The last of the pictures have been uploaded. ere are the two links that are new:
Kenya 5
Kenya 6
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Kenya 4
Kenya 3
Kenya 2
Kenya 1
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Sunday, June 21: Home
The trip to Amsterdam gained us an hour of time, but I lost quite a few hours of sleep. Breakfast was a yummy french toast and yogurt. When the plane landed, I was tired. We immediately visited the restrooms, and then those that did not eat on the plane found some breakfast. Our connection to go to Newark was at the opposite end of the airport, but we had plenty of time to find it - about 7 hours.
We went to some of the lounges in the airport, but they were all filled with sleeping people, so we curled up on the tiny waiting area seats and tried to catch a few Zz's. Kayla seemed to be the only one to actually fit on a seat and sleep more or less comfortably. I spent some of the time catching up on writing this blog.
Boarding the flight to Newark involved another security check to enter the boarding area - passports, questions, remove belts, shoes, pocket contents, pass everything through x-ray machine, put ourselves back together, and then wait some more.
The flight across the Atlantic was especially boring. In Newark, we had to claim our baggage, go through customs, and recheck the baggage. A luggage cart was $5! We managed it all and it was painless.
You can tell I am tired - we arrived Cleveland on time, Cody met us with our van, and we drove home, picking pizza on the way. Night Night - have to go to work in the morning.
We went to some of the lounges in the airport, but they were all filled with sleeping people, so we curled up on the tiny waiting area seats and tried to catch a few Zz's. Kayla seemed to be the only one to actually fit on a seat and sleep more or less comfortably. I spent some of the time catching up on writing this blog.
Boarding the flight to Newark involved another security check to enter the boarding area - passports, questions, remove belts, shoes, pocket contents, pass everything through x-ray machine, put ourselves back together, and then wait some more.
The flight across the Atlantic was especially boring. In Newark, we had to claim our baggage, go through customs, and recheck the baggage. A luggage cart was $5! We managed it all and it was painless.
You can tell I am tired - we arrived Cleveland on time, Cody met us with our van, and we drove home, picking pizza on the way. Night Night - have to go to work in the morning.
Saturday, June 20: Bomas
We got up at 5 to say good bye to Timothy and Christine. The driver was a little late, but arrived in plenty of time to make the flight connection. It was sad to say good bye to our good friends. As soon as they left, we crawled back in bed, but were up at 7 for breakfast.
Christine (not the other Christine who was in the air headed back to Kisumu, but the cook at Eshel Garden) cooked a wonderful breakfast of crepes, sausage, and fruit. We even had maple syrup. The morning was spent packing and figuring out how we were going to get to Bomas (a Kenyan cultural center) and then to the airport. Plans fell into place a little at a time, making me feel a little more relaxed.
At 3, Bovince, the driver for Eshel Garden, took us to Bomas. When we arrived, we heard music coming from the large pavilion. We paid our admission and went in. They have a dance group that dresses the various tribal costumes and performs a traditional dance. There were also drummers and acrobats. The show was pretty interesting. We thought the center was only open for a 2 hour interval, but that was just the time the dancing was going on. As a result, we did not have time to tour the huts and other surrounding exhibits.
As we were leaving, we spotted two warthogs grazing in the parking lot. We returned to Eshel Garden for our last supper there, and spent a little time visiting with Mary and her family. Our transport arrived, and we loaded our baggage, and then sat on top of it for the ride to the airport.
Getting everyone through the airport checks is quite an experience. It is nothing like going alone. The procedures in African and European airports are also different from what I have experienced in the US. At the airport entrance in Nairobi, passports are checked and everything immediately is x-rayed, just to get inside. We collected everything on the other side of the scanner, put shoes and belts back on, and then located the weigh-in station. All of the bags were weighed and stamped with a sticker. Then we went to the ticket counter to check the bags. Passports again. We checked ten bags (maximum allowed) so we only had personal items and the musical instruments to carry-on. Our burden lightened and boarding passes in hand, we headed to passport control desks to get our exit stamp. This required filling out yellow cards (again). I think this is the 4th time for this card, so it was at least a familiar process. When the yellow cards were dutifully filled out, we presented them to get our exit stamps in our passport. Next we located our departure gate; another x-ray and security check (passports and boarding passes). This is where all the water and lethal weapons (toenail clippers) were being confiscated. There was a large container of such items. Belts, shoes, computers were collected on the other side and we sat down to wait in the secure waiting area. Sarah, David, and Kayla stayed behind to do some shopping with Lisa and Evey (whose plane left an hour later than ours). As our boarding time drew near, we worried that they might not get through the security line in time. The line remained fairly long, even though the waiting area was filling. Our plane was a 747, and it holds a lot of people. We were about to go looking, when we saw them in line. Wendy appeared also (she was on the same plane for the first leg of her flight).
Boarding was delayed; they reported they were doing extra security checks. The plane was nice and the individual video screens all worked very well. The KLM staff were very helpful and friendly. After takeoff, we watched a movie or two and tried to get some sleep. Dinner was good -- chicken pot pie, salad, and a cream-filled cake of some sort. I had trouble getting comfortable. The plane was quite full; there was no opportunity to stretch out.
Christine (not the other Christine who was in the air headed back to Kisumu, but the cook at Eshel Garden) cooked a wonderful breakfast of crepes, sausage, and fruit. We even had maple syrup. The morning was spent packing and figuring out how we were going to get to Bomas (a Kenyan cultural center) and then to the airport. Plans fell into place a little at a time, making me feel a little more relaxed.
At 3, Bovince, the driver for Eshel Garden, took us to Bomas. When we arrived, we heard music coming from the large pavilion. We paid our admission and went in. They have a dance group that dresses the various tribal costumes and performs a traditional dance. There were also drummers and acrobats. The show was pretty interesting. We thought the center was only open for a 2 hour interval, but that was just the time the dancing was going on. As a result, we did not have time to tour the huts and other surrounding exhibits.
As we were leaving, we spotted two warthogs grazing in the parking lot. We returned to Eshel Garden for our last supper there, and spent a little time visiting with Mary and her family. Our transport arrived, and we loaded our baggage, and then sat on top of it for the ride to the airport.
Getting everyone through the airport checks is quite an experience. It is nothing like going alone. The procedures in African and European airports are also different from what I have experienced in the US. At the airport entrance in Nairobi, passports are checked and everything immediately is x-rayed, just to get inside. We collected everything on the other side of the scanner, put shoes and belts back on, and then located the weigh-in station. All of the bags were weighed and stamped with a sticker. Then we went to the ticket counter to check the bags. Passports again. We checked ten bags (maximum allowed) so we only had personal items and the musical instruments to carry-on. Our burden lightened and boarding passes in hand, we headed to passport control desks to get our exit stamp. This required filling out yellow cards (again). I think this is the 4th time for this card, so it was at least a familiar process. When the yellow cards were dutifully filled out, we presented them to get our exit stamps in our passport. Next we located our departure gate; another x-ray and security check (passports and boarding passes). This is where all the water and lethal weapons (toenail clippers) were being confiscated. There was a large container of such items. Belts, shoes, computers were collected on the other side and we sat down to wait in the secure waiting area. Sarah, David, and Kayla stayed behind to do some shopping with Lisa and Evey (whose plane left an hour later than ours). As our boarding time drew near, we worried that they might not get through the security line in time. The line remained fairly long, even though the waiting area was filling. Our plane was a 747, and it holds a lot of people. We were about to go looking, when we saw them in line. Wendy appeared also (she was on the same plane for the first leg of her flight).
Boarding was delayed; they reported they were doing extra security checks. The plane was nice and the individual video screens all worked very well. The KLM staff were very helpful and friendly. After takeoff, we watched a movie or two and tried to get some sleep. Dinner was good -- chicken pot pie, salad, and a cream-filled cake of some sort. I had trouble getting comfortable. The plane was quite full; there was no opportunity to stretch out.
Friday, June 19: The Train, Part 2
When I awoke, The train was stopped at a station (a collection of 5-6 buildings surrounded by open ground. There was a passing siding on one side of the train. I assumed we were waiting for another train to pass.
People were walking around alongside the tracks. Children were staring at the train. I got off and found Timothy who was also curious about what was going on. Apparently we had stopped around 2 AM and had been sitting there ever since. We walked to the rear of the train and asked a man sitting in one of the two unique-looking cars that were attached after the third class coaches. He said there had been a derailment ahead and we were waiting for it to be cleared.
Sarah, Lisa, and Kayla got off with a beach ball, and attracted about a hundred kids around them. They had a good time playing ball. I walked to the front of the train, and got some pictures. I was headed farther up the line to get pictures of the turnout that is operated by a lever in the control tower through hundreds of feet of cables and pulleys, when the horn sounded, indicating the train was ready to leave.
The engineer waited until everyone was onboard before pulling out, and we were on our way again. The delay worked out well for us as we were able to see a lot of wildlife. Had the train been on schedule, most of the trip would have been in darkness.
The xylophone passed our compartment and we went for breakfast. Eggs, sausage, a little splash of cabbage mixture, toast, and orange marmalade (of course). Coffee too. The rest of the trip we spent looking out of windows, or sitting and talking.
We met several people on the train. A young lady sat at our table for dinner. She works on the front page layout of the Washington Post online version. She was in Kenya on a fact-finding mission with some other newspeople, and decided to stay a few extra days for a vacation. We met an older man with tuberculosis of the spine. He has been frustrated with the lack of success with treatments. Timothy knew of a hospital that might be of help to him, and gave him the names of a doctor and administrator that he could contact. His son helps care for him (he is wheelchair bound) and I talked with him for a while. He would like to come to the United States to do graduate work.
The train pulled into Nairobi around 4 PM, exactly six hours overdue. We had communicated with those who planned to meet us, so they had not been waiting all that time. We had to show our tickets to get out of the station.
Timothy, Christine, Gail and I were met by Margaret, who leads a fellowship in Nairobi called Friends of Israel. We were scheduled to attend a prayer meeting with their group. Originally, we were going to go to the guest house (Eshel Garden), have time to freshen up, and then go back to town for the meeting, but the train delay required a change of plans. The others went in a van with all of our stuff to Eshel Garden.
Margaret put us in a taxi and then we met a few blocks away at the Serena Hotel. The trip took about 30 minutes as the traffic was horrendous. At the security gate, they used a mirror to check under the car, and verified there were no explosives in the trunk before allowing us into the parking lot. Another lady, Pauline, and Margaret met us and we had tea and Samosas before driving to the meeting. Afterwards, Christine was commenting that she had seen this hotel frequently on the TV, and now she actually had tea inside.
The meeting was attended by about 50 people. We had a time of prayer, praise, and then Margaret talked about her recent visit to Tanzania. Then she introduced us and I talked about our ministry in Kenya, our family, and our fellowship in Akron. People had lots of questions about our family and life in the United States. We were encouraged to see the formation of more connections between Timothy, this group, and Timothy's church in Mombasa. I think we will also be in contact with some of the people there via email when we get back.
Margaret put us in a cab, and told the driver approximately where we needed to go. When we got close a phone call to Abraham got us through the last two turns and we were "home." We went immediately to bed, after greeting people and making arrangements for Timothy and Christine to leave at 5 AM for their return flight to Kisumu.
People were walking around alongside the tracks. Children were staring at the train. I got off and found Timothy who was also curious about what was going on. Apparently we had stopped around 2 AM and had been sitting there ever since. We walked to the rear of the train and asked a man sitting in one of the two unique-looking cars that were attached after the third class coaches. He said there had been a derailment ahead and we were waiting for it to be cleared.
Sarah, Lisa, and Kayla got off with a beach ball, and attracted about a hundred kids around them. They had a good time playing ball. I walked to the front of the train, and got some pictures. I was headed farther up the line to get pictures of the turnout that is operated by a lever in the control tower through hundreds of feet of cables and pulleys, when the horn sounded, indicating the train was ready to leave.
The engineer waited until everyone was onboard before pulling out, and we were on our way again. The delay worked out well for us as we were able to see a lot of wildlife. Had the train been on schedule, most of the trip would have been in darkness.
The xylophone passed our compartment and we went for breakfast. Eggs, sausage, a little splash of cabbage mixture, toast, and orange marmalade (of course). Coffee too. The rest of the trip we spent looking out of windows, or sitting and talking.
We met several people on the train. A young lady sat at our table for dinner. She works on the front page layout of the Washington Post online version. She was in Kenya on a fact-finding mission with some other newspeople, and decided to stay a few extra days for a vacation. We met an older man with tuberculosis of the spine. He has been frustrated with the lack of success with treatments. Timothy knew of a hospital that might be of help to him, and gave him the names of a doctor and administrator that he could contact. His son helps care for him (he is wheelchair bound) and I talked with him for a while. He would like to come to the United States to do graduate work.
The train pulled into Nairobi around 4 PM, exactly six hours overdue. We had communicated with those who planned to meet us, so they had not been waiting all that time. We had to show our tickets to get out of the station.
Timothy, Christine, Gail and I were met by Margaret, who leads a fellowship in Nairobi called Friends of Israel. We were scheduled to attend a prayer meeting with their group. Originally, we were going to go to the guest house (Eshel Garden), have time to freshen up, and then go back to town for the meeting, but the train delay required a change of plans. The others went in a van with all of our stuff to Eshel Garden.
Margaret put us in a taxi and then we met a few blocks away at the Serena Hotel. The trip took about 30 minutes as the traffic was horrendous. At the security gate, they used a mirror to check under the car, and verified there were no explosives in the trunk before allowing us into the parking lot. Another lady, Pauline, and Margaret met us and we had tea and Samosas before driving to the meeting. Afterwards, Christine was commenting that she had seen this hotel frequently on the TV, and now she actually had tea inside.
The meeting was attended by about 50 people. We had a time of prayer, praise, and then Margaret talked about her recent visit to Tanzania. Then she introduced us and I talked about our ministry in Kenya, our family, and our fellowship in Akron. People had lots of questions about our family and life in the United States. We were encouraged to see the formation of more connections between Timothy, this group, and Timothy's church in Mombasa. I think we will also be in contact with some of the people there via email when we get back.
Margaret put us in a cab, and told the driver approximately where we needed to go. When we got close a phone call to Abraham got us through the last two turns and we were "home." We went immediately to bed, after greeting people and making arrangements for Timothy and Christine to leave at 5 AM for their return flight to Kisumu.
Thursday, June 18: The Train
Thursday was a day to pack and squeeze in the last few things to do. Sarah and Lisa spent quite a few hours on the beach. Evey took an outrigger ride. Timothy, Gail, and I went to Haller Park, a sort of zoo near our apartments. Christine took a nap.
Haller Park was pretty nice. It was set in the woods, with some animals roaming free. The dangerous ones were in areas surrounded by walls to keep us apart. There were lots of silly monkeys running all around. The highlight of the day was Timothy feeding a giraffe.
Our driver arrived at $:45 to take us to the train station. Mombasa traffic was heavy, but nothing like Nairobi. We arrived at the train station, and were very unsure of the procedure we needed to follow. A guard sent me to the booking window to get boarding passes (we had pre-purchased the tickets). I met the others on the platform. There was no train yet, so we just sat and waited.
About 6, the train backed into the station, and people started boarding. We had no idea which car to get on. We asked someone, and he suggested we look at our boarding passes. That was helpful. Each pass had the coach number and compartment letters. Of course, the coaches were not arranged in any order. The train was not too long, so it did not take but a few minutes to locate the two cars we were in. We had booked one second class coach compartment (for 4) and three first class compartments (2 people each, except David got his own room).
The passages to the compartments were very narrow. The first class compartments were adjacent, and David's actually had a second door to ours, allowing for a more open floor plan. The car in front of ours was the Restaurant Car. The four girls were three cars ahead of that.
Our compartment had a bench seat along one side with a bunk above. The bench seat was way too deep to sit on normally, but was comfortable if you curled your legs up on it. Opposite the seat was a narrow closet with a ladder attached to it to aid in climbing o the top bunk. There was also a sink and mirror. The lights did not work until about 6:30 when they turned the power on.
We spent a lot of time standing in the passageway, looking out the windows on the right side of the train. The window in our compartment only went down about two inches. There were people playing guitar on the platform, and others eating and drinking at the trackside cafe. Someone came by and asked to see our tickets. Someone else came by and asked if we wanted to eat at the first or second sitting; we selected first.
The train left exactly at 7 PM, right on schedule. I was surprised. It was already dark, so there was little to see other than city lights, and they quickly faded from view. One of the porters (is that the right name) walked through the passageway ringing a three tone xylophone. This was the call for dinner.
The Restaurant Car had a line of fans down the center of the roof, all rotating in a circular motion. The tables were set with a proper British air. The menu said we would get cream of mushroom soup, breaded fish with tartar sauce, choice of chicken curry, vegetables and rice, beef goulash and Lyonaisse potatoes, and dessert consisting of a fruit plate and ice cream.
We soon were served soup. It was a cream of tomato soup. There was no fish, but the main course followed soon after we finished the soup. The servers brought the food on platters and served from them to our plates. For dessert, only the fruit plate was offered. We had been wishing for ice cream, but there apparently was none. We ordered sodas for a slight fee, and went back to our compartments with full tummies. Oh... they did bring tea. The server had two pitchers, and we assumed one was black tea, and the other African tea (tea made in milk). Evey asked for the milk tea, pointing to the pitcher that was not black tea. She got a cup full of plain milk. He walked away so quickly, she did not have a chance to correct the error. We all had a good laugh. When he returned, he added some tea (although there was not much room left) to remedy the mistake.
The beds had been made up in our compartments while we were out. We went to bed right away. The clickity-clack of the wheels kept me awake for a while, but I was finally overcome by the swaying of the car. I woke a little later, and noticed the train was no longer moving. I drifted back to sleep, and remember nothing more until 7 AM when I woke for the day.
Haller Park was pretty nice. It was set in the woods, with some animals roaming free. The dangerous ones were in areas surrounded by walls to keep us apart. There were lots of silly monkeys running all around. The highlight of the day was Timothy feeding a giraffe.
Our driver arrived at $:45 to take us to the train station. Mombasa traffic was heavy, but nothing like Nairobi. We arrived at the train station, and were very unsure of the procedure we needed to follow. A guard sent me to the booking window to get boarding passes (we had pre-purchased the tickets). I met the others on the platform. There was no train yet, so we just sat and waited.
About 6, the train backed into the station, and people started boarding. We had no idea which car to get on. We asked someone, and he suggested we look at our boarding passes. That was helpful. Each pass had the coach number and compartment letters. Of course, the coaches were not arranged in any order. The train was not too long, so it did not take but a few minutes to locate the two cars we were in. We had booked one second class coach compartment (for 4) and three first class compartments (2 people each, except David got his own room).
The passages to the compartments were very narrow. The first class compartments were adjacent, and David's actually had a second door to ours, allowing for a more open floor plan. The car in front of ours was the Restaurant Car. The four girls were three cars ahead of that.
Our compartment had a bench seat along one side with a bunk above. The bench seat was way too deep to sit on normally, but was comfortable if you curled your legs up on it. Opposite the seat was a narrow closet with a ladder attached to it to aid in climbing o the top bunk. There was also a sink and mirror. The lights did not work until about 6:30 when they turned the power on.
We spent a lot of time standing in the passageway, looking out the windows on the right side of the train. The window in our compartment only went down about two inches. There were people playing guitar on the platform, and others eating and drinking at the trackside cafe. Someone came by and asked to see our tickets. Someone else came by and asked if we wanted to eat at the first or second sitting; we selected first.
The train left exactly at 7 PM, right on schedule. I was surprised. It was already dark, so there was little to see other than city lights, and they quickly faded from view. One of the porters (is that the right name) walked through the passageway ringing a three tone xylophone. This was the call for dinner.
The Restaurant Car had a line of fans down the center of the roof, all rotating in a circular motion. The tables were set with a proper British air. The menu said we would get cream of mushroom soup, breaded fish with tartar sauce, choice of chicken curry, vegetables and rice, beef goulash and Lyonaisse potatoes, and dessert consisting of a fruit plate and ice cream.
We soon were served soup. It was a cream of tomato soup. There was no fish, but the main course followed soon after we finished the soup. The servers brought the food on platters and served from them to our plates. For dessert, only the fruit plate was offered. We had been wishing for ice cream, but there apparently was none. We ordered sodas for a slight fee, and went back to our compartments with full tummies. Oh... they did bring tea. The server had two pitchers, and we assumed one was black tea, and the other African tea (tea made in milk). Evey asked for the milk tea, pointing to the pitcher that was not black tea. She got a cup full of plain milk. He walked away so quickly, she did not have a chance to correct the error. We all had a good laugh. When he returned, he added some tea (although there was not much room left) to remedy the mistake.
The beds had been made up in our compartments while we were out. We went to bed right away. The clickity-clack of the wheels kept me awake for a while, but I was finally overcome by the swaying of the car. I woke a little later, and noticed the train was no longer moving. I drifted back to sleep, and remember nothing more until 7 AM when I woke for the day.
Wednesday, June 17: Snorkeling
Today we woke up to sunny skies. Even with that, it did rain a few times during the day, but we simply ignored it. It was warm enough, and the rain was fairly short, so we dried off almost right away.
We spent the morning and part of the afternoon on the beach or in the apartment. Gail went for a massage at a hut along the beach. We also hired the same woman to braid Kayla's hair (and do extensions). While that was going on we swam, sat in the rain, swam, laid on the beach, and generally relaxed.
At 3, we jumped onto an old boat with a glass bottom to go on our snorkeling adventure. Hiring the right captain was a long process. Everyone that you meet on the beach wants to sell you something. I decided to ask the apartment owner, and he called his friend who came over to explain what he had to offer. It turns out he was from the same boathouse as the other guys I had talked with on previous encounters on the beach, but he seemed to have a better explanation of what he would do for us. When he cut his price in half, we agreed to go with him.
I think the glass bottom boat, despite its decrepit shape, was the better choice. It allowed everyone to see what was under the water before jumping in, and for those not snorkeling, it offered a view of the ocean that would not have been possible in the outrigger that Robert (the previous captain) was going to take us out in.
On the way to Coral Garden (a spot off Nyali beach) we stopped to pay the guard the admission fee to the marine park. The ocean was pretty uninteresting all the way to the destination, then suddenly the floor opened up to a beautiful showroom of ocean life. We anchored the boat, donned our gear, and jumped in. Snorkeling is great fun; I highly recommend it to anyone that has not done it before.
Kayla, David, Sarah, Lisa, Evey, and I snorkeled. The others stayed in the boat. One of the crew dived for starfish, sea urchins, and other items. He brought them to the boat so everyone could see and touch them. Everything was thrown back before we left. We spent most of our time there, then moved on to Starfish Garden.
Starfish Garden was a rather shallow area, and we were a bit cautious because there were lots of large spiny sea urchins, black, with very bright silver spots on the top. We did not want to step on them. Because of the danger, we only stayed there a short time, but we did get to see a lot of very large starfish, some twelve inches or more across, and more fish.
Next, as it was getting windy and darker, we headed out to the reef. We anchored the boat in very shallow water, and got out. After walking through ankle deep water, we came to the reef, which is a coral island usually covered by the sea, but at low tide, it is out of the water, or just below the surface. It is full of interesting life. It was a little like walking on water. The reef is probably one half mile out from shore (I am not good at judging distances across water, so this may be inaccurate) and runs for a long distance parallel to the shoreline. The waves all break at the reef, and the waters from there to the shore are relatively calm. In fact, the shore is pretty boring for a seashore. We did have some breaking waves (about a foot high) at high tide, but most of the time it is less forceful than Lake Erie on a calm day.
The trip back to shore was short, which was good as we were all tired. We paid for our excursion, walked up the path to the apartment, and then started supper. We made Chapati pizzas, an interesting and delicious combination of ethnic foods. Evey popped popcorn and we made coffee. Now it is time to go to bed. Tomorrow is our last day in Mombasa. We spend the night on the train to Nairobi.
We spent the morning and part of the afternoon on the beach or in the apartment. Gail went for a massage at a hut along the beach. We also hired the same woman to braid Kayla's hair (and do extensions). While that was going on we swam, sat in the rain, swam, laid on the beach, and generally relaxed.
At 3, we jumped onto an old boat with a glass bottom to go on our snorkeling adventure. Hiring the right captain was a long process. Everyone that you meet on the beach wants to sell you something. I decided to ask the apartment owner, and he called his friend who came over to explain what he had to offer. It turns out he was from the same boathouse as the other guys I had talked with on previous encounters on the beach, but he seemed to have a better explanation of what he would do for us. When he cut his price in half, we agreed to go with him.
I think the glass bottom boat, despite its decrepit shape, was the better choice. It allowed everyone to see what was under the water before jumping in, and for those not snorkeling, it offered a view of the ocean that would not have been possible in the outrigger that Robert (the previous captain) was going to take us out in.
On the way to Coral Garden (a spot off Nyali beach) we stopped to pay the guard the admission fee to the marine park. The ocean was pretty uninteresting all the way to the destination, then suddenly the floor opened up to a beautiful showroom of ocean life. We anchored the boat, donned our gear, and jumped in. Snorkeling is great fun; I highly recommend it to anyone that has not done it before.
Kayla, David, Sarah, Lisa, Evey, and I snorkeled. The others stayed in the boat. One of the crew dived for starfish, sea urchins, and other items. He brought them to the boat so everyone could see and touch them. Everything was thrown back before we left. We spent most of our time there, then moved on to Starfish Garden.
Starfish Garden was a rather shallow area, and we were a bit cautious because there were lots of large spiny sea urchins, black, with very bright silver spots on the top. We did not want to step on them. Because of the danger, we only stayed there a short time, but we did get to see a lot of very large starfish, some twelve inches or more across, and more fish.
Next, as it was getting windy and darker, we headed out to the reef. We anchored the boat in very shallow water, and got out. After walking through ankle deep water, we came to the reef, which is a coral island usually covered by the sea, but at low tide, it is out of the water, or just below the surface. It is full of interesting life. It was a little like walking on water. The reef is probably one half mile out from shore (I am not good at judging distances across water, so this may be inaccurate) and runs for a long distance parallel to the shoreline. The waves all break at the reef, and the waters from there to the shore are relatively calm. In fact, the shore is pretty boring for a seashore. We did have some breaking waves (about a foot high) at high tide, but most of the time it is less forceful than Lake Erie on a calm day.
The trip back to shore was short, which was good as we were all tired. We paid for our excursion, walked up the path to the apartment, and then started supper. We made Chapati pizzas, an interesting and delicious combination of ethnic foods. Evey popped popcorn and we made coffee. Now it is time to go to bed. Tomorrow is our last day in Mombasa. We spend the night on the train to Nairobi.
Tuesday, June 16: Fort Jesus
We woke up to the sound of rain. It rained last night, but this was the first morning rain we have had for a while. Hopefully they got some rain in Kakamega. We walked down to the beach; it was very deserted except for some fishermen down the beach. They use a boat to drag a net out from the beach and then circle back in. Then about five men on each side pull the net to shore. I was too far away to see if they caught anything.
The kids went in swimming. I stood on the shore and watched crabs and clams. There was a greenish crab in the sand. He (or she) looked dead, so I was going to pick it up. When I touched it, it moved its legs. I poked it a bit more and it came out of the sand. It was about five inches across. It moved away a little, then as a wave went over it it buried itself so just a green rectangle was left. I saw it on and off for a while, then it disappeared. The experience made me look more carefully where I stepped.
There were those little sand-colored crabs scooping sand out of their holes, carrying it to a little pile about a foot away. They were busy, but ran and hid if you got close.
Robert, another captain, came over to sell me a trip to the reef. We agreed on a price if the weather would be good. However, the entire day was rainy, sunny, rainy, sunny, rainy... well, you get the idea.
I had to talk with two other vendors for a while. They are all too friendly and you don't want to just say, "get lost." After finishing at the beach, David, Kayla, Sarah, Lisa, Gail, and I set off to Nakumatt for more groceries. DK&G took borda-bordas. That was a good choice, as I had to talk with another sales person for most of the walk. A young man caught up with me, asked where I was from, and then started telling me he could arrange for us to visit any attraction in the city. It was a pleasant enough conversation, but I would have preferred to walk in silence. We parted at the turnout to Nakumatt.
All of us stopped at Chelsea's Internet Cafe to get our business done, then headed to the grocery store. Foe some reason, I was given the chore of getting food, while everyone else went browsing through the two-level superstore. We had a bag for everyone when we finished, and the three borda-borda riders met us at the exit. They called for three more bikes, and we all rode home. It was much more pleasant than walking with heavy groceries.
Timothy, Christine, and Evey left around 8:30 for the other side of Mombasa. Timothy needed to buy cane tips for some of the people in his congregation and they planned to visit a hospital for children with disabilities. This hospital also makes prosthetic devices.
When they returned, we had to decide about the reef trip. The weather was cool and looked like rain. We decided to visit Fort Jesus instead. Gail, David, Timothy, Christine, and I headed for the road. Immediately, a matatu traveling in the wrong direction screeched to a stop and asked where we wanted to go. They had just a little left to the end of their route, and were eager to pick up a group of five. Another matatu coming in the correct direction honked, and came to a stop. The first conductor yelled at them to keep going. In the meantime, the first matatu sped down the road, made a quick U-turn, and drove up (as the second one sped away). The door opened, and the conductor asked the person inside to get out and walk the rest of the way to his stop. He was carrying a large blue tank, like a welding tank. I felt badly. We got in, and headed for Mombasa.
Timothy wanted to get the driver to take us right to the entrance of Fort Jesus, but he refused (even when offered more money) as it would be against the matatu rules of Mombasa. We were dropped at the appropriate point, and jumped into two tuk-tuks for the rest of the journey. A tuk-tuk is a sort of motorized rickshaw, an enclosed three-wheeled motorcycle with a passenger compartment in the back for three passengers.
Gail, David, and Christine were in the lead and had a very aggressive driver. At one point the drove into a ditch, partially up the other side, and then back onto the roadway. They made a two lane road into three. Timothy's and my tuk-tuk was shared with a woman and child and seemed a bit slower. We arrived in front of Fort Jesus, and joined the others.
We entered the fort, and paid our fees, and then were greeted by a man that wanted to be paid to give us a tour. Timothy went back to the ticket window. He came back with a guard who introduced us to a "real" guide. He explained that people arrange to give tours at whatever price they can. This is allowed, but there are volunteers with name cards (not a hand lettered badge that says "Tour Guide") that do not charge. The wanna-be guide went off to find another victim. We went with our volunteer guide and had a very nice time.
Fort Jesus was built in the 1500's by the Portuguese to guard the entrances to the Mombasa ports. It was taken by the Arabs about a hundred years later. Then, in two hundred years, by the British. Kenya assumed control when it became an independent country. The fort is shaped like Jesus on the cross, hence its name. One of the most interesting features of the fort was the toilets in the wall. These were little egg-shaped alcoves with a hole at the bottom. By squatting, you could release the unwanted matter into the hole where if slid through the wall to the outside of the fort. Today, there is a nice garden along the wall in that location.
When we finished our tour, we walked into the downtown Mombasa area and caught a matatu to a point near home. Evey had cooked supper. The rest of the evening was just for relaxing and visiting.
The kids went in swimming. I stood on the shore and watched crabs and clams. There was a greenish crab in the sand. He (or she) looked dead, so I was going to pick it up. When I touched it, it moved its legs. I poked it a bit more and it came out of the sand. It was about five inches across. It moved away a little, then as a wave went over it it buried itself so just a green rectangle was left. I saw it on and off for a while, then it disappeared. The experience made me look more carefully where I stepped.
There were those little sand-colored crabs scooping sand out of their holes, carrying it to a little pile about a foot away. They were busy, but ran and hid if you got close.
Robert, another captain, came over to sell me a trip to the reef. We agreed on a price if the weather would be good. However, the entire day was rainy, sunny, rainy, sunny, rainy... well, you get the idea.
I had to talk with two other vendors for a while. They are all too friendly and you don't want to just say, "get lost." After finishing at the beach, David, Kayla, Sarah, Lisa, Gail, and I set off to Nakumatt for more groceries. DK&G took borda-bordas. That was a good choice, as I had to talk with another sales person for most of the walk. A young man caught up with me, asked where I was from, and then started telling me he could arrange for us to visit any attraction in the city. It was a pleasant enough conversation, but I would have preferred to walk in silence. We parted at the turnout to Nakumatt.
All of us stopped at Chelsea's Internet Cafe to get our business done, then headed to the grocery store. Foe some reason, I was given the chore of getting food, while everyone else went browsing through the two-level superstore. We had a bag for everyone when we finished, and the three borda-borda riders met us at the exit. They called for three more bikes, and we all rode home. It was much more pleasant than walking with heavy groceries.
Timothy, Christine, and Evey left around 8:30 for the other side of Mombasa. Timothy needed to buy cane tips for some of the people in his congregation and they planned to visit a hospital for children with disabilities. This hospital also makes prosthetic devices.
When they returned, we had to decide about the reef trip. The weather was cool and looked like rain. We decided to visit Fort Jesus instead. Gail, David, Timothy, Christine, and I headed for the road. Immediately, a matatu traveling in the wrong direction screeched to a stop and asked where we wanted to go. They had just a little left to the end of their route, and were eager to pick up a group of five. Another matatu coming in the correct direction honked, and came to a stop. The first conductor yelled at them to keep going. In the meantime, the first matatu sped down the road, made a quick U-turn, and drove up (as the second one sped away). The door opened, and the conductor asked the person inside to get out and walk the rest of the way to his stop. He was carrying a large blue tank, like a welding tank. I felt badly. We got in, and headed for Mombasa.
Timothy wanted to get the driver to take us right to the entrance of Fort Jesus, but he refused (even when offered more money) as it would be against the matatu rules of Mombasa. We were dropped at the appropriate point, and jumped into two tuk-tuks for the rest of the journey. A tuk-tuk is a sort of motorized rickshaw, an enclosed three-wheeled motorcycle with a passenger compartment in the back for three passengers.
Gail, David, and Christine were in the lead and had a very aggressive driver. At one point the drove into a ditch, partially up the other side, and then back onto the roadway. They made a two lane road into three. Timothy's and my tuk-tuk was shared with a woman and child and seemed a bit slower. We arrived in front of Fort Jesus, and joined the others.
We entered the fort, and paid our fees, and then were greeted by a man that wanted to be paid to give us a tour. Timothy went back to the ticket window. He came back with a guard who introduced us to a "real" guide. He explained that people arrange to give tours at whatever price they can. This is allowed, but there are volunteers with name cards (not a hand lettered badge that says "Tour Guide") that do not charge. The wanna-be guide went off to find another victim. We went with our volunteer guide and had a very nice time.
Fort Jesus was built in the 1500's by the Portuguese to guard the entrances to the Mombasa ports. It was taken by the Arabs about a hundred years later. Then, in two hundred years, by the British. Kenya assumed control when it became an independent country. The fort is shaped like Jesus on the cross, hence its name. One of the most interesting features of the fort was the toilets in the wall. These were little egg-shaped alcoves with a hole at the bottom. By squatting, you could release the unwanted matter into the hole where if slid through the wall to the outside of the fort. Today, there is a nice garden along the wall in that location.
When we finished our tour, we walked into the downtown Mombasa area and caught a matatu to a point near home. Evey had cooked supper. The rest of the evening was just for relaxing and visiting.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Monday, June 15: Bombolulu
This morning we woke up to a beautiful morning. There was a nice breeze, and the ocean view was very pretty. I made french toast for everyone except David (he had eggs). The coffee today was a little better and we had real cream to put in it. After breakfast we headed out to the street, caught a matatu to Bombolulu to visit the workshops and showroom.
Bombolulu is a community that was founded in 1969 to create employment for the many disabled living in that area. We toured several workshops which now employ people who are disabled. There is a jewelry area where metal and beaded jewelry is crafted. In another center, wheel chairs are constructed. We saw all sorts of chair designs. Most were very rugged to match the rugged terrain in Kenyan cities and countryside. They also manufacture three wheeled bicycles with the pedals on the handlebars for those whose legs do not work.
In another workshop people were doing leather work. One of the current projects was the design of menu covers for a restaurant. In another building, people were sewing and embroidering. Many of the products were available in the showroom. We shopped for some time, and found quite a few items we wanted and were happy to support what looks like a good organization.
We talked with one of the business managers for the showroom, and he agreed to work something out with Geofrey so he can sell his banana leaf collages in Nairobi and Mombasa. Hopefully we can get all of that in place in short order.
Timothy arranged for transportation back to the apartments in a Bombolulu van. That saved us a little bit of money and time. Christine also picked up some Chapatis from a friend, so that made for an easy lunch.
Most of us headed to the beach, while Christine, Timothy, and Gail went shopping for costumes. A costume is what one buys to wear to the beach. They visited the market where Timothy used to sell tomatoes, and were excited to be reunited with many old friends. They did find costumes, and came down to the beach about the time most of the rest of us were ready to go in. I stayed and visited with Timothy; Gail and Christine visited in the water.
While the shopping was going on, the rest of us swam, dug in the sand, walked, sun bathed, and swam some more. I met two guys who operate stands a few hundred yards down the beach. They were looking for business. One operates a boat charter, the other a gift shop. If we can negotiate a good price, we may be able to take a boat to the reef and go snorkeling.
We all had a relaxing time. Evey fixed supper: leftover rice made to look like something new with a few vegetables and eggs added in. It was good. Fresh mango was also on the table. After supper, Timothy and Christine went to their apartment. Gail and I went for a walk on the beach as it was heading toward dusk. It was pretty deserted. After walking for a while we noticed little things scooting along the sand in front of us. I thought it was seaweed blowing across the beach, but some pieces seemed to be going in opposite directions. Crabs. Little sand-colored crabs. Some the size of a little finger, others the size of a small foot. They blended in with the sand, so they were almost impossible to see. The beady black eyes were the most visible feature. Only when they moved could you easily distinguish them from the ground.
We turned around, and started back. They just got thicker. We were afraid we would step on them, but they seemed to avoid our feet. We passed two guards with machine guns. They told us we should not be walking up the beach where we had been, that it was not safe in that direction. I do not think he was referring to the crabs. We thanked them, and made note of the information for the future.
We got back safely, just as the darkness began to close in. Time for a shower, and then off to bed.
Bombolulu is a community that was founded in 1969 to create employment for the many disabled living in that area. We toured several workshops which now employ people who are disabled. There is a jewelry area where metal and beaded jewelry is crafted. In another center, wheel chairs are constructed. We saw all sorts of chair designs. Most were very rugged to match the rugged terrain in Kenyan cities and countryside. They also manufacture three wheeled bicycles with the pedals on the handlebars for those whose legs do not work.
In another workshop people were doing leather work. One of the current projects was the design of menu covers for a restaurant. In another building, people were sewing and embroidering. Many of the products were available in the showroom. We shopped for some time, and found quite a few items we wanted and were happy to support what looks like a good organization.
We talked with one of the business managers for the showroom, and he agreed to work something out with Geofrey so he can sell his banana leaf collages in Nairobi and Mombasa. Hopefully we can get all of that in place in short order.
Timothy arranged for transportation back to the apartments in a Bombolulu van. That saved us a little bit of money and time. Christine also picked up some Chapatis from a friend, so that made for an easy lunch.
Most of us headed to the beach, while Christine, Timothy, and Gail went shopping for costumes. A costume is what one buys to wear to the beach. They visited the market where Timothy used to sell tomatoes, and were excited to be reunited with many old friends. They did find costumes, and came down to the beach about the time most of the rest of us were ready to go in. I stayed and visited with Timothy; Gail and Christine visited in the water.
While the shopping was going on, the rest of us swam, dug in the sand, walked, sun bathed, and swam some more. I met two guys who operate stands a few hundred yards down the beach. They were looking for business. One operates a boat charter, the other a gift shop. If we can negotiate a good price, we may be able to take a boat to the reef and go snorkeling.
We all had a relaxing time. Evey fixed supper: leftover rice made to look like something new with a few vegetables and eggs added in. It was good. Fresh mango was also on the table. After supper, Timothy and Christine went to their apartment. Gail and I went for a walk on the beach as it was heading toward dusk. It was pretty deserted. After walking for a while we noticed little things scooting along the sand in front of us. I thought it was seaweed blowing across the beach, but some pieces seemed to be going in opposite directions. Crabs. Little sand-colored crabs. Some the size of a little finger, others the size of a small foot. They blended in with the sand, so they were almost impossible to see. The beady black eyes were the most visible feature. Only when they moved could you easily distinguish them from the ground.
We turned around, and started back. They just got thicker. We were afraid we would step on them, but they seemed to avoid our feet. We passed two guards with machine guns. They told us we should not be walking up the beach where we had been, that it was not safe in that direction. I do not think he was referring to the crabs. We thanked them, and made note of the information for the future.
We got back safely, just as the darkness began to close in. Time for a shower, and then off to bed.
Sunday, June 14: Pentecostal Church
Sunday morning came after a restful night. I went out on the patio, and could see the ocean. There is an access path that leads from our apartments to the beach. There were some fishermen visible. It was windy and looked like it might storm, but that never really happened.
Sarah made toast in the broiler, and Kayla made scrambled eggs. I made terrible coffee with a sieve. Timothy and Christine arrived by motorbike and had a bite to eat. Then it was time to leave for church.
We walked out to the street and started walking in the direction we needed to go. A few seconds later, a matatu stopped. Timothy said some magic words in another language, and we hopped in and were on our way. Two hundred shillings ($3) and about five minutes later we were dropped across the street from Bombolulu, a large community of people with disabilities. The church that Timothy attended when he lived in Mombasa meets in a cultural center. It is a Pentecostal church, I will have to ask Timothy the name.
The kids joined the youth group and the adults went to a class which met outside. The kids were also outside, under a large round pavilion. We were in the grass. Our group was talking about prayer. When it was time for the service to start, we carried our chairs back under the grass roof of the pavilion, and found seats. We were all asked to introduce ourselves and sing some songs for them.
One very interesting thing happened during the service. The pastor said he was going to take up a special offering and would not say what it was for. People came up front and gave, and then he revealed it was for Timothy and Christine. Seven years ago, Timothy had gone from this church to start a new church in Gambogi. He went out of obedience to God. No one gave him any encouragement, or supported his move. Now, on this return visit to his home church, his pastor recognized the success of his efforts, and prayed over Timothy and Christine, and asked for continued blessing in their work. This was the first time they had received any real commissioning for their mission. It was a really blessed moment.
After the service, we had tea and a time of fellowship. It turns out that the pastor, Shem, and his wife, Catherine, are homeschooling their children. They had lots of questions, and we hope that we can connect them and Mary (in Nairobi).
While we were talking about us and listening about them, Evey and Christine met with a group of ten women from the congregation with a variety of disabilities. This will further her research, and provided another opportunity to meet people and form friendships in Kenya.
It was a long morning. We finally left about 2:30. A matatu nearly ran us down as we were walking out to the main road, but that gave us the chance to jump in and get a ride back to the apartments. The driver misunderstood our destination and tried to drop us off at Mombasa Beach (a public access road several blocks from where we are staying). When we cleared up the misunderstanding, he took us to the right place.
We cooked spaghetti American style, and enjoyed all of it for lunch. Afterwards we headed to the beach for a little relaxation. It was quite windy and had turned chilly. I should say a little about the weather. Mombasa is known for being hot. The early morning was warm, and grew steamy, even with rain threatening. As it cleared, it did grow pretty hot. This, I guess, is typical. Towards the end of the church service, the wind picked up and it grew chilly. This is fairly odd. It was still cool when we went to the beach. We thought the water was very nice, not warm, but not really cold either. Most of the people on the beach thought it was cold. There were a lot of people walking and playing soccer on the beach. David and Kayla went swimming, others went wading, or sat on a blanket enjoying the beauty of the sand and Indian ocean. The sand is very fine and white, not as coarse as what I experienced along the eastern coast of the US.
Four teenage boys walked by who were signing to each other. Timothy followed them a short distance and struck up a conversation. He brought them back to meet Gail and Christine. It turns out all four were deaf. They talked with Timothy, Christine and Gail a bit, and then went on their way.
Timothy and Christine walked a short way to a Nakumatt (like a super Walmart) for some groceries. When I got back, supper was ready, and Timothy and Christine's motorbike driver was waiting to take them to their apartment. Supper was rice and stir fry. Sarah and I had hot sauce with ours.
--
Sarah made toast in the broiler, and Kayla made scrambled eggs. I made terrible coffee with a sieve. Timothy and Christine arrived by motorbike and had a bite to eat. Then it was time to leave for church.
We walked out to the street and started walking in the direction we needed to go. A few seconds later, a matatu stopped. Timothy said some magic words in another language, and we hopped in and were on our way. Two hundred shillings ($3) and about five minutes later we were dropped across the street from Bombolulu, a large community of people with disabilities. The church that Timothy attended when he lived in Mombasa meets in a cultural center. It is a Pentecostal church, I will have to ask Timothy the name.
The kids joined the youth group and the adults went to a class which met outside. The kids were also outside, under a large round pavilion. We were in the grass. Our group was talking about prayer. When it was time for the service to start, we carried our chairs back under the grass roof of the pavilion, and found seats. We were all asked to introduce ourselves and sing some songs for them.
One very interesting thing happened during the service. The pastor said he was going to take up a special offering and would not say what it was for. People came up front and gave, and then he revealed it was for Timothy and Christine. Seven years ago, Timothy had gone from this church to start a new church in Gambogi. He went out of obedience to God. No one gave him any encouragement, or supported his move. Now, on this return visit to his home church, his pastor recognized the success of his efforts, and prayed over Timothy and Christine, and asked for continued blessing in their work. This was the first time they had received any real commissioning for their mission. It was a really blessed moment.
After the service, we had tea and a time of fellowship. It turns out that the pastor, Shem, and his wife, Catherine, are homeschooling their children. They had lots of questions, and we hope that we can connect them and Mary (in Nairobi).
While we were talking about us and listening about them, Evey and Christine met with a group of ten women from the congregation with a variety of disabilities. This will further her research, and provided another opportunity to meet people and form friendships in Kenya.
It was a long morning. We finally left about 2:30. A matatu nearly ran us down as we were walking out to the main road, but that gave us the chance to jump in and get a ride back to the apartments. The driver misunderstood our destination and tried to drop us off at Mombasa Beach (a public access road several blocks from where we are staying). When we cleared up the misunderstanding, he took us to the right place.
We cooked spaghetti American style, and enjoyed all of it for lunch. Afterwards we headed to the beach for a little relaxation. It was quite windy and had turned chilly. I should say a little about the weather. Mombasa is known for being hot. The early morning was warm, and grew steamy, even with rain threatening. As it cleared, it did grow pretty hot. This, I guess, is typical. Towards the end of the church service, the wind picked up and it grew chilly. This is fairly odd. It was still cool when we went to the beach. We thought the water was very nice, not warm, but not really cold either. Most of the people on the beach thought it was cold. There were a lot of people walking and playing soccer on the beach. David and Kayla went swimming, others went wading, or sat on a blanket enjoying the beauty of the sand and Indian ocean. The sand is very fine and white, not as coarse as what I experienced along the eastern coast of the US.
Four teenage boys walked by who were signing to each other. Timothy followed them a short distance and struck up a conversation. He brought them back to meet Gail and Christine. It turns out all four were deaf. They talked with Timothy, Christine and Gail a bit, and then went on their way.
Timothy and Christine walked a short way to a Nakumatt (like a super Walmart) for some groceries. When I got back, supper was ready, and Timothy and Christine's motorbike driver was waiting to take them to their apartment. Supper was rice and stir fry. Sarah and I had hot sauce with ours.
--
Saturday, June 13: Heading for Mombasa
Waking up at 4:30 is hard for me, but I almost did it. 4:39, and I was out of the mosquito net. We got the van loaded up with all of our stuff and all of us, and were headed south by 5:25. Quite a few of the children got up to say goodbye. I do not know if it was last night's rain, or I am just getting used to Kenyan roads, but the trip seemed smoother than usual.
We drove right past Timothy and Christine who were standing alongside the road across from their house. They had a little bit of a walk to get to the van by the time we stopped. They were so excited. This was going to be their first airplane trip.
At the Kisumu airport, we loaded up 2 baggage carts, and carried the rest in after saying goodbye to Charles. Several small airlines share a rather cramped space. The procedure in Kisumu is to put all baggage through the x-ray, then you decide what to check after you get inside. There were nine of us, and they weighed the twelve bigger bags, and checked them all at no additional charge. The baggage limit is by weight, not pieces. All tolled, our bags were 150 KG and the limit for 9 was 180 KG. They did not care if some of the bags were over, which was good.
We waited in the outside waiting area and watched our plane land. We boarded, stowing the guitars and dulcimer in a little area near the back of the plane. The plane took off, but headed north (Kisumu is south). A little later we landed in Eldoret where Jenny (from Eshel Gardens) is living. The plane makes a circular trip, Nairobi, Kisumu, Eldoret, and back to Nairobi, so we ended up flying back over Kakamega to get to Eldoret.
I texted Jenny and told her we were in town for 15 minutes and she should wave. She replied that she was waving from her bed, and wished us safe journey. It is fun to know people in different places in Africa.
An hour later we landed in Nairobi, claimed our luggage (no lost bags this time), and met Yeshaia outside. He had agreed to take our extra bags and instruments to Eshel Gardens (where we plan to spend next Friday night) while we went to Mombasa. We waited there for the Coast Lines bus. Lillian, out travel agent, rode the bus from the station to the airport to be sure it picked us up. She had reserved front row seats. It was a nice bus with video screens and a washroom. Much smaller than a typical Greyhound, but about as tall.
The road was pretty bad for the first part of the trip; they are doing a lot of construction. Unlike the US, where most people merge into one lane long before the construction zone to be polite, in Kenya, people drive in the fields along the road, in the oncoming lane, on the far side berm... wherever they can fit their car.
Except for the construction, the road was very smooth, and the trip was pleasant. We saw camels, a zebra, a baboon, lots of goats and cows, and lots of people. The bus stopped halfway (the total trip was about 8 hours) for food.
The videos on the bus were not exactly family friendly. There was a lot of crude language in the movies, and the music videos became so awful that I finally complained. They changed the disc to something else that wasn't quite as bad. I would appreciate being able to choose what I see and hear when traveling, so I will not recommend this bus line to anyone else.
We got into Mombasa around 6:30, and were met by Mattias, our driver. This time we had only a small amount of luggage (yea). Mattias drove us to Nakumatt so we could buy food, then we went on to Mombasa Beach Apartments. The apartments are very nice. The bedrooms are even air conditioned and there is water, even hot water. We snacked on some of the food, and then turned in. We are looking forward to the rest of our adventure which begins tomorrow.
We drove right past Timothy and Christine who were standing alongside the road across from their house. They had a little bit of a walk to get to the van by the time we stopped. They were so excited. This was going to be their first airplane trip.
At the Kisumu airport, we loaded up 2 baggage carts, and carried the rest in after saying goodbye to Charles. Several small airlines share a rather cramped space. The procedure in Kisumu is to put all baggage through the x-ray, then you decide what to check after you get inside. There were nine of us, and they weighed the twelve bigger bags, and checked them all at no additional charge. The baggage limit is by weight, not pieces. All tolled, our bags were 150 KG and the limit for 9 was 180 KG. They did not care if some of the bags were over, which was good.
We waited in the outside waiting area and watched our plane land. We boarded, stowing the guitars and dulcimer in a little area near the back of the plane. The plane took off, but headed north (Kisumu is south). A little later we landed in Eldoret where Jenny (from Eshel Gardens) is living. The plane makes a circular trip, Nairobi, Kisumu, Eldoret, and back to Nairobi, so we ended up flying back over Kakamega to get to Eldoret.
I texted Jenny and told her we were in town for 15 minutes and she should wave. She replied that she was waving from her bed, and wished us safe journey. It is fun to know people in different places in Africa.
An hour later we landed in Nairobi, claimed our luggage (no lost bags this time), and met Yeshaia outside. He had agreed to take our extra bags and instruments to Eshel Gardens (where we plan to spend next Friday night) while we went to Mombasa. We waited there for the Coast Lines bus. Lillian, out travel agent, rode the bus from the station to the airport to be sure it picked us up. She had reserved front row seats. It was a nice bus with video screens and a washroom. Much smaller than a typical Greyhound, but about as tall.
The road was pretty bad for the first part of the trip; they are doing a lot of construction. Unlike the US, where most people merge into one lane long before the construction zone to be polite, in Kenya, people drive in the fields along the road, in the oncoming lane, on the far side berm... wherever they can fit their car.
Except for the construction, the road was very smooth, and the trip was pleasant. We saw camels, a zebra, a baboon, lots of goats and cows, and lots of people. The bus stopped halfway (the total trip was about 8 hours) for food.
The videos on the bus were not exactly family friendly. There was a lot of crude language in the movies, and the music videos became so awful that I finally complained. They changed the disc to something else that wasn't quite as bad. I would appreciate being able to choose what I see and hear when traveling, so I will not recommend this bus line to anyone else.
We got into Mombasa around 6:30, and were met by Mattias, our driver. This time we had only a small amount of luggage (yea). Mattias drove us to Nakumatt so we could buy food, then we went on to Mombasa Beach Apartments. The apartments are very nice. The bedrooms are even air conditioned and there is water, even hot water. We snacked on some of the food, and then turned in. We are looking forward to the rest of our adventure which begins tomorrow.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Thursday, June 11: Rainforest
This morning our agenda was to visit the Rhondo Retreat Center which is located in the rainforest South of Kakamega. It is about 16 km on a dirt road. We arrived at 11 AM (after planning to be there by 10) and stopped at the reception center to order our lunch before going into the forest. The man behind the desk told us that lunch would be 800KSH per person. Now, this is pretty much. We asked what they were serving, and he had to go ask the chef. When he returned, we learned we would all get fish, salad, and some dessert, but the drinks would be extra. We canceled our lunch order and decided we would just get sodas.Then we walked through the grounds of the center to the path that led into the forest. A little way down the path, we saw so
me monkeys playing in the trees. We watched them for some time. They were pretty far away, but fun to watch. The path we were on circled the retreat center grounds. Some other paths led deeper into the forest. We tried one, but had to turn back after a short time. Our time was limited by the need to get back to Kakamega for lunch.We saw some other monkeys later. One was a baby that enjoyed peeking at us and then jumping from branch to branch to hide. The larger ones were too interested in eating leaves to pay any attention to us.
The sounds were very interesting. We saw some fish, and some birds, but no snakes or other creatures. It was a very nice walk, and the sodas in the dining hall afterward were cold and refreshing (many places serve warm soda).
We drove back to Kakamega and stopped at an outdoor restaurant for some needed food. Charles dropped Gail, Evey, and I off at Naomy Ruth's office. We wanted to get some pictures from her (of the woman that received the wheelchair) and we also wanted to see how she was liking her camera (a gift from us). I showed her h
ow to offload the pictures from the SD card and how to take videos. She needed some tips on focusing and some of the other settings. She is enjoying the camera very much, and was excited to learn that it had so many other features.On the way home, we stopped at the Internet. In the middle of emailing, almost everyone in the place suddenly got up from their computers and left. Their screens were all dark. Ahhh, the power had gone off. My computer was one of two that were connected to a UPS, so it continued to operate. The workers pulled a large generator out of the back room and out the front door, parking it on the sidewalk. They started it up, the Internet reconnected, and I hardly knew the difference. I was glad to be able to finish the last couple of things without a major interruption.
I inquired at the SafariCom store (cellular provider) next door to the Internet about a cellular modem for MTTF's computer. They had one for 4000KSH ($50). The service plans available are all prepay, and cost about 3 KSH per MB ($0.04). This seems like a pretty good deal, but I have never priced plans like this in the US, so I have little to compare to. Internet options are pretty limited here. I think we will try this out tomorrow.
The chicos are completed. They just need to cure for a few days before using them. I hope the cook likes them. If it reduces firewood costs and reduces smoke, it will be a success. I wish we would be here to see them in action. Mr. Rotich was here to inspect them this evening. He brought his son, who just finished the Kenyan equivalent of high school. He would like to go to a university for art or design.
We are all thinking about packing for our departure. When we get to Nairobi on the way to Mombasa, we plan to send some of the extra baggage to the guest house where we will stay before flying home. It will be nice to travel with less baggage for a change. We are looking forward to a few days in a hotel with warm showers and running water. Hopefully we will not be disappointed.
Gail and the kids are busy making little gifts for the children here. There are still things in the suitcase that we brought to give away. Gail just gave a story book to Abendego. He started crying, then ran off to read it. Gail likes to find just the right thing for each child.
I put some programs on Charles's computer. I hope I will have time to get things set up so they are easy for him to use. There is so little time left. I feel like I must have procrastinated, but that did not really happen. There has just been a lot to do, and some of the ideas of what needed to be done only occurred to us recently. Things also happen more slowly here. It takes some getting used to.
Wednesday, June 10: Nothing happened today
Well, some things happened, but it was a pretty slow day. Gail went to the hospital, but more of that later.
The morning began with Gail and I visiting Pine Breeze school which is just beyond the MTTF compound. Some of the MTTF children attend there. We needed to talk to Jeffrey, the music teacher I met a few days ago, about when he wanted us to come to his music class. The guard at the front gate, showed us to the HT (Head Teacher's) office. The woman that greeted us was all business. She did not seem to know who Jeffrey was. In fact, she gave the impression that she did not know of any music teacher. Gail asked to speak with one of the children from Mission to the Fatherless. The woman said, "I will get one of the Fatherless children." She called for Clinton, who helped her understand that we were looking for the music teacher. She must not have understood our accent? She mentioned the name, Gideon, then walked off to find him.
Soon, a man we had never seen before came around the side of the classrooms. He was the music teacher. We said we were looking for Jeffrey. He replied, "Jeffrey?" as if he had never heard of the name before. We talked a bit more, and then he set off saying he would get him. Communication is often difficult in Kakamega. It appears that with many people, English only partially communicates what you mean, and it takes multiple attempts to be sure you are understood. Be especially careful when people nod their heads in agreement. It usually means they have no idea what you are saying.
A few minutes later, Jeffrey walked around the corner. We were glad to finally find him and we confirmed that he would stop by MTTF later that day. We had originally planned to come to his class, but the students had two days of exams scheduled, so the only opportunity was after school.
All of that settled, Gail and I walked back for breakfast. A bit later, Timothy showed up. He wanted to confirm some details regarding our upcoming trip to Mombasa. We are bringing Christine and Timothy with us so they can visit friends and have a break from their church ministry. We chatted for some time, and then we remembered we wanted to introduce him to Geofrey. I called Geofrey, and he said he would be right over (which means in an hour as he had to walk).
Geofrey arrived in time for lunch and he and Timothy had a very good talk. Geofrey was interested in Timothy's contacts in Mombasa, and Timothy was interested in encouraging an artist, telling him to think a little bigger than peddling his art on the street. It turned out Timothy and Geofrey are from the same tribe, and had some other connections. Timothy used to buy and sell things in Mombasa, so he was very in tune with what Geofrey was facing. He had a lot of advice to give. In the end, Timothy agreed to check some shops in Mombasa to see if they had any banana leaf pictures similar to Geofrey's, and if Geofrey wanted to visit he would find a place for him to stay. Everything was very encouraging. I think the meeting was a good one, and hope it helps Geofrey find more ways to market his work.
Oh, I almost forgot about Gail going to the hospital. Just before Ge
ofrey arrived, Brian walked into the dining room. Brian grew up at MTTF and is now independent. He wanted to take Gail and Evey and Sarah and Lisa to visit his mom, Hedwig. Hedwig works at a hospital just south of Kakamega. They took a matatu there and back. His mom gave them a two hour tour of the hospital. It was a very big place. Afterwards they went to her home for lunch (at 4). When they got in the matatu to come home, Gail gave the conductor 200 KSH (the fare was 40 KSH). Our experience has been that if you do not have correct change, and you are a mazungo, you are simply overcharged. The conductor hopped to let someone out. When he hopped back in, he ignored Gail, and began to look at the others for their fares. Gail told him, "that was for five of us." He was a bit surprised, then disappointed, and finally, defeated. The ride home was otherwise uneventful.
The music class showed up at MTTF after school, and we sang Hodu se
veral times through so the girls could learn a harmony part and the boys the melody. Jeffrey was hoping I would provide him with a keyboard. He had mentioned a keyboard the last time I had talked with him, but I did not understand that he wanted me to get him one. Then he said Duncan told him there was one at MTTF. Indeed, the church has a keyboard. It was not mine to lend, but I did say he could ask Charles if they might use it to prepare for the upcoming music competition. I wonder what the school's music class is really like? I cannot imagine a music classroom with no piano.
After supper, I was caught at the homework tables answering math questions. Do you know how hard it is to explain the difference between 4 and 0.4? Try explaining the difference to someone that speaks Swahili as their first language, and speaks the Queen's English as their second. Add an onlooker that keeps offering help in Swahili. It was very interesting. Bed time came just in time.
The morning began with Gail and I visiting Pine Breeze school which is just beyond the MTTF compound. Some of the MTTF children attend there. We needed to talk to Jeffrey, the music teacher I met a few days ago, about when he wanted us to come to his music class. The guard at the front gate, showed us to the HT (Head Teacher's) office. The woman that greeted us was all business. She did not seem to know who Jeffrey was. In fact, she gave the impression that she did not know of any music teacher. Gail asked to speak with one of the children from Mission to the Fatherless. The woman said, "I will get one of the Fatherless children." She called for Clinton, who helped her understand that we were looking for the music teacher. She must not have understood our accent? She mentioned the name, Gideon, then walked off to find him.
Soon, a man we had never seen before came around the side of the classrooms. He was the music teacher. We said we were looking for Jeffrey. He replied, "Jeffrey?" as if he had never heard of the name before. We talked a bit more, and then he set off saying he would get him. Communication is often difficult in Kakamega. It appears that with many people, English only partially communicates what you mean, and it takes multiple attempts to be sure you are understood. Be especially careful when people nod their heads in agreement. It usually means they have no idea what you are saying.
A few minutes later, Jeffrey walked around the corner. We were glad to finally find him and we confirmed that he would stop by MTTF later that day. We had originally planned to come to his class, but the students had two days of exams scheduled, so the only opportunity was after school.
All of that settled, Gail and I walked back for breakfast. A bit later, Timothy showed up. He wanted to confirm some details regarding our upcoming trip to Mombasa. We are bringing Christine and Timothy with us so they can visit friends and have a break from their church ministry. We chatted for some time, and then we remembered we wanted to introduce him to Geofrey. I called Geofrey, and he said he would be right over (which means in an hour as he had to walk).
Geofrey arrived in time for lunch and he and Timothy had a very good talk. Geofrey was interested in Timothy's contacts in Mombasa, and Timothy was interested in encouraging an artist, telling him to think a little bigger than peddling his art on the street. It turned out Timothy and Geofrey are from the same tribe, and had some other connections. Timothy used to buy and sell things in Mombasa, so he was very in tune with what Geofrey was facing. He had a lot of advice to give. In the end, Timothy agreed to check some shops in Mombasa to see if they had any banana leaf pictures similar to Geofrey's, and if Geofrey wanted to visit he would find a place for him to stay. Everything was very encouraging. I think the meeting was a good one, and hope it helps Geofrey find more ways to market his work.
Oh, I almost forgot about Gail going to the hospital. Just before Ge
ofrey arrived, Brian walked into the dining room. Brian grew up at MTTF and is now independent. He wanted to take Gail and Evey and Sarah and Lisa to visit his mom, Hedwig. Hedwig works at a hospital just south of Kakamega. They took a matatu there and back. His mom gave them a two hour tour of the hospital. It was a very big place. Afterwards they went to her home for lunch (at 4). When they got in the matatu to come home, Gail gave the conductor 200 KSH (the fare was 40 KSH). Our experience has been that if you do not have correct change, and you are a mazungo, you are simply overcharged. The conductor hopped to let someone out. When he hopped back in, he ignored Gail, and began to look at the others for their fares. Gail told him, "that was for five of us." He was a bit surprised, then disappointed, and finally, defeated. The ride home was otherwise uneventful.The music class showed up at MTTF after school, and we sang Hodu se
veral times through so the girls could learn a harmony part and the boys the melody. Jeffrey was hoping I would provide him with a keyboard. He had mentioned a keyboard the last time I had talked with him, but I did not understand that he wanted me to get him one. Then he said Duncan told him there was one at MTTF. Indeed, the church has a keyboard. It was not mine to lend, but I did say he could ask Charles if they might use it to prepare for the upcoming music competition. I wonder what the school's music class is really like? I cannot imagine a music classroom with no piano.After supper, I was caught at the homework tables answering math questions. Do you know how hard it is to explain the difference between 4 and 0.4? Try explaining the difference to someone that speaks Swahili as their first language, and speaks the Queen's English as their second. Add an onlooker that keeps offering help in Swahili. It was very interesting. Bed time came just in time.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Tuesday: June 9, 2009: Artists
This morning we headed out to Geofrey Odanga's home. Geofrey is the artist Gail met last year in Kakamega. He paints, does pencil drawings, and creates incredible banana leaf pictures. Geofrey and Rose live in a small house in the middle of a maize field, a few miles from town. They have their own garden (sorghum, maize, and string beans) in the space between their house and the field. A narrow path leads to their door.Geofrey showed us his current projects. For the banana leaf pictures, he begins with a 1/8 in plywood board (or whatever he has at hand). On this, he sketches the scene in pencil. He includes shading. Then he and Rose work patiently to cut small parts of banana leaves, finding sections that are just the right color, to fit the contours of the lines. This creates a beautiful mosaic. He creates African village scenes and also does wildlife.
Geofrey told us that Herb and Virginia Veith were the first white people he met. They were eating at the Golf Hotel, and Geofrey was there trying to sell some of his banana leaf art. This is how Geofrey learned of Mission to the Fatherless. Now he attends the church of MTTF.
Rose made tea and mendazis. Geofrey also called a photographer to record the visit. He arrived on a motorcycle, took a few snapshots with a 35mm automatic camera. Rose's moth
er, and several neighbors and their children came to be part of the pictures.Geofrey gave Kayla an oil paiting of an African mother and daughter. Evey gave Rose some lotions and tea towels. It was a very nice visit.
After lunch, David got out pipe cleaners and the children (and adults) had a great time designing hats and other accessories or creatures. Wendy had an activity that included a science lesson about butterflies.
Chico construction has resumed. There are two workers here chiseling away the cement around the bases of the units. I am not sure w
hy it was not just built that way? Seems like a lot of unnecessary work. They are trying to introduce ventilation from below. They plan to return tomorrow to pour more cement, and then four days of drying.David, and Evey, and I walked in to the Internet with the sky looking like rain. We carried an umbrella and raincoat. It did rain while we were there, but ended by the time we were done. We still need more rain. The crops are not doing well and it is likely that this season will not reverse the famine that was brought on by the post-election violence.
After supper, the children had a brief worship service. Lisa and Sarah rounded everyone up after for a group photo. There were lots of silly faces. The girls had bought cupcakes for everyone and handed them out when the photos were taken. Now some of the children are doing homework and others are heading off to bed.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Monday: June 8, 2009: Computer Lessons
This morning, Charles had his second computer lesson. He is trying to master Quicken so he can do his financial reports for MTTF on the computer instead of writing them by hand. We worked on setting up account categories and sub-categories. Next we need to see what reports are going to be needed.
I also added a Bible program to Charles' computer. I think that will be a good tool for him to learn to use. I still need to meet with him to give a lesson on programming.
Water is still a problem. There is a little city water every once in a while, and the hand pump is currently working (the well is not dry) so MTTF does not have to go out and buy water. There is no way to pump the water we have into the water tower (waiting for a plumber to fix his mistake) so we carry all the water around in buckets. We (the foreigners) still get bottled water from town for drinking, so that is a regular walk for us.
Kayla did some mending in the afternoon. She found Jackie's sewing machine.
It is a Butterfly. lack with gold trimmings, with a treadle for power. The thread kept breaking at first, but she figured out the secrets, with some help from Maureen the cook, and then she fixed a skirt for one of the girls. Charles also got out the electric sewing machine. It is a similar vintage, but has a motor on it. The motor was blown. I think this machine came from the US, and someone plugged it straight into the 220V system here. The electrician worked on it, and found the broken wire on the coil. He soldered it together, and now the machine works again. The sewing projects were finished for the day, so I guess it will go back in storage. Hopefully it will see some use before the step-down convertor is forgotten again.
Duncan's music teacher, Jeffrey, showed up this afternoon with three girls from school that wanted to learn the Hodu song. I had finished writing the harmony part and had the music all ready to print, but had not been to the cyber yet. We sat in the courtyard and sang through the song a few times. Our family was invited to go over to the school to teach the whole class the song.
Word has gotten around that we will be leaving MTTF on Saturday morning. Everyone is sad that we will be going. It is only a few days away, and there is still a lot to do here. We are looking forward to taking some time to relax.
After supper was the usual homework help. A few kids were playing games. I sang some songs in the dining room; some children joined in, and some danced. Duncan wanted to practice Hodu, so we did. He has a really good voice, and learns melodies very quickly. He could sing through the whole song while I did the descant part.
Tomorrow we go to Geofrey and Rose's house.
I also added a Bible program to Charles' computer. I think that will be a good tool for him to learn to use. I still need to meet with him to give a lesson on programming.
Water is still a problem. There is a little city water every once in a while, and the hand pump is currently working (the well is not dry) so MTTF does not have to go out and buy water. There is no way to pump the water we have into the water tower (waiting for a plumber to fix his mistake) so we carry all the water around in buckets. We (the foreigners) still get bottled water from town for drinking, so that is a regular walk for us.
Kayla did some mending in the afternoon. She found Jackie's sewing machine.
It is a Butterfly. lack with gold trimmings, with a treadle for power. The thread kept breaking at first, but she figured out the secrets, with some help from Maureen the cook, and then she fixed a skirt for one of the girls. Charles also got out the electric sewing machine. It is a similar vintage, but has a motor on it. The motor was blown. I think this machine came from the US, and someone plugged it straight into the 220V system here. The electrician worked on it, and found the broken wire on the coil. He soldered it together, and now the machine works again. The sewing projects were finished for the day, so I guess it will go back in storage. Hopefully it will see some use before the step-down convertor is forgotten again.Duncan's music teacher, Jeffrey, showed up this afternoon with three girls from school that wanted to learn the Hodu song. I had finished writing the harmony part and had the music all ready to print, but had not been to the cyber yet. We sat in the courtyard and sang through the song a few times. Our family was invited to go over to the school to teach the whole class the song.
Word has gotten around that we will be leaving MTTF on Saturday morning. Everyone is sad that we will be going. It is only a few days away, and there is still a lot to do here. We are looking forward to taking some time to relax.
After supper was the usual homework help. A few kids were playing games. I sang some songs in the dining room; some children joined in, and some danced. Duncan wanted to practice Hodu, so we did. He has a really good voice, and learns melodies very quickly. He could sing through the whole song while I did the descant part.
Tomorrow we go to Geofrey and Rose's house.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Sunday, June 7: MTTF Church
Sunday morning, the worship team started warming up around 8:30 for the 10 AM service. Whenever we have heard sound systems in Kenya, they have been cranked up to the loudest volume one can tolerate. This was no exception. The "one two" testing phrases shook my bed.The service included lots of singing, prayer, testimonies, a child dedication, and teaching. Charles asked us to sing some of our songs, and aske me to give the morning message. Afterwards there was an altar call, and quite a few people came forward for prayer. The service ended around 1 PM.
The rest of the day was spent doing very little, so this entry will be shorter than usual. I did spend some time singing and playing outside. Duncan, one of the boys here, sang with me a little. He wants to learn a harmony part for Hodu (Give Thanks) and sing with another boy in a competition. I am working on putting the song into a manuscript form so the judges will have notes to follow to help with their evaluation.
Saturday, June 6: Shabbat in Uganda
The day began with our free hotel breakfast. Banana, eggs, toast, and African tea. The waitress overcharged us for the extra three sodas that we ordered. Yesterday they were 700 USH (Ugandan Shillings); today they were 1000 USH. I challenged her on the price, but she insisted. I gave in and paid the price she asked. I think she was miffed that I had not tipped her the day before, and decided to take it into her own hands. Tipping in foreign countries is different from the US. I did not have a chance to ask what was customary in Tororo before our first breakfast, so did not tip. Later I learned that not tipping is acceptable, and that tipping 2000 USH would be way more than is customary. I had planned to leave a 1000 USH tip today, but that is just about what we were overcharged, so I considered it even.
ACTS for
Messiah has their Shabbat service at 10 AM each Saturday. It is open to the public, but only a few extra people usually attend. Their service consists of some traditional prayers with a Messianic flavor, the Torah procession, the reading of the Torah portion for the week, with teaching interspersed between each section. Russel prepares comments for the teachings. After that, they asked for me to do some songs. We ended with Hava Nagila to which everyone danced. The dirt floor gave way to quite a bit of dust before we ended. Following this, Russel preached for a little while.
Lunch was in the pavilion, and offered an opportunity to get to know more about some of the boys. WEe also had a prayer time, and then it was time to leave. Emily and Russel drove us back to the border where we met Peter, our matatu driver. He had brought Charles' wife, Monica, and their two children along. It took forever to fill in the forms, get our exit visa stamp, walk across to Kenya, fill in more forms, and get our entry visa stamped. We loaded up our stuff, and headed back to Kakamega.
The trip was pretty quiet; we were all tired. It felt like we were home from a long vacation when the gray walls of MTTF came into sight. We unloaded and greeted the children, and learned that there was no water, except what we could carry in buckets from one tank on the grounds. We do need rain. Supper was a time to chat about our visit to Uganda with the director Charles. Sarah and Lisa spent time helping the children with homework. This is a good thing, as there is very little help from the teachers. To succeed, you either need to be a self-learner, very bright, or have independent tutoring (which is expensive). Now it feels like it is time for bed. I think we will skip tea tonight.
ACTS for
Messiah has their Shabbat service at 10 AM each Saturday. It is open to the public, but only a few extra people usually attend. Their service consists of some traditional prayers with a Messianic flavor, the Torah procession, the reading of the Torah portion for the week, with teaching interspersed between each section. Russel prepares comments for the teachings. After that, they asked for me to do some songs. We ended with Hava Nagila to which everyone danced. The dirt floor gave way to quite a bit of dust before we ended. Following this, Russel preached for a little while.Lunch was in the pavilion, and offered an opportunity to get to know more about some of the boys. WEe also had a prayer time, and then it was time to leave. Emily and Russel drove us back to the border where we met Peter, our matatu driver. He had brought Charles' wife, Monica, and their two children along. It took forever to fill in the forms, get our exit visa stamp, walk across to Kenya, fill in more forms, and get our entry visa stamped. We loaded up our stuff, and headed back to Kakamega.
The trip was pretty quiet; we were all tired. It felt like we were home from a long vacation when the gray walls of MTTF came into sight. We unloaded and greeted the children, and learned that there was no water, except what we could carry in buckets from one tank on the grounds. We do need rain. Supper was a time to chat about our visit to Uganda with the director Charles. Sarah and Lisa spent time helping the children with homework. This is a good thing, as there is very little help from the teachers. To succeed, you either need to be a self-learner, very bright, or have independent tutoring (which is expensive). Now it feels like it is time for bed. I think we will skip tea tonight.
Friday, June 5: Erev Shabbat
Our day started at 7 AM (w
ell, 7:30 by the time we got in the van). Kayla, David, David, Evey, and I were going to climb Tororo Rock. Tororo rock is a 1000 ft high (top is at an elevation of 4,835 ft) rocky outgrowth that is right behind Emily's home. We had to drive around to the side to begin our walk, as it is only accessible from a few directions. We started up the slope, and were met by a "guide." Tororo Rock has communications equipment on the top, and is guarded by security people. There is an official guard at the top, and unofficial ones near the bottom. You have to bri..., I mean pay them to gain access. The guide showed us to the path and led they way up the ascent. It was quite steep, and the views were amazing. There are four steel ladders to help get past some of the most treacherous parts. It was scary enough in between them. Evey lost her water, but we all made it safely to the top in about an hour's time.
There we met the real security person, who lives on top for a week a
t a time. He had a guest book for us to sign. Guest books are really big in Kenya and Uganda. He showed us all around the top. There is a cable car that could hold two people max, but it was broken. The generators for the communications equipment run on deisel. This is brought to the top in 20L plastic cans. One person carries two of them at a time.
We spent about thirty minutes on the top, looking around and talking and resting, and then began the descent. Immediately we were met by several men lugging two 20L plastic cans full of fuel. We allowed them to pass. I noticed there were no lids. One was stuffed with leafy branches to
keep the fuel from sloshing out. Another had some plastic wrap loosly covering the opening. On the way down, we could smell the fuel at various locations and could not help getting some on our hands when we climbed down the ladders. The men overtook us on the way down. They were wearing flip flops, but pretty much ran down the slopes as if they were out for a morning jog, whereas we sat and slid carefully, holding onto whatever rocks we could find, and trying not to look below us.
When we returned to the hotel, we had breakfast and then showers (I did not use the flip flops). Emily picked us up for our day's programme. Evey and Lisa were dropped at the Tororo clinic where they planned to spend the day observing. The rest of us, along with Ru
ssel and his wife, Christine, and two of the boys, Robert N. and Alex, headed to Robert's village for tea. It was quite a ride. When we turned off the main road, we followed a footpath (in the van) for a couple of miles, taking several turns that I would never be able to remember, before we arrived at a small grouping of huts where Robert's mother and siblings live.
Robert's father died in 2003 (I think). He and his brother were living with him in Tororo. His father's wives lived many miles out in the bush (where we were now visiting). The boys stayed in their town home until their money ran out, and this is how Emily found them. There were no resources in the bush, as the uncles, who should help provide for the widows, were extorting money from them, threatening to kick them off the land. Over time, Emily was able to help Robert purchase the land to stop the extortion. As the oldest male, he has the responsibility to care for this group of people.
After tea, we headed back toward the main road, but made two stops. At the first stop we bought some pineapple and were given three jack fruits. Then we went on a little farther and stopped at another cluster of homes. This is where we say Johnson's new hut (every male mu
st build a hut on their land when they reach a certain age or they cannot stay in their village anymore). We sat inside Johnson's new hut enjoying the smell of the fresh grass roof.
As we were leaving the village area, we passed a two story grass hut. It even had a small balconey over the front door. It looked like something tourists would visit, but there were no tourists in this area.
Next we headed for Robert A's village. We arrived, and were greeted by many children and a few adults. We went into the hut that had been prepared for us to have lunch. We sat for quite a long time. Emily fully expected this, even though we were the traditional two hours late when we arrived, lunch is often delayed even more. We passed the time listening to many of Emily's funny stories of her experiences in Uganda. As time passed, she recalled previous visits to the bush where dinner had been delayed. The host would mask the delay by bringing in dishes and saying it would not be long. Some time later they would bring the pitcher to wash hands, but just set it down. A little later another vague progress report would arrive. Finally, Emily heard the chicken squawk. Now she could judge for herself how much longer until dinner would be ready.
Lunch, which arrived after many funny stories, was good. As honored guests, we of course were served chicken (which we did not hear squawk). In addition there was rice, cabbage, broth, and a from of Ugali made from millet. Everything was good. When we finished, we returned to the Crystal Hotel to clean up for Erev Shabbat at Emily's house.
The men said prayers while the women lit candles. Then we joined together for the traditional blessings and a meal. Afterwards we played music and sang together until it was time for bed.
ell, 7:30 by the time we got in the van). Kayla, David, David, Evey, and I were going to climb Tororo Rock. Tororo rock is a 1000 ft high (top is at an elevation of 4,835 ft) rocky outgrowth that is right behind Emily's home. We had to drive around to the side to begin our walk, as it is only accessible from a few directions. We started up the slope, and were met by a "guide." Tororo Rock has communications equipment on the top, and is guarded by security people. There is an official guard at the top, and unofficial ones near the bottom. You have to bri..., I mean pay them to gain access. The guide showed us to the path and led they way up the ascent. It was quite steep, and the views were amazing. There are four steel ladders to help get past some of the most treacherous parts. It was scary enough in between them. Evey lost her water, but we all made it safely to the top in about an hour's time.There we met the real security person, who lives on top for a week a
t a time. He had a guest book for us to sign. Guest books are really big in Kenya and Uganda. He showed us all around the top. There is a cable car that could hold two people max, but it was broken. The generators for the communications equipment run on deisel. This is brought to the top in 20L plastic cans. One person carries two of them at a time.We spent about thirty minutes on the top, looking around and talking and resting, and then began the descent. Immediately we were met by several men lugging two 20L plastic cans full of fuel. We allowed them to pass. I noticed there were no lids. One was stuffed with leafy branches to
keep the fuel from sloshing out. Another had some plastic wrap loosly covering the opening. On the way down, we could smell the fuel at various locations and could not help getting some on our hands when we climbed down the ladders. The men overtook us on the way down. They were wearing flip flops, but pretty much ran down the slopes as if they were out for a morning jog, whereas we sat and slid carefully, holding onto whatever rocks we could find, and trying not to look below us.When we returned to the hotel, we had breakfast and then showers (I did not use the flip flops). Emily picked us up for our day's programme. Evey and Lisa were dropped at the Tororo clinic where they planned to spend the day observing. The rest of us, along with Ru
ssel and his wife, Christine, and two of the boys, Robert N. and Alex, headed to Robert's village for tea. It was quite a ride. When we turned off the main road, we followed a footpath (in the van) for a couple of miles, taking several turns that I would never be able to remember, before we arrived at a small grouping of huts where Robert's mother and siblings live.Robert's father died in 2003 (I think). He and his brother were living with him in Tororo. His father's wives lived many miles out in the bush (where we were now visiting). The boys stayed in their town home until their money ran out, and this is how Emily found them. There were no resources in the bush, as the uncles, who should help provide for the widows, were extorting money from them, threatening to kick them off the land. Over time, Emily was able to help Robert purchase the land to stop the extortion. As the oldest male, he has the responsibility to care for this group of people.
After tea, we headed back toward the main road, but made two stops. At the first stop we bought some pineapple and were given three jack fruits. Then we went on a little farther and stopped at another cluster of homes. This is where we say Johnson's new hut (every male mu
st build a hut on their land when they reach a certain age or they cannot stay in their village anymore). We sat inside Johnson's new hut enjoying the smell of the fresh grass roof.As we were leaving the village area, we passed a two story grass hut. It even had a small balconey over the front door. It looked like something tourists would visit, but there were no tourists in this area.
Next we headed for Robert A's village. We arrived, and were greeted by many children and a few adults. We went into the hut that had been prepared for us to have lunch. We sat for quite a long time. Emily fully expected this, even though we were the traditional two hours late when we arrived, lunch is often delayed even more. We passed the time listening to many of Emily's funny stories of her experiences in Uganda. As time passed, she recalled previous visits to the bush where dinner had been delayed. The host would mask the delay by bringing in dishes and saying it would not be long. Some time later they would bring the pitcher to wash hands, but just set it down. A little later another vague progress report would arrive. Finally, Emily heard the chicken squawk. Now she could judge for herself how much longer until dinner would be ready.
Lunch, which arrived after many funny stories, was good. As honored guests, we of course were served chicken (which we did not hear squawk). In addition there was rice, cabbage, broth, and a from of Ugali made from millet. Everything was good. When we finished, we returned to the Crystal Hotel to clean up for Erev Shabbat at Emily's house.
The men said prayers while the women lit candles. Then we joined together for the traditional blessings and a meal. Afterwards we played music and sang together until it was time for bed.
Thursday, June 4: David's Birthday and Uganda
We (Tim, Gail, Sarah, David, Kayla, Lisa, Evey, and David from MTTF) had breakfast early so we could get on the road to Uganda. Herb and John planned to leave for the United States a little later in the day. The matatu driver arrived a little before 8, and we loaded up and headed out, stopping for some cell phone minutes.
The road to the border was very good. I learned that matatu drivers are regularly stopped at police checkpoints and have to give 100 shillings to the police to proceed. If they are carrying too many passengers, or have some other problem, it will cost more. The price seems reasonable if you consider it a toll road, but it is bribery, plain and simple.
We arrived at the border town, Busia, at about 10:30. Our driver, Peter, helped us avoid the brokers (people that offer to help you cross the border for a fee) and directed us to the Kenya Immigration office to get our passports stamped for the return. David, a 17 year old from MTTF, had permission to travel with us to Uganda, but
he had no ID or passport. It took only ten minutes to fill in the information forms and get our passports stamped. We had to wait for permission for David.
About an hour later, Emily Dwyer, ACTS for Messiah, arrived on the Uganda side and she and Russel (one of her boys who is now married) walked over to meet us. We waited a while longer until finally the immigration officer asked to speak with David. I went along. He asked how we expected to take a boy across the border with no identification. He asked David which tribe he was from. David was a bit intimidated and did not respond very confidently. The officer asked if he was Luo, and if he understod Luo. More mumbling. The officer said he could not be sure David was even Kenyan.
Gail got out the letter from Charles, director of MTTF, that explained David had permission, that he was Kenyan, and had no ID as he was under 18. The officer called to verify, but there was no answer. He called another number, and verified that David di live at MTTF. He told us we needed pictures so he could issue a temporary passport.
We went outside and found a man that could do it in five minutes :) He led us away from the border, off to the side of the road, under a fence (through a hole in the fence) and into a little stand. He took David's picture and 500 shillings and gave us the pictures. We filled out the paperwork while the Polaroid was drying. Back under the fence we went. We returned to the immigration window, slipped the paperwork in with 300 more shillings, and a few minutes later had the required papers.
We thanked our matatu driver (we hired him specially for the trip), collected our luggage, and then crossed to the Uganda side where we again had to fill in a form to obtain visas. Three hundred and fifty dollars later, our group of eight, plus Emily and Russel, loaded everything in the ACTS For Messiah van and headed for Tororo.
The roads were again great, and the forty minute trip went quickly. Once in Tororo, we stopped at Emily's home. We met some of the children and had tea. Then we went to the Crystal Hotel to settle in and wash up. The Crystal is an old hotel, but our rooms were neewly remodeled. Some of the light switches worked, others did not do anything. The shower had an electric shower head. A switch on the wall just outside the shower turned it on. It heats the water as it flows through the shower head.
We were picked up and returned to Emily's for supper. Everything took place in a large pavilion that she had built to look like a hut. It accomodates a large group of people. We played some music while supper was being prepared, then had a nice meal together. Afterwards we told stories and got to know each other.
Back at the hotel, I took my first hot shower since leaving the United States. Actually, it was the first real shower, hot or cold. I switched the heater on, turned on the tap, diverted it to the shower, and wow... hot water. Oops... low pressure, not enough volume, too HOT! Ouch. So, to get a comfortably hot shower, you have to switch the unit off and on while showering. Something about standing under running water, in a puddle of water, and reaching around the corner to operate a switch that is carrying 240 volts made me a little nervous, but I managed to do it. The shower was great.
After taking the shower, I think I solved the mystery of the pair of red flip flops that were next to the closet in the room when we first checked in. At first I had thought they were left from a previous guest. They had initials written on the tops; it looked like OH, but it was somewhat worn. When I came out from the shower, Gail said the flip flops belonged to the hotel; the CH is for Crystal Hotel. Of course. These were provided for guests to wear in the shower. The rubber would provide the needed insulation to prevent any shocks that might occur when switching the heater on and off while in the shower. Maybe I will try them tomorrow?
Kayla was not so fortunate with her shower. The circuit blew before she could get any hot water. The circuit breakers were located in David's room, two doors down (we had four rooms next to each other). We were able to restore power by flipping the breaker back on, but then the electricity went out. Eventually we all got to bed, more or less satisfied with our sleeping facility.
The road to the border was very good. I learned that matatu drivers are regularly stopped at police checkpoints and have to give 100 shillings to the police to proceed. If they are carrying too many passengers, or have some other problem, it will cost more. The price seems reasonable if you consider it a toll road, but it is bribery, plain and simple.
We arrived at the border town, Busia, at about 10:30. Our driver, Peter, helped us avoid the brokers (people that offer to help you cross the border for a fee) and directed us to the Kenya Immigration office to get our passports stamped for the return. David, a 17 year old from MTTF, had permission to travel with us to Uganda, but
he had no ID or passport. It took only ten minutes to fill in the information forms and get our passports stamped. We had to wait for permission for David.About an hour later, Emily Dwyer, ACTS for Messiah, arrived on the Uganda side and she and Russel (one of her boys who is now married) walked over to meet us. We waited a while longer until finally the immigration officer asked to speak with David. I went along. He asked how we expected to take a boy across the border with no identification. He asked David which tribe he was from. David was a bit intimidated and did not respond very confidently. The officer asked if he was Luo, and if he understod Luo. More mumbling. The officer said he could not be sure David was even Kenyan.
Gail got out the letter from Charles, director of MTTF, that explained David had permission, that he was Kenyan, and had no ID as he was under 18. The officer called to verify, but there was no answer. He called another number, and verified that David di live at MTTF. He told us we needed pictures so he could issue a temporary passport.
We went outside and found a man that could do it in five minutes :) He led us away from the border, off to the side of the road, under a fence (through a hole in the fence) and into a little stand. He took David's picture and 500 shillings and gave us the pictures. We filled out the paperwork while the Polaroid was drying. Back under the fence we went. We returned to the immigration window, slipped the paperwork in with 300 more shillings, and a few minutes later had the required papers.
We thanked our matatu driver (we hired him specially for the trip), collected our luggage, and then crossed to the Uganda side where we again had to fill in a form to obtain visas. Three hundred and fifty dollars later, our group of eight, plus Emily and Russel, loaded everything in the ACTS For Messiah van and headed for Tororo.
The roads were again great, and the forty minute trip went quickly. Once in Tororo, we stopped at Emily's home. We met some of the children and had tea. Then we went to the Crystal Hotel to settle in and wash up. The Crystal is an old hotel, but our rooms were neewly remodeled. Some of the light switches worked, others did not do anything. The shower had an electric shower head. A switch on the wall just outside the shower turned it on. It heats the water as it flows through the shower head.
We were picked up and returned to Emily's for supper. Everything took place in a large pavilion that she had built to look like a hut. It accomodates a large group of people. We played some music while supper was being prepared, then had a nice meal together. Afterwards we told stories and got to know each other.
Back at the hotel, I took my first hot shower since leaving the United States. Actually, it was the first real shower, hot or cold. I switched the heater on, turned on the tap, diverted it to the shower, and wow... hot water. Oops... low pressure, not enough volume, too HOT! Ouch. So, to get a comfortably hot shower, you have to switch the unit off and on while showering. Something about standing under running water, in a puddle of water, and reaching around the corner to operate a switch that is carrying 240 volts made me a little nervous, but I managed to do it. The shower was great.
After taking the shower, I think I solved the mystery of the pair of red flip flops that were next to the closet in the room when we first checked in. At first I had thought they were left from a previous guest. They had initials written on the tops; it looked like OH, but it was somewhat worn. When I came out from the shower, Gail said the flip flops belonged to the hotel; the CH is for Crystal Hotel. Of course. These were provided for guests to wear in the shower. The rubber would provide the needed insulation to prevent any shocks that might occur when switching the heater on and off while in the shower. Maybe I will try them tomorrow?
Kayla was not so fortunate with her shower. The circuit blew before she could get any hot water. The circuit breakers were located in David's room, two doors down (we had four rooms next to each other). We were able to restore power by flipping the breaker back on, but then the electricity went out. Eventually we all got to bed, more or less satisfied with our sleeping facility.
Wednesday, June 3: Golf Hotel
Today we just took it easy. A walk up town to the Internet, then on to the Golf Hotel for a noontime snack. I also had business at the bank. This time it was Kayla, David, Sarah, Gail and I, and Evey and Lisa.
The hotel restaurant was fairly busy, but we got to sit outside on the shaded patio. It was very pleasant. We ordered drinks, 4 Stoneys and 3 Alvaraos. Ten minutes later the waitress came back with one Stoney - the last one. We reordered (b
ut no one asked for coffee). Evey remarked that they had a lot of soups on the menu, so I asked the waitress what flavors they had today (to save some time). She said, cream of tomato, and then she stopped talking. Evey asked me, after the waitress left, how I knew to ask. I replied, experience (see Monday's post for explanation).
David and Gail visited the gift shop, and David got a shirt for his birthday (tomorrow). The shop owner knows Herb and Virginia, and Gail mentioned them, so she gave them a good deal on the shirt, reducing the price without Gail asking.
Gail, Evey, David, Kayla, Lisa, and Sarah headed off to a store called Fomat to buy some tea for Herb (who is recovering nicely). I went to the bank. The store Herb had recommended did not have the right tea, so Kayla, Lisa, and Sarah headed to Mama Watosos to look there, while the others headed home.
Kayla is the hero for finding the right tea. Lisa and Sarah bought ingredients for bakeless cookies for all the kids. That was their activity when they returned to MTTF. The kids enjoyed them very much after dinner.
One of the board memebers, Zebedee, showed up for dinner. He asked me how the seminar at MMUST went. He is interested in learning more about computers, so we set up a lesson for Monday with Charles, my other student. I helped a few children with their Math homework, then we prepared for our trip to Uganda. We are going to take one of the boys from the home with us so he can see how another orphanage operates. His name is David. He is 16 years old. Hopefully the letter Charles wrote will be sufficient identification to get him across the border.
The hotel restaurant was fairly busy, but we got to sit outside on the shaded patio. It was very pleasant. We ordered drinks, 4 Stoneys and 3 Alvaraos. Ten minutes later the waitress came back with one Stoney - the last one. We reordered (b
ut no one asked for coffee). Evey remarked that they had a lot of soups on the menu, so I asked the waitress what flavors they had today (to save some time). She said, cream of tomato, and then she stopped talking. Evey asked me, after the waitress left, how I knew to ask. I replied, experience (see Monday's post for explanation).David and Gail visited the gift shop, and David got a shirt for his birthday (tomorrow). The shop owner knows Herb and Virginia, and Gail mentioned them, so she gave them a good deal on the shirt, reducing the price without Gail asking.
Gail, Evey, David, Kayla, Lisa, and Sarah headed off to a store called Fomat to buy some tea for Herb (who is recovering nicely). I went to the bank. The store Herb had recommended did not have the right tea, so Kayla, Lisa, and Sarah headed to Mama Watosos to look there, while the others headed home.
Kayla is the hero for finding the right tea. Lisa and Sarah bought ingredients for bakeless cookies for all the kids. That was their activity when they returned to MTTF. The kids enjoyed them very much after dinner.
One of the board memebers, Zebedee, showed up for dinner. He asked me how the seminar at MMUST went. He is interested in learning more about computers, so we set up a lesson for Monday with Charles, my other student. I helped a few children with their Math homework, then we prepared for our trip to Uganda. We are going to take one of the boys from the home with us so he can see how another orphanage operates. His name is David. He is 16 years old. Hopefully the letter Charles wrote will be sufficient identification to get him across the border.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Tuesday, June 2: Masinde Muliro
Tuesday morning grew hot early on. Pastor Timothy arrived and had breakfast with us. Today I had promised to take him to town to get a new pair of shoes. We walked to Batas and he found just what he wanted. There was a sign in the window: 50% off selected shoes. When he inquired, he was told the sale had ended yesterday, He suggested they take down the signs. We paid full price for the shoes (still a good deal).
I said goodbye to Timothy, and stopped by the Internet cafe on the way home. The owner welcomed me. I asked if they were open on Sunday, and he said no, but if any of us wanted to use the computers anytime of the day or night, he would open specifically for us.
After returning and taking a mini shower (MTTF still has no hot water) I got a call from Geofrey, the artist. He and his wife were in town and wanted to see what I had done on the MTTF website. So, I walked back in town to the Internet and showed him the site, which includes a page about his art (as he is donating some of the profit to MTTF). As we parted, he invited us to his home, so we will try to do that next week. He lives about 6 km away. They usually walk that distance to go back and forth to town.
I needed another mini shower when I got back. Lunch, and then Charles drove me to Masinde Muliro where I was scheduled to give a seminar. I met Juma Kilwake in his office, and he took me to meet the Deputy Vice Chancellor and Vice Chancellor of the university. Then we walked to the seminar room, about 45 minutes late.
I was surprised to see about 100 people there! I had expected 5-6 faculty only, as there are no classes in session at this time. I talked about how we teach Assembly Language at the University of Akron, and why I think it is an important subject to study. The whole session lasted about 2 hours with questions and demonstrations of the AT90USBKEY demonstration board that I had brought with me.
Afterwards the faculty went with me back to the computer science office for tea, mendazi, and ground nuts. They were very enthusiastic about my talk, and said it came at a good time for their students as they would be taking assembly language programming soon. They hoped there would be opportunities for collaboration in the future.
There is a lot of construction going on at MMUST.
The library is the most impressive. The university choose to have a ramp built to bring concrete to the structure by wheelbarrow, rather than hire a large crane. This would provide more jobs for local workers. The structure reminded me of one of those old Egyptian movies with the pyramids under construction.
Juma dropped me back at MTTF where we had supper. David and I, with the help of one of the boys here, Abendego, installed a water level indicator in the water tower tank, so we can see how much water is left. We learned the tank is half empty (or half full, depending on your view of the world). The indicator is a water bottle with some stones for weight, a string passing through an overflow hole at the top of the tank, and a weight that hangs down the outside of the tank. And now the kids call me an engineer.
I learned that Herb has malaria, but was treated today so he should recover quickly. A few of the children have it too.
The evening ended with a brief worship service in the dining room, and casual conversation over tea. Night, night.
I said goodbye to Timothy, and stopped by the Internet cafe on the way home. The owner welcomed me. I asked if they were open on Sunday, and he said no, but if any of us wanted to use the computers anytime of the day or night, he would open specifically for us.
After returning and taking a mini shower (MTTF still has no hot water) I got a call from Geofrey, the artist. He and his wife were in town and wanted to see what I had done on the MTTF website. So, I walked back in town to the Internet and showed him the site, which includes a page about his art (as he is donating some of the profit to MTTF). As we parted, he invited us to his home, so we will try to do that next week. He lives about 6 km away. They usually walk that distance to go back and forth to town.
I needed another mini shower when I got back. Lunch, and then Charles drove me to Masinde Muliro where I was scheduled to give a seminar. I met Juma Kilwake in his office, and he took me to meet the Deputy Vice Chancellor and Vice Chancellor of the university. Then we walked to the seminar room, about 45 minutes late.
I was surprised to see about 100 people there! I had expected 5-6 faculty only, as there are no classes in session at this time. I talked about how we teach Assembly Language at the University of Akron, and why I think it is an important subject to study. The whole session lasted about 2 hours with questions and demonstrations of the AT90USBKEY demonstration board that I had brought with me.
Afterwards the faculty went with me back to the computer science office for tea, mendazi, and ground nuts. They were very enthusiastic about my talk, and said it came at a good time for their students as they would be taking assembly language programming soon. They hoped there would be opportunities for collaboration in the future.
There is a lot of construction going on at MMUST.
The library is the most impressive. The university choose to have a ramp built to bring concrete to the structure by wheelbarrow, rather than hire a large crane. This would provide more jobs for local workers. The structure reminded me of one of those old Egyptian movies with the pyramids under construction.Juma dropped me back at MTTF where we had supper. David and I, with the help of one of the boys here, Abendego, installed a water level indicator in the water tower tank, so we can see how much water is left. We learned the tank is half empty (or half full, depending on your view of the world). The indicator is a water bottle with some stones for weight, a string passing through an overflow hole at the top of the tank, and a weight that hangs down the outside of the tank. And now the kids call me an engineer.
I learned that Herb has malaria, but was treated today so he should recover quickly. A few of the children have it too.
The evening ended with a brief worship service in the dining room, and casual conversation over tea. Night, night.
Monday, June 1: Independence Day
Kenya declared independence on June 1, 1963 when they installed their first Prime Minister. In the morning, we went up the street to see the parade. We got there just in time. A band was at the front, led by the fancy drum major. This was followed by groups of police and soldiers and then kids. Crowds of people marched alongside. The end of the parade consisted of a two fire trucks and another truck that may or may not have actually been in the parade. The whole think took about 5 minutes.
The parade was from town to the stadium where there would be speeches and so on. We went the opposite direction and dropped Evey off at Dr Kennedy's clinic. Dr Kennedy is one of the MTTF Board Members in Kenya. Evey visited at the clinic for the day to observe and ask questions.
The rest of us headed back to town, and stopped at the Golf Hotel for coffee. The Golf Hotel is probably the nicest hotel in Kakamega and has a very nice restaurant and outdoor dining. We ordered coffee and sodas, and waited about 15 minutes.
The waiter brought a large thermos and can of Nescafe instant to the table. Herb said they used to have brewed coffee, but things change for no particular reason.
Wendy an David ordered Stoney Tangawizi which is a brand of ginger ale. David got his, but it was the last bottle, so Wendy ordered coffee (which had not yet come). She also ordered a cucumber and something dish, but after 5 or 10 minutes, she was told they were out of cucumbers. A little later we saw why - they were preparing a buffet for guests, an one of the dishes was a huge plate of cucumber wedges.
After the delightful coffee we returned to MTTF where Gail and Kayla had stayed (they rested and did some quiet activities). Gail and Kayla went to town to a cafe for a Stoney and time together. We also met some of the other Kakamega board members and had tea together. A little later, Isaac and I went to the Internet to get him an email address and give him an email lesson.
After dinner, Sarah, Lisa, and I tutored some children in Math and other subjects. It threatened to rain all evening, but it never did. Tomorrow I have to give a seminar at MMUST on Assembly Language Programming.
The parade was from town to the stadium where there would be speeches and so on. We went the opposite direction and dropped Evey off at Dr Kennedy's clinic. Dr Kennedy is one of the MTTF Board Members in Kenya. Evey visited at the clinic for the day to observe and ask questions.
The rest of us headed back to town, and stopped at the Golf Hotel for coffee. The Golf Hotel is probably the nicest hotel in Kakamega and has a very nice restaurant and outdoor dining. We ordered coffee and sodas, and waited about 15 minutes.
The waiter brought a large thermos and can of Nescafe instant to the table. Herb said they used to have brewed coffee, but things change for no particular reason.Wendy an David ordered Stoney Tangawizi which is a brand of ginger ale. David got his, but it was the last bottle, so Wendy ordered coffee (which had not yet come). She also ordered a cucumber and something dish, but after 5 or 10 minutes, she was told they were out of cucumbers. A little later we saw why - they were preparing a buffet for guests, an one of the dishes was a huge plate of cucumber wedges.
After the delightful coffee we returned to MTTF where Gail and Kayla had stayed (they rested and did some quiet activities). Gail and Kayla went to town to a cafe for a Stoney and time together. We also met some of the other Kakamega board members and had tea together. A little later, Isaac and I went to the Internet to get him an email address and give him an email lesson.
After dinner, Sarah, Lisa, and I tutored some children in Math and other subjects. It threatened to rain all evening, but it never did. Tomorrow I have to give a seminar at MMUST on Assembly Language Programming.
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