Hatari

Installment 18
Carla was walking by me this morning. “I think we have a rat in our room.” she says in passing. (You know where I’m going with this) “I thought he was going to town”, I snickered and I could see that Toyota was grinning as well. Carla seems to love Jeff and really didn’t enjoy my humor. So, being the coward I am, I slithered away quietly. I know that she will forgive me, she is a Christian. Anyway, there really was a rat in their room. Jeff put on his safari hat and bravely walked right up to one of the Aunties and asked if she ever seen the inside of his room. Now, she has been with Instep for awhile, and has learned some of Jeff’s Swahili and a pretty good rendition of his look. Jeff is not slow, and seemed to get the message. So, he screwed up his courage and entered the room and closed the door. What happened next sent shivers down my spine. There was crashing of furniture and the sounds of whacking and some high pitched squealing. It was awful. After awhile, Jeff came out proudly showing his trophy. He said that he might go into town and find a taxidermy shop tomorrow. He also apologized for the squealing….said he hoped no-one heard. I just told him it sounded alittle like Michael Jackson. That made him feel better.
The ‘steama’ has been out more than usual lately. Steama being electricity. It was a good investment to get that generator. It has really helped the aunties at night with the babies….and might be what saved Jeff from some severe physical damage with the auntie this morning. Anyway as you know, it has been Instep against KPLC, with mostly KPLC winning. Some of the problem has been right here on the compound. The power comes into a building and goes thru some thingamabobs before it goes to the meter. The thingamabobs are property of KPLC. They have been loose and causing some of the blackouts. Jeff: “hey Alex, do you happen to have the president of KPLC’s number, I seem to have displaced it?” Alex: “I am right behind you, may I be of assistance?” J explained the problem, and Alex sent 3 guys out to trouble shoot. #1: “I see no problem here.” “That’s because it’s dark because there is no electricity” says Jeff. “Oh, let me fix it.” #1 says, “it seems to be on your side of the meter, there is no electricity there.” …and so it went. They did correct some of the problem, but not quite all of it…after all “Good Service is Your Right”. On the way out, # 2 saw and heard our new generator running and asked what it was and what it did. “Hmmmm, imagine that” he says “and you say that electricity comes out and goes through that funny little rope hanging out of it.” And then they left. I know it’s hard to believe, but if it weren’t for battery power, you’d be saved from this rot tonight.
I came 3 ½ weeks ago with high hopes of starting a building project. I am beginning to understand why the life span is shorter here….you can’t accomplish anything anyway, so why hang around. I did meet with what I am beginning to think of as the prime contractor today. We are getting closer. I only hope that my grandkids will live to see the work start….just kidding! I am getting some ducks in a row and hopefully getting ahead of the project enough to head off most of the problems. Besides the ducks look cute waddling in a line.
Oh, and me, I’m fine, thanks for asking. Just don’t forget to pray for J & C and the kids. This is a marvelous work of God….As my favorite daughter wrote today: "But forget all that--(stuff in Egypt) it is nothing compared to what I am going to do. For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?" (43:18-19). While it is out of context, it made me think of Africa and everything that God is doing there with the orphanage and Jeff and Carla, and you………Thanks Kari…I love you and my two other favorite daughters.