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