Babu and Friends

Short post...it was a long day but very productive.  We drove to the orphanage at 7 a.m. to set up for the day.  We had 16 willing friends from CO helping us and we wanted to be ready to keep all hands busy.  And did we ever!  Keep in mind, every room is in a different state.  Even the electricians (who by the way, got me power on time...early even!!)  were asking me about American style building sites and admitted, "We Kenyans don't really have a plan."  Well, duh.  (And that "duh" was said with love and affection.)

Some rooms have ceilings, some have floors, some have cornice trim, some have floor molding (made also with concrete in a complicated process of flinging concrete with a trowel, packing and then shaping...which I still don't really understand).  Even though the walls aren't straight, the door jambs aren't level and the "interlocking" ceiling plywood has ugly seams...I know any child from the slums would be thrilled to move in to this home right this very minute.  No questions asked.  They would sleep on the concrete floor and be thrilled to be safe and dry.  So my heart says those imperfections don't matter, but my mind says, "Come on, people!  I just want a plumb line!!"  Must be the engineer in me.  :)   

So!  My favorite guy at the construction site is Babu.  

Babu is Richard's father and in charge of the site.  So anytime I need something (a new rickety ladder, for example) or want to ask a question (Why is there a corner of the wall missing so I can see exposed brick?), I have to find Erick (my translator) and then find Babu, and then parlay the exchange.  It's a time consuming but entertaining process.  Babu was born in 1932 yet is very active.  (FYI:  Sometimes older Kenyans will ask you, "What year were you born?" as opposed to "How old are you?")  You can see he's sporting a a nifty goatee, his Tommy Hilfiger overalls and a stylish, though slightly well-loved, cap.  :)  But we have the best little joke between us.  Whenever he does something that an older person shouldn't be doing, I say, "Babu, you shouldn't be doing that!  You were born in 1932!!"  So when he lifts a rickety ladder, or walks over a flimsy plank to cross a ditch or, my personal favorite, duck walks under the scaffolding (it's true...for like 15 feet, he'll duck walk under scaffolding that is five feet off the ground), I say "But, Babu...."  and we both get a good laugh.

A final note...WiFi at the guest house isn't quite WiFi at the Karibuni, and that wasn't even reliable.  So, if you see our van driving slowly by the Karibuni, don't call the  police.

Tish