Que, sera, sera...

Some of you are following my mom's blog. If you aren't, then I will paste the link to her most recent entry here, to get you updated on the situation with Pauline. My mom described it perfectly, so I see no need in repeating.

http://dispatchesea.blogspot.com/2012/01/this-is-way-it-goes-sometimes.html

So please read that entry before reading this one, I want you all to know the background story a bit.

After that frustrating and upsetting day, I decided that there was no way I was going to let this happen to my good friend. As my mom said, I decided to pay for the school uniform. So yesterday, I went into town with the Social Worker (Stanley) to get cash and go to the school to pay for the uniform. Of course, the ATM was out of service. I waited and waited in line, and filled out paperwork, only to find out that in order for them to withdraw money for me I needed my passport. Which I don't just carry on me... So the woman at the bank pointed me towards three banks that "would work" and they were all the way on the other side of town. So Stanley and I walked across the hot, dusty town and none of those banks worked. In fact, an employee at the last bank said "Of course your card wont work here! These are all for Kenyan cards! Go to the KCB bank, its just on the other side of town", so Stanley and I marched all the way across town AGAIN, and alas, my card wasn't declined! At this point it was getting late and we were already worn out, so we took a taxi to the school, the taxi driver said he would only wait 15 minutes for us to do our transaction. We not only needed to pay for the uniform, but we had to explain why Pauline didn't arrive on the day she was told to arrive, and we had to get a receipt for the uniform so that when Pauline gets to school she can show them that it has already been payed for. But Stanley said it was okay, it would only take five minutes. I laughed, five minutes? I can't think of one thing in Kenya takes only five minutes...
Sure enough, 45 minutes later the uniform was payed for and we weren't given a receipt, but we were given a signed and stamped paper to bring to a shop in the middle of town that the uniforms come from, to get our receipt from there. And finally, the deed was done. All of this walking, being covered in dust, and sweating was worth it though, Pauline will be at school on Friday. And once again, she's more than excited to be there. I'm also glad I got the chance to see her school, the compound is beautiful, there are flowers everywhere, a huge field, and many well-built building for classes and dorms.

Aside from the uniform fee, I also came to the decision to completely sponsor Pauline through school. As I've said before, to us the costs aren't much, but there's no way she could pay for her school on her own. I looked at the finance sheet and did some calculations and it will be just about $300 per year. I'm really happy to start sponsoring her, and I'm also very glad that I personally know Pauline, and maybe someday will be able to visit her again. I have a lot of hope in her, I know she will do well.