After a night filled with Muslim calls to prayer at 4 am over load speakers in the street and me falling down some stairs during the night that I did not remember, Paul and I had a good breakfast (a first) and had a 1/2 to kill before our meeting. Being the curious sort we started a walking tour and soon found ourselves going inside a community hospital. We asked for a quick tour and soon found ourselves talking to the head doctor who was very enthusiastic about our visit - so enthusiastic that he has asked us to come back to speak to his entire nursing staff tomorrow morning at 8 am about - get this - nursing!
Something must have been lost in translation however I am quickly studying what BCIT offers and will be all set to go tomorrow at 8 am.
The hospital has a warm spirit but looks like it is from the 1930's - everything looks very old and I must confess I would be very concerned if I needed treatment - this feeling may be unfounded however anything contagious would certainly circulate very quickly.
We then met Jack, head of the Bridge Water project, and his staff of Kenyans. Jack is a Brit Masters student who has head up the project but is heading home at the end of the month leaving the Kenyans in charge of the project. After some great interviews with the staff we found ourselves on our way to a site where drilling was occurring - about 90 minutes away or 27 kms:) Upon our arrival we saw the drilling in action which was located right on the church grounds. The church elders had made the application for the well which will serve 600 individuals and costs about $6000. We had a great visit meeting and interviewing the managers, the drilling crew, the pastor, all the while being watched by very curious school children.
This experience was for me one of the most satisfying moments of my life. These people who are already grateful were waiting to get a reliable clean water source. From the workers to the staff to the children all were working together and understood that good water meant better health, more income for families and a better future for this lovely mountain village. We were then privileged to be asked back to the Pastor's home for tea - a combination of steamed bananas, ground nuts, and tea. The woman serving us tea was a widow with 4 children but had been blessed with a small loan to buy a cow - which she now uses to sell milk to the local cooperative - the cow's name is "14 sisters" - the number of women who are working together to help each other. It was an emotionally empowering and exhausting day. We have promised to give some of our donations to them - how could we not:)
Tonight we are taking the water project team for dinner and seeing what next steps we could take to help them.
This was a very purposeful day for both of us. Kinda makes all the things we sweat about back home sort of fade into the background.
Asante Sana for reading
btw - Paul's Swahili is awesome - he called two guys handsome and I needed to jump in before he had two "new friends"
btw - Nikki - we will be playing hide and seek soon.
