More men came to visit and tell us their problems, including Ezekiel Nkalo who we’d met in Duka Moja.
Ezekiel had 300 sheep/goats and 200 cattle, he now has 50 sheep/goats + 30 cattle; 2 wives and 12 children (aged up to 12).
John Nkalo, his brother, had similar numbers of livestock, but has fewer cattle left now. He has 4 wives and 20 children! He's the chairman of Enkiloriti School Board.
Pastor Daudi from Inkoirienito AIC only has 5 cattle left now.
Ezekiel has been saved five years, but already had 2 wives; the first is a Maasai chosen by his family; the second is a Kikuyu married for love! He'd like to be a pastor but would have to forsake a wife. Bruce says he can still be an evangelist.
We walked to Luka's dam for human/stock water - nearly empty, it should be nearly full!
Then we walked to the maize/bean plantation (left). Eland & giraffehad got over the boma in the night and eaten some of the plants that have survived. Only a few look any good, they are in a damp spot where water/urine drains from the yard: some half dozen had tassels or silks, the rest were small & stunted. We were told that maize crops grown near towns/villages are at risk of theft, people bring donkey carts to take the cobs to sell in Nairobi! Then we visited some of the sites where dead livestock (above right) that died near home were taken, but hyenas had pulled some down the hillside. Most died on the mountains, too weak to cope with the 2+ hours' walk. We saw no feed suitable for cattle, only a picking for a few sheep/goats.
Pics: feed situation (left); the best feed (right): just a few square metres of 1 cm long grass!
Back at Luka's, they were helping an old man, walking with two sticks, onto a motorbike to take him home. He’d come the night before, thinking we’d brought relief food with us, very disappointed that there was none. We had chapattis, chai and a wash before walking to Inkoirienito church.
The large government-built reservoir has been fenced to keep out livestock, they are only allowed in in supervised groups. The intake area needs altering to prevent erosion and silting, water has been entering below the concreted stone area. It has never had much water in it since it was built in 2007. Pics: left = 2007, Bruce is way down the far end! Right = water remaining 2009.
The church water tank built with funds from NZ shows a little seepage, it's nearly full, being conserved for John’s wedding! Pic: 2007 after thanksgiving service.A large area has been cleared near the church to use for a school or kindergarten.
We walked to Ezekiel’s house past more heaps of bones and the remains of his failed watermelon crop. On the way we'd passed close to the River Elina (right). Steep gorges fill with rushing water from the mountains when it rains. Many cattle are lost each dry season, falling down the banks trying to get to the grass in the river bed. There were LOTS of flies there.
His 4 year old son came to meet us, dancing for us with incredible skill! He's said to be an excellent mimic & singer, and wants to be a pastor!
We talked about the problems in the area and the need for sponsors/aid whilst we drank chai and ate rice and potatoes together.
Enkiloriti Clinic started 3 years near the primary school but is unusable, as it has no roof. Going to Duka Moja for treatment is very expensive.
The Primary School doesn’t have enough teachers; no suitable teachers' houses; the parents can’t pay teachers’ salaries – non-government teachers rely on these, they have only passed Form 4. To work for the government, you need a College diploma.
After walking round Ezekiel's shamba, we went to his brother's, but only his wives and some children were there. They have also lost many stock on the mountain, but some died near the huts.
The men were amused, as we sat on stools outside, by a boy uttering strange cries - I was embarrassed to be told that the first were those of girls before circumcision, the second those of boys!
Pic: nice view of distant mountains, huts + donkey corral: the poor things only got let out at midday! Amusing sight: 2 little girls carrying shoes in lesos on their backs, each holding a jar of VERY dirty water – their ‘babies’ and ‘milk’!
Returning to Luka’s through the bush, one section was so slippery I was given Luka’s stick to help! There was some kind of monkey in the trees, but I only caught a brief glimpse.
We were visited by 2 girls in the evening: Shumbai and Dagili, + some women: Mary (just had her first baby), Maria & Susannah. I was given 2 bracelets, both made by Shumbai: 1) Kenyan flag design from Shumbai; 2) “I love you” given to Bruce by Susannah, but too small - given to me instead!
