Construction is well underway!! Once the artisans figured out what to do with 12 pairs of willing but unskilled hands, progress has been impressive, at least according to our hosts. Tuesday and Wednesday we laid 12 rows of brick and were half way up the window line when we finished yesterday. We have all learned new skills, including brick laying, curing, filling with mortar. And we have also been shoveling sand, drawing water from the well and moving the wheelbarrow full of cement mortar. It is amazing what is being done with some pretty basic tools - shovels, trowels, a plum bob and a long length of cord is about it! In between we have been enjoying the children at the school. All the youth have taken turns sitting in on classes when they are being taught in English, and we even took charge of one phys. ed. class - apparently "duck, duck, goose" translates very well into Swahili :-)
Today, however, was a well-earned day of rest. We were taken on a boat tour on Lake Victoria to Mageta Island, where we were hosted at a division of the church where we are doing the school build. We were greeted in song, treated to a double feast by Charles our amazing chef who prepared a brunch and lunch, and included some comfort foods like french toast and pasta, as well as local delicacies like Nile perch. We played cards and visited under the shade of 2 sails stretched under the trees, and then proceeded in a "parade" of about 50 members of the local congregation back to the boat, again with singing all the way.
Once again, there is a soccer game this evening against the local primary school - it has become a daily event that both groups are enjoying.
While we enjoyed our day of leisure, the artisans kept on and the walls are now up to the lintel level, so tomorrow we will be building the roof frame, and hope to buy them the materials to complete the roof after we leave Saturday morning. There will also be some small closing ceremonies and farewells tomorrow. It has been great to spend time immersed in a small community and to feel that we are really doing something special with them and for them.
We should be able to update again on Saturday when we get back to Limuru and the internet is a bit more accessible.
Today, however, was a well-earned day of rest. We were taken on a boat tour on Lake Victoria to Mageta Island, where we were hosted at a division of the church where we are doing the school build. We were greeted in song, treated to a double feast by Charles our amazing chef who prepared a brunch and lunch, and included some comfort foods like french toast and pasta, as well as local delicacies like Nile perch. We played cards and visited under the shade of 2 sails stretched under the trees, and then proceeded in a "parade" of about 50 members of the local congregation back to the boat, again with singing all the way.
Once again, there is a soccer game this evening against the local primary school - it has become a daily event that both groups are enjoying.
While we enjoyed our day of leisure, the artisans kept on and the walls are now up to the lintel level, so tomorrow we will be building the roof frame, and hope to buy them the materials to complete the roof after we leave Saturday morning. There will also be some small closing ceremonies and farewells tomorrow. It has been great to spend time immersed in a small community and to feel that we are really doing something special with them and for them.
We should be able to update again on Saturday when we get back to Limuru and the internet is a bit more accessible.
3 comments:
Jambo to all! Your updates are certainly inspiring and the reaction of the local people to your efforts is moving. Stefan and Marco (and any other soccer fans), Argentina will play the Czech Republic this Sunday for the final FIFA U-20. WE look forward to having you home soon so we can share in your stories and pictures. Have a safe trip!
Love, Mom & Papa (Josie & Kip)
Jambo mon cher Griffin
Hier soir, ta petite soeur a verse des larmes d'ennui pour son grand frere...J'avais beau lui dire que tu revenais dans 2 jours (!!!) mais j'ai du succomber et lui laisser faire UN petit dodo dans ton lit... Tu es sans doute triste et etonne que votre incroyable aventure tire a sa fin et je ne peux que te souhaiter de jeter un dernier regard - avec tes yeuz ET ton coeur - un regard important sur ces gens et cette place qui t'auront sans doute profondement touche et change, sans compter tes merveileux copains de voyage qui ont tant contribue a la qualite de tout ce que tu as eu la chance de vivre!
Nous t'attendons a bras ouverts meme si tu n'as pas souffle mot a ta maman et soeurs bien-aimees, espece de vieille fripouille ingrate! God's speed pour le voyage du retour et a bientot...
Amour, bisous et calins de ta famille (humaine et animale) a Toronto.xxxxxx
N.B. N'oublies pas de dire "asante sana" a tous et chacun sur ton passage avant de quitter... C'est le plus beau souvenir que tu puisses leur offrir...
Hi Christine:
I expect you'll be in transit, but if you can please check your email.
Love Mom
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