Duane is 2 Years Old!

The small 2-room place where they live (at Sirisia market) also doubles as a cafe. This drawing on the wall is the only thing that attempts to provide a dining ambiance.

Duane (named for my dad) is a happy and active 2-year old!

Here he is with his dad, enjoying "kuku" (chicken) and millet ugali.

With his brother, Pope (Popino)

Siaya Well Project

Joseph and Agnes proudly and happily pose at the well. Before, they had a very long walk to a tiny stream where they fetched water. The same stream was also used by the community for watering livestock, bathing, and laundry. Now they not only have water available right outside their house, it should also be a bit safer to drink! Three of their neighbors also use their new well. The first person to draw water was a widow friend of theirs.

I took some sodas so we could appropriately celebrate the occasion. Collins is the one with a hat. The other young man is Morris. He was one of the workers and has since stayed on to help Joseph around their place. They've become friends and Joseph is telling him about the good news of Jesus.

A recent report by the UN states:

• 1.8 million children in the world die annually from diarrhea that could be prevented by drinking clean water
• Almost 50% of people in developing countries suffer from health problems caused by a lack of water and proper sanitation
• Every citizen in the world should be entitled to 20 liters of water per day at minimal cost
• Many poor people survive on less than 5 liters of contaminated water per day
• The labor required to fetch water prevents many girls from attending school and many women from income-generating activities
• Access to clean water is the most effective way of ensuring economic growth. It keeps away disease and avoids undue loss of manpower (that is devoted to the search for water instead of being channelled to production)
• The economic return in saved time, increased productivity, and reduced health costs is figured at $8 for every $1 invested in achieving water and sanitation targets.

My Choo / Washroom

Doing the floor and the interior wall plastering

It's almost done! All that remains is the doors and a bit more plastering on the exterior walls. The tree is a guava fruit tree. It's one of the 50 trees I've planted on my small compound.

Sorry the photos are out of order! Nathan is the one in the blue shirt. He's had a part in each and every step of my house, fence, trees, etc. He also keeps the grass cut and prunes my "live" fence. He's a great friend!

Karo, Jeremiah, Joy

Malakote Children in Garissa

We also visited Amos and Grace, a young Kenyan couple who have started a nursery school near Garissa town. Their missionary work is primarily with the Malakote people. In addition to this tribe, the area is also inhabited by the Haruma, Munyoyaya, Wata, and Wardei – all considered unreached people groups.

These kids live just outside Amos’ school compound, but don’t attend school.

Bangale and Garissa

I do believe I’d have to say that my trip to Bangale (pronounced Bon’-ga-lay) and Garissa (Ga-ris’-sa) ranks amongst my most interesting experiences in Kenya. I found it all to be quite fascinating.

The town of Garissa, on the banks of the Tana River and just on the edge of North Eastern Province, is located about 200 miles west, northwest of Nairobi. [I can now boast that I’ve been in each of the eight provinces in Kenya!]

Another 60 miles northwest of Garissa is the large Dadaab refugee camp. Currently tens of thousands of new Somali refugees are seeking shelter there. Just very recently polio was discovered in a 3-year old Somali girl. It’s the first reported case in Kenya in many, many years. As a result, the UN is now conducting mandatory immunization for the disease. While we were in Bangale, we saw numerous UN vehicles heading to the camp.

Bangale Primary School

Bangale is located 50 miles before Garissa town. That was our first destination – to visit a missionary named Rita (see my November prayer letter for a photo of her - she's also in the middle photo on the left side of desks). She’s teaching as a volunteer at the Bangale Primary School.

Her aim is to befriend the Somali Muslim students and to eventually share the Gospel with them. Apparently she’s making an impact because they’ve given her the nickname, “Jesus”! I was quite impressed with her spunk!

More at the School