The Creepy and Crawlies from Dukana

House Centipede

Scorpion with normal light

Scorpion under a UV flashlight causes it to fluoresce

 

non-venomous runner snake

Belly of a camel spider or wind scorpion or sun spider ( or lots of other names)

large but non-venomous, and kills scorpions

but they do look scary

lots of scorpions

but this button spider caught and killed a scorpion

then this flat spider came to take it away

mantis with a face

New Well!

After the well is drilled then the tank structure is built

everything is loaded up

Unloaded supplies are laid out.

Legs are welded on

with bracing

and supports

Flip it over and cement it into pre-dug holes

The solar hinge and solar frame are welded on

first attempt to lift will the panels on (too heavy)

Solar frame up

Adding the panels that will power the pump

pump installed in the well

first test of water

Young camels enjoying the water

unfortunately the pump dies after 1 hour

after the pump replacement and setting the tank once again the pump runs only an hour and dies.  The pump company promises a replacement

First trip to D_town

We were able to make the first trip (for Angie and the boys) to see D-town.
We broke it up into 3 days travel up north and 3 days return.  I thought I would must post some pics.

Finally leaving after replacing the front driveshaft U-joints

the First day passing Mt. Kenya to Nanyuki on the equator

the Second day up to Marsabit.  the New road is amazing.

Day 3 leaving the pavement to cross the Chalbi desert

the Chalbi seems to have no end

Brother Boya and Ezekiel (Umuro) in 2008

Brother Boya and Ezekiel (Umuro) in 2019

Got to visit our Gabra family in KaIacha

Arrival in D-Town after hours in the desert and hours on the rocky road.  the Church is pictured

The foundation for our house

On the way back down we got to see our family in KaIach again

After spending the night in Marsabit we took a "short cut" through the game park

We had a late dinner in the foot hills of Mt Kenya in the cold

One more day of driving and we made it back to Nairobi. Thanks for praying

Online House Warming... Well, we're not sure how warm we want our desert home, but...

😅

Some people have asked about our house set up.

So here is the breakdown of what we are needing; as you can see some of the items have already been donated.  We are so grateful to all those who have contributed.

For the solar system

We needed a solar freezer but someone has generously provided for that.

We will need 6 solar panels that cost $100 each. Someone has generously provided for these.

We need 4 batteries that cost about $350.  Some people have generously provided for these.

We needed a combiner box but someone has generously provided for that.

We need multiple cables to connect everything up at around $40 per unit.

Someone has generously provided for these

We needed a breaker for the system but someone has generously provided for that.

We need a solar fridge which costs $1200.

 We needed a charge controller but someone has generously provided for that.

Our relocation needs

 2 Tires to replace our worn out ones $320 per tire.

Hire a lorry (transport truck) to move beds and things; cost not known yet.

Purchase a stove that can run on propane $180.

Purchase A/C parts for our old landy; someone has generously provided for this.

Trip to Kenya and up to D town

The Last 2 months have been a wild ride. When we hit 90% monthly funding and the mission wanted us to come out and see a different assignment. It is in the far far north of Kenya just a few kilometers from the Ethiopian border. It was a challenging trip because of the rainy season. I was able to get to see the mission work that was started completely from scratch 3 years ago by a mission family in the town of “Dukana”. The trip was informative. We were left with the question: would God like us to join the work the family has started in Dukana?  There are many ministries going on there: a garage to fix importers' vehicles, a new church of about 50, and radio station, work with the surrounding villages, and water projects. The challenging parts we have had to pray through: that it is considered really remote even amongst the more remote missionaries, 3 days from Nairobi, and our kids won’t have any English speaking friends there next year possibly (the two missionary kid boys there may go to boarding school in a year or so)   and it is expensive to set up a house in the bush. We believe that God is leading us to purse this assignment.  So we are trying to be brave and step out in faith. Pray for us.  This place changes our idea of remoteness in Kenya.  It is 3 1/3 hrs further of the track than our former remote assignment. The church there seems to be hungry for learning the word of God.