IRRIGATION PROJECT - ECO-SAN TOILET - FIRST CASH CROP

THE IRRIGATION PROJECT

Thanks to your prayers, we have had rain for several evenings - enough to soften the ground so we could get the space for the drip-feed irrigation project ploughed (plowed).  There was a team of 6 oxen yoked together with a really primitive set of yokes (no "my yoke is easy" business there) . They were driven by a young lad with a type of whip (not used to strike them, but to make a sound and direct them) and another fellow was guiding the hand-held, single-blade plow.  It only took a couple of hours.  When they were done the yokes and harnesses were left until the next day, but the cows were immediately rewarded for their work by being released in our harvested maize field, where they were very happily chewing off the prime bits of the empty stalks.  The men let them stay as long as they wanted and then drove them home.

  Our Banana Bushes in the Background

The ploughed (plowed) field must be rained on and then harrowed in preparation for laying laying the drip lines and planting the crop.  

Marty shared the story of the oxen and their "guide" with a friend and commented of the apparent spiritual application of the whole task.   She wrote back some-thing that is well said and worth sharing:  "Your des-cription of the oxen and the field is lovely ~ the strength of those 6 animals focused on a singular task, guided by the hand of one who knows the plan…. Beautiful!"  

FIRST CASH CROP

Because of ploughing (plowing) for the irrigation project it was necessary to go over the spot where the sukuma wiki (kale) was planted.  We have given much of it to the widows, so there wasn't much left, but some did remain, so we sold it to two ladies who took it to market.  We sold it for 360 KES - about £3 ($4.35) - which goes into the widows' medical transportation fund.

SURPRISING THE INTERCESSORS WITH THE PRAYER CHAPEL

Marty invited the small group of intercessors to the Widow's Farm to surprise them with the finished prayer chapel.  They had no idea that we were doing it for them. Oh my!  They truly were surprised!  She read them the story of Jacob and the rock upon which he had laid his head (Gen. 28:18)  The stone that she had found to use for the altar was laying down and she had them tilt it upright and put it into place and then gave them olive oil to take turns anointing it.  Then named it Dala Nyasaye (God's House). Then they held hands and prayed and as they did a dove came and landed in the trees there.  (The same thing happened before when the men helped her bring that rock and set it there in the first place.)  She prepared tea and some cookies and brought them out there and that pleased them as well- it was an unexpected treat.  The cookies (biscuits) were a luxury and they were happily

Setting Up the Altar Stone

surprised that she had made the tea herself.  (It was made the way Locals do it - boiled with tea leaves, milk and sugar, all at the same time, then strained into a kettle. No big deal really, but somehow impressive to them.  Also it was made using a gas burner attached to a propane cylinder - not a wood fire, so it really was easy.  Sorry no photos available to show you that rig). They are such a group of lovely, gracious and loving ladies. They all sat on the benches that were made for the chapel and chatted and enjoyed themselves immensely .  It was a very pleasant time together. (Marty had an interpreter there.)

LEARNING THE LANGUAGE

We are both attempting to learn Dholuo words and phrases.  The tribe is the Luo tribe, but the language itself is called Dholuo.  It is not a common language and is only used by that tribe.  The village youngsters learn Swahili in school, and later on they also learn English, but the majority of the older folks and especially the old widows only speak the Luo language.  It pleases them no end when we try to communicate even a little and they readily offer us help in learning it.  

ECO-SAN TOILET

Timothy, the civil engineer who did the plans for the water tower has drawn the plan for the eco-san toilet, and George, the engineer who built the tower, will construct it for us.  Things are falling into place thanks to your prayers.  Yaaaay!  Opak Ruoth! (Praise the King [God]!)


Nyasaye Gwedhu (God Bless You [plural you])

John and Marty