"but a man is not made for defeat, a man can be destroyed but not defeated." 

-Ernest Hemingway

The Old Man and the Sea

^The Indian Ocean…Incredible.

GOODBYE KENYA,

we will miss you.

We received this incredible letter from Charles' son Filden. It has been immensely encouraging and we wanted to pass it along to everyone at home who has played a part in Sweetwater's work.

_________________________________________________________________________________

Thank you for the good work done. 

We have eyes but we do not observe keenly. We have ears but we do not listen attentively. We have horses but we do not ride. Likewise we have opportunity but we do sit back and watch it slip away. However, the act of someone traveling from as far as U.S.A. to Africa to do one noble task - enlightening people on the importance of drinking clean water, free from bacteria and how to treat it - is indeed a show of concern and passion in our brothers and sisters and it has hit me to me to thank them because it is not my nature to takings for granted.

I sincerely thank you, Sweetwater, also the rest who in one way or the other were involved in your visit to our beloved country Kenya. It has been a good experience to have you around, the good conversations we have had about academic life in the U.S.A and most important, the good task you are carrying out. You have visited several places and taught us how to treat water using chlorine in addition to other methods for instance using water guard or boiling. I was interested to know the importance of the task and you provided an explanation which I think is sufficient to convince any other person alongside the scientific tests we carried out and the chemicals you gave me to go and test whether the water we do take at school is clean or not.

Sometimes we do suffer from diseases for instance cholera, dysentery, and typhoid which cause severe diarrhea that leads to dehydration. Surprisingly, We attribute the cause of such conditions to something else and not water as it is supposed to be. Well, we may have chlorine and would have liked to treat our water to be fit for human consumption. However, how can we use chlorine when we have neither read nor been taught how to use it. This proves that the work you have come to accomplish is highly regarded and it is my wish that people will continue in the practice and God will help you reach as many people as possible.

This is what I have learned. The chemical called Chlorine is bleach and can be used to treat water. It is about 4% concentrated. We need to reduce this concentration to 1%. Therefore, we add water to the chlorine to make the following ratio, 3 water: 1 chlorine. By doing so, we reduce the chlorine from 4% concentration to 1%. We then call this solution “mother solution”. This is now used to treat water by adding specific amounts of the solution to specific amounts of water.  20ml of mother solution can treat 800 liters of water. Shake well and wait for at least 30 minutes. Wonderful! As simple as like that and there you are enjoying your clean water!

It is my prayer that you may continue with the same spirit and I am convinced that the project will succeed. Of course it will expand and posters will be printed sensitizing people about dangers posed by using dirty water and steps to be observed when treating water. Sorry for the challenges you have undergone here and there. As you will leave for Tanzania then to U.S.A, I wish you safe and blessed journey and God’s protection until he avails a chance to for us to meet again. When you get home, say “hi” to our brothers and sisters and tell them we salute them.

Filden Kenyanjui 

       One of the water projects Sweetwater scheduled for this trip was to have a well dug and install two filtrations systems. Hand dug wells are very common in Kisii, however since they only run about 50ish feet deep, the water is still contaminated with bacteria. For our purposes a well allows closer access to water so that they are able to filter several hundred liters a day in the filtration system.
      This week we finished the system that was started last year to go into Martin's church in Nyachenga and a well was dug in Kiorina at Charles's church where we built the second filtration system. Ideally these congregations will be able to filter clean water for their families and begin ministering to their communities.

^Nyachenge, filtration system Installation

^This is the guy, who dug the well. He climbed 50ft into the well using only that rope and some indentions he put into the walls of the well. It is unbelievable.

^Kiorina Installation.

      We spent an afternoon at Martin's (our driver, guide, handler) home. His wife Anna and their girls taught me, Phoebe, and our new friend Bre (an american we stumbled upon volunteering as a nurse at the hospital) how to cook some african dishes. We made Chapati (a thin flat bread, which is wonderful!), Ugali, and African Tea (which phoebe drinks an entire thermos or two everyday). After we "mastered" african cooking Phoebe and I prepared some Chocolate Peanut Butter Drop Cookies. Our African friends were skeptical but polite, However, Bre (who has been in africa for nine months) was glowing at just the thought of real American sugary dessert. :)