Our day began with our standard breakfast at 8:30 of toast, hard boiled eggs, and coffee/hot chocolate with jam, peanut butter, and butter. After this, we got ready for our planned departure at 9:30 to return to teacher Linda's home, this time to install cistern liner into the freshly dug hole (which took 5 guys 8 hours to dig in the hot sun yesterday) and to install a metal roofed-cover over top. However, 10:00 passed, then 10:30, and there was still no sign of our ride. Finally, at 11:00, our ride came and we headed off to Linda's. Upon our arrival, we began shoveling the dirt that had been dug 1 meter away from the cistern, in order for the cistern liner to fit properly into the hole. Meanwhile, while the 4 guys were doing this, Jane and Terry began using machete's to smooth out the interior of the hole (As the rocky dirt was almost as solid as concrete in some places).
While this was going on, mom took the opportunity to present a gift from our team to Linda and her family. Because she lost just about everything in a hut fire in March except her children, we decided to donate a suitcase (traditionally where people here store clothing, which is a clean and secure way to do it), two Canada travel pillows, one frog travel pillow and a Canada frisbee. She was very gracious to receive these gifts, as were her children (we confirmed this based on the continued handshakes and waving exchanged between us and 2 year old Stephanie, see Saturday blog for more details). After the dirt moving was finished, the 4 of us began assisting Jane and Terry, and before long, we were finished (as best as we could). This then led to about a half hour of waiting for our ride once again, as Fred and Kennedy had to go into Obwere (where the market is) to purchase wooden beams and metal sheets for the cover and frame. Within this half hour, the team, along with Steven, Linda and the cistern fundis (who had just arrived) laid out the brand new cistern liner, and spread it out over the hole.
Just after completing this, Fred and Kennedy returned with the supplies, and after unloading them all, the team got back on the truck to return to the diocese for lunch (with the plan being to let Alfred, the fundi, begin building the cover while we were gone, before our return at 5:00 to put it into place).
Around 2:30, we all boarded the truck once again and headed off to the Shirati market in Obwereto choose fabrics for Dylan, Nathan and Justin's future shirts. We brought Rose and Rebekahfrom the diocese along with us, to assist us with our bartering. We were very glad we asked them to do this, as we ended up getting all of the fabrics at almost half off (5,000 shillings instead of 8,000-10,000).
Once our fabric was in order, we still had a half hour left before Kennedy would return, so Nathan and I hatched a plan. There was an open soccer (football) field right next to the bustling market, which we had seen a week ago. We decided to try an "experiment", in which the 4 of us got a soccer ball, went to the middle of the field and started playing, waiting to see if anyone would come to join us. So, with Terry filming using Nathan's camera from the sidelines, and me wearing my GoPro on my head, we began a game of "Keep it up" in the middle of the field. Slowly, but surely, kids, then older youth, joined in the game, with 32 others joining the game by the end. Upon finishing the game, we donated the soccer ball to one of the players, who said that his football team did not have one. Overall, it was an incredible experience, and we wish we had time left in the trip to do it again.
After leaving the market, we arrived back at the diocese for just enough time to catch our breath before returning to Linda's at 5:00. During this time, Mom was treated to a lesson from David, our cook, on how to make chips mayai (thank you Lloyd for the proper spelling!). This was very exciting for her, but the biggest challenge was doing one serving at a time because of the small charcoal fire. Certainly different than cooking at home!
Around 4:55, Steven was getting ready to ride his piki piki to Linda's along with us as we got on the truck, when suddenly he asked Dylan if he wanted to ride the piki piki. Dylan, assuming he meant only riding along, gladly agreed, but was surprised and excited when Steven handed over the keys instead. After a single loop around the church on his own, Steven said "We are good to go!" and off they went, following close behind us. Needless to say, driving on the opposite side of a busy dirt road where road laws don't seem to exist was interesting, but it was all safely executed by Dylan.
When we arrived, Alfred the fundi was just finishing the second half of the roof for the cistern, meaning that within 10 minutes, the team had both sides of the roof installed and dirt put on top of the cistern liner (to keep it grounded). We were finished at Linda's by 6:00, and with a final wave goodbye to Stephanie, we prepared to make our exit. At this point however, Fred insisted that we take one more picture in front of the completed cistern. With no other real time obligations, we agreed, and the team moved to the far side of the cistern (I stayed behind, as I was trying to show a local boy how to operate the camera to take the picture.) Suddenly, as I was just handing over the camera to the boy, a slight disturbance appeared on the other side of the cistern. A bright green snake had slithered out from behind Justin and Steven and slithered between them. Justin, noticing this, casually remarked, "Oh look, a snake." At this, Alfred (who happened to be holding a hoe for the sake of the picture) instantly sprung into action, stunning the snake with the back of it. Fred joined in seconds later, as Dylan slowly backed away from the approaching snake. The rest stood dazed, as the snake was dealt with, with the execution hit going to Terry. As we all stood watching the corpse, slightly in shock, Dylan turned to Fred and asked, "So, was that snake poisonous?" with Fred's casual response of, "Yes, deadly." (We later looked up said snake and discovered it is called The Green Mamba, and it was a bit more than we expected. Search this on Google if you wish to learn more details...) With all this out of the way, the picture was taken, and we were on our way.
We arrived at the diocese at 10 after 6, and realized we were late for our meeting with a tailor (which Leisha had set up for 6pm in the kitchen dining area of the diocese). Assuming we were inconveniencing this woman, Jane, Justin, Dylan and Nathan rushed to the dining hall, while Terry and I went to the hospital to play ping pong. However, within 20 minutes, the rest of the team returned, as the woman had not shown up yet (6:40 by this time) and brought some friends; 4 Swiss med students, on a 2 week placement, who are staying a few doors down from us at the diocese. We had 3 great games of round table/DONKEY with them, and enjoyed some great hits.
When we returned to the diocese as the sun disappeared over the horizon, the tailor was waiting for us, and only stayed long enough to confirm price, before announcing that she had a long walk home (despite her late arrival), and saying that she would return at 7am tomorrow morning for the measurements.
Tomorrow, the plan is to go to the technical school and learn how to both make and place bricks with some local youth, to be used in the new bathrooms fundraised by the KCI music department last April! We want to thank you all once again for your prayers of both health and safety across the miles, especially on a day like today with the "Mamba-jambo" and also for health, as it seems that a couple of us are not running at 100% right now.