ERICAH
While we were in Nairobi Sister Ericah called
and told us that her brother had died.
We were saddened to hear that.
He was buried at his home on Monday the 18th
but we could not go to the services.
We made arrangements to go visit her on Thursday
and President Okila wanted to go with us then George
wanted to go also so off we went.
We met President in Majengo.
After a great discussion from Alma
we had a light lunch of boiled eggs, beans, and
hot chocolate (all but the cocoa from her shamba).
She is a very kind and gracious woman!
After lunch we went to the back yard so George could
see her methane production and we saw long plants
being chopped for fodder for the animals.
A look over the back shamba plot.
I have shown before her walkway between the house and
the outer building. In this building is the car "room"
and the kitchen where food id cooked on an open fire.
There are other rooms there also and one is set up as a
dining area but the others we had never seen.
Today she opened one of the doors and there was the
chicken "coop"(?). I knew she had many chickens but
had never seen them. The first time we were here
she had many chicks in a small pen with lights in the walkway.
Her two calves were in the front yard lunching on some
of the chopped plants.
There is a home next to Sister Ericah's that does not belong to
her family. This mattress was airing on the fence that is
also used as the clothes line.
When we were here in January this home was being
worked on as the timber frame was being nailed together.
Now the first layer of mud in on and they were
working on the inside.
The woman who owns the home and her friends are doing
the mudding on the inside.
They put water in the dirt and work it together
making good mud!!
I wanted the job being done by the woman on the left -
tramping and mixing in the mud!! She also makes the balls of
mud to be taken inside to make the walls.
They were busy and working fast -
setting the mud balls inside to be arranged later.
The rain was coming and they wanted to get as many as
they could inside so the rain wouldn't break down the balls.
To the left were these mud balls already made and
would be carried in a little later.
After the mud is well dried another two or three layers
of mud will be put on and smoothed to make the home
smooth and pretty.
We took Sister Ericah with us as we would take her
to her brother's home where her other
brother and sisters were congregated.
We saw this woman on the path outside
of Ericah's compound.
The road we traveled from her home to the main
"tarmac" road.
A mama checking on her recently planted field.
Another woman down the road a ways.
As we were traveling to Ericah's home we passed
many, many animals being led along the road.
Taken through the windshield so not the best.
Many had animals and many were just along the way.
We had seen such sites before in another area
and the same situation.......
market day. A time to buy and sell.
We saw the auction area as we drove out.
There is a big tea factory on the hill we drive by and there
in the back was the weekly auction for animals.
This was quite a distance up the hill so it
isn't the best picture.
JACKSON AND EVERLYN
As we had traveled to Sister Ericah's we
passed President Okila's grandma's home and we said
we could stop there on the way back to Kisumu.
When we stopped there she was not home but would be there soon.
We parked the truck in her compound then walked through the
area to another family compound to the home of Jackson and Everlyn.
As we had traveled to Sister Ericah's we
passed President Okila's grandma's home and we said
we could stop there on the way back to Kisumu.
When we stopped there she was not home but would be there soon.
We parked the truck in her compound then walked through the
area to another family compound to the home of Jackson and Everlyn.
They are members of the branch and had recently moved
from Nairobi to live in the ancestral compound
in a home that he had designed and built.
from Nairobi to live in the ancestral compound
in a home that he had designed and built.
We sang a hymn and discussed a message of the
Gospel of Jesus Christ and then took pictures.
They are a great family. While they were living in
Nairobi he served as a Bishop of 6 years.
They would like some time to go to the Temple.
They have 5 children and their firstborn is a son
who is a deacon.
Elder Moon, President Okila, Jackson's son,
Everlyn. Jackson, Sister Ericah, George
inside the home of Jackson and Everlyn.
It is the first home we have been in that had
this picture of the Savior.
There is another "traditional Kenya House" just outside
their home that he wanted his picture taken by.
The dish drainer at the back of their home.
The shelves behind the other one had bunnies in it.
Their cow in the yard.
Brother Jackson was home today building a pen for the cow.
New crops are coming up in the shamba.
How would you like to dig this area by hand for planting?
Jackson's father who was digging a hole and was
pleased that I would take his picture.
Other homes in the compound.
Cow shed by another home.
This home had a shed large enough for the four cows
that were staked throughout the yard for grazing.
Plants up and doing well.
We walked this path to the right to go
through the family compound to Jackson's area.
Banana trees.
Bananas growing on the banana bush.
They grow in large bunches pointing upwards.
We had not seen any with the flower still attached.
See the purple flower at the bottom of the stem of bananas?
PRESIDENT OKILA'S GRANDMA
As we left Jackson's compound we came to compound of
President Okila's Grandma.
His mother died when he was 4 and he was raised by
his Grandma in this home.
Grandma was born in 1922 and was very spry, healthy
and joyful!!
She had born fourteen children and nine had already died.
She kept saying that and then would ask how many she
would now have if she had only had three or four?
Grandma with the grandies.
These would be her great-great grandchildren.
In the front of Grandma's home.
George, Sister Ericah, Grandma, President Okila,
Elder Moon and Jackson.
Grandma with President Okila
We prayed together and then she wanted to pray also.
She sang, danced, and prayed.
She was joyful and so delightful.
She does not speak English and belongs to another Church.
The front yard of her compound.
BURIAL
A path through the country
as we drove to Ericah's family home.
We drove a little further along the main road
then took off through a side road.
Near the home was the grave sight of
the deceased man.
This is the widow Diane by the grave of her husband.
Diane and Ericah by the grave.
We were welcomed as family,
welcomed into the home and treated so warmly.
We left a message of the resurrection
and prayed with Diane.
(The others left the room so we could visit
with the bereaved.)
Most of the talk was in the tribal Louya language
and President Okila translated for the rest of us.
Diane spoke some English.
When we were leaving she asked,
"Do you like our compound?"
I answered, "I really like it. It is so beautiful and peaceful."
She said, "Consider it your home. Come back anytime,
you are welcome here."
I felt so humbled that someone I just met would be
so kind and hospitable.
The grave is just to the right of the picture and the
home to the left is the home of the man and his wife.
These are siblings to Ericah.
(There are 45 total siblings from a polygamous family of 4 wives.)
Ericah and her oldest surviving brother.
She wanted his picture by our truck because he
had never had his picture with a truck.
A young girl of the family. She was just standing by
a tree and not smiling. I help up the camera and said,
"Smile," and she smiled so prettily.
We took Ericah and President Okila back to Majengo
where they took a pikipiki to their homes and we
traveled back to Kisumu.
Over the countryside as we went home.
President Okila's grandma gave us
two big bunches of bananas to take home.
Elder Moon with one bunch in our home.
They stained his shirt and the satin won;t come out
so he is one white shirt less.....
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