Tuesday, November 20, 2018

I have to level with you all.  I was intending to write the blog when I was on the flight to Amsterdam. Instead, I’m typing it while in the Nairobi airport.  We took off on time at 11:59pm, but we landed at 1:30am.  No, you can’t fly to the Netherlands in 1.5 hours.  Shortly after we took off, as we were still climbing, I heard a horrible grinding noise.  Everyone had to hear it.  The plane shook, and although the sounded quieted, there ws still some residual humming. Soon thereafter, the captain came on to notify us that he had to shut down one of the engines.  “You may have noticed a loud grinding noise…” he began. He then said something that I don’t remember.  What I do remember is that he said, we’ll have to return to Nairobi but not for a little while.  We need to dump fuel.”  Interestingly enough, I wasn’t nervous at all, despite the plane shanking and rattling as we got rid of a full tank of gas.  When we landed, the guy behind me said that he happened to be staring out the window when it happened and he swears he saw a red light coming from the engine outside the window next to us.  Even that didn’t make me nervous, but you know what?  I’m nervous now.  I’ve been up for 24 hours and I’m getting the nods while I wait for my flight to Amsterdam. After several phone calls, I rebooked myself onto a flight at 8:05 this morning, and it wasn’t easy.  I just kept telling the person on the other end of the phone, “You’ve got to get me home tomorrow.”  If all goes according to plan, I’ll land in Rochester at 11pm tonight. If all goes according to plan, I’ll be sound asleep as soon as I sit down in the plane.    Let’s get back to the start of my day…

 I made it down to the lounge at 5:30am.  I left my camera on the desk, so I quickly pulled out the chip to load pictures from the previous day.  I loaded them while we ate (it was just the two of us), and managed to publish the prior day before departing for the elusive rhino.  The pancakes were real pancakes!  Well, actually they’re call “pan-drops.”  The Kenyan pancake is more like a crepe, but this pan-drop thing was definitely a USA pancake.  There was also a fried egg, accompanied by toast, bacon and passion fruit.  The passion fruit was entirely too tart, but I scooped the gooey stuff onto a spoon and into my mouth.  One was enough for me.  It had a weird consistency that reminded me of mucus.  If that’s not enough to prevent you from trying it, I don’t know what will.  Maybe you’ll like it?  Sure you will.

Isaac grabbed some thermoses of steamed milk and biscuits so we can have coffee on the mara, and placed them in the back of the land rover.  We were off!  Driving throught the conservancy is like having a game preserve all to yourself. Despite the drout, there was still some water left in the small lake, and the animals were coming from miles away. Antoni made a comment that the land is so dry, that when the wildebeest began their migration, they just walked across the mara river, because there was no water in it!  All we did was a driveby because we had to get to “the other side” if we had any chance of seeing a rhino.  In the same way the Luo have distances described as “just here” (“just hee-ya) and “Just there,” (“just they –ah), the masai have “just on the other side, and “just on this side.”  No matter how you slice, either one is a long way.

I’ve begun to have Isaac clarify any distances and times as Kenyan or American.  “It’s 15 minutes away.”

“Is that Kenyan time?”

“Yes…  30 minutes.”

We hadn’t seen the rhino yet, but we took a break to have some coffee. We once again found a tall tree with a large canopy.  You could see for miles from this vantage point.  Elan traveled in packs along the hillside. Zebra grazed in the valley below. Giraffes moved even more slowly at this distance, and they were tracking across the flats.  A pair of male impalas played, crashing their horns together. This place is amazing.

On the way to the rhino that we weren’t sure was there yet) we saw a family of lions; 3 lionesses and 9 cubs.  The sun was just rising over the horizon, and the and the rays were casting phenomenal shadows as the light highlighted the pale color of their fur. Fur… that reminds me.  Haret gave me a cow belt… made of cow.  Funny thing is, it doesn’t look like leather; it looks like cow. It’s pretty cool, actually.  

As we made a loop around them, we saw an animal I’ve never seen before. I hammerkop.  When you see it, you understand the name.  Its head is shaped like a hammer.  I didn’t go looking for any frogs, but we did cross paths with everyone from dinner.  They were in another Land Rover with their guide Abraham.   We told them about the lions we saw, and then about the hammerkop. We’ll be long gone by the time they return to camp, so unfortunately, we may never know if they saw it… or it’s prey.  We then found the Rhino, and it was spectacular!  These animals are quite hard to find.  They come down to the plane to graze at night, and later in the morning, they return to the hills.  Once there, you’ll never find them.  This one was solitary, and thankfully, not too shy.  The sun was rising behind him, so the lighting was perfect, too.  I could have watched him for hours, but we didn’t have that kind of time.  I said, “goodbye,” as Isaac raised his hand looking for a high-five.  He got one.

We stopped to see a cheetah on our way back to camp.  This one had a damaged eye, but was still beautiful. These guys are built for speed, and you can see why.  They are lean alert; constantly looking around, checking the air for scents. This one quickly darted to the other side of the bush to lay down in the shade.  We then headed back to Entumoto to grab breakfast before leaving.
It was the best breakfast I think I've ever had in this country.  It started with fruit and the main course was eggs, pancakes (the US kind, not a Kenyan crepe) called "pan-drops,"  bacon, (which was more like a slice of pork) and a tomato (again, thank you Great Britain).

We stopped at the Sekenani gate to see the warden, but he was not there. Instead, we contacted his second in command.  She was happy to meet with us at Sarova Camp where she was preparing for a presentation to the government.  We drove there immediately and sat down to chat.  Despite here stoick demeanor, she was quite interested in our desire to continue to help the community by expanding the man gate to accommodate vehicles. She asked us if we had any pictures of the maternity and the gate in question.  We supplied her with plenty.  She then informed us that she wanted to include them in her presentation to the government.  The topic was centered on ways for the game preserve to help the masai communities living in and around masai mara.  Timing is everything.  We said our goodbyes and continued on our journey.  As we left Masai Mara, we stopped in a small village to see Haret. He was in his shop working when we arrived.  He immediately stopped to come out and stay “hello.”  He was also kind enough to give us each a cold Fanta.  As we sat and waited for him to come back out, I felt a tap on my shoulder through the window.  I turned to see a smiling Chief Tira (the village elder).  He smiled wide as he said “hello” and “goodbye” mixed with a bunch of “thank yous.”  The last think he said was “Safari njema!”  Safe travels.  

Haret emerged once again and he too gave us big smiles before we left. He’s a good man, and a great builder. I couldn’t be happier with the maternity construction.  The process was seamless, deadlines were met, and the communication was great.  There wasn’t a hiccup anywhere in the process. What more could you ask for?

We then went to see one of the other builders that supplied us with an estimate for the classrooms.  His shop was a bit further out, and looked a bit more like a flea market, but he has a good reputation as a builder.  Based on the signage, things lying in front of the shop, he also changes tires and serves food.  Things that make you go hmmmm.

Now we’re off on our 2 hour drive to Narok. The first part is dusty, then it’s paved, then it’s dusty again.  While on that route, we pulled over in front of some kind of drilling station. I wasn’t sure why until another car joined us.  It was coming from the other direction, and once the dust in the wind settled, Isaac’s brothers emerged!  I hadn’t realized it, but they were communicating with Isaac to arrange this impromptu meeting.  It was a wonderful surprise, and an even more wonderful send off.  We soon returned to the car and continued our drive.  We finally returned to tarmac and our speed increased.  

When we arrived in Narok, Isaac dropped me at Naiva’s (market) with Veronica, Sharon, Nasinkoi and their mothers.  We had arranged the meeting to make sure that they got the funds for eye exams, and we wanted to make sure that they had the necessary supplies for the upcoming semester.  Before that, though, they had some presents for me.   A beautiful beaded masai belt, candleholders for Andrea, necklaces and bracelets for Anrdea and Karen, and even a bracelet for me.  This one was thicker and more pliable than I’m used to. It had my name spelled out on one side, but I could turn it inside out to hide it if I want.  Neat!  I gave Veronica the necessary funds to get eams and glasses for the two girls. Isaac and Veronica will take them to Nairobi for testing in the next two weeks.  Once done, we ventured into Naivas for supplies.  There was the usual things… toilet tissue, soap, toothpaste. Then there were some curveball like “pants.”  Girls this age don’t wear “pants,” they wear dresses, so “pants,”  yup, you guessed it.  Underwear.  The more interesting one was, “boob-holders.”  No explanation necessary.

Forty dollars later, each mother had peace of mind that the daughters had what they needed.  When told them to pick out some chocolate, they even got one for me!  We left the market and were talking when Nasinkoi cam up next to me.  She is sometimes more expressive than Sharon, but not usually.  This time, however, she was.  She quietly cam up on my right side and took my hand.  Like our children would when they were young.  Partly to let you know they were there, and partly for the security.  I looked own at her and stroked the top of her head.  She nuzzled her head into my chest, smiling.  It was a sweet memory that I will cherish from this trip. Palpable caring.  These sweet girls are special in many ways.

We went outside for a bit while waiting for Isaac to return.  He pulled in and said he couldn’t find me. There must have been another 6’6” white guy on the other side of the lot… Left and right don’t mean as much when you’re not pointing at the same time the instruction is given.  One more set of “goodbyes” and we hopped in his car and drove off.

Now the biggest hurdle for us was the climb along the Rift Valley. It turned out to be an even bigger hurdle than expected.  One lane in each direction, and it’s the only road that heads south… loaded with lorries of all shapes and sizes.  Matatus, personal vehicles, commercial ones… it’s a mess.  The sun was dropping before we finished our ascent.  Eventually, though we did manage to make it over the crest. Going downhill was not that much faster. Instead of crawling up the hill with the engines straining, we were traveling down the hill with the brakes screaming.  It was dark by the time we got to Royale.  There was no time for a stop at Love Birds Curio where I was hoping to find something specific for some co-workers.  We had stopped at a couple before leaving Narok, but no luck.  I hopped in the shower to scrub off the dust while Isaac went to order dinner.  When I finally unpacked and repacked, I met him in the restaurant where we waited for another 30 minutes before the food arrived.  I’m not going to lie, I was very nervous.  We still laughed as we ate.  I was sure to pay Isaac for his time and automobile use, as well as giving him enough additional money to purchase 2 sewing machines for the Rescue Center.  Andrea has been wanting to do that for over a year, and I’m excited to let her know that they should be there within a week or two. Oh boy, it was almost 9:40pm when we left.  The plane leaves at 11:59pm and I wanted to be there by 9… I’ll have to settle for 10pm. We didn’t’ get there until closer to 10:15. Isaac walked me to the gate before we FaceTimed Andrea to let her know I arrived safely.  That’s the normal routine – I’m under Isaac’s care from the time I leave the airport until I return.  He’s done his part, the rest is up to me… and the pilot.

As I said before, we had an engine issue and returned to Nairobi.  No worries.  My midnight flight became an 8am flight, so I just stayed at the airport. I’ve been up for 26 hours at this point and everything was moving, whether it was stationary or not.  I was having trouble keeping my head upright. Literally.  I started typing while drinking coffee.  Not working.  Second cup, still not working.  I was only able to type a sentence before I could feel my eyes trailing off the screen and my head begin to fall forward.  I tried a smoothie this time, and although they brought me the wrong one, it did the trick.  I didn’t help me type anything more, but it did get me to my plane and in my seat.  I fell asleep quickly, and although it was fleeting (probably 2 hours), it was enough.  

From their on, things were thankfully uneventful.  I flew through JFK instead of Detroit, so I wasn’t able to check on the status of my missing iPad, so I’ll have to call them later to check in.  The immigration line was ridiculously long, but I got through in plenty of time to grab my bags, place them on the domestic belt for loading and head to my gate. Delta gave me a bump to first class, and I will be able to sleep like a baby.  Now I’m wishing I was in Detroit so I had an extra 30 minutes to sleep.

I’m home now, and it’s freezing.  There isn’t anyplace I’d rather be.  Thanks for coming along for the ride.  Let’s do it again in February.

Monday, November 19, 2018

Holy mackerel, what a day!  I woke up and took some pictures of Mara Springs Camp.  They were obviously taken this morning, because it was dark when we arrived.  Breakfast was a Kenyan pancake (more like a folded crepe), beans w/peppers, sausage and a fried egg.  I’m still not sure what the red juice was, but it was pretty tasty.  

Our first stop this morning was the maternity. I was excited to see the facility - it was empty the last time we were here.  I’m also looking forward to seeing our friends.  The first meeting will be with the doctors, then with the Area Chief (a government position), then with the local Chief (village elder).  When we arrived the Chief Kasoy (area chief) was already there.  As was Haret (or contractor), William (the maternity chairman) and a small group of men and women.  7 masaai appeared from behind a tree and before I could say a word, they began singing and dancing.  When they finished, I applauded and thanked them, “Asheoleng” (ah-shay-oh-leng).  I was wrong; they weren’t finished.  I was called to join them.  Oh boy.  Isaac had my phone, and I don’t know if he was taking pictures or video.  I don’t have the courage to look just yet. Fortunately, it’s very rhythmic and I my height meant that I didn’t have to jump as high.  This particular song/dance combination spooked Karen when she first saw it.  In her defense, it was at night and they came out of a jungle doing it.  I shook hands with each one thanking them.  Rather than leaving, they went back behind the tree the emerged from and sat in the shade.

We began to tour the facility with the doctor stopping in each room for a quick expalanation of where we were and what they did there.  The entire group followed along – 4 men and 4 women.  This is probably the only time these men have ever seen these rooms.  Normally, they wait at home.  You should have seen them when I was trying to explain the stirrups to them.  It was like they were chewing on something sour and not being permitted to spit it out. The facility looks great.  Every room is well appointed with all the necessary items to ensure a safe delivery.  When we exited the 2^nd birthing area, I noticed that Isaac was holding my camera, and another masai was holding my phone taking pictures. I’m not sure what photographs we’ll have for this part of the day.  Perhaps we’ll both be surprised.  We continued through each room until we ended at the entrance once again.  Just inside sat several large equipment containers. This was a good sign!  The government has been very receptive to the maternity center and as such have supplied refrigerators, incubators etc to aid in deliveries.  They were making room for them when we arrived.  We also found out that electrical lines should be run soon. That will allow the hospital and the maternity to have 24hr electricity.  At that point, they’ll have the solar panels as a backup.

The only problem remaining is still concerning the entry gate from outside the park.  Currently, if anyone needs to come to the clinic in an emergency, they have to pass through the park gate which can be very difficult; especially at night.  If we expand the walk-in gate to accommodate a vehicle, it will eliminate having to go through the park entrance and ultimately make everyone job easier.

I also am anxious to get back to Narok to see Vivian Mpetti or her replacement at the government office.  Although they provided the necessary furniture and supplies, they have not yet built additional staff quarters.  That was part of the deal.  We’ll see if we can’t catch up with her tomorrow.

Chief Kasoy, me, Haret,
Mama Nomkipa & Isaac

We went inside to talk about the necessary hoops we would have to jump through when expanding the gate.  The park warden has to give the approval, as does someone from the county government. We can’t have those conversations, however, until a surveyor inspects the site and writes a report.  That report is necessary before we can move forward. They’ll be working on that this week. As we began the conversation, the Village Chief arrived.  He was surprisingly silent during most of the conversation, but gave us his “blessing” when we finished.  Haret and Isaac are taking care of “next steps” along with Chief Kasoy.  He continues to be quite popular within the government and is eager to help us.  We headed back outside and I talked with Chief Kasoy some more.  He wanted to make sure I deliver “thank yous and appreciation to all your donors” for all the work that has been accomplished here. Some more women arrived, and one of them opened a bag and took out two shukas.  She put one on me and one on Issac.  She also put a necklace on me.  “Now that you are Masai, you need these things.”  Kasoy does a great job translating back and forth.  After thanking them for their hospitality and kindness, they went on their way and we returned to the conversation.  As we were talking, a motorcycle arrived with a masaai woman on the back.  She was smiling before she even got off the bike.  It was mama Nonkipa!  She is one of the mouthpieces for the women of this region.  She’s also the lady that spoke with Andrea and Karen during the last trip.  Fortunately, Chief Kasoy was still there to translate. “Where are Nalatuasha (Andrea) and Nyamnyak (Karen)?”  “Tell them I love them.”  “Please tell them I wish they were here.”  “Please tell them to come back soon.”  Those two made a good impression on everyone… just as you’d expect.  We talked for a bit talking about our next trip. She then started talking to Kasoy in a more stern tone.  He smiled and turned to me saying, “She says she is not leaving until she knows when you are coming back and we have a date for the maternity grand opening.” February 20^th… let’s do it February 20^th.  She laughed loudly and gave me another hug.  I told her that Nalatuasha and Nyamnyak sent me with a hug for her.  She laughed and embrased me again.  I then told her that the next hug she gets will be from the girls themselves!  After the translation, she clapped her hands and through her head back in laughter. We said our goodbyes, “Olaseri!” and she was about 100 yards away when I realized we never took a picture together. They called to her and she immediately turned around.  Once we explained why she was back, “Nalatuasha will be very upset if I don’t come back with a picture,” she laughed again and took my hand leading me into the clinic. We took pictures outside the entrance to the maternity.  It was a good spot to do it.  We took a series of photographs, some of which had me squatting down.  They really seem to like when I make myself small for them. Now, another “Olaseri,” and she was gone.

We went back to the front and talk with the village elder, Mr Tira. It was a short conversation.  He was late because he had to walk his cattle to water, and now he had to get back to them.  Olaseri!

We got back into the vehicle, only this time Haret and Francis joined us.  Francis is a masai that knows Haret well.  We went to a very small restaurant called “Rex” and had a soda and talked some more.  In back were 2 tables each with 4 chairs.  They were the only tables under cover, although their was no chance of rain.

This time the conversation was about construction for Sarena Secondary School. His price is high compared to other quotes we got, and he was able to close the gap during the conversation.  I think we may need him to get even closer, though.  There are definitely advantages to sticking with the same contractor; the biggest one is trust.  He’s a good builder, and he’s been doing it for 10 years.  When he told me this I said, “What?!  Did you start this company when you were 8?”  He looks to be in his early twenties.  “No, I’m 34.”  If we were at the fair, he could have taken any prize on the top shelf.  

Each of us had a soda, and by the time we were done with the sodas, we were done with the conversation.  We dropped off Haret at his shop.  No “olaseri” this time, because we’ll see him tomorrow on our way back to Narok.  Francis stayed with us for the ride to Orbama – a large, nearby Masai village.  We had 30 t-shirts and 20 dresses to hand out. Unlike the process at the village last year, this was madness.  We were inundated with children of all ages.  Francis did his best to help, but it wasn’t easy.  Nobody got hurt, but the shirts didn’t get distributed in any sense of an orderly manner.  I held the dresses and handed them out one by one ensuring that they fit the girl that received it.  When the bag we brought was finally empty, Isaac called everyone over to take a picture. Although some did not return, we had a pretty good showing.  It also showed us the results from the mayhem created.   Some of the Masai men were wearing the t-shirts we gave away. Isaac, Francis and I were all disappointed with it, but see the smiling girls made all the difference in the world. These may be the only dresses these girls ever have. 

We left waving out the windows as we drove off.  We dropped off Francis who lives in a different village and proceeded to drive into the Entumoto Conservancy to find a spot for lunch. Mara Springs packed a box lunch for us. It was good timing, too, because I was getting hungry.  It was well after 1. Isaac found a shady spot on the other side of the pool where the animals gather to drink.  The drought meant that the term “pool” was grossly overstated.  There was water, though, and it’s the pretty much the only spot I’ve seen it.  Zebra, antelope, gazelle, warthogs, spring buck, topi, and a group of giraffes that just came sauntering out from behind some trees.  God, they are magnificent.  Isaac stopped the car so we could take it all in.  This place is amazing.  How anyone can hunt these animals is beyond me.  Hunting here is illegal and the penalties are stiff.  You could spend the rest of your life in a Kenyan prison.  It makes me want to fly to South Africa and slap someone. 

We moved on up the hill and parked under the canopy of a solitary tree. I was very curious to see the contents of the box, and much to my surprise, Isaac pulled 2 bags from the box. He handed one to me and kept the other. I opened it slowly, and the first thing I saw were salt and vinegar potato chips.  You know, there are very few things in this world that I really won’t eat.  Yup, salt and vinegar potato chips are right up there.  I placed them on the bonnet (hood… ya gotta love the British) of the car and went back in for more.  A chicken leg wrapped in tin foil, a small pack of milk biscuits, a mango juice box and 2 napkins.  I’ve never seen a sandwich here, so that was my first choice.  It was a triple decker.  Some of the stuff inside was unidentifiable… certainly meat, but still a mystery.  The top section had vegetables; cucumbers and tomatoes along with the mystery meat. The bottom section had something else. I’m thinking it my have been chicken, but I wasn’t sure.  I got halfway through when the contents suddenly changed. I should say that I tasted something that I didn’t realize was in there. What goes well with all the aforementioned ingredients?  Peanut butter!  Seriously. At this point, you’ve got to finish it, so I did.  I washed it down with the chicken leg, followed by the mango juice.  I stopped tasting cucumbers and peanut butter 30 minutes later.  We packed everything up and headed for the rescue center.

Its official name is the Masai Development Project.  “Rescue Center” is a much more descriptive name. They help prevent girls from being married under the age of 18.  The ramifications of that are huge.  By preventing them from getting married, they’re also saving them from FGM (female genetal mutilation).  Shortly after marriage many women will be circumcised.  James and Ruth are the two people that run the facility.  They are both Masai and have 73 girls under their care. We’ve been visiting the center for the past couple years and have become greatly enamored with them.  We drove past what seemed to be an endless 6’ electric fence that surrounds the compound.  Once inside the gate we made our way to the to the structure furthest from the entrance.  As we pulled up to the office, James was standing there on the phone, gesturing for us to come inside.  When he hung up we should hands.  I should tell you that each time you greet another man, the hand shake is always the same. It starts with your right hand raised (almost like your taking an oath), then your hands slap together loudly and you clasp each others thumbs.  You then slide that into a handshake.   Then you slide back to the thumb, and back into your standard handshake.  Usually, your hands will remain clasped for the first few sentences before there are any signs of a release.  The process is repeated when departing.  James is a good hand shaker.  It’s the loudest slap every time.  We sat and talked about how he’s been and how the center is doing.  In the last few weeks they’ve brought in 7 girls. Three of them are 6, two are 7 and one 8 and one 9.  Can you imagine?  No, you can’t.  I see it and still can’t grasp it.  We had been talking for about 45 minutes (updating on Andrea and Karen and talking about our next trip, as well as what their current needs are), when the founder, Jan, opened the office door and stepped in.  Her hair was predominately white with a touch of gray here and there. The girls must love it.  She had pale eyes and a soft expression.  I rose to shake her hand and introduce myself. “I know who you are,” she said, “I’ve hear a lot about you and your family.”  Isaac did the same.  We no sooner sat down when she started thanking us for our generosity.  We must have talked for 2 hours, sharing stories on how we started and where we are today.  She is a religious woman, and her faith guides her in all her endeavors. We have that in common.  She says God guides her, I say the Holy Spirit… potato, potahto.  Ultimately, it ends in us doing good for those that need it; simply because we can… because we are called to do so.

We talked about the challenges we’ve faced and the triumphs that keep us coming back.  We shared our doubts about continuing and the (often) strangers that provide us with the strength to carry on.  We will surely do what we can to help them.  The work we do next door at the secondary school will help.  We can also provide items to help with the more career oriented education they provide to the girls.  When we finally finished, she asked if she could pray before we departed. “Absolutley!” I said.  Her words were inspiring as I blessed myself at the conclusion.  We walked out of the office, but before she disappeared behind the building, she called to Ruth to come and say hello.  It was nice to see her as we missed her that last time we were here.  She asked about Andrea and Karen, and told me to send greeting to them.  Then she called to another young lady, whose name currently escapes me.  She is the gold standard and shining example to all the girls in the facility.  She arrived here when she was 8.  She went through the entire program that culminated with her college education. She has now returned to give back to those that gave so much her. When the girls see her, they say things like, “Can I be free like her one day?”  I likened it to the arrival of the nursing students from St. John Fisher college. On of the unintended consequences of them coming here is that young girls look at them and realize that with education, they can hold positions of authority and respect.  It’s amazing to see them stare at these young women; there eyes filled with awe.  It’s wonderful… one of the many gifts we receive while doing this kind of work; and those gifts are many.

James accompanied Isaac and I to the great hall where most of the girls were gathered.  This time it was James that did the translating.  He asked the girls if they remembered me, and they immediately responded, “Ah-dahms!”  That was immediately followed with words I did no understand.  James said, “They wahnt to know way-ah yoo-ah wife and daugh-tah ah?”  They clapped and smiled when I said we’d be back in February.  That seems to be the recurring theme.  We only spoke briefly before departing.  They giggled every time I said anything in Ma’a (the language of the Masai).  Before that, though, James called out the new girls to come and say, “Hello.”  These little things, I can’t begin to fathom the depths of their fear as they transitioned into this place.  We’ve seen it first hand, and the love the older girls show to the new, younger arrivals is a thing of beauty.  This place is needed.

We pushed off and headed to Entumoto.  The last Kenyan bed I’ll sleep in on this journey.  Despite all the wonderful things we’ve accomplished here, I can’t wait to get home.  It’s hard being away from Andrea and the kids.  I miss them terribly.  Two more days, and all will be right again.

We arrived at Entumoto when the sun was still up.  I was grateful for that.  I’d have some time to blog before coming down for dinner.  The staff here came to the car and said hello and welcome back.  When I got to the top of the stairs, John was waiting with my paperwork.  John!  When we met him last year, he was a boy.  Now, I was staring at a man!  I told him as much, and he thanked Isaac for his growth.  Truly, the change is remarkable.  He is chatty and charismatic and oozes a confidence that was previously lacking.  I can’t wait for Andrea and Karen to see him.  The rooms here are spectacular.  It's a canvas tent and although the pictures are great, it doesn't do them justice.

I went to my room to get some blogging done when Andrea called to talk a bit.  The timing was perfect.  It’s amazing how energizing it is to hear her and see her.  When I think back to the time we started, before the cell system blossomed, before wireless was readily available, I wonder how I did it.  That doesn’t matter, we’re doing it together now, and I’ll see her shortly.  Time here passes quickly.  It certainly will tonight.  We’re leaving the Entumoto at 5:45am in the hopes of finding a Rhino.  Then back here for breakfast, a visit to the park warden, then Haret, then another contractor, then drive to Narok, see Veronica… wow it goes on and on. I’ll just wait until tomorrow’s blog to let you know.

 I came down for dinner and met some of the other guests; all of whom were from the US... kind of.  A young couple from Denver (Derek & Amanda), and a small family from New Zealand by way of Miami & Orlando (.  Both of them were wonderful!  They had heard about some of the work we do here and asked a lot of questions during dinner.  I'm afraid that I spent way too much talking and periodically reminded them to eat so their food didn't get cold.  They were very kind with their comments and Amanda volunteered that her specialty was social media, a space where we are sorely lacking, and she volunteered to help.  I gave her one of my business cards (thank you, Andrea, for always reminding me to bring some with me) and I am certain she will contact me when she gets back to the states.  Both groups will be returning home on Wednesday (although they're obviously not traveling together).  Fortunately, I finally stopped speaking and the conversation turned to favorite animals, their guide Abraham, and everything they've seen so far.  We laughed quite a bit and I completely lost track of time. After an absolutely delicious dinner, I returned to loading pictures and blogging.  I got a lot done before realizing that I was missing a large section of photographs.  Duh, I left my camera in Isaac's car, so I waited until this morning (it's Tuesday) to load them and get this posted before everyone wakes up back home.

In the spirit of keeping up with some of Isaac's favorite quotes of the day, here's a story from dinner.

said her favorite animal was a frog, but because there aren't many here, she went with a giraffe.  Isaac said, "We have frogs here.  If you want to see one, just look for a Hammerkop bird.  The eat frogs, so if you see that bird, you will surely see a frog."  I said, "Isaac, do you realize that you just told her to find this bird so she can watch her favorite animal be devoured?!"  The laughter must have echoed through the valley.  

When I travel to Kenya alone, Karen sends a stuffed animal with me... always.  It's been happening for years, and this trip was no different.  I think this particular twiga has been here before.

Sunday, November 18, 2018

I woke up refreshed at 7am.  I would have like to taken another shower (showering at night is not my favorite), but you’ve gotta dance with the girl that brung ya.  I figured it didn’t matter much.  This part of the country has been in a drought, and the dust in the air is so thick that after a few hours in the car, it won’t matter when I showered.  This turned out to be true, by the way.

I packed everything and let my electronics charge while I joined Isaac, Leah and the kids for breakfast.  I had my choice of eggs, so I went with a classic – hard boiled. Interestingly enough, Leah emerged with this small plug in unit that makes hard-boiled eggs.  I was thinking, why does she need a machine to make hard boiled eggs.  Truth-be-told, I only chose them because I thought they were already made.  Anyway, here’s a picture of the contraption, and the answer to my question was, water conservation.  She boiled these 2 eggs using a shot glass full of water.  That’s it!  Makes perfect sense.

We sat and chatted while watching the news that then poorly segued into a Church service at the Technical University in Mombasa.  When the conversation ended, we loaded up Isaac’s Land Cruiser and we were off.  As can be expected, we had a minor scheduling change.  We would got to Isaac’s brother Anthony’s (pronounced ahn-toe-nee) home to say, “Jambo,” then Isaac would leave me with Antoni while he got his Land Cruiser fixed – there was a crack in the exhause that needed to be welded.  After that, we would head over to Veronica’s (Isaac’s brother Andrew’s wife) for lunch before picking up the headmistress at Sarena Girls Secondary School and heading to the school.  It’s located on Masai Mara right behind the Rescue Center. 

We arrived and Antoni’s and he gave me a big hug on the porch. “Karibu sana,” big welcome.  We went inside his home and sat down on some upholstered chairs that lined 2 of the four walls.  His son Caleb sat down next to me, but his father soon squished between him and the end of the adjacent chair so that we would be next to each other.  Antoni is a character, but so are all the brothers.  They each have a wonderful sense of humer, and all very intelligent and business savvy, and have wonderful families.  Much like my time with Isaac, we laughed and joked and told stories about home, work and family.  Isaac stuck to the revised plan and left for the repair shop.  I stayed behind and was promptly served a fried egg.  You can’t enter a Kenyan’s home with them trying to feed you.  You simply cant.  Antoni and Caleb had one, too, and we talked while we ate.  I’m sure that both our eggs were cold by the time we consumed them.  As we sat and chatted about his work, I started to joke with him about a large picture of his family that was hanging on the wall.  This one in particular looked professionally done when Caleb was a baby, so it was about 8 years old.  The entire group was clowning around with broad smiles on their faces. You could almost hear their laughter. I looked at Antoni and said, “Why is it that Margaret looks exactly the same now as she does in the picture, but you look much older?”  He laughed. Before I tell you his response, you have to know that Kenyans are very matter-of-fact.  They don’t say anything with malice.  He first comment was, “Yes, but do you notice how fat she is?”  My eyes immediately went to Margaret as I tried to keep a smiling (poker face, Adam, poker face).  She was smiling and laughing with us.  Antoni continued (this would be my favorite quote for the day, “Yoo see, Kenyans faces don’t change very much… only they-ah volume.”  I don’t care what you say, that’s funny stuff. 

Isaac deviated from the plan.  He’d been gone much longer than expected, and I realized when I heard him talking to his brother, that it was 12:30.  Veronica was expecting us close to an hour ago!  Antoni hung up.  The new plan was that we would walk to Andrew’s home to see him and Veronica, and Isaac would meet us there.  He would be late arriving there, too.

It was a short walk to Andrew’s home.  The sun was high in the sky, and it was definitely focusing it’s attention on me.  Wow was it hot!  All of these small compounds (yes, I need to take more pictures so you can understand) have a large gate that a door can fit through, and in the middle is a smaller gate for a person to fit through.  It’s not really a gate they way your porbably thinking.  It’s more like a huge swinging sheet of metal and iron.  This particular man door was about 5 feet high, and I really had to scrunch down to get in. The layout was similar to Antoni’s.  A row of homes (more like apartments) on each side fo the walled compound.  The wall that held the gate was also home to the toilet/outhouse/longdrop.  Unlike Antoni’s, the bathroom on the left contained a dog and 10 puppies.  

We immediately went inside.  Each time we approach the door to someone’s home, our entry is always preceded with a, “karibu sani” or “karibuni” which is “welcome.”  Kenyan’s are very excited to entertain guests, They are always referred to as vee-zee-tahs (visitors).  We are honored that Isaac and his entire clan refer to us as family.  Andrew met me at the door, “Long time,”” he said as we embraced.  He is the elder statesman of the brothers I know.  Alfred is the oldest, but I haven’t met him yet. Lunch was already on the table. Four large covered serving bowls with sakumawiki, chipati, goat stew, and mixed vegetables in a broth.  This time it was peas, carrots, onions and potatoes. I sat first, then Andrew sat to my left and Antoni was across from his son Caleb who sat to my right.  Veronica came over to me and had me wash my hands. In homes, it’s usually tableside - a basin with a bar of soap at the bottom, and a pitcher with warm water. She repeated the process for her husband and in-law.  Everything was delicious and the conversation; lively.  Andrew has recently retired and was enjoying the rest. These men work very hard as guides. Earlier, Antoni had told me that this will be the first Christmas that he will be home with his family in 10 years! He’s currently on a 2 month holiday… he’s finally using the time that he’s accrued.  It’s difficult to get away with just one helping.  The girls (Andrea and Karen) can usually manage, but me, not so much.  “You must feel up yoo-ah tank,” they tell me.  “They-ah is always room at the top.”  They love it when you leave with a full belly.

At this point, it wasn’t my belly I was worried about.  I’ve had a couple of liters of water already, and by bladder was voicing it’s displeasure, so I excused myself and went outside to the toilet.  I looked in on the puppies and realized that Veronica was also outside.  She was further in the back of the compound, but came toward me.

“Are you going to keep them?” I said.  

“No, I wheel keep two, the ah-thahs I will sell oh geev ah-way.”  

“How do you know which ones to keep?”

“I weel keep the two beegest and meanest”

Nobody in Kenya that I know has a dog that’s a pet.  They are watch dogs, period.  It’s not a good idea to try and pet one if you come to visit… just in case you decide to come on over.

Veronica also showed me her chickens.  I had no idea, but she keeps busy while on break from school.  She has about 20 now, but hopes to have closer to 100 before long.

We went back inside and joined her husband, Antoni and Caleb. Soon thereafter, Andrew and Veronica’s children arrived from church.  Two daughters with a grandson in tow.  He was probably 1 or 2 years old, and was fascinated with my hair.  He sat behind me on a couch (pronounced “coach”) staring at it.  He was not so enamored with my face.  Despite my smile, he was not sure what he was looking at, and this time, he was the one voicing his displeasure.  It started as just a furrowed brow that was a constant as he mother fed him small spoonfulls of what looked like applesauce.  He never took his eyes off me.  At this point, everyone was laughing at his expression, and his voicebox kicked-in. So did the “fight or flight” response. He chose the latter and moved into his mother’s arms.  The laughter continued.

Isaac finally arrived and took the seat across from me. He ate quickly although he didn’t have to.  When he arrived, Andrew borrowed his car to run an errand.  He stood up and said, “I wheel be bahk in five…” He stopped himself. “Feefteen minutes,” smiling as he said it.  “We ah on Kenyan time.”  Isaac looked at me laughing and said, “Bangle,” referring to his earlier comment about watches and Kenyans.  Antoni got the joke.  Isaac ate quickly as he talked about the repair process.  He was getting nervous about the time because he started pacing, periodically walking outside to see if he could see Andrew approaching. Eventually he did.  It was close to 2:30 by now.  We had lost an hour.  Hakuna matata.

We eventually said our goodbye’s as we walked outside toward the vehicle.  I handed Veronica the bag of items supplied by Andrea, Karen and the fidget spinners donated by our friends (Jim, Adelle and Carson).  I showed her the spinner before getting into the car.  She liked them very much and commented that the children at school will like them, too.  They all stood and waved as we departed.  

We drove back into the center of Narok to pick up Madam Tiampati, the headmistress of the girls secondary school we’ve been talking about helping.  Siana Girls Secondary is located behind the Rescue Center.  I’ll get more into that later.

We found her standing by the main road so the pick up went smoothly. The ride to the school did, too. Conversation was difficult, however, because with the windows rolled down, it was impossible to hear anything. The sun was blazing through windshield. 45 minutes into the 2 hour drive, Isaac said, “Ah-dam, I theenk you ah becomeeng Kenyan.  The sun ees not bahning you-ah skeen.”  He might not have noticed me constantly moving my arms and hands periodically trying to find shade inside the car.  Despite the twist and turns we made, the sun stayed directly in front of the car.  Now I know how Icarus felt.

The road went from paved and smooth to neither.  Although they’ve been working on the Mara Road for years, they may be finished within one more.  The unpaved section is teeth jarring and not for the feint of heart.  

We finally arrived at the school at about 4:30.  I surveyed the area as we went inside Madame’s office. We sat down, signed the guest book and began talking about the school’s needs.  They were more critical (and severe) than I had thought.  There aren’t many schools on the mara. Literally.  I think this is the only high school.  The boys don’t even haveone. There are 4 classrooms that the government built.  There is a library (that contains madame’s office), and then there’s a kitchen that was built by the camp that Isaac works for – Entumoto. The school is three years young, which means that next year will be their first year with a high school senior class.  They don’t have room.  Not by a long-shot, although they will make due with what they have.  That is the rub.  Parents bring their daughters here for a high school education, but see that the space is tight and often decide to send them 2 hours away to Narok, but more likely, take them out of school completely.  Help is greatly needed here.  

The discussion was interrupted by a phone call from Andrea. I apologized before answering the phone, but she knows I’m busy and usually waits for me to call later in the evening.  “Is everything okay?”  It was, she had just left church and Fr. George was asking about me.  She facetimed me and we were all able to say “Jambo!”  It was a nice break from the weight of the conversation, and even nicer to get a glimpse of home.

When we hung up, we decided to tour the grounds in more detail.  My steps were much lighter after hanging up with Andrea.  The classrooms were very well kept and looked younger than three years.  There are currently 86 girls boarding here… there are 60 applicants in the entering freshman class.  Yikes.  The dormitory was not cramped by any means, but the addition of any portion of that 60 will change the room dramatically.  Bunks were still only double stacked.  That was good.  Triple bunking is terrible, but it happens.

There was another large building that looked like it was on the fence – not sure if it was falling down or still under construction.  It turned out to be neither.  The CDF (county development fund) gave them money to build the structure, but upon inspection, found the construction to be poor.  It didn’t help that the school wasn’t given enough money to complete the building.  I inquired about repair/reconstruction, but we can’t do that. It’s too bad.  Due to the soil content, the most expensive part of construction is the foundation, and this one was good.  The stairs leading to the imaginary second floor were an indication of the concerns.  She asked me if I wanted to go upstairs.  There’s no chance those steps would support my weight.

We next went to the kitchen.  It was the Taj Mahal.  Even Madame said so.  “Thees is the nicest fah-cee-lee-tee on the compound.”  She was right.  It needed some finish work… ceiling, plumbing fixtures, and some mounting of hardware, but it was really nice.  As we walked out, and started to close out the conversation talking about “next steps,” Madame asked if we would like to take tea.  It looks like we’ll be staying a bit longer.  We went to her living quarters and took a seat as she warmed mile for what turned out to be hot chocolate.  She brought out bananas and muffins, too.  Before we finished we were joined by the chairman of the school committee. He greeted us and talked about how grateful the community was for our visit and consideration.  They are eager to support us in any way possible.  The education of their daughters is very important to them.  That is something we support whole-heartedly.

By the time we exited, the sun was almost gone.  It was long gone by the time we made it to my next bed.  This time, it was at Mara Springs.  According to Isaac this is a much more humble camp. In addition to the rooms they had, they also offered tents if you wanted to camp on the ground yourself - great for anyone in the scouting program.  I was never a scout.  

It was 9:00, and we were both very tired.  We ate dinner quickly.  The modest accommodations that I have not yet seen were preceded by a modest meal.  It was perfect.  It was ready when we arrive, it was hot, and it tasted good.  Tomato soup (green tomatoes), vegetables and maize-meat.  I had never had maize meat, but it was the equivalent of ground beef with onions and peppers.   When finished, we walked to the room and got acquainted with my new surroundings.  Two beds, a couple small tables, a shower and a toilet…  Goodnight!  I got ready for the tomorrow morning and started blogging after calling Andrea and Karen to say goodnight.  They always make me smile, and that gave me enough energy to write a little longer, although I faded quickly.  It’s now 7:20am on Monday, and I’m finishing yesterday’s blog.  I’ll add some pictures and hop in the shower.  I can now tell that the rooms are closer together.  I can hear people clearing their throats and coughing.  It’s mixed with the sounds of crickets and birds.  I’m trying to concentrate on the latter.  We have a long day ahead of us, so it’s time to get started.  I’ll see you all soon.