April
16, 2014 (Wednesday) We have three projects going in three
different villages and they all need guidance and care. There have been
meetings with pastors throughout the week and frequent visits to each
project. Supplies need to bought and
delivered when needed and being flexible is a must. Working in a third
world country brings a mountain of challenges throughout the day. One learns to improvise and to know what is
really important and what we can let slide.
It is always trying to see the bright side in grim circumstances that
are placed before you. It is learning
to stay calm when you see the need to rip things a part and start over. It is trying to encourage your workers even
when they did the opposite of what you told them. It is remembering that we have two cultures
working together and many times we see and hear things differently.
The road to Rafiki takes us through Kipsongo slum. I
hear my name called and wave but the person is lost in a sea of faces within the
busy slums. Kipsongo is known to be the
slums for the Turkana tribe. They left
their tribal land years ago in search of fertile ground and a better life. It’s a place known for prostituting their
girls at a very young age. Home brew has
become a source of income for many and with it comes a life of more sorrow. HIV is as common as a cold and has touched
the lives of both young and old alike. Wild dogs roam freely through the slums showing
every bone of their body and they often end up in the cooking pot. The mama’s
go to town in the day time with a baby tied to their back and beg for
money. They will paw through the garbage
in search of food. It is a deplorable
life and many have accepted it as the “norm.”
We’ve left the business of town and are on the other
side of the slums. The road takes us further into the country and the landscape
before us in beautiful. The large fields
are being worked and they are dotted with people in their colorful clothes. It’s
planting season and in this area the workers are given 50 shillings a day or
about 58 cents. The area is poor and the
needs are great. The banana trees are flourishing
and the rolling hills roll into the mountain that lines the sky before us. The small brook that we cross becomes a
public bathing spot while the cows quench their thirst.
It is the rainy season and the grounds are ready
with seed but the rains have vanished.
The dust is extreme and it coats our bodies as ride through into the village
and the seedlings wilt under the intense heat of the day.
Our scenic ride is stopped by an ever so common road
block. The rope extended across the road
only means one thing; they want money.
It’s called road tax but for some reasons the roads remain unfinished
and full of potholes and with a white person on your bike the tax is always
higher. My driver deals with them in Kiswahili and we
are on our way once again. Around a
corner and down in the valley we see trouble.
There are several motorbikes and a police truck and people standing
around. We stop at the top of the hill
to observe. I tell him to turn around and go back as we don’t need to ride into
trouble as we can visit Rafiki another time.
It seemed like a wise decision and the right thing to do….avoid
trouble! When we turned around we had
to once again go through the rope road block.
Only this time they did not ask for money but accused us of running from
the police! After questioning my driver
in Kiswahili and then questioning me in English they decided to let us go.
April
17, 2014 (Thursday) Rafiki is not used to having white
people walk around their village and I could feel their eyes on me. Life stopped and the stares and faces of
wonder looked my way. They were on guard
as a stranger had stepped on their turf.
I had been welcomed by the chief and we had spoken in person but still I
could see the need to show the people I meant no harm.
I found a small store front business made
from the mud of the earth and with only a window to shop from. I bought all the candy she had which brought
a big smile to her face. I then stood
out in the open for all to see and the candy was given to each and every child
that ran our way. The children were
delighted and jumped with joy. They might get a sweet for Christmas but this
doesn’t happen every day. As laughter
and excitement filled the hearts of the children I could see smiles start to
form on the faces of the adults. I had
made the first connection with those that looked at me from afar with distrust
and fear in their hearts.
There was
still one challenge left; one little boy is terrified of me and screams whenever
I walk by. That isn't the norm though as many times there is a contest and a rush for my hand. Little Elijah is quite pleased that he got my hand first but his pal is not!
The stand for the water tank has been finished and
we are moving onto the next phase of getting clean water to the people. We want to have the well covered and locked
so that the water will remain clean. Drinking
dirty water does not bring them life but disease and even death. If we can give
them a way to obtain water without dropping dirty buckets and ropes into the
well every day we can avoid such things as typhoid which is very common here.
The afternoon is coming to an end but I still need
to meet with a few pastors in town. We
gather at a table out in the open next to the road. I guess you could call it the “sidewalk view”
without the sidewalk. It’s a busy area
with vendors set up all around us. They are
selling bananas, onions, tomatoes, greens and pineapple. Then others are selling used clothes. Some shop owners try to arrange them in a
nice order while others leave them in a big heap. The street children have a watchful eye and they
don’t hesitate to ask me for something to eat.
People are about their business and carefully walk the streets while dodging
motorbikes, cars, and bicycles.
It was the everyday scene until we heard pop, then a
flash of light went through the sky, another pop and a flash of light and they
were followed by several of the same. People started screaming and running. The
motorbike drivers dropped their bikes in the middle of the road and went
running for safety. A woman lay in the
street as she fell in the rush. It was
immediate chaos. I grabbed my back pack
and quickly left the area to find shelter inside the nearest building. It wasn’t long after that we were told that
it wasn’t gun fire. The electric wires
close by kept touching each other making a popping noise and a flash of
light. We were relieved that trouble
had not come to visit us. Everyone is very
much on edge even though it not talked about much. There have been constant terrorist attacks in
Nairobi, Mombasa and other areas of Kenya which have killed and wounded many.
Information has been sent to us via the internet on what to do if a grenade is
thrown your way. (Don’t run/drop) Unfortunately such things have become part of
a normal life in Kenya.
They people are in awe of what God is doing for them. “A miracle has come to Rafiki.” They will have a church to worship in and it will be used during the week for class rooms for their school.
Galatians 6:9 &10 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
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