Digging the Well

Day 10: Taking It Up A Notch

…Got dropped off in Nakur to join the drilling team for the next 6 days.  It was a 3 hour drive and the roads are like dirt paths. 

It’s more like going off-roading and kind of feels like you're on a rollercoaster…Had to cross the river to get to the well project and gardens.  It got about mid-thigh deep and was pretty slick mud, really comforting when you have everything you need for the week in the pack on your back.  

Had to roll our shorts into basically a manthong (I’ll spare you from having to see the picture!) to try and keep dry!...The drilling crew reminds me some of the Lost Boys from Sudan in how they are all young guys making it through life together.  We think we’ve got it rough b/c we’re gonna be out here a week; they’re out here a whole month before returning to town!...I’m an emusugut, a “white man,” & I’m rich in their eyes.  I feel like it’s unfair for them to stereotype me as wealthy, but they are just going by the facts.  I traveled by plane across continents, have contact lenses—I even have a headlamp that allows me to write at night.  I have so many things.  God has blessed me in so many ways.  I have no reason to complain.  

Day 11: Trying to Survive

Sleeping last night was a nightmare.  It seemed like things would be perfect.  We got sleeping pads, there were no roosters, & the breeze felt really good.  Little did I know the wind would be my nemesis.  I should have known when Akai told me to put my pack above my pillow for protection that it was going to be a long night.  The wind just blew up all the dirt to where it was miserable to try and sleep.  You had to cover your face with the sheet or else it would get in your mouth.  And the sheet was too small to tuck around your whole body, so the wind would almost blow it off your body.  Even Sammy said, “Last night was bad!” the next morning, & he’s Turkana!  I asked if he’d ever slept through something like that & he said, “No! Worst night ever!”  But we trekked back across the river after lunch and got a tent from Gene’s old house, so that should help (it did!)  The tent’s a little too small for 3 people (it was!) but we’re going to try and fit Sammy, especially if last night was the worst night of sleep of his life!

 

...We went to church this morning…They meet under a large tree by the gardens

…Akai asked if one of us would do the second reading, so I said yes, assuming I would just read whatever the scripture was for the week.  Wrong again!  Right before I was supposed to read, they sang a song to welcome me, & I asked Sammy what verse I was supposed to read, & he gave me a look of panic.  I wasn’t just reading; I was preaching!  Yep, that's my name on the church board!

No prep, just stand up & preach.  I gave them the give me a minute finger (index) & scrambled to find Jesus’ reduction of the law to the two greatest commandments.  I had just written a sermon for class, so I just tried to remember what I had written.  I read & spoke, & Sammy translated for me.  Afterwards, a few people told me they really liked my preaching, mainly b/c it was short (usually hear people complaining for me being too long!). It was definitely one of those moments when God was speaking through me b/c I was definitely unprepared!...They slaughtered a sheep for dinner & we got it all on video, including Sammy’s anatomy lessons!  I wasn’t as disturbed as I thought I’d be watching it.  Once they throw it all on the grill, it all just looks like meat.  I tried the liver & the tail & they weren’t too bad.  One guy even drank the blood--Twighlight Fans, eat your heart out!  Here's the before & after:

…Jesus washing his disciples feet has taken on a whole new meaning.   

My feet are nasty at the end of the day, covered in dirt and mud.  The thought of washing someone else’s that look like mine (yes, I know I need to clip my toenails…and I did today!) is pretty gross.  But that’s what it means to love, to lead by serving.  

Day 12: Digging the Well

…We actually started doing some work today which felt good.  It’s tough work, much tougher than I expected.  You basically push press & spin the handle, then upright row it up while balancing on a ladder & the well casing. 

 

The bottom piece is slippery since it’s hitting water, which makes lifting it up even more difficult…Lunch tasted a lot better after actually working today…We do Bible Study everyday at 3 PM.  They have a reading plan they go through where they do an Old Testament & New Testament reading each day.  We read 2 Corinthians 3:1-11, & I asked them what Paul meant when he talked about the greater glory.  I asked which holds greater glory: the law or the cross.  Initially, they said the law, which shows how they view Christianity.  Everything operates under a system of right & wrong.  They seem to believe that God’s love for us is conditional, they can’t quite understand grace.  None of us really understand God’s grace, but it definitely appears to be a barrier for spiritual growth here.  We tried to discuss with them that the law reveals our sin, but the cross reveals God’s love & mercy.  Jesus fulfilled the law, so we could stop trying to earn God’s love.  We follow the law by following Christ, by embracing His love.  The law no longer defines us, love does.  I don’t know if it all clicked for them, but it was a good discussion.  

Day 13:

…We learned more about Turkana marriages.  Apparently marriage defines when a boy becomes a man.  Akai keeps calling us boys, & we say “Mam (No!)” & make him call us men, just to give him a hard time.  We learned that the educated marry later, closer to age 30, which surprised me.  Uneducated people; however, marry young…I told Sammy not all Americans marry, and he said that was “very bad.”  He said it must be lonely to sleep alone, wash utensils alone, and not be able to, well you know.  He said even the animals get to, and said they have it better than the unmarried!...We also learned some more about men and women.  Akai & Sammy both said you have to make sure women cannot beat you physically.  It would be very shameful, so you have to be smart.  So if it seems like your wife could, you should divorce her & get another wife.  I asked them how that’s biblical, & they tried to justify it.  It’s funny to hear them say, but I really hope they don’t physically abuse their wives; just feel confident they are physically stronger & not feel the need to demonstrate.  And they are adamant that there are jobs for men & jobs for women.  Feminists would flip out over here!...Been doing some bartering over here.  Currently trying to trade my flashlight for a walking stick & ichalong (chair).  Also hoping to get a spear to bring back to the States.  

Day 14:

Had some more funny conversations last night.  They couldn’t believe the man doesn’t have to pay anything to the family of his wife when he marries her.  Over here, it cost like 5 camels, or 200 goats to marry a girl.  Apparently it all depends on the amount of men in her family b/c each of them get something.  Sammy once again said this was “very bad!”…Carrying the water jugs this morning was a good reminder of just how much these women do for their families.  They are heavy to carry, got to be around 50 lbs, & they carry them on their head!

 

...We went fishing Turkana style this afternoon.  It was awesome!  Basically, you run around with a basket & randomly push it in the water hoping to trap a fish.  My Turkana fishing was about as good as my American fishing—so pretty bad!  They somehow have a strategy though.  They fish as a group & move together & funnel the fish towards one another.  It’s pretty crazy to watch them actually run down a fish & trap it.  Some even just catch it with their bard hands!  It’s a whole different league of fishing!  Kyle caught one & a kid pulled it out of his basket & just bit the sharp fins off the fish with his teeth, cut up his gums.  Pretty wild!

Day 15:

Can’t believe I’ve been in Kenya more than 2 weeks now.  Last night I noticed a hole in the top of my pack.  Beginning to understand why it only costs $30.  I really hope it can last, or there’s some way to fix it.  I really don’t need that much out here.  I could probably survive with a plastic bag and my water bottle.  But there’s a sense of security with that pack…I’m ready to be back in town, but I also realize how short my time is in Kenya this summer.  I don’t want to spend each week just waiting to get out of here.  I didn’t come over here to count down the days until I go back home…We got a soccer ball tonight and played with the crew and some of the people from the village.  It was basically Emusugut’s (White People-so me & Kyle) vs. the Turkana people.  And we should have beat them.  They are really athletic.  Me and Kyle tried to race them today, & they killed us.  Racing Kenyans—what were we thinking!  But they’re not that great at soccer.  You can tell they just haven’t played very much.  We just played in dirt area between the gardens where there aren’t too many thorns.  We lost 10-6, and that’s only because our goalie had to leave halfway through the game.  I had 4 goals—yeah, they’re that bad ;)  But this week, Mike’s joining us & Sammy’s bringing his soccer shoes, so I think we can take him.  I’ve been telling Akai, “Mimi ni baba Akai.”  Swahili for, “I’m Akai’s daddy!”  Should be fun to keep playing after work this week.

 

Heading back to Nakur for another week with the drilling crew tomorrow afternoon!  Thanks for the prayers & support! 

Peace