December 8th


So I spent most of the day sorting and moving boxes. I told Tom
that by time I’m done with it all I’ll either be a body builder or a
cripple, I’m not really certain which yet. I spent the morning
moving boxes from the administration building to where they are
stored and then the afternoon sorting boxes the barn where the
majority of the shipment is kept. Then around 4:30 Karen came by
in the truck to pick me up so we could take some boxes of books to
Kakamba. I loaded them into the truck and then we went and
picked up Albert and two other guys to take along to help with the
boxes and also to make sure that it was ok, of course I don’t think
anyone in their right mind would refuse free stuff. When we got
there we unloaded the boxes, and by we I mean the Africans, I
tried to help move some boxes but they took them from me and
told me to stand aside that they would unload the truck. I think it
was because I had loaded all but a couple of the boxes into the
truck by myself and they wanted to do their part. The town elders
came to see the stuff, Karen said it’s tradition that any gifts to the
village must be given to the elders. I hadn’t counted boxes before
but we delivered 23 boxes of books, at least several hundred
books in all. They were very grateful and the kids all came around
and I took some pictures. It was really funny, the little kids tried to
help take them inside but a box of books was too heavy for one kid
and so these six little kids all banded together to carry a box, it was
really cute. This one little kid kept asking me something in Limba
and I found out from one of the guys with us that he wanted to
know if I wanted him to go find this one kid name Pamomo.
Apparently they decided that since the last time I was there and I
had asked his name we were best friends or something. I don’t
know, they were very small kids so I’m thinking they think all of
them are my friends. It was good though, and hopefully the books
will help a lot there at the school. On the way back we stopped a
couple of times for the Africans with us to greet friends or
relatives, and picked up a guy and his bike to bring him to
Kamakwie. Around here if you have open space in your vehicle and
someone wants a ride it’s very rude to turn them down. This
evening we spent a few hours putting together baby layettes,
which are basically a baby starter kit, an outfit and blanket, diapers
with pins, a hat and maybe a pair of sock when we have them. We
have so many but they go through 7-8 a week according to Karen,
and more than that when we hit baby season which is coming up
following harvest time. I kind of like getting to be at a hospital and
learning about everything that goes on but at the same time I’m
glad that I don’t have really any responsibility for what goes on at
the hospital because that would be pretty hard. This week two
ladies with twins came to the hospital. The first was yesterday, she
lost them both, but thankfully she’s alive. She had a ruptured uterus
and that usually doesn’t go well. She delivered her first baby almost
32 hours before she got here and delivered the second. Then another
lady came today, her first child didn’t make it and the second one is
not terribly healthy but alive. It’s just so crazy how many kids here
don’t make it. Anyway, before I get too depressing with sad tales of
hospital mishaps I will bid you all farewell.

Blessings from Kamakwie,
Ryan Brooks