Lukes Mission Blog

We went with LDS Charities Couple, Elder and Sister Pocock, to a handover of a water system to two communities in Chuylu Hills. LDS Charities had drilled wells and purchased storage tanks, pumps, generators, pipe and other necessary supplies for the system. The communities had to dig the lines for the pipes. Men and women worked together digging kilometers of ditches for the pipe lines. We first stopped at the district office and met the man in charge, the district officer. He met with us and told us about the communities and how much they appreciated the water. Especially the schools it would benefit. Then we went to the first handover which was held in a school yard. All the students from the elementary school and secondary school came out to listen to the speeches. There were many speakers, but the district officer kept reminding them to just say a few words and when someone talked to long he would pass them a note telling them to stop. (might make a good bishop). After the speeches, we went to the water distribution point and had a ribbon cutting ceremony. Elder Pocock had the most fun here, as they turned on the water he filled up a container with water and threw the water on the crowd. They screamed, ran ,and laughed.

 

At the second ceremony, girls from a nearby boarding school sang for us and ladies from the community danced for us. They also presented Sister Pocock and me kangas. A kanga is a large piece of cloth that women use for everything from carrying babies on their backs or as apron to keep their dresses clean. We were told that the new water system wasn’t working because a road grader (the first one in about 10 years) had been over the roads and broke the water line. Just after the ribbon cutting ceremony ended they got the water working. Elder Pocock was not prepared with a container to throw water so he filled up his hat and again threw water all over the crowd. He ran after the people in the crowd throwing water on them. Elder Luke thought it was a little unfair that the people didn’t have any thing to throw water back with so he quickly devised a container and tried to help the crowd even the score. Though they were a little shy about throwing water on the crazy old “wazungu”.  They all laughed and had a great time. I wanted to get my picture taken with the ladies who gave us the kangas. While poising with them the ladies behind me kept running their fingers through my hair. I guess they just had to feel the strange stuff. We had fun taking everyone’s picture and showing them how they looked. There were three elderly men watching me, so Elder Luke told me to go take their picture. I did but when I tried to show them the picture they didn’t look. I don’t think they could see very well. At least I tried.

 

A lady named Susan from the US sent us an email and wanted to know if someone could take some school kits and chalk boards to a Maasi village in Ambseli National park. She had visited there and wanted to help. She had met with the leader of the village Chief Joseph and told him she would try to get his the school some supplies. We volunteered to take them. LDS Charities supplied the school kits and we arranged to have the chalkboards made, which Susan paid for. Two other couples, Dickmans and Demars, also went with us. We arrived at Ambeselli National park on a Friday, June 13th. We called the Chief and made arrangements to visit his village at 2:00. (Yes, he had a cell phone) After checking in at the Serena (A nice resort in the park), we arranged for a guide to take us to the village. He was also Maasai but from another village. The Chief was very gracious and explained a little about the Maasai people and customs. They preformed dances and songs for us and invited us to dance with them. Then they took us to the school. Chief Joseph explained how part of the children come in the morning and then they do a split and the other children come in the afternoon. He said that children from other villages come for school there, as well.  After meeting the teacher, we gave them the chalkboards and school kits.They were very happy to receive them. The chief opened up the school kits. He showed everyone what was inside and told them how they could use them. Then he demonstrated how to use the chalkboards. The children sang us a song and we asked if we could teach them a song. We tried “Head Shoulders Knees and Toes” – they already knew it. The chief then showed us inside the village and told us a little about it. We also went inside one of the mud and dung huts.  Then they asked if we would like to see where the women work. Of course we said yes. This was the part where they wanted us to buy their crafts. As we were leaving I gave the chief a bag of sweets to give to the children. I didn’t know if it was appropriate for me to do give them to the children as I wasn’t sure if it was something they were allowed to eat.(Their diet is meat and a blood and milk mixed drink)  But I noticed some of the men enjoying a few sweets, so I guess they’re okay. I hope the children got some.

 

The next day before we left the park we drove around to see some of the animals. We had close a encounter with the elephants. They are huge there. We also saw lions, a cheetah and lots of zebras, wildebeests, gazelles, hippos, etc, etc…  We also had a great first time view of Mount Kilimanjaro before the clouds covered it.. It was even bigger than the elephants.

We accompanied Elder and Sister Lewis to an orphanage that their family donates to each month. This month they took out rice, beans and cooking oil. The orphanage had moved to a new and better building, so this was the first time the Lewis’ had been there. We picked up one of their PEF students for our guide and away we went. When we arrived the children greeted us with songs and smiles. The teachers proudly showed us around their new facility. It has two floors, with girl’s dorms on the first floor and boy’s dorms on the second floor. The first floor also had a kitchen where the meals are prepared and each floor had toilet rooms, and classrooms and an outside area for bathing and washing clothes. The conditions were humble but the children seemed happy and the teachers dedicated. It was fun to listen to their song and then to help Sister Lewis pass out sweets (lollipops) to each child.

 

On our way home we saw several banana salesman and decided to buy a few bunches (bananas not salesmen).  They were very ripe and the road was rough, so every time we bounced over a bump a banana would fall from the bunch. By the time I got home I had a lap full of individual bananas.