Bret's Kenyan Journal, October 2011, Part II

This is an update to Bret's Kenyan journal.  I have taken this information from a recent email, some of this has been written in complete thoughts, and some are just bullet points of information.  There is so much happening, it is hard to keep up!  I am glad he is keeping his activities journaled, because trying to recreate all of this after the fact would be very difficult.  The following is a week's worth of activity.  More photos will follow.  Internet connectivity is limited, and sending photos is very time consuming if even possible.

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Yama and Riley went to Mariakani to look at some stoves while the rest of the whites headed towards Mombasa.  Dropped us off at Akamba carvers, and Johnson continued to the airport to pick up Kevin, Shad and Grace who had to spend the night in Nairobi due to a delayed connection.  We walked the huts at Akamba for 45 minutes, observing the wood carvers in action, and were joined by the three stragglers.  We then walked to church along the narrow road from Akamba.

We arrived at church to see a TV up front.   Kevin was to play the piano, but the dusty keyboard was broken.   We giggled like teenagers at the comedy of errors, sitting at the back of the chapel as we sang hymns in our best mimic of the Kenyan accent.  The TV was there to show a recorded session of General Conference.  Part of the lesson is to teach the appropriate conducting of meetings. 

We then went to the Blue Room so some emails could be sent back home.  Several grabbed a bite to eat.  We drove to the Tusky's to pick up some needed items, then headed back to the village.
We all went for a walk and came across naked boys in the river, bathing in a pool of water left from recent rains.  I offered 20 shillings to the first one to scramble to the top of the riverbed edge, and we observed them in their desperate race to be the first to reach the top of the slippery clay bank.  The winner happily collected his prize.

We scouted out possible dam sites with Kevin and Shad.  They feel things look very good for what we are trying to accomplish.

Emily is utilizing the new oven well, and prepared pizza for our dinner.

Monday, October 31, 2011


We were all up early, scrambling to our various activities.  Kevin and Shad spearheaded the initial work on the dam project.  Mark, Lonny and I the took SRA boys to go look at a goat and chicken facility past Mariakani, to give Lonny a good look at our vision.  We bought three chickens and a guinea fowl.  I wouldn't budge on the rooster.  The only reason for the guinea fowl is to eat it and see what he tastes like.  If I thought the local rooster was noisy......

Checking out a local goat and chicken business

We stopped at a vet store to see what drugs they have available to insure the ongoing health of our stock.  Looked promising.  Lonny's expertise really comes into play here.  We bought some wheelbarrows, shovels, and what everyone wants from this small town - pants.

We picked up a lady in Mazeras who is part of the Ministry of Energy helping us look at clay stove manufacturing where smoke is reduced greatly, and less wood is used to cook.  So many village children have respiratory problems because they are currently inhaling the smoke created by cooking over open flames within the huts. If Koins can learn how to manufacture these stoves, then produce and sell them at an affordable price to the villagers, we can help improve the health of families, reduce the need for as much charcoal or wood to burn, and create a more energy efficient way of cooking for the locals.  Riley has taken this on as his project.

The dam project is going well.  Lots of dirt has been moved, lots to go.  Kevin calls us a "Protocol Operation". 

There was an instantaneous bug infestation in the girls dorm room.  After a battle with DOOM, a pile of dead bugs was swept up by Emily.  TIA

We held our first peaches and pits tonight, led by Grace.

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Everyone is pretty much hitting their groove.  They know what they are doing and get right to it, be it in the dispensary, over at Kevin's Creek building a dam, or working with our agricultural guys ramping up for our activities there.

The dam is coming along really well, and villagers are now starting to take notice.  We've seen quite a number of people walking from other villages just to see what is going on, so hopefully we'll stay on schedule and give these people a great demonstration in engineering craftsmanship.

Kevin, Mark and I took a trip around the outskirts of our area giving out some baby blankets to some of the newborn babies that weren't able to take a blanket home with them.  Kevin's stake, along with some family friends, made dozens of blankets, with some special ones coming from his own daughters and personal friends.  He was able to hold several babies, wrapping them in their soft, new, protective blankets before handing them back to their mothers.  It was a lot of fun.

Lonny continues to orchestrate the animal activities with the SRA boyz.  They are starting the goat pen tomorrow, preparing for the arrival of Tom Rasmussen in a few days.  To me, this has the makings of being something great if we get all the details ironed out.

Bloody nose boy, Riley, taking him to Mariakani.  Laughing so hard Kevin and I can't breathe. 

First time I ever saw fog drifting gently across the green hilltops of our valley.  Since it was 90 days ago that this lush countryside was a barren landscape, it is quite the contrast.  The power of water...

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

John and Verlyn, with WhoLives.org, arrived late last night from the U.S.  They were up with the rest of the group and ready to attack the day.  These two are here to assess our workshop and make decisions regarding the steel components they will need for their deep water drill.  If we can get the appropriate supplies, and our people can step up to the plate with their skills, Koins Village will have an actual industry that will create jobs and lots of residual commerce.

As everyone divided to their own tasks, I took our new arrivals to visit SteelMakers and Doshi, the two big steel manufacturing giants in southern Kenya. It appears we'll have what we need, at a cost within budget, so things are looking up.

I had to return to Gona for a dowry negotiation for Raziki, my adopted daughter and Chakaya's older sister.  There were 20 of us in the circle from both sides of the family, Chief Joseph of Bofu, and other dignitaries.  I made it a lot of fun for everyone, and we came to a 14-cow agreement for Raziki's hand.  Omar, her boyfriend who was not invited to this end of the ceremony, is a very lucky guy.  When it came to drinking the traditional coconut beer at the end of the ceremony, I settled for a warm soda.  When it came to eating some mystery items from a large plate, Anthony came to my rescue and told everyone I had guests back at the KCC.  Yama, my wing man!!

We actually did return to dozens of smartly-dressed students from Miguneni.  They had come to assist with gathering stones from the river bed for the construction of the dam.  They worked diligently, carrying tons of the needed rock, placing it in a growing pile in our project area.  After thanking the kids from Miguneni, dozens of students from Gona showed up from the dam site where they, too, had been hauling rock for us.  I was able to address both groups, pointing out that, individually, carrying one stone would not make any difference in the world.  But, carrying one stone with their classmates, working together, that we could change the world......and indeed, that is what this project is all about.

We needed some supplies for our goat pen and other small construction needs, along with a few needs in the kitchen, so off to Mariakani I went.  While there I also passed by the vet store I visited the other day with our agricultural folks.  Joseph, my new Kenyan tailor was waiting for me (I called to make sure he would wait there) and gave me the pants I had ordered two days ago.  Two pair of slacks, pressed neatly and placed in a plastic bag, were waiting for me.  I pulled them out, inspected them, and found them to be truly attractive.  They were ten bucks each, so my expectations were not high.  After trying them on, I could not be more satisfied, and the rest of the guys when I got back are planning on expanding Joseph's workload over the next week.

Pasta for dinner, sugar cookies for dessert.  All things are pretty groovy.

With the arrival of all the new people we had to switch the sleeping quarters yesterday, so now the guys are sleeping in the large room next to my bedroom.  My oh my, what sounds men make in their slumber, all of which are not conducive to my light sleeping habits.

All of our projects have really picked up steam with the pace quickening for everyone.  We needed to buy 5 more shovels and 3 additional wheelbarrows to maintain our timetables for the dam.  We had to cut lumber for the goat pen that must be prepared for their arrival, and our drill guys are scrambling for the correct steel and machinery.  In between all of that we needed more water and food, as well as a fattened bull for the wedding on Saturday, and a random selection of a thousand other things.

Thurday, November 3, 2011

The workers at the dam decided they wanted to try their hand at negotiating for an increase in pay since they were now entrenched in digging in solid rock.  This isn't my first rodeo, so their representative was dispatched back to the working herd with a stern message from Baba Bret.  They continued their work, even picking up steam when I went down there to check up on things.  I delivered a soda for everyone as a token of my appreciation and an olive branch, and the signal was well received.

I walked with Kevin to the secondary school.  Things appear to be going well and growing.  Discovering new signs from another organization attached to buildings we constructed several years ago was a little upsetting, but that will clear itself out over the next few days as we meet with local and county officials. We've never glorified our work too much, but taking credit for someone else's work is a difficult thing to comprehend.  From the uproar it sounds as though the other organization was trying to validate their expenses, placing their names on our buildings and parading their supporters around the campus.  Very strange.

On my way back we saw a couple of boys playing with a bird.  It turned out to be an owl.  I bought it for 60 shillings just to keep him from being injured any further.  Folklore around this area has owls being a bad omen, connected to death and other bad incidents.  I had to force feed the bird as he was pretty listless, so hopefully he'll make it.

Bret and Screech, a baby owl he saved

Friday, November 4, 2011

Taking back roads to places we go is fast becoming a favorite thing to do.  Not only does it provide us a possible alternative to going through Mombasa, a horrible experience almost every time, but we are able to see a larger variety of how other villages live and what beautiful countrysides there are in Kenya.

WhoLives.org has arranged for their steel needs, but equipment for their shop is now the top priority.  During a recent visit to a Mombasa's Technical College in the Nyali Beach area of town I saw a lot of equipment and thought this might be a nice place to start.  It was.  We are well on our way to having a shop here in Mnyenzeni, providing well drills to the entire east coast of Africa.  The possibilities cause me to grin a little.

While at the Technical College we stopped in at Camara, the group that is scheduled to help us with our computer center.  There has been a change of heart up at the Secondary School, thanks to the parents, and we are back on schedule for having the facility housed there.

We ate lunch at the new restaurant located at the Nakumat-Nyali.  The food was quite good, and we had a chance to visit in depth with the Camara people.  Afterwards we departed for Biashara Street, the narrow street where textiles of every kind are offered.  Our target was to obtain a few attractive kanga cloths and kikoi's, the men's version of a kanga, for Kevin.  While in the store the lights went out, so by flashlight we made our choices and departed.

Darkness is thick here in Kenya, and entering heavy traffic with no street lights is a bit daunting.  We darted in and out of traffic, finally getting close to the edge of the city before coming to a log jam where traffic was literally stopped.  We turned the car off and sat unmoving for almost an hour as whatever was causing the jam got sorted out.  The roads truly are atrocious, with no signs of improving.  The government should be ashamed, and quite frankly, I'd like a personal apology to my kidneys for the condition of the roads.  We arrived well after dinner, but because of our healthy lunch it really didn't matter.  I enjoyed showering under the stars and then off to bed.

Saturday, November 5, 2011

It seemed like we all struggled to get things pulled together this morning.  I fed Screech and he pooped on me.  I like this little bird.  He has learned our feeding techniques, so it is easier on both of us.  He loves to be on a perch, so I placed him atop a door so he could see the entire room.  As I was standing there talking to my people, he flew and landed on my shoulder.  We tried it several more times, once using other members of our group lined up with me.  He still landed on me, so naturally I'm liking this little hooter.  No, I've not yet heard him hoot.

Riley, Rachel, and Grace rallied to paint all the classroom chalkboards in Mnyenzeni Secondary and Primary.  Tom assisted Lonny and the SRA boys to move forward with the goat pen, while the dam project finally went vertical today.  The speed at which our laborers are working down at Kevin's Creek hastened today as they could finally understand the project and are excited about it.  They showed great pride as the blocks were laid and mortar set.  The parallel walls are 32" high and should be finished tomorrow.

Dam building in progress

Most of us took the trip to Gona today to participate in Riziki and Omar's wedding.  Riziki is Chakaya's sister, and my eldest "African Daughter."  She was dressed in stark white and stunning to the eye.  It's amazing that in such a place of dirt and dust, a sparkling bride can emerge.  It was fun being part of the ceremony, and a sign, to me, that our entrenchment here in this area exceeds the boundaries of culture, race, and socio-economics.  We are family, and welcomed by all to be a part of their every-day lives.

During some of the dancing that was taking place, Kevin was particularly taken aback by the rhythm and movements these young kids were able to make to the music.  One girl, who appeared to be the maid of honor, was a lot of fun for Kevin, dancing with him and playing while he filmed her. We've not had any hard core "cultural" interaction, so this was a lot of fun.

Back at the KCC, we took showers, sang aloud to 70's music in a group out on the porch, and watched Screech observe us with what looked to be disdain. We discovered that he is a Southern White-Faced Scop Owl.

Rachel has been very sick, although she is the only one, so it probably isn't food related.  We treated her with Cipro, and after 24 hours or so or misery, she is starting to feel better.

BVL
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I have daily phone conversations with Bret.  It is difficult to keep up with all the activity going on.  This is truly the most activity we have had in one group at one time.  And with everything else going on, a school building is being constructed at Dzendereni,  schedule to be opened in early December. 

I am anxious to get photos of the work being done in Kenya, to document the progress of each project.  This is a very exciting time for Koins.  There is a time for planning and there is a time for progress.  What is happening is the result of much planning, and the pieces fitting together so well are a sign of progress.  Anyone who has traveled with us knows that each step of the way we are met with the reality of the words "This is Africa", and that often the best laid plans fall apart with that reality.  It is encouraging to see solid progress on so many projects in such a short time frame.

More to come.

Asante,

IVL

The Ethiopian Cowboy in Kenya

Today is my first day in Kenya. Travel was very good except for a two hour delay as we sat on the tarmac of the Addis airport. Patricia and others of the Spanish contingent were about to mutiny and leave the plane. The pilot said five minutes then half an hour later said ten minutes then an hour later said 15 minutes which ended up being almost another hour. I just sat back and enjoyed my time. I knew that stressing about it wouldn’t help. If I would have only had that attitude while I was packing.

We were the only people in the airport when we arrived so we were able to go through easily. I filled out the two forms and paid my $50 for the visa and I was in.  At customs there were two people arguing with the customs lady about having to open their suitcases and how much they had to pay. We told her that we didn’t have anything to declare so she just sent us through without even looking at our luggage.

Johnson picked me up at the airport. He is a driver that is used by Koins and other similar groups to drive people around. He told me a lot about Kenya as we drove the one hour to the compound. Kenya has 42 different languages but the principle language is Swahili. Most of the younger generation also learns English.  On the flight over I watched the movie The First Grader which told the story of an 84 year old man that went back to a rural primary school to learn to read. It was a good movie that helped me understand a little of the Kenyan history.

Discussing chicken and goat raising with a Kenyan farmer

At the Koins Community Center I met with Anthony who is in charge. He introduced me to most of the staff: Emily and Ester who run the kitchen and laundry, Mwanzara who runs the wood shop, Samuel who runs the welding shop, Patrick and Edison who work on the animals and plants respectively, Buffalo who is the projects manager and several others. Anthony showed me the outside showers and toilets, the bedrooms, the research plot area, and the work shop. They have quite a project going here.

Bret came by and took me out to the river area to show me where he is planning on putting in dams. The land is much more rolling than I had imagined and the river gorge deeper.  I think that the dams will work very well.  Now that I have a better idea about how the land is I can start thinking about how we should approach the challenges and opportunities that we have.

Kenya reminds me very much of Ethiopia as far as the climate, the people, and the cultural advancement. The roads are poor at best. The main road to Nairobi isn’t too bad once you get out of Mombasa but the road that turns off and heads to Mienzeni is very rough.  The children are wonderful. They are so happy and welcoming. We watched several of them dance in the public church house close to the KCC (Koins Conference Center). They were very good and were having an excellent time.

I am just about to the 36 hour mark from when I boarded the plane in Salt Lake City. I was able to sleep on several of the flights but I am totally wiped out now. I hope that I can sleep well tonight and get my biological clock reset and going right away.

~ Lonny, AKA "The Kenyan Katalyst"

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Lonny Ward is in Kenya with Bret, lending his expertise to our dairy goat project.  I am very excited about the possibilities of this project, and the good it will do for the farmers and village families we serve. 

I look forward to more posts from Lonny.

Asante,

IVL

SRA in Kenya

In July, members of the organization Self Reliant Agriculture (SRA) visited Mnyenzeni, Kenya to continue work on the partnership between SRA and Koins.  The following is an excerpt from the SRA blog detailing that visit.

SRA Farm in Malawi

Seeing elephants and giraffes in a zoo will never be the same for Dr. Paul Johnston and Tom Rasmussen.  After witnessing large numbers of them stride across the African bush, the two men felt dwarfed in their presence, and outsmarted as baboons jumped through Dr. Johnston’s window, quickly snatched his candy, and were out again before he had time to react.  Such are the happenings at Tsavo Game Reserve in Kenya where Mr. Rasmussen and Dr. Johnston were privileged to observe over twenty-five different wild species on their overnight adventure.

Except for the two day safari, the rest of their three week journey was spent in Ghana, Malawi, and Kenya developing new relationships and rekindling old ones so that SRA could be effective in applying its small-scale agriculture model among the rural families.  In all three countries, doors opened as interested and eager universities sought to partner with SRA.  Various universities want to take on the SRA approach that combines proper nutritional diets with appropriate crop plantation.  Due to the severe economic stress in which these people live, all of the problems cannot be solved at once; however, some steps can be taken immediately to suffice some of their most critical needs while others are soon to follow.

In Kenya, one of SRA’s partnering NGO’s, Koins for Kenya, has helped build schools for over six thousand elementary age children.  Many of these children walk barefoot a mile or more each day to receive instruction in classrooms without electricity and alongside more than one hundred other children.  These children  do this on a diet that consists almost entirely of corn, which is usually only enough to satisfy about thirty percent of their daily nutritional requirements.  Without adequate calcium, iron, or essential vitamin supplements, malnutrition is widespread.  Consistent iron deprivation in young children can adversely affect their cognitive development, which is irreversible.  Additional similar and serious problems occur with other deficiencies.

SRA will be partnering with Koins for Kenya, receiving educational resources from Pwani University in Kenya, and aided financially from another humanitarian NGO.  Thousands of families in this area of Kenya will be assisted in the development of family gardens and additional projects that will address their most critical nutritional needs.  Water collection and retention, more efficient and healthy stoves for cooking, and numerous other improvements will be initiated in these villages.  Small animals, including dairy goats, will be introduced as soon as possible to round out the nutritional needs of the families.

Similar interest and enthusiasm among governmental and educational leaders was also found in Ghana and Malawi.  Projects will be organized in those countries as funding becomes available.  In the meantime, the universities have expressed a desire to teach the SRA nutrition course and small-scale farming course as part of their curriculum.  These universities have installed a demonstration farm on their respective campuses for research, and as a model for others to emulate.
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Representatives from SRA have again come to Mnyenzeni, this time to oversee the progress of the Koins farm and the acquiring of milk goats.  I had a brief phone conversation with Bret today regarding the various projects that are being worked on, and Mnyenzeni is a beehive of activity, with people going in many directions as several big projects are coming to fruition.  I look forward to sharing his journal with details of these activities, as well as photos.  Big things are happening in Kenya!

Asante sana!

IVL

Baby Blankets and Dams

One of the expeditioners currently in Kenya is Kevin Nielsen.  Kevin was a missionary in Italy with Bret 30+ years ago, and is an expert in earthen dams in third world countries.  He and Bret connected a while back, and got talking about the work we do in Kenya, and Kevin's expertise just happened to be something we could utilize.  Land has been purchased and a Koins farm is being established.  It will be both an example of what can be done with a small plot of land, and a hands on experience for local farmers who will be allowed to farm a piece of the Koins farm.  With help from Self Reliant Agriculture, we will be training local farmers to farm better, to use the land to raise better and healthier crops, as well as fish and animals.  Part of the requirement of such a farm is having available water.  There is a riverbed adjacent to the Koins farm, but it only has running water for a few weeks of the year, during the rainy season.  With the help of Kevin Nielsen, a dam is being built in this riverbed that will allow that seasonal water to be contained, and it will provide year round access to water for crops on the Koins farm.  Once we can prove that this dam project is feasible and affordable, we can consider building additional dams within the Koins service area.  The rivers flow hard and fast during the few weeks of the rainy season, but the water ends up in the Indian Ocean, then the rivers dry up.  By providing a source for irrigation water, we could make a huge difference to the lives of local farmers.

Kevin called a few weeks before the trip and asked what his local church community could do for Koins.  I suggested they make baby blankets that could be brought and distributed to the clinics within the Koins service area.  The response was great, and this was Kevin's communication with Bret prior to departing for Kenya:

Kevin Nielsen with baby blankets for Kenya

Just a heads up, as you know, I asked for blankets to fill my suitcases.  Well, the Relief Society sisters in our stake put out the attached notice and we got more than a suitcase full.  A portion of them are shown in the attached picture.  There were many expressions of this being the most rewarding humanitarian project they had ever done. They are anxious to have me return with pictures and report about the end result.   As I mentioned to Jami, I actually cannot get them all in mine and Shad’s suitcases so I’ll be storing some at my house until my “next” trip to Mnyenzeni!

 I am looking forward to seeing the results of the dam building in Kenya, and to hear of Kevin's experiences, both in dam building and in distributing baby blankets.  Within the last 2 days, there have been 5 new babies born in the Koins service area.  Each new baby will return home from the clinic wrapped in a new, clean, warm blanket donated by caring Americans.

Asante sana!

IVL

Bret's Kenya Journal, October 2011, Part 1

Bret is in Kenya with a small expedition.  This is potentially the most important, life changing expedition ever, as far as the Kenya people we serve.  The focus for this expedition is on agriculture and dam building.  Bret has written a summary of his first few days, in the way only Bret can.  His many trips to Kenya have given him an understanding of life in Kenya that few Americans can fathom.  The nuances of his perspective are touching and worth sharing.  I hope you enjoy.
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The preparation for this expedition has been many years in the making....and I'm convinced it wasn't my plan.  With each passing day I become more convinced that the hand of my Heavenly Father has guided me and Koins to this point, placing opportunities in our path, bringing talented individuals to our doorstep, and lighting our way.  The divine hand that continues to manifest itself in our work has coordinated this work, and especially this trip, from the very beginning. The week in Italy prior to my departure for Kenya made the transition a lot easier.  I'm sure I can convince others to join me for a similar trip in the future if it includes a week in Europe just to get "acclimated." Walking off the plane in Nairobi feels as natural as deplaning at SLC International.  I know the fast way to the passport counters, I am familiar with the luggage handling, and tonight said hello to one of the customs people that actually recognized me from previous trips.  We have probably had a run-in at some point since to the Kenyans all white people look the same. The flight to Mombasa was less than an hour.  Anthony greeted me as he has done so many times before.  This time he was alone, having driven a car by himself to pick me up.  He handed me the keys as we loaded the car and I gladly snatched them up and took my place on the opposite side of the car from where we normally drive. The rains have devastated the roadways here.  I haven't seen the main artery from Mombasa to Nairobi this bad in almost a decade.  It's truly sad to see the commerce of this country choked by the inability to get the small things right.  In just a few hundreds yards I felt comfortable driving on the left hand side of the road.  The pot holes kept me busy and awake, and within an hour (due to it being one o'clock in the morning) we were pulling into the KCC.  Emily and Esther both arose from their beds to greet me and I had to stop them from preparing water for a shower and a hot meal.  It's grand to be home. I don't mind the crow of a rooster early in the morning, but this dude has got to die.  I don't think that 4:50 is when any chicken, on any day, should begin making their racket.  A great thing about Kenya is that if I identify that rooster, I simply buy him, give him to Emily in the kitchen, and his fleshy parts will help flavor my pilau rice dish tomorrow. Yama and I met and got the day organized.  After a few brief meetings of the mind with some of our staff, we got together with the SRA boys.  These two men are extremely gifted and highly trained in crops and animals, and have the ability to train others on better methodologies that will ultimately assist themselves feed their families better.  We walked for over an hour under a scorching sun, exploring the Koins plots between Mnyenzeni and Vikolani.  They never knew the boundary until today, and had never discussed my visions for it in depth.  With everything we discussed those two grown men were actually giddy with excitement. Galla goats being traded for the traditional African goats, chicken give-a-way, and the tilapia starter kit, the rotational garden partnership program, and others were all discussed to their delight.  It is only possible with them overseeing the entire project, so I am ecstatic with our SRA Partnership at this point. Stones continue to be collected for the dams, citrus trees, banana trees, papaya and mango trees are all being ordered.  They will be planted throughout the "garden" area of the demonstration plot so everyone can see how easy it is to raise these valuable and nutritious trees.  So much is in store, so much to do, so much to plan....... Our trip to Mombasa had us visiting with the President of Steelmakers, Inc. the largest steel products manufacturer in Eastern Africa.  He had not been responsive to Yama over the last month, so I dropped in on him.  He was nervous at first, but with a lot of reason and excitement about the drills being constructed locally.......and dozens to be completed monthly (hopefully with his steel), he saw the light and began helping us. Once in town we visited the bank, then a hardware specialty company for some items we need to make gabbion wire stone boxes for the dam, along with some "geotextile" product that is VERY difficult to locate.  These pieces need to be in place before my engineer shows up and wants to build a dam, so we're busy as beavers......yes, a pun. Went to the Blue Room for some internet connection and dropped some emails.  Although separated from Ingrid for only 36 hours, it was fun to hook up with her through a video conference and see her early morning smile and eyes.  No matter what time of day or how flighty her hair might be, those eyes are like looking at a pair of blue-green sapphires with spotlights behind them.  Her peepers are second to none and they were good to look into, even if it was just a few minutes. Shopping for the expedition ended our stay in town.  Although we made fast decisions and walked quickly, the process still took over 90 minutes.  Where are Jami and Sue when you need them? The outdoor showers are a marvelous end to a sweaty, dusty, tacky day.  With the fan on full throttle and an ambient down my gullet, I hit the sack and dream of big Galla goats filling our pastures and milk containers throughout the area.  So excited!! The rooster has to go!  At 4:10 this morning that early-rising cock-a-doodle-doer decided I needed to get up.  He's going in the pot as soon as I can identify which of the three rooster he is.  The unfortunate part is at that hour it's still too dark to see, and by the time I can see, all of them are crowing and they all sound similarl. Anthony, Patrick, Emerson and I all departed for Kilifi after breakfast.  Due to road conditions we didn't want to go through Mombasa, so we decided to take back roads for the 50 mile ride.  The SRA boys were raised in the area where we would make our shortcut, and as it turned out, it was shorter, quicker, and a lot easier on the eyes.  There were beautiful sites all along the way, some wonderful little villages, and a dirt road much better than the main road. We visited with the staff at Pwani University for a couple of hours.  They were glad to show us their goat and dairy operation, fish farm, chicken ranch, and mushroom-raising activities.  Although they provide a lot of academia with their projects, our application in the real world will end of benefitting them more than what they'll provide us.  However, both spectrums together will make us all a lot better in our agricultural endeavors. Upon our return Yama headed back to Mazeras for a funeral.  I opted to remain here, spending time with the SRA boys going over what we had seen at Pwani and going more into depth.  We spent more time at the "shamba" going over details of our plans for this beautiful piece of ground, and our ideas are really coming together.  Once we have Kevin here to make a final decision on the dam placement, we can swing everything else into action.  We had our usual entourage of village children following us the entire time, calling out to me and asking for  magic rather than candy.  A couple of cheesy tricks later they had all been satisfied and filled with laughter, checking each other's ears for additional coins that might be hidden. Buffalo came by and we went to discuss the block making for the dam.  We came together quickly making strides in our goals that should allow us to meet our timelines.  Moses and a teacher friend of his also came to visit and ended up eating dinner with us.  While sitting together Kendy called from America and I surprised her by answering his phone.  I could hear the confusion in her voice when I answered, and when she figured out it was me, her tone went to shear jealousy, knowing that I was with her beau. Early evening, showered, hit the sack. The sun was extremely heavy today, crashing down hard all morning, causing everyone to walk a little slower.  The shade only made it bearable, but in direct sunlight the temperature was 20 degrees more.  Simply put, it was oppressively humid and uncomfortably hot. Thick, billowy clouds formed to the south in the afternoon........ I met with Emily this morning about the arrival of our other guests, shopping lists, how many meals per day she needed to prepare, etc.  Since my scheming session with the SRA Boys late yesterday, they prepared an outline for moving forward.  These guys are on fire with excellence, and with each passing day we make great steps in our agricultural agenda. I visited the dispensary and was greeted by dozens of baby-toting mothers patiently awaiting their turn.  I don't know how Naomi does it, but she is a super star when it comes to this area's health care.  We went over the agenda for our small expedition, focused mostly on the coordinated activities of Grace Quesenberry.  It appears as though Grace will spend several days next week walking around the villages administering polio drops into the children's mouths.  That, along with delivering dozens of baby blankets to area dispensaries as gifts when mothers have their children in our facilities instead of at home. Somehow I brought up the issue of HIV/AIDS and mothers.  We delved into this heavy topic because I saw several babies in the waiting line that appeared to be woefully sick.  Since I don't fully understand the "how's and what's" to this deadly disease, I have to ask a lot of questions.  I wasn't aware that babies born to an HIV positive mother wasn't necessarily infected with the disease.  However, I learned that the baby has a very high potential of getting the disease if it nurses from the positive mother.  I was floored to hear that many mothers are faced with starving their babies, or passing along their deadly disease......and therefore the disease continues. Our goat milk program just got a new curve in it with this enlightening discussion.  Our plan is to provide the schools with milk through a small herd at each facility.  They will care for the animals and milk them daily, placing the milk into the children's porridge.  It won't provide much to each child, but when they receive nothing now, each drop counts.  With my conversation with Naomi, we will implement a similar program at the dispensaries, providing clean milk to the babies where their mothers are HIV positive. We had the Fitzgerald's arrive today from Watamu where they have spent the last three weeks.  Their experience of "Humanitarian Work" so far has not been stellar, so coming to our village area will surely light them up.  The Koins Center is a change from the posh, seaside hotel in which they were staying before.  To their credit, it is a welcome change, and one that has them both excited, as they really are interested in lending a helping hand. I met the Fitzgerald's in Mombasa and they helped me do some shopping for our group that will be arriving tomorrow.  We had a couple of errands to run on the way to meeting them, the first being in Mazeras.  I was standing in front of the butcher shop on the main road waiting for Anthony when a gentleman came up to me and began shaking my hand profusely.  He was rambling in Duruma and I could only catch a small percentage of what he was saying.  Thankfully, Yama came out of the shop and explained what I was missing. It was a few years ago while I was walking through a local village when I found a pair of twins, barely alive and looking more like small birds than children.  Their mother was extremely sick and could not nurse or care for the baby girls.  Koins rarely takes a position of helping one person or family, especially with medical issues, because everyone has genuine needs.  But in this instance I could not ignore the ugly situation, and I ended up taking the babies and their mother to the hospital where they stayed for a couple of weeks. I was saddened at the news that one of the babies didn't make it, but happy that the other had, along with her mother.  Two years passed when a lady that I did not recognize approached me at the Koins Center.  She had walked from Mazeras, some 12 miles away, because she heard that I was in town.  She was bouncing a chunky little girl in her arms when she told me, through a translator, that she was the mother of the twins.  I couldn't believe me eyes and then barely held back my tears.  When I asked to hold the toddler, she gladly handed her to me.  As I stood hugging the baby, the mother swung the kanga that was wrapped around her to her front where I could now see her twin sister.  She had not passed on, and, if fact, was fatter than her sister.  It was a happy moment. The man who saw me from across the street today and ran to greet me was the father of the twins.  His eyes were still filled with gratitude after almost fours years since that fateful moment.  Why did I stick my head into a strangers house to see why a baby was crying?  Why did I decide to take steps, when normally I probably wouldn't?  I may never know, but I'm willing to guess that why it happened will reveal itself at some point. On the way from Mazeras to Mombasa there was a huge traffic jam on this two lane road.  It is treacherous in normal conditions, but due to the traffic and aggressive drivers, it is near insanity to go out there.  I was behind the wheel trying to make progress in a way that can only be explained if you experience it.  But, in almost a moment where nothing was going on around us, a large 18-wheeler smacked the back corner of the car.  We pulled over to check out the minor damage, but the truck driver had no inclination to stop, and kept on going.  I looked at Anthony and asked, "what do we do now?"  He stated simply "T.I.A." - This Is Africa.  This small catch-phrase can really sum up a situation like this, basically stating that there's nothing you can do about it, so roll with it.  The estimate on the car repairs in the U.S. - $2,500.  Actual costs in Kenya - $60.  Hey, T.I.A. I think I've identified the rooster who has consistently caused me to open my eyes at zero dark thirty since I arrived.  He crowed one too many times when I was near the side of the building and I saw which one he is.  On one hand I want to eat the flesh from his skinny bones, but on the other hand he's the only African that is timely every day.....so, I'm conflicted. The morning was overcast with rain falling in the distance.  The Fitzgerald's were up, and Chakaya needed passage to Bofu, so I loaded everyone into the van and we went for a little ride.  Once we dropped Chakaya in Bofu, he continued to Dzendereni on a piki-piki (motorcycle taxi).  We backtracked a mile and went to Gona, checking on our final projects from July.  The Tingey School is the best looking classroom we've constructed to date.  Surprisingly, because it is Saturday, it was filled with students when we arrived.  Their teacher was there and the instruction was serious.  When I entered, the students, in their usual fashion, stood all at once and stated in complete unison, "Good morning, Sir!"  I returned the greeting and asked them to be seated.  The teacher was happy to have visitors and asked if I would take a moment and address his students.  I took the opportunity to make them laugh, make them ponder, and hopefully try a little harder.  It was a great interaction. We took some back roads through the real African bush so the Fitzgerald's could see what living in Kenya is all about.  The clouds were breaking up and the heat would soon be oppressive, but village life was unfolding in front of us, and for a novice, it is striking.  Riley stated that he had been present in-country for over a month, but this was his first real day of being in Kenya. We passed by the Sean Michels School to say hello to the special needs kids.  As we pulled up, those that are mobile ran to greet us.  We hurried down to the other children and all greeted each other.  We have a couple of new faces, but the ones I have known for a few years were all there in ear-to-ear smiles.  I threw Beja around, making him squeel to the laughter of everyone.  One of the wheelchair kids got a zippy ride around the compound in her carriage, chasing the other children in circles.  The SMS is a special place. Lonny Ward is arriving on a 12:45 flight from Ethiopia.....well, that's the scheduled time anyway.  As I was about to leave to pick him up I received his text about a mechanical breakdown and probable two hour delay.  As I had a meeting planned for the afternoon with a possible replacement for Anthony Yama when he begins his politicial career next year.  Our faithful driver, Johnson, picked Lonny up, and without further delay was here at the KCC. The rest of the afternoon was spent talking shop with the SRA Boys, Lonny, and I.  Lonny pulled out some photos from his dairy album and showed photos of his 80 liters a day cow.  Those are big numbers for me to digest, but to the Africans they were borderline fairy-tale.  Their cows generate an average of 6-8 liters per day around here when things are good, so numbers like Lonny produces has them all shaking their heads in amazed disbelief. Rachel prepared a nice dinner, and several plans were made for tomorrow, including several contingencies based upon whether or not the delayed flights for our next group of arrivals causes problems in Nairobi.  I'm going to bed and wait for the news from Johnson, who has departed once again for the airport. _____________ I am looking forward to more updates from Bret.  This will be a full and busy expedition, with much happening and opportunities to help the Kenyans in our service area see real change in their lives. Watch for updates. Asante sana, IVL

Youth Leadership Expedition in Kenya - New for 2012

If you would like more info on this expedition, you can contact the Koins Expedition Leader, Jami Quesenberry, at jami@koinsforkenya.org 

Go here to download an expedition application. 

Asante! 

IVL

Microscope at Mnyenzeni Dispensary

I received an email from Naomi, the nurse in charge at the Mnyenzeni Dispensary.  She is on our Koins board in Kenya, and requested the microscope that was provided to the Dispensary in March.  Here is an accounting of the numbers of local villagers that have benefitted from the acquisition of the microscope in our rural area: 

MNYENZENI DISPENSARY (CLINIC) – LABORATORY SERVICES

Investigations Done to Parasites as from 1^st May 2011 to 31^st August 2011

1.     Blood for Malaria parasites – 1,475

2.     Malaria cases Found positive – 429 patients

3.     Hemoglobin level – 39 patient (6 patients were anemic)

4.     Sputum examination for Tuberculosis and Follow up - 45 patients

5.     Stool examination – 171 patients

6.     Urine examination – 207 patients

Total number of patients who benefited from the laboratory services – 2,104 patients

This report was compiled and written by

NAOMI

Nurse in charge

Cindy observes the microscope being used by the lab tech at the Mnyenzeni dispensary

__________________________________________________________

Cindy Workman, a 6th grade teacher at Windridge Elementary in Farmington, Utah, and member of our Koins for Kenya board, raised the funds, along with her 6th grade class, for the purchase of the microscope for the Mnyenzeni Dispensary.  

Health care in Kenya is rudimentary at best.  Most rural dispensaries, so called because they are for the purpose of dispensing drugs that can treat diseases, rather than being clinics, with doctors and trained health care officials available to the villagers, are poorly stocked.  Many do not have electricity, further limiting their capacity for help.  

Prior to the delivery of the microscope, the Mnyenzeni dispensary did not have the ability to accurately determine what illnesses sick patients were dealing with.  Sometimes they would treat everyone for malaria, whether or not they had the illness, other times, if there were no malaria drugs available, patients would be sent away from the dispensary with no treatment.  

With the introduction of the microscope this past spring, and 2 trained lab technicians to draw blood and view blood, urine and feces under the microscope, the ability to accurately determine illness and how to treat it became a reality.  The rural area that the Mnyenzeni dispensary serves has greatly benefitted.  As you can see from the figures above, in four months time, 2,104 patients were treated using the microscope.  

Thank you to the 6th graders of Windridge who raised the funds to purchase this microscope.  Their efforts are truly making a difference to the people of rural Kenya. 

Asante sana! 

IVL