Click on picture to enlarge. Preschool Classrooms, Ben admiring walls.
Today is Friday April 24, 2009. We have done many things despite the fact that the children are on break from school. We went to the two preschool classrooms the other day and put up some of the materials (posters, ABCs, etc.) that were sent from IHM School. We also put up some of the signs we made warning about HIV and AIDS translated into Kimasai. Saturday I went into town for a haircut and met Ben from Kibera. We did some food shopping before coming back to the house.
Today is Friday April 24, 2009. We have done many things despite the fact that the children are on break from school. We went to the two preschool classrooms the other day and put up some of the materials (posters, ABCs, etc.) that were sent from IHM School. We also put up some of the signs we made warning about HIV and AIDS translated into Kimasai. Saturday I went into town for a haircut and met Ben from Kibera. We did some food shopping before coming back to the house.
We decided to hike the hills around my place the next day and traveled out from the apartment early in the morning. We passed by the manyattas and greeted the Masai. About 30 yards from their mud houses we came upon two more dead cows, decaying and food for the vultures. It is a sad sign of the times here in this part of Kenya. The drought continues. Today as I was on a motorbike, we past another dead cow, this one dead from no food and exhaustion. Many cows find a drinking hole, perhaps a shallow hole dug in a dry riverbed by the people. Then, I am told, after the cow drinks, it cannot move and is stuck in the mud or dirt with no strength to free itslef. Fred the Masai told me that he had spent four hours last week trying to free some of his cows. The cows have absolutely no strength and many cannot stand. Anyway, we past the dead cows and looking back from that scene to my nice apartment, it was a striking juxtaposition of lifestyles. We hiked into the kills past antelope and other animals. We came upon herds of goats and cattle, taking pictures of some of the young herdsmen.Mwololo’s laptop brought from the States has a virus. When you start it up, ever word, every label and icon is scripted with dingbats (crazy symbols) that make it look like another language. Every file you open, ever command you give . . . .dingbats. So I called my friend Pascal, the IT guy at Nyumbani in Karen for some assistance. We decide to meet on Thursday and at the same time I would accompany Ben back home. Ben was delighted to stay another night. He does help so much and has been instrumental with acclimating me to life in Athi River – teaching me to cook with African foods, clean as is needed in this part of the world, etc. For example, I have to wipe the floor several times a day, the window sills and anything left out, because of the dust. He has taught me how to prepare foods in a way that I will remain healthy. Also on Thursday we investigated transportation possibilities for traveling to Ben’s home area, Turkana. It is located in the north near the border of Sudan, Ethiopia and Uganda. It would probably be my most remote trek. We went to Wilson Airport, a little place for small commuter planes and also relief efforts. I would compare it to a rundown Lunken. We went to two mission oriented air carriers but found that, although there are many planes headed to the area doing relief work, they only carry members of NGOs (Non-Government Organizations). The carrier who would agree to fly us there would cost about $350 for each of us. It is too much. A bus will take us for about $20.00 but will also take us about 20 hours and maybe not the safest means. There are marauders and thieves as you near the borders. Gun runners and drug dealers are found in these areas. But . .. I really want to go and see an even more primitive lifestyle. The Turkana tribe is related to the Masai and Samburu. Even Ben’s skin is scarred in a traditional decoration. So we will see if the trip materializes.
Today Mwololo and I went to Machakos to interview three teachers. We are thinking that the ECDE Center needs some experience to help the two that are teaching now. We hope to hire someone for one term (3 months) so that they can mentor the other two. So we interviewed three that were finishing up there program in Early Childhood. After that I was able to meet with a couple members of the Machakos Rotary Club. We are searching for a host club to work with the Florent Rotary in funding the Masai projects. Mwololo go back to Machakos on Thursday to meet with the president and attend a meeting. There is some hope.
Tomorrow (Saturday) we head to the project for a Youth Activity day of games, talks and food. Mwololo had a cake made in Nairobi. He picked it up by matatu and we carry it on the back of a motorbike tomorrow. The cake is decorated and inscribed “Thanks Ed Colina and Company!” Mwololo says it is a fruitcake but somehow it doesn’t look like the traditional Christmas fruitcake. Thank God.
Oh, I weigh 157 pounds. I came with 167. That's not too bad. I lost 30 last time.
