Play-Dough Manicures

And other elements of fun in day-to-day living

“Jjaaja Rita, you see my mani-killer!” squealed one young charge, holding up two sets of purple-pointed fingernails. It’s play-dough time at the Baby House, and the creativity is flowing. After days like these, I only have to look in the mirror to remember what I did all day:

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-The ink marks on my hands are from playing with my pen during World Religions class in the morning

-The glitter on my face must be leftover from craft time at the Baby House following class

-The play dough under my fingernails is from where the kids were playing “doctor” by putting play-dough plasters (bandages) on my fingers.

-The bruise on my arm is from where the kids, still playing “doctor” decided it would be a good idea to give me an “injection” with the nearest pointed object

-The layer of posho on my skirt is from unwashed eating hands hanging on to me while I was washing the dishes after lunch



Sunday we walked to a service at one of ten
"Celebration Points" connected to Watoto Church

-The green streak on my arm is from painting a palm tree mural on the Baby House classroom wall for Jjaaja (my current afternoon project).

-The water dripping from my clothes, the mud I’m wearing in place of socks, and the beans in my hair? Don’t ask.

Yeah, life here is eventful. Three times a week, the morning kicks off for me with class at the Bible School. I love sitting in the little classroom, soaking in all the information, and watching notes being chalked onto the black-painted raised portion of the front wall.

In particular I enjoy all the elements that differ from a classroom setting in Canada. For example, a glance out the left classroom window always affords a beautiful view of different tropical trees. Looking out the right window I once even saw the legs of a chicken slowly making their way along the hillside. (The top of the window frame hid the rest of the chicken. I had to smile.) Another time this week as I stepped outside the door after class, my gaze immediately met a herd of cows being driven up the road past the school! Again, I could only smile.

The rest of the morning always passes at the Baby House preschool, but afternoons are more flexible for projects or outings. Recently my afternoons—when they don’t involve, for example, adventurous trips walking to Quality in the rain—have been taken with ambitious artistic endeavours on the Baby House walls. Jjaaja and I have great plans for the classroom! Last week’s effort was devoted to painting the alphabet on the newly designated “Teaching Wall,” and this week I’m in the middle of attempting a palm tree on our “Bible Wall.”

It’s a little strange for me, as I’ve hardly touched a paint brush since the age of 10 and have never tried to replicate a palm before—much less a wall-sized one! I actually brought the painting up as a request during our dorm room prayer nights. God knows how to make trees, even if I don’t.

“We paint by faith and not by sight,” I think to myself as I let the brush do its thing, completely making it up as I go along. (Pictures will be coming once the project is complete!)

Evenings occasionally involve activities with friends, such as the “Veggie Tales and S’mores” night we had this week. No graham crackers or open fires are available, but it’s amazing what can be done with a couple of forks, a candle, short bread cookies, questionable “chocolate-nut” spread and flavoured marshmallows!