Are you ready to be milked?

So I’m not very good or consistent at this whole blogging thing, so my apologies.  Since it’s been a while I won’t give a play by play, but the highlights and gist of it.

The last few weeks have included more actual work in sanitation.  I have been able to help design the latrine, but the real hold ups have been find the materials we need.  Funny how as a non-engineer from tech, I’m now calculating parabolas and testing temperature loggers.  I also have been meeting with guys we work with to discuss the design, and materials.  This past week the project has really gained speed and we finally broke ground. Nancy and her husband dug the pit (in 1 day, just the 2 of them…) and this week will be more construction, which I’m stoked about. 

We have also had some non-work related adventures. Two weekends ago some of Emily’s friends came up to Lake Naivasha and we all went to Crater lake which was really pretty and they have an animal sanctuary you can drive/ride through.  On the way back we may have gotten run off the narrow road by a bus. We are fine, just some bruises and a bit of a burn from the exhaust pipe. 

We also went church that Sunday. Now I have been to my fair share of African churches, including “sneak attack” church in a Ugandan village. I even mentioned to Emily a few days before how I hate how African churches play loud off key and/or just random sound effects on the keyboards at church which cover up the pure and wonderful vocals.  But I still was not prepared for what this service would bring.  We went to this particular church because the pastor is also a motorcycle-taxi driver, Simon, who taught Emily how to ride her bike.  Meeting Simon that morning, he was talking to us about his church some and bragging that they “even have a guy who can play keyboard.” Simon drove us to the church and had us meet all of the pastoral staff.  We were clearly the only mzungus there, and maybe the only ones to have ever come to this church, thus we were given front row seats.  We were also warned that we may be asked to sing a song (so luckily on the way Emily and I ran through the verses of “All and All” to make sure we had something if called upon.  The first 2.5 hours included preaching (all in Kiswahi), prayer, an offering, and many songs and dances, and yes Emily and I singing our song.  It also included keyboard over terrible speakers that was trying, unsuccessfully, to find a pre-fabricated beat to match the song already being sung, as well as trying to match pitch.  (By the end of the service the keyboard player had found a laugh sound effect too.) About every hour the pastor would give us a sort of one-sentence summary of what was going on.  The next 2 or 2.5 hours were just the pastor asking for money specifically for Simon to go and continue ministry in another area.  As opposed to American churches, where members are rarely called upon to go up front to give money in view of everyone, here the pastor had everyone line up and he would count the money and announce the amount you gave before putting it in the basket.  When this line was gone, he proceeded to single people out who hadn’t given, or hadn’t given enough.  I was so uncomfortable.  At one point he hands out some mini bananas seemingly to the people who have donated, and to us the white guests who have yet to give to this second offering.  (We were later encouraged to pay for our gifted bananas).  Emily and I both at this point we just trying to stay awake, shift in our wooden pew and read our bibles since everything going on was in Kiswahili anyway.  Suddenly the pastor comes over to us and in English asks, “Are you ready to be milked?” Looking at our stunned and confused faces he says, “Are you ready to produce something?” Feeling extremely awkward and expected to give a large amount, seeing as how we are white, we tell him we will give it to Simon later.  Then after lunch we did get to play with kids for a bit before leaving, which was nice.  So I will be taking a hiatus from church for a while I think.

This past weekend we went to Nairobi for a 90s themed party with the people from the weekend before, which was almost as fun to prepare for as was the party itself.  Emily and I watched some Saved by the Bell to be inspired and listened to a ton of 90s music, from Alanis to Beck to Destiny’s Child.  Then we went to the market and bought some second hand clothes for our costumes: Emily as Zach Morris and me as blossom/Clasrissa —but really just a lot of denim.  The only time I will go to a club in a denim bucket hat, I’m sure. 

This week work was really crazy, just internet issues, Africans being late issues, me going to Nairobi, all around the city and back in 1 day for a total of probably 11 hours in the car. But this weekend was a perfect break.  Saturday Emily’s mountain climbing club all came to Naivasha and we biked through Hell’s Gate National Park. This park, if I haven’t told you, was the inspiration for much of the scenery in the Lion King, most notably Pride Rock.  It is really spectacular.

The group was so fun and we ended up climbing all around rock formations (getting a lot of help from the rest of the team), showering in waterfalls, and staying about a hour after the park closed.  On the way back Emily and I were rushing to get back and start dinner for the group.  I got ahead of her and was in the zone by myself. I was just enjoying the moment, watching some impala, when I look back to the road, there is a lone buffalo standing right by the roadside staring at me. At this point I was too close to stop, so I just road by him slowly, trying to look non-threatening. He kept watching me, but took a few steps backwards. I’m terrified, about to pee my pants, and wishing someone had witnessed this.   I keep going and Emily catches up with me asking, if I noticed the buffalo. Apparently there was a group behind me that stopped and watched the whole thing.  Anyway the day was amazing.  It got me thinking, do zebras ever become normal? I now can see them on my way to work in the mornings, but I smile ear to ear every time.  This whole place is so majestic feeling. I still can’t believe I get to be here sometimes. 

Also, it just came up that we may possibly get to stay longer. Sanivation might be doing another pilot test in the area. This is not for sure yet by any means, but it’s on the table.  I'm really excited, because I love it here.  I will definitely keep you posted.