The last blog I had written on behalf of Wes and I was in April and since then a lot has happened, especially at the new shamba.

 

Wes and Fr. David spent their first night sleeping in the new house on Monday, September 9^th!  They had hoped to be in the house by the end of May, then June, then July and really thought by the end of August they would be in but it took until September for the move – over 2 ½ years from the time the land was purchased in February of 2022.   Back then we thought it would be a year or so before we’d be in the new place, but it was not to be.  New furniture such as couches for the living and sitting rooms along with appliances were purchased in Kisii and those were delivered by the places of businesses they were bought from.  As for the other items in the house, numerous trips would have to be made to get things to the new house.  The distance between the two houses is about 5 miles and the only vehicles they had for moving were the car and the smaller Landcruiser.  Therefore, Wes decided to ask some guys from a warehouse in Magombo - the village nearest the current Mission house – if they would be interested in being a moving company for the day and they were quite happy to.   They had trucks which meant less trips.   The cost to move the items was Ksh 10,000 (approximately $80) - a bargain and well worth it!  They weren’t quite as careful as a moving company would be, but the items got moved.  

 

At the end of February when I left Kenya for medical issues, things were ongoing within the house and the security wall had been started.  The wall is finished but still needs to have an outer coating of cement applied and then painted.  The gathering space is taking shape and almost completed.  This space will be used when the Mission holds seminars, Mission Saturday’s, will house office space, a computer, library, and storage for supplies such as water drums and maize.  As for the house, there were a few issues that kept them from being able to move into it earlier such as a leaking water pipe in the first-floor bathroom.  Because the walls are cement, the cement had to be chipped away, the leak fixed, the hole in the wall covered with cement and after it dried, it had to be painted again.  There were also some electrical issues that needed to be corrected.  Currently, they have hot water on the second floor of the house but not on the first!  The kitchen, one bedroom and one bathroom along with the laundry room are on the first floor.  They will continue to boil water to wash the dishes, and wash laundry with cold water until the problem is fixed.  Wes washed his first load of clothes before they had moved to the new house and came back to the laundry room to find water on the floor.  They think the pipe the washing machine drains into was not hooked up to the septic system and therefore is just draining into the underground.  If that is the case, digging will have to be done to tie the pipe into the rest of the system.  In the meantime, Wes rigged up a way to have the washer empty through a pipe that goes through the laundry room window and is propped up outside on a ladder…where there is a will there is a way!

 

In addition to the gathering space, a building was constructed to house the generator and the water filtration/treatment system.  An analysis of the well water detected elevated levels of iron and other elements such as magnesium.  Initially, it was thought the cloudy water would clear up but after over two years it has not.  E coli was detected as well and thus why they had to look at a system – a system to ensure the water was safe as well as saving wear and tear on appliances and fixtures such as the toilets.  Landscaping is also being done around the house and gathering space to ensure proper drainage away from the buildings.  All this work is done by hand – how nice it would be for them to have a Bobcat!  But if they had a Bobcat, that would mean less jobs for the people and from what the workers told us before, they would rather do the manual labor and have a job than to be replaced by machines.  

 

As stated earlier, Wes relayed that he had taken a load of his clothes to the new house to wash even though they had not yet moved in.  He was there doing some cleaning so thought he would wash clothes as well.  He invited Robert, the caretaker of the shamba, to check out the washing machine and Robert was quite enamored with the machine – he had never seen one before.  The top of the machine has a see-through cover, so Robert watched as it filled and washed.  Wes felt that if Robert would not have had to take a phone call, he probably would have stood by the machine from start to finish.  Robert was really surprised at how “dry” the clothes were when the load was done.  Per Wes, drying time on the makeshift clothesline located on the roof was reduced substantially because of no more wringing the clothes by hand.  We in America take so much for granted and having a washing machine is one of those things.  I think of the countless hours we spent over the past 2 ½ years doing the laundry by hand – having a washing machine is a great addition and time saver.   

 

Wes continues to work with Lilian and Emma conducting monthly water filter trainings, follow ups, making home visits and delivering blankets and water drums to those who qualify.  He and Emma continue to take orphans to the doctor for medical appointments.   One of the girls who had been seeing a physical therapist is now done – she is done because she turned 18!  Back when I was in Kenya and first started going with Sheila to the ortho doctor and physical therapist, I had asked what the course of treatment would be as well as the length of time for therapy.  At that time, the ortho doctor told me Sheila would be done when she turns 18 – not be done because she was better but done because of her age.  I kind of thought he was kidding but that was not the case.  Because Sheila was 18, he considered her to be done with the therapy. According to Wes, Sheila is limping again so they will have to look for a new doctor.   

 

On a funny note, before Wes and I left for Kenya in December of 2021 for the start of our three-year commitment to the Mission, we had mailed a Christmas card to Fr. David at the Mission in November of 2021.   We had also put together a goodie box of Dot’s pretzels, beef jerky, etc. and mailed that on the same day.  A few weeks ago, the card arrived though the box of goodies did not!  I can’t imagine where that card has been and the hands it went through in the past 2 years and 9 months!  Someone probably had a good meal eating the food items and then again, who knows, maybe it will show up one day.  

 

This week Wes will be arriving home for a one-month vacation, and I, along with our sons, can’t wait to see him.  This is the longest amount of time and farthest distance we have been apart in our years together.  I had thought about going back with him in October and completing our remaining time at the Mission with him but after serious consideration and my three-month checkup, I have decided to not go back at this time.  Depending on how I feel, I would like to go back to the Mission in January or around there when Wes would be coming back as this is the final year of our three-year commitment.  When I left in February, I never really said goodbye to people there - it never occurred to me that I would not be coming back.  

 

Please know that we keep you in our prayers and ask that you keep Wes as he travels this week and the Mission in yours.  Mungu Akubariki!  

 

Note:  I had tried to get this blog out last week but the format that I used to use changed and not being very tech savvy, I had to get a tutorial this week at the church office which may or may not have helped!  If you cannot view the photos, one can go to the church website at www.stjparish.com.  At the very top is a category titled African Mission – All God’s Children which one can click on or under the Ministries category, click on African Mission – All God’s Children.  

http://stjparish.com/photoalbums/9-18-24