Rift Valley Academy and Good Shepherd

What a fabulous Saturday spent at the orphanage!!!  A group of 12 students from the Rift Valley Academy (RVA) in Kijabe came to Good Shepherd to help finish the sack gardens, plant some additional seedlings, move the boys to the dormitory and generally have fun with the kids.  We had a great introduction first of songs, skits and "hellos".  Every time we do this the kids always have new song to present and this day we even had a song competition.   Picture is included.  Sorry RVA students, the winner was Good Shepherd.  It's pretty hard to beat 18 screaming kids at the song they love the best.  From there we broke RVA into three groups.  One was to retrofit the old classroom to a boys dormitory.  The second group worked on planting the last 3 rows of drip feed.  And the last group worked on additional 4 sack gardens. 

One of the pressing issues at Good Shepherd was that all 18 children from ages 3 to 12 slept in the same 6 bunk beds.  Now this might not be such a big problem but it's a combination of boys and girls.  And as you can imagine there have been some problems with boys and girls being well.....boys and girls.  So we took a seldom used classroom and went to work.  First, we put up plywood siding on the obvious gaps in the walls so that the wind did not come through.  Second, we replaced 6 metal sheets on the roof with new ones to stop leaks when it rains.  Lastly, some small additions like a new lock and concrete to cover big gaps in the floor.  The group of 4 boys who helped did an amazing job.  Working tirelessly to fit the siding, lay the concrete and get the room prepared/cleaned.  I have included a pictures of the roof off and all the boys in their bunk beds.  Precious!!!!  Funny, the really young ones you can see on the right side of the picture were a bit scared.  Trying to figure out the new digs and get their minds around the a sudden change in their home.  The older boys seemed pretty excited to have a new "boys club".  I think over the next few weeks they will settle in nicely and Really like the space.  We did not have enough money to do this project but it was important to me.  So I funded it to make sure it was done immediately.  But there are still some needs.  We need to finish the siding and paint the room so it looks more homely.  That will come and if anyone out there is interested in helping it should not be much, not more that $100.  So let me know if you feel the calling.

The second major area was to complete the drip feed systems and get even more sack gardens set up.  This is a great impact to the orphanage. It increases the productivity of the garden and allows them to be more self sustained.    The RVA kids had never seen this technology and were all excited to learn and jumped right in completing the job that would have taken Rocky and I many days.  They did it in one..  I have included some pics of the garden as it stands now, the sack gardens and the children helping.  It still amazes me how they always WANT to help.  They like working along side us, learning and just being shown that someone really cares for them.   Again, a huge thank you goes out to RVA.  You did a great job!!!!!

And we did also have some art time and the RVA group worked with the children to make a bunch of educational photos.   We tried to focus them this time on hygiene.  This seems very simple but they are lessons that most of these children have never been exposed to as no one has taken the time to show them.  Lessons like how to wash hands before eating, brush your teeth, wash every day and keep your area clean.   Simple examples but so integral to daily life.  These will also keep the children from getting sick so often and keep the facility cleaner.  I included a pic of the children working at some art.  I also included a picture of Cyrus.  Of course once the children get markers the paper is not the only canvas.  Many had drawn on their own faces.  (that is not blood on his face it's red marker).    We even had boys coming up to us and lifting up their shirts to show entire drawings on their bellies.   So hilarious!!!!!!

Thanks again for RVA, Rocky, Ken, Mwaniki and Alison for good days work.  Without you it would have never been possible.

Personal Post :)

I see that my 3 posts today have all been about work.  Sure I'm a part of them also but why not a bit on some of the odd things that happen to me.  Well not all odd....

First, what a damn good fish.  Yes, this picture mainly is about me catching a whopper and bragging :)  Isn't that what men do?  Actually, it was a great fishing story.  I was invited to go to a lake on one of big coffee plantations by Sven.  One of my new fishing buds.  Well the day was really good for everyone else.  We were four in the boat, Sven, his dad Jan, cousin Kim and I.   They were catching fish like mad, nothing for me.   Well really I was enjoying my cigars and chatting with the group.  Ok Ok that is my justification for not catching fish.  You caught me!!!  But an hour or so before sunset Kim, Sven and I went out for some last attempts at hooking the big one.  They kept telling me how amazing these lakes were when they used to fish them.  Well, the two were a bit tired of fishing so I stood up to throw out my fly.  It was beautiful.  Sun was setting, birds were out in force and the water was glass.  We worked this cove for awhile and on a cast out to a little inlet.  

BAM!!!!!!!!

This big bass slammed a saltwater fly of all things.   What a great fight, under the boat, back to his home, but finally it was time.  Time to take a picture and let him go.  Ahhhh what a way to end a day.  And my first real fish in Kenya.  Life is good!!!!!!!  Thanks Verwiels for an amazing day on the lake.

Second, is a picture of my new head dress.  Yes well as I a now formally a Masaai and need to go hunt lions it's only proper I have a proper head dress.  Nah, really I bought it for my wall.  It's made of ostrich feathers.  But of course I needed to try it on with Julius's, our Masaai watch mans, Rungu to make it authentic.  Really I just like an idiot and it was a good laugh for Julius, Alison and Amber.  But what the hell, this is what you do when you have nothing better to do.

Lastly, I sunk a boat.  This picture says it all.  Nah not really I did not sink the boat.  Well not totally.  I was at the coast and well......I'll leave it at that........ Another "Nathanism"

Good Shepherd Garden

This is day of updates for me.. Whheeewww my fingers are a typing machine!!!!

Recently, we did some work on the garden at the orphanage, Good Shepherd, CTC supports.  The garden where they were trying to grow vegetables really was not successful.  So Rocky, John and I spent a few days ripping it out and installing a 40 row drip feed system.  Planting various types of vegetables and will eventually finish 5 sack gardens.  One of the goals of this garden is to educate the children about agriculture.  So yesterday was their first day of "agriculture class" as they call it.  By they way, the children are so excited to add another subject.  I surely wasn't in school.

Rocky was awesome yesterday.  I have included a picture of him with VERY attentive kids as he showed what is planted, the way the drip system works and what needs to be done to take care of it.  They surprised me how attentive and involved they were through the class.  The children range from 3 to 13 roughly and that is tough to keep them clued  in.  But Rocky did a great job.  Once the basic overview was given, we went outside and broke them into 3 teams equal of big and small kids.  They were given a few minutes in separate sections of the yard to pick a name for their group.  And what do they each come back with?  Animal names.   They could have picked anything, but they all picked a Kenyan animal.  So we now introduce the Monkeys, Rhinos and Elephants.  We then went to the garden and showed them visually how the system works and what each plant looks like.  Each group is responsible for 11 rows.  Once a week they are to take a little time as a group to weed, make sure the drip holes are aligned with the plant and make sure all is well in their section.  We took an hour or so also to weed out the garden and show them how it's done.  Even the little ones were so excited to get dirty.   I've included a picture of some weeding action.  Aren't they precious?

Rocky goes back today for some additional work and education.  The plan is to eventually also teach them about sack gardens, composting, conservation and water usage.  I really think this is going to work.  First, the garden will significantly improve the nutrition of the children with minimal water, and it will teach the children about agriculture and being responsible.   What a great program!!!!

Malaika "Angel" Kids Update

Hello Everyone!!!  There is no greater program for CTC than Malaika Kids.  For you who do not know is the handicap children's day care.  There have been so many developments and I wanted to highlight a few.  Just some feel good stories and some smiles from the kids.

My little buddy Dan!!!   He's the one with the huge smile, and really that is all he does.  SMILE!!  He has very little motor skills and cannot speak, stand, sit or eat on his own.   But he is the light of the program.  He is pretty proud in that picture.  Dan learned how to hold his hands in his pockets recently.   He was so excited to show me yesterday, laughing and moving his hands to prove to me he can do it.   I mean what else can anyone ask for but having pride in simple accomplishments.  

I also included a picture of Benson in his new chair.   The little chair was simple treat that not only helps Benson improve motor skills but also feel good about himself.  Benson grew up not getting off the floor much also.  He is severely mentally impaired which tended to hinder his motor skills.  Before coming to the program his Mom could keep him in a room and he would not get up.  Now that is not the case.  He can nearly walk home on his own now.  Of course we don't let him :)  He also dances now.  Every morning the children have a sing along and who is the leader, Benson.  He kind of does a hop, spin dance that is very much his own.  I recently brought a few small chairs that were donated by a Kenyan family, the Verwiels.  They also donated the desks I will talk about in a sec.  THANK YOU!!!!  Well, Benson LOVES his chair as you can see.  He will now sit in the chair all day, sometimes randomly getting up to hop around.  It really helps him to feel more mobile and not be in the same position on the floor all day.

The last picture is the older children in their NEW DESKS!!  Before they would hunch over on small tables to do their class work.  I installed them early this week and when they arrived for class that morning it was as if they had just woke up on XMAS morning to new toys.   George, who is in the photo, was hopping around, dancing really, laughing about his new seat.  I think for the first time they really felt like they were in school with proper desks.  Again, such simple improvement but mean so much to these children.  It's wonderful to see parts of life that were basically unattainable to them, achievable.    These 5 children, Mike is missing from pic he was sick that day, are now reciting poems, learning to write and read.  Numbers, addition all the good stuff about school.   So exciting to watch.  

Sho Sho Garden September

I wanted to supply a quick update on the demonstration garden run by the grandmothers.  A week or so ago Maai Mahiu received an abnormal rainfall in one day, even hail. Yes hail!!!  Which was truly a site for the local town as many had never seen golf ball size ice cubes hitting the metal roofs.  That all being said, and though it sounds exotic, it was far from.  Since the town has no real drainage system, runoff simply does just that, run off.  The soil is often so hard packet that there's also very little sponge action.   So guess what?   The town is at a slant and what of all things lies at the bottom, yes the Sho Sho garden.    The rain was so hard and runoff so strong that it even washed two young girls away.  Thankfully they were rescued and are doing fine.

When I arrived the next day the garden was a mess.  Stacks of garbage and all the drip feed systems all over the place.  I was very worried that we were going to lose all we invested.  But never fear the Grandmothers took over and within a day or so it was cleaned up.  I wish I had took pictures of the "garbage day" but what I do have pictures I took just yesterday.  As you can see the garden looks even better than ever with more crops planted, sack gardens going crazy and the drip feed systems producing tomatoes, onions, spinach and kale.  Take a look at the pictures from the previous post as it gives a good comparison to less than a month of additional growth.  Good job Gramdmas, always knew they had it in them.  Also, included is a picture of the two donkeys and cart that were donated by the Kansas State team.  Little business for the Grandmas and guaranteed water to the garden.