Elephant Damage

These two pictures show damage done by elephants to a spring box. Originally we had made plans to do a repair to the hand pump, damage done by elephants previously.  Before we could do the repair, the elephants returned and literally ripped the cement platform off the spring so they could get to the water below.

The hand pump is mounted on a spring box, or a container which sits on top of a natural spring which provided a source of water for over 600 families.   Once the elephant damaged the pump the lid to the box was opened up and left open so that people could dip water out of the box. This led to the water being contaminated and unsafe to drink. The villagers continued using it as it was the only source for over four miles. (An interesting note:  when we arrived to assess the damage done by the elephants the first time, we were informed that a hyena had gotten in the spring box, gotten stuck and died.  You simply cannot imagine some of the situations locals face in trying to find clean water…even when the clean water source is nearby.)

Our plans had been to rebuild the broken hand pump with one our ministry partners, and one of their visiting teams, within two weeks’ time. The pump top, handle, and inner components have been sitting in the garage of our partners, repaired and ready to reinstall.

Before that repair could be done, we received a call that the elephants had returned to the scene of the crime.  Now the repair is much more extensive. You can see the pedestal where we removed the damaged parts is now the only thing holding the entire top of the spring box from falling the ten feet into the box!  We will work with our ministry partners, and their team, and attempt to drill a new bore hole near this spring box and put in an elephant-proof pump to provide a safe water source.

We wanted to share this with you just to give you an idea of some of the challenges villagers face in getting water each day.  It also helps give you a glimpse into the issues we deal with in finding solutions to clean water problems – no two are ever alike.

Join us in praying that the elephant does not decide to come back while we are working on the new borehole pump!

[The pictures below show “after” and “before”…the first one shows the situation with which we are currently dealing.  We will actually be working on this project this week – 27 January 2011.]

Clean, Safe Drinking Water for Gathiga Hope Children’s Home

Gathiga, Kenya

In November I was asked by one of our ministry partners to look at a hand pump at the Gathiga Hope Children’s Home near Gathiga town. The Afri-Dev hand pump that had been installed on one of their two 100-foot, hand-dug boreholes had stopped working and needed repair.  When we arrived at the home I was quite shocked at the condition of the home. It was obvious that the home did not have a large donor base and was desperately in need of funds. As we stepped out of the vehicle we were greeted by 100 happy children who call this place home. Even though the condition of the home was not the best, it was clear these children were happy and well cared for.

Trip to Kajiado District and Masai Mara

Update from our November 15, 2010, trip to Kajiado District and the Masai Mara area of Kenya

Monday morning we left Ngatataik in Kajiado District for Nairobi to pick up Camille and then drive to the Masai Mara area of Kenya.

On the way to Nairobi we made brief stops in Bissel and Kajiado town. By mid-morning we were back in Nairobi and had somehow avoided the horrendous traffic jams for which Nairobi is known.  A quick stop at our compound to pick up Camille and some clean clothes for the rest of the journey and we were on our way again.  Our travels today would take us northwest of Nairobi towards Limuru town, down the escarpment into the Great Rift Valley then to Narok and the town of Talek in the Mara.

Kenya has some terrible roads by any standards, but over the past couple of years we are starting to see some improvements.  Today we traveled on a new section of road that has been very improved.  We did notice that the rains had started and the landscape was much greener than Kajiado District.  When we arrived in Narok town the first thing we noticed was that the main street is now paved.  In the past, the town had pot holes that could easily swallow a small car.  After a quick Kenyan lunch we headed to Talek on good roads that would only last for a few kilometers.  Once we turned off the main road onto dirt roads the ride became bone jarring and rough due to the poor condition of the road.  This part of the trip would take us two hours and right through the Mara area.  Even though we were not actually in any game park we could see many wildebeest, zebra, Thompson gazelle and giraffe.  Our destination where we would be staying for the next six days was a tented camp just outside the town of Talek.  We would also be joining part of the CPCC medical team and clean water team that arrived on Saturday while we were in Kajiado.

In Kenya when someone says they are going on safari it doesn’t always mean they are going to a game park to see animals.  Sometimes it means they are taking a trip up country (outside of the city) to one of Kenya’s many rural towns.

Tuesday morning after a hearty breakfast and a night of monkeys jumping on our tent we headed off to a CMF clinic in Talek, and a primary school and another CMF clinic in Endoinyo Erinka.  The CMF clinics were in the process of getting started with the Pure Water for Maasai program.  This program uses rain water that is collected or harvested during the rainy season.  Water is collected from the corrugated metal roofs so widely used here in Kenya.  Rain gutters divert the rain water into large concrete or poly tanks for storage.  This rain water is great for bathing, laundry and general washing but is often not safe for human consumption.  Using a simple device called a chlorinator to produce chlorine this rain water can be treated for drinking.  Clinics can now offer clean drinking water for patients who need to take medications with water that will not make them sicker than they already are.

The process is the same at schools where students and school staff need clean drinking water.  By providing this clean water at schools, students can stay healthy and avoid missing so many school days due to water-related illnesses.  This program also encourages students to take this education and knowledge on clean water home to share with their families.

During the rest of the week we visited several clinics, schools and communities in the Mara area that had clean water solutions in place or were in need of implementing a solution that would provide a source of clean drinking water.  Several of the locations we visited had some kind of water infrastructure in place that had become non-operational.  It was disappointing to see this and learn why things were no longer working.  We learned that sustainability at the local level is key for implementing long-term impact in the water sector.

It was a good week and by Saturday we were able to view some of the wildlife for which Kenya’s Masa Mara is so well known.

 

 

 

 

 

After a short flight back to Nairobi we returned with lots of new friendships, memories and stories to share next time we see you!  We praise God for the wonderful partnership we have with CMF and look forward to working together to bring both physical water and the Living Water to people here in Kenya.

Olesere

(Goodbye in Maasai)

Video from Kenya

Trip to Kajiado District and Masai Mara

Nairobi, Kenya

Update from our recent trip to Kajiado District and the Masai Mara area of Kenya Part 1

First, we love being back home in Kenya and have had the opportunity to connect with many friends and clean water ministry partners since our return.  Our transition has taken longer than we thought it would but we are finally catching up.

Mark and Camille Return to Kenya

Camille and Mark are en route to Kenya! They left Denver Monday night. I’m sure they will let us know when they are safely home.
Please continue to keep the Puringtons in your prayers. Here are a few prayer requests I am aware of:

1. travel mercies (jetlag would be minimal)
2. smooth transition as they return to their Kenyan routines
3. comfort as they miss Sara ~ this is their first return to Africa without her

Thank you so much for your continued prayers!

Blessings,
Jerrine

Click here for more information about Eleos Project. Please visit Mark and Camille’s Shepherd’s Staff web page to learn how to financially support them.

Hand Pump Starts Church in Maasai Tribal Area, Kenya

Back in April we had the privilege of working with an outstanding group of Kenyans and Americans to repair a broken mechanical hand pump at a water well in a rural Maasai tribal area in Kenya.  Hand pumps are used for water wells in remote areas of developing countries where there is no electricity.  These pumps use human power to bring life-sustaining, clean, safe drinking water to hundreds of vulnerable people every day.

A Tearful Farewell to Jack and His Family

Wednesday, July 14 through Wednesday, July 21

The week in Kisumu at Jack’s was a very busy week, starting out early in the morning, coming back late in the evening, eating dinner and helping with dishes, and falling into bed to repeat the routine the next day. In that time, we visited eight children’s homes, schools, and community centers. At each we delivered food, first aid kits and vitamins, and played and/or made crafts with the children. The following are some highlights:

• Gloria’s school had donated almost $3000 specifically for school uniforms to those children needing them in order to attend school. Jack had arranged for many children to be measured prior to our coming, and we were able to deliver them to some very happy recipients. Some of the uniforms that were being replaced were literally in shreds.

New uniforms!

• Several sites want to start or have started libraries, knowing that books in English are the best way for the children to be more fluent in the language and be better students. But books are very expensive and hard to come by. We were able to deliver hundreds of books for all reading levels and a variety of resource books to these sites.

• It was not uncommon for us to find very sick children at a school or orphanage. It was heartbreaking to hold these precious little ones, lethargic and burning with fever, barely able to recognize that a mazungu (white person) had picked them up, but nestling into our arms to be held and cuddled. Most of them suffered from malaria. We took some directly to the clinic for treatment, while for others we provided the funds to the caregiver to make sure the child received medical attention.

• As we have found in years past, the food we delivered was very much appreciated, as some had no food for the children. We literally provided “this day our daily bread” to these locations.

Mmmmm...porridge!

• Making crafts is a huge treat and cherished memory for the children. We made animal masks, decorated foam visors and bookmarks, strung beaded necklaces, created glittered letters of their names, to name a few. We threw Frisbees and horseshoes, batted balloons, blew bubbles, jumped rope, and played soccer (football). Both boys and girls alike were surprised and impressed by Courtney’s and Amanda’s ability to play soccer.

• Gloria’s school is interested in raising the funds for drilling a borehole (well) at a site in need of a clean and safe source of water. Most places are challenged with water issues, with the effects often compromising the health of the children. We gathered information at various sites to determine how their water is obtained, how safe it is, what the cost is, if children are getting sick from it, etc. We will bring this information home to prioritize the needs and create a plan.

• We had brought duffel bags full of shirts and shoes (mostly flip flops). Many children received new shirts and shoes, excitedly pulling their new shirt over the old one or looking down to admire their new shoes.

New shirt!

• Jack has helped to set up a clinic that will provide free health care for the orphan children in the area. They also provide home health services for the caregivers of the orphaned and vulnerable children. From your donations we were able to take the nurse to the chemist (pharmacy) to buy much needed medications, as well as 15 bed nets.
• The fourth graders at Gloria’s school have been corresponding with a Kenyan pen pal for the past year. We took pictures of all these children to share back home.
• At one school, a single classroom might contain 65 to 85 children for one teacher. Although 4 children might squeeze onto a bench-type desk, some still had to sit on the floor. We left money for more desks to be made.

After spending a wonderful week, although emotionally draining at times, we said a tearful good-bye to Jack and his family, with promises to keep in touch.

Jack's family

Team Tatu

Monday, July 12, 2010

Not to be deterred by lack of sleep from traveling, Team Tatu started their first day in the Mukuru slums of Nairobi. We met with long-time friends Mary and Joseph Mambo of Cana Ministries, where they have a primary school, clinic, church, and rescue center for girls. The school has 220 children, ranging from preschool to grade 8, which fits into 10 small rooms (about 10 x 10 ft. each); eight teachers share the responsibility for teaching the different classes. Orphaned and vulnerable children from the slums are able to come to this school free of charge and receive two meals a day (when food is available).  However, Mary is saddened at the end of the day when they must return to the streets of the slums, often to fend for themselves.

Mary, who once had her own successful private clinic in Nairobi, now runs a clinic in the slums which provides HIV testing and services, maternity care and delivery, TB testing and treatment, child “welfare,” and family planning. In this small space of corrugated tin walls, some of the Mambos’ adult children now run the clinic’s pharmacy, lab, and other services.  Mary encourages women to come into the clinic to deliver their babies rather than have them at home with a midwife. This allows her to monitor the pregnancies as well as test the mother and newborn for HIV. She states that approximately 15% of the mothers test positive, and so she is able to immediately treat the newborns.   While we were there, three women had recently delivered and we held a day-old baby, a two-hour-old baby, and one just born.

The new girls at the Rescue Center with Courtney and Amanda

Bedroom in the Rescue Center

The children were instantly attracted and attached to Courtney and Amanda, being very blond, blue-eyed, and white-skinned girls. We found we couldn’t kneel down without curious hands reaching out to touch our arms, hair, and anything else that appeared new or different. They wanted their hands to be held, and you could not hold one without holding onto about six at a time. These children were hungry for our attention and love, and their wide smiles revealed their joy for receiving it. We enjoyed making foam crafts with them and left food and vitamins.

Tuesday, July 13

We got an early start for a long day of travel up to Kisumu, where we would spend the next week working with Jack Mila. You’ll recall from previous updates that Kisumu is located northwest of Nairobi on the shores of Lake Victoria. The drive through Kenya is surreal – right out of National Geographic. Most of the countryside we passed through is rural agricultural land. River crossings are busy places: cattle coming down to drink, boys washing their bikes, mamas washing clothes and laying them to dry on the bushes, and men filling large barrels with water to load onto donkeys or carts. Ahhh… Africa.

We arrived at Jack’s in the late afternoon, and the neighbor kids were waiting to play with the “wazungus” (white people).

Saying Goodbye to Team Two and Welcoming Team Three

Pole sana! (Very sorry!) We’ve been going non-stop, falling into bed after long days with no energy to write. We’ll briefly update you here with more to come in a day or so…

Saturday, July 10, 2010

It was off to the Brydges site again today. For Spencer and Scott, this was a return visit as they worked there two days during Team Moja (One). For Gloria, this was her first time to see the beautiful property that will be the home for the Brydges children. Our goal today was to lay drip line on the rows of seeds that were planted by Team Moja. Up until today, the seeds had been hand-watered, but only when water was available. Some of the plants had started to grow. We saw beans, peas, corn and watermelon peeking through the mulch. It was a blessing to see these small plants that will soon be providing food for the children! Others will need some time with the drip line in place before we can determine if we need to reseed.

The water for the line comes from a tank that we have filled manually. We gather every container we can find at the Bells’ house, fill them from their tap, load the containers in the truck, haul them to Brydges and transfer the water to their tank. Not an easy job. Please pray that electricity comes soon and the plants will have the water they need.

Following our work at Brydges, Scott and Spencer headed back to the Bells’ to start the preparations to return home, while Gloria was taken to visit Jeff and Julie Vigil, who are Littleton friends now living in Nairobi since the beginning of this year. It was so good to see them comfortably settled into their home on the beautiful SIM (Serving in Missions) compound. I enjoyed meeting their new friends from literally all over the world.  Jeff is becoming quite proficient in Kiswahili, while Julie is adjusting to her new job in the SIM office. We had a wonderful reunion and time of getting caught up.

Sunday, July 11, 2010

On Sunday morning, Scott and Spencer joined the Bells at their church, International Christian Fellowship (ICF).  They enjoyed lunch at Village Market (shopping center) and did some last minute shopping.  Gloria attended a Kenyan church with a Western feel to it with the Vigils. However, we were the only wazungus (white people) there. Afterward Gloria enjoyed lunch with the Vigils at an Ethiopian restaurant and shopped at a Maasai market, bartering for those special deals.

All met up at the airport later, for Gloria to say goodbye to Spencer and Scott as they headed home and then to hang around to meet Beth, Courtney and Amanda Hall as Team Tatu (three) gets underway. The flight was two hours late, so the girls didn’t get to bed until 2:00 a.m., but they arrived safely nonetheless.

We have lots to fill you in on. Stay tuned…it’s coming soon!

Thanks for joining us on this Kenyan journey. We truly appreciate your partnership.

Team Mbili (Two)

Scott Olivett, Spencer Davis, and Gloria Scharton