What....now there are 105
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Installment 35
We lost our little Dorcas today. It was an honor to know her. There is great sadness here.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Installment 34
Installment 34
Let’s talk about today…..but first I must answer a question I posed at the end of 33. Who will fill my shoes??.. Are you aware that if you leave your shoes outside in a Kenya rain that…..well, now I know who, or maybe what will fill my shoes….good thing they are Crocs.
This morning, after getting Fundi lined out, I was thrilled to find out that Jeff wanted me to go to town to get some water pipe and a few other essentials for the building project. I needed to go and get the pipe that is going to come last Friday…“in fact it has already been delivered”…which might be true, but not here. So Eliud and I headed for town, and darned if Eliud isn’t just as good at hitting potholes as Jeff is. I asked Eliud why he hit so many. “This ‘road’ scares me so much that I drive with my eyes closed and just feel my way to town” he said. “I ‘feel’ my way to town also” I replied. Once in Kitale, Eliud and I went to the hospital and picked up some TB medicine that is given free there. Standing in a 6’x12’ room, a desk at the end Eliud was arguing with the “lady” about why we needed the medicine. “You use too much of this medicine” she says. “We have 93 children and some need the medicine” E counters, “Do you want them to die?” “OK, you win, take some and leave…besides, I get paid by the amount I give out.” she responds. So we left and headed to look for water pipe. Now you may not know it, but Kitale has about 10 ‘hardware’ stores, and I soon found out how they continued to stay in business. All of them are owned by 2nd and 3rd generations of Indians….no, not the casino types, but the Junglebook type. By now, I have learned a few Swahili words, and I know some English, but my Indi is pretty much non existent, so I was glad to have E with me to interpret every 3rd word, as the shop owners all spoke SwaIndiLish. All the shops responded the same,,,”We need some water pipe” I would say. “Are you wanting the good stuff or the cheap stuff?” they asked. “What is the difference?” I would ask. “The cheap stuff keeps us in business because it has to be replaced often.” was the response. “How about the good stuff?” was my next question. “We don’t carry it…because we are liking staying in business.” And so, shop after shop we continued our quest, until we finally found one shop that had mistakenly stocked some good stuff. “You must be new here” the owner said, “and a foreigner, but I am thanking you for saving my shop. So a little later, I left with the last of the good stuff in Kitale. Meanwhile, E had to leave and so not wanting to leave me alone in public, Jeff came in and we went to see Carla and Dorcas at the good hospital. Dorcas has been doing really well and I hardly recognized her, but the Dr wanted to keep her until the blood infection subsided. So, you know me, I can’t keep my hand off of babies, so I was holding her and trying to feed her something. That all went well until she looked up at me and puked just short of 5 gallons of ‘you don’t want to know’ stuff all over me. Of course, it couldn’t just stay on my shirt…..it headed south and made a fine deposit just about where everyone would look to see if I had made it to the bathroom in time. Lucky for me, I am a mzungu and the locals pretty much think I do strange things on purpose….so was able to proudly exit the hospital with minimal stares. I know that your concern is for me, but you must not forget about Dorcas. She is still under observation, and will probably not come home tomorrow….or for that matter neither will Carla…..dang!
It was time to head back and so we headed off down the ‘road’. About 1/3 of the way there, Jeff’s phone rang and he was told that # 94 was waiting at the ‘courthouse’ for us to come and pick up. “This is fun” I said, “at home we have to wait 9 months for a baby, and here you just wait for a phone call.” Back we went, as if we didn’t spend enough time destroying our kidneys. Lucky for us, the paperwork was all done and baby Alvin was just about ready for transfer……well, remember, TIA, and so it only took about an hour. Alvin is about 6 months old and seems quite healthy. I personally know that he can pull about 26 atmospheres vacuum on my finger while chewing on it. It reminds me once again why I won't nurse a baby..that and another reason……so he seems to be pretty well adjusted and is spending his first night in training to be a Babu hunter. I’m sure that you will hear more about him as I learn the facts. All I know is, for a guy that came to Africa to NOT do babies, I sure DO a lot of babies.
Good things happened with the building projects, but that’s for later.
Let’s talk about today…..but first I must answer a question I posed at the end of 33. Who will fill my shoes??.. Are you aware that if you leave your shoes outside in a Kenya rain that…..well, now I know who, or maybe what will fill my shoes….good thing they are Crocs.
This morning, after getting Fundi lined out, I was thrilled to find out that Jeff wanted me to go to town to get some water pipe and a few other essentials for the building project. I needed to go and get the pipe that is going to come last Friday…“in fact it has already been delivered”…which might be true, but not here. So Eliud and I headed for town, and darned if Eliud isn’t just as good at hitting potholes as Jeff is. I asked Eliud why he hit so many. “This ‘road’ scares me so much that I drive with my eyes closed and just feel my way to town” he said. “I ‘feel’ my way to town also” I replied. Once in Kitale, Eliud and I went to the hospital and picked up some TB medicine that is given free there. Standing in a 6’x12’ room, a desk at the end Eliud was arguing with the “lady” about why we needed the medicine. “You use too much of this medicine” she says. “We have 93 children and some need the medicine” E counters, “Do you want them to die?” “OK, you win, take some and leave…besides, I get paid by the amount I give out.” she responds. So we left and headed to look for water pipe. Now you may not know it, but Kitale has about 10 ‘hardware’ stores, and I soon found out how they continued to stay in business. All of them are owned by 2nd and 3rd generations of Indians….no, not the casino types, but the Junglebook type. By now, I have learned a few Swahili words, and I know some English, but my Indi is pretty much non existent, so I was glad to have E with me to interpret every 3rd word, as the shop owners all spoke SwaIndiLish. All the shops responded the same,,,”We need some water pipe” I would say. “Are you wanting the good stuff or the cheap stuff?” they asked. “What is the difference?” I would ask. “The cheap stuff keeps us in business because it has to be replaced often.” was the response. “How about the good stuff?” was my next question. “We don’t carry it…because we are liking staying in business.” And so, shop after shop we continued our quest, until we finally found one shop that had mistakenly stocked some good stuff. “You must be new here” the owner said, “and a foreigner, but I am thanking you for saving my shop. So a little later, I left with the last of the good stuff in Kitale. Meanwhile, E had to leave and so not wanting to leave me alone in public, Jeff came in and we went to see Carla and Dorcas at the good hospital. Dorcas has been doing really well and I hardly recognized her, but the Dr wanted to keep her until the blood infection subsided. So, you know me, I can’t keep my hand off of babies, so I was holding her and trying to feed her something. That all went well until she looked up at me and puked just short of 5 gallons of ‘you don’t want to know’ stuff all over me. Of course, it couldn’t just stay on my shirt…..it headed south and made a fine deposit just about where everyone would look to see if I had made it to the bathroom in time. Lucky for me, I am a mzungu and the locals pretty much think I do strange things on purpose….so was able to proudly exit the hospital with minimal stares. I know that your concern is for me, but you must not forget about Dorcas. She is still under observation, and will probably not come home tomorrow….or for that matter neither will Carla…..dang!
It was time to head back and so we headed off down the ‘road’. About 1/3 of the way there, Jeff’s phone rang and he was told that # 94 was waiting at the ‘courthouse’ for us to come and pick up. “This is fun” I said, “at home we have to wait 9 months for a baby, and here you just wait for a phone call.” Back we went, as if we didn’t spend enough time destroying our kidneys. Lucky for us, the paperwork was all done and baby Alvin was just about ready for transfer……well, remember, TIA, and so it only took about an hour. Alvin is about 6 months old and seems quite healthy. I personally know that he can pull about 26 atmospheres vacuum on my finger while chewing on it. It reminds me once again why I won't nurse a baby..that and another reason……so he seems to be pretty well adjusted and is spending his first night in training to be a Babu hunter. I’m sure that you will hear more about him as I learn the facts. All I know is, for a guy that came to Africa to NOT do babies, I sure DO a lot of babies.
Good things happened with the building projects, but that’s for later.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Installment 33
Installment 33
And so it began, much like every day in the tropics. Sun quietly sneaking across the horizon, birds singing, the smell of bacon and eggs cooking and the coffee, hot and ready…..the gentle hum not far from my room, beginning to grow…..Then I became aware that the gentle humming was the kids beginning to awake and the bacon, eggs and coffee……I wish!!… So, like every day at Instep, the hum started to crescendo into a cacophony of unabated shrieks, screams, laughter and some crying….just like usual….and that was just me anticipating the great horde awakening. Imagine what the kids sound like…. Arising, I realized that I have come to grips with the old guy in my bathroom. Every morning he glares at me from the mirror and insinuates that someday I might look a lot like him….when I’m older, of course. With a fine hearty breakfast….not in me, but somewhere in my memory, I headed out for the storehouse where Fundi and his workers come and get their morning instructions and tools…..and pray together. Takes me somewhere around an hour to get in sync with the Fundi and the day’s schedule, and then I am free to sneak around the property avoiding the kids…..well almost anyway. For the last almost week, Carla has had the audacity to leave me alone with Jeff and has been luxuriating at the hospital with Dorca….who is doing better and will probably come home on Wed….we should talk about Dorcas some more… But J is learning,,,or maybe getting to know me well enough that he can only take so much ‘Babu’, and makes some lame excuse about the kids needing food and medicine. So, by about 9 or 10, he is in his old nemesis Toyota and heading for supplies and stuff that 100+ people need at the compound…..or so he says. Like I said, though, he does leave me the keys and a clipboard.
A couple of days ago, Sarah (3 yrs old, and the one that was dropped 20’ down an outdoor toilet at birth) became a bit lethargic and so Jeff and I took her to the Dr. Nothing serious…just malaria, which could be serious if not treated. I still amazes me how it’s crazy around here, but it all stops when one kid is sick….reminds me of Jesus talking about going after the one lost sheep. Anyway, you’d think that with all the snotlockers running around, it would be easy to miss one with problems…..doesn’t seen to happen though…..somehow this place stays intent on caring for the kids. There doesn’t seem to be enough time to take care of all the logistical stuff here, but there is always time to care for the kids…..you should come and see.
We are slowly getting materials on site…God being kind in holding the rains to a minimum. Once the dam breaks and the rains come in earnest….love that term…the ground will saturate within a couple of days and we won’t be able to get the trucks in…mostly because loaded, they won’t float. I am getting pretty confident that fundi will have both building out of the ground…well, not ‘out’ of the ground, but up to ground level with the slabs poured…or ‘cast’, as they say, so the work can continue even around the rains. If you have time, add us to your prayer list … two things,,,materials to get on site, and $$$’s to finish the dorm….looks like we might be getting # 94 this week……oh yeah, and pray for J & C…I can’t imagine that they can run this place without me….and I am scheduled to leave on the 12th……who will fill my shoes….I keep the kids busy playing hide and seek….
And so it began, much like every day in the tropics. Sun quietly sneaking across the horizon, birds singing, the smell of bacon and eggs cooking and the coffee, hot and ready…..the gentle hum not far from my room, beginning to grow…..Then I became aware that the gentle humming was the kids beginning to awake and the bacon, eggs and coffee……I wish!!… So, like every day at Instep, the hum started to crescendo into a cacophony of unabated shrieks, screams, laughter and some crying….just like usual….and that was just me anticipating the great horde awakening. Imagine what the kids sound like…. Arising, I realized that I have come to grips with the old guy in my bathroom. Every morning he glares at me from the mirror and insinuates that someday I might look a lot like him….when I’m older, of course. With a fine hearty breakfast….not in me, but somewhere in my memory, I headed out for the storehouse where Fundi and his workers come and get their morning instructions and tools…..and pray together. Takes me somewhere around an hour to get in sync with the Fundi and the day’s schedule, and then I am free to sneak around the property avoiding the kids…..well almost anyway. For the last almost week, Carla has had the audacity to leave me alone with Jeff and has been luxuriating at the hospital with Dorca….who is doing better and will probably come home on Wed….we should talk about Dorcas some more… But J is learning,,,or maybe getting to know me well enough that he can only take so much ‘Babu’, and makes some lame excuse about the kids needing food and medicine. So, by about 9 or 10, he is in his old nemesis Toyota and heading for supplies and stuff that 100+ people need at the compound…..or so he says. Like I said, though, he does leave me the keys and a clipboard.
A couple of days ago, Sarah (3 yrs old, and the one that was dropped 20’ down an outdoor toilet at birth) became a bit lethargic and so Jeff and I took her to the Dr. Nothing serious…just malaria, which could be serious if not treated. I still amazes me how it’s crazy around here, but it all stops when one kid is sick….reminds me of Jesus talking about going after the one lost sheep. Anyway, you’d think that with all the snotlockers running around, it would be easy to miss one with problems…..doesn’t seen to happen though…..somehow this place stays intent on caring for the kids. There doesn’t seem to be enough time to take care of all the logistical stuff here, but there is always time to care for the kids…..you should come and see.
We are slowly getting materials on site…God being kind in holding the rains to a minimum. Once the dam breaks and the rains come in earnest….love that term…the ground will saturate within a couple of days and we won’t be able to get the trucks in…mostly because loaded, they won’t float. I am getting pretty confident that fundi will have both building out of the ground…well, not ‘out’ of the ground, but up to ground level with the slabs poured…or ‘cast’, as they say, so the work can continue even around the rains. If you have time, add us to your prayer list … two things,,,materials to get on site, and $$$’s to finish the dorm….looks like we might be getting # 94 this week……oh yeah, and pray for J & C…I can’t imagine that they can run this place without me….and I am scheduled to leave on the 12th……who will fill my shoes….I keep the kids busy playing hide and seek….
Friday, March 25, 2011
Installment 32
Installment 32
By now, you know that my thoughts are not linear. This may be the worst that I have put down. I know, it can’t be true, you say, thinking that I have already reached the apex of incongruous thought. Don’t pass judgment until you finish this installment….that is if you have the stomach to take the challenge. It’s been a while since I shared my scrambled thoughts….mostly because it takes energy to lift the lid on my laptop. Now I am only saying this to get sympathy from you and to make you really feel sorry for me…and I can only hope it works..
As you also know, because God had a hard time finding a competent builder, He relented and called me here to get two buildings started. Back in the good ‘ol USA, building a couple of 1800 sqft buildings wouldn’t be too much of a challenge for a long time builder…..for me, yes, a builder, no. But here I am with about 32,000 lineal feet of lumber, 800 tons of sand, 100-100kg bags if cement, 20 tons of steel, and 30,000 lf of building stones either on the property or on the way….oh yeah, and about 30 men who speak little English, with sharp instruments, all looking at me. Now if I only knew how to build the ‘Kenyan way’. But I will rely on my old friend Ron Reagan’s advice; “I don’t have to know everything, I just have to surround myself with people who do.” Well, I have the ‘don’t know’ down pat….now if I can just find the ‘who do’. Fortunately, for me, God is merciful and has provided Jackson, who does know the ‘Kenyan way’….and for some reason speaks Swahili, even tho he is African and was born here. He has proven to be competent and has the work progressing quite well. I mostly stay out of Jemba striking distance and look important with my clipboard. The last couple of days we, well they, have been mixing and pouring cement into the trenches for the column bases, which I won’t explain to you, as I haven’t a clue myself…part of the ‘Kenyan way’ I hope. Because of a problem of getting water pipe, the men are carrying 5 gal buckets of water about 150 yards for the concrete mix….which is done by machine….if you call a spade and jemba machines. All done on the ground. Today we, well they, are mixing and pouring the ‘footings’, using 4000 lbs of cement and 5 million 5 gallon buckets of water. I asked one of the men how he liked carrying water in buckets. “It sure beats using a water pipe” he says…and if I hadn’t caught a glimpse of ‘Jeff’s look’ I might have missed that he was mocking me. “I’m trying my best to have a pipe here by the end of the project” I encouraged. “Oh, that will good” he says, “I always wanted to work on a project with a water pipe.” “I’ll do my best,” I continued, “but TIA so maybe I could find a picture of a pipe and let you see it” That seemed to help, as he was strangely smiling as he sloshed off.
Back to yesterday…at least that is where my thoughts are taking me…and now you. Just when the construction crew needed water to carry, the water line that feeds the buildings broke underground and we…well someone had to shut down the water supply from the storage…and then we..well someone had to dig up the line, which as it turns out is made of the highest quality soda straws on the market. Since this is the third break since I got here, we….well I decided that we….they needed to replace the line. So after another temporary ‘fix’, we….they got the water back on and the bucket guys were ecstatic…as you can imagine. Then two of our Shamba (field) guys started digging up the line with jembas as I watched with my clipboard….just out of reach. Jeff is working on getting some better grade…maybe European straws to replace the line.
Speaking of Jeff, I haven’t seen much of him. Carla is still in the hospital with Dorcas….can’t remember if I told you, Dori got a blood infection and so is back in town….Carla is enjoying the hospital environment with her. Anyway, every morning for the last three, Jeff has sprinted (read meandered) to Toyota, tossing me the keys to the kingdom and bumped off down the ‘road’, heading for town to take Carla supplies and to forage for ‘stuff’ for this place, including food. So, while I stress over getting building supplies before we…well they can’t get trucks into the site because of rain, Jeff has been fighting the battles with the suppliers…..you know the story….Jeff: “We really need the sand delivered before the rains softens the shamba” “Yes, I will help you, it is on it’s way, in fact it is already there.” pretend ‘supplier’ says. “And will it already be there by this afternoon or tomorrow?” Jeff probes. “I hope so, but TIA” says pretend supplier. “Ok, because we needed it yesterday.” Jeff continues. “Then we will have it there yesterday…in fact, the lorrie was there already.” PS says…..knowing that it is more important to tell us what we ‘want’ to hear than to tell us what is the actual truth….and it did sound like music to my ears…..This is Jeff’s life…no lie. All this to say, that we really don’t have a lot of the materials on site, but the lorries are on the way,,,,in fact they are here…..hopefully by tomorrow. Last night after dark, which would be after light for most of you, 2 lorries came on site. One did fine in the mud with not a whole lot of trouble, but the other kept getting stuck. He was setting there spinning his wheels and going nowhere. “Is there trouble?” I shouted over the screaming diesel. “No, the lorrie is running and it is in gear and the wheels are turning.” he hollered back. “But you are not going anywhere” I replied loudly. “It’s OK, I get paid by the kilometer” he says…..I’m getting pretty good at Jeff’s look.
Martin Luther: "This life therefore is not righteousness, but training in righteousness, not health, but healing, not being but becoming, not rest but exercise. We are not yet what we shall be, but we are growing toward it, the process is not yet finished, but it is going on, this is not the end, but it is the road. All does not yet gleam in glory, but all is being purified."
By now, you know that my thoughts are not linear. This may be the worst that I have put down. I know, it can’t be true, you say, thinking that I have already reached the apex of incongruous thought. Don’t pass judgment until you finish this installment….that is if you have the stomach to take the challenge. It’s been a while since I shared my scrambled thoughts….mostly because it takes energy to lift the lid on my laptop. Now I am only saying this to get sympathy from you and to make you really feel sorry for me…and I can only hope it works..
As you also know, because God had a hard time finding a competent builder, He relented and called me here to get two buildings started. Back in the good ‘ol USA, building a couple of 1800 sqft buildings wouldn’t be too much of a challenge for a long time builder…..for me, yes, a builder, no. But here I am with about 32,000 lineal feet of lumber, 800 tons of sand, 100-100kg bags if cement, 20 tons of steel, and 30,000 lf of building stones either on the property or on the way….oh yeah, and about 30 men who speak little English, with sharp instruments, all looking at me. Now if I only knew how to build the ‘Kenyan way’. But I will rely on my old friend Ron Reagan’s advice; “I don’t have to know everything, I just have to surround myself with people who do.” Well, I have the ‘don’t know’ down pat….now if I can just find the ‘who do’. Fortunately, for me, God is merciful and has provided Jackson, who does know the ‘Kenyan way’….and for some reason speaks Swahili, even tho he is African and was born here. He has proven to be competent and has the work progressing quite well. I mostly stay out of Jemba striking distance and look important with my clipboard. The last couple of days we, well they, have been mixing and pouring cement into the trenches for the column bases, which I won’t explain to you, as I haven’t a clue myself…part of the ‘Kenyan way’ I hope. Because of a problem of getting water pipe, the men are carrying 5 gal buckets of water about 150 yards for the concrete mix….which is done by machine….if you call a spade and jemba machines. All done on the ground. Today we, well they, are mixing and pouring the ‘footings’, using 4000 lbs of cement and 5 million 5 gallon buckets of water. I asked one of the men how he liked carrying water in buckets. “It sure beats using a water pipe” he says…and if I hadn’t caught a glimpse of ‘Jeff’s look’ I might have missed that he was mocking me. “I’m trying my best to have a pipe here by the end of the project” I encouraged. “Oh, that will good” he says, “I always wanted to work on a project with a water pipe.” “I’ll do my best,” I continued, “but TIA so maybe I could find a picture of a pipe and let you see it” That seemed to help, as he was strangely smiling as he sloshed off.
Back to yesterday…at least that is where my thoughts are taking me…and now you. Just when the construction crew needed water to carry, the water line that feeds the buildings broke underground and we…well someone had to shut down the water supply from the storage…and then we..well someone had to dig up the line, which as it turns out is made of the highest quality soda straws on the market. Since this is the third break since I got here, we….well I decided that we….they needed to replace the line. So after another temporary ‘fix’, we….they got the water back on and the bucket guys were ecstatic…as you can imagine. Then two of our Shamba (field) guys started digging up the line with jembas as I watched with my clipboard….just out of reach. Jeff is working on getting some better grade…maybe European straws to replace the line.
Speaking of Jeff, I haven’t seen much of him. Carla is still in the hospital with Dorcas….can’t remember if I told you, Dori got a blood infection and so is back in town….Carla is enjoying the hospital environment with her. Anyway, every morning for the last three, Jeff has sprinted (read meandered) to Toyota, tossing me the keys to the kingdom and bumped off down the ‘road’, heading for town to take Carla supplies and to forage for ‘stuff’ for this place, including food. So, while I stress over getting building supplies before we…well they can’t get trucks into the site because of rain, Jeff has been fighting the battles with the suppliers…..you know the story….Jeff: “We really need the sand delivered before the rains softens the shamba” “Yes, I will help you, it is on it’s way, in fact it is already there.” pretend ‘supplier’ says. “And will it already be there by this afternoon or tomorrow?” Jeff probes. “I hope so, but TIA” says pretend supplier. “Ok, because we needed it yesterday.” Jeff continues. “Then we will have it there yesterday…in fact, the lorrie was there already.” PS says…..knowing that it is more important to tell us what we ‘want’ to hear than to tell us what is the actual truth….and it did sound like music to my ears…..This is Jeff’s life…no lie. All this to say, that we really don’t have a lot of the materials on site, but the lorries are on the way,,,,in fact they are here…..hopefully by tomorrow. Last night after dark, which would be after light for most of you, 2 lorries came on site. One did fine in the mud with not a whole lot of trouble, but the other kept getting stuck. He was setting there spinning his wheels and going nowhere. “Is there trouble?” I shouted over the screaming diesel. “No, the lorrie is running and it is in gear and the wheels are turning.” he hollered back. “But you are not going anywhere” I replied loudly. “It’s OK, I get paid by the kilometer” he says…..I’m getting pretty good at Jeff’s look.
Martin Luther: "This life therefore is not righteousness, but training in righteousness, not health, but healing, not being but becoming, not rest but exercise. We are not yet what we shall be, but we are growing toward it, the process is not yet finished, but it is going on, this is not the end, but it is the road. All does not yet gleam in glory, but all is being purified."
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Installment 31
Installment 31
Well, she’s tougher than I thought. English Lady told me today that she is giving up her share of the Coffee Shop. It’s been bothering me ever since….being the compassionate type……just what am I going to call English Lady’s…this is really affecting me..and we all know that it is all about me. But, she has managed to put up with me for almost 2 months steady. She told me awhile back that she had seen worse, but today she recanted. “You Yanks are a tenacious lot” she said. “Now if you were French….. Anyway, today was her last official day in the harness, and we went in to see her….well, J & C anyway, me.. more to gloat. I have to give her this though, most women, save Sandy, start looking for a way to avoid me within a couple of weeks. Counting October, she almost has 3 months. “If you can hang on for 3 more weeks, I’ll be gone” I taunted. “Can’t do it. And besides, you might come back, and then were would I be.” she lamented. “Good point” I said. And so, thinking I have a conscience, she attempted to pass blame on to me for her decision to move on. More than one person has made that mistake. So, let me help you understand this woman…..ha ha ha….understand and woman in the same sentence…..I crack me up! English Lady has another name,,, imagine that. It is Theresa something or another…when you first meet her, she is introduced as Mrs Somethingoranother….later as your friendship grows, you can call her Theresa…and when you really grow close, ‘English Lady’. She is from some other country…I can’t recall at the minute. She says she has been involved with the law in that country. Jeff says she might be a lawyer, but I suspect that “involved” might be looked at in a different way. Why else would someone end up in this country? Anyway, she has travel most of the world and ended up in Africa, in Kenya, in Kitale. I mean, after seeing so much of the world, why wouldn’t you want to settle in the 15th century…I mean, really! She said something about settling in other places, but this was where her husband lives and she seems to have an affection for him. I don’t know much about her, so I will make up where I don’t have any facts, just like always. So, about 4 years ago, she and Mr Somethingoranother came here. After seeing all the tourist attractions….oh wait, their aren’t any…they started a business of some kind…she won’t tell me what or where. In the meantime E.L. agreed to help two other ladies start the Coffee Shop and teach them how to do business. Long story short, mission accomplished. Now it’s time for her to let go…..dang and I thought I had done my thing again.
Let me say this. I have met a lot of people over the years, and many of them have my respect. In the short time I have known E.L. she has moved right near the top. This is a funny place. It seems that people either give or they take….not much in the middle. E.L. is one of the givers. I’ve only heard a few stories, but I know there are many. She has helped so many, by meeting needs at the ‘hospital’, saving kids and women off the streets, and intervening to protect babies. She seems to thrive on pouring herself into the lives of others…most of whom she has never met before. Remember Mama Manu, the one who died recently…E.L. was there for her until the end. Not uncommon for her.
The other night Carla mentioned something E.L. said a couple of weeks ago. Someone said something about sometimes it’s hard here and ‘back home’ sounds good. E.L. said something to the effect that this is where life really is. “You know you are alive because you are either really up…like when Dorcas is saved, or really down, like when Mama Dorcas gives her life for her baby…no middle ground…up or down..you know you are alive.” “I couldn’t live where your life consisted of whether your washing machine worked or was broken. You know you are alive here.” So I have been thinking about that and I think she is right. This is life. Not always fun…maybe not very often, but there is no question that you are alive.
So, with that, I give you my respect and gratitude, English Lady….you make me want to be a better person.
Since I think I have only a few readers…ones who’s comprehension is pretty low, I’m sure that E.L. doesn’t read these masterpieces. But if for some reason she sees this (while wrapping garbage or something) I hope she understands that sometimes I stretch the truth…just a little. By the way, she isn’t going anywhere and will still show up at E.L’s, I mean, aahhh, what’s the place on Sundays and other days…especially after I leave.
It is said that you are either born in Africa or you are called to Africa….you just don’t come to live in Africa. I’ve met some really incredible people that have been called here…and a few that have been born here. Me, I wasn’t born here…and even though I am in my God’s debt….(for everything)….for bringing me here…. I have to say, that I don’t know about a ‘calling’ as of yet. Maybe I’m just a coward, or maybe hard of hearing, or maybe I haven’t been called. But I do know that I have met people who have given up life as they have known it to serve and help a needy people. I am inspired to live more for my God. Would you help keep me accountable to what I just said?
Well, she’s tougher than I thought. English Lady told me today that she is giving up her share of the Coffee Shop. It’s been bothering me ever since….being the compassionate type……just what am I going to call English Lady’s…this is really affecting me..and we all know that it is all about me. But, she has managed to put up with me for almost 2 months steady. She told me awhile back that she had seen worse, but today she recanted. “You Yanks are a tenacious lot” she said. “Now if you were French….. Anyway, today was her last official day in the harness, and we went in to see her….well, J & C anyway, me.. more to gloat. I have to give her this though, most women, save Sandy, start looking for a way to avoid me within a couple of weeks. Counting October, she almost has 3 months. “If you can hang on for 3 more weeks, I’ll be gone” I taunted. “Can’t do it. And besides, you might come back, and then were would I be.” she lamented. “Good point” I said. And so, thinking I have a conscience, she attempted to pass blame on to me for her decision to move on. More than one person has made that mistake. So, let me help you understand this woman…..ha ha ha….understand and woman in the same sentence…..I crack me up! English Lady has another name,,, imagine that. It is Theresa something or another…when you first meet her, she is introduced as Mrs Somethingoranother….later as your friendship grows, you can call her Theresa…and when you really grow close, ‘English Lady’. She is from some other country…I can’t recall at the minute. She says she has been involved with the law in that country. Jeff says she might be a lawyer, but I suspect that “involved” might be looked at in a different way. Why else would someone end up in this country? Anyway, she has travel most of the world and ended up in Africa, in Kenya, in Kitale. I mean, after seeing so much of the world, why wouldn’t you want to settle in the 15th century…I mean, really! She said something about settling in other places, but this was where her husband lives and she seems to have an affection for him. I don’t know much about her, so I will make up where I don’t have any facts, just like always. So, about 4 years ago, she and Mr Somethingoranother came here. After seeing all the tourist attractions….oh wait, their aren’t any…they started a business of some kind…she won’t tell me what or where. In the meantime E.L. agreed to help two other ladies start the Coffee Shop and teach them how to do business. Long story short, mission accomplished. Now it’s time for her to let go…..dang and I thought I had done my thing again.
Let me say this. I have met a lot of people over the years, and many of them have my respect. In the short time I have known E.L. she has moved right near the top. This is a funny place. It seems that people either give or they take….not much in the middle. E.L. is one of the givers. I’ve only heard a few stories, but I know there are many. She has helped so many, by meeting needs at the ‘hospital’, saving kids and women off the streets, and intervening to protect babies. She seems to thrive on pouring herself into the lives of others…most of whom she has never met before. Remember Mama Manu, the one who died recently…E.L. was there for her until the end. Not uncommon for her.
The other night Carla mentioned something E.L. said a couple of weeks ago. Someone said something about sometimes it’s hard here and ‘back home’ sounds good. E.L. said something to the effect that this is where life really is. “You know you are alive because you are either really up…like when Dorcas is saved, or really down, like when Mama Dorcas gives her life for her baby…no middle ground…up or down..you know you are alive.” “I couldn’t live where your life consisted of whether your washing machine worked or was broken. You know you are alive here.” So I have been thinking about that and I think she is right. This is life. Not always fun…maybe not very often, but there is no question that you are alive.
So, with that, I give you my respect and gratitude, English Lady….you make me want to be a better person.
Since I think I have only a few readers…ones who’s comprehension is pretty low, I’m sure that E.L. doesn’t read these masterpieces. But if for some reason she sees this (while wrapping garbage or something) I hope she understands that sometimes I stretch the truth…just a little. By the way, she isn’t going anywhere and will still show up at E.L’s, I mean, aahhh, what’s the place on Sundays and other days…especially after I leave.
It is said that you are either born in Africa or you are called to Africa….you just don’t come to live in Africa. I’ve met some really incredible people that have been called here…and a few that have been born here. Me, I wasn’t born here…and even though I am in my God’s debt….(for everything)….for bringing me here…. I have to say, that I don’t know about a ‘calling’ as of yet. Maybe I’m just a coward, or maybe hard of hearing, or maybe I haven’t been called. But I do know that I have met people who have given up life as they have known it to serve and help a needy people. I am inspired to live more for my God. Would you help keep me accountable to what I just said?
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Installment 30
Installment 30...the big 3 ‘O‘.
Just some random thoughts….like I ever have any other kind.. The older kids went nuts today after school…not uncommon, but it was a little more directed this time. It seems that there were panya loose in the firewood pile….this is a big deal for the kids. Up they went…all 10 of them, so excited. I just had to go and see for myself what this attraction was. “Wazup” I asked. “There are panya in the wood” Kelvin says, barely able to contain himself. “Oh, yeah, panya…now I understand why you are excited….what’s a panya?” I asked. “You know, ‘panya’….RATS” squeals Melissa with delight. Now beginning to understand the depth of the situation, I had a hard time containing my excitement…..Rats, live rats….boy oh boy. “What do you do with the panya?” I cautiously inquired, hoping it didn’t have anything to do with the ‘sausage’ they serve here. “We will kill them” Bafo chimes in. “And this is ‘fun’?” I say. “Yes, yes” I heard at least 10 times. “Come and help us, we will find them and kill them” Brian offers. “OK, I can see why you would get so excited….I think I just heard Jeff calling me, otherwise a team of wild horses couldn’t keep me away”. I responded bravely over my shoulder. And so off they went like a herd of cats, rolling logs and moving pieces….killing rats with sticks. Boy, wait ‘til I start this craze in America…..who needs WII. It helps that Jeff pays them 10 shillings per little carcass…about 12 cents.
Another thing I noticed today at dinner time was something that Dale brought up. “How do you stand having all those runny noses and grubby hands closing in on you?” he asked through the veranda window. “It’s all a matter of gitin’ er done…if Jeff won’t let me leave, maybe I can catch some deadly disease and die….one way or another I’m gitin out.” But I have noticed that when people first come, they have a God given survival instinct and are reticent to touch or be touched. After awhile, those little buggers wear you down and you begin to touch them, mostly by pushing them away. As more time passes, the kids seem to become more than snot distributors and they put some kind of spell on you and make you want to hug them. Maybe it’s a product of losing your will to live. Now once they have you there, the next big challenge is to walk through the veranda during dinner when they are having rice and beans. You probably remember your kids at dinner…accidentally, or not, dropping food on the floor. Now gird up your loins…whatever that means and imagine 91 of the worlds best food fighters trying to see how fast they can coat the floor with food product. Most visitors find it is safer to get up on the tables and walk towards a door. Old timers like me have even fondly taken to taking off our shoes and barefoot skim boarding around the room. There was a time that liked having clean feet, but with the mud and the food, I have all but given up. Lucky for me this place has a creative way of cleaning your feet. When you come here, Jeff hands you a stone like the ones you scrub grills with. “We have found that the only way to clean your feet is to treat them as if they didn’t have any feeling and sand them down with this 60 grit stone.” Jeff says with just a hint of a smile. He knows that this is all true and that visitors think he is crazy….which by the way is true. So, when you come, go to a surgeon and have all the nerves taken out of your feet….you’ll thank me. As long as you are at it, maybe having ALL your nerves removed….just sayin.
Dori and Carla are still in the hospital. Dori is doing better…and I’m sure that Carla is doing worse. I’m glad I wasn’t born a mother….. Hopefully they will come home tomorrow.
The building continued on except for the 2 hours it rained. Fundi says we are still on schedule….finished the lumber (timber) shed today, so it will cover the wood.
Just some random thoughts….like I ever have any other kind.. The older kids went nuts today after school…not uncommon, but it was a little more directed this time. It seems that there were panya loose in the firewood pile….this is a big deal for the kids. Up they went…all 10 of them, so excited. I just had to go and see for myself what this attraction was. “Wazup” I asked. “There are panya in the wood” Kelvin says, barely able to contain himself. “Oh, yeah, panya…now I understand why you are excited….what’s a panya?” I asked. “You know, ‘panya’….RATS” squeals Melissa with delight. Now beginning to understand the depth of the situation, I had a hard time containing my excitement…..Rats, live rats….boy oh boy. “What do you do with the panya?” I cautiously inquired, hoping it didn’t have anything to do with the ‘sausage’ they serve here. “We will kill them” Bafo chimes in. “And this is ‘fun’?” I say. “Yes, yes” I heard at least 10 times. “Come and help us, we will find them and kill them” Brian offers. “OK, I can see why you would get so excited….I think I just heard Jeff calling me, otherwise a team of wild horses couldn’t keep me away”. I responded bravely over my shoulder. And so off they went like a herd of cats, rolling logs and moving pieces….killing rats with sticks. Boy, wait ‘til I start this craze in America…..who needs WII. It helps that Jeff pays them 10 shillings per little carcass…about 12 cents.
Another thing I noticed today at dinner time was something that Dale brought up. “How do you stand having all those runny noses and grubby hands closing in on you?” he asked through the veranda window. “It’s all a matter of gitin’ er done…if Jeff won’t let me leave, maybe I can catch some deadly disease and die….one way or another I’m gitin out.” But I have noticed that when people first come, they have a God given survival instinct and are reticent to touch or be touched. After awhile, those little buggers wear you down and you begin to touch them, mostly by pushing them away. As more time passes, the kids seem to become more than snot distributors and they put some kind of spell on you and make you want to hug them. Maybe it’s a product of losing your will to live. Now once they have you there, the next big challenge is to walk through the veranda during dinner when they are having rice and beans. You probably remember your kids at dinner…accidentally, or not, dropping food on the floor. Now gird up your loins…whatever that means and imagine 91 of the worlds best food fighters trying to see how fast they can coat the floor with food product. Most visitors find it is safer to get up on the tables and walk towards a door. Old timers like me have even fondly taken to taking off our shoes and barefoot skim boarding around the room. There was a time that liked having clean feet, but with the mud and the food, I have all but given up. Lucky for me this place has a creative way of cleaning your feet. When you come here, Jeff hands you a stone like the ones you scrub grills with. “We have found that the only way to clean your feet is to treat them as if they didn’t have any feeling and sand them down with this 60 grit stone.” Jeff says with just a hint of a smile. He knows that this is all true and that visitors think he is crazy….which by the way is true. So, when you come, go to a surgeon and have all the nerves taken out of your feet….you’ll thank me. As long as you are at it, maybe having ALL your nerves removed….just sayin.
Dori and Carla are still in the hospital. Dori is doing better…and I’m sure that Carla is doing worse. I’m glad I wasn’t born a mother….. Hopefully they will come home tomorrow.
The building continued on except for the 2 hours it rained. Fundi says we are still on schedule….finished the lumber (timber) shed today, so it will cover the wood.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Installment 29
Installment 29
Not much tonight. The day was pretty uneventful, and I even had time to wash my underwear again….if I keep this up, I will wear them out washing them… It rained for 12 hours last night. Not heavy, just steady. I was a bit worried about the work today, but the rain stopped about 9 am and the excavators were back at it. Because we have had a minor delay getting materials, the crew has been able to almost finish the hole for the clinic and just about finish the one for the dorm. Along with that, they are building a temporary building to keep the lumber in so the sun does not destroy it…..I told you that we are closer to the sun…
So, while I am sweating getting behind, God seems to have actually got us ahead of schedule….how does He do it??? I got some minor maintenance completed around here and a couple of woodworking projects done. With over 20 construction workers, on 3 projects, another 15 or so employees, 91 kids, 3 dogs and a partridge in a pear tree, and Jeff and Carla gone, I’m lucky to get even a three hour nap in. But, things are getting done. Jeff has been in town most of the last two days, spending time with Carla and Dorcas at the hospital, and covering all the logistical needs of this small army. Carla is on her third night at the hospital, lovin’ on B D. Dorie, as Carla has taken to calling B D, is doing better and may get to come home tomorrow. By the way, I really exaggerated B D’s condition….I said she had typhoid…not so…bronchitis was the other one she had….I guess it doesn’t matter much, as she was as close to death as anyone I have seen as late….except for the ones at the morgue….they were closer….I hope. Anyway, thanks to you who have been praying…looks as if God has save this little one.
The highlight of my day other than waking up alive, was talking to 3 of the staff here. Every time I get a chance, I like to pick peoples brains here about ethics, morals, honesty…you know the basics of civilization. Like yesterday with the semi-blind welder and his helper…questions to help make them think. The culture is so screwed up here that it seems as if most of the people that I meet have a hard time with right and wrong. So, I like to tweak them a bit. With that in mind, I began a conversation with the 3 women, who along with most of the women I know, love me. My goal was to see where they stood on life’s real issues. It was fun for me and I’m sure it was one of the best things that ever happened to them…I should have given them my autograph. All three profess to be Christian and read the bible, so I approached it from that prospective. I found that they did know their bible, and much to my surprise, they kinda ignore the parts that give them trouble….JUST LIKE ME!! Anyway, I left them with a question: “Why do you think I came to Africa?” They started with all the pat answers and I shushed them. “Shush” I said. “Take some time and think about it…I’ll talk to you later. About 2 hrs later, Adelaide found me near the clinic site pretending to watch the crew. Interrupting my concentration (read nap) she said that she had been thinking about what I had asked. “It seemed easy to answer at first” she said, “but it is deeper than I thought…I will think some more and get back to you.” Is this cool or what??? I hope she comes up with a good answer….I can use one when I get home and people ask why I went….I hope it better than “for the ugali.”
Oh, I notice that I have 34 followers of the blog….I’m beginning to feel like the Pied Piper!
Not much tonight. The day was pretty uneventful, and I even had time to wash my underwear again….if I keep this up, I will wear them out washing them… It rained for 12 hours last night. Not heavy, just steady. I was a bit worried about the work today, but the rain stopped about 9 am and the excavators were back at it. Because we have had a minor delay getting materials, the crew has been able to almost finish the hole for the clinic and just about finish the one for the dorm. Along with that, they are building a temporary building to keep the lumber in so the sun does not destroy it…..I told you that we are closer to the sun…
So, while I am sweating getting behind, God seems to have actually got us ahead of schedule….how does He do it??? I got some minor maintenance completed around here and a couple of woodworking projects done. With over 20 construction workers, on 3 projects, another 15 or so employees, 91 kids, 3 dogs and a partridge in a pear tree, and Jeff and Carla gone, I’m lucky to get even a three hour nap in. But, things are getting done. Jeff has been in town most of the last two days, spending time with Carla and Dorcas at the hospital, and covering all the logistical needs of this small army. Carla is on her third night at the hospital, lovin’ on B D. Dorie, as Carla has taken to calling B D, is doing better and may get to come home tomorrow. By the way, I really exaggerated B D’s condition….I said she had typhoid…not so…bronchitis was the other one she had….I guess it doesn’t matter much, as she was as close to death as anyone I have seen as late….except for the ones at the morgue….they were closer….I hope. Anyway, thanks to you who have been praying…looks as if God has save this little one.
The highlight of my day other than waking up alive, was talking to 3 of the staff here. Every time I get a chance, I like to pick peoples brains here about ethics, morals, honesty…you know the basics of civilization. Like yesterday with the semi-blind welder and his helper…questions to help make them think. The culture is so screwed up here that it seems as if most of the people that I meet have a hard time with right and wrong. So, I like to tweak them a bit. With that in mind, I began a conversation with the 3 women, who along with most of the women I know, love me. My goal was to see where they stood on life’s real issues. It was fun for me and I’m sure it was one of the best things that ever happened to them…I should have given them my autograph. All three profess to be Christian and read the bible, so I approached it from that prospective. I found that they did know their bible, and much to my surprise, they kinda ignore the parts that give them trouble….JUST LIKE ME!! Anyway, I left them with a question: “Why do you think I came to Africa?” They started with all the pat answers and I shushed them. “Shush” I said. “Take some time and think about it…I’ll talk to you later. About 2 hrs later, Adelaide found me near the clinic site pretending to watch the crew. Interrupting my concentration (read nap) she said that she had been thinking about what I had asked. “It seemed easy to answer at first” she said, “but it is deeper than I thought…I will think some more and get back to you.” Is this cool or what??? I hope she comes up with a good answer….I can use one when I get home and people ask why I went….I hope it better than “for the ugali.”
Oh, I notice that I have 34 followers of the blog….I’m beginning to feel like the Pied Piper!
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Installment 28
Installment 28
So, let’s start back a couple of days…about 7 pm. J & C and I were hiding out in the room set aside for visitors..and no, it’s not the bathroom. I have been able to show them some tricks about getting away from the kids. I have gotten to be a world class children avoider. The other day I heard some of them talking (from my hiding), “Where do you suppose that Babu is?” “I can’t even smell him anymore, so you think he is becoming one of us” (It was a great revelation when I quit using deet) But I digress. Carla was holding baby Dorcas as we were talking, and B D wasn’t doing well, in fact it turned serious in a matter of a couple of hours. Jeff said he’d go for the doctor and headed down the hall. Then B D stopped breathing and had to be prodded to start again. Time for Carla to go with Jeff, rather than wait for the doctor. Holding down the fort and praying and waiting was me, who doesn’t like babies. 45 minutes later Toyota showed up with our 3 and the doctor. B D was fluctuating between really bad, to sort of okay. Shadrack (Dr) was really worried about her fever…HIGH. He then tried for almost 20 minutes to insert an IV to get some drugs into her. Now if you take the time to look back in FB, I was able to post a picture of B D and you can see how small she is. Shadrack tried one hand and then the other, then the foot, and finally shave part of her head and tried for a vein there…none worked, but it did manage to bring tears to all the adults in attendance. Finally he gave her an injection….somehow he found enough muscle to get a needle in…that wasn’t as good, but was the only choice. She stabilized and J & C took her to there lair and like all good parent s, slept with B D between them. In the morning, her fever had eased, and she seemed to be better. About 9 am, her fever came back and seemed to be regressing. Back in Toyota and off to see Shadrack….Toyota has been to the clinic so many times, it probably doesn’t need a driver anymore. There, she wasn’t stabilizing, in fact Shadrack had to hold her almost upside down to keep her breathing.. so they made the decision to go to Kitale..baby inverted.. to an actual, real, quality pediatrician, who took her right in and gave her 3 injections immediately. A little better, but still having the fever, they opted for the hospital. Now, I know what you are thinking,,, because you have been diligent in absorbing every word from Safarislim…. Hospital…eeeegads…why not somewhere safe….my words exactly when Jeff called with an update. Turns out that they weren’t taking her to ’maybe we will help you’ hospital, but to another one that must be private. Much contrary to Kenyan upbringing, as soon as B D got thru the door, the staff quickly evaluated her and had an IV in within minutes. If I had been there, I would have asked if we were still in Kenya. Anyway, I know this is getting long, and my one typing finger is getting a blister, but let me finish this thought before I forget what I am saying….might be too late even now. They ran some tests on B D and came back with: Aggressive malaria (which Shadrack had indicated), Typhoid, TB, and pneumonia. Other than that, this 13 month old was in the picture of health….must be a Picasso. She began to do better and even after a while, the fever started down. Carla, like she has done many times before, spent the night with B D. Jeff and I went in to see them last night to take them clothes etc, and I was totally shocked to see that there were only 10 beds in the 12x12 room, and only 1 patient per bed….AND sheets and blankets. For an instant I was ready to check in myself.
That brings us to today. B D slept well and long and is doing much better…not clear yet, but better…and Carla is doing just fine. Why so much on this one incident, you ask. Well, this isn’t America and so these things can get out of hand quickly. Serious diseases are more prevalent in the tropics and remember, there is no 911, and we are miles, well kilometers from help, and then there are the “roads’. Hopefully you are getting some small idea of life here, but it’s impossible to tell how it really is….I am still amazed at how much in love J & C are with these kids…even the ones that have only been here a short time. So that is that, except that after waiting for some hours this morning I had to text Carla to find out how B D and her were doing….I was irritated until I remembered that ’I don’t do babies’.
Yesterday 2 men showed up out of nowhere with just what they were wearing. “sheaob kdie neeil liikeh aiinet” they said, assuming I had some idea of what they were saying. “Yes” I replied, not to be outdone, “
a2 +b2=c2.” I smiled, and they smiled….”You do not speak Swahili” one said….not to be one upped, I said “You don’t speak mathematics.” Just then, Eliud arrived and said that the men were here to fabricate and weld some new charcoal burners. “May I watch?” I asked, noting that they had no metal, tools, or welder. “Yes, as soon as you find us some metal, tools and welder” is what I heard. “Oh, pole sana”(very sorry) I said, impressing them with my grasp of their native tongue. As I set about rounding up OUR metal, OUR tools and OUR welder for them to do THEIR contracted work, I couldn’t help but wonder if I could use some Kenyan ways in my contracting business at home. I should pass that idea on to some of my competitors. Funny, if I need a “barbeque’ at home, I go to Giant Store and buy one. The only Giant Store I can find here is one called ’Gigamatt’. It has everything except barbeques. So that left us here with two guys and our tools. I sat down to watch these two primitive guys….I needed a little mocking time. They started hacking and chiseling and hammering and darned if they didn’t have an almost perfectly round short tube about the size of …mmmm a charcoal burner, I guess. By the end of the day, they had almost 3 burners done….all done in the dirt. It was pretty amazing. The only drawback seemed to be that the guy (Geoff) that was doing the welding didn’t use ANY eye protection….yet he said he could still see me around the black spots in the middle of his eyes. I don’t know how they do it, but it’s common here.
The men have the clinic foundation just about done, and they are started on dorm 1. We have run into a delay waiting for materials and so if you don’t mind, would you pray that God will either hold off the rain, send materials quickly, or the one I like the best; make the men work like crazy when the materials get here…just kidding, these guys work harder than most wazungus I know. I’ll see if I can post pictures when I can.
There is lots I don’t tell you…aren’t you glad…for a ‘laidback’ lifestyle, this sure is a ‘gofast’ place. So much of what shocked me earlier on is now becoming my way…I even caught myself chipping out some ugali with the intent to eat it….I’m being absorbed….I’ve GOT to get our of here…first babies, now ugali…pretty soon I’ll have a runny nose and be hanging on Jeff eeeeeeeesshhhh.
I talked to a mother and about 4 yr old on the ‘road’ outside the fence today and the mom asked if her snotlocker (my translation) could touch me. He hadn’t ever touched a mzungu. I watched as he cautiously felt my hand and arm. I could tell that he is a very smart boy, as when I asked if he also would like my autograph, he had the very early rendering of Jeff’s look.
So, let’s start back a couple of days…about 7 pm. J & C and I were hiding out in the room set aside for visitors..and no, it’s not the bathroom. I have been able to show them some tricks about getting away from the kids. I have gotten to be a world class children avoider. The other day I heard some of them talking (from my hiding), “Where do you suppose that Babu is?” “I can’t even smell him anymore, so you think he is becoming one of us” (It was a great revelation when I quit using deet) But I digress. Carla was holding baby Dorcas as we were talking, and B D wasn’t doing well, in fact it turned serious in a matter of a couple of hours. Jeff said he’d go for the doctor and headed down the hall. Then B D stopped breathing and had to be prodded to start again. Time for Carla to go with Jeff, rather than wait for the doctor. Holding down the fort and praying and waiting was me, who doesn’t like babies. 45 minutes later Toyota showed up with our 3 and the doctor. B D was fluctuating between really bad, to sort of okay. Shadrack (Dr) was really worried about her fever…HIGH. He then tried for almost 20 minutes to insert an IV to get some drugs into her. Now if you take the time to look back in FB, I was able to post a picture of B D and you can see how small she is. Shadrack tried one hand and then the other, then the foot, and finally shave part of her head and tried for a vein there…none worked, but it did manage to bring tears to all the adults in attendance. Finally he gave her an injection….somehow he found enough muscle to get a needle in…that wasn’t as good, but was the only choice. She stabilized and J & C took her to there lair and like all good parent s, slept with B D between them. In the morning, her fever had eased, and she seemed to be better. About 9 am, her fever came back and seemed to be regressing. Back in Toyota and off to see Shadrack….Toyota has been to the clinic so many times, it probably doesn’t need a driver anymore. There, she wasn’t stabilizing, in fact Shadrack had to hold her almost upside down to keep her breathing.. so they made the decision to go to Kitale..baby inverted.. to an actual, real, quality pediatrician, who took her right in and gave her 3 injections immediately. A little better, but still having the fever, they opted for the hospital. Now, I know what you are thinking,,, because you have been diligent in absorbing every word from Safarislim…. Hospital…eeeegads…why not somewhere safe….my words exactly when Jeff called with an update. Turns out that they weren’t taking her to ’maybe we will help you’ hospital, but to another one that must be private. Much contrary to Kenyan upbringing, as soon as B D got thru the door, the staff quickly evaluated her and had an IV in within minutes. If I had been there, I would have asked if we were still in Kenya. Anyway, I know this is getting long, and my one typing finger is getting a blister, but let me finish this thought before I forget what I am saying….might be too late even now. They ran some tests on B D and came back with: Aggressive malaria (which Shadrack had indicated), Typhoid, TB, and pneumonia. Other than that, this 13 month old was in the picture of health….must be a Picasso. She began to do better and even after a while, the fever started down. Carla, like she has done many times before, spent the night with B D. Jeff and I went in to see them last night to take them clothes etc, and I was totally shocked to see that there were only 10 beds in the 12x12 room, and only 1 patient per bed….AND sheets and blankets. For an instant I was ready to check in myself.
That brings us to today. B D slept well and long and is doing much better…not clear yet, but better…and Carla is doing just fine. Why so much on this one incident, you ask. Well, this isn’t America and so these things can get out of hand quickly. Serious diseases are more prevalent in the tropics and remember, there is no 911, and we are miles, well kilometers from help, and then there are the “roads’. Hopefully you are getting some small idea of life here, but it’s impossible to tell how it really is….I am still amazed at how much in love J & C are with these kids…even the ones that have only been here a short time. So that is that, except that after waiting for some hours this morning I had to text Carla to find out how B D and her were doing….I was irritated until I remembered that ’I don’t do babies’.
Yesterday 2 men showed up out of nowhere with just what they were wearing. “sheaob kdie neeil liikeh aiinet” they said, assuming I had some idea of what they were saying. “Yes” I replied, not to be outdone, “
a2 +b2=c2.” I smiled, and they smiled….”You do not speak Swahili” one said….not to be one upped, I said “You don’t speak mathematics.” Just then, Eliud arrived and said that the men were here to fabricate and weld some new charcoal burners. “May I watch?” I asked, noting that they had no metal, tools, or welder. “Yes, as soon as you find us some metal, tools and welder” is what I heard. “Oh, pole sana”(very sorry) I said, impressing them with my grasp of their native tongue. As I set about rounding up OUR metal, OUR tools and OUR welder for them to do THEIR contracted work, I couldn’t help but wonder if I could use some Kenyan ways in my contracting business at home. I should pass that idea on to some of my competitors. Funny, if I need a “barbeque’ at home, I go to Giant Store and buy one. The only Giant Store I can find here is one called ’Gigamatt’. It has everything except barbeques. So that left us here with two guys and our tools. I sat down to watch these two primitive guys….I needed a little mocking time. They started hacking and chiseling and hammering and darned if they didn’t have an almost perfectly round short tube about the size of …mmmm a charcoal burner, I guess. By the end of the day, they had almost 3 burners done….all done in the dirt. It was pretty amazing. The only drawback seemed to be that the guy (Geoff) that was doing the welding didn’t use ANY eye protection….yet he said he could still see me around the black spots in the middle of his eyes. I don’t know how they do it, but it’s common here.
The men have the clinic foundation just about done, and they are started on dorm 1. We have run into a delay waiting for materials and so if you don’t mind, would you pray that God will either hold off the rain, send materials quickly, or the one I like the best; make the men work like crazy when the materials get here…just kidding, these guys work harder than most wazungus I know. I’ll see if I can post pictures when I can.
There is lots I don’t tell you…aren’t you glad…for a ‘laidback’ lifestyle, this sure is a ‘gofast’ place. So much of what shocked me earlier on is now becoming my way…I even caught myself chipping out some ugali with the intent to eat it….I’m being absorbed….I’ve GOT to get our of here…first babies, now ugali…pretty soon I’ll have a runny nose and be hanging on Jeff eeeeeeeesshhhh.
I talked to a mother and about 4 yr old on the ‘road’ outside the fence today and the mom asked if her snotlocker (my translation) could touch me. He hadn’t ever touched a mzungu. I watched as he cautiously felt my hand and arm. I could tell that he is a very smart boy, as when I asked if he also would like my autograph, he had the very early rendering of Jeff’s look.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Installment 27
Installment 27
The day finally came! After 6 weeks of “we’re just about ready”, I was able to tell Jeff that we would be starting to clear the land for the clinic. “But I haven’t seen any pigs flying” says Jeff. I told him that aerodynamically speaking, pigs would have a difficult time flying. “Didn’t you say a couple weeks ago that you thought pigs would probably be flying before we actually started building?” he craftily chides me. “I think that was your comment.” I volleyed. “was not”….”was too”….”not”….”too”….”not”….”too” And without any adult supervision this went on for quite awhile…until we both slinked off, each thinking how immature the other was….and Jeff really is! Anyway, with the contract signed, the ‘Fundi’ (contractor) came yesterday and proclaimed that the excavation would start at 8:00 am. I mentioned that I hadn’t seen any heavy equipment recently and asked “diesel or gasoline?” “Ugali” said Fundi. Just then about 20 men came around the corner…still chewing on what I can only guess was ugali. Because of the high glue content, it is idea for manual laborers as they don’t have to stop for lunch….just keep chewing. Fundi told the men to act like they didn’t speak any English if I talked to them. Which is fine with me, because after reading some of my previous blogs, I’m not sure I speak English either. With that they set out. I mean really, “set out”. That’s what they call establishing the parameters of the building and excavation lines. They used the corners that Dale had set and started pulling strings. Soon, Fundi lined the men up and said “Enda.” I said “no, you mean ‘starta‘.” I didn’t see it, but somewhere in the contract it must have specified ‘Contractors’ use of ‘Jeff’s look’, because Fundi used it perfectly. Strangely, ‘enda’ in Swahili means ‘go’….which then he turned to me, pointed and said “ENDA”….and because the men all had shorthandled heavy hoes, I thought I’d give them some room to work. They call the hoes….not the ghetto slang type by the way, ‘jembas’. Might be jimba, but it is the primary digging instrument here. No picks and only a few shovels….they move dirt, grass, cow dung, and evidently any mzungu that happen to misunderstand ‘enda’. I’ll try to get a couple of pics up tomorrow when we go to English Lady’s. I can’t tell you how different the building techniques are here, without showing my total ignorance, so I won’t. But what would take one man and one machine a few hours to do, it took 20 men two days. Fundi says we are on schedule. So, the clinic site is ready for the many trenches that need to be dug…about 3 feet deep, and we also have dorm #1 site cleared and ready for ‘set out’. The rumor is that if I stay at least 50 meters from the site, we will be pouring cement footings by Thursday. There is a ton of detail yet to get organized, but I’ll get it, or my name isn’t Safarislim….oh wait??? Should be tons and tons of sand, rock, cement, and building stones here by the end of next week….I’m a little concerned about throwing the earth out of balance with all the weight here. And somehow, we have found a couple of outlets that have enough timber for us…I think God is at work again.
It took awhile, but Dorcas’s mom got back to her family and is hopefully safe. Turns out that a woman has been ‘renting’ her out to men and had hidden her…but she was rooted out and now has been returned to her family near Nairobi. Of course, nothing will happen to the woman….even though Mama Dorcas has mental problems. On a happy note, Riziki is doing really well and smiles quite abit…and Dorcas is still gaining weight, but still looks like a new born, but is becoming much more active. For now, the various diseases and stuff are at a minimum. With 93, there will always be some on medicine, but God has been gracious and the health here is good.
After the Gold Bond incident, I have been careful to move my Preparation H to another location….not being sure what it would do to my tongue.
The day finally came! After 6 weeks of “we’re just about ready”, I was able to tell Jeff that we would be starting to clear the land for the clinic. “But I haven’t seen any pigs flying” says Jeff. I told him that aerodynamically speaking, pigs would have a difficult time flying. “Didn’t you say a couple weeks ago that you thought pigs would probably be flying before we actually started building?” he craftily chides me. “I think that was your comment.” I volleyed. “was not”….”was too”….”not”….”too”….”not”….”too” And without any adult supervision this went on for quite awhile…until we both slinked off, each thinking how immature the other was….and Jeff really is! Anyway, with the contract signed, the ‘Fundi’ (contractor) came yesterday and proclaimed that the excavation would start at 8:00 am. I mentioned that I hadn’t seen any heavy equipment recently and asked “diesel or gasoline?” “Ugali” said Fundi. Just then about 20 men came around the corner…still chewing on what I can only guess was ugali. Because of the high glue content, it is idea for manual laborers as they don’t have to stop for lunch….just keep chewing. Fundi told the men to act like they didn’t speak any English if I talked to them. Which is fine with me, because after reading some of my previous blogs, I’m not sure I speak English either. With that they set out. I mean really, “set out”. That’s what they call establishing the parameters of the building and excavation lines. They used the corners that Dale had set and started pulling strings. Soon, Fundi lined the men up and said “Enda.” I said “no, you mean ‘starta‘.” I didn’t see it, but somewhere in the contract it must have specified ‘Contractors’ use of ‘Jeff’s look’, because Fundi used it perfectly. Strangely, ‘enda’ in Swahili means ‘go’….which then he turned to me, pointed and said “ENDA”….and because the men all had shorthandled heavy hoes, I thought I’d give them some room to work. They call the hoes….not the ghetto slang type by the way, ‘jembas’. Might be jimba, but it is the primary digging instrument here. No picks and only a few shovels….they move dirt, grass, cow dung, and evidently any mzungu that happen to misunderstand ‘enda’. I’ll try to get a couple of pics up tomorrow when we go to English Lady’s. I can’t tell you how different the building techniques are here, without showing my total ignorance, so I won’t. But what would take one man and one machine a few hours to do, it took 20 men two days. Fundi says we are on schedule. So, the clinic site is ready for the many trenches that need to be dug…about 3 feet deep, and we also have dorm #1 site cleared and ready for ‘set out’. The rumor is that if I stay at least 50 meters from the site, we will be pouring cement footings by Thursday. There is a ton of detail yet to get organized, but I’ll get it, or my name isn’t Safarislim….oh wait??? Should be tons and tons of sand, rock, cement, and building stones here by the end of next week….I’m a little concerned about throwing the earth out of balance with all the weight here. And somehow, we have found a couple of outlets that have enough timber for us…I think God is at work again.
It took awhile, but Dorcas’s mom got back to her family and is hopefully safe. Turns out that a woman has been ‘renting’ her out to men and had hidden her…but she was rooted out and now has been returned to her family near Nairobi. Of course, nothing will happen to the woman….even though Mama Dorcas has mental problems. On a happy note, Riziki is doing really well and smiles quite abit…and Dorcas is still gaining weight, but still looks like a new born, but is becoming much more active. For now, the various diseases and stuff are at a minimum. With 93, there will always be some on medicine, but God has been gracious and the health here is good.
After the Gold Bond incident, I have been careful to move my Preparation H to another location….not being sure what it would do to my tongue.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Installment 26 try again
Installment 26
Africa has taught and is teaching me many lessons. First, never enter a ground war in southeast Asia. More recently, like this morning, I learned that it isn’t a good idea to put your Gold Bond medicated cream next to your toothpaste. I’ll let you fill in the blanks, but my teeth didn’t itch at all today.
This was a milestone day in that Instep signed a building contract with our local contractor. I’ve been working on it for over a month and really the deal has been in the works for over a year. We have a lot of things to work out yet, but we are moving….well not us, think how hard it would be for this mob to move..even using Kenya standards, it would take at least 4 vans to get everyone in. (8 passenger vans) If you have been here, you know what I’m saying. Tomorrow Jeff and I will begin the ordering process. We need to get the heavy materials on the ground here before the rain starts in earnest… well in Kenya anyway. Since they build with bricks and stone here, we are talking many many tons of material. Looks like everything is available except the lumber (timber). I’m afraid I’m alittle nervous about getting what we need…you might be praying.
An interesting thing happened today. I was cutting some plywood for the storage and had about 20 ¾ x¾ x 36 inch pieces left, which for some unknown reason I gave to the older kids…and then I ran away and watched. What do you think happened? Because these kids are all brought up the same, they naturally reacted to the sticks the same, right! Because boys and girls are the same and it’s just culture that make them different, this is a good test ground. Yep, the boys began using them as swords and the girls used them as horses and some put them together making a ‘house’. I just thought that was fun to watch. Kids are kids.
Our new little Dorcas went in to see a pediatrician today. She is the one that is 13 months old and is currently 8lb 4oz, up from 7 something a couple of weeks ago. She needs some medication and good food. The medication is no problem, but the food thing….. Anyway, it’s a pleasure to see how well the kids are taken care of here.
You know, the hope is that the kids here will have major heart change and make Kenya a better place. Tonight I came across two boys and a girl…10, 10 and 7 arguing and the girl crying. I put on my best interpretation of an authority figure and asked each to tell what happened….3 similar but different stories. So I got strict, and told them that after dinner I wanted to see them. Here they came, to me outside, heads down….they knew life was over as they knew it. Looking them in the eyes, I had each tell their version. The common theme had to do with one of them stealing a bead from another and then some hitting and accusations etc. I know they expected Babu to feed them to the pigs…if we had pigs. But I sat down with them and we talked about integrity honesty and putting others first. It was a classic teachable moment. I don’t know how much impact that one time will have, but it is part of an ongoing theme. You know, when you put your arms around a kid that expects you to hate him, and tell him you love him, it has an impact. Now you know that I don’t care for kids, so this is just a tale I made up to impress you with my great wisdom….
Looks like my best friend won’t be able to come. I guess you know how that affects me, but there is joy in both of us feeling that we are being obedient. But, if any of you just happens to be coming here shortly, I need a couple of prescriptions brought from home, as it looks as if I will be extending my stay for 3 more weeks longer than I had planned….to make sure the project get started well.
No stima tonight, and no generator. Eliud took it in to the shop where we bought it because it still is messed up. “We need it right away, because we don’t have stima most nights.” E tell the store manager. “We will take care of it right now. We have a truck going to Nairobi and will be able to get it repaired within a week. Would you like to wait?” So, it goes without saying that it dark here now….oh, I just said it, didn’t I.
Hey, would you pray for me, I really want to get this project going in a easy to manage way so that it can run as efficiently as possible. I need wisdom in getting all the correct accountability in place. Thanks. I’ll leave you with this; a cook came up to me tonight and asked if mosquitoes have teeth. “No way” I said. “They have 47 teeth” she says. I bet her 1 shilling…1.2 cents.. she is wrong. So your homework is to find out and get back to me…..I’ll split the winnings with you
Africa has taught and is teaching me many lessons. First, never enter a ground war in southeast Asia. More recently, like this morning, I learned that it isn’t a good idea to put your Gold Bond medicated cream next to your toothpaste. I’ll let you fill in the blanks, but my teeth didn’t itch at all today.
This was a milestone day in that Instep signed a building contract with our local contractor. I’ve been working on it for over a month and really the deal has been in the works for over a year. We have a lot of things to work out yet, but we are moving….well not us, think how hard it would be for this mob to move..even using Kenya standards, it would take at least 4 vans to get everyone in. (8 passenger vans) If you have been here, you know what I’m saying. Tomorrow Jeff and I will begin the ordering process. We need to get the heavy materials on the ground here before the rain starts in earnest… well in Kenya anyway. Since they build with bricks and stone here, we are talking many many tons of material. Looks like everything is available except the lumber (timber). I’m afraid I’m alittle nervous about getting what we need…you might be praying.
An interesting thing happened today. I was cutting some plywood for the storage and had about 20 ¾ x¾ x 36 inch pieces left, which for some unknown reason I gave to the older kids…and then I ran away and watched. What do you think happened? Because these kids are all brought up the same, they naturally reacted to the sticks the same, right! Because boys and girls are the same and it’s just culture that make them different, this is a good test ground. Yep, the boys began using them as swords and the girls used them as horses and some put them together making a ‘house’. I just thought that was fun to watch. Kids are kids.
Our new little Dorcas went in to see a pediatrician today. She is the one that is 13 months old and is currently 8lb 4oz, up from 7 something a couple of weeks ago. She needs some medication and good food. The medication is no problem, but the food thing….. Anyway, it’s a pleasure to see how well the kids are taken care of here.
You know, the hope is that the kids here will have major heart change and make Kenya a better place. Tonight I came across two boys and a girl…10, 10 and 7 arguing and the girl crying. I put on my best interpretation of an authority figure and asked each to tell what happened….3 similar but different stories. So I got strict, and told them that after dinner I wanted to see them. Here they came, to me outside, heads down….they knew life was over as they knew it. Looking them in the eyes, I had each tell their version. The common theme had to do with one of them stealing a bead from another and then some hitting and accusations etc. I know they expected Babu to feed them to the pigs…if we had pigs. But I sat down with them and we talked about integrity honesty and putting others first. It was a classic teachable moment. I don’t know how much impact that one time will have, but it is part of an ongoing theme. You know, when you put your arms around a kid that expects you to hate him, and tell him you love him, it has an impact. Now you know that I don’t care for kids, so this is just a tale I made up to impress you with my great wisdom….
Looks like my best friend won’t be able to come. I guess you know how that affects me, but there is joy in both of us feeling that we are being obedient. But, if any of you just happens to be coming here shortly, I need a couple of prescriptions brought from home, as it looks as if I will be extending my stay for 3 more weeks longer than I had planned….to make sure the project get started well.
No stima tonight, and no generator. Eliud took it in to the shop where we bought it because it still is messed up. “We need it right away, because we don’t have stima most nights.” E tell the store manager. “We will take care of it right now. We have a truck going to Nairobi and will be able to get it repaired within a week. Would you like to wait?” So, it goes without saying that it dark here now….oh, I just said it, didn’t I.
Hey, would you pray for me, I really want to get this project going in a easy to manage way so that it can run as efficiently as possible. I need wisdom in getting all the correct accountability in place. Thanks. I’ll leave you with this; a cook came up to me tonight and asked if mosquitoes have teeth. “No way” I said. “They have 47 teeth” she says. I bet her 1 shilling…1.2 cents.. she is wrong. So your homework is to find out and get back to me…..I’ll split the winnings with you
Installment 26
Installment 26
Africa has taught and is teaching me many lessons. First, never enter a ground war in southeast Asia. More recently, like this morning, I learned that it isn’t a good idea to put your Gold Bond medicated cream next to your toothpaste. I’ll let you fill in the blanks, but my teeth didn’t itch at all today.
This was a milestone day in that Instep signed a building contract with our local contractor. I’ve been working on it for over a month and really the deal has been in the works for over a year. We have a lot of things to work out yet, but we are moving….well not us, think how hard it would be for this mob to move..even using Kenya standards, it would take at least 4 vans to get everyone in. (8 passenger vans) If you have been here, you know what I’m saying. Tomorrow Jeff and I will begin the ordering process. We need to get the heavy materials on the ground here before the rain starts in earnest… well in Kenya anyway. Since they build with bricks and stone here, we are talking many many tons of material. Looks like everything is available except the lumber (timber). I’m afraid I’m alittle nervous about getting what we need…you might be praying.
An interesting thing happened today. I was cutting some plywood for the storage and had about 20 ¾ x¾ x 36 inch pieces left, which for some unknown reason I gave to the older kids…and then I ran away and watched. What do you think happened? Because these kids are all brought up the same, they naturally reacted to the sticks the same, right! Because boys and girls are the same and it’s just culture that make them different, this is a good test ground. Yep, the boys began using them as swords and the girls used them as horses and some put them together making a ‘house’. I just thought that was fun to watch. Kids are kids.
Our new little Dorcas went in to see a pediatrician today. She is the one that is 13 months old and is currently 8lb 4oz, up from 7 something a couple of weeks ago. She needs some medication and good food. The medication is no problem, but the food thing….. Anyway, it’s a pleasure to see how well the kids are taken care of here.
You know, the hope is that the kids here will have major heart change and make Kenya a better place. Tonight I came across two boys and a girl…10, 10 and 7 arguing and the girl crying. I put on my best interpretation of an authority figure and asked each to tell what happened….3 similar but different stories. So I got strict, and told them that after dinner I wanted to see them. Here they came, to me outside, heads down….they knew life was over as they knew it. Looking them in the eyes, I had each tell their version. The common theme had to do with one of them stealing a bead from another and then some hitting and accusations etc. I know they expected Babu to feed them to the pigs…if we had pigs. But I sat down with them and we talked about integrity honesty and putting others first. It was a classic teachable moment. I don’t know how much impact that one time will have, but it is part of an ongoing theme. You know, when you put your arms around a kid that expects you to hate him, and tell him you love him, it has an impact. Now you know that I don’t care for kids, so this is just a tale I made up to impress you with my great wisdom….
Looks like my best friend won’t be able to come. I guess you know how that affects me, but there is joy in both of us feeling that we are being obedient. But, if any of you just happens to be coming here shortly, I need a couple of prescriptions brought from home, as it looks as if I will be extending my stay for 3 more weeks longer than I had planned….to make sure the project get started well.
No stima tonight, and no generator. Eliud took it in to the shop where we bought it because it still is messed up. “We need it right away, because we don’t have stima most nights.” E tell the store manager. “We will take care of it right now. We have a truck going to Nairobi and will be able to get it repaired within a week. Would you like to wait?” So, it goes without saying that it dark here now….oh, I just said it, didn’t I.
Hey, would you pray for me, I really want to get this project going in a easy to manage way so that it can run as efficiently as possible. I need wisdom in getting all the correct accountability in place. Thanks. I’ll leave you with this; a cook came up to me tonight and asked if mosquitoes have teeth. “No way” I said. “They have 47 teeth” she says. I bet her 1 shilling…1.2 cents.. she is wrong. So your homework is to find out and get back to me…..I’ll split the winnings with you
Africa has taught and is teaching me many lessons. First, never enter a ground war in southeast Asia. More recently, like this morning, I learned that it isn’t a good idea to put your Gold Bond medicated cream next to your toothpaste. I’ll let you fill in the blanks, but my teeth didn’t itch at all today.
This was a milestone day in that Instep signed a building contract with our local contractor. I’ve been working on it for over a month and really the deal has been in the works for over a year. We have a lot of things to work out yet, but we are moving….well not us, think how hard it would be for this mob to move..even using Kenya standards, it would take at least 4 vans to get everyone in. (8 passenger vans) If you have been here, you know what I’m saying. Tomorrow Jeff and I will begin the ordering process. We need to get the heavy materials on the ground here before the rain starts in earnest… well in Kenya anyway. Since they build with bricks and stone here, we are talking many many tons of material. Looks like everything is available except the lumber (timber). I’m afraid I’m alittle nervous about getting what we need…you might be praying.
An interesting thing happened today. I was cutting some plywood for the storage and had about 20 ¾ x¾ x 36 inch pieces left, which for some unknown reason I gave to the older kids…and then I ran away and watched. What do you think happened? Because these kids are all brought up the same, they naturally reacted to the sticks the same, right! Because boys and girls are the same and it’s just culture that make them different, this is a good test ground. Yep, the boys began using them as swords and the girls used them as horses and some put them together making a ‘house’. I just thought that was fun to watch. Kids are kids.
Our new little Dorcas went in to see a pediatrician today. She is the one that is 13 months old and is currently 8lb 4oz, up from 7 something a couple of weeks ago. She needs some medication and good food. The medication is no problem, but the food thing….. Anyway, it’s a pleasure to see how well the kids are taken care of here.
You know, the hope is that the kids here will have major heart change and make Kenya a better place. Tonight I came across two boys and a girl…10, 10 and 7 arguing and the girl crying. I put on my best interpretation of an authority figure and asked each to tell what happened….3 similar but different stories. So I got strict, and told them that after dinner I wanted to see them. Here they came, to me outside, heads down….they knew life was over as they knew it. Looking them in the eyes, I had each tell their version. The common theme had to do with one of them stealing a bead from another and then some hitting and accusations etc. I know they expected Babu to feed them to the pigs…if we had pigs. But I sat down with them and we talked about integrity honesty and putting others first. It was a classic teachable moment. I don’t know how much impact that one time will have, but it is part of an ongoing theme. You know, when you put your arms around a kid that expects you to hate him, and tell him you love him, it has an impact. Now you know that I don’t care for kids, so this is just a tale I made up to impress you with my great wisdom….
Looks like my best friend won’t be able to come. I guess you know how that affects me, but there is joy in both of us feeling that we are being obedient. But, if any of you just happens to be coming here shortly, I need a couple of prescriptions brought from home, as it looks as if I will be extending my stay for 3 more weeks longer than I had planned….to make sure the project get started well.
No stima tonight, and no generator. Eliud took it in to the shop where we bought it because it still is messed up. “We need it right away, because we don’t have stima most nights.” E tell the store manager. “We will take care of it right now. We have a truck going to Nairobi and will be able to get it repaired within a week. Would you like to wait?” So, it goes without saying that it dark here now….oh, I just said it, didn’t I.
Hey, would you pray for me, I really want to get this project going in a easy to manage way so that it can run as efficiently as possible. I need wisdom in getting all the correct accountability in place. Thanks. I’ll leave you with this; a cook came up to me tonight and asked if mosquitoes have teeth. “No way” I said. “They have 47 teeth” she says. I bet her 1 shilling…1.2 cents.. she is wrong. So your homework is to find out and get back to me…..I’ll split the winnings with you
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Installment 25
Installment 25
We have to talk. Almost always when I write this blog, I take a few minutes and go back and read what I write…mostly so I can tell people that my blog IS read. Last time I fired off some stuff and just let it go. So tonight, which is this morning for most of you, I talked to Sandy and told her that I didn’t really know what I had said. She told me to go back and read it. Now I know how painful it is to actually read this tripe after it has set for awhile. Anyway, I want you to know that what I write is mostly how I feel at the time…scary isn’t it. So here’s the deal…everything I wrote in 24 is true….well as I see it. There is a lot on J & C’s plate, but they are OK with it because they know their God and know that He has given them the privilege to serve Him here. So, I just want to remind you that the complaints are mine. Like I said in an earlier blog, “I want to be more like them“….they just trust and obey, without complaint….I only hear praise for how good God is. That being said, back to the buildings. Yes the need for the building is great and yes God has called for us to get going on building them, and historically speaking, He has always revealed His next thing with Instep, called them to action, and then provided as the projects proceeded. It won’t be different this time. There is no need for staffing the buildings yet because there are no buildings yet. So, you just stay tuned over the next months and just see if God doesn’t come through with staff when it is needed. In the meantime, I think I’ll just continue to do what I was called here to do and get the buildings started….I’ll bet someone will come along to keep it going. After all, He got me here and for just a time as this…OK, I feel better…and we all know, IT’S ALL ABOUT ME!
This morning for use which is your last night…I think, after excavating Dale out from under the avalanche of blackness, we took one last reading to record the height of the water tanks…Dale’s idea..so we now can calculate the water pressure from those tanks anywhere we pipe to on the property… It’s a big deal…to us and you might even be saying “Big Deal!!! Or maybe not. After that, Dale finished entering the data and we made copies to stay here and he took the file home to print it out. Then the time to take him to the airport. He went around saying goodbye, and there were some tears, mostly mine, as now I am the only target for the kids….again! Eliud and I drove him to town. Jeff would have taken him, but found out that I wanted to come along. “Hey Eliud, I suddenly don’t feel well, could you take Dale and Terry to the airport…and here is Terry’s passport…just in case he ‘happens’ to get ‘mistaken’ for luggage.” he says. “Yes”, replies E, “I don’t mind taking Terry..remember, I take the diapers to the dump.” And so with that kind of encouragement, I couldn’t resist coming along. On the way, we stopped at English Lady’s for lunch and told her that we were going to the airport. She excitedly said, “I’m quite sorry to see you go.” to me. I informed her that it was Dale who was leaving. She must have become rather attached to Dale because it was at that point that she teared up. “Oh” was all she said. Then, on to the airport and to ‘security’. No machine, just a man who said to Dale: “Have you any bombs or fingernail clippers on you or in any cavities?” “No,” D responded, “I left them in my other suit.” “OK, why is this a one way trip? “ asks Mr Snoopie. “I live in America with my family” D counters. “Are you planning to blow up the plane? MS quiries. “No, but I may commit suicide right here if you keep asking me questions.” D says. “Oh, then please get on the plane, we can not afford to lose this building.” MS encourages. So, with that, Dale was just a fond memory…or maybe the only fond memory of Africa.
Eliud and I left and went to the hospital to pick up some medical records of 2 children. We went into one of the ‘record offices’ and asked for Blessing’s records. “Over there, look for yourselves” the man says. We look and on the shelf, and on the table and on the floor, were stacks of records. “Don’t you keep them in the computer?” I asked. “We do, but the computer is full.” he says pointing to a desktop computer with paper sticking out of every crack. “Oh“, I replied, maybe you need a bigger computer.” “We have looked for one, but all the desktop computers seem to be about the same size.” By now, even Eliud was using Jeff’s look. Later, after looking through all the files we struck out and headed off to our next adventure. Downtown we went to a place that had a sign that said ‘Pest Control’. Eliud said we needed ‘snake bait’. And all this time I thought we were trying to get rid of snakes. As it turned out the ‘bait is lethal to snakes and so does rid the compound of the critters. One thing worth noting is the fact that this one shop didn’t have any riffraff guards on duty. Eliud said that that was what the shop did….get rid of pests….I chose to stay outside.
Then back to the compound where, left on my own by my “friend” Dale, I had to face the onslaught solo. You know, I do like it here, but sure miss my best friend.
We have to talk. Almost always when I write this blog, I take a few minutes and go back and read what I write…mostly so I can tell people that my blog IS read. Last time I fired off some stuff and just let it go. So tonight, which is this morning for most of you, I talked to Sandy and told her that I didn’t really know what I had said. She told me to go back and read it. Now I know how painful it is to actually read this tripe after it has set for awhile. Anyway, I want you to know that what I write is mostly how I feel at the time…scary isn’t it. So here’s the deal…everything I wrote in 24 is true….well as I see it. There is a lot on J & C’s plate, but they are OK with it because they know their God and know that He has given them the privilege to serve Him here. So, I just want to remind you that the complaints are mine. Like I said in an earlier blog, “I want to be more like them“….they just trust and obey, without complaint….I only hear praise for how good God is. That being said, back to the buildings. Yes the need for the building is great and yes God has called for us to get going on building them, and historically speaking, He has always revealed His next thing with Instep, called them to action, and then provided as the projects proceeded. It won’t be different this time. There is no need for staffing the buildings yet because there are no buildings yet. So, you just stay tuned over the next months and just see if God doesn’t come through with staff when it is needed. In the meantime, I think I’ll just continue to do what I was called here to do and get the buildings started….I’ll bet someone will come along to keep it going. After all, He got me here and for just a time as this…OK, I feel better…and we all know, IT’S ALL ABOUT ME!
This morning for use which is your last night…I think, after excavating Dale out from under the avalanche of blackness, we took one last reading to record the height of the water tanks…Dale’s idea..so we now can calculate the water pressure from those tanks anywhere we pipe to on the property… It’s a big deal…to us and you might even be saying “Big Deal!!! Or maybe not. After that, Dale finished entering the data and we made copies to stay here and he took the file home to print it out. Then the time to take him to the airport. He went around saying goodbye, and there were some tears, mostly mine, as now I am the only target for the kids….again! Eliud and I drove him to town. Jeff would have taken him, but found out that I wanted to come along. “Hey Eliud, I suddenly don’t feel well, could you take Dale and Terry to the airport…and here is Terry’s passport…just in case he ‘happens’ to get ‘mistaken’ for luggage.” he says. “Yes”, replies E, “I don’t mind taking Terry..remember, I take the diapers to the dump.” And so with that kind of encouragement, I couldn’t resist coming along. On the way, we stopped at English Lady’s for lunch and told her that we were going to the airport. She excitedly said, “I’m quite sorry to see you go.” to me. I informed her that it was Dale who was leaving. She must have become rather attached to Dale because it was at that point that she teared up. “Oh” was all she said. Then, on to the airport and to ‘security’. No machine, just a man who said to Dale: “Have you any bombs or fingernail clippers on you or in any cavities?” “No,” D responded, “I left them in my other suit.” “OK, why is this a one way trip? “ asks Mr Snoopie. “I live in America with my family” D counters. “Are you planning to blow up the plane? MS quiries. “No, but I may commit suicide right here if you keep asking me questions.” D says. “Oh, then please get on the plane, we can not afford to lose this building.” MS encourages. So, with that, Dale was just a fond memory…or maybe the only fond memory of Africa.
Eliud and I left and went to the hospital to pick up some medical records of 2 children. We went into one of the ‘record offices’ and asked for Blessing’s records. “Over there, look for yourselves” the man says. We look and on the shelf, and on the table and on the floor, were stacks of records. “Don’t you keep them in the computer?” I asked. “We do, but the computer is full.” he says pointing to a desktop computer with paper sticking out of every crack. “Oh“, I replied, maybe you need a bigger computer.” “We have looked for one, but all the desktop computers seem to be about the same size.” By now, even Eliud was using Jeff’s look. Later, after looking through all the files we struck out and headed off to our next adventure. Downtown we went to a place that had a sign that said ‘Pest Control’. Eliud said we needed ‘snake bait’. And all this time I thought we were trying to get rid of snakes. As it turned out the ‘bait is lethal to snakes and so does rid the compound of the critters. One thing worth noting is the fact that this one shop didn’t have any riffraff guards on duty. Eliud said that that was what the shop did….get rid of pests….I chose to stay outside.
Then back to the compound where, left on my own by my “friend” Dale, I had to face the onslaught solo. You know, I do like it here, but sure miss my best friend.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Installment 24
Installment 24
Sometimes I wonder if I’m helping or hindering. Woven through my blogs is a picture of Africa, and hidden and maybe not so hidden is how I see the amount of work load that Jeff and Carla are under. Two people on 20 acres of land with 34 employees, 93 children with no other recourse, 3 dogs, and currently one slightly deranged mzungu visitor..I mean me, not Dale. (I’m not saying that Dale isn’t deranged, however) 20 acres of farm land that needs to be managed and tended. 93 children that need love, attention, fed, clothed, cared for…some with sever medical and physical needs…maybe like your kids. 34 staff, mostly single women, who need direction, care and oversite and all the employee paperwork and payroll. 3 dogs, (1 that probably needs medical attention in the form of a lethal injection) that need their little piece of attention. A local populace that needs to loved and because TIA need to be watched. A government that often little cares about the people and especially the children that they are charged with, but have the time to hassle places like this with incidentals. Food suppliers that don’t always have what is needed. And then there is always the ongoing maintenance needs of the land, buildings, borehole and vehicles. Oh yeah and then there is KPLC…Other than that, I can see nothing that J & C do. I mean, after all, there are two of them…24 hrs in a day and only 7 days in the week...and why would they need sleep? Now, mind you, I don’t know this for a fact, as I go to bed at 8:00pm and get up somewhere around 9:00am, but the rumor is that Jeff seems to enjoy living with lack of sleep, as after checking on the night guards throughout the night and starting the generator when the stima (electricity) wires are empty, he gets up at alittle after 5 to help the staff start their day. But then he just lolls around for the next 15 hrs and then takes some of the aunties home so they don’t have to walk in the dark, and then makes sure that the compound is buttoned up for the night, before he goes in for a nice restful sleep like the night before….at around 10:30pm. Just so you know, I’m the one doing the whining, the only grumbling I’ve heard from Jeff is that he wishes he had more time to love on the kids. And while J is doing that, I only see Carla out of the office at times just to play with and hold kids. Oh, and then their is the oversite of the visitor teams that come....not so easy as it sounds.
So all this, and I show up to start a building project of 2 major buildings, only to leave long before they can be finished….with who (or is it whom) left to oversee them. But then, having been a building contractor for almost 40 years, I know it is a piece of cake to build…especially in the 3rd world.... And once they are built, who staffs them?
Pole (sorry) I sound like I am complaining, something that I haven’t heard here, and I guess I am alittle, not for me, but for what I see here. But, like I have said many times before, and see everyday, this is a place of miracles and our God has proven Himself here so many times…He loves these kids…and J & C. So, if you have time, pray for this place….and especially for J & C….they would say for the kids, remember the whole operation.
Now, this is just between you and me. Cuz I have enough problems of my own, so if J & C found out what I just said, they get after me.
Sometimes I wonder if I’m helping or hindering. Woven through my blogs is a picture of Africa, and hidden and maybe not so hidden is how I see the amount of work load that Jeff and Carla are under. Two people on 20 acres of land with 34 employees, 93 children with no other recourse, 3 dogs, and currently one slightly deranged mzungu visitor..I mean me, not Dale. (I’m not saying that Dale isn’t deranged, however) 20 acres of farm land that needs to be managed and tended. 93 children that need love, attention, fed, clothed, cared for…some with sever medical and physical needs…maybe like your kids. 34 staff, mostly single women, who need direction, care and oversite and all the employee paperwork and payroll. 3 dogs, (1 that probably needs medical attention in the form of a lethal injection) that need their little piece of attention. A local populace that needs to loved and because TIA need to be watched. A government that often little cares about the people and especially the children that they are charged with, but have the time to hassle places like this with incidentals. Food suppliers that don’t always have what is needed. And then there is always the ongoing maintenance needs of the land, buildings, borehole and vehicles. Oh yeah and then there is KPLC…Other than that, I can see nothing that J & C do. I mean, after all, there are two of them…24 hrs in a day and only 7 days in the week...and why would they need sleep? Now, mind you, I don’t know this for a fact, as I go to bed at 8:00pm and get up somewhere around 9:00am, but the rumor is that Jeff seems to enjoy living with lack of sleep, as after checking on the night guards throughout the night and starting the generator when the stima (electricity) wires are empty, he gets up at alittle after 5 to help the staff start their day. But then he just lolls around for the next 15 hrs and then takes some of the aunties home so they don’t have to walk in the dark, and then makes sure that the compound is buttoned up for the night, before he goes in for a nice restful sleep like the night before….at around 10:30pm. Just so you know, I’m the one doing the whining, the only grumbling I’ve heard from Jeff is that he wishes he had more time to love on the kids. And while J is doing that, I only see Carla out of the office at times just to play with and hold kids. Oh, and then their is the oversite of the visitor teams that come....not so easy as it sounds.
So all this, and I show up to start a building project of 2 major buildings, only to leave long before they can be finished….with who (or is it whom) left to oversee them. But then, having been a building contractor for almost 40 years, I know it is a piece of cake to build…especially in the 3rd world.... And once they are built, who staffs them?
Pole (sorry) I sound like I am complaining, something that I haven’t heard here, and I guess I am alittle, not for me, but for what I see here. But, like I have said many times before, and see everyday, this is a place of miracles and our God has proven Himself here so many times…He loves these kids…and J & C. So, if you have time, pray for this place….and especially for J & C….they would say for the kids, remember the whole operation.
Now, this is just between you and me. Cuz I have enough problems of my own, so if J & C found out what I just said, they get after me.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Installment 23
Installment 23
So, that is done. Just washed my underwear…by hand. Maytag and Whirlpool refuse to do underwear. I’ve been thinking about that……what if your washer and dryer at home refused to do underwear? What if they just giggled and said no, no, no. Think about that for a minute….you’d have to do your own by hand. See what I mean. That’s the kind of extreme hardship I have to endure to be obedient to my God. Luckily, Sandy sent 7 pair…well, 7 singles….why do they call them pair? I have figured out that if I change every day, like a civilized person, I get 7 days wash free. But if I get 2 days per change, now I get 14 days. Now, taking the next logical step,,, if I get 2 days and then turn them inside out and get 2 more days….let’s see…that makes 28 days even for somebody from Anacortes. With a little creativity like…I went to bed early and got up late, so it really isn’t 1 whole day….that gets me to tonight….34 days in…seemed time to ‘man up’ and do some women’s work. Either that or…..hmmm, we go thru about 200 diapers a day….maybe a couple a day wouldn’t be missed….hmmm.
Today Dale made the mistake of wandering out into the veranda at breakfast time. He told me later that he had just thought that my blogs were a series of exaggerations….that is after I exhumed his almost lifeless body from under the squirming mass of what Dale had called up to that point, “sweet lovable children”. After clearing his airway of layers of snot, I was more than relieved to see that he began breathing on his own….honestly, I can’t see how Karolyn (wife) can put her lips on that man….doesn’t appeal to me at all. Anyway, after his recovery, he went straight to his computer to re-read my blogs, mumbling something about needing all the information he could get for self preservation. I was content just knowing that now I know of at least 4 people that read my blog…me, Sandy, Dale, and my psychiatrist…
After that near death experience, I suggested that we might go back out into the shamba (field) and finish the topographical work. “Good idea” he replies, “only mamba snakes out there,,,, and so, Dale is beginning to catch on where the danger really is…. After a couple of hours, we finished our field work…or I guess it would be called shamba work here. Dale said it really made him tired watching me traverse back and forth over twenty acres. I apologized and ventured that maybe next time he shouldn’t watch as I wander aimlessly in the wilderness. “that might help…watching people sweat that much is hard for me” he says. All this time, Jeff was sitting in the shade of the tool shed acting like he was working on some high chairs…would have fooled Dale too, but I explained Jeff’s modus operandus…always look busy, but never in the sun. About noon, Dale began compiling the data and getting it ready to print a map. After taking 4-500 readings, we now know that there are 4-500 places that I have stood on the property…and that there is an 8 meter drop in the elevation…and where every building, large tree, and fence line lays. Dale even plotted where the water, electrical and sewer…yes, I said sewer, lines are buried. It might not mean much to you, but for builders and property managers, this map will make it so much easier….and we can now develop a plan to handle the run-off water….have I mentioned that it rains here? Dale might be naïve about children, but he sure knows his topo stuff. Now that he is about finished with what he came for, I guess I should give him his passport back….it’s kind of a game we play here…keep their passport so they can’t leave until they finish their work…..hey, wait…Jeff has mine.
Hey, if any of you see my best friend, how about sending her to me….I mean, even prisoners get to have visitors.
So, that is done. Just washed my underwear…by hand. Maytag and Whirlpool refuse to do underwear. I’ve been thinking about that……what if your washer and dryer at home refused to do underwear? What if they just giggled and said no, no, no. Think about that for a minute….you’d have to do your own by hand. See what I mean. That’s the kind of extreme hardship I have to endure to be obedient to my God. Luckily, Sandy sent 7 pair…well, 7 singles….why do they call them pair? I have figured out that if I change every day, like a civilized person, I get 7 days wash free. But if I get 2 days per change, now I get 14 days. Now, taking the next logical step,,, if I get 2 days and then turn them inside out and get 2 more days….let’s see…that makes 28 days even for somebody from Anacortes. With a little creativity like…I went to bed early and got up late, so it really isn’t 1 whole day….that gets me to tonight….34 days in…seemed time to ‘man up’ and do some women’s work. Either that or…..hmmm, we go thru about 200 diapers a day….maybe a couple a day wouldn’t be missed….hmmm.
Today Dale made the mistake of wandering out into the veranda at breakfast time. He told me later that he had just thought that my blogs were a series of exaggerations….that is after I exhumed his almost lifeless body from under the squirming mass of what Dale had called up to that point, “sweet lovable children”. After clearing his airway of layers of snot, I was more than relieved to see that he began breathing on his own….honestly, I can’t see how Karolyn (wife) can put her lips on that man….doesn’t appeal to me at all. Anyway, after his recovery, he went straight to his computer to re-read my blogs, mumbling something about needing all the information he could get for self preservation. I was content just knowing that now I know of at least 4 people that read my blog…me, Sandy, Dale, and my psychiatrist…
After that near death experience, I suggested that we might go back out into the shamba (field) and finish the topographical work. “Good idea” he replies, “only mamba snakes out there,,,, and so, Dale is beginning to catch on where the danger really is…. After a couple of hours, we finished our field work…or I guess it would be called shamba work here. Dale said it really made him tired watching me traverse back and forth over twenty acres. I apologized and ventured that maybe next time he shouldn’t watch as I wander aimlessly in the wilderness. “that might help…watching people sweat that much is hard for me” he says. All this time, Jeff was sitting in the shade of the tool shed acting like he was working on some high chairs…would have fooled Dale too, but I explained Jeff’s modus operandus…always look busy, but never in the sun. About noon, Dale began compiling the data and getting it ready to print a map. After taking 4-500 readings, we now know that there are 4-500 places that I have stood on the property…and that there is an 8 meter drop in the elevation…and where every building, large tree, and fence line lays. Dale even plotted where the water, electrical and sewer…yes, I said sewer, lines are buried. It might not mean much to you, but for builders and property managers, this map will make it so much easier….and we can now develop a plan to handle the run-off water….have I mentioned that it rains here? Dale might be naïve about children, but he sure knows his topo stuff. Now that he is about finished with what he came for, I guess I should give him his passport back….it’s kind of a game we play here…keep their passport so they can’t leave until they finish their work…..hey, wait…Jeff has mine.
Hey, if any of you see my best friend, how about sending her to me….I mean, even prisoners get to have visitors.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Installment 22
Installment 22
Thursday came for us, while it was still Wednesday for most of you. Carla held down the fort while Jeff and I went into Kitale for a couple of reasons…not the least was to keep the blood levels up in our urine. If we take it easy for very long, I think our kidneys would shut down, thinking that we must be dead….being as they have become accustomed to abuse. Every couple of weeks, J & C have volunteered to take lunch into the jail for the juvenile population. Instep takes turns with a few other organizations providing lunches to the kids that are in lockup. It’s pretty simple, just some bread and milk, but without it the kids wouldn’t be fed at all. Just one more thing that these two crazy people have taken on….something about a good heart or something….. So after dropping off the lunches, we drove out to Kitale Airport to pick up Dale. He is another one of those misguided individuals who have told God that they want to be obedient to what He wants. I assume the Dale probably was in a Christian meeting of some kind, praying something like this: “Oh Lord, I am willing to do your will and go wherever you want….but just please don’t send me to Africa…because Kiser is there.” And so God listened to Dales request and that’s why we drove out to the airport… to console Dale…..that and we wanted to take advantage of him while he was still in jet lag…before he realized that he was in Africa. Getting to the airport well after the scheduled arrival time because the ’arrival’ time is sort of a hoped for event rather than an actual event. Don’t get me wrong, African airlines do have schedule… but evidently it’s a well guarded secret. Expecting to have to sit for awhile, waiting for Airworst Airlines, were we surprised to find that the 1:50pm flight came in at the unheard of time of 1:50pm. I mentioned to the security (riffraff) guard the I was surprised the flight was on time. “Some times they misjudge and accidentally come in on time.” he said…”If it has created a hardship for you we apologize.” Anyway, standing in the parking lot surrounded by 3 pretty young girls was Dale. (I know that Dale would want me to make sure his wife knows about that) “Oh, yes, I have come to convert Kenya to Jesus”, I overheard him modestly say as we drove up. And that was Dale’s introduction to the now widespread “Jeff’s look” from the girls. As we escorted Dale to Toyota, the girls profusely thanked us for coming and getting Dale…..wow, does he know how to impress women…..not to worry, Karolyn!! Now the road from the airport is actually paved and is in good shape and Dale mentioned something about maybe I had been exaggerating abit about the roads. I said, “believe what you want, but in the meantime I think you should put this NFL mouth guard in and put the helmet on…..all is not as it seems. Rounding the corner leaving Kitale, Dale blurted out what all 1st timers do…..”I thought we were taking the road!!!” Jeff has his normal response; “this was one once.” But, we did get to the home, and after we took turns on the dialysis machine, we showed Dale carefully around, keeping ourselves between Dale and the kids…..who were circling and chanting…”look, clean clothes“, or something like that. Dales response, “I’d like to meet Maytag and Whirlpool next please”. Overcoming his justified fear, Dale went into dinner with the kids and after examining the ‘food’, turned pale and said something in what sounded like Swahili. “How severe has the famine been the you have to feed the kids this?” he asked. I didn’t have the heart to tell him that this was the good dinner. But oddly enough, Dale took right to being overwhelmed by the horde and seemed to enjoy them.
Next day he and I spent most of it using his knowledge and equipment to map the property so that we will have the information we need for building placement and drainage issues. Dale would set up his equipment and hand me the “target pole” and send me walking the property as he took readings. “Now don’t be afraid to use the pole to kill snakes when you get in the tall grass” he said….knowing that that kind of concern for my wellbeing would be of great comfort to me. Later in the day, J, C, Dale and I got into Toyota and went looking for our latest baby’s mother at the market she lives in. Mama Dorcas has family near Nairobi but had no money or anyway to get there…..so, wouldn’t you know it, J & C bought her a bus ticket, took her to the bus station, gave her a little travel money and sent her on her way. Next morning, today, we found out that Mama Dorcas was back in the market. She had the ticket and the money and was trying to let Jeff know that she hadn’t gone…..why, you ask…..well, she said that they wouldn’t let her on the bus. It’s probably true too. MD is somewhat mentally challenged and was wearing dirty clothes. Kenyans are afraid of “simple” people and so probably just threw her off the bus. So Jeff went in to talk to the bus station manager with me in tow. The manager said she wandered off, but it was pretty clear that her story was most likely correct. Anyway, tomorrow, hopefully MD will be on her way to her family…..but because of her mental state, there is some concern that she might get ‘dropped’ off somewhere. This is where English Lady comes in. She has offered to buy an employees way to Nairobi to go shopping if she would take care of MD and get her to her family. EL does lots of things like that…caring for those who can’t care for themselves…..and I know she reads this work of art, and will no doubt want to bless me with a free lunch for making her sound so good….which she is. With all the corruption and weird people here, there are a few that are willing to pay the price to help those in need.
So, tomorrow is Sunday and Pastor Sam will be out and hopefully corral the kids so Dale and I can finish taking the property readings……I have discovered how to find Dale in the mornings….find the biggest pile of black kids and start peeling them away until I find a white guy….I know the novelty will wear off, but for now I’m basking in my new found ability to move unhindered by mzungu loving kids….But Dale …not so much.
Thursday came for us, while it was still Wednesday for most of you. Carla held down the fort while Jeff and I went into Kitale for a couple of reasons…not the least was to keep the blood levels up in our urine. If we take it easy for very long, I think our kidneys would shut down, thinking that we must be dead….being as they have become accustomed to abuse. Every couple of weeks, J & C have volunteered to take lunch into the jail for the juvenile population. Instep takes turns with a few other organizations providing lunches to the kids that are in lockup. It’s pretty simple, just some bread and milk, but without it the kids wouldn’t be fed at all. Just one more thing that these two crazy people have taken on….something about a good heart or something….. So after dropping off the lunches, we drove out to Kitale Airport to pick up Dale. He is another one of those misguided individuals who have told God that they want to be obedient to what He wants. I assume the Dale probably was in a Christian meeting of some kind, praying something like this: “Oh Lord, I am willing to do your will and go wherever you want….but just please don’t send me to Africa…because Kiser is there.” And so God listened to Dales request and that’s why we drove out to the airport… to console Dale…..that and we wanted to take advantage of him while he was still in jet lag…before he realized that he was in Africa. Getting to the airport well after the scheduled arrival time because the ’arrival’ time is sort of a hoped for event rather than an actual event. Don’t get me wrong, African airlines do have schedule… but evidently it’s a well guarded secret. Expecting to have to sit for awhile, waiting for Airworst Airlines, were we surprised to find that the 1:50pm flight came in at the unheard of time of 1:50pm. I mentioned to the security (riffraff) guard the I was surprised the flight was on time. “Some times they misjudge and accidentally come in on time.” he said…”If it has created a hardship for you we apologize.” Anyway, standing in the parking lot surrounded by 3 pretty young girls was Dale. (I know that Dale would want me to make sure his wife knows about that) “Oh, yes, I have come to convert Kenya to Jesus”, I overheard him modestly say as we drove up. And that was Dale’s introduction to the now widespread “Jeff’s look” from the girls. As we escorted Dale to Toyota, the girls profusely thanked us for coming and getting Dale…..wow, does he know how to impress women…..not to worry, Karolyn!! Now the road from the airport is actually paved and is in good shape and Dale mentioned something about maybe I had been exaggerating abit about the roads. I said, “believe what you want, but in the meantime I think you should put this NFL mouth guard in and put the helmet on…..all is not as it seems. Rounding the corner leaving Kitale, Dale blurted out what all 1st timers do…..”I thought we were taking the road!!!” Jeff has his normal response; “this was one once.” But, we did get to the home, and after we took turns on the dialysis machine, we showed Dale carefully around, keeping ourselves between Dale and the kids…..who were circling and chanting…”look, clean clothes“, or something like that. Dales response, “I’d like to meet Maytag and Whirlpool next please”. Overcoming his justified fear, Dale went into dinner with the kids and after examining the ‘food’, turned pale and said something in what sounded like Swahili. “How severe has the famine been the you have to feed the kids this?” he asked. I didn’t have the heart to tell him that this was the good dinner. But oddly enough, Dale took right to being overwhelmed by the horde and seemed to enjoy them.
Next day he and I spent most of it using his knowledge and equipment to map the property so that we will have the information we need for building placement and drainage issues. Dale would set up his equipment and hand me the “target pole” and send me walking the property as he took readings. “Now don’t be afraid to use the pole to kill snakes when you get in the tall grass” he said….knowing that that kind of concern for my wellbeing would be of great comfort to me. Later in the day, J, C, Dale and I got into Toyota and went looking for our latest baby’s mother at the market she lives in. Mama Dorcas has family near Nairobi but had no money or anyway to get there…..so, wouldn’t you know it, J & C bought her a bus ticket, took her to the bus station, gave her a little travel money and sent her on her way. Next morning, today, we found out that Mama Dorcas was back in the market. She had the ticket and the money and was trying to let Jeff know that she hadn’t gone…..why, you ask…..well, she said that they wouldn’t let her on the bus. It’s probably true too. MD is somewhat mentally challenged and was wearing dirty clothes. Kenyans are afraid of “simple” people and so probably just threw her off the bus. So Jeff went in to talk to the bus station manager with me in tow. The manager said she wandered off, but it was pretty clear that her story was most likely correct. Anyway, tomorrow, hopefully MD will be on her way to her family…..but because of her mental state, there is some concern that she might get ‘dropped’ off somewhere. This is where English Lady comes in. She has offered to buy an employees way to Nairobi to go shopping if she would take care of MD and get her to her family. EL does lots of things like that…caring for those who can’t care for themselves…..and I know she reads this work of art, and will no doubt want to bless me with a free lunch for making her sound so good….which she is. With all the corruption and weird people here, there are a few that are willing to pay the price to help those in need.
So, tomorrow is Sunday and Pastor Sam will be out and hopefully corral the kids so Dale and I can finish taking the property readings……I have discovered how to find Dale in the mornings….find the biggest pile of black kids and start peeling them away until I find a white guy….I know the novelty will wear off, but for now I’m basking in my new found ability to move unhindered by mzungu loving kids….But Dale …not so much.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Installment 21
Installment 21
And then there were 93. That’s almost a 12% increase in 120 days. Don’t you wish you could get that kind of increase with your investments. J & C went to town to get another baby and possibly 2. I did what I do best, strutting around with keys in my hand, doing absolutely nothing, but looking important. So, while I acted like I ran Instep, J&C were signing another part of their hearts away. Dorcas is about 13 months old and lived in Sabanga, just about 6 or 7 km from here. She lived in the open market with her mother. One of the aunties here knew of this one and asked Carla to look into the situation. So, without going into detail here, Carla met with the mother and Dorcas and the Children’s Services and now she is the proud new mother of a girl. Dorcas is small…I mean small. She looks like a premie. Carla says that Dorcas might be the worse case of malnutrition she has seen here. She thinks food will correct the situation. I asked if that is true, where will Instep get ‘food’. As you know, I sometimes have reason to question the ‘food’ here. But I have to say, looking at all the hordes of snotlockers here, something about what they feed them must work. I think Carla said that Dorcas weighs around 7 lbs……at 13 months.
Tracy came today too. She is about 2 yrs old. She looks like she has eaten ok, but she wears a hat. Not sure of all the history, but when she was smaller, she got a wicked burn on top of her head. Her mother used the baby to solicit sympathy and get money. Another ministry tried to get help for Tracy, but was turned away by her mother who wanted money to let them help. If it had been taken care of right away, Tracy probably would have been ok. But since it wasn’t, she has need skin grafts. I know I don’t have it all straight, but close, and I’ll update you when I get more info. So, 92 and 93 are joining tonight a rather large family….where they will grow up experiencing real love and acceptance…..and ‘food’ too. I’ll try to get some pic’s and upload them asap.
I believe that Dale is just about to land in Nairobi. Lucky for him he took an airplane, as I’m sure that air traffic control wouldn’t have let him land on his own. I’m so excited…he is going to enter into my joy. He will spend the night in a place called Methodist House. It’s kind of a hotel/retreat place for missionaries. I hope that they pick him up…it works better that way. Tomorrow he will take the 1 hr flight to Kitale and we will pick him up. I can’t remember if I told you all about Dale’s coming, but it is filling a gigantic need. We can’t get going on the buildings until we have a topographical map. He’s coming after just one sniveling whining call from me. How about you, would you give up your time to fly 10,000 miles, reverse your time clock and stay for just 4 days to do what you do everyday?? Isn’t our God gracious….He didn’t need to make this happen, but He seems to want to take care of these, His kids.
We haven’t had electricity in ½ of the compound all day. The power comes in on 3 wires and feeds different parts of the compound. One of the wire feeders must have called in sick. Of course, it’s my building section that is out.
Two things…..our contractor actually showed up and has almost finished a little storage pre-project that I gave him….I’m so excited…he came, he came….gives me a glimmer of hope that he might be able to pull off the big project. And, when I was in a shop yesterday in Eldoret, they had flat screen tv’s for sale….right next to them they had kerosene lanterns…..only in Africa…talk about a mixed message.
And then there were 93. That’s almost a 12% increase in 120 days. Don’t you wish you could get that kind of increase with your investments. J & C went to town to get another baby and possibly 2. I did what I do best, strutting around with keys in my hand, doing absolutely nothing, but looking important. So, while I acted like I ran Instep, J&C were signing another part of their hearts away. Dorcas is about 13 months old and lived in Sabanga, just about 6 or 7 km from here. She lived in the open market with her mother. One of the aunties here knew of this one and asked Carla to look into the situation. So, without going into detail here, Carla met with the mother and Dorcas and the Children’s Services and now she is the proud new mother of a girl. Dorcas is small…I mean small. She looks like a premie. Carla says that Dorcas might be the worse case of malnutrition she has seen here. She thinks food will correct the situation. I asked if that is true, where will Instep get ‘food’. As you know, I sometimes have reason to question the ‘food’ here. But I have to say, looking at all the hordes of snotlockers here, something about what they feed them must work. I think Carla said that Dorcas weighs around 7 lbs……at 13 months.
Tracy came today too. She is about 2 yrs old. She looks like she has eaten ok, but she wears a hat. Not sure of all the history, but when she was smaller, she got a wicked burn on top of her head. Her mother used the baby to solicit sympathy and get money. Another ministry tried to get help for Tracy, but was turned away by her mother who wanted money to let them help. If it had been taken care of right away, Tracy probably would have been ok. But since it wasn’t, she has need skin grafts. I know I don’t have it all straight, but close, and I’ll update you when I get more info. So, 92 and 93 are joining tonight a rather large family….where they will grow up experiencing real love and acceptance…..and ‘food’ too. I’ll try to get some pic’s and upload them asap.
I believe that Dale is just about to land in Nairobi. Lucky for him he took an airplane, as I’m sure that air traffic control wouldn’t have let him land on his own. I’m so excited…he is going to enter into my joy. He will spend the night in a place called Methodist House. It’s kind of a hotel/retreat place for missionaries. I hope that they pick him up…it works better that way. Tomorrow he will take the 1 hr flight to Kitale and we will pick him up. I can’t remember if I told you all about Dale’s coming, but it is filling a gigantic need. We can’t get going on the buildings until we have a topographical map. He’s coming after just one sniveling whining call from me. How about you, would you give up your time to fly 10,000 miles, reverse your time clock and stay for just 4 days to do what you do everyday?? Isn’t our God gracious….He didn’t need to make this happen, but He seems to want to take care of these, His kids.
We haven’t had electricity in ½ of the compound all day. The power comes in on 3 wires and feeds different parts of the compound. One of the wire feeders must have called in sick. Of course, it’s my building section that is out.
Two things…..our contractor actually showed up and has almost finished a little storage pre-project that I gave him….I’m so excited…he came, he came….gives me a glimmer of hope that he might be able to pull off the big project. And, when I was in a shop yesterday in Eldoret, they had flat screen tv’s for sale….right next to them they had kerosene lanterns…..only in Africa…talk about a mixed message.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Installment 20
Installment 20
I told you about the generator. Well, TIA, and there is more. After running perfectly for a couple of nights, it evidently felt so good about being all the KPLC isn’t, that it got carried away….well, not initially, but later we carried it away. Right about late dusk, almost every night, the power tank fillers are more than likely overwhelmed by the 38 light bulbs that are switched on in the Cherigani Hills, where we are. “Look” says one, “somebody is taking electricity, all our hard work is draining out of the tank.” “We can never keep up” number two says…”let’s let the tank go empty to teach them a lesson” So it goes almost every night. Lights out at 7 pm and back on after everyone has gone to sleep and doesn’t need lights. So, after only a couple of years of seeing this happen, Jeff, with my encouragement decided to make our own light. Since we don’t own any hydroelectric dams, he opted for the generator. You know the story. But, somehow generator began feeling too good and some light bulbs started popping out….well, they didn’t break, but did make a popping sound as they gave their all for the cause. In the morning, we checked the once glorious, now evil generator out and thought that it had problems. Into town Jeff went with it. At the shop where it was purchased, they had a ‘technician’ examine it. “Is there a problem?” he asks. “yes” says Jeff. “But it looks new.” replies Mr Fixit. “why would we sell you something with a problem?” “So I would bring it back and you could have a job fixing it, maybe” Jeff says mockingly. “Oh, then I thank you very much…I need a job.” Mr Fixit gratefully says. “Let me check it…..it seems to be putting out 340 volts very well….didn’t you want electricity?” “But the generator says it puts out 230 volts and that is all I need.” Jeff explains. “Then you are using a generator that gives you 50% more volts…..you have not been totally honest with us as you only paid for a 230 volt machine.” “Good grief” cries Jeff….then may I have some 340 volt light bulbs?” “Oh, that is a voltage that no one uses anymore….can I sell you another machine that puts out 230 volts and sell you some of those bulbs?” So, the generator is back…running at about ½ speed to lower the voltage until we can find some 340 volt light bulbs….check your attic would you please.
Today Jeff and I went to Eldoret. It is about 50 miles to the south by road. Since they have no roads here, it took us over two hours to get there…which is faster than we could have gotten there had we found a road. By now you know that I have a tendency to exaggerate at times, so I will admit that we were on a road that when the British left they had tried to take with them, but it proved to be too much trouble, so they left it.
They have actually not only repaired the road at one point, but even put a brand new 2” asphalt cap on it. Jeff got so excited when he found out that Toyota has more than one gear forward. As scary as it was cruising along at breakneck speed (25 mph) it all came to an end after about 5 miles. Now you’d think that the road repair crew might start at like maybe a town and work it’s way out. See, that’s where you demonstrate your non creative thinking. The road crew knows that it is much more fun to start fixing the road just anywhere and stop just anywhere. Then they hide in the brush and watch as cars and trucks come careening down the new surface and disappear in one of the craters just beyond the ‘fix’.
It is the dry season…not like the dry season when it rains all the time, but this is the dry one. Because they are plowing the fields getting ready to plant, and the ‘roads are mostly flour grade dust, AND the wind seems to blow, I made an observation. “Wow, that’s a nice field coming across the road there.” “Yep”, Jeff says, “it used to be about 5 miles east of here.” I asked, “how do you see to drive when you are going through those moving fields?” “Easy…I just drive by braille….when it get too smooth, I know I’m off the road.” the experienced Jeff says.
We serve such a great God. We had made the journey to Eldoret to get some things that we couldn’t get closer to home. One thing was formula for the babies. We can get it in Kitale, but it is a lot more expensive…in fact, 96 containers of the stuff cost enough less to pay for the trip. While were in the shop, we learned that the carry pharmaceuticals and might be a great source for some of the medicines that are required here. It’s not what you know, it’s who you know….now we know the people at that shop. Next, we went to buy a sewing machine. I had done my homework on that and had found a shop that had the one that I was looking for. Before I left the US I had made contact and they had quoted me a price of 36,900 Ksh…or about $450.00. They even attached a published price list. So when we got to the shop, a woman asked what we needed. “Singer 1301“, I replied, “with an electric motor…that might possibly run on 230 or 340 volts“….I added. “Ours run on 230 volts only……can I interest you in the latest innovation…it’s called a “Treadle Machine” she boasts. “Oh, maybe for Kenyans who use their legs for more than giving their pants a better fit, but I don’t see how it would work for wazungus. “We will be interested in the 230 volt version….how much does it cost?”…thinking to myself…heh heh heh, just try and get too much for it. “24600 Ksh, including taxes” she replied. Shrewdly I stated, “36,900 Ksh, you say?” “If you’d rather.” she said with some of Jeff’s look…..it must be in the air. Lucky for her, Jeff snatched up the machine, handing her the money a started to leave. “NOT without him!” she hollers, looking at me……I guess she had had enough bargaining lessons for one day. See how God blesses this organization….
Then to finish, we stopped at a place where they make plywood. We haven’t been able to get any in Kitale since I got here. Once inside, past two different Riffraff removers…(Jeff kept saying that I was orphan children’s mascot) we got to talk to the production manager and he said that they were currently out of what we needed, but would run some for us and have it ready on Friday…and at about ½ the price we had been paying. He was a good guy and I was able to share about some de-lamination problems that I had with his product. Because God had put me in a job I hated years ago, at a plywood mill (I should have realized that God would use it 40 years later) I was able to talk about how plywood was made and how it was important to not get ahead of the presses…..but everyone knows that….don’t you.. Anyway we seemed to hit it off and he said that he was working on quality control. So, now we have a friend at RaiPly. We also found that they make like real quality furniture, like the civilized world makes, at a price that looks good. This will come in handy, as the workmanship in this area leaves a lot to be desired. For certain, as God adds snot producers and the current bunch grows, furniture…especially beds will be a priority. May not sound like much, but these are little miracles that add up to touching lives… remember, it’s not what you know, it’s WHO you know. PTL
I told you about the generator. Well, TIA, and there is more. After running perfectly for a couple of nights, it evidently felt so good about being all the KPLC isn’t, that it got carried away….well, not initially, but later we carried it away. Right about late dusk, almost every night, the power tank fillers are more than likely overwhelmed by the 38 light bulbs that are switched on in the Cherigani Hills, where we are. “Look” says one, “somebody is taking electricity, all our hard work is draining out of the tank.” “We can never keep up” number two says…”let’s let the tank go empty to teach them a lesson” So it goes almost every night. Lights out at 7 pm and back on after everyone has gone to sleep and doesn’t need lights. So, after only a couple of years of seeing this happen, Jeff, with my encouragement decided to make our own light. Since we don’t own any hydroelectric dams, he opted for the generator. You know the story. But, somehow generator began feeling too good and some light bulbs started popping out….well, they didn’t break, but did make a popping sound as they gave their all for the cause. In the morning, we checked the once glorious, now evil generator out and thought that it had problems. Into town Jeff went with it. At the shop where it was purchased, they had a ‘technician’ examine it. “Is there a problem?” he asks. “yes” says Jeff. “But it looks new.” replies Mr Fixit. “why would we sell you something with a problem?” “So I would bring it back and you could have a job fixing it, maybe” Jeff says mockingly. “Oh, then I thank you very much…I need a job.” Mr Fixit gratefully says. “Let me check it…..it seems to be putting out 340 volts very well….didn’t you want electricity?” “But the generator says it puts out 230 volts and that is all I need.” Jeff explains. “Then you are using a generator that gives you 50% more volts…..you have not been totally honest with us as you only paid for a 230 volt machine.” “Good grief” cries Jeff….then may I have some 340 volt light bulbs?” “Oh, that is a voltage that no one uses anymore….can I sell you another machine that puts out 230 volts and sell you some of those bulbs?” So, the generator is back…running at about ½ speed to lower the voltage until we can find some 340 volt light bulbs….check your attic would you please.
Today Jeff and I went to Eldoret. It is about 50 miles to the south by road. Since they have no roads here, it took us over two hours to get there…which is faster than we could have gotten there had we found a road. By now you know that I have a tendency to exaggerate at times, so I will admit that we were on a road that when the British left they had tried to take with them, but it proved to be too much trouble, so they left it.
They have actually not only repaired the road at one point, but even put a brand new 2” asphalt cap on it. Jeff got so excited when he found out that Toyota has more than one gear forward. As scary as it was cruising along at breakneck speed (25 mph) it all came to an end after about 5 miles. Now you’d think that the road repair crew might start at like maybe a town and work it’s way out. See, that’s where you demonstrate your non creative thinking. The road crew knows that it is much more fun to start fixing the road just anywhere and stop just anywhere. Then they hide in the brush and watch as cars and trucks come careening down the new surface and disappear in one of the craters just beyond the ‘fix’.
It is the dry season…not like the dry season when it rains all the time, but this is the dry one. Because they are plowing the fields getting ready to plant, and the ‘roads are mostly flour grade dust, AND the wind seems to blow, I made an observation. “Wow, that’s a nice field coming across the road there.” “Yep”, Jeff says, “it used to be about 5 miles east of here.” I asked, “how do you see to drive when you are going through those moving fields?” “Easy…I just drive by braille….when it get too smooth, I know I’m off the road.” the experienced Jeff says.
We serve such a great God. We had made the journey to Eldoret to get some things that we couldn’t get closer to home. One thing was formula for the babies. We can get it in Kitale, but it is a lot more expensive…in fact, 96 containers of the stuff cost enough less to pay for the trip. While were in the shop, we learned that the carry pharmaceuticals and might be a great source for some of the medicines that are required here. It’s not what you know, it’s who you know….now we know the people at that shop. Next, we went to buy a sewing machine. I had done my homework on that and had found a shop that had the one that I was looking for. Before I left the US I had made contact and they had quoted me a price of 36,900 Ksh…or about $450.00. They even attached a published price list. So when we got to the shop, a woman asked what we needed. “Singer 1301“, I replied, “with an electric motor…that might possibly run on 230 or 340 volts“….I added. “Ours run on 230 volts only……can I interest you in the latest innovation…it’s called a “Treadle Machine” she boasts. “Oh, maybe for Kenyans who use their legs for more than giving their pants a better fit, but I don’t see how it would work for wazungus. “We will be interested in the 230 volt version….how much does it cost?”…thinking to myself…heh heh heh, just try and get too much for it. “24600 Ksh, including taxes” she replied. Shrewdly I stated, “36,900 Ksh, you say?” “If you’d rather.” she said with some of Jeff’s look…..it must be in the air. Lucky for her, Jeff snatched up the machine, handing her the money a started to leave. “NOT without him!” she hollers, looking at me……I guess she had had enough bargaining lessons for one day. See how God blesses this organization….
Then to finish, we stopped at a place where they make plywood. We haven’t been able to get any in Kitale since I got here. Once inside, past two different Riffraff removers…(Jeff kept saying that I was orphan children’s mascot) we got to talk to the production manager and he said that they were currently out of what we needed, but would run some for us and have it ready on Friday…and at about ½ the price we had been paying. He was a good guy and I was able to share about some de-lamination problems that I had with his product. Because God had put me in a job I hated years ago, at a plywood mill (I should have realized that God would use it 40 years later) I was able to talk about how plywood was made and how it was important to not get ahead of the presses…..but everyone knows that….don’t you.. Anyway we seemed to hit it off and he said that he was working on quality control. So, now we have a friend at RaiPly. We also found that they make like real quality furniture, like the civilized world makes, at a price that looks good. This will come in handy, as the workmanship in this area leaves a lot to be desired. For certain, as God adds snot producers and the current bunch grows, furniture…especially beds will be a priority. May not sound like much, but these are little miracles that add up to touching lives… remember, it’s not what you know, it’s WHO you know. PTL
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