Kisumu, part deux

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**NOTE: I've posted several entries today, don't start with this one, start with "Another Travel Day" and work towards this one **


We got to spend a couple hours with the kids before we headed on our shopping expedition. We’re trying to set up an art program in the school (most don’t do any drawing, painting or sculpting after nursery classs), and a project that we can do as a fundraiser. So this was our pilot testing opportunity. Heather’s an artist as well, so she held the reins on this one. She decided that oil pastels on cloth would give the best results that can be easily transported back to Canada. So we started with the nursery class. We didn’t buy enough material in Kisumu, but we had some good quality paper too, so we had kids with cloth down on the floor in groups of 5-6, groups of 2-3 in the desks with paper, and let them go. I was surprised at their talent. It took about 30 minutes and there was hardly any blank space on some of their pieces. Heather and Todd were very impressed, and we can’t wait to try one of the older classes, but it was time to head out to Kisumu.

First stop - 250 pairs of shoes. At this point, I decided to go try the internet - spent an hour and ended up with one email done and posted 1 day’s entry, even though all I have to do is cut and paste. I was hot, sweaty, frustrated and cranky by the time I met back with the others. And found them to have only picked up a few things and were still trying to figure out the shoes!! I thought “this is NOT going to be a good day”, but things started to turn to the better. We have a new projector so we’re going to show a movie on Friday so we got all the necessities to make popcorn, got the rest of our medical supplies (bandaids, soap, etc that we didn’t need to get at a pharmacy), tons of lightbulbs, a couple soccer balls, toilet paperr, 25000 shillings worth of stuff. ($400 Cdn) Finally we had some bags to carry out.

We met up with Pius, which meant we had 6 people for a 5-seater car, so I jumped in the back with the bags, and box of 35 pairs of shoes (they didn’t have enough in the store, so we paid for them all and Charles will pick them up next week). Next stop, bank, and then we dropped Charles and Todd off at Mega Plaza for some computer and office stuff. Henry, our driver, took Pius, Heather and I to the fabric shop so we could buy more cloth for the art project. I was under the belief Henry and Pius would just wait for us, but 5 minutes when we came out of the shop, no car. We looked up and down the streets, and no one looked familiar or like they were waiting for anyone. And then… it started to pour rain. Heather said she thought Pius was going back to Kakamega right away so maybe Henry took him to the bus station. So we sat down on a shop’s step and waited. A friendly guy came up and asked if he could talk for a minute. He kind of waved his hand when he said this, so I thought he wanted us to go with him to talk and my defenses when up. But no, he just wanted to talk there. Turns out he just found out 2 days ago he’s HIV+. I think he just wanted some support, and probably money to pay for the anti-retroviral drugs, but we said we were just volunteers with HIV orpphans and didn’t have any money with us. It was a little awkward, but then he thanked us and left. We looked at each other and laughed. 35 minutes had gone by and still no Henry. He must have misunderstood and went back to wait for Todd and Charles. We could have walked there, it was only about 6-8 blocks, but what if we missed seeing them in the busy Kisumu streets??? So we stayed and waited. I walked up the street to be SURE there wasn’t any chance of our car being there, and when I turned back, there was another guy talking to Heather. Turns out he works with widows and orphans too!! (yeah right) and sells their beaded necklaces and bracelets. He was a interesting looking fellow - looked East Indian, but with Jamaican length dreadlocks. Again we said we had no money and he eventually left him alone. And so we waited some more. Then a courier came out of the fabric and while he was loading his motorcycle started a conversation - we’re lucky in North America because our parents leave us money, his mother died and didn’t leave him anything, Kenya’s for the rich, the poor get screwed because they can’t pay bribes, on and on. I joined Heather in nodding and smiling, and then he went on to say that condoms were the worst thing to come to Africa, they were killing Kenyans, no one in his family has ever had HIV, something about it being like masturbation, and so I was ready for him to leave and started ignoring him. He didn’t get the hint for awhile, but eventually he got on his bike and left. And then we waited some more. FINALLY, the car arrived with Charles and Todd. It was a total of about 1 hour 45 minutes. It was unnerving and I was trying to figure out what to do when it started getting dark (it was just before 5 when they arrived), but there was a security guard at the electronics store across the street watching us closely (probably thinking we were crazy or trouble, but not in trouble) so I wasn’t scared.

Turns out, Henry did take Pius to the bus station, and somewhere along the way, as he was doubled parked, waiting for someone to free up a spot, a policewoman came and took his driver’s license away for “obstructing traffic”. When he picked up the guys (who he was closer to), he then had to find this woman to pay his “fine” and get his license back. Couldn’t find her, so they came to pick us up, and then started looking for her again. Finally we were on our way home. The guys were very successful at the office supply store. The whole back of the car (smaller than a station wagon, but not a regular hatchback) was full, we had to watch when Henry hit the brakes and bumps because things would slide forward into the backs of our heads. This and our stories made the ride back to Bumala an interesting ride.

Finally, we had an early night. We all jumped out at the hotel and Charles went up to the school to unload the car, so we had no computers, no emailing to do. I went to bed and passed out before my head hit the pillow.

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Comments

[Scott]

Wow
Just read all of you blogs up to this point. It sounds like you're having an amazing time. I'm proud of you for doing this trip, and I'm sure everyone else here is too! Keep having a great time and keep posting. Its like reading a great book. Take lots of pictures and video. Stay safe, have fun, work hard.