This is the place where the goats are going to be kept

This is the place where the goats are going to be kept

John and Benjamin with the cup of tea in the humble house where we were invited in

John and Benjamin with the cup of tea in the humble house where we were invited in

The mama of the house while she is serving us. The joy in her face is contagious.

The mama of the house while she is serving us. The joy in her face is contagious.

Benjamin took this picture on the way home from the car. People and donkeys and bikes  in front of  the shops

Benjamin took this picture on the way home from the car. People and donkeys and bikes  in front of  the shops

Hello again

In the Hospital where we are working we are facing quite a number of people who just don't have enough income to make ends meet. The reason for this are manifold. Some of them don't have good education and can only work as watchmen, they have many children and are trying to put them through school and many other things are keeping them in relative poverty. Poverty is relative. The family I am visiting here with Benjamin just last night is relatively poor and in need of help.When I was on the way back to Kijabe, Benjamin commented that poverty is quite serious in this particular household. Then I started explaining why we are trying to help this particular family and what we are intending to do. 

This family is originally from Turkana, the semiarid northwest of the country, a pastoralist community. But they have lived in the neighbourhood of Kijabe for many years. At some point this year he came and kept on coming to my house to ask for food since he had nothing left to cook since everything has gone into schoolfees. I gladly helped him but also realized that this is not a sustainable solution and was trying to look for an answer he may have. When I called him to my office together with his wife I involved a colleague of mine and together we asked him what would help him to get out of this terrible cycle of poverty and pain. Both, the wife and the husband agreed it would be goats which could help them to break that cycle, put food on the table and pay schoolfees for the children. 

My friend and I told him what we would like to see what he needs to do before we get him the goats. He put  a lot of effort in preparing the place in such a way that is good and appropriate. Therefore yesterday in the evening we all went, my friend John, Benjamin and myself and looked at the place, commended them for their work and took the cup of tea which is compulsory in any African household.

Even when there is nothing in the house a visitor can not leave the homestead without sharing a cup of tea and that is exactly what we did. The beautiful thing about Africa is that a visitor is a blessing and that sense is always beautiful to experience. 

  

Have a lovely week, Thomas