Solar hot water and gray water.

     Okay so you could never depend on there being hot water IAA. They use "instant hot water heads" in the showers which consist of a 240 volt heater element in a head filled with water directly above you. Yep it works pretty well and we haven't had anyone killed yet! One huge problem is that they draw 25 amps on the electrical system and low and behold if two folks take showers (not together) it simply blows out the circuit which is a fuse that has blown once before but now has wires wrapped around it to "make it work".
     If you lived on the equator would you have free hot water most of the time? Saving those bucks for a great safari or cruise, even a trip to Ireland! Well the original building plans called for two flat plate solar hot water systems, one on each side of the building. All said and done they had one 300 liter (80gal. for you US folks) installed in the attic with one 3Kw heating element.
     First problem was the tank was located  below the solar panels but a small pump was added to force the flow when the sun shone. The tank had only two pipes on one end. One out and one in. All good solar tanks have two on each end and are located above the solar panels so natural convection can flow hot water thru the tank when the sun shines, remember we are still on the equator. The sun will bake a bald head quickly even at 8,300 ft. on an overcast day.
     Last year the best we could do is make the water flow thru the two pipes and worked with much less efficiency. We even added a timer to turn off the element when the demand dropped to save electricity. The contactor failed about two months ago and the element went bad. An electrican replaced the element but the staff here could not get the timer connected correctly.
     Last year we begged some friends we knew for cash to help IAA with their hot water problems and had much left over since we only repiped a two pipe system.
     I contacted the local tank maker to build us a 300 liter, four pipe tank. You can't just go to Lowes and pick one up. Enter the other problem. Roof solar panels have NEVER been cleaned because there is no ladder that will reach 24ft. Next call was to "Ladder David" a guy who makes aluminum ladders of all sorts. Believe me ladders are expensive here and so are hot water tanks. We did get a tour of the plants when we picked them up, very interesting. Too much to include in this blog and you ladies are bored to death anyway but Keith loves this stuff.
     Last Sat. the new tank was installed, so hard to get into the attic but with much Kenyan muscle power was done. Guy removed the solar powered pump and cleaned panels. Welder made a great rack to hold it above the panels in the attic. This tank has two heating elements instead on one. On a sunny day the water coming off the panels is 120 deg. F. and cold outlet is 86 deg. F. WOW, a cruise is coming soon!!

     The gray water system is simply waste water that contains no sewage that is piped to a tank. This tank allows any solids from kitchen sink drain to fall to the bottom to decay. The outlet is piped to the garden to water it. From the picture we learned not to work on a Sat. because all the children are glad to pitch in. We love em but they were too much help.

A Short Break Away

     We realized that all work and no play isn't good for anyone.......so here is how to take a break in Kenya.
If you travel this far and live in the land of the original safari like in the movie "Out of Africa" this is what everyone does here. Last year we ventured into the Masi Mara game reserve where they show the wildebeast migration on National Geographic shows. This year we chose a different route. There is a lake nearby we had not visited and another park.
     On our first day we traveled to "Hells Gate" to see many animals plus a huge gorge that has been washed out by rain each rainy season. We hiked down the canyon (literally similar to our Grand Canyon) for about an hour with some very steep climbs down into the canyon. We came across some very hot streams coming out of the canyon walls. At one such spot you could even boil an egg and there was evidence that someone had done just that. At the end of out walk we climed out a different way which was very steep and hot (it was much cooler in the canyon).
     Next we drove thru a section near the "Hells Gate" park where the Japanese have developed geothermal energy from many boreholes in the earth. The high pressure steam derived from the wells is used to generate electricity for the nearby cities. Some were venting into the air with much pressure and noise. Then off to our hotel on Lake Naivasha where we ate lunch and secured our room.
     After lunch we went for a boat ride on the lake to view many hippos, ducks, birds and fish eagles. While out we also took a walking safari and was very close to many native animals. Hippos are very dangerous and will attack you while in the boat. They can swim underwater for five minutes without surfacing for air. Our guide suffered such an attach while fishing and almost lost his life. He was with five other fishermen in the boat when a hippo came out of the water and grabbed him by the arm. It pulled him from the boat and flung him back and forth underwater. He survived and had many scars on his arm to prove it.
     The next morning we were off to Mount Kenya (highest mountain in Kenya) for a visit to "Sweetwater Game Reserve" where we take a safari (only shoot with a camera) to view the many native animals of Africa. The safari vans are very comfortable with a roof that raises so you may stand to view animals or picture taking. On the way (about a five hour drive) we stopped off to view Thompson Falls, a beautiful waterfall but very touristy.
     The Sweetwater resort has tents you sleep in that are very comfortable and acommodating complete with hot water provided by tanks that are heated with wood. Beside the tent compound is a large watering hole for the animals. About dark many come in for a drink. Note the tent, giraffe drinking at water hole and even a beautiful sunset on Mt. Kenya.
     A part of this reserve has a chimpanze refuge for chimps that have been taken from illegal owners and placed back in the wild. It is a part of Jane Goodall's efforts to free chimps.

     Also the rhino population is extremely low because of poachers who kill them just for their horn. The park has gunbearing guards who watch at night for paoachers. One such rhino we got to pet was called Barraca, a very gentle creature who had lost his sight from an eye disease. He is huge but very tame and not harmful in the least.
     On the return trip back to IAA we stopped on the equator to view a demonstration how water flows down a drain. When 20 m north of the equator it flows in a clockwise direction and 20 m south of the equator it flows counterclockwise. Wow it really does, just look the next time you drain your sink which way it flows. To all who read this blog we expect you to come with us next year and take a safari with us, you would love it!!!!!

the good ole days

When I want to get more eggs, I go out to a shed where the animals are kept with my basket.  I fill it up and then take them back to the kitchen and wash them (a step omitted when we buy commercially produced eggs - when you crack your eggs you don't want some of the hen house falling in your bowl) and then put them in another basket and set them on the shelf until I need them.  They are never refrigerated.  The cow is milked twice a day.  When they bring in the milk, they strain it (eliminating some stray hairs) and then boil it.  Most of it is made into chai - they add sugar (lots) and loose tea and boil it again and then strain it and it is ready to drink, toddlers and up.  It is never refrigerated because it is consumed within a couple of hours of being boiled.  At night they boil the milk and then leave it on the stove or the countertop (sometimes it is used at night, sometimes not until the morning.)  This milk is given to the babies (those under 2)  The milk is never refrigerated and most Kenyans will tell you that the thought of drinking cold milk is definitely unappealing.  The Mzungus use powdered milk in their coffee and buy a little commercially processed at the grocery store if they want to have cold cereal in the morning.

When I went to get eggs a couple of days ago, they had not been gathered yet.  So I helped gather the eggs, never admitting to her that I was a bit nervous around all those chickens.  Lydiah and I discussed the fact that when women gather the eggs, none are broken, but when men gather the eggs, many are broken.

The next day, Daniel was gone to buy parts for the van when it was time to milk.  Kennedy who is 13 or 14 wanted Steve to milk the cow, assuming that Steve did not know how to milk the cow.  But, of course, he did.  Steve has developed a reputation for being able to do anything, and this was just one more thing on the list.  Kennedy has been at home waiting to go to high school (boarding school) for his first year.  He has been Steve's shadow for much of the time.  Steve has been very patient with him, and I think Kennedy has learned a few things in the process.  Steve has also had some "man to man" talks with Kennedy (including when to take a bath).  Kenyan boys are circumcized right before they go to high school.  After that they are considered men.  Kennedy has some, well, different ideas of what it means to be a man, and how men are supposed to treat women.  (He only respects his grandmother and his wife to be)  He is not highly motivated and doesn't see the need to help a house mom carry heavy propane bottles or a case of pop bottles.  He reminds Steve that he is now a "man" and gets mad if he is called a "boy".  Steve explained to Kennedy that if circumcision is what makes you a man, then he became a man when he was less than a week old.  He jumped out of his crib and was chasing the nurses.  His first wife left him because she was tired of changing his diaper.  So here is a picture of Steve, Kennedy and the cow.  (Note the smile on the cow; she has just been milked.)

cleaning out the Chipsey bucket

Chipsey is the brand name for a vegetable grease.  It is not oil, and much harder than Crisco.  At room temperature it is hard like lard, only it is vegetable based.  It comes in 10 kg buckets, as they use a lot of it when coooking.  The food does not taste greasy, but when it is cold and you seee the hard grease on the top, you ask yourself, "Did I eat THAT?"  Anyway, there were two empty, but still very greasy, Chipsey buckets in the kitchen.  I asked Lydiah what was the best way to clean them.  (The buckets, of course, are very useful for many, many things.)  All the things I knew to use - paper towels, degreaser products, etc. are not available.  So she said she would teach me how to clean them.  We used VERY hot water, heated almost to boiling, and laundry powder, and took them outside to clean them.  What I thought was so smart was she goes over to a cedar tree (bush) and breaks off pieces to scrub with.  Not only are they disposable (few things are thrown away here) but they leave "the fresh scent of pine".  I told her that there were cedar trees at my house and the next time I needed to scrub a greasy container I knew what to use.  I wanted to include the picture of Lydiah only, but it didn't show the bucket, so you have a picture of me as well. 

Cooking and eating

My day usually begins at 7 AM.  I cook for the seven US volunteers that are at the orphanage.  Breakfast is usually eggs or french toast, because there are over 100 chickens on the site and we get a lot of eggs.  Sometimes we have sausage, cereal, or potato cakes made from the leftover mashed potatoes of the previous night.  I also fix lunch for the volunteers.  It is often leftovers from the night before, but also I make egg salad (remember the chickens) or fried egg sandwiches.  Sometimes we have lunch meat for sandwiches - polony (not bologna).  I also make potato salad out of leftover mashed potatoes (with eggs, of course). The mashed potatoes here are very stiff, and they make pretty good potato salad.
The reason that I cook is that we do not want to cause any extra work for the staff here.  There are two kitchens.  In the morning one cooks for the school age children and the other cooks for the babies and preschoolers.  (That is the kitchen that I use.)  You never know what people are doing at lunchtime, so I cook then as well.  There is a cook who for the evening meal because all the children are at home and so we eat out of the main kitchen as well.  However, there is one staff member that spoils us, and when the kitchen is cooking something that she knows we don't like, she will cook something else for us. In addition to what they cook, I might also slice tomatoes or make guacamole, or slice fresh pineapples or magoes.  We also usually have bananas on hand.  We eat chicken and mincement (ground beef).  Occasionally they get meat from the butchery, but it is so tough and grisley, that I usually pass.  In general, I have not found much that I do not want to eat.  With the exception of ugali.  Ugali is like a cornmeal mush that is cooked dry so that it is stiff (looks like a cake).  There is no salt, seasoning, oil or anything with it, and I find it tasteless. For Kenyans, it is a favorite comfort food.  We eat a lot of rice and potatoes.  They grow their own potatoes, but they grow three crops of potatoes a year.  Bottom line, the potatoes don't get very big.  The real bottom line is that it takes a long time to peel small potatoes.  Even if I do not fix the evening meal, sometimes I help them peel potatoes.
It is interesting that there are a lot of similarities between Kenyan and Mexican food.  For example, here they make chipatis, which is like a thick flour tortilla, maybe a little sweeter.  Also there is cilantro in the garden.  Eat your heart out, Steff.  A rare treat is simosas, a deep fried tortilla like dough stuffed with ground beef.  They are very labor intensive, but oh, so good.  Also they raise a lot of cabbages, and kale.  The corn they raise is maize, tough, not like sweet corn.  It is cooked a long time. Many of their dishes are like stews - different vegetables, with rice or potatoes, maybe chicken, maybe not.  One dish meals.  Kenyans don't eat sweets very much.  But Jane does make us banana bread sometimes, and once I made a banana pudding (and yes, I did make the bread pudding.)    
Since I use the toddler kitchen, we wash the toddlers' dishes, as well as our own.  Of course, I try to wash as I am preparing the food too.  The volunteers take turns doing the dishes, but some do a lot more than others.  Steve helps out a lot.  All this is to say, I spend a lot of my time in the kitchen. One Sunday I announced that I was not cooking supper, everybody was on their own, and they readily agreed.  I don't know what the toddlers ate that evening but there was a TON of dishes.  So much for my night off.
In a couple of week there will be a team of six coming, and shortly thereafter, a team of four.  I will probably  cook breakfast for everybody.  When extra people come, it really puts a load on the staff, and believe me, they already have their hands full.   

It's shearing time at the orphanage

All school age children in Kenya have their heads shaved, boys and girls.  This helps to prevent lice and also with dandruff (the air is very dry here).  Especially with preschool children, sometimes it is hard to tell if a child is a boy or a girl.  For girls, it sure makes it easy getting ready for school in the morning.  Also it is like the uniform, it puts everyone on an equal playing field.  The adult men in Kenya also keep their hair trimmed very close to their head.  I was told by a sixteen year old boy that men who have dreadlocks (true Rastifarians - sp???) have to have a permit to wear their hair long.  I have only seen one man with long hair.

The man who came to shear the sheep at the orphanage had spring loaded hand shears.  He learned the trade from his grandfather.  He knew how to hold the sheep, he worked fast, and I never saw a knick on the sheep.  The wool is taken to a factory where it is processed for blankets, etc. 

Very low overhead garage

     Okay, so when your auto breaks down and you need a mechanic you just call a tow truck and have it towed to your favorite garage, right! The garage has a nice heated or cooled stall to put it into to do the work and the mechanic has a whole box of shiny Craftsman tools and lots of  technical references at his fingertips.
    Well the eleven passenger Toyota van (I love em) used not only to carry the children to school but many other hauling chores broke down in the yard. Our local maintenance team quickly tore the engine down far enough to see it had a broken cam shaft. At this point it was decided to call in an expert. Enter Alex a traveling Kenyan auto mechanic who uses the ground for a workshop. Check out ALL the tools he has to do the job in the picture.

     Wednesday morning Alex and his son pulled everything but the block and crankshaft out of the engine to assess the damage.  Then Saturday morning Daniel, a maintenence person at the orphanage, went  to Nairobi with Alex to purchase the needed parts which included of course a new camshaft, some valves, head gasket, new connecting rod bearings and silicone gasket making materials. The parts cost $26,000 Ksh (Kenyan shillings) approximately $338 USD. They came back at about 3:00PM at the scene of the broken down van. Alex with three auto mechanic students had the van running by 7:00PM with only minor valve adjustments to be made the next morning. The low overhead mechanic Alex only charged $6000 Ksh or $78.00 USD. Wow, I wanted to take him home with me but is too complicated getting him into the suitcase.

Maybe a good idea, maybe not

Last Sunday afternoon when most everyone else was resting, Teresiah and Lydiah (ages 11 and 12) made cookies with me.  Also one day Teresiah stayed home from school because she had hurt her foot so we made cookies for the three students who are at home, waiting to start their first year of high school.  So, of course, Teresiah wants to make cookies today.  I had to say yes for a number of reasons.  The day before was her birthday.  At the orphanage, it is hard to have a birthday celebration for each child (there are currently thirty, which of course averages to a little over 2 a month.)  Another problem is that some sponsors would send numerous and elaborate presents, while some sponsors sent a card.  So they decided to have a birthday outing twice a year.  This is a new policy.  Last year Teresiah had a party, this year none.  So we made cookies - sugar cookies with red sugar sprinkles left by some Mzungu.  Well, it happened to go well with the red jello that I brought from the US.  So tonight we all had red jello and cookies.  Some of the older children had had jello before, but it was new to most.  Last year Steve and I bought ice cream from Naivasha, and quite frankly, it was a flop.  Most found it too cold.  It was too cold to hold, too cold on their teeth.  Some of the staff left it until it melted and came to room temperature.  So maybe the jello was a good idea.  The cookies?  Well, the boys who are in the same age group came in and they wanted to make cookies too.  So Newton and Johnny made peanut butter cookies with me and I promised the others they could make cookies next weekend.  Meanwhile one of the young men from the US was standing around waiting to sample, but these kids are very protective of their cookies and would not let him have a single one.  When they were done we put them up on a high shelf in the kitchen until it was time to serve (ration - 1 cookie per person for those under 6, 2 cookies per person for those over 6.)  I commented to the young man that this was hard work, meaning not hard to make the cookies, but it takes patience to show the kids and let them do it.  (They seldom ever get an experience like this.) I wondered to myself if I was that patient with my own children, letting them make cookies.  Then I wondered if I ever let them make cookies when they were that age.  Aaron, the young US volunteer, then tells me that it's not hard to make bread pudding.  (Not a subtle hint as he has been after me to make it for him.)

Cement blocks in Kenya!!!!!

     Here at the site, there is an ongoing project to build a block security wall completely around the orphanage facility (appoximately 3 acres).  After the last election (2007), there was chaos in the country.  The dispute over the outcome of the election stemmed from old tribal conflicts.  People went crazy - burned homes, churches, businesses, transport trucks, railways, national park lands, schools, orphanages.  People had thier heads cut off and put on stakes.  Buses were stopped and people were robbed.  Just craziness.  National elections are scheduled again for this November. Hence, the wall. 
     In Kenya you don't just order 500 cement or cinder blocks to do the project. First you call a company to deliver rough stones that have been carved out of a rock quarry by hand. Then the truck delivers them to the job site where they are unloaded by hand. At this time you hire two local "rock shapers" who spend many hours forming them into usable somewhat square blocks, see photo.

     They are laid out on the ground to make sure they fit properly before cemented into the wall. It cost about $21.00 USD to run one linear foot of wall.

So what do you do everyday?

Today is Monday.  What are we doing?  Well, Aaron and Josh are wirebrushing a shipping container which has been converted to the library.  This is in preparation for painting.  It is an older container, and rusting.  Steve and Gordon have tacked a number of maintenance jobs today.  The picture shows Steve replacing the supply line on a leaking toilet.  Gordon is repairing a bench that is used in the boys' dorm where the older children eat and do homework.  They have continued to knock out a number of small projects like this today.  I was taking pictures so you don't see me.  But what I was doing was marking names on all items that are going with Grace, Kenedy, and Francis when they leave soon for their first year in high school.  I have to write a whole blog about high school in Kenya ...later.  But high school for most students means boarding at the school.  The school gives a list of what each student should bring.  All their things are kept in a trunk.  I brought with me black and silver Sharpie markers and a Dymo labeller, including the iron-on  fabric labels because last year I saw the house Moms stitching the students' initials in their clothing by hand.  This year I volunteered for the job of labelling.  Some of the things that are standard for most all students are: a plate, spoon, and cup (for their meals, of course), 3 blankets, an English dictionary, a Kiswahili dictionary, an atlas, a set of mathematical tables (logs, trig tables - sorry, no calculators here).  Also they are to bring a Bible (New Revised Standard Version) and a book called Golden Bells, which contains the lyrics to Christian hymns.  The schools that these children are attending are NOT parochial schools (these are provincial and district schools, funded by the government).  Except for areas of the country where there is a strong Muslim influence (like on the coast, near Mombasa), this is considered standard fare.  I remember when I was in the first grade our teacher had a Bible on her desk and she read a little outloud to us everyday.  I also helped cover all their books.  Even the exercise books of the younger children are covered.  Ususally they just use newspaper, but for these high school students they had brown paper, not nearly as heavy as craft paper, more like newsprint.  I remember covering my books when I was in grade school.  I don't think they do that anymore.  However, my mother would be proud if she saw the meticulous job I did on the book covers.

Saturday morning

This morning I was trying to help Johnny, a third grader, with his schoolwork and we were being pestered by younger children.  It was a beautiful day and we were working outside on a picnic table, but Johnny did not need these 10 other distractions.  I had shooed them off several times, and finally I was trying to herd them to the other side of the building in my teacher voice.  Apparently someone in the kitchen figured out my dilemma, because after Johnny and I finished his lessons I went in the main dorm to find 10 children ages 2 to 6 sitting in a line on the floor mesmerized by Lydia.  She had the Bible open to Genesis 1 and was apparently telling them the creation story.  (She was speaking in Kiswahili.)  She is a very animated story teller and the children were glued to her.  She would ask them questions and they would respond in unison.  She would ask again and they would respond again.  She told how God made man from the earth and used her hands as she talked.  She went into detail about His making Adam's head, and shoulders, and arms, etc.  Upstairs was playdough packaged in small individual containers, like party favors.  So I brought it down and we went outside and all started forming people, and miscellaneous other things. The kids had a blast, even Johnny joined us.  Joy kept eating hers, but other than that we all had a great time. 

Day Trip to Nairobi

Friday, the seven mzungus (white people) on site went to Nairobi for the day.  Our first stop was the Village Market, a modern mall, and the Masai Market, where the local people display and sell their crafts.  I helped the local economy by buying a few things (although not as much as last year).  Also, to correct myself, you can buy diet Coke at the food court. (It is frequented mostly by mzungus.)  Then our driver took us by Kibera, one of 8 slums in Nairobi and the largest slum in Africa, with varying estimates of 350,000 to 1 million residents.  The driver told us to close our windows in case of "flying toilets".  These pictures, of course, don'tt capture the reality of the setting, and it certainly doesn't capture the smell.  Kibera is featured in the movie, The Constant Gardner.  But it is in some ways not a typical slum.  One of the best public schools in the city is there, and there are residents who do work and have money, but have grown up there and call it home and continue to reside there.  The government is trying to move people out of it and into other housing, but there are many issues involved here.  Also about every non profit you can think of has spent time in Kibera, and yet not much has changed in 20 years.  If you want to learn more, google Kibera.

Then we went to Nyumbani, an orphange for HIV positive children.  It was started in 1993 by a Jesuit priest who found that other orphanages would not accept these children.  He started with 3 boys, and it currently has over 100.  Father D'Agostino fought through the court system to force schools to admit these children.  He also fought with the pharmaceuticals for cheaper medicine.  He is reported as saying, "I am tired of doing funerals because some people are greedy."  At first they were averaging the death of one child every month; but they have had no deaths in the last three years.  They also have two outstanding community programs.  You can check out the amazing work they are doing at their website: http://www.nyumbani.org/.  They are a non-profit, and would gladly accept your donation.    

The reason for the extended power outage

Last Monday a contractor came to cut down some big trees on the site.  This is in preparation for the new dining hall that (hopefully) will be built someday.  The very first tree he cut fell on the power line.  (Hence, no power.)  It was a good thing that we were going to Nairobi that day because I think Steve would have had a heart attack as he continued to watch them work.  Of course, he would have sent him home immediately if he could, but found out that he is the only one in the area that has a chain saw.  He must have been a good businessman because he rode a motorcycle to the site.  However, after that, his partner (more experienced, but on a bicycle) came to do the work.  Not only do they cut down the trees, but they cut the trees into lumber that will be used for the dining hall.  There is no sawmill, he just uses a string and cuts the logs into (roughly) 2 x 4s and 1 x 6s.  Of course, there are also a number of small branches.  These are cut into smaller lengths and after they dry for a couple of weeks, they will be used for firewood.  We have a fireplace in the main dorm where they build a fire every evening. Also some of the cooking (things that take a long time especially, like dried beans) is done in the "smokey kitchen" which uses fire wood.  The last tree had to fall a certain way or it would hit our water tanks or the neighbor's house.  A young man shimmied up the tree and with a machete  notched the tree and tied a rope so that the top of the tree could go first.  They successfully topped the tree and later laid the rest of the tree exactly where it needed to be.

Candy is sweeter in Kenya

And so are the soft drinks.  Someone from the site goes grocery shopping one or twice a week in Naivasha.  It is probably a 30 minute ride.  I have no idea of the distance.  There you can buy Kit Kat bars, pretty much the only American brand candy bar.  April asked me the other day if I noticed that they were sweeter than in the US. I just thought they tasted so good because it was "a taste of home."  Actually, I am told, there is a difference.  The candy and soft drinks here are made with only sugar, not corn syrup.  (Also I am told that US candy and soft drink manufacturers use corn syrup because the US government subsidizes the corn growers.)  Now this is strictly heresay information, but when I satisfy my cravings with a CocaCola or Kit Kat Bar, they certainly are sweet.  (Diet Coke? Who ever heard of that? No one here needs it.)  I just thought I should talk about the important things first.

Introduction

Okay, so I left the states two weeks ago today, arriving at the site two days later.  I had great intentions of sharing my experiences with family, friends, and other interested parties while I was in Kenya this time.  I can blame part of my failure to do that on the fact that we did not have electrical power for six of those days.  (There is a generator which ran a couple of hours each morning and about 4 hours each evening.)  So that's not a great excuse.  I think what happens is that I would just rather be doing things than writing about things.  Several people have strongly encouraged me to blog, and I just feel like I am being selfish if I don't share these experiences with others.  So thanks for coming along on my journey.  Certainly things will be out of order as I reflect back on the two weeks, but then again, the blog will probably be just random thoughts so order doesn't particularly matter.