Trip to Kisumu
We were up at 3:30 and eating breakfast by 4:30, a very good breakfast I might
add. Our driver was to meet us at the hotel by 5:00 and we would be on the road
by 5:10. Good plan, poor execution, instead we called our driver at 5:15, woke
him up and he said he would be to the hotel in 20 minutes.
We had been told that the traffic was extremely bad and that it could take 90
minutes to get to the airport. We were also told that the check in desk shut
down 1 hour prior to departure, and our plane left at 7:40. Kirt arranged for a
plan B by informing the front desk that we needed a van.
The van pulled around front at 5:40, if it took longer than an hour to the airport
we would miss our flight, add to that the fact that the van would fit our party
of eight passengers, but our 4 carts of luggage would be a problem. Just then
our driver and the baggage truck pulled up to the hotel.
Seems there wasn’t much traffic at all and we made it to the airport by 6:10, and the
desk closing… well seems that was for international flights only. So it
turned out we had plenty of time.
Our flight to Kisumu was pleasant and the terrain was beautiful, very green. The
flight was less than an hour and we were soon landing at Kisumu airport, or
airstrip, the only difference was that the runway was paved.
After getting our luggage, we were treated to Barbara and Michael meeting for the
first time (Michael is the founder of Achungo, only 26 years old, and he started
it when he was 20) Michael had a hugh smile as he embraced Mother Achungo.
We loaded up our luggage, and after a water stop we were on our way to Homa Bay,
the location of Achungo Children’s Center. We were about 10 KM into the drive
and we were amazed on how good the road was, well paved and just a few pot
holes here or there.
After another 5 KM or so the pavement just ended and we began a two hour journey on
dirt, rocks, and an occasional water hole. At one point Kirt told me that there
were some women that really needed a bathroom. I asked the driver how much
further it was as we had passengers in need, he just turned his head and
smiled, then said about 33 KM. I didn’t have the heart to tell them, I left
them with hope.
By the time we reached the hotel in Homa Bay, there was a mad rush for the
bathroom. The hotel was surprisingly pleasant, it wouldn’t make any body’s best
of list, but by African standards it was OK. We all rested about an hour before
visiting Achungo.
Achungo was only several 100 meters up the road from our hotel and as we approached the
gate, we saw over a hundred beautiful children waving and welcoming us! It was
truly a God sighting. It looked as though the whole community had come to
welcome us. We met so many people along with highly respected village
representatives including the chief. He thanked us for traveling so far and
welcomed us to his village. Kirt introduced us all and we went outside to watch
some children sing, it was truly a blessing.
We got a tour of the grounds including the well and pump house, visited for a
while longer, than returned to the hotel for dinner and a good nights sleep.
The team will get right to work, first thing in the morning.
