After a quick stop at the DC's house on our way for the traditional egg and tea, our second breakfast, we travelled along the bumpy gravel "road" (yeah ok!!) to Ukalani. We arrived to a warm welcome from the corps officer and his wife with our third breakfast of the day (eggs and tea!). It is Kenyan hospitality to present visitors with a god spread even if they have nothing themselves! Especially eggs!
We then went to the local school that the Salvation Army sponsors. (but does NOT pay for!) they had 200 in the primary school and 150 in the high school but has no running mains water. The village is nearer the equator than Nairobi where we have been staying, therefore their rainfall is less frequent. They rely on water tanks to catch the rare rain, to have clean water. These cost £400 to install- £400 that they don't have. The alternative is getting the sand from the river bed and "filtering" it. The water is still very dirty.
The school also doesn't have a real toilet so when the hole they build gets full they move the toilets to a new location. The children LOVED to see us "muzungos" (white people) and were fascinated by our cameras!
Following that visit and our forth egg and cup of tea we split into three groups for visitation time. We all went to visit people who live in the village and my group went to meet a 90 year old gentleman and his wife. He was the founder of the corps in this remote village and was corps Sargent Major for 37 years!! He has since passed the baton onto his son (one of 12 children!). He is now wheelchair bound but the closest hospital is 7km away. The transfer to the hospital is expensive and then he has to pay for any kind o consultation or treatment once he gets there. But this man is a great man. Through all his ailments he is still fundraising to build a health clinic in his village and the walls are built.
A very special moment for me was when we were talking to this man and his wife about his children. One of his sons is an officer for the Salvation Army posted in Thika's variety village. We has seen him earlier in the week as he showed us around. As I sat in their living room I realised I had taken a video of their son telling us about the program. I was able to show the mother a video of her son. (whom she hardly sees because he lives so far away!) This was the first time we saw that lady smile. She was overjoyed at something, to us, so simple.
We were challenged by Annalise to consider things in our lives that are secular that bless us because they are blessings from God. (Most people agreed tea was a good one) but I realised in that living room that my little video of her son on my camera brought this lady so many blessings that day, a camera I almost took for granted.
We then drove home after a show front the over 60s and some goat lunch, stopping at the sand dam that Richard Bradbury had organised to be built. It was a beautiful dam and whilst Sophie, Seb, Beth s, Goodreach and mark were standing ON the dam, a tribe carrying knives made a be-line for them... Or so we thought. They were actually members of the Salvation Army who had stood and waited for us from 12pm!! That's 5hours in the scorching heat just to great us for 10 minutes. After major Carol (make sure you don't forget the "major" bit!) prayed a blessing over the dam, we made our way home.
What a challenging, shocking yet beautiful day where community became so real to us all. The villagers in Ukalani look after each other in all aspects. In England do we even speak to our neighbours?!?
We hope you are all enjoying the snow! 27 degrees is just right! ;)
Beth F
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