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Blog 2 Kisumu, Kenya

Blog 2

Kisumu, Kenya

September 28, 2014

Hi All!

Everything is fine with me here in Kisumu.  I am starting this blog on Sunday, September 28^th, but probably won’t finish it for a few more days.  I think there will be a big storm soon.  It has been raining most evenings – sometimes in torrents, and sometimes just rain.

I am just about to prepare breaded tilapia fillets, rice, and vegetables for dinner for a friend and myself.  Hope it will be good.

There is a lot to talk about and a few nice photos.  I also took a short video of some of the KMET staff singing at one of the twice weekly morning meetings.  I will post it to this blog and hope that you will be able to open it and listen for a few seconds, but even so, it does not do justice to the beautiful acapella singing.

Where to start?  With the bad, the funny, the good?  Let’s see what you think!

I don’t know whether to call it highway robbery or highway bribery.  Actually, it is both.  If you take a trip out of town on the way somewhere, there are a lot of police checkpoints and stops.  There are a lot of “matatu’s” that take people from one town to another.  A matatu, or mat is a van that is always overloaded.  Nearly every matatu – actually every matatu slows down and drops some money on the ground, or gives it directly to the police.  Highway robbery?  Highway bribery?  Both – what’s the difference?  The police aren’t paid much, but I think there is a culture of bribery here at many different levels.  Perhaps that’s the way it  is, but to me it is still disheartening.  I really love Kenya, but I have to admit there are some things like this that I don’t like!

So now it is Tuesday, September 30^th.

Hinda sent me an interesting article a couple of weeks ago from NPR about hypertension here in Kenya.  Maybe Kenya is a Third World Country, but it now has some First World problems such as hypertension – a silent killer.  Plus of course all of it’s own problems.

Peter is proud!! Why?  I have been accepted as a board member of KMET.  I am also honored.  Thanks KMET!  I promise to work hard to improve and help this fine organization.  And for me, there is no conflict of interest because I am a volunteer and don’t get paid anyway.

Some of you know about and even have the CD that Hinda and I helped to make in 2009 featuring the beautiful singing of the Sisterhood for Change girls who attend training here.  We called it from Despair to Hope and it a very uplifting thing for the girls, Hinda and I, KMET and so many people who have it, heard it, and love it as we do.

Now, I am going to make another one, but this one will include the girls, the staff, both men and women, and other volunteers here.  Tom Milongo our friend who produced the first one in his Kisumu studio has agreed to help us record and produce this new one.  A committee has already been formed and is writing the words and the music of 8 new songs.  Stay tuned!

A couple of years ago on one of my visits here, one of the KMET staff – John Asuke who is a Tae Kwando expert started to teach this martial art to the Sisterhood for Change girls.  Some became pretty good at it, won some contests, and even used it once or twice to defend themselves.

Now some of same young women are teaching it to other women and girls in the local community.  Sometimes you plant a seed and it grows!

A funny thing happened to me a couple of weeks ago.  I was walking with the architect who designed our building and something got into my eye.  I asked him to see if there was something in my eye.  He looked and said there was and it needed to be blown out.  I said ok.  He took a deep breath and blew into my eye and POP – it was gone.  Now I know what blown out really means.

 A lot of the primary children go to school driven by a motorbike.  It is not uncommon to see at least 4 little ones and the driver on one of the motorbikes here.  They are pretty small, and sometimes only I can ride with one of my thin friends.  Imagine!

Well, I see that I have already rambled too much.  Those of you who know me well, know that I like to talk too much.  But before I go, I have told you before about the twice weekly staff meetings which I helped to start a couple of years ago – an import I brought from KCCC in Kampala.  Those meetings start with very beautiful singing – hymns, but never the less very very nice.  I recorded a short segment with my camera and hope that I can put it on this blog.

By the way, construction is to start here at KMET next Monday!  WOW!

Love and hugs,

Omosh (Peter)

My Cottage - "The Down Under" Be It Ever So Humble - Small But Comfy

Mmmmmm! My Swimming Pool! (For The Compound - Not Just Mine)

And a Small Living Room

My Small Kitchen and Eating Bar

Blog 1 Kisumu

September 15, 2014

Blog 1

Kisumu, Kenya

Dear Family and Friends,

So, here I am one again in Kisumu, Kenya, volunteering with my favorite NGO – KMET.  Hinda and I first came here in 2009 and I helped to build KMET’s first building.  Then in 2010 and 2011, the second one that has the Schnurman Pharmacy.  And now I am going to help add a second floor to the first building.  Exciting?  Very!!

When I arrived here for my first day back at work I was greeted so warmly and enthusiastically by my KMET friends and family.  And most of all my Monica, KMET’s Executive Director, who some of you may know.  When I am away from Hinda she makes sure that I am ok.

They have grown both in numbers of staff and also in their programs.  It is really quite something.  If you have  the time look the up on the Internet – www.kmet.co.ke and/or check them out on Facebook:  KMET Kenya.

It did not take me long to slip into my work assignments – I have hit the road running and in the first 2 or 3 days I have been able to free up the building permit logjam which was stuck in the bureaucracy.  Now am starting to negotiate with contractors and suppliers so that we can do more with the little money that KMET has for this project.  But where there’s a will there’s a way and Monica and I and the other team members will succeed.  I will be here until the end of December and hope that by that time the additional floor will be up.

I also hope that Hinda will join me here so that we can travel back together and maybe even take a short vacation on the way back.

Kisumu has grown, but the roads that were terrible have gotten even worse.  It is hard to believe.  You wouldn’t believe it unless you see it for yourself.  Luckily I live near the office – a 10 or 15 minute walk, and when I need to go someplace for work, there is a KMET driver and vehicle to take me.

As a part of the growth here in town, there is a lot of construction, and in the last few days, a very unfortunate event occurred.  There are a lot of outdoor markets with small business people selling fruits, vegetables, etc.  The government wanted them to move to make way for some kind of construction.  Since they are poor and their businesses are small they refused.  Where could they go anyway?  Nowhere!  So on Friday night the police came and burned their market to the ground!  What a shame!  Now what will these people do?  Many have taken small loans to start their businesses and now there businesses are gone!

Every Monday and Friday morning at work there is a staff get together with announcements, and praying but the most beautiful is the singing.  Mostly hymns, but still beautiful and beautiful voices.  I started this practice several years ago, where I learned it when Hinda and I were volunteering in Uganda.  I love it!

Well, now for something more pleasant.  I live in the same compound where Hinda and lived in 2009, just next door in a small but cute 1 bedroom cottage.  Here are some photos that I took for you to see.  I cook a simple breakfast before I walk to work,  I usually have lunch at the office prepared by young women in one of the KMET training programs (Safe Spaces).  The cost about the equivalent of $.60and it is good.  For dinner, I have been eating with friends either here or at their places, and sometimes I cook for them.  Believe it or not I am a good cook and everyone’s loves it.  Last night I made breaded tilapia fillets and have made spaghetti and met sauce several time.  Come and enjoy!

One of the piki piki drivers (motorbike taxis) name is Shadrak, like in Shadrach, Mishak, and Abendigo.  I don’t know anyone anywhere else but here who has that name except of course in the Bible.

Finally, here I am known as “Omosh” a nickname for Omondi which my friend Meggy name me several years ago, so I will say so long for now,

Love,

Omosh

p.s.  My Kenyan phone number is +254 7865 78783 and my email is peter@peterschnurman.com

Uh oh!  Can’t send this now.  The internet is not working.  Welcome to Africa!