Greetings from SOGGY Africa!!

Posted on Wednesday, October 29, 2008 at 10:06

What a downpour we experienced yesterday! Steve and the girls and I had washed all our clothes down by the spring first thing after breakfast. It had taken us a couple of hours, but all the clothes were drying on the line and we were thinking that directly after lunch they would be dry enough to fold.

Speaking of lunch; I have to tell you, Miriam, our cook, made us a nice pot of potatoes instead of the customary rice and beans, which was a welcome change, but the problem was, that’s about all she made. She also made us a small pot of greens. My guess is that they were amaranth greens this time. Teresa and I sliced up about 6 avocadoes to go with it. Kristen and I looked at the hungry, hardworking crew and at the meager meal and we decided to cut up the loaf of bread meant for supper. The plan was that we would walk to the Duka (store) and see if we could get some baking powder to make biscuits to replace the bread.

Well, during lunch the sky decided to give way! There was a mad dash to the spring for our clothes --- Cindy and her girls had hastily taken most of them down already, but they were kind of damp.

The rain poured down in typical Africa fashion and it even hailed part of the time. We were all confined to our abode for a couple hours. The hope is that the downpour did not mark the beginning of the wet season, yet!!! Dust may be bad enough to contend with, six inches of mud may be quite another, but thirty people confined to this building is a whole ‘nother problem.

Kristen and I were not able to walk to the duka because of the rain, obviously, so we had quite a trial coming up with supper. Miriam had to make room for us in her smoky, outdoor kitchen and build us another little fire to cook over since she had a loaf of bread on each of her two main fires. We cooked spaghetti twice to make enough and used 2 packages of cashew cheese for sauce. The spaghetti satisfied the hunger and made the kids very happy.

Bella has been sick every other night. Last night was good. She isn’t herself, though; just quiet and sedentary. McKenzie succumbed to a fever and a nasty headache, and even throwing up quite suddenly. Poor kid really suffered. Her mother discovered a horrible infection on her foot. I made a charcoal poultice and in half an hour it had drained a lot of the puss. Her mother kept renewing the poultice all day and while it looks red and swollen, it isn’t near as bad as before. Anyway, Kenzie is much better today.

Some of the children are catching colds and have had tummy aches, but most are doing fine. The food is an adjustment on the GI tract for all. Personally, I struggle with dizziness from the altitude and an inability to digest the beans and rice; heartburn is my enemy. There is a lot of oil in every dish of rice and beans and greens and I simply don’t digest it.

Two little girls from just down the road hang out with us all day. One looks about 5 and the other is 2 ½  - 3 yrs. I call them Mattie and Maggie as I can’t say or spell their correct names but they rhyme with Mattie and Maggie J Teresa dressed them in Isabelle and Leila’s clothes. They are quite cute and act like they live here and are used to white folk. They help scrub socks and expect a plate of rice and beans at lunch. During the rain they played with the girls and the youngest eventually slept in Dakota’s arms. Kristen would take them home in a minute – but they actually have a mother. Last evening she came looking for them. We wondered if she might worry about them in all that thunder and lightening. Apparently she works all day in the fields and leaves the 5 year old to care for the younger child; so typical! The mother slung the small one on her back and handed the older girl an umbrella and waved to us.

The other building is going up quickly. The guys built 15 trusses yesterday. The fundi’s (Jason’s mason workers) have the walls just about the right height and the carpenter has been busy building window and door frames. Jason built the fireplace before he took his family home. The boys have been hauling bricks all day.

Today I asked Miriam not to season the beans and Kristen and I are making chili for lunch. I hope to make potato soup for supper if I get the chance. I am taking the girls to sort clothing for the orphans this morning. We hope to get back for lunch.

My mom is getting quite a reputation. You probably have never met someone quite like her. She is a hardworking energizer bunny! I wish I would have inherited half of her stamina. She goes from the break of dawn until late at night. She has the only vehicle here so she runs back and forth picking up lumber, finding fresh food for us, loading bricks, and getting supplies all day. She requires little food all day long and doesn’t eat anything in the evening. If one goes with her as an extra pair of hands, she may not bring that person back for the next meal.  Jon and Dave learned that the hard way…. They totally missed lunch and almost missed supper; they had no water and felt done in… My dad just shakes his head. He calls her Martha.  She just never stops!!

On Monday we went to start our VBS in Lupalilo.  The air was filled with SMOKE. Ashes dropped on the computer and the projector during the whole presentation. Natalie did the Bible story; Vanessa the Health segment and Teresa had a craft.  The school is a total disaster. DIRTY and DARK and the headmaster is a woman who obviously doesn’t care what happens. She and all the teachers were late to class, but any of the children who arrived after them were caned for being late. Vanessa was horrified to watch them use a bamboo cane across their backs and sometimes their heads. Mom says that a month ago there were 350 students in the school, but they switched all the headmasters around and now there is no law or order in this particular school and more than half of them are playing hooky most of the time. It’s a sickening situation, really. Our program went fine and we promised the kids that the next day there would be prizes and everything. The headmaster asked Teresa to go into the office and sign the guest book, however, she didn’t like Teresa’s signature. She had her do it three times over, and finally Teresa said, “This is the way we do it in MY country!”

The headmaster then decided to change the times of our VBS and barely gave us any time at all. It’s all about power. Mom was very frustrated with her since this was arranged months ago for a three hour slot. She told her translator, “Tell them we will NOT be BACK!” 

Now we have arranged to do the program in Mago in the afternoon. It’s much easier since it’s just a little walk up the path from here; however, we are sad for the kids in Lupalilo. They miss out because their headmaster doesn’t care. It would have been pretty interesting trying to get there yesterday in that major storm, though.

Steve and Dave finally put a door handle on the door of this building…. The first couple of nights we had no door, then we had a plastic, then Jason put up the doors with Paul, then finally today there is a door handle. Now Steve is working on roofing the outhouse. Rain is really hard on toilet paper, in case you didn’t know.

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Posted by haflinger on Wednesday, October 29, 2008 at 11:32 - Link

Wow rain and I'm getting snow showers today.. I love to hear about Africa cause I've always wanted to go there. Glad to hear you all are adjusting some what to the food..
Blessings Sister Brenda/haflinger

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Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, October 29, 2008 at 08:46 - Link

Hi there you all - Just read your blog this morning - wow! You guys are suffering! I feel bad for sitting here in my comfortable house drinking in the sunshine and quiet. BUT some of you will be heading over here for the weekend and I promise I will minister to you while you're here - hot showers, food, the whole works!! Then, next weekend it will be somebody else's turn! It was a bit hard for me being there with three little ones and running a fever half of the time so I am praying that the Lord will give you courage and strength for today. What memories you are making!!!! You'll appreciate your home so much when you get back and people might think you're excaggerating (sp?) a bit when you relate your experiences. :)

See you tomorrow!!! Hope Kenzie's foot feels better soon.