With so few days left in Kenya, I am trying to get things settled and taken care of before I go. We hired another teacher to act as model for the two already in the ECDE Centre. I am trying to leave their pay along with money for other upcoming expenses with Mwololo. I want to avoid wiring the money later from the states. On Saturday night, Fred and I walked to the manyatta, about an hour or so on foot if you go off the dirt road and use short cuts. We spent time surveying the cattle, goats and sheep. We took some good video I hope and got Fred on tape talking about the July trip the men take. We also visited the hole where the women and children dig for drinking water although it is muddy and salty. I felt more at home this time in the manyatta. The women and children knew me but this visit, the men had seen me and talked with me me at the funeral and they were more talkative this trip – welcoming me to their houses. They invited me to the July meat-a-thon. I was also able to talk to the father of the child burned by hot milk and visit a newborn baby, recently born in the manyatta, Sadly, another mother miscarried two days ago, probably from poor nutrition and lack of prenatal care. This happens often and the baby is buried in the center of the cattle pen – a Masai tradition, although no one can tell me the reasoning. On this particular night, Fred’s father was visiting at Fred’s mother’s house (one of the three or four wives) and therefore Fred (and I) cannot stay at his house. We “slept” at the home of someone I never met but the house was identical to Fred’s. They are all the same. Inside the house, the woman living here built a large fire for milk and evening porridge. Within the hour my head was throbbing from the smoke and the headache lasted through the next day. Not much sleep. The mosquitoes were worse than last time, although we put up a net over the “bed” and the hyenas were louder and closer than before. At about 5:30 a.m. as the woman began stoking the fire for morning tea, I went outside with a blanket on and sat, like an old man, against the house and breathed freely as the sun rose. I had planned to stay for church but Fred and I decided to call a motorbike for me and I headed home to sleep. Fred is a good guy – and we joke that he may be married off by the time I get back to Kenya – if his father’s arrangements work out! The rest of Sunday I slept and ate little, since there was little in the house – some oatmeal and some tomatoes. I also washed my masai blanket, mosquito net and backpack since they all smelled so strongly of smoke.
Today, Monday I finished my laundry and met with Mwololo and Pastor. We took a trip into Athi River to buy some food and some supplies for the classrooms – chalk, a clock and a bell! The rest of the time I tried to organize my pictures on the laptop and backup my videos on DVDs. I also began organizing my things to go home. Many of my shoes and clothes I have already given away so my load should be lighter going home. My returning to this particular house (room) is not clear so I will need to leave only the most important and heaviest items: bed, coffee table, shelf and gas cylinder. I’ll also leave some pots and pans and other cooking supplies in hopes of using them again when I return.
Today, Monday I finished my laundry and met with Mwololo and Pastor. We took a trip into Athi River to buy some food and some supplies for the classrooms – chalk, a clock and a bell! The rest of the time I tried to organize my pictures on the laptop and backup my videos on DVDs. I also began organizing my things to go home. Many of my shoes and clothes I have already given away so my load should be lighter going home. My returning to this particular house (room) is not clear so I will need to leave only the most important and heaviest items: bed, coffee table, shelf and gas cylinder. I’ll also leave some pots and pans and other cooking supplies in hopes of using them again when I return.
