Election Week - At last!

Hello All,
Well, its election week here in Kenya.  The time that many have looked forward to and some have been dreading.  The elections are scheduled for Monday and we just heard possibly Tues.  The last time the Kenyans went to the polls there was wide spread violence leading to over 1,100 deaths and 600,000 injuries.  We are praying that that doesn't happen again!  The papers are optimistic that things will be better this time.  One of the front runners Uhuru Kenyata, a Kukuyu, has teamed up with a running mate named William Ruto, a Kalenjin.  It was these 2 tribes that were fighting the most in 2007/08.  But, the issue may come if there is a run off between the top two and that is likely to happen.  If there is a tie (or close to it) the run off will be 30 days after the results are announced. That is when there is likely to be trouble if it happens. They should be announcing results by the end of the week. The sooner the better because it is the delay in the announcements that causes people to be concerned.  We are in a lockdown here for about a week or until we see that all is calm.  We have stocked up on essential supplies like peanut butter!  Please pray for this country and for all of us here in Kijabe.

The following is a picture that I got from a friend this past week of the moon set:

The moon has been beautiful in the mornings lately!  The hill there is Mt Longonot, and ancient volcano.

I am taking a class (3 days) called Farming God's way.  Today is the last class and we are planting maize and beans today (in the hot sun)!  It has been very enlightening.  Craig Sorley of Care of Creation teaches it and he talks about how we should not plow up the soil and we should mulch it very well.  This helps the soil to regain nutrients and retain moisture.  We harvested maize yesterday from 2 of the test plots.  One was done the Farming God's Way and the other by conventional means.  On the FGW plot we got about 45 kg of corn.  On the other there was 31.7 kg.  This amounted to a 54% increase in produce on the FGW plot.  That is significant!  It is especially pronounced when there is a dry spell here.  He says the results can be dramatic as in zero or very little produce on the conventional plot and at least some on the FGW plot when we have a dry rainy season.

on the right the "undisturbed" soil - it retain its shape in water

On the right a mulched area.  The water runoff was over 50% more on the left side

As we were beginning to harvest the corn.

 

Liz left this past Sunday.  We took her to the airport and drove home in the dark.  It is always a challenge to drive here in the dark, but we made it.  She was a pleasure to have with us for a time and we pray that she will use her experience here in future endeavors.  She said in a parting letter: "...- so eyeopening and inspiring.  I am constantly impressed.... by the work that you do at the hospital, but also by the grace with which you live everyday life in this culture so different from America.  I think one of the biggest things I will take away from this adventure will be an understanding of the "small" everyday frustrations and trials that missionaries have to deal with...."   She sees a glimpse of what we deal with everyday in the cultural differences.  We will miss her!

 

We have made good progress at the hospital this week.  The Quonset hut (2/3 part) is almost complete and they started and almost finished the 1/3 part too.  These will be the new material receiving area and the new medical gases.

 

The 1/3 QH assembled on the ground

 

 

The 1/3 going up 

 

The Bethany Kids wing was going well this week too.  We are almost back up to ground level with the construction - meaning, they have been working on footings and foundations for the past 3 months and are now back filling around the column bases back to ground level.  Here are a few pictures:

 

Final touches on the base

 

What a pretty column!

 

Back filling around the bases

 

Look at how they bend Y32 rebar (32mm thick)!

 

We also had our fuel tank delivered this week.  We wanted it in before the elections so that we could fill it and be ready to camp out for a month or so.  Not sure if they actually got it filled, but we did receive the tank:

 

as the truck arrives

 

off loading it

 

the pit dug for the tank

 

in its final resting place.

 

 

Our friends the Sorleys are building a house here (I have mentioned before).  It is going along well.  Their builder is a really good one and we are very pleased with how he is working.  Here are some up to date pictures:

 

Most homes are built out of stone

This is the front entrance (left) and the kitchen in the foreground.

 

 

Rose, my Kenyan house help, took the Farming God's Way class back in Dec.  She is so inspired!  She planted potatoes and now says they are like this:  and waves her hand about thigh height.  Her neighbors are all doubters and she is sticking it out to see what will happen.  One of the principles of FGW is to help local people have productive gardens so that they can share the extra - feed the poor.  Some of her neighbors are in this class and they are really enjoying it too.  Craig has a vision where there are pockets of FGW plots in the local villages where people can learn and grow together! 

 

Hope you have a great week.  I have to get to my last class now and get the beans planted!

In His Hands,

Jullie T.