May 7, 2013
We were planning to go to Sis Ericah's home last
week but had to change to Tuesday the 7th.
She called on Monday to confirm and mentioned that
there had been a situation at her sister's home
she wanted us to see so we were somewhat anxious
to see what the "situation" was....
Traveling we saw this bodaboda loaded with
baskets (one inside another) that was an
interesting sight!!
Roads are full of cars and the "hand carts"
take the road also....
A lot of rain the night before left the roads and roadsides
rather wet and splashy.
Water puddles, narrow road and pot holes...
Can you see the cement "towers to the right and
in the middle? They are for an overpass
for thenew road that isn't anywhere near
to completion and only coming about half
a kilometer to the area on the left.
It is fun to dodge them along with the traffic...
Traveling up the hill leaving town ...
narrow, twisty road.
The truck in front of the car is loaded with
mattresses made in the mattress factory in Kisumu.
There is an advantage to not having overpasses or
power lines crossing the roads!!
We had heard of people grabbing onto the back of
trucks for easy transportation and this was
our first sighting of someone on the back for a
free ride.
A loaded bodaboda onn an incline.
At Sister Ericah's home the cows were enjoying
their mid-morning brunch in the front yard
and the laundry was already on the lines to dry.
After a snack (hot chocolate and biscuit or cookie)
we left to go to her sister's home.
On the way we saw many women and men carrying
their baskets of tea leaves to the point of pick-up to
be taken to the tea factory or some may walk all the
way to the factory themselves.
We also passed many pickers of tea leaves.
Only the new leaves (the tip and two more)
are picked for the tea. They make the best tea.
Sister Ericah called this woman
she knew to come over by us to show what
leaves to pick and how it is done.
She was a fast picker!!
The way to her sister's place was twisty,
very narrow and in the hills.
Theere had been digging along the path/road and
then we came to an area that was very narrow,
muddy and with a row of bushes (common) on
the right and a narrow trench dug along the bushes with
a pile of dirt on the outside of the trench.
On the left was a barbed wire fence with a few wooden
tree branch posts. The road sloped to the left and
was very narrow and SLICK with mud.
As we drove we slid slowly and the more Elder Moon
tried to stay to the right the more we slid to the left
into the fence!!
There were three or four men in the field tot he left with
jembas and they came to try to dig us out so we could
go to the right.
The top picture shows some of them checking things out.
Soon there were MANY men there to help and
after a bit of jemba work and pushing we were out.
A group of men pushed on the side to hold the
truck away from the fence.
The side of the truck was scratched!!
Ericah had even called the Chief Officer of the
area to make him aware of our plight.
We parked the truck and walked the rest of the way.
Up the mountain amidst the rocks and plants.
The views were spectacular!
The hills were dotted with homes, greenery,
shambas and boulders.
Ericah walking down the other side of the hill
we had climbed.
A steep hillside!!
A boy by a home we passed.
Notice his ball!! on a string..
Farming on the hillsides!!
The home behind was this mama's home and the boy
was standing next to the home.
We finally made it to the situation we had come to see...
Big boulders had broken from their place and tumbled
down.
The chief of the village was there and had this picture
of the original cluster of boulders.
Back under the boulders was a hollow area
where people would go to relax and enjoy.
Ericah had been to her sister's home on the
previous Friday and told the family that is was
unsafe to be here. It was dangerous.
They replied that their family had been for hundreds
of years and had no problems so why would it not be
safe now for them?
The area of the previous picture.
There had been noises of cracking from the boulders
for about a week and the chief had told
the people to evacuate the close area.
Ericah's family did not move out of their home.
The boulders did tumble and break up.
There were a lot of people coming with us down the hill.
I asked them if they had come to see the
crazy mazungus or the rocks?
More of the broken boulders.
The chief amnd others assumed that the boulders
fell because of the erosion caused by the heavy rains we
have had this rainy season.
In the process of falling the boulders felled some trees
and pushed smaller rocks along the path.
You can see the roof of a home behind the tree
near the left of the picture.
That home is the home of Sister Ericah's sister.
Sister Ericah, her sister, the sister's husband, then
Ericah's niece and nephew.
There was no one injured from the boulders but
Ericah's sister broke her arm as she was
running from her home.
The slide happened about 11:30 pm on Friday.
Ericah had me be sure and say "Pole" to the family
and the people and they were pleased that someone
from "her church" would come from so far and
be sorry for them.
It was my new word for the day - a good one to know!!
This is from the front of the house looking down the hill.
The first structure is the place to do the dishes.
The brown along the right edge is the corner of the house.
This is on the other side of the house where the trees
fell on the house.
The corner of the roof was collapsed and some of the
wall damaged.
It is sad for this family as they are very poor and
have no money to repair their home or so another one.
Looking over the hillside.
Life still goes on...
The group of people following with us.
The man in the cventer with the suit coat
is the village chief. He was very kind to us
and so appreciative that we would come and share
in their tragedy.
Across the hillside.There were huge boulders
all along the hills.
As we walked down to our truck we passed
a huge water tank.
The government has tapped the water here and
is in the process of putting in pipes to carry water to
about 50 homes in the area. homes in the area.
It will be a great blessing when it
is completed.
Thus the trench that we tried to avoid was being
dug to put in pipes for the water.
BAck at Sister Ericah's we visited for a while and gave
a spiritual message.
There was another presence at the meeting also.
The mud house we have seen being built in the
lot next to Ericah's.
Looks really good!!
We have seen so many things and
met so many wonderful people in Kenya.
Just because we put in papers to go on a mission.
Do yours today!!
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