Making Friends in Kainga

Kainga is one of the wells we repaired on Christmas Day. At that time, I encouraged them to create a soak pit to collect the runoff from the wells because that, I explained, is a place where mosquitoes breed and spread malaria. We went by for a visit two weeks ago and arranged our next visit, which would be a time when I would teach ways to keep their families healthy.

As we drove into the village on Saturday, I was happy to see that the women had been collecting rocks and gravel and had started digging a soak pit. Wow! These women are amazing.We were invited into the mosque to start setting up our visuals and to greet everyone as they arrived. Down trails, roads, and pathways they came.

As the gathered, I told the women that I had been thinking of them when I was away and that I want to learn their names. To make that happen, I had planned to pass out index cards and ask each woman to write her name, but Hellen, my interpreter, told me that none of the women can read or write. So, as the women entered, Hellen carefully wrote each woman’s name and the names of her children. Some looked so young to have five children. In about 15 minutes, thirty nine women were assembled. We sat barefoot on the burlap bags spread across the floor. Many women had nursing babies on their laps.

When everyone arrived, George opened the session with a quote form the book of Hosea, “For lack of knowledge, my people perish.” He explained, “You may have something special and lose it. Something you enjoy having may wear out, be used up or destroyed, but when you gain knowledge, that cannot be taken away from you.” He told them that the knowledge they would gain would help their families live longer and healthier lives. Then George went outside to play with the children as the lesson began.

I used lots of pictures of rural village life to teach what germs are and the pathways germs use to get into our bodies. Then I taught ways we can block these germ paths, keeping them out of our bodies. The women enjoyed sharing and discussing these ideas among themselves.

After a lesson on good hand washing practices, I demonstrated how to make and use a tippy tap, a simple hand washing station that they can build near their homes. It really encouraged me to know they had been absorbing what I had been teaching when they said, “We can make these. When you come back, we will show you our tippy taps.”

Before we left, we played a little guessing game which the women really enjoyed. I asked three questions and the women who answered correctly could select one of three prizes – a bar of soap, a tippy tap, or a water pitcher with lid. Finally, we chose a date for our next session, January 26.

Our goals are to build relationships with these precious Muslim women, to care for them in practical ways, and to look or opportunities to share the love of God. I am so thankful that I have been given this privilege.