Living the Days of Our Forefathers

At the beginning - solid ground.

And the dust starts to fly. Kitengela is in a bit of a drought.

These men know how to do manual labor! It is amazing how efficiently they pace themselves.

The foundation is dug with mattocks and shovels. Our friend Paul came to help for the day.

With burning blisters from the mattock, Kale switches to the shovel.

After our first day of construction.

Let us not forget all this work is done under the hot, hot sun.

An onlooker.

The contractor. A very kind and skilled man.

Cementing the stone wall. Our new friend James also works as the school security guard.

Slow and steady the walls are coming up.

In the last few weeks we are starting to understand a bit of what our grandfathers must have felt when they told us "we built this country with our bare hands" with such pride. Knowing nothing but our country as developed it is hard to appreciate the ones who started from scratch. Here in a developing country the men we are working with now will be a part of those grandfathers telling their grandchildren that they helped build this beautiful country. I don't think they even realize the greatness of their contribution. They are doing much more than putting food on their family's table. 

We have enjoyed working with the men and learning the intensity of manual labor that goes into their buildings. Not one machine has been used aside from the trucks that deliver the supplies to the site. A job that would take a few hours with a bobcat at home to excavate took us a few days with mattocks and shovels. The cement is all mixed by hand. Each stone chipped to the proper size and shape with a hammer. You get the picture. Kevin Lajeunesse - you  would fit right in. It's more work but it also employs more people; in Kenya it can be difficult to find work even if you are skilled or educated.

We are a bit sad we won't be able to see the final product as we leave for home in less than two weeks but it just means we will have to come back some day to see all the exciting changes that are taking and going to take place at Noonkopir Primary.