A Day In The Life of the Guyas

First of all If you want more pictures of our trip, Janne has posted a Link To Pictures

Before we head out to Tanzania this morning (its Monday 10AM), I wanted to post a quick update about Martin, Janne and the kids.  We are heading to Moshi, Tanzania which is right at the base of Mt. Kilimanjaro.  I may not be able to post anything for a couple days.

Extra Water Storage

A day in the life of the Guyas!  I continue to be amazed at the way Jannekah handles the day to day inconveniences. Water in their house comes in typically around 5AM for about an hour each day of the week but not the weekend..sometimes on Sat but never on Sunday. When the water comes it fills a holding tank on the roof which has enough water to last about a day.  They collect rain water and extra runoff from the tank in two small tanks in their back yard to use for washing clothes and filling the toilets and taking sponge baths when the water runs out.  No water yesterday or today so although I am looking forward to a shower in the morning (assuming the water comes) I am so humbled at the way in which they just go with the flow (no pun intended Jeff Whisler).  

Stove and Oven

Yesterday afternoon, we needed to do some laundry and all the extension cords were at the Crusade so she and I dragged the washer across the kitchen to the plug but then the drain hose wasn’t long enough to reach outside so we just used buckets for it to drain into.  Fill the washer with buckets, add soap, start it, empty the dirty water, fill it again and let it rinse, spin and drain again.  Dump the buckets, put the washer back in its place and hang the clothes to dry.  I will remember this when I have to have the inconvenience of waiting for my clothes to wash or dry!  

Patient Janne...draining and dumping

Washing Machine - a luxury in Kenya

Mosquito nets, intermittent internet, pre-paid phones, buying food a little at the time due to very little refrigerator space…and they live better than probably 80% of the people of Kenya.  Thanks to the many of you who support them so they can have just a few of the conveniences that we take for granted.  Next time you go to bed without a mosquito net, stock up on food in the freezer, get irritated that your high speed internet is not high speed enough (1^st World problem), shop at Costco, buy a burger, a latte or actually stop and then go as you are supposed to at a redlight, would you mind just stopping and counting your blessings and throwing up a popcorn prayer for the Guyas provision….I know I will!