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Sun., 27 Mar.
Again it’s been a week since my last update. The time seems to go by so quickly. Last week we planted the field that was plowed with corn and beans. They dig a shallow hole and drop 2 or 3 each of corn and bean seeds then add a small handfull of fertilizer. The holes are 12 to 16 inches apart in rows 2 feet apart. I have asked Jotham to try planting some squash seeds we bought around the corn and beans. This is a method the Incas used in Latin America.

Just outside our door is a tree bearing “jungle fruit”. They are up to 8" in diameter and 16" long. I had been told that when they were ripe they smelled sweet. The one I could reach smelled sweet so I told Jotham and he agreed then picked it. It had a white sap which the kids love but adults find it too stickey. I tried a little and it was OK but then formed a stickey film on my lip and denture, almost like wet contact cement and quite difficult to remome. I don’t think I’ll try the fruit itself. The kids came over later and climed the tree where they found more ripe fruit.
Jungle Fruit, sweet but Oh so stickey!

I bought some clothes line that looked like it had a wire or a cord in the center to prevent stretching. Found out it is only molded to look like it does and turned out to have more stretch than I wanted. I put it up under the porch for them to use when it is raining as they wash daily.

There wasn’t enough of the clothes line so I bought some rope at the market in Manyanja, just up the road, on Sat. morning and completed 4 lines. I also bought rope for swings. The metal frames were here but never completed. When I erected them Sat. afternoon the kids thought they were great and were very good about making sure everyone had a turn.
Children and their new swing

The Market was interesting having everything from fruits and veg., (limited variety), to clothes, shoes, hardware, beans, corn, and even a sales area for cattle, goats, sheep, and chickens.
Dick views part of the market at Manyanja

Today we went with Pastor Gideon to their outreach church the other side of the highway cutoff to Bungoma. They are using a rented building about 16 ft sq. Some 35 people were packed inside for the 3 hour service with possibly another 20 outside. These churches are part of the ‘Pentecostal Universal Christian’group and the music and preaching are very Pentecostal with an African flavour.


Outside the church after the service.
After the service we were invited to Gideon’s home for lunch, not realizing it had to be cooked. We did a lot of talking and got back to Robin’s Nest about 5pm, (after the ‘almost daily’ rainstorm).