Our day began with breakfast and another dose of flagyl. I am hoping this will solve the issue…. This home has piped water from the river that goes through a filtration plant. They tell me it is functioning most of the time but they also have a borehole (well) for backup.
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| Doreen Ayuda |
The driver/Friend arrived. It was Doreen Ayuda. She was the Bible study leader at the Triennial in 2010 at Mombasa. I was happy to see her!
We left at 9:30 for the meeting in Milimani, an area in Lugari. It is only 38 kilometres(about 23 miles) but it took over an hour. The roads are terrible! We were only on the tarmac for a few hundred yards, the remaining drive was on red soil, either potholed (deep and wide!) and rocky or soft soil as fine as sand and several inches deep. We were either dodging potholes or sinking in the soil.
Several women were awaiting us. The meeting began with devotions from I John 4:4-6. She said we should share what Christ has put in us.
Everyone at the meeting introduced themselves. Then the Project Committee gave introductions and a brief overview of the project. Then the men who had come in introduced themselves. Doreen introduced Lydia and Lydia introduced me. I gave greetings and told a bit about myself. Then we had singing. Sodas were served as we were going out into the hot sun for a walk down to the river. They asked if I could climb over stones and jump across the stream. I said I could climb but not jump!
We set off and it was quite a rugged rocky climb down to the river. Two of the women gave me a hand for balance and I made it with no slips or slides. They showed us a water project which is bringing water from the stream up through a hydraulic pump and piped up to the storage tank at the church. The women have raised funds for this project in order to have water for the livestock and hopefully to water the vegetables. The pipes are old, probably lead, and deteriorating. This farm was owned by a colonialist and taken back after Independence. All the buildings fell into disrepair and recently the church has taken them on. Everything needs renovation so the women are starting with water. We climbed back up the hill and back to the church. They had hoped I would walk around the 300 acre farm to inspect the cattle and the forest and the fields. I declined. It is still very hot
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Back inside we were given bottled water and the project committee gave a lengthy report. Then the pastor for USFW Lugari shared, and then the Presiding Clerk of Lugari shared. Then I was asked to tell them how to better earn money for the church. I explained that our cultures are very different and they are better at that than I am. I then shared from Ephesians 1 and went on to explain about USFW-I. They were encouraged to learn about the John Sarrin Scholarship. I did give them some information about Right Sharing of World Resources and the loans that are available from them. I gave them contact information. There was a short question/answer period. Then there was more singing and presentation of gifts. I received two lesos and Mary, the song leader, danced to me and wrapped one around my waist and the other around my head singing, “we love Patricia, our mother, our teacher”. I danced as well and many photos were snapped.
The vote of thanks, a few more comments and lunch arrived at nearly 3 pm. It was rice, ugali, beef, chicken, cassava (a starchy root food and the source for tapioca) and fruit. It is so dry here that no vegetables are available. After some more visiting, we made our way to the vehicle. Joyce Wambia, the presiding clerk, told me her daughter is Grace Wambia who was the librarian at FTC when I was there. She called Grace and I was able to visit with her a bit.
The road home was just as rough and dusty and hot. We were ready for showers when we returned! After a rest, Lydia and I ate supper—fish, carrots, green grams, and chapatti. The men ate after we did and the other women ate in the kitchen. This is not an unusual arrangement.
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Breakfast, The Daily Nation (newspaper), a walk to a kiosk down the lane and across the tarmac to register my SIM card on the phone, and then picked up by Gladys Kang’ahi for the next leg of the journey! We drove from Soy to Kitale. Along the way I was rather weepy. Today has been eight weeks and every lorry (large truck), I saw reminded me of that awful day….and I saw many. When we arrived in Kitale, we met Magie Makokha who directed us to her apt. I was so happy to see Magie!! I left my bags at her home and went with Gladys and a Friend to a local conservation park. It was unusual in that the man is ‘collecting’ deformed animals. He then opens the park to school groups and talks about genetics. He has plans for a hostel and a future conference center.
We were back to Magie’s for lunch but Gladys and the driver did not stay. Magie and I had a lovely time together. She even fixed green beans with the rice and beef and cabbage! We chatted, looked at pictures of her wedding, of Darian, of Berkeley, recounted lots of good times and shared sorrowful times and then repacked my bags. I sorted things for her, for Dorothy Shiverenje, for USFW-K and things I won’t need for the duration of the trip. At this point all the gifts are packed and I am happy to not have to check an extra bag….but I have 9 days until I travel.
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| Margaret Makokha, Me and Gladys Kang'ahi |
We continued to visit with the electricity coming and going at least four times. It is hot outside but her apt is almost chilly. It’s a new concrete building and few windows. We snacked all evening on popcorn, mangoes and biscuits so no supper!
Friday
Magie and I were up by 7, showered (nice hot shower from the tap, not a basin bath!), ate a small breakfast and called a taxi to take us to ICM (International Christian Ministries) where she is the Dean of Students and a Lecturer. On the phone the taxi had said 150/- (Kenya shillings) but when he arrived, he said 250/-….because I am a msungu (white). That was annoying but I didn’t want to walk so I paid the price of privilege. We were at the college for about 90 minutes. It took some time to get connected and I was only able to read a bit of Facebook and post 3 of my blog entries. I forgot to look at email. The blogs took a lot of time to upload pictures. But I was happy to have that much done. There are still some to post but that will come as internet is available.
We went back to the apartment…same driver…same charge and waited for Gladys. She collected me and took me to lunch at a restaurant on the fourth floor…and we walked up the four flights of stairs---no elevators here! I had fish fillet, roasted potatoes, spinach and kuchambari! That is a salad/side dish made of tomatoes, onions, cilantro and a bit of hot sauce! I do enjoy kuchambari!
We drove to Mabanga where the FUM General Board meetings will be held. I was greeted by Colin Saxton, Cliff Loesch, John Muhanji, Eden Grace, Samson Ababu, Judith Ngoya and many more! As the meetings went on, I saw Wesley Sasita, David Zerembka, Jane Muturo (former student of mine!), John Moru (Turkana), Isaiah Bikokwa (Samburu) and lots more. Consulo from EAYM was there. Ann Riggs and Moses M ? and Daniel Esevwe came later. (I know these names may not mean much to you, my readers, but I also use this blog as a Journal of record so that info is for me!) We were directed to the dining hall for tea at about 4 pm. Because I have had more stomach issues, I thought I would just have black tea instead of milk tea. I asked for hot water and my, what a complicated thing that turned out to be. It took them 20 minutes to get hot water. There were 3 large pots of hot milk so you could add tea or chocolate or even soy but no hot water. There I found Judy Lumb….who I met in Belize. She authored the book about Sadie Vernon and is in Kenya writing a book about the Friends Peace Team. It was good to see her on this side of the world!
The meeting began with roll call; there were about 50 present. By 6:30 there were 65 and more came on Saturday. There were less than a dozen women.
After Colin’s report, there was a clap of thunder and a short rain came. That was a sign of “approval” and “blessing”.
Supper was rice, ugali, beef, pineapple. I remembered this place from 2010 and only took beef and fruit…and the beef was not good. We continued the meeting until after 9:30, then picked roommates, signed the register, were given room keys, a bar of soap and a roll of toilet paper. Judy asked if we could share so we did. When we arrived at the room, there was no pillow on my bed. I used our towels…
Judy and I had a nice visit. I shared about Darian and Judy was very kind. We turned out the lights and were asleep by 11…it had been a long hot day.
Saturday
When we got up, we found that there was NO water in this room. The toilet had flushed last night but today, nothing. I had a bottle of water so I could brush my teeth and I had some baby wipes so I had a ‘sort of’ bath. At breakfast, they only had Weetabix and milk tea so I passed on both. I wasn’t even going to ask for hot water.
Our meeting began at 8 with Jane Muturo leading devotions. She had been a student of mine in 2002 and is now the FUM representative to the World Council of Churches. She pastors near Lugulu. She told me that it has been arranged that I visit her meeting on Sunday. She hasn’t told the women that we know one another.
The morning passed slowly with many reports. After a time, we divided into small groups to discuss how to better fund the African ministries, FTC and churches and also how to encourage the youth to become active in the church. We broke for tea…where they also served samosas! I was ready for those after the meager supper and no breakfast.
Back to the meeting room for more reports. Many people who were slotted for 5 minutes took 15-20. By the time it was my turn, they had asked if we could cut it to 1 minute. I think I am the only one who complied. We finished up the business and had lunch of ugali, chapati, beef, bananas and oranges with sodas. I took a chapatti and a banana. (Here the word chapati is spelled with one t but the autospeller always changes it to 2….I have given up on correcting the correction.)
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| Actually, I think it's a different falls from Webuye but I am not sure which one..... |
I was handed over to Beatrice whose daughter collected us and we drove to Webuye Falls. It was on a very poor interior road. At one point I didn’t think Rebekah could get the car over the railroad tracks. Then she drove into a market area. I asked for water so they stopped to get it and then just minutes later, we were at a home for a meeting of women from 5 monthly meetings. These 13 women were standing outside singing a welcome. We went inside for prayers, devotions, encouragement, sodas and mandazi and ground nuts, gifts, more prayers, lots of photos, lots of shaking hands. The woman of the house said it is a Quaker house and we are all welcome to QUAKE! It was a humble home and the gift and the food were very much appreciated.
Rebekah began the drive to Bungoma where I will be staying. There was quite a rain shower; the defroster did not work on the car. It was nearly impossible to see, there were dozens of lorries, the edge of the road is sometimes a 12-18 inch dropoff….but she persevered and we drove out of the rain.
We were soon at Beatrice’s home. It began to rain here. William, Beatrice’s husband, said I had brought the blessing (rain). I took a shower and washed my hair and rested a bit. We ate supper at 7 pm. Again, ugali, rice, beef, chicken, cabbage with bananas for dessert. If you have read most of my posts, you are seeing that the menu varies very little. When I return to the US, people often ask what I have missed in food. Frankly, I think you get used to the sameness and really don’t have many desires. And after weeks of the same, it is overwhelming to be confronted with so many choices in the US.
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