Feminine Touch

This will be the final step in the renovating and refurbishing efforts of St. Martha House and St. Robert Bellarmin House. For those of you who don't get these names - a translation into more approachable terms: St. Martha House is a small guest house near the mission compound, which initially I built in 1992 as an  employees house, for the housekeeper and the family, while St. Robert Bellarmin House is the rectory...

Then, at the turn of the century, I turned workers house profile as well. It has become a guest house, mainly to accommodate the excess visitors who couldn't fit into my house, when we had larger gatherings. And as a guest house, the name popped up obviously - St. Martha House.  And now, it will change again its character, becoming a volunteers' house for those who come to Kiabakari to serve local community in our institutions...

The house is small and cozy, and now, after painting job and refurbishment, it will become semi-independent house with its own water supply, solar portable lamps, two small apartments with an office and a bedroom, portable fans to be used in extremely hot days, common bathroom, kitchenette for some basic cooking or fixing breakfasts or suppers, its own TV with satellite programs (free stations), DVD player, spacious veranda with a grill, darts, locally made armchairs, a dining table with chairs for romantic dinners...

There is a full blown kitchen as annex to the house where volunteers, if they wish, may display their professional cooking skills. Then next to it there is the gazebo shaded by a guava tree, making it ideal place for some reading, working on laptops or just having a sundower after full day workload...

Of course, I will not post any pictures of the recent works. Not only because I want to surprise Marjanna and Marija, who will be the first volunteers to give the new facilities a thorough check, but also because of the obvious need for the security. But...when you come to Kiabakari and will see this...

then all you need to do is to make a few more steps taking this bend ahead and up the hill... and you will be right in front of St. Martha's House...

And this will be precisely Marjanna and Marija who will put the final feminine touch to my work, living and working here for two months and in the meantime - making necessary adjustments, decorations, advising on improvements so that especially female volunteers (who constituted so far and - I believe - will continue to constitute more than 90% of all volunteers in Kiabakari) may feel totally at home, starting with those who will come this year after M&M - Agata, Denise, Thomas and others...

And if they feel at home, they will be able to work with peace of mind, joy and maybe not feeling that much homesick as if the conditions were more hostile and severe... They deserve it so much as the volunteers who I was blessed to host in Kiabakari so far showed an immense spirit of sacrifice, never sparing themselves, working overtime, day and night in our health center, doing more they were supposed to do! I'm sure with new volunteers, the situation will be the same. And I feel it is my obligation to make their stay in Kiabakari as pleasant and joyfully memorable as humanely possible... Certainly, St. Martha Volunteers' House and the whole compound will help them to feel safe, welcomed and taken care of well...

Talk about Foundation Kiabakari taking care not only of their own!

Karibu Africa! Karibu Kiabakari!