TheDaver.net

Masai Mara, Kenya
Wednesday, March 14 

Since I am so behind in my writings, I’ll try to summarize the last couple of days without going on and on and on.

Sunday
We drove to the BCC for Sunday School and church.  The youth and children each had Sunday school first, and we were able to sit in and listen.  Both Sunday School and church in Kenya would be familiar to most US folks, but the kids seemed much more focused and attentive to what was happening.  During SS, the kids worked on memory verse and some Bible stories.  It’s amazing how well these kids, even the youngest ones, know and understand the Bible.  The caregivers and teachers do a fantastic job of instruction.  After SS, we gathered to worship in the small BCC chapel.  the pastor, Tony Wenani, spent some time welcoming all of the guests - both those from the US and those from the surrounding area.  We then spent time singing and celebrating.  I’ll just say attending a Kenyan church, listening to their praise music and singing, is one of the most enduring experiences I’ve ever had.  It really has to be experienced to be understood - simply amazing.  In addition, the children came up and put on a little show by singing a few songs themselves…I don’t have the words.

After the music, Tony and Kevin Hall, the pastor for Oakwood Baptist in Lubbock, presented the sermon.  They both did a great job as Pastor Hall brought the message and Tony translated into Ki-Swahili for those who didn’t speak English.

After church, we ate lunch and then completed our Sports Camp.  Word must have spread throughout the community because our numbers seemed to have doubled overnight.  We finished the soccer tournament and all craft activities, and then had an awards ceremony where all participants received participation ribbons, certificates and, for the winners of the tournament, medals.  I have never seen kids so excited to receive something so simple as a ribbon.  It was very special to be able to hand out something so simple which meant so much.

After the Sports Camp we packed up and said our goodbyes.  As always, it was tough to leave the kids.

Monday
Monday was our first day to do construction.  All of the kids were in school when we arrived so we pitched right in to help out.  The ongoing project is a 3-room school building located on the grounds of the BCC.  The master plan is to construct several buildings to house students from kindergarten to grade 8.  There is currently 1 school building, as well as a “technology” center where older kids (those beyond 8th grade who are not going to High School or to college) can learn a skill such as sewing.

The building process would be considered quite primitive by US standards.  There is no electricity, no power equipment, and very few adequate tools.  The basic process is this: A load of rocks is brought from a nearby quarry.  These rough rocks are then shaped into rectangles, 2 sides smooth.  Mortar is mixed using sand, dirt and cement.  The blocks are then put into place and mortared.  As I said, there is no electricity and very few tools.  All stones are moved by hand.  There is a crew of about 5 workes who shape the stones…by hand.  They use a hammer and a chisel to shape each stone, which takes around 20 minutes per stone.  The finished stones are nearly square on two sides, and the rock chippers are quite skilled.  However, they are also very poorly paid - they typically earn around 100 Kenyan shillings per day (just over $1.00).  It is very, very hard work, very monotonous, and these fellows do this job 6 days a week, 8-9 hours per day.  Once the stones are finished, they are laid out and ready to be moved to the particular was in which they will be placed. 

All of the morter is mixed and transported by hand.  Water is provided by the BCC and a crew of workers constantly mixes the mortar to be used immediately.  As a row of stones is placed, a crew foreman comes along and ensures that all of the stones are square and level.  This is accomplished using only string and a plumb.  Once the stones are in place, morter is forced between the stones using a trowel.  Mortor is then layered over the stones and made ready for the next row.  For a building the size of the one we were working on, about 2 full rows could be completed in a day.  As I said, the work is very physical and the techniques seem primitive, but we were all in awe as the building took shape looking as square and solid and impressive as anything an American crew could build.

Around 3:30 pm, the kids were out of school so we quit working for the day.  For the next 1 1/2 hours we visited and hung out with the kids, talking to them about their day, about school, whatever came to mind.  To me, this is the best time, just visiting and playing with the kids.  I wish I was able to post photos, but I’ll have to wait.  As we left, it really began to sink in that the next day - Tuesday - would be our last day with the kids, so there was a lot of extra hugging and whispering.

I’ll need to stop here as i think about writing of the next day - Tuesday.  This will be very hard.  This was our last day with the kids and it was a very emotional time, one which I can hardly think about without the computer screen becoming quite blurry.  There must be something wrong with this computer.  In addition, prior to going to the BCC we visited a Nairobi slum called Korogochu.  This visit to the slum may rank as the most heart-breaking thing I have ever done and I will need my wits about me to give it proper treatment.

Notes:
*Got my luggage, finally.  Felt good to put on clean clothes, and everyone seemed a whole lot friendlier.
*I am writing this from the Masai Mara, where we are doing our safari.  I promise to try to get caught up.
*Forgive my typos.  I am paying about $20/hour to use the internet and am having to hurry.  I’ll come back and fix them later.

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