Everything Takes Longer

The other day I wanted to hook-up the Epson printer I brought with me from the US. After looking it over carefully, I realized that it might not be 110v/220v switchable. Most electronics are both these days. I waited for an opportunity to get online to check the capacities on the Epson website. Sure enough, it’s only 110v.

I inquired to both Craig and Tracy for options. Tracy reminded me that you can take your 110v appliances in and have them converted to 220v. But that shortens the live of the machine. Craig suggested a small converter for only about 3000 shilling ($50) at an electronics store in Village Market (the nearest shopping mall on this side of Nairobi – about a half hour’s drive). Hmmph. Okay, no printer for a while.

While in Nairobi this past week I looked for an electronics place in a different mall I was in. I found a small transformer for the same price Craig has quoted. Before I left the store I checked with the salesman, “There is nothing more I need for this to work? Just plug it in?” He assured me it was all set to go. Back in the ‘old days’ appliances were sold with the plug detached and you had to wire it on yourself, England was the same way.

I set out to hook the whole thing up and actually print something today. I pulled the transformer out and began reading the directions.* They didn’t make sense to me. This doesn’t surprise me. I read them a couple times, even out load to see if it would click in my head. Nope. Since this converter would take 220v to 110V or vice versa I thought it fairly important to get it right, since doing it wrong could result in a blown printer.

So they I asked another native English speaker from the neighboring office to look at them. He wasn’t sure either. He thought it was maybe one way but he wasn’t sure. Then I took it over to Francis, at the main CCK office across campus. He was thinking it was the same as the other person. But again admitted the directions were confusing.

Francis had a great idea. The maintenance guys (fundis) at Bracken have voltage testers. Francis called and asked to them bring one down to check it. The fundi came down without the tester. He said in an authoritative way how to set the transformer without even looking at the directions. Tongue in cheek, I asked him if he would replace my printer if he was wrong. He had me follow him up to his workshop to show me he was right.

We plugged it in and found it didn’t work at all. Oh, the fuse is blown. I asked him how he knew it was the fuse. He showed me the wire that was fried in the middle of this tiny glass tube. I hoped that he would have and offer a new fuse for it. Instead he showed me the spool of wire in his tool box and proceeded to pry the little medal cap off the tube to replace the wire!

After a few minutes he had it working. But the test proved that everyone, including the fundi had been wrong in their interpretation of the directions. I was so glad we had tested the converter!

So plugging in the printer took several days, a trip to town, advice from several people, a visit to the Bracken workshop, and refurbished fuse. Now I have a working printer!

In Swahili we say it’s kawaida, it’s normal or usual.



*I am starting a collection of directions that come with things here in East Africa. They are often odd, funny, confusing or unnecessary. Maybe I’ll post some of the better ones sometime.

Change in the Seasons

I promised myself I would not complain about the cool temps here in Limuru, especially at Brackenhurst which is at 7200 feet above sea level. But quite honestly I am feeling a little mixed up about the weather.

My past memory of Nairobi is what I would term ‘perpetual summer’. It was very pleasant 365 days of the year. Sure there were rainy seasons, but it seems like the sun was out for some of the day even during the rains.

I left the US in the dead of one of the snowiest winters on record. Our US director in Madison said they had more snow by Christmas than they usually have all season. And they had tons more right into the spring. I went from snowy, cold real Minnesota winter to hot, humid Morogoro, Tanzania. It was definitely summer south of the equator in the lowlands of TZ. I learned that I can handle super hot (probably 100-110 degrees with heavy humidity) for about 3 weeks. After that it’s very challenging or maybe discouraging is a better word.

From there I came to the Kenya highlands, and by now it’s getting towards winter south of the equator. Since that center line of the globe runs right through my favored country, I never gave it much thought to actually being south of it. But here in my office it’s definitely felt.

With no central heating, 40-45 degrees at night means that it never really gets too much above 60 in the house. Thankfully I did bring a scarf and hat. I wear them almost every night to bed. The mornings are densely foggy and drizzling. Sometime the sun comes out and it’s actually nice to stand outside and get a little warmed. But for the most part it’s cold and overcast. It’s not exactly my idea of Africa, nor most people’s.

If given a choice between here and Morogoro (which did cool a little when its rainy season started) I will always choose here. When it’s cold, you can bundle up. Building a fire is an option; most houses have a nice fireplace, mine is no exception. And in reality, Nairobi still has beautiful days all the time. I just need to get down there.

Just for the record - I am not complaining. I’m just seasonally challenged at the moment.

Visitors

Wow. We seem to have no end to the visitors at Care of Creation Kenya (CCK). I am encouraged how interested folk are and wanting to get involved in some way.

Yesterday we had an American couple passing through Kenya ‘run’ up to see our work here in Limuru. They were so happy to see what we are doing even though the state of the environment in Kenya is sad. I think they went away hopeful of what their church back home could do.

Today a woman from Nairobi Baptist (a huge church, among many in Nairobi) visited to talk with us about how to get going with spreading the vision to Nairobi pastors and on to their congregations.

She already had a plan for it all but wanted more input. She came to the right place. It’s great to see Kenyans motivated. In the process I heard Francis’ (Craig’s colleague) testimony of how he got involved in the whole area of creation care. He was here even before Craig, asking those at Brackenhurst how he could get them involved in restoring and beautifying the place with indigenous trees.

I am so blessed and privileged to work here. More visitors are expected in July.

Getting into work – finally

Today I spend the morning in my office and the afternoon with a couple of guests from the US connected with a ministry in Nairobi. It was mainly a walking tour of the tree nursery and the Farming God’s Way plot.

Craig’s wealth of knowledge always astounds me. It is good to hear it all again. I have heard Craig several times, but I can never retain all the biblical references, and the vast knowledge of what the trees are good for and how different exotic species arrived here. As many times as I hear the increased crop yields for this special kind of farming, I still can hardly believe it. Craig has been using Farming God’s way for 19 months. He’s currently got his fifth crop in the ground, now they are getting something like 6 times (or more) what the average Kenyan gets! Just think of all the farmers in Kenya were increasing their yields by 5 or 6 times! The food prices might actually go back down!

More on Care of Creation Kenya as I get into the groove.

1 month, 4 months, 9 months

I have been in transition a long time. It’s hard to believe I have been in Kenya for a month already. It’s been 4 months since I left the States. And it’s been 9 months of pure transition – moving from place to place, staying with friends, etc.

God is so faithful through it all. I am glad to be finally moving into my house next week and being in the office of Care of Creation fulltime. Wow!

Thanks for supporting me in whatever way you have through this rather long journey. It’s not over yet. It’s never really over. Also this coming week I will submit a bid on a vehicle. God willing, I will be more mobile then.

I hope to continue to keep you up to date on the journey.

Working on my house, but the gardens are great...

Speaking of my “new” house; I have been over there trying to get it ready to move in. It needed cleaning, paint and a few other things. Here’s a little look around the gardens. I will let you in when I get things together.

When the Lights Go Out

Living in Kenya means living with power cuts. It’s part of life here. I used to say that if one has water, phone and electricity all on one day it’s a good day. Nowadays hardly anyone has land line phones.

I had a restful Sunday afternoon yesterday and after a late nap and zipping down to my office to check email I decided to make dinner. That’s when the power went. My little cabin at Brackenhurst (still not moved to my rental house) has a gas stove. So I cooked and ate by candle light.

My house will have both electricity and a little solar energy. So if I have a lamp to move around the house I will always have light to cook by.