Athi

Today is Wednesday, a day off and a day I might have dreaded months ago. There is nothing to do today! Mwololo has gone to Machakos and I am fearing venturing too far away from my house alone. It is an odd day in that there is no noise here, unlike most weekdays when there are construction noises throughout the place and trucks in the distance. The housekeeper in the main “condo” is gone for classes, in sewing I think. So, I am left to my own. The day began with Benson, the Masai, dropping off my daily portion of milk (or as Ben says “mil-ik”. His accent makes it a two-syllable word.) Anyway, the milk arrived at 7:15a.m. I did my ritual boiling and made oatmeal. I took all of my clothes, dishes, book, etc. off the shelves and cleaned. I reorganized, having purchased yet another piece of furniture – a table that arrived by motorbike yesterday. A man made it for me in Athi River town for 1200ksh or about $14.00. It is much like an ordinary coffee table but with a shelf to keep raw vegetables, rice, pots and pans, etc. It will get a lot of use. So I cleaned and reorganized, scrubbed the floor that needs to be done at least twice daily. There is so much dust and dirt in the air, it all settles. I listened to the morning news and was finished with all my tasks by 9:00 a.m.! The news of the day: Rioting at Kenyatta University on Thicka Road. The students were refusing to pay fees levied whenever you sit for (take) an exam. It has always been done this way and will continue regardless of how many cars are stoned by students! I turned off the news, read some of my book and tried to pray some. No words, just be and let God be present. He was/is.

By 11:00 I was needing to do something so I washed what few clothes were dirty and hung them on the line to dry. Two peanut butter sandwiches for lunch and I took a nap. I checked my email! I purchased a modem from Safaricom, the local phone provider. I can cen the Internet now on a cell signal through a USB port on my laptop. The modem was on sale for half the price, about $73 USD. It will save going into town for Internet and paying for airtime. You still have to prepay minutes but it will be worth it. I fear I am doing something wrong though. I seem to be using MBs quickly, more quickly than lead to believe by friends who have the same modem. I can leave the modem behind for Mwololo when I come back to the states. It is slow but reliable. Back at the Village, I can remember taking a motorbike down to the main road, taking a matatu from there 30 minutes to Kitui, only to find out the entire town is without power and therefore no Internet. What a waste. So maybe I can check mail in the morning and evening and not pay too much. I was hoping to use Skype or a webcam but I don’t think it can handle it. We shall see.

Here is a quote I have come to like and will continue to meditate upon:

“What is this awesome mystery
that is taking place within me?
I can find no words to express it;
my poor hand is unable to capture it
in describing the praise and glory that belong
to the one who is above all praise,
and who transcends every word . . .
My intellect sees what has happened,
but it cannot explain it.
It can see, and wishes to explain,
but can find no word that will suffice;
for what it sees is invisible and entirely formless,
simple, completely uncompounded,
unbounded in its awesome greatness.
What I have seen is the totality recapitulated as one,
received not in essence but by participation.
Just as if you lit a flame from a flame,
it is the whole flame you receive.”

St. Symeon the New Theologian (949-1022)

But wait, there’s more . . . . but not yet. Read it again and some day later, I’ll share the rest.

Tomorrow Mwololo and I head for another part of the district to see a house he has been given access to. He wants to create a children’s home for those who are not getting the care needed by the Masai – the poorest of the poor Masai. He still insists that the mothers are all for this and desire it very much. I have doubts. I should know more after Thursday and hopefully can get some pictures. The area into which we are traveling is predominately Kamba.

Made some spaghetti noodles for dinner – with butter and tomatoes. I think that is enough for today. I also had an egg sandwich earlier. When there is not much to do, I eat when there is food in the place.