More Sand than You can Imagine..

These past few weeks have been amazing!! Drew and I have spent time putting up solar panels for farms as well have assisted in some drilling with the crew. Last week a group came from Rolla, MO. Scott, Chris, Gary and Nick these guys truly were fired up for water projects. They defiantly helped refuel my tank for the coming weeks. This week we start working with the drill crew full time during the weeks. So far this year they have drilled 17 wells!! That’s amazing considering all the work it takes for just one well.

Drew and I are about halfway done with our time here and its quite amazing to see the time fly by. Looking back at some of the pictures I have taken it seems just like yesterday Drew and I came off the plane in another world… Jut a reminder we are basically in the middle of a desert. So far I have seen a Scorpion, camels, goats, sheep, chickens, desert zebra (Donkeys), some cows.

This is what I have been doing since my last update:

June 14^th: Today we packed up our truck and headed three hours outside of town to a village called Kangageti. This is where we set up base came for our week of work.

June 15^th: We headed out bright ad early for another village called Loupwala. There we put up a solar panel and tested the pump. We did not install the pump due to the beneficiaries did not complete the clearing of the land. (They have to do this before they get a solar pump. It is apart of the step-by-step plan to help create a sense of ownership.

June 16^th: My Mom’s Birthday!! Today was a stressful day, as we had to carry all our things across a river to set up another solar at a village called Kitepi. We ended up carrying everything across the river due to it being a market day in the local village.

June 17^th: We packed up and headed back to town in preparation for the church group coming the next day.

June 18^th: The morning was spent relaxing and preparing to meet the church group. When the church group came in we all went out to lunch. After that we took a tour of the near by farms (within an hour of town) that had been established early. This was to help create a sense of focus for the group.

June 19^th: Today is a Saturday so that means team building/meeting in the morning. After that we packed up the two trucks and headed out to Nakor. Once arriving there we set up camp at Gene’s old place of residence (he lived there for 12 years).

June 20^th: Today we headed across river to a church that Gene had never been to at Nakoret. They were very welcoming and very hospitable. Some even came down to help lead us across. After church we went and saw the drill site where we would come help the following day.

June 21^st: Today we headed across the river to the drill site and helped them drill and try to clear the water using a gas pump. We spent all day helping the crew do various activities.

June 22^nd: Drew and I separated from the church group to go help move the drill crew back across the river to a new site. Once this was done we met back up with the group and installed the solar pump at Loupwala. After that was completed we had our daily devotional everyday and then went and saw one of the health clinics in another village.

June 23^rd: Today we went around and set concrete bases for some wells and visited a local school. Drew really got involved with the children dancing and teaching them some new moves.

June 24^th: Today we packed up the trucks and headed back to Lodwar after installing a hand pump at one of the wells we had set a base for. After returning to Lodwar the group from Rolla went shopping for local things and then came back and packed.

June 25^th: The group flies out today. The morning we spent restfully and we took the guys to the airport to see them off. After they had left Drew and I headed back to Gene’s house to help stain a building.

June 26^th: Meeting day!! Today we had our weekly team meeting and then continued to stain the building we had started on the day earlier.

June 27^th: Today we slept in a little and went to church then came back and helped Gene do the various projects he needed to do before leaving tomorrow.

Tomorrow Drew and I head out the bush to join the drilling crew. I ask for prayer that Drew and I will be able to over come any sickness or problem that comes across our way. Please pray for protection while we are working and pray for the hearts of those around us that our words will be encouraging words and not words of doubt or argument.

Since I have Left...

Here is a better day-by-day summary of what I have been doing since I left Illinois.

May 26^th- 31: Pre-Departure Orientation. I spent a week in Indianapolis getting to know the group of interns for the summer. Everyone is great and we’re really welcoming. I met Drew my partner for the summer for the first time. He is a really good guy and I am stoked to get to know him better this summer.

June 1^st: The day we’re head off to Africa. Problems started before we even got checked in… The plane was delayed so we wouldn’t make our connecting flight in D.C. on time to get to London. Anyways we got on a plane to D.C.

June 2^nd; Had a nice layover in D.C. got to go downtown and see the sights like the White House, Washington Monument and Lincoln Monument. Caught a late Flight to London.

June 3^rd; Had another nice layover in London. However while trying to get money an ATM ate my only working credit card. That issue was resolved though and I have another being sent to me. While in London we got to see Big Ben, The London Eye and Buckingham Palace. Caught another late night flight to Kenya.

June 4^th; After arriving in Nairobi Drew and I separated from the group and caught a domestic flight up to Lodwar. After finally arriving in Lodwar we were met by Eric and Salvestor from CMF. They took us out to lunch and I quickly became accustomed to the food here. Eric ordered for me fried goat and it was not bad just the random bone parts had to be picked through. After Lunch we went back and got a small Language class before preparing for the next day.

June 5^th – 8^th; Drew and I were assigned different host family homes in Lodwar as part of experiencing the culture and learning the language. I stayed with Samson Losuru and his wife Mary and their kids; Polo, Jeffery, Kelvin and Cyrus. They were very nice and welcoming to me. The first day I was with Samson I went with him to his brothers wife’s baby shower out in the bush by motorcycle. I was asked to share my testimony and there was a lady there who helped translate it. It was a very memorable experience. I ate more Goat, tried some intestines, heart, and some other parts of the Goat. However I survived. I went to church with them on Sunday morning and though it was long I really enjoyed it.

June 8^th- 10^th; Drew and I headed out about an hour or so to another host family for another couple days to learn the culture and the language. I stayed with Daniel and his wife Nahsuru with their three boys; Jackson, Edrick and Yeshua. They were very hospitable and Nahsuru was a great cook. They always gave me more than I could eat at both houses. I am learning the phrase “emono” which mean full in Turkana.

June 10th-13th; Gene my Host missionary arrived in Lodwar along with his friend Jim. I have been staying at his house these past couple of days. Gene’s heart is truly in the right place and is a man of God. I feel honored to be around him. He is teaching so much and providing the Turkana with so much through wells and teaching them how to farm.

Tomorrow Drew and I head out with John to put up solar panels at one of the sites located about three hours out of town. We will be living in the bush for a week then arriving back in Lodwar for the weekend

then going to start digging a new well. =D

From Africa with Love,

Josh

Laughing, Loving and Pointing (My first week in Lodwar)

Hey all!!! I hope all is going well where ever you may be. I arrived in Lodwar last Friday and since then have been involved in an intense language program. Aka I've been living with two host families each for a period of around three days. It is amazing how Americans live compared to the turkana. They litterally live on less than two dollars a day. I thank god every day for this opportunity that he has given me. I offically start work Next week putting in solar panels for a pump that will provide water for a farm plot that will help feed the Turkana people. I have eaten quite a few different things while being here including about EVERY part on a goat. I hope to add more as the weeks go by. I hope you all have a safe and fruitful summer where ever you may be.