Mangu, thank you. (Rediscovered old post that I was convinced got deleted From April 3rd!!!!)

What a day.

I met my favorite G-BIACK field staff, Dorcas, at a Makongeni gas station first thing in the morning. I had carried the Cera Maji ceramic water filter and she had brought a bag full of seeds. She was wearing the most colorful skirt, a stylish almost 80's jacket and super cute sandals. I on the other hand, was wearing my Oregon T-Shirt, my boring, gray work pants with dirty, black slip on shoes (and carrying my gumboots in a plastic bag).

After a bit of extra walking after we reached town we finally found the right matatu that was going to Mangu. Mangu is a small, lush, charming, sleepy town west of Thika town about 30 minutes. We arrived at New Vision Rescue Center (for Children) and were greeted by Mary. A determined and lighthearted woman who runs the place all by herself, with 22 children. She was carrying Joy, a 1 and a half year old baby girl whose mother died in childbirth during a Cesarean (?) birth. Her mother was a single mother and the family is nowhere to be found.

I was happy to see that since the last time I visited, someone had donated a nice couch and several, nice upholstered chairs. Someone else had donated two bunk beds (without matresses) and another donor brought a wardrobe.

After a quick, obligatory tea and some short discussion, we three headed to the shamba and Dorcas and I began preparing beds. To be honest, I was dreading that part. I figured I would be clumsy with the jembe, get tired fast and have to struggle against the soil like I'm used to doing at G-BIACK. To my absolute delight, I felt strong, the jembe was less awkward than in the past and the soil was like butter. Light, fluffy, red and relatively loose. I can only dream of having a garden with that kind of soil one day. Another nice surprise was that while we worked on separate beds, we were totally alone on the hillside, with the animals hanging out above us and nothing but wide expanses of green and banana trees below us. Needless to say, we had some really fun, great, conversations.

I caught myself feeling really happy and in a rhythm. I was puzzled. What was up with that feeling all of a sudden? Then I realized that it was because I was doing what I love, with someone I really connect with, in a place that is comforting, while feeling useful.