to Give than Receive.

Love Mama Linda

A Bedroom fit for a 'Princess'

*THIS was the small '8x8 bedroom' with 2 mouldy foam beds, that 11 children shared in a 2-room building, that they called home, when I met them 4 years ago. THIS is what made me believe I could make a change in someone's life!

Up until now, all the children of Karim, have been sharing one of the two bedrooms and the other bedroom has been used for visitors. So, our last couple of days at Karim, Heather, Joy and I prepared the room, that we were staying in, for the girls to move into. We cleaned, scrubbed floors, took beds apart, killed bugs, moved beds, washed sheets, cleaned mattresses, killed more bugs, moved all the girls clothes, organized all the clothes, killed bugs, and organized the boys rooms. Oh, and did I forget to tell you, we killed bugs! We set up 5 bunk beds in the new room for the girls complete with new sheets, new pillow cases & new mosquito nets. All their clothes were organized on shelves that were labelled with their names. All their school uniforms were dry cleaned and hung in a closet! A shelf was hung for their hats and coats and pictures were hung. Dada will stay in the room with the 9 girls and Juma, Rehema's brother, will stay in the other bedroom with the 5 boys. Locker's are being built, as we speak, in the girl's washroom! Thank's to Auntie Heather, each girl will have their very own locker that will be labelled with their name and will fit their shoes, dresses & school uniforms. How organized will they be now? This will make getting ready at 5am for school, MUCH easier. And how happy are the girls to have NO boys in their bedroom and in their bathroom?? You have no idea how happy!! And the sign I put up on the girls door "NO BOYS ALLOWED" got a few giggles from the girls too. The oldest boy, Godfrey, tried to come into the girls room one night and was chased out very quickly and told "we are going to tell Mama Linda, if you don't get out". Haha so cute and all so worth all the hard work. On my last day, I was given a letter, all folded up, from one of the girls, Saumu. After she gave it to me she quickly walked away and sat on the grass under a tree and started crying. Heather was also given a letter but I am not sure what hers read. My letter read "I am sad to say goodbye to you Mama Linda. I hope God will keep you safe when you go home. Thank you for my new bedroom. I love you, Mama." WOW~a bedroom made this young 11 year old girl write me this beautiful letter. Well, these girls have a 'bedroom fit for a Princess' and they SO deserve it! Because each one of these girls is a 'Princess' in my eyes! Looking back at the old picture from 3 years ago, when I first went to Africa, makes me cry and smile at the same time. Seeing how they used to live when I met them 3 short years ago and seeing what they have now, makes me realize how I have been a part of changing these children's lives...what a GREAT feeling!!

New Things for Karim

New Laundry Room!

~ laundry room...before!

~the start of a new laundry room.

~pouring concrete...bucket by bucket!

~"Ta Da"... New laundry room!

The 'Rotary Rafiki House'

The shell of the Rotary 'Rafiki House' went up quite fast while I was there visiting. It's all the finishing that is taking the time now. The septic tank is being dug right now and then the plumbing, toilet, will be connected. We are still digging away at the water well~sure hope we find water soon or that may be a problem! All that hard work digging a hole 40 foot deep, by hand~then to have to start all over again~I just can't imagine! The solar and electrical will start next. The cupboards, closets and bathroom vanity are being built as we speak. Then we need to paint and tile the inside of the house as well as finish the outside of the house. Still lots to do but I know it will get done! I trust my 'fundi's (contractors) that they will get the job done. Just wish I was there to check on things!! Once all of this work gets done, there will be the job of furnishing and decorating the 'Rafiki House"! That's the job I am waiting to do! Trust me, when I say, it will be like 'NO OTHER' volunteer House. We are booked for the end of January, February & March already as well as July and August. Just hope I can get it done for all our visitors!! Hope someday soon, you will all come to visit and stay in the new Rotary 'Rafiki House' !

Pretty as a Rose

~Lucy

~Maggie

~Antonia

~Saumu

~Ibra~this little guy will not miss out on a kodak moment!!

Rafiki House

The 'Rafiki House' is going up quite fast! It's actually starting to take shape and look like a house. How exciting to know that, hopefully, in a matter of 4 months we could start housing visitors in the new house! The house has 2 bedrooms, so it will sleep up to 6 guests. Even though the walls of the house are up, there is still lots to do to complete the Rafiki House. First, we have to get water. The water well is being dug right now and my fingers are crossed that they find water. Once we reach water, the well will be finished with concrete and connected to the house so we have water. Then we need power~solar power. The solar guy and the electrician are meeting this week at the house to figure out a price and give me a quote. I have picked out the tiles, the paint, sinks, toilets and had the house measured up for all the cupboards, closets and bathroom vanity. Also, 2 bunkbeds and a queen bed have put on order. We still have to finish furnishing the house and purchase all the kitchen necessities. So, as you can see, there is still a lot to do. But I am working hard to make all this happen so the Rafiki House can be up and running as soon as possible. This project is a big part in making Karim Orphanage sustainable. Visitors who stay will pay a small fee of $25,000 TSH a night~ WOW, doesn't that sound like alot of money? But really it is only $15 CAD a night and it will include an awesome home cooked African supper every night, prepared by Rehema and you get to stay in a beautiful little African Home! How can you possibly pass up such a great deal knowing that your $15 is going to help her feed the children and keep Karim up and running sucessfully! A BIG Thank you to 'Lethbridge Urban Spirits' Rotary Club and everyone else who has made this possble.

Bedtime~My Favorite Time

Bedtime has always been one of my favorite times here at Karim. I loved tucking my children in when they were little and I miss it so maybe that's why it is a special time for me. At bedtime, I would tuck my children in and they would say "I love you Mom" and I would say "I love you more" and they would always respond with "I love you up to the moon!" I miss that so much. EVERY night, ALL the children here get a 'busu' ~swahili for kiss~ on the cheek from Mama Linda and an "I love you". Then, I get a kiss on the cheek back and an "I love you Mama Linda". One night while tucking the children into bed, I told them what my children would say to me. I am so glad I told that story because now it is a 'bedtime tradition' here for me and the Karim Children "Goodnight Mama Linda, I love you up to the Moon" and a big kiss on the cheek I get! I LOVE IT!! It really makes me miss my children while I am here and I think of them every night! I hope one day they can all come and experience this with me. Last night, while tucking them in and saying my good nights, my favorite little guy, Ibra, whose is only 2 years old, sits up in bed and says "Mama Linda, I love you to the moon" All the kids started giggling because it was the first time he said it and it sounded so damn cute! I held back the tears until I got to my room and I sat on my bed and had a cry. I am the luckiest MOM in the world! I have 16 beautiful children here in Africa that love me and 5 wonderful children in Canada that love me! I miss my children very much! And of course "I love them to the moon and back".

MUD~MUD~MUD

~Our muddy road~enough rain already!

~Stuck again? Really?

A Day of Beauty

All of us had a day of beauty including Mama Linda, Aunty Heather and Dada Joy! It was saturday and no school so it was play day for sure. Heather had some makeup so we decided to do up the girls faces but the boys were feeling a little left out so, what the heck lets put a little lipstick on them too. We hired a lady to come by the house to do our hair. She was good, very fast and very cheap but OMG was she rough! It was more painful the dentist! Seriously! It reminded me when I was little and my mother was doing my hair..this lady just slapped my head around like a beach ball! I was making faces and gritting my teeth and the kids were laughing and asking "is it pain, Mama?" Heather and Joy's hair went quick and easy cause they have long hair...I have short hair so she tried a second time trying to get it tighter!! TIGHTER!! She was already ripping out my hair trying to get it tight so all the little hairs would stay in in. Now we are on the third try...and the scissors come out! What the heck do we need scissors for? This is getting a little scary now. All I wanted was my hair braided! I said if it is too short, lets just forget it and I was in enough pain already. Heather said "oh know, you are not backing out now, I did it and now you are too" So the lady starts cutting pieces of her hair to add into my hair!! Haha I have real african extentions! Heather was killing herself laughing. Anyway, us three got our hair braided and the kids had their makeup done. We had glow sticks, popcorn and we danced the night away to 'Mama Mia' , a little Michael Jackson and some Black Eyed Peas...their favorite dancing song "Tonite's going to be a good good night" and that it was for sure!!

Progress of Rafiki House

Well, I must say, I am very impressed with the progress of the 'Rafiki House'. Especially considering the rain we have had. The rain has stopped and the sun is finally here. Yeeaahh. The 'fundi's', contractors, are working so hard. And so they should! Besides paying them well, they get coca cola & popcorn as a snack and today Heather bought pizza for everyone! What a treat! They took a 15 minute break, gobbled down their pizza and coca cola and back to work. Love these guys. They are quite funny. Everyday I go out and check on things, make sure everything is going the way planned and take pictures. They always have this worried face on when 'Mama Linda" comes around. They stop working while I walk around and when I give them the 2 thumbs up, there's a big smile and a sigh of relief! And back to work they go.

Ice Cream Day

Babu & his chocolate ice cream.

Saumu loving her ice cream!

"Don't Let the Bed Bugs Bite"

Well. I must say, there is some truth in the saying "Sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite"! Last night, after tucking all the children into bed at 8pm, we went off to bed ourselves. We go to bed very early every night as the days are very long when you get up at 5am! Anyway, I thought I would check out some emails and download some pictures. Heather and Joy fell asleep instantly so I turned out the lights and took my laptop to bed with me. Tucked my mosquito net in tightly, like I do every night, and started up the laptop. Well, after a short time, the light from my laptop started to attract a few bugs. First, a couple flies! Very annoying and how they got inside my tightly tucked net, I will never know! Quietly chased them out without turning on the lights and waking Heather & Joy. All tucked in again, now I hear a buzzing in my ear! A MOSQUITO! Really! Don't want to get bit by this thing so I am swinging away under my net cussing. All was quiet, thought I got it...nope...more buzzing! Can't find the stupid thing, but I can sure hear it. So I grab my flashlight, turn it on and I shine it on the white mosquito net trying to find it. OMG~a HUGE, BIG, black thing...some kind of african beetle crawling on the outside of my net! I turn the flash light to the other side so I could get out...OMG...another one, and another one! Frickin huge bugs, 2 inches long crawling on my net! What do I do? Scream and scare the crap out of Heather and Joy? What if they fall on me when I move the net and try to get out? OK deep breath...slowly I sneak out of my bed, run for the lights and the broom. Thought for sure Heather and Joy would wake up but nope still sawing logs. Now, how the hell do I get these things off my net and kill them? I start swinging and cussing..got one down, grap a shoe..SMACK! Now Heather wakes up..."what the hell are you doing"? "ummm killing giant bugs in my bed" She sits up, looks at the thing I just killed, looks at me "OMG, are you kidding me" ? One got away & I couldn't find the stupid critter. Shut off the computer, got back into bed and tucked in my net even tighter. All was quiet for one minute, then the cat started screaming like it ran into something bigger than itself! Hope it wasn't a rat. Heather and I at the same time "OMG" what is going on? The cat stopped and we could hear it run down the hall, then silence for maybe...one minute. The dogs started howling outside. We both burst out laughing and said "I think we are going to have a long night" It was only 930 at this time. Joy never did wake up and Heather and I never did sleep. Good Night, sleep tight..don't let the bed bugs bite!

A new retaining wall & walkway

I have given Juma, Rehema's brother, and our neighbor, Ernest a few jobs to do around the yard to clean things up and make it look a little neater. Also, these two need the money and are extremely hard workers. The contractor has enough work to do without trying to get these side jobs done for me. One job was to put a retaining wall around the entire house and pour some gravel to make a nice walkway so we can get to the backyard & the garden without going through all the mud. They got this done in 3 days and it looks fantastic. I LOVE these guys~maybe I could bring them home to take care of my yard!

THIS is....

~this is a baby helping a baby to drink out of a cup.

~this is Dr Heather helping Juma with a sliver in his foot~toothpick size!

~this is Me inspecting the work with the water well guy!

~this is Juma, Rehema's cute brother, and Babu, the oldest boy, wash all the boys clothes!

~This is Neema, Lucy and Saumu polishing all the school shoes with a tooth brush & black polish!

~this is Joy helping with the wash.

Jump Shots!