Easter Sunday - the day we remember and celebrate the resurrection of Christ.

Here is the painting of the resurrection from Nyalenda centre church, in one of the slum areas of Kisumu, Kenya.

The resurrection of Christ; the women have been to the gardeners hut (his jembe and coat outside) because they mistake the risen Christ for a gardener, and have gone to tell the disciples what they saw. .   The two angels and two soldiers (who believe they are guarding a body) are sitting outside, but Christ is being resurrected and taken up into heaven.

~   ~   ~   ~   ~ 

 

 

So that is the end of the Easter journey as depicted in Nyalenda church; I have many other pictures to show and words to write about my visit to Kisumu, which I will continue to do over the next few weeks.   But celebrating Easter last night at the local convent, and this morning at church in Tintern, I found my mind often drifting back to the simplicity of Nyalenda church, with its wall paintings, and simple wooden benches for the congregation.  

 

Maundy Thursday - the final stations of the cross from Nyalenda, Kisumu.

As I mentioned before, you may want to go back (scroll down) to the entry for Palm Sunday, to be able to see the illustrations in the correct order.

 

 



Yesu ana sulu bishwa msalabani = Jesus is nailed to the cross

(Note the dice on his red cloak, ready to gamble for it.  

The women are hiding their eyes.)

 

 

 

Yesus tho e musalaba = Jesus is dead on the cross

(A soldier has offered Jesus a drink on a sponge, while the other soldiers play dice.)

 

 

 

Ipudho Yesus e musalaba + Jesus is taken down from the cross

(and the two robbers are also taken down;

Mary and Mary are covering the body;

a woman in the background {left} is wailing).

 

 

 

Yesu ana zikwa kaburini = Jesus prepared for the tomb

 

~   ~   ~   ~   ~

 

 

I will put the final illustration from Nyalenda church, showing the resurrection, on Easter Sunday.   Please come back to see it !

 

 

More stations of the cross from Nyalenda Centre church

(Because of the way Blogger saves things, you need to see the first of these pictures here .... https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1204216357769455725#editor/target=post;postID=7801053024616644756;onPublishedMenu=allposts;onClosedMenu=allposts;postNum=1;src=postname

 

Feronika oyweyo wang' Yesu = Veronica wipes the face of Jesus

 

 

 

Poth Yesus mar ariyo = Jesus falls for the second time  

(perhaps because, as seen in picture 6, Simon turned to look at Veronica,

who in this picture is now behind Simon, looking at the image on the cloth)

 

 

 

Akina mama wana mlilia yesu = the mothers (women) are crying for Jesus

 

 

 

Poth yesus mar adek = Jesus falls for the third time

 

 

 

Yesu ana vuliwa nguo = Jesus is stripped of his clothes.

(Note the man on the right is hiding his children eyes; Mary in blue is in the background,

and Mary Magdelene is in yellow)

 

 

Today is Palm Sunday;here are the first of the stations of the cross, from Nyalenda Catholic Centre, Kisumu

I thought I had a photo of the Catholic church in the Nyalenda 'slum' area, which is next to the Art School I went to, (and 'posed' for the students !)   But alas, I seem not to have got one, but I do have this photo of a wall painting from inside the church.    This church was partially burned down just after Christmas 2014, (a candle on the Christmas tree set fire to the tree, and then the building) but with the help of the local community, was repaired and rebuilt within months.  It was then decided to paint some new 'stations' around the walls, African style, to replace the ones damaged in the fire. 

So here are the first of a series of 'stations' ...

 

Pilatus ong'ado ni yesu buch tho = Pilate condemns Jesus (who has already blood on his body from a beating)

 

 

 

Yesu oting'o musalape = Jesus is given the cross beam (of the cross)

 

 

 

Poth yesus mo kwongo = Jesus falls for the first time (or was he tripped up ?)

 

 

 

Yesus oromo go min mare = Jesus speaks to his mother Mary

 

 

 

 

Simon konyo Yesus ting'o musalape = Simon helps Jesus carry the cross

 

 

 

(To be continued .... but because of the way blogger presents things, you'll have to excuse them being in the wrong numerical order !)

Back in Wales

The night before I left Mill Hill House there was a TREMENDOUS thunder storm which lasted for about three hours, and (according to Fr. Gerry who has a rain gauge) there was almost 4 inches of rain.  Unbelieveable .... but true !

 

 

The plane from Kisumu

I've given myself several days to recover from about 21 hours of travelling, flights from Kisumu, to Nairobi, to Heathrow, and bus to Chepstow .   Its much cooler at home, and I am at last sleeping better and catching up on energy.   I'll be finishing the Malarone tablets tomorrow, so might in a few days feel splendid again !!   They may prevent malaria, but for me, I'm sure it was their side effects of sleeplessness and the trots which has caused me to feel so tired.   However, I'm starting to sleep much better in my own bed (with hot water bottle and thick duvet and winceyette PJ's !)

Since coming back, I've written up a long report on the workshop and how I found things there, with regard to finances and the work the students are doing.   I've done all my laundry, and put away my cases, mozzie net, etc. ready for .... ??  next time, perhaps ?

Now I'd like to do several more blog entries about Kenya; a lot of the Kenya of today isn't the Kenya I knew back in the 1960's ....

So I'll start again in a day or so .... keep looking in !

 

~   ~   ~   ~   ~

 

(Just to prove it IS possible to pack 18 baskets in one suitcase PLUS some books

and a load of dirty clothes !!)

Day 23 .... I fly this evening.

My blog isn't finished yet; there are lots of things I would like to comment on but decided it wasn't right to do so while I'm here; and I also have lots more photos.    So keep looking in over the next few weeks or even months, and see what I have added !    And thank you for reading 'Luo Laughter' so far.

~   ~   ~   ~   ~

This is a new one .... if you want to restore your run-away husband, or want to 'brek a personal eror curse' .... then phone this number !!

 

 

 

(and I never did discover what 'mexina' is)

People

The power is going off and on and off as I type this by candle-light.   Terrific thunder storm and downpour outside at the moment.

But I've got lots of photos I want to share, and this is a selection of some people  of all ages ...

 

One of the Kibuye market traders

 

 

 

I AM  THE  BOSS  !!

 

 

 

 

A delightful family who come to the chapel every Sunday (the girl in pink is a friend).  The Mum was widowed just before the youngest was born, but she is bringing up a lovely family.

 

 

This little lad suddenly saw my white face, and crawled away at top speed screaming his head off !   His mother rushed out, thinking he'd been bitten by a snake !

'JESUS - that's my final answer'  ...   Sister Gaudentsia who stays here weekends while doing further medical training. 

My last full day .... and its been full on too !

I went to the workshop on a tuk-tuk, to say goodbye to Paul and the boys ....

 

(L to R)  Stephen Juma, Dan Omondi ,with Paul in front, Bonaventure Sule, Kennedy Onyango, at the back, Martin Othiambo on the right

 

 

.... and some old mzungu lady got in on the act here ....

 

 

 

~   ~   ~   ~   ~

 

 

Then back to town to Kenya Airways to 'check in' online and get boarding passes.   The very helpful lady in the office said they can't book in until noon, so I explored the new Acacia hotel and got up to the second floor, where I had some decent coffee.  This new very posh hotel spreads up and over the top of the West End Mall.  Some fantastic views of Kisumu and the airport from up there.

 

 

I returned to the KA office at noon .... only to be told she had meant to say 12.30, and was most apologetic.   So I walked back to MHH, had fish and chips for lunch, and then plodded back into town to the KA office .... and Bingo !   The helpful lady had my boarding passes all ready and waiting !   So I had a long cold drink of freshly squeezed pineapple juice  in the Java, and then plod, plod back to MHH once again, where I collapsed into a cold shower and fresh clothes !   I estimate I've walked about 5 or 6 miles today, in 35 C  !!



Sleepless nights = tiredness !

I think I've discovered why I'm so tired and not sleeping well .... I read the leaflet that came with my anti-malarials, (Malarone) and one possible side effect can be sleeplessness .... hence tiredness !   So hopefully a week after I get home when I finish the tablets, I'll sleep !!   (How many people ever read the leaflet that comes with their pills ??)   I might also get a malaria test done, as I forgot one pill for 12 hours, and the mozzies found me tasty last night.

Went into town this morning to change some  $$$  and  £££  to K.sh. to pay my bill here.  Walked past the Uni book-shop, which I cannot resist, and went in and found another very cheap book to add to my collection of Kenya/Africa history books .... about the history of nursing in Kenya.   Some delightful illustrations in it ...

Today's national newspaper report

I'm having difficulty in using my laptop .... it gets so very hot that I don't like to use it for more than about ten minutes at a time, and also the sweat is pouring off me, so my hands and fingers are wet and slippery on the keys !

I think if I come again to Kisumu, my first purchase on day 1, will be a small rotary fan, which I can use whilst here, and then leave it behind.

I'm not sure how corrugated iron made the fire spread faster ....

~   ~   ~   ~   ~

 

Another glorious sunset  over the lake ...

 

 

Kibuye burns ...........

Last night as I was going to bed I could smell burning smells on the breeze, but so many people are burning grass (and the rubbish it hides) at the moment I thought nothing of it, until I heard a fire engine going past, and looked out, and it was followed by another from the airport.

Today I heard that half of Kibuye Market was burned down last night .... where I was just a week ago buying baskets.  

Water, water everywhere

I went to the workshop yesterday, fortunately as I soon found out, walking through the houses by a narrow footpath, not the usual lane, which was flooded.

In mending the water pipe to the workshop, the water main (a 3" plastic pipe) had been broken !   Well, this IS Africa !!    But the local ladies were full of joy .... FREE clean(ish) water bubbling up out of the ground !    Normally they have to pay for all water they use for cooking, washing clothes, drinking, bathing .... but here it was, FREE !  

 

Usual water delivery ... 20 shillings per drum.

 

 

So all the ladies were gathering with their drums, bowls and buckets, to fill with water ....

 

 

... and then carrying it away !

 

 

Pat visits; and the eastern grey plantain eaters !

Goodness me; I think this is THREE postings today !   

I managed to contact Pat Botwright, who used to run the Covenant children's home and school, until she ran out of money/sponsors, and it was taken over by a Canadian organisation.   You can read about her here ....

http://luolaughter.blogspot.co.ke/2011/03/visit-to-covenant-orphanageschool-at.html

So Pat came round for a cuppa and a long chat.   Last time I saw her she was living in a massive house near here in Milimani, rented to her by an Indian family so that she had space for orphaned boys to stay while they were doing further studies.   Now she has moved out and is renting a brand new flat in Dunga, and intends to stay here in Kisumu until the end of her days.   She's still an amazing lady, late 70's, raising awareness in her native Norfolk and elsewhere, to raise money to continue looking after 'her' boys (and a few girls) to pay university fees and hospital bills and so on.

~   ~   ~   ~   ~

 

After Pat had gone, I heard a sound I hadn't heard for years ... in fact it was the very first bird I identified here way back in 1968 ... the eastern grey plantain eater !   There were a pair in a tree, of which I managed to get a very poor photo with my pocket Canon (no zoom), through the mosquito mesh in the corridor ... and I found a really good photo on Google.

 

 

 

They are about the size of slim chickens, and have a strident 'go-warrrr' call .... hence their other name of 'Go away bird.'

 

Catching up with things, part 2

This picture might be titled "Walk on by ..."

 

 

I saw this boy as I was passing in a tuk-tuk .... he was sitting in the dust, glue sniffing and totally spaced out.   Children who live on the streets or the rubbish dumps beg a few coins, from passers by, which they spend on shoe glue.   Its a cheap and effective 'high'; it deadens pain and hunger, and helps them to sleep at night under the market stalls.    And people walk on by ....

 

At least Pandipieri has a street children programme, where street boys who want to be helped, can go for food, shelter, schooling and care.   Street girls are searched for each night by a team, (which includes women) and if possible, reintroduced into their families before they can be raped or beaten up. 

 

~   ~   ~   ~   ~

 

 

 

Nyalenda slum housing ... there are four 'houses' in this row of corrugated iron and mud buildings.   What always amazes me is how people who live in such conditions can appear so clean and smiling.  

 

  







         ~   ~   ~   ~   ~

And sunset over Nam Lolwe to finish; the view from my room  ....

Catching up with things

Lots of little things to comment on ....

Someone asked me about bananas !   There are many types .... here are just two:-

 

 

The large green ones are imported by the ton from across the border in Uganda; they are 'matoki' or cooking bananas.   They make excellent 'mash' or chips, or 'potato' crisps.    The small yellow bananas are about four inches long, and chubby !   Small, sweet, delicious ....... I could eat them by the dozen !

 

There are also long red bananas, and others a darker yellow and about 6 or 7 inches, which are almost juicy, which is something you don't think of in respect to 'English' bananas.

 

 

(I'm going to continue later as I just can't work out what has gone wrong with the spacing !)

Visiting Lilian

Yesterday, I went to visit Lilian, who worked for us on my first visit with HATW.    She cooked and did our washing, which meant when we returned each afternoon to the flat, there was food and clean clothes waiting for us !

She greeted me like a long lost sister, brought out the Fanta, and we ate peanuts while we drank the rather lurid orange liquid !   She is living with her husband and three children in a small house in Nyamasaria ... when I say 'house' .... we'd call it a small shed ....

 

This is a row of four houses, each with one room, about 12 ft by 12 ft inside.   In most that I've visited, the room is divided by a curtain, behind which is a bed on which the family all sleep, and the other half is used for cooking, living, and sewing in Lilians case.   Most life takes place outside.   No water laid on and the 'facilities' would be a pit latrine and a similar sized cubicle of tin sheets, to wash in.

 

 

All the women who live in these houses love lace curtains, and decorate their houses freely with them !   I had taken her a lot of children's clothes and some English shortbread, and a  nice Per Una top for her, and a football shirt for her husband who pedals a boda-boda to make a few shillings.   Lilian makes clothes for people, and she is a very good seamstress. 

Lilians son two year old Davis had been in hospital last week, for a whole week, with cerebral malaria, very dangerous indeed for a small child, but he survived.   The whole of Nyamasaria is pot holes full of stagnant water, and like so much of Kenya, there is rubbish just everywhere.   Perfect breeding grounds for mosquitos.