Drip Feed Systems Paying Off

Hello everyone.... I feel like I have not written in so long.  I have to be honest Alison, John, Amber and I took a few days on the coast for some relaxation from the craziness we call the teams.  What an amazing couple of months and sad to see them leave and excited to get back to work on the projects.   Speaking of projects, I wanted to show some progress in the ShoSho Shamba.  You might remember it was started from a land donation by a local friend and started with the K-State professors along with the wonderful Grandmothers of the community.  Well, take a look at those photos they show the growth of the first drip feed system in two months.  So exciting knowing the creative technology brought by a team is showing such great success.  The various vegetables are definitely grown much quicker and fuller than those we have planted using traditional methods.   It just goes to prove that we can with minimal investment increase yields and decrease water usage.  I know this might all sound so boring, agriculture mumbo jumbo, but this really is a key technology we can roll out to the community.  Improving nutrition for families is top on our list along with reducing the need to purchase crops on the general market.  Who know?  If a family had a big enough plot they could even sell from this system.  

I also included the sack gardens and the one that looks the fullest was also built and planted as a team of Grandmas and Professors.  I swear I don't know who taught who more.  These simple sack gardens not only reduce water usage but allow for many plants to be grown on a very minimal footprint.  The plants you see here are Sakuma Weeke, a main green that is eaten during most meals.  It grows up on a stalk and the family can pick the leaves needed and the plant just keeps growing more.  This way you don't kill the plant but use it over and over to feed the family.  The plan is to have 20 or so sack garden to demonstrate the successes.  

The last picture is good old Rocky holding court with the ShoShos.... There was a disagreement of whether CTC owned and controlled the garden or did the Grandmas.  Rocky very eloquently told them that it's their to take and run with .  Theirs to manage and reap the benefits.  CTC is simply here to fund certain aspects if needed but more so be a helpful hand.   They really appreciated that CTC is trying to not only give them opportunity, but also teaching them skills.  I a always in such admiration for these women.  They are the basis for the community, completely loyal, honest and so hard working.   Most will kick my ass in any work.  Might even in a fair fight.  They are tough woman and it humbles me to be able to work along side them.  It's a treat.

Sorry for the delay on writing to you all.  I'm back on the horse and ready to ride into some adventures and share what I see.   I've loved hearing from you so please keep you notes coming.  I miss you all and wish you were here.  Let me know if you ever want to come to Kenya.  Would love to see you.

Doctors to the Rescue

My day started as all normal days might start back in the the States, picked up a donkey cart.  The picture is of the Pajero, my daily driver when she works, and the cart on top.  I swear the community of Maai Mahiu really must think us mzungus (foreigners) are a weird bunch.  Driving all day around the town in a big SUV with a hand plastered on all sides and a huge donkey cart on the rack.  I got more odd looks today then ever.   I think we honestly make it harder for ourselves sometimes :)

The doctors from Kansas arrived a few days ago and today was their second day seeing patients.  We arranged for an average of 150 to be seen every day for 4 days.  It's been a pleasurable, managed chaos, if that's possible.  The pre-organization has paid off, thanks to Doctor Steve and Alison!!!  The doctors are amazing, seeing patient after patient from 8:30 to 5 with no rest and short lunches.....Have to admire their dedication to helping others.  I have always wished I had the stomach to be a doctor.  I know if it had been in my cards my services could have been used all over the world.  But back to the day.   The only dentist in the group, I learned actually new my uncle Mike from the Air Force.   He's been a rock star who lost count yesterday with well over 100 teeth pulled.  Yeah that's right one after the other and even pulled 11 out of one 40 somethings hurting mouth.   There really is no other option as  there are no x-ray machines, drills and specialized operating machines so it's pull them.  If they are bad they come out.    The locals eat a lot of processed sugar, drink lots of tea with sugar and don't really brush or floss.   So you can imagine the teeth and many of these have lived with rotted teeth for years.   I hate a small tooth ache and back home get it fixed immediately......never would I settle for years.  

We had a brilliant surprise today.   A woman came in VERY pregnant and ready to give birth.  There was little time and the doc  and nurses jumped to action delivery a beautiful, tiny baby girl, Theresa.   How adorable she was wrapped in a make shift blanket.  She truly was the toast of the clinic today.   This government clinic does not generally deliver a lot of babies as they charge 1200 shillings ($200) which is often too costly for a poor family.  So they use mid-wives, which made our treat that much sweeter.  And on the same subject but a sadder note I was part of a still birth.   See it really is just a  perfect example of how fast things change here.   I know reading about beautiful Theresa and then I bust a quick hard left on you is startling but really that is how it is daily here.   When you least expect it, IT happens.

Actually, I was leaving to go show part of the team the disabled kids day care and the ShoSho Shamba.  As we pulled out a matatu, a van basically with bench seats used for local transportation, pulled next to the Pajero.  Out jumped various people asking for help.  It was very confusing but it took a very short time for us to get the picture of BABY.  Out rushed the OBGYN doc and nurses and the woman was definitely full of baby and having a baby NOW.  And it wasn't 30 seconds but they had her laid down on the bench seat in the matatu and out popped a tiny little baby.  We found out later it was 7 months old.  Almost instantly the look on the doctor's face said it all.  It was still birth.  Sorry if I use "it" to be honest I never found out if the baby was a boy or girl.  It was a hard fact of life to see in person.  Of course we all know things like this happen, it's part of life.  But seeing it in person, going in with the baby and watching the doc clean her/him up was tough.  The baby looked like a baby and seemed to me to be able to live on it's own.  And it made it very real and extremely sad.  The look on the mother's face said it all.  She knew that the baby had passed.  I have not really come to terms with this event and it might take some time.

Rare Flawless Day

Now not to sound negative but here in Kenya for a day to go smoothly with even some welcomed surprises is pretty rare. So I welcomed today with open arms, well more realized when I arrived home how wonderful was this Thursday.  So the day started out early, pick up good old Rocky at the junction of Kabuku at 8.  Well that started before the pick up with Zane arriving to tow the Pajero to the road to have enough speed to "pop" the clutch and get the damn thing started.  Actually, I shouldn't talk about the beast that way.  I have come to terms with the inevitability of this car causing issues, I'm at peace with her (don't tell Al I called her a her, she thinks it's a guy).  But then I have my own connection with the female auto.  

OK let's get back to the day.  Picked up Rocky to drive an hour or so to pick up a fuel efficient stove for Good Shepherd Orphanage, need to get those fuel costs down.  Well the funny part of the morning was because the car will not start on it's own, I could not turn "her" off.  So basically each stop I left the car running.  That ended up being pretty hilarious as it took a solid 20 minutes of waiting until the stove pick up was complete.   From there Big Rock and I went to the plastic company who are making custom boxes for us to use in the garden.  Upon arriving there and having a very productive discussion with the manager, car still on running out in the parking lot, I told him how we needed to run.   A car was still running and I needed to get to the Mitsubishi dealer to get it looked at.  The manager had the best news ever.  The mechanics across the road, who's his good friend, knew a lot about Pajeros and he'd make a call to get them to help.  And then another great surprise.  The guys at this shop actually were up front, quick and very knowledgeable.  Not to say that there aren't good mechanics in Kenya but I had yet to meet any.    The boys took a short time to take out the starter and just happened to have an extra in the back.   They popped it in and FINALLY a car that starts as it should.  And it cost at least a fourth of what it would have cost going to the dealer.

EUREKA!!!!  I swear the simple pleasures sometimes.  

And then I got more stupendous (never used that word before) news, as if this was not enough.  The son of the owner knew exactly where to get a Sheesha/Hooka (basically an Arabic pipe)...Yeah I know to many that may seem like a silly Eureka but I have been looking and when most were not that great and still cost 200-300 bucks here, well this was another EUREKA!!!   Rocky took a nap in the car (he calls it a siesta) never knew he had Spanish in him :)  Was able to bargain a smokin' deal on a beautiful Sheesha and tons of apple smokes to go along.   Came back tonight and sat outside, lit the smoke and listened to Bob Marley watching the sun come down.  There was something about having a day that was productive, surprising and all around enjoyable.   Oh and to boot Rocky and I had a fabulous lunch of roasted goat.   I know that must just make so many of your mouths water......NOT!!

Community Through Touch

The second team currently working in Maai Mahiu as many of you have read from the previous post.  They're great, 18 total....3 men and 15 women... They have all been full of joy and excitement, open to all the challenges Kenya throws at them.   Yesterday was a day of manicures and pedicures for the community in the hopes of providing free pampering for those who were interested.   Most women in the town have never had any sort of love heaped on them through beauty.  Funny how something we accept so easily can be so foreign to others.  We honestly didn't know how it would be received or who would show up.  A smaller group within the larger CTC team ran this day including the following 5 team members.   Cindi and Nicole gave manicures.   Barry, Jennifer and Abbey gave pedicures. There various CTC volunteers whisked warm water back and forth, translated when needed and all around supported the day with awesome dedication. 

A constant flow of CTC local volunteers, grandmothers and other community women streamed in through out the day.  The CTC gals tirelessly loved on 24 women for a very long 8 hour shift.  It was truly amazing to watch the bond that developed between the CTC team and the community.  So many smiles and deep conversations.  The vision was that through touch and giving of one self a bond could be developed.  And it was!  Many of the grandmothers at first were reluctant of the whole process but once their feet were placed in the warm bucket of water, Enya playing in the background (I know only in a make-shift spa would Enya be OK), they accepted openly.   At the beginning the ShoShos (grandmas) were against having their hands done.  They figured they were going to go to the gardens the next day and what use was there in pretty hands and ruining them.   But I gave my best beauty tips and explained that a day of beauty is worth everything.  Like I know anything about a woman's beauty routine but there was no way I was going to let them slip from having a truly pleasurable experience.  By the end of the day the ladies all walked around showing each other their feet and hands...full of smile and colorful nails.  

The deep connection happened during the sessions.  Each CTC team member had a volunteer from the community (those you see in red in the pictures) to translate should there be any confusion.  The conversations I overheard were truly moving and uplifting.  They talked about everything from children to the trials of life, from how to keep thier hands beautiful to what was hard about living in Maai Mahiu.  Some even sang songs and everyone laughed A LOT.   I tried to ask every woman who was receiving a pedi/mani if they had ever had one done.   Not one, yes that is correct, out of 24 not one had ever had this pleasure.   And each when I asked do you like it, said Musuri Sana (Very Much).... To watch the endless massages, sugar scrubs and delicate soothing was truly a gift.  

I have to admit I was actually a bit jealous.  Jealous that everyone was enjoying themselves so much.   They were giving to each other what is the most basic but often times forgotten gift, love.  I wanted some :)  But then this was not a day for me, it was a day for community through touch.   I was blessed to just be present.

Attack of the "Not so Killer" Termites

Last night was July 4th.  Happy Independence Day !!!!  The new team from the states arrived a few days ago and we had a small party last night to celebrate those damn colonies kicking out the Brits.  Well, not if you ask the Brits but then the history books are always a bit slanted, right?.... During a lovely dinner with rain falling, we were suddenly bombarded by a swarm of dollar coin sized, flying termites.  Pretty hilarious to watch the different reactions from pure terror to delight from the party crowd.  Guess the little bugs are signaled by a strong rain to take flight and move into new territories.  Sorry to all wooden structures in the area, you were under attack along with our little CTC crew.   And then someone threw out a "Hey I'll pay anyone 1000 shillings (around 18 bucks) to eat a termite.  Yeah these are the bright ideas we get when away from home and in the mood to challenge our eating habits :)  So of course I jumped up, grabbed a bug and well yeah you get the point.  To be really honest they don't taste like much, expected a sour nasty taste but its was like eating nothing.  Well it did squish and was a bit odd but oh well.   Well, I have yet to collect my mullah but that was no matter as my eating then laid the gauntlet for two of the girls to also jump in and have a try.  The video and pictures are truly something and sorry have not downloaded any, my connection is slow today.   But I think you all can imagine a bit......

Shorty after the employees entered the outside seating area to a Kenyan Christian song blaring.  Dancing in a sort of congo line with a leader of torches and behind him a cake.   Not just any cake but an American flag cake......  How cool was that?  Everyone instantly jumped up clapping and joining the congo.   For a whole song the team danced around the table and truly some of the happiest colonists I have ever seen.  From there we all sang the Star Spangled Banner.   Yeah pretty corny I know but there was something about a group of near strangers joining together to remember our independence that really was moving.  Liz and Zane decided to follow that with a little cake in your face bonding moment.  Then of course what is a independence celebration without a limbo competition.  Who the hell knows how that started or really who won.  I think it was a tie between Molly and Tyler.  Good show you two!!!!!

So what started out with a small dinner ended up in a bug eating, congo dancing, cake in your face, limbo competition night.  How perfect and totally right can an independence day be?  Happy Birthday America!!!!!

Without women, what would a man do?

There's a song by Bob Marley , No Woman No Cry.  This can be true but over the past few days I've seen how for me it does not apply.  My good friend, work bud and roommate, Alison, reinforced that Nathan needs women generally to save his skin :)  So I returned home the other day with a car that has been a pain for CTC for awhile now.  But I have both financially and emotionally taken the project under my wing.  I am committed to making this beautiful beast work for us.  I had noticed upon returning home after a long time with the mechanic (a pain for a whole other blog) the central instrument lights had gone out.  Basically, my entire ride home I had no clue the engine temperature, which on Pajeros (car make) can be very dangerous due to over heating. And I could not use my blinkers or read any of the various panel instruments.  OK so I was sure that it had to be the work that the electrician had recently done on the panel.  I was searching playing with wires, being an idiot thinking if I shake wires it will solve a problem.  Such a Nathanism.....For those of you who really know me that is an obvious statement.  So after 20 minutes of me floundering, Al walks up and casually says "Could you have blown a fuse?".. I gave her one of those Nathan looks like "Are you F... kidding me?"  And if you know me well you get that also..... And yes take a wild guess, the damn fuse for the entire instrument panel had blown.    Now let me at least save some face and say it was due to a short in the work in the electrician's work........OK I'll stop no need to save face right?

Then it got better I was looking all around the house for my driving license that made me avoid check points all day so not to have to pay a bribe.  Yes, westerners, that is what happens here.  Sorry to say.....Well I looked and looked, was really frustrated, thought I had searched everywhere.  Al then says "Did you check your day planner?"  Which happened to be sitting on the dining table of where I had searched "around" many times.  And of course, yes you are getting the point, it was right there in the first page.  

As I think now there are various other examples already of being "saved" recently.  And I don't mean the religious kind.  I've realized over and over that though good old Bob may have had a point No Woman No Cry, for me I'd be lost without them.  Right now I know that my Mom, every girl I ever dated, Aunts, Grandma and the Shoreview Crew (especially the woman) are smiling and nodding.  Saying to themselves "Yeah duh Nathan".  But at least I realize it, isn't that worth something?  

Sad Day in Maai Mahiu

What started out as a very productive day turned fast into a somber, reflective and shocking afternoon.   This will last for months.  Today Faith, CTC's dedicated manager of the Handicap Children's Day Care and all around amazing woman passed away.   It all started yesterday for Alison and I.  Faith was not feeling well for some days but nothing serious, or so it seemed.  She has had a history of chest problems and physical disabilities.  She's fought through hard obstacles in life including Polio at a young age and as she grew older developed a curvature of the spine.   With all of this she fought every day for those who were handicap both mentally and physically.  She was a bright light with a smile and a warm hug daily.  

To get back to what happened.   basically she was getting sick over the past week.  But on Sunday in Monday she started to get really sick.   She had decided on Sunday to just wait until Mon. to get to the hospital.  In hind sight she should have never waited.  When Al and I first got the call on Monday she was on her way to Naivasha Hospital which freaked Al out as it's not known as the best.  So we had her come back to the CTC office and we took her in the truck up to Kijabe (private hospital) immediately.  What I saw when she could barely climb into the truck was a devastated woman.  She could barely breathe.  The best way to describe it is if you have ever been punched in the gut and can't breathe, well that was her constant breathing.  It was painful to watch, she was basically gasping constantly, she was drowning.  The ride up on the bumpy, damn road was also unbearable to watch.  Every lurch seemed to shorten her breath and create a look of desperate panic.  Once we got to the hospital I had to lift her out of the truck and place her in a wheel chair, she could not move.  We rushed her into the emergency, making a great noise for immediate help.  The Kenyan doctors do the absolute best they can, but are so overloaded with patients most get lost in a sea of need.  I again had to pick her up off the chair and into a gurney.  It tore my heart out because even my lifting and placing the best I could manage obviously put a severe strain and a look of pain and fear ripping through her face.  Trying my best to comfort her "Breathe Faith, slow Faith, please breathe."  Now I see my words of encouragement were on deaf ears, I don't even know if she heard me.   She was struggling to live.   

We waited and waited outside and finally a nurse came out and asked if I'd help wheel her to the radiation room.  I remember thinking "Sure, no problem."  And at the same moment thinking "Wait why are you asking me, where are the hospital people"  But it was another example of being under staffed.  Ken and I rolled her down various long hallways with perhaps 50 or more Kenyans who were waiting for some time for a doctor just gawking.  Little did they know at that time, nor did I, that they were gawking at someone who was not going to make it.   Again, in the radiologists area, I picked her up and put Faith on the bed.  By this time her eyes were rolling back in her head....... I realize now maybe this is too much detail but it's a bit therapeutic for me. But I'll stop as I don't want to relive it in public, for Faith.

At that point when we left Faith the doctors thought it was pnemonia, which it was.  Severe pnemonia.  So flash to today Al and I are in a meeting at the office and one of the other ladies who works with the children, Jane, came by and told us she had just heard, Faith had passed.  Basically, as we later learned from going and speaking with the hospital, Faith had rebounded a bit overnight but woke to a severe reaction and passed at 10 AM ..........

Upon hearing the news, I walked to the edge of our office and looked up towards the grand mountains in front of me, the Rift Valley.  Don't really know what I was looking for at first but then realized I was looking at Kijabe, the place she left us.  Just naturally felt right.  I really fought every ounce of my being not to break down on the spot.  I was in shock.   After meeting the family and spending time with them, and this might sound strange, odd, whatever......  I felt blessed.  That in her time of need I was able to carry her.  I was able to be with her and shoulder the burden in the smallest way I knew how.  Feeling blessed does not make it better, though.  It does not bring her back for her 3 sons and 1 daughter.  I guess it just gives me some solace that I was there for her.

So to Faith, thank you for all you have done for the community of Maai Mahiu.  Thank you for your love for your children and constant light you shown on all of us.  I don't know where you have gone, but in the place I hope you are happy with no pain.  We will miss you Faith and love you from the bottom of our hearts.   And Dad, wherever you are, can you please go over to Faith and say hello.  Give her one of those huge bear hugs you're known for and help her get comfortable.  She might need a friend.  Oh and tell her.......well you will know what to say.   Love you both!!!!

P.S.  I have included two photos of Faith.  One helping as she always did, she's in red.  And the other with the Mother's of the Handicap Children.   She's in the middle, so small so grand.