Monday, November 30, 2009
Nairobi Money
So....we have a problem. We love getting into Nairobi and getting away from the politics of Najile. The problem is.....we spend a lot....like 10X more than at home....each day. For example, for the month of november we spent about 7,000 shillings before coming to Nairobi on wednesday. Since then we've spent almost 20,000 shillings. Whoops. Of course, we stock up in Nairobi and those expenses cover us for the rest of the month. At the same time, it's a bit schocking to see one bill equal the rest of your month's expenses. Oh well! We are still blissfully under-budget so bring it on!
Maasai Hand Signals Part 1
So we'd like to start an on-going series on the hand signals associated with Maasai numbers. Each number one through one hundred has a hand signal and a common part of conversation is to say midsentence, "aja?" (how many) and then the hand signal for the number you are referring to. For example:Man 1: "Eata ninye inkishu aja...(He has how many cows)...::hand sign for 20::"
Man 2: "tikitam" (20)
This would be a very normal way of saying, the man has 20 cows.
So, we'll start with 1. Point the index finger only straight up.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Leak
Steps to Fix a Leak in Maasailand:
1. Notice the leak. A trail of water and puddles across the floor is a good indication that something is wrong.
2. Put a bucket under the leak. If the water is coming, you might as well use it for something!
3. Diagnose where the leak is. This may take awhile, but move your hand up the pipe in question until water doesn’t run down your arm.
4. Tie a rag around pipe to draw water down the rag, directly into your bucket.
5. Find other buckets to dump water into.
6. Close all valves to the sink and your roof-top watertank.
7. Stand in amazement as water continues to leak even though no water can conceivably be coming to the pipe.
8. Yell at the water.
9. Use a clothespin to hold the rag in place, you are going to be in this for the long haul.
10. Start boiling water like it’s your job. You need to put the leaked water to use!
11. Wait until water stops. This may take multiple days.
12. Try sealing leak with local “Maasai techniques”-gum and glue. Realize that Maasai don’t generally have indoor plumbing.
13. Once water is completely finished leaking, remove the pipe using whatever means available.
14. Hook up a glue gun and try covering the entire leak with glue.
15. Re-attach pipe, wait for glue to dry, and give yourself a hearty pat on the back.
16. Turn on water to tank and to the leak.
17. Notice the leak, still going un-diminished through your glob of glue.
18. Yell at the glue
19. Write a blog about your experience.
Happy plumbing!
1. Notice the leak. A trail of water and puddles across the floor is a good indication that something is wrong.
2. Put a bucket under the leak. If the water is coming, you might as well use it for something!
3. Diagnose where the leak is. This may take awhile, but move your hand up the pipe in question until water doesn’t run down your arm.
4. Tie a rag around pipe to draw water down the rag, directly into your bucket.
5. Find other buckets to dump water into.
6. Close all valves to the sink and your roof-top watertank.
7. Stand in amazement as water continues to leak even though no water can conceivably be coming to the pipe.
8. Yell at the water.
9. Use a clothespin to hold the rag in place, you are going to be in this for the long haul.
10. Start boiling water like it’s your job. You need to put the leaked water to use!
11. Wait until water stops. This may take multiple days.
12. Try sealing leak with local “Maasai techniques”-gum and glue. Realize that Maasai don’t generally have indoor plumbing.
13. Once water is completely finished leaking, remove the pipe using whatever means available.
14. Hook up a glue gun and try covering the entire leak with glue.
15. Re-attach pipe, wait for glue to dry, and give yourself a hearty pat on the back.
16. Turn on water to tank and to the leak.
17. Notice the leak, still going un-diminished through your glob of glue.
18. Yell at the glue
19. Write a blog about your experience.
Happy plumbing!
A few days in the life of the POMC Land Cruiser
Tuesday:
The GAR staff picks up 6 PLWHAs (people living with HIV/AIDS) from the surrounding villages (more than 3 hours apart) and brings them to Coptic Hospital in Nairobi for medical care. After bumping over rocky and semi-flooded roads, we make it to a tarmac road, only to stall out around a sharp curve going up a mountain with no shoulder. Because the battery has a poor connection and the car needs momentum to start, we have to back the car without power (or steering) down the mountain, across oncoming traffic into a “Rift Valley Lookout” tourist stop. Luckily it makes it to the rest stop and the engine revs with a push and starts up again. After bringing people to the hospital, the car makes a few trips across the city without mishap, always parked facing downhill to ensure that it will start again. The journey back home begins early evening, with a total of 15 people piled into the car, in addition to gas canisters, suitcases, medicine bags and groceries. Most people are dropped off at their homes by around 9pm, but as the staff went to drop off the final few clients, the vehicle got stuck in the mud. It had rained earlier that day, and the four-wheel drive no longer works, so no matter what they did, they couldn’t get the car out. The back tires were wedged into a hole and could not be moved. Staff called a friend to pick them up in a truck. The land cruiser stayed put for the night.
Wednesday:
Joseph, GAR staff and driver, gets up early and goes together with his brother and the 10-ton lorry he drives to try to pull out the land cruiser. After a couple hours, they are able to get it free and bring it back to the POMC farm (where our house is). The GAR staff are waiting. Wednesday means another trip about 2 hours away for an AIDS seminar. They load up the vehicle with mattresses, tents, a PA system, microphones and luggage. At Suswa, the vehicle becomes a VCT (voluntary counseling and testing centre) with people going in and out as they are counseled on HIV/AIDS and tested. More supplies and people piled in as we head to another village that evening over roads that would not be roads anywhere in the US. We were climbing hills meant to be left alone, tossing and bumping our way through thorns, bushes, rocks and seasonal streams. We arrive at the homestead where most of the staff would stay, so out come the tents, bags and food. A handful of us work our way back to Najile on those same roads-that-shouldn’t-be-roads, getting home around 9pm.
Thursday:
MFSP gets a late-morning start in the POMC Land Cruiser after spending multiple hours searching for diesel fuel. The local pump ran out, so people had to go to Ewuaso (10km away) for fuel. The cruiser arrives in Mosiro, after 3.5 hours of driving on rocky, dusty, and mountainous roads. There were farm visits, project inspections and agricultural trainings to do throughout the area. By early evening, the MFSP staff are on their way home. Two hours into the drive, as darkness replaced sunlight, a series of bolts broke, causing the drive shaft to stop sending power to the wheels. The Cruiser stood stuck on a hill, as the staff looked in vain for a solution. It was night, there is no cell phone reception and the nearest mechanic would be hours away. The staff would spend the night in the car, huddling near the floor where the heat of the engine kept them warm.
Friday:
The next morning, a heavy lorry was called to haul the vehicle back to Najile. By noon the vehicle was home, but crippled. The tires and broken pieces were taken to Ewuaso to be repaired. Parts were not available, so a further trip to Maai Mahiu pushed repair completion late into the night.
Saturday:
By morning, the vehicle was heading back to Suswa, working its way through the bush to fetch the GAR staff. Will the vehicle make it? Probably not. But it’ll keep rolling its way around Maasai-land until God calls it to the great junkyard in the sky.
The GAR staff picks up 6 PLWHAs (people living with HIV/AIDS) from the surrounding villages (more than 3 hours apart) and brings them to Coptic Hospital in Nairobi for medical care. After bumping over rocky and semi-flooded roads, we make it to a tarmac road, only to stall out around a sharp curve going up a mountain with no shoulder. Because the battery has a poor connection and the car needs momentum to start, we have to back the car without power (or steering) down the mountain, across oncoming traffic into a “Rift Valley Lookout” tourist stop. Luckily it makes it to the rest stop and the engine revs with a push and starts up again. After bringing people to the hospital, the car makes a few trips across the city without mishap, always parked facing downhill to ensure that it will start again. The journey back home begins early evening, with a total of 15 people piled into the car, in addition to gas canisters, suitcases, medicine bags and groceries. Most people are dropped off at their homes by around 9pm, but as the staff went to drop off the final few clients, the vehicle got stuck in the mud. It had rained earlier that day, and the four-wheel drive no longer works, so no matter what they did, they couldn’t get the car out. The back tires were wedged into a hole and could not be moved. Staff called a friend to pick them up in a truck. The land cruiser stayed put for the night.
Wednesday:
Joseph, GAR staff and driver, gets up early and goes together with his brother and the 10-ton lorry he drives to try to pull out the land cruiser. After a couple hours, they are able to get it free and bring it back to the POMC farm (where our house is). The GAR staff are waiting. Wednesday means another trip about 2 hours away for an AIDS seminar. They load up the vehicle with mattresses, tents, a PA system, microphones and luggage. At Suswa, the vehicle becomes a VCT (voluntary counseling and testing centre) with people going in and out as they are counseled on HIV/AIDS and tested. More supplies and people piled in as we head to another village that evening over roads that would not be roads anywhere in the US. We were climbing hills meant to be left alone, tossing and bumping our way through thorns, bushes, rocks and seasonal streams. We arrive at the homestead where most of the staff would stay, so out come the tents, bags and food. A handful of us work our way back to Najile on those same roads-that-shouldn’t-be-roads, getting home around 9pm.
Thursday:
MFSP gets a late-morning start in the POMC Land Cruiser after spending multiple hours searching for diesel fuel. The local pump ran out, so people had to go to Ewuaso (10km away) for fuel. The cruiser arrives in Mosiro, after 3.5 hours of driving on rocky, dusty, and mountainous roads. There were farm visits, project inspections and agricultural trainings to do throughout the area. By early evening, the MFSP staff are on their way home. Two hours into the drive, as darkness replaced sunlight, a series of bolts broke, causing the drive shaft to stop sending power to the wheels. The Cruiser stood stuck on a hill, as the staff looked in vain for a solution. It was night, there is no cell phone reception and the nearest mechanic would be hours away. The staff would spend the night in the car, huddling near the floor where the heat of the engine kept them warm.
Friday:
The next morning, a heavy lorry was called to haul the vehicle back to Najile. By noon the vehicle was home, but crippled. The tires and broken pieces were taken to Ewuaso to be repaired. Parts were not available, so a further trip to Maai Mahiu pushed repair completion late into the night.
Saturday:
By morning, the vehicle was heading back to Suswa, working its way through the bush to fetch the GAR staff. Will the vehicle make it? Probably not. But it’ll keep rolling its way around Maasai-land until God calls it to the great junkyard in the sky.
Friday, November 20, 2009
The Big 5
Our group of 17 headed out in 2 safari vans bright and early. I had spent many hours the day before bakinf muffins and cooking hard-boiled eggs for breakfast on the road. Everyone loved the munchies and we arrived at Mara after less than 6 hours driving, much of the time on tarmac roads. I have to admit I was surprised that the road leading to the park itself wasn't paved (lots of tourists paying big money, can't they at least fix the road?). It was like driving on a washboard for close to an hour. A few of us were keeping our heads out the open windows.. When we arrived at the park gate, Matt and I got the pleasure of impressing the guards with our Maa skills. Many in the group took the opportunity to visit the gift shop... Soon after we headed to our hotel. Upon our arrival we were greeted with warm towels to wipe our faces and fresh mango and pineapple juices to drink. Wow did I feel spoiled. We look around the place and it’s gorgeous. There’s a pool looking out over the game park and we’re all disappointed we didn’t bring our swimsuits, but soon that is neutralized by the amazing looking buffet lunch. There is so much food! fresh fruit and breads, juices, made-to-order pasta, a variety of meat cut to order, rice, stir-fry, hot vegetables, salads, etc. wow. I totally stuffed my face. It was soo good. Afterwards we climbed back into our safari vans for our first safari. At first we were all nervous because we were only seeing baboons and a variety of gazelles. We were wondering, did we just trek all the way out here to see the same things I can see in my backyard? But then we started seeing bigger types of deer, like topi, heartbeasts and elands (which are really big, I often thought they were bulls). Then we saw huge herds of wildebeests and cape buffalo. just beautiful. Cape buffalo are one of the Big 5 safari animals, so were pretty pumped. Then we saw lots of zebras and some giraffes in the distance. We came to the top of a hill and could see all those different animals all at once, thousands of animals framed against the horizon with acacia trees making it surreal.
But then.... we saw a lion. It was super far awayamong some bushes and trees, but we just kept waiting to see if it would do anything. Then we saw his mate, a lionness close by at a waterhole. We kept watching. But it was a hot day, the lions were clearly enjoying lounging in the shade, why would they get up? I started to get bored and wondered why we just kept waiting, but then the lion got up and started coming toward us! He was within 50 yards. Then his mate came up and joined him, only for them to mate right in front of us! whoa. that was crazy. Our guide told us that at the peak of mating, lions will mate as often as every 15 minutes. that's a lot of action.
Eventually we moved on and then we saw elephants on the horizon! So now we had seen 3 of the big 5, buffalo, lions and now elephants. They were so huge and so graceful. They were gentle and peaceful, I just wanted to keep watching them, especially the mom with her baby. But we were off on hunt to find a black rhino. On the way, we see some beautiful giraffes right next to the car. As we continue to our pursuit we find out that seeing the rhino would only be one a handful of times that our guide has seen a black rhino. They are always solitary and really rare. And then we see it. We never got super close, but it was crazy to see this rhino slowly trodding through the tall grasses in front of us. We saw 4 of the Big 5 in one trip. By this time it’s late and we have to hurry to get back to our lodge without getting in trouble with the park (you're not allowed in the park after dusk), but we stop on the way back when we ostriches, more giraffes and a beautiful sunset. Now if only we could see a leopard...
But then.... we saw a lion. It was super far awayamong some bushes and trees, but we just kept waiting to see if it would do anything. Then we saw his mate, a lionness close by at a waterhole. We kept watching. But it was a hot day, the lions were clearly enjoying lounging in the shade, why would they get up? I started to get bored and wondered why we just kept waiting, but then the lion got up and started coming toward us! He was within 50 yards. Then his mate came up and joined him, only for them to mate right in front of us! whoa. that was crazy. Our guide told us that at the peak of mating, lions will mate as often as every 15 minutes. that's a lot of action.
Eventually we moved on and then we saw elephants on the horizon! So now we had seen 3 of the big 5, buffalo, lions and now elephants. They were so huge and so graceful. They were gentle and peaceful, I just wanted to keep watching them, especially the mom with her baby. But we were off on hunt to find a black rhino. On the way, we see some beautiful giraffes right next to the car. As we continue to our pursuit we find out that seeing the rhino would only be one a handful of times that our guide has seen a black rhino. They are always solitary and really rare. And then we see it. We never got super close, but it was crazy to see this rhino slowly trodding through the tall grasses in front of us. We saw 4 of the Big 5 in one trip. By this time it’s late and we have to hurry to get back to our lodge without getting in trouble with the park (you're not allowed in the park after dusk), but we stop on the way back when we ostriches, more giraffes and a beautiful sunset. Now if only we could see a leopard...
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Friday, November 6, 2009
Bible Study Update
Bible Study Update:
Our Bible study has been a continued success, especially as we have now started a literacy component. Since nobody was arriving on time, we made a deal with the group. For anybody who showed up at the right time, we’d teach a basic literacy lesson before the study got rolling. Even educated people here barely can read their own language since Maa is not taught at any level of public school.
Today, Steph and I tried a new style of literacy lesson based on the work of Paulo Friere. We focused on teaching specific words that were associated with a picture that was meant to focus discussion. Since our Bible study was on John 3:17-30, I decided to talk about the letter “e” (ewangan=light, enaimin=darkness). After introducing the letter “e” and some words from the passage that had that letter, we had a picture with the title “Menyorr olngojine ewangan” (The hyena doesn’t like the light.). The picture included a traditional house, a fence, some sheep, a hyena and a man with a spear and a lantern. Then we discussed why hyenas don’t like light, and why people might not like light. From there it was a easy stepping-off point to the lesson on how Christ came as the light but people preferred the darkness (vs 19-20).
Throughout the lesson we’d return to the saying “Menyorr olngojine ewangan” and the “e” sound, finding the letter “e” in the text as we shared Bibles. The power of this method was to really connect people with learning. Everybody knows that hyenas don’t like light, but to take that understand into a spiritual and even socio-political context makes the lesson relevant. We also talked about how once you know how to read, the goal isn’t just to read words, but to better understand the world around you. Critically thinking about your situation helps you to better respond to injustice, to poverty, and to change.
This was a good week in class. People were interested. One person even clapped when the lesson was finished. I really hope that these times can help people deepen their faith, and expand their worldview. If even a small group of people can begin to really actively address the problems they face, change is possible. Truly God is moving in this place.
Our Bible study has been a continued success, especially as we have now started a literacy component. Since nobody was arriving on time, we made a deal with the group. For anybody who showed up at the right time, we’d teach a basic literacy lesson before the study got rolling. Even educated people here barely can read their own language since Maa is not taught at any level of public school.
Today, Steph and I tried a new style of literacy lesson based on the work of Paulo Friere. We focused on teaching specific words that were associated with a picture that was meant to focus discussion. Since our Bible study was on John 3:17-30, I decided to talk about the letter “e” (ewangan=light, enaimin=darkness). After introducing the letter “e” and some words from the passage that had that letter, we had a picture with the title “Menyorr olngojine ewangan” (The hyena doesn’t like the light.). The picture included a traditional house, a fence, some sheep, a hyena and a man with a spear and a lantern. Then we discussed why hyenas don’t like light, and why people might not like light. From there it was a easy stepping-off point to the lesson on how Christ came as the light but people preferred the darkness (vs 19-20).
Throughout the lesson we’d return to the saying “Menyorr olngojine ewangan” and the “e” sound, finding the letter “e” in the text as we shared Bibles. The power of this method was to really connect people with learning. Everybody knows that hyenas don’t like light, but to take that understand into a spiritual and even socio-political context makes the lesson relevant. We also talked about how once you know how to read, the goal isn’t just to read words, but to better understand the world around you. Critically thinking about your situation helps you to better respond to injustice, to poverty, and to change.
This was a good week in class. People were interested. One person even clapped when the lesson was finished. I really hope that these times can help people deepen their faith, and expand their worldview. If even a small group of people can begin to really actively address the problems they face, change is possible. Truly God is moving in this place.
Canadians are Coming!
Canadians are Coming!
So for two weeks, we are hosting a group of twelve Canadians, further confusing the Maasai perception that Canadians and Americans are the same. We will be sure to not wear any Maple-Leafed attire to help clear up the confusion.
The trip is primarily to record for a cd made by MCC to raise support for the Generation at Risk (GAR) program which helps people prevent HIV/AIDS and life positively once it has affected their life. This will be the fourth such cd, the first three have raised almost $750,000. (I would put a link here if I had one, but look up “Hope Is” “The Light Shines” and “To such as These” and if they’re through MCC, those are the cds. Anyway, we’re recording live in Najile to help connect the GAR program here and the listeners of the cd. We’ve had a mass Maasai choir (Mass-ai anybody?) and two individual choirs record already and it’s going pretty well.
Personally, Steph has been organizing/planning/running the trip which has been teaching her a lot and been lots of fun (though tiring). We are hosting a family of four at our house and generally our place is the home base. For people who aren’t part of the recording project, or during off-days, we have been visiting local sites, showing the group some of the people GAR supports and we’ll be going to market monday. Later next week we’ll be heading off to Kisumu where there’s another GAR site and Maasai Mara (elephants and rhinos please!).
It’s been fun having people here. It’s a little strange trying to straddle two cultures, sometimes feeling to western to be Maasai and other times too Maasai to be western. As much as it’s hard, it’s where I want to be. I like how I understand some of the deeper issues going on here, not just a tourist looking for some closeups of the jumping dance. To really relate to people in a different culture somebody needs to bridge the cultural gap and feel a little uncomfortable. If that’s what God has called us to at this time, than thanks be to God!
So for two weeks, we are hosting a group of twelve Canadians, further confusing the Maasai perception that Canadians and Americans are the same. We will be sure to not wear any Maple-Leafed attire to help clear up the confusion.
The trip is primarily to record for a cd made by MCC to raise support for the Generation at Risk (GAR) program which helps people prevent HIV/AIDS and life positively once it has affected their life. This will be the fourth such cd, the first three have raised almost $750,000. (I would put a link here if I had one, but look up “Hope Is” “The Light Shines” and “To such as These” and if they’re through MCC, those are the cds. Anyway, we’re recording live in Najile to help connect the GAR program here and the listeners of the cd. We’ve had a mass Maasai choir (Mass-ai anybody?) and two individual choirs record already and it’s going pretty well.
Personally, Steph has been organizing/planning/running the trip which has been teaching her a lot and been lots of fun (though tiring). We are hosting a family of four at our house and generally our place is the home base. For people who aren’t part of the recording project, or during off-days, we have been visiting local sites, showing the group some of the people GAR supports and we’ll be going to market monday. Later next week we’ll be heading off to Kisumu where there’s another GAR site and Maasai Mara (elephants and rhinos please!).
It’s been fun having people here. It’s a little strange trying to straddle two cultures, sometimes feeling to western to be Maasai and other times too Maasai to be western. As much as it’s hard, it’s where I want to be. I like how I understand some of the deeper issues going on here, not just a tourist looking for some closeups of the jumping dance. To really relate to people in a different culture somebody needs to bridge the cultural gap and feel a little uncomfortable. If that’s what God has called us to at this time, than thanks be to God!
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