Day 8           23^rd October, 2013          

(Internet off again so ignore automatic dating ... trying to catch up again !

To the workshop to see if making the ring beam was under way, but it wasn't ! Still more brick-work to be done, so we fetched and carried, putting bricks up onto the scaffolding, loading up the builders pieces of plastic where they dump their mortar, fetching water when required. Stephen, the master builder, started putting up very rudimentary shuttering so that concrete could be poured into the uprights. Last nights thunderstorm helped to prevent the brickwork drying out too quickly, which was good.

The scaffolding, and health and safety here really is a joke ! The scaffolding is just blue-gum poles wedged at an angle into the corners, with rope tying them together and rough planks (complete with protruding nails !) placed loosely on top. Sometimes where scaffolding is needed over a void (like over the stair well) the builders will make 'putlog holes' to support the poles, as did the old castle builders in England in the Middle Ages, which can still be seen in castle walls. Many of the builders paddle in the mortar in bare feet, or at the most, in flip-flops …. what does cement do to bare skin ?!

Scaffolding .... poles and rope, supporting bricks, mortar and men !

(Picture courtesy of Wendy)

At 12.30, we went in a tuk-tuk to Nyalenda, one of the slum areas, where the catholic church has created a wood-work training centre, and an art school, and ministers to the local people of the slum. Father Hans has been working here for over 40 years, and is well known and much loved. Every Wednesday lunch-time he leads what he calls 'Bible Sharing' and I've always joined in when I'm here. There are many young European volunteers in Nyalenda and Pandipieri …. several from Holland, a girl from Macedonia, a young man from Spain, and a married couple from Canterbury who wanted to do some volunteering somewhere, searched the internet and finding Pandipieri and Nyalenda, came out for six months ! The volunteers are working as social workers, teachers, medics of various types, a marital abuse counsellor, fund-raisers, and so on, and all live in the slum area with the local people. After we had our discussion session, we all had a simple lunch together of rice and vegetable stew. All sharing; Africans and Europeans, Christians and non-believers together. Its good !

Father Hans Burgman is a remarkable man in his mid 80's; tall, grey haired and with a commanding air, yet kindly, gentle and caring. He's Dutch, as are most of the Mill Hill R.C. missionaries here, and has lived in Kisumu for the majority of his priesthood. Recently, he had celebrations both here and in Holland to mark the 60^th anniversary of his priesthood, the majority of it which has been here, working in the Kisumu shanty areas. When he first arrived in the 1960's, he learned Dholuo by dint of living in the slums with the local people, sleeping on the floor in their houses amongst the cockroaches and rats, because he felt he couldn't help the people unless he understood and shared their lives completely. Some months ago the local Luo people had a massive celebration when they made him into a Luo elder, a great honour rarely bestowed, with all day long festivities.

Until recently, Father Hans was a great walker; with a large group of parishioners he walked from Mombasa to Kampala in 51 days, to commemorate the arrival of the first Mill Hill missionaries here a century ago. He has also walked from his home area in Holland to Santiago de Compostella and back again, at least twice, pilgrimages which took many months. He wrote a book about the last long walk to Compostella which he did in his 70's, with a new artificial hip joint. Another book of his is about the coming of the Roman Catholic church into this area of Africa.

I love his droll sense of humour ! When he arrived here from Holland a few days ago, I asked him if he had a good flight. “Its always a good flight if the plane lands” he said. At supper, someone was telling a funny story … “Never spoil a good story with the truth”. When asked if he slept well, (a morning greeting here among the Luo) … “Yes, several times”.