Saturday, March 19,
2016 The roosters around the neighborhood let it be known that morning has not forgotten us while the
birds sing along with joy. The sheep running past my window are eager to graze on
the morning grasses soaked with the night rains. All the sounds of the morning blend in together and become an early morning choir of sorts.
From the peaceful morning setting and a nights rest the news
of terrorist hits our ears. Four men, on
their way to Libya, have been arrested trying to leave Kenya and enter Uganda
only a couple hours’ drive from here.
Kenya has also been put on “High Alert” because a 31 year
old man has died of Yellow Fever. This is the first case in Kenya since 1992. Yellow Fever is transmitted to people by the
bite of an infected mosquito and causes severe damage to the liver with
bleeding. There is no treatment for Yellow Fever. Traveling requires lots of shots and
vaccinations and one of them is for Yellow Fever- which I’m very thankful for!
The floors have their finish coat and look wonderful and
work outside on the veranda has started.
The veranda will help keep the children dry during the rains. It will
also provide shade which will keep the rooms cooler.
I’m always relieved when the iron sheets are up and we can
move on to something else. The workers assure me that they can put them up
without any problem but as I travel I am reminded of what the finished work could look like.... uneven, patched, pieced together and far from
level. As the workers prepare to put up
the iron sheets I remind them of the quality of work I’m expecting. I draw examples on a piece of paper of what I
don’t want to see and what will make me happy.
We agree that we have an understanding and the work begins. It doesn’t take long
for me to understand that guidance is needed and the first three iron
sheets are taken down and done over. It
is clear that I need to watch each nail that is hammered into place
We have a lot going on. The well is being cleaned out as the
water level is low right now. So we have one guy inside the 40’ well and one on
top.
We have two men & their pundas/donkeys going for water.
There are 15 workers mixing concrete, pouring and making the
½ brick wall on the veranda plus some men are working with the iron sheets.
We bought 3 trees this week for fire wood. They have been cut down and the pieces of
wood are being brought to us by donkey & cart.
Then we have another man splitting the wood. With a total of 20 men working my days are very full!
We are amazed at what is inside a well that has a cover and
a padlock. They pulled up a 3’log, broken plastic buckets and some decaying
material. They brought up buckets upon buckets of mud as they cleaned up the bottom
of the well before adding some bleach to purify the water. Mama Rhoda has a
giving heart and this well has been an oasis in the desert for many of the
village people.
The workers are amused with me as I have continually corrected and given
pointers to the men working with the iron sheets. I have even highly suggested we do some
things over. So now when I stand and start to move toward the building everyone
stops and watches me. Big smiles erupt from each one of them as they carefully
listen to me give their co-workers precise instructions on what not to do and
how I want it done. The need for guidance is non stop as
they can't see the reason behind my instruction and change comes very hard. They would prefer to do it quick and cover
the outside walls without any rhyme or reason. So for those working on other areas of the
school they have enjoyed this week and will probably have something to talk
about for a very long time. “We’ve never seen a mazugu/white woman like you
before.” “Mama Linda is very strict!”
In the midst of the challenges of the day a beautiful eagle flies over the
school. A reminder to
“wait on the Lord and he will renew your strength.”
“wait on the Lord and he will renew your strength.”
The children have been so excited with all that is happening. Every morning before class starts they run to their new school and check
things out but they have never interfered with the workers during the day.
They are very well behaved and continue to study even though there is a lot
going on around them.
The delivery truck
came while they were on lunch break and they came to a stand still as this huge truck dump a load of sand! This doesn’t happen every day and they were
speechless :)
The teachers are just as happy as the children and maybe more! They each take a couple minutes during lunch
time and walk through and admire the building.
Very soon they will each have a room to call their own.
The rainy season comes with strong winds and we are trying in every possible
way to stop the rains from entering the classroom when the door is opened. So its important to make sure the entrances
on the veranda do not line up directly across from the doors to the classrooms.
A sack of charcoal was brought by one of the parents needing funds for
school fees. I am always pleased when I see them try. The charcoal can be used to prepare lunch for
the children and the money he receives will help pay the school fees that have
been building up. Perhaps it is not the
usual money in hand that is expected but the heart behind the visit encourages me.
The villagers struggle and have so little to work with. This bag of charcoal represents a lot of hard
work and he is willing to put it toward his children’s
education. I call that progress!
At the end of the week we are tired but happy with all that has been
accomplished. We have a clean well. The floors are finished. The half wall on the veranda is finished
and concrete has been poured on the veranda walkway. The ditch for the cement culvert that will
help reroute the rain water to the back of the building has been dug. We also have some iron sheets up!
The sun is setting and the air is now cooler but I'm so thankful that the walk out is down hill. Between the steady interaction with the workers and the heat of the day I am exhausted. Within a short distance, perhaps a mile, a bike is found. I wave goodbye to those I pass as the bike takes me away from village life and the smiles of many little children.
Isaiah 40:31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
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