Spring Celebrations

Henry and I

After over two months, my life in Kenya is moving at full stride.  The project is progressing and poses new challenges every day.  Right now, I am dealing with the fabrication of the first floor structural support system.  I am using a corrugated metal deck to support the 1st floor slab. Sadly, it proven very difficult to find a fair and trustworthy fabricator for the joists and decking.  We have just completed the masonry and concrete portion of the washroom. This week will be focused on roofing the building. My general labor force has moved onto the septic tank while the carpenters and plumbers move into the washroom; excavation and  the primary paving is complete, and tomorrow we begin the masonry portion.

Thats a big hole to dig by hand.

Simon, Allen and Dixon working on the Septic tank.

A large problem I have faced is inconsistant and unreliable material delivery.  Today, I spent the entire day walking around the industrial district of Nairobi try to locate a wholesale supplier that had the corrugated metal sheets in stock that I am using to roof the three buildings.  Apparently, the distributer in Mombasa had some mechanical difficulties at its facility last week. All available inventory has been backordered... Never-the-less, we will start the remodel of the Nursery school immediately following the completion of the washrooms.

All-in-all, I had an amazing weekend. Saturday, we had a customary site blessing, after a spontaneous night out in Nairobi friday.  I had the honor of slaughtering the goat! I am not lying when I say we used the whole thing! Simon and Rikke, two friends of my mine who intern at the Danish Embassy, came out to share in the great experience, and meet the wonderful children at the CURA Children's Home.

Songs of Greeting from the Children

On a walk with the Children in the Valley behind the Primary School

Bringing in the GOAT

Time to skin the goat.

This will one day be the administrative room

We snacked on the face meat first while the rest was prepared.

John stiring the pot

Peter preparing the Kachumbari

Nyama Choma!

The Feast

Sunday, I joined Simon at Kibera, the largest slum in Nairobi, to do some training with  the youth there. Unfortunately, practice was canceled, so Simon and I played a match with the Senior Team, ending in a 1-1 draw.  Playing on a hand-caulked field, set on a 10 degree slope, with one small patch of knee deep grass and the remainder gravel, dirt, and stone, was a everlasting experience. I was surprised by these men's talent, and their outpouring of unity and respect. Even after the extremely physical match, both teams huddled together and thanked each other for the challenge.

1st half of the match. We are in the yellow jerseys.