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

Kitchen Fires and Other Such Fun

This day started and ended with giggly-girl fits of laughter.  I think that's pretty much the best way to start and end a day!

Guess who woke up this morning to this text from her husband?

And the crazy part is...it's all true!  My favorite part is the very cheerful, "Other than that, all is good!"  Are you kidding me?

Well, you know, it's Sunday so we hit the hottest show in town...church!  More singing, dancing and enthusiastic worshipping.  I think an "amen" even escaped my lips when requested.  Here is a photo of Beryl and Collins with their mother, Sarah, and younger brother, Joseph...special delivery for Beryl and Collins' sponsor, Scott and his family.  

After church, I took the girls over to the orphanage for their first view of the monstrosity (affectionately named, of course). Now they understand why I was overwhelmed!  12,500 square feet of concrete plaster and chaos.  We made a plan to keep all 22 workers busy tomorrow and then immediately started to lament the supplies we don't have.  We're in Kitale, after all, and it's not a big place.  

We are really lacking two things:  extension poles for paint rollers and paint trays.  Denise has two heavy duty extension poles from the US that are, where else?, in her bag that was left at the Eldoret airport, where all things valuable and needed are currently stored!  (Don't worry, we have a plan to retrieve it tomorrow.)  

After perusal of all the nooks and crannies in the house, Deanna opened a closet under the stairs that was filled with a treasure trove:  boxes, plastic bags and large sheets of plastic...even a cardboard refrigerator box!  (Who keeps this stuff?!)  We had just been speaking of how resourceful and creative Kenyan people are.  They often don't have the tools they need to get the job done so they have to problem solve and improvise.  

Quiz #2:  Can you guess what Deanna, Jodi and I are doing in this photo?

All entries must be received by midnight tonight....that's in 13 minutes and 15 seconds, Kenyan time.  Those in the US, take your time.  We were considering making this topic the subject of the next Matilda Jane contest, but weren't sure the first place prize, a one-way trip to Kenya, BYOB (Bring Your Own Brush!) would be appropriate.  Any ideas?

This just goes to prove "A woman's work is never done!"

Tish

Laundry Day and So Much More!

Nothing makes me happier than some clean laundry!

If you've never considered using a barbed wire fence as a dryer, you should try it!  Every fence on the compound was covered in laundry this morning when I arrived at the orphanage.  Perhaps you can see another row in the distance.  Friday after school is wash day and I'll tell you, all hands were on deck.  Every able bodied scrubber was hard at work cleaning the Kenyan dust off 89 school uniforms.  It was a true example of teamwork...some scrubbing, some rinsing, some twisting and others delicately (I think) hanging the clothes on the fence.

I ran errands all morning preparing for the arrival of my three friends from Fort Wayne (Denise, Deanna and Jenna) and two other new friends (Becki and Jodi) from Texas and Michigan.  In addition to their help with painting the orphanage, the 16 members of the awesome and wonderful Colorado team will be helping at the orphanage four mornings next week.  That's 22 wazungu pitching in to make a safe and happy home for almost 100 girls....quite a sight to see.  (Do you need a Swahili review session?  mzungu: one white person, wazungu: many white people.  mtoto: one child, watoto: many children.  You know, I thought the same thing..."Couldn't they just add an 's' and call it a day?")  

I traveled with Phillip, our crazy-great driver, to Eldoret today to pick up my friends.  Since Eldoret is his home, he invited me to stop and meet his family...which was such was a thrill.  

His wife welcomed me with chai tea (good but not quite as good as Mocha Lounge...whole milk and whip cream, please) and I met his three children, Mercy, 21, Victor, 11, and Dennis, 9.  We visited in his three room brick home for an hour or so...talking about everything from Barack Obama to Angry Birds.  Fun afternoon!  

Last stop was the airport in Eldoret, I was so happy I almost cried (okay...well, I did cry).  You know, when I saw my friends stepping off the plane (from my hiding place in the gift shop, which is strangely the only location you can view the deplaning of the aircraft), it was just like a little piece of home arriving special delivery just for me.  :)

The good news is all five friends arrived in tact and in a pleasant mood after a night at the luxurious Nairobi Tent Camp.  I'm sorry, did you say "bowls filled with roses?" and "hot water bottles to warm your bed?"  Not mention a ride in an open to Range Rover to view animals this morning?  Lucky!

The bad news is one bag got left at the airport.  :(  Darn!!  Of course, these kinds of things can happen when you have eleven bags and five travelers.  We'll need to sort it all out tomorrow...and share a toothbrush until then.

Tish

Awesomeness!

To all my awesome friends, old and new, who are asking about sponsoring a child...I love you!  I've tried to "reply" to your posts, but for some reason (most likely an technology issue with me), I'm having a problem. So I am posting a quick blog to ask you to visit www.mightyacornfoundation.org. The girls photos are all on line...and their stories.  Just take a look and see which child touches your heart.  (And they are all touching my heart at the moment.)  If you make a choice and let me know (you can email me or post it for the world to see!), and I'll try to get photos and more information for you.  You can even email me a note for your child...not sure I can print it but I can read it to them.  

Thank you for considering changing a life on the opposite side of the planet! Yay you!!

Tish

Kipsongo...

This afternoon I visited the Kipsongo slum...I'm not quite sure what to say.  Those in the CO group who had been there in 2011 said it was much improved.  I'm afraid to think of how it used to be.

Many of the traditional plastic and stick houses have been replaced with homes made of sticks and cow dung.  The residents are primarily from the Turkana tribe from northern Kenya who were pushed out of their homeland by refugees from other countries (Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia).

The children were beautiful like all children around the world.  But these children were dirty and clothed in items we wouldn't even send to Goodwill.

The most difficult thing for me was one man begging me to take his two daughters to the new orphanage.  Amazingly, he new the name "Acorn"...he kept saying "ah-corn" with the emphasis on "corn".  He followed me throughout the walk presenting his girls, telling me their names and begging for help.  "Mama, dead," he kept saying.  You all know I'm a crier...Hallmark commercials, the national anthem.  I held it together until Phillip, our driver, opened the car door for me and I got in.  I was very sad...still am. 

One happy moment in the slum...I was walking through and heard my name, "Teesh, Teesh."  I thought, "Who could possibly know my name here in the slum?"  I looked over and there was Sarah, mother of Beryl and Collins, who live at the orphanage and attend Seeds Academy.  I met her after the "Praise God, Amen" church service last Sunday.  We hugged enthusiastically.  You've never experienced a hug until you hugged a Kenyan woman...both cheeks, big squeeze!

She took me aside and asked me to please find a sponsor for Joseph...the boy in the striped jersey.  So...if anyone would like to sponsor a little man, give him a safe home, time with siblings, Beryl and Collins, food every night, an education and endless hugs...let me know and I will make it happen!  Tell two friends and ask them to tell two friends.  (You might have to give up a few trips to Starbucks every week...but, believe me, it's worth it.)

I did paint at the orphanage today.  Also enjoyed some quality time with the house Mamas who do the cookin', cleanin' and lovin' for 89 children...can I get an "amen"?!  

Here we are sitting on the veranda (their words, not mine) of the orphanage.  Irene, in red, is getting her hair braided by her friend, Scovia...and we are both sorting rocks and who-knows-what out of the beans.  They commented that I wasn't very speedy with my rock sorting.  Sorry...first time!!!  When I told them we don't have rocks in our beans at home, they said, "Oh, those are 'polished beans'...but they are more expensive."  We've been eating "polished beans," who knew?! 

And finally, a photo of two of my favorite girls, Irene and Rosalida.  Just found out they were sisters during my visit to school today...AND that Button (See "Look at My Bracelet, Man!") is their brother!!  Cutest gene pool, ever.

Tish

    

Kuku on the Table

Let's just get to the heart of it...

Yes, that is a chicken on the table.  After a morning of painting, I took a break for lunch and went to the existing orphanage building to eat my meal...and I shared the table with a chicken.  Will wonders never cease?  He just marched right in through the open door and hopped right up for a bite of my macaroni.  Dude (or Dudette, actually)...this is MY lunch!  Get your own!

And I want to talk about the worksite...you know, OSHA doesn't exist in Kenya.  No hard hats with countless items falling from the heavens.  No safety glass with brick chips flying.  No steel toed boots with rusty nails sticking out of most boards on the floor.  It's crazy.  Even those wildly expensive dust masks I purchased were met with blank stares and comments like "What do I do with this thing?"  

Ladders look like this...branches with more branches or spare pieces of wood as steps.  And yes, Dad, I did climb up on this particular ladder.  There are wires hanging out of walls everywhere.  I don't touch any of them because no one can tell me, for sure, if they are live or not.  Scary!!  

I was very popular with the workers today...for some reason.  Perhaps because I'm friendly and trying to learn Swahili?  But, honestly, ten workers came by in the first 30 minutes and asked for a "picha".  I almost wanted to charge a fee, like "Paint a wall and I'll take a picture with you."  Luckily, five more wazungu (plural of mzungu...which you have already learned in a previous lesson means "white person") women are showing up on Saturday...so we can share the love.

Speaking of the arrival of the other wazungu, we will be moving accommodations to a guest house down the road on Saturday.  I have enjoyed my stay at the Karibuni Lodge.  I like all the interesting people here and the buzz of activity.   However, the proprietress...who is actually quite lovely...would like to house my friends and I in the original shack that Kiara and I rejected.  In good conscience, I just can't, expose my dear friends, who are brand-spanking-new to the third world, to "the shack".  

Plus, I'm just a bit tired of using the "outside toilet".   :)

Tomorrow should be quite a day.  The Colorado group invited me to go with them into the Kipsongo slum. Not sure if I'm ready for it.  Don't throw spit wads if I don't go.  But I do see how understanding where these children come from will improve my ability to advocate for them.  So I just might be brave.

Tish  

 

My Girl Millecent

An awesome yahoo sort of day!

Stopped to see my favorite friends at the paint store today...remember the mzungu price for the dust masks?!  We had to pick up the remaining primer, and, miraculously, it was all there!  Of course, I stopped at the store twice yesterday with no luck and just promises that it was coming soon.  We picked up forty 20 liter containers...as pictured here on the streets of Kitale.  The man in orange is Isaac...we are on a first name basis.  :)

I worked at the orphanage with skeleton crew, Erik and Judy, and my lady friends, Josephine, Daphnos, Phyllis, Florence, and Imelda (She said, "Like Imelda Marcos" and I said, "But without all the shoes" and we had a good laugh!  I think I'm in a gang with these ladies...not sure.  

I left Erik and Judy in charge at noon so I could go back to the Karibuni and meet up with the Colorado group for lunch.  We visited the Seeds Academy for the complete and all out welcome ceremony.  The Colorado team was exhausted from their many days of travel but did their best to keep their eyes open during all the songs, enthusiastic dancing, bible verse recitations and poems.  

After the presentation, the kids swarmed.  I was bombarded with questions about our president.  Yes, Barack Obama is our president.  Yes, his father was a Kenyan.  And when they made the statement, "Then, I can be president of the United States too!", I just said "Yes."  Didn't want to burst their bubble with the whole "you have to be born in the US and at least 35 years old" thing.

Most importantly, today, I met the little girl our family has sponsored at the new orphanage.

Her name is Millecent Atieno.  She is 10 years old.  Her birthday is June 6, in case you were wondering.  She lives in the Kipsongo slum with her family, mother Janet Nekeso, father Alois Odhiambo, and five brothers (Joseph, Wilson, Charles, George, Emanuel) and one sister (Dorcus).  And, another important detail, her best friends are Shelly and Anjeline.  :)  She was thrilled to learn I have a sister named Janet and my father's name is Joseph.  "Really? That cannot be true!"  It's true.  Really.  

She's a bit shy and wouldn't look me in the eye unless I asked her to.  I tried the "What color are my eyes?" trick and she said, "White."  :)  It was a thrill to meet her and I feel blessed our family can sponsor her.

More...wait for it...painting tomorrow.

Tish