Last Sunday (July 16^th), we attended the 7 am Mass here at Gekano while Kaleb went with Fr. David to three of the Outstations.  The Mass here started 15 minutes late, the homily was 25 minutes and after the final blessing, the priest gave another 15-minute homily/talk and then finally a few more collections were taken up.  We left for Mass at 6:55 am and got back at 8:45 am.  After church we did laundry since we had plans for Monday and Tuesday and if no protests on Wednesday, we would be gone with Water with Blessings events.

On Monday, we decided to split up and get Water with Blessings follow ups done for the month.  Wes and Lilian went one direction for follow ups while Kathy and Emma went in another.  We had planned to get to five different places but, in the end, were able to do four of them.  When Emma and Kathy got to Geta for their last follow up, there weren’t any women around and for the next 10-15 minutes no one even passed us by as we waited on the road by the church.  Emma then checked her text messages she sent to the women the day before and realized she didn’t text the women at Geta to let them know a follow up was scheduled for them at noon.  On Monday morning, Kaleb was invited by the seminarians here at Gekano to travel with them to Manga for football (soccer) games.  The local priests joined the seminarians as well and in addition to playing football, they had a traditional Kenyan meal – foods that Kathy doesn’t know how to make so she was glad Kaleb has had the opportunity to sample the local cuisine such as ugali, mboga, mandazai, chapati, chai, etc.  Kathy tries to make some of those foods but they end up being her version of them.

On Tuesday we took Faith, one of the orphans, to see two different doctors in Kisii.  Faith had complained of eye issues and stomach pains when we had Mission Saturday at Manga the weekend before.  We decided to start out at the eye clinic thinking that if she needed glasses, we could be there for some time.  In the end, she didn’t need glasses and was prescribed some eye drops and ointment.  We then headed to Christamarianne Mission Hospital to get the stomach pains checked out.  The doctor prescribed medications to treat H. pylori and to reduce stomach acid.  We were done by 3 pm which we thought was pretty good considering we had to go to two different facilities.  Kathy dreaded the whole payment process at the hospital and because labs and a chest x-ray were ordered, and medications prescribed, she had to make four separate trips to the cashier to make payments for the services.  It would be nice to be able to make one payment at the end but that is not how it works – you pay first and then you get services. There was only one cashier and lots of people in line every time Kathy went to the window – she is learning patience as well as being more assertive because if not assertive, she would continually be at the end of the line.  For one of the visits to the cashier, a nice mama stood up for Kathy and told others present where Kathy would be in line for the cashier.  Kathy was very grateful and thanked the mama – it was the first time that someone made that gesture when trying to pay for services.

On Wednesday and Thursday, we were planning to make home visits for Water with Blessings but because of the planned protests we didn’t venture out.  In the end, there were protests but not like there had been the week before.  We stayed here at the Mission and got things done around the house and cleaned the flower gardens.  It had rained almost an inch in the previous few days so the weeds were a little easier to pull.  We did venture over to the new shamba on Thursday afternoon to take a few more measurements so Wes could update his drawings.  In addition, Wes drew to scale the cabinets and where we want them so there won’t be any questions as to what and where cabinets are to placed in each room. 

On Friday, we took another orphan to Kisii for her physical therapy appointment.  We got to Christamarianne Hospital by 8 am and were out of town by 9 am.  There was no one in line to register and we were the first ones in line at the cashier’s window so it was a good day!  In the afternoon, we went back to the shamba to load water drums on the Landcruiser so that on Saturday morning, Wes could take the first load of water drums to Mosobeti.  After finishing our home visits last month in the Mosebeti area, 45 women qualified to get a water drum.  Because we can only haul around 19 drums at a time on the Landcruiser and even less with the Hilux, several trips would have to be made.  In the end, Wes got 21 drums loaded on the Landcruiser and did so by placing one in the passenger seat and letting one stick out the back and tying up the door!  It was a sight to see the Landcruiser going down the road loaded with the drums – it resembled something out of The Beverly Hillbillies or maybe the Griswolds in the movie National Lampoon’s Vacation! 

On Saturday after daily Mass, while Fr. David and Kaleb went to Mission Saturday here at Gekano, Wes took the first load of water drums to Mosobeti while Kathy and Emma went to Geta for the WWB follow up that was missed earlier in the week.  We asked one of our guides from when we did home visits to babysit the water drums that Wes would be dropping off by the church so he could get another load.  If there was no one there to watch the drums, they would grow legs and walk away!  Eventually, Wes got the drums there and Kathy and Emma came from the follow up to Mosobeti to give the drums away.  We did stop to purchase three cases of soda as a treat to give the mamas since some of them had waited for almost an hour under the hot sun.  In the end, we were able to distribute the drums to the 45 women but as always whether it be to give blankets or water drums away, women came that were not eligible to receive them.  Trying to tell some of the mamas why they didn’t receive the gift can be frustrating for Emma and Lilian but they do their best to explain to the mamas the reasons why by first going over the rules that they were given when they were trained.  Kathy asked Emma how the mamas that didn’t qualify know to come and Emma explained by saying that the mamas like to talk to one another…in other words…gossip!  The thing is they only find out the night before that they are asked to come to the church…. word/gossip travels fast!!

The weather has been very nice with the day time temps mostly in the mid 70’s.  Last Sunday afternoon we finally received some measurable precipitation after two weeks – we got three quarters of an inch which helped to settle the dust.  For the week, we received almost 1.5 inches of rain which wasn’t a lot but better than none.  The power went out a few times but thankfully, because school was in session, the generator was turned on for a few hours in the morning and evening. 

Shamba update:  The men continue to work on cleaning the spatters of cement on the window frames and walls as well as painting the window frames on the outside.  A few men are digging the trenches so the plumbers can lay the water and sewer lines.  The fundi that does the welding has been on site to weld the railings for the porch and the inside railing for the steps leading to the second floor.  The tiles were ordered and will be brought by truck (two of them) from Nairobi.  Rogers lined the trucks up and told Fr. David during Mission Saturday how much the tiles weighed.  On Saturday evening at supper, Fr. David asked us and Kaleb how much we thought the tiles weighed.  Kathy was the closest with 10 ton…the actual weight is 18 ton!  Every room will have tile floors and a few other rooms like laundry, bathrooms, and kitchen will also have tile part way up the wall…we knew it would be a lot but would have never guessed that much! 

The Fab 4 is now down to 3!  Jasmine’s family used to be living on the compound but we found out last week that the family moved - we will miss her though she was a force to be reckoned with at times.  Osongo appeared on the porch a number of times this week as he was sick a few days and stayed home from school though being sick didn’t keep him from coming to ask for a “sweetie”.  On Saturday afternoon, Fr. David was sitting on the porch writing in his journal when Osongo and Brighton came for sweets though they had already received one from Kaleb earlier in the day.  Kathy reminded them of the rule for sweets which is mmoja kwa siku which means one per day.  She then told the two of them kwa herini which means good bye and went into the house.  Shortly after, Fr. David started laughing and repeated what Osongo said after he (Osongo) left the porch and walked a few yards away.  Osongo turned to Fr. David and in a forceful tone said, “mama mbaya” which meant Kathy was a bad mama!  Wes heard what happened as well and he too started to laugh.  Osongo has been calling Kathy “mama” the last week or so - probably because he cannot say her name.  Kathy couldn’t believe her sweet Osongo would say such a thing but he must have been upset that he didn’t get another sweet but rules are rules!  Today (July 23^rd), Osongo, Angie, and Brighton came for a sweet.  Kathy turned to Osongo and asked, “Ulisema mimi ni mama mbaya?” when translated means “Did you say I was a bad mama?”  Angie, who understood what that meant, started to laugh!  Osongo, on the other hand, started jabbering away and said, “mmoja kwa siku” which Kathy took to mean that he was still upset from yesterday when she told him only one sweet per day.  The three of them each got a sweet, smiled for a picture and then went on their way. 

We will not be posting a blog next Sunday as we will be in Nairobi.  We, along with Fr. David, are leaving this Thursday to take Kaleb to Nairobi since he leaves for Rome on Saturday.  We are traveling first to Subukia to stay at the retreat center where the National Shrine is and will pass by the equator as well.  On Friday morning will drive through Nakuru National Park which is home to pink flamingos, giraffes, lions, rhinos, zebras, cape buffalos, impalas, hippos, leopards, etc.  We are hoping that the animals will be out and about so Kaleb gets to see some of them – it would be a shame to come to Africa and not get to see any of the animals one would see on safari.  We will be returning to the Mission on Monday and will post a blog the following weekend. 

Please know that we keep you in our prayers and ask that you keep us, the Mission, and those we serve in yours.  Mungu Akubariki!

See photos from this week in the album section by clicking on the link below.  Note:  If unable to view the photos using the link below, you can still view them by going to St. Joseph’s Parish website and scrolling down to the section titled Kenya Mission – photo album.  The website:  www.stjparish.com

https://stjparish.com/photoalbums/kenya-7-23-23