Learning the harsh realities of Africa...Kai gets sick

We found out last night what it is really like to have a sick kid wake up in the middle of the night with raging diarreah, no toilet in the house, a hole in the ground around the brush and past the animals,a water shortage, and a 30 minute walk to the Makuyu Clinic with him on my back to wait line outside for ages with tons of crying babies and mama's ahead of us. It was a tough but humbling experience to see how strong these mothers have to be to help their children to survive over here.

My thoughts were mixed as I stood in line with Kai to get our "pink card"(line 1)then stand in another line for the "dr visit"(line 2) and finally to our "lab visit"(line 3). On one hand I felt very lucky knowing that he is vaccinated against everything major as none of the children in this region are. (we are pushing for tetanus and polio as a start but so far nothing) as I looked around and saw mumps (which at least 8 of our kids have had since we've been here), malaria, yellow eyes, horrible coughs, and babies to weak to even cry. Here I was with my son who weighs so much that the check in person had to laugh that he was "sick". In reality though, Kai was fevered, stomach cramped, and had diarreah which is common and easily treatable as it is usually worms or amoeba's. So as I stood in line I guess I began to feel grateful that I wasn't standing there waiting to see if my baby might die as so many of these mother's do each day that they line up at the clinic as many as 6-8 hours to see a Dr. In the end, Kai is recovering today, fever is down, diarreah fewer and farther between....I've washed and hung 9 pairs of underwear today and 4 sets of sheets...:)) and Grace our cook had "special water" pumped for her use to make the food for the kids tonight and offered me the opportunity to draw 3 buckets full from her supply as she knew that Kai was sick and I needed to hydrate him and continue to wash his soiled clothing. This is interesting as well because something as simple as getting water holds so many meanings...I know that I need water for my son but by taking water I am taking the very little water we have that might be needed to make the food for the kids tonight(ours included). In the end I took about 2 quarts for drinking and 1/2 a washing bucket. We are learning that the smallest decisions can have a huge chain reaction impact on multiple systems and people in a region where resources are so scarce. These are exactly the lessons I hope to continue to learn and the ones I hope my children will learn while we are here.

On a lighter note, we spent a day in the field learning sustainable agricultural practices from a master farmer. He taught us the method of sileageing (sp?) the napeer grass that we feed the cows through a process of cutting it with a special time of chopper that makes it small then preserving that grass with a layer of molasses and water covered in black plastic. When it is preserved it is the perfect consistency and nutrient level for the cows to eat in order for them to make "perfect" manure for the Bio Gas system. It eliminates the need for "straining" which was shown in pics with us hand removing grass and other larger particles from the thinned manure. Also, as a back up taught us a tri feed system to dry other types of feed such as left over maize stalk bases in the event of a bad harvest, drought, etc.

We are all good, supplemental water may come tommorow if we can sweeten up the water delivery person who quit delivering after he got in an argument with a local staff member here how was angry and wouldn't pay him...so he decided to withhold leaving us only with our 1 well, (# 2 well is in progress). I was with Boniface in the village yesterday while he apologized in Kikuyu to the water guy for our other staff member and gave the water guy some cigarettes to try to get water....but so far..no dice. I will hope for tomorrow. :)) Kenyan business...a WHOLE 'nuther' can a' worms... :))