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Happy Birthday Hezron!!, August 7th, 2008 |
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August 7th, 2008
I slept a bit hard last night since I had slept a lot yesterday. I awoke feeling good enough to attempt getting something done. Devaline showed up early to tell us goodbye so Allie and her got to see each other at least one more time. We loaded up and went to the base and I got the flex hose changed on another toilet only to find another one sprung a leak. That’s four so far. Seems like the plumbing on this place was done poorly by American standards but on par with here. Cheap is not inexpensive to be sure. The constant trips to town and the chasing one’s tail that goes on with much more needing repair than what appears at first can be very frustrating for a “can do” kind of guy. My type A personality does not cope well with all of this and it is a bit of a growth experience for me. Needless to say I get frustrated. My left knee is still not fully functional so I kept the physical work to a minimum and helped prepare some food for a birthday party that was going on later today. My job was to cook the fish which I enjoyed doing.
The party is for a fine young man named Hezron who is a volunteer here and Don and Nancy have known him since he was a small child. He and his best friend Jarod are two peas in a pod for sure and really fine young men who love God with a passion. Hezron believes he turns 23 today without not really knowing since he was orphaned at an early age and no records were kept of his birth as is the case with many here. After the food was prepared we took it over to the dining hall where the party was just beginning. Everyone in the room had to say something about Hezron and we all told of the things we liked and admired about him. He was very proud even when one complained about him. Seems his joyful nature has him singing all the time and he is noted for waking the babies in the house as he walks by in the morning from his singing. Not a bad complaint to be sure. We had fish and chips, stew with rice and a wonderful chocolate cake Allie and Leah made for the occasion. We had a wonderful time as did Hezron.
After the party Willis and I went to check on the fence job since he is arranging for the delivery of the cedar poles, cement and gravel. After going to the land we left to go to town with Mildred (Henry Okatch’s wife). She needed a ride and I haply complied. She told me she thought I was doing the right thing by sticking to my guns with him and I think she really enjoys someone standing up to him. She said we were two very strong personalities and we were just the same. I told her there was one difference though and that was if I am found to be wrong I will change my mind (I am not saying I like it but I will). She agreed that there was the difference. She did confirm that Henry was not through with the situation, as I had heard, and was planning on bringing me into some more meetings with other officials in the area to complain about me using the land I bought from him. After letting Mildred “Alight” (the Kenyan word for leaving the vehicle) at her stop we proceeded into town where we picked up a fellow I know named Peter.
Peter is a very nice man who is in charge of the treadle pump project in ICIPE but he was sitting on the side of the road with a cast on!! We stopped to give him a lift to an appointment and found out he had an altercation with his brother in law and somehow the leg was either broken or fractured. He was using a stick as a support as he walked so I was glad to assist him with a ride. I made my way back to the base in time to pick up Don, Nancy, Leah and Allie and brought them back to the masonette. We all had a little something to eat and Allie and Leah watched a movie and Don and Nancy and I talked a while about the cultural situation here and possible ways to be an agent of change for the current world view here that keeps people sick and in poverty. We ultimately agreed that it is going to take more than just a habit change or the introduction of new technologies. A heart change truly for Christ is key. The situation here is many say they are Christian but hold to an animistic world view and simply add on Christianity to the mix. The two worldviews are incompatible and that is the source of the dysfunction. On one hand they believe they have to appease their ancestors and evil spirits so the idea of payoffs and deception are a strong thread through the culture. On the other hand they try to attach a belief that God is a good God and paid for our redemption and he doesn’t need to be “paid off”. The two views are in opposition and many people while going to church to keep up appearances live an entirely different life. This translates into the hypocrisy of a bunch of fine dressed churchgoers and witchcraft practices going on at the same time. It just doesn’t work. I am not saying America doesn’t have it’s contradictions because we definitely do but I am just understanding the current culture here to hopefully help it better. There are some wonderful true believers though who have been dealing with this for a very long time and they still very much have their joy. I don’t want to paint a picture of total hopelessness On the contrary, I think Africa has the most potential of any continent on the planet but it is going to take a major shift in the understanding of our relationship with God, with each other and the environment before any real lasting change will occur.
After it got late it was time email home and get to bed. I found out from Lori that T.J. (my son) had dinner with General Patton’s grandson and had a very good time. I am so glad for him to be getting the opportunities that he has. I told Lori I am hoping to sleep on the property to help guard the poles that will be set in tomorrow. We’ll see. Lori doesn’t want me to sleep there since Henry is gunning for me and there is no telling what he is up to. It was then off to bed.
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