We're in business...

Wow things are moving along at last. Last Tuesday we went out and bought materials for the chicken coop. Solomon, one of the workers assured me it would be done in 3-4 days, so by Friday or Saturday.
By Friday some stakes had been put in and some measurements done. Alisha and I left at lunch to go to Lake Naivasha for the weekend. I left feeling confident the chicken coop would be finished when we returned Monday morning.

I was very disappointed when we arrived Monday. All that had been done was a bit of an extension(they decided it needed to be a bit bigger) but essentially no work had been done. I know it's all on Kenya time here, but I was pretty worried. This is step one in a seven step plan and with 3 weeks left...

I had a chat with Mike, who works at the orphanage and at that stage was in charge of building. I told him I was concerned about the slow progress. I suggested we might need to hire more labourers. He told me I should discuss this with Solomon and Mama Tunza.

So we had a meeting. Gosh I wish I spoke more swahili (I am learning but it is pole pole...slow!) as that was the language it was conducted in. I could tell Solomon and Mike were having some disagreement. I raised a small fuss, expressed my concerns and was assured that more help would be brought in.

And it was. A couple of guys showed up and by the time we left they'd made ton of progress. The older boys were helping too, which is great, as it gives them something to do, some experience and maybe a glimpse into what a career in construction could be. The foundation was done, the walls were going up and the roof started.

Tuesday was spent in town getting the remaining materials for the chicken coop ( we were short some lumber and iron sheets) and everything for the cow shed.

Interesting experience. We went to the lumber yard and hired a truck to drive all the supplies back to Ngong. It was an adventure, as travel often is. Me and Mama Tunza in the front of this ancient little pickup with the driver. It was riding super low as it was loaded up with lumber (beams, 2x4s etc), nails, iron sheets, cement, wire mesh and one other guy. We had a bit of a break down not far from Kawangware, where we picked up our supplies. I was suer we'd have another, as it tried to get up the hills to Ngong, but we made it. Oh Kenya...where there's a will there's a way here that's for sure.

Chicken shed is now complete, the cement has to dry. Monday we see about the chickens. It's all coming together.

I can't get photos up on this computer, but that's the goal this Saturday. I really want to show you all the progress.

Also thanks to Liz and Hugh Field and Tiffany Lansdowne and James Moore for donations. We are now up to 5976 in total donations.