I'm going to let the pictures do most of the talking, but we had an incredible trip to the Chalbi desert for Christmas and New Year's.... please few a post written a few weeks earlier that tells the tale of how we reached Dukana town.
From Marsabit to Dukana there is more than 300 km of rough, dry, rocky, sandy road to cross.
The land is filled with lava rocks, spread for hundreds of kilometers. It may be a dry water bed of some sort because I can not find the big volcano that spewed rocks all over the Chalbi.
The Gabra people are nomadic camel herders, so we often found shepherd's moving with their herds.
In Dukana town, the herdsman bring their goats, sheep, camels, and even cows to drink water from the many wells that are there.
One day our friend Eddie took us down to the wells to see all the animals.. it's an amazing process.
Water is occasionally brought up by the bucket full from the "singing wells" but in today's day and age, the nomads actually prefer to use generators. I can't blame them for wanting a lighter work load, as some of them have walked 18-100 km to find water, and then head back out to find pasture.
Oddly enough, the Gabra don't ride their camels. Camels are used for milk and meat, given as a bride price, or used to pay school fees or medical bills. Donkeys do more carrying of cargo. I've only seen a camel carrying a load when a Gabra family is moving their home from one fair distance to another.
Such a barren land - with weeds and acacia trees decorating the rocky landscape.
Moses was able to preach on his birthday - January 3. Golo was a great translating assistant.
Oh wait... I did find one crater. :)
The sunset on our first day.
On Christmas morning, the children's choir led in a few songs. The tones and tunes are different than what we know in Uganda. A meal of goat and rice was served after church and for the first time I actually enjoyed offals.
The girls slept in a tent and every morning got up to take in the sunrise. So stunningly peaceful.
Moses helped Eddie put up solar panels for the house. They actually made a side verandah shade, which was so helpful to cool things down in the kitchen.
"Jesus Loves Me" from the church song book.
Ok, so Moses was busier than I was... he learned a lot in the mission station garage too. The other mechanics were great at tutoring him in the language of Rovers and Cruisers.
A pilot from Africa Inland Mission came up to celebrate Christmas with all of us and everything on the plane needed to be checked before he flew back down to Nairobi. Next time we would fly to Dukana!! We could be easily there in 4 hours from the capital city.
Rachel and I - honestly, the two of us didn't take any good photos together. :( Rachel is my long-time dear friend. She was one of my college roommates in the late '90's. :) She is such a hard working, genuinely caring, compassionate, good for my soul type of woman.
One day it even rained while we were there. Absolutely awesome to see the land being rejuvenated.
Steve, Rachel and Eddie helped Moses figure out how best to help our old Land Cruiser. She is a hardy old 1986 vehicle, but didn't do so well with all the hills and bumps in Kenya.
The guys carefully checked out everything.
On New Year's Eve a goat was slaughtered so that we could have a meal together with all those faithful workers who live and serve on the AIM mission station.
Yum Yum... meat meat meat. Barbecued meat.
Sheep drinking their fill.
They store water in their butts. :)
And sometimes in their necks too.
It was so cool watching the shepherd's organize their flocks and herds, so that each group had a timely drink at the well. Dukana is built around a dry river bed, so a valley runs through town, but not far below the surface there is plenty of water. There are over 40 wells in town for the animals alone, and 3 or 4 wells connected to pumps and pipes, that are brought to certain parts of town as well.
I loved hanging out with the camels.
They could empty the water trough quickly!
And soon enough would be heading back out to "fora" - to pasture.
Cows roamed
Donkeys pushed their way to the wells as well.
Watching another well in action.
Loading a donkey with water to take home.
Heading back to our vehicle.
Many of the tribal people live in round stick huts, covered with patchwork cloth. Since they are nomadic, they still pack up their homes every few months and move... even if it's just a few hundred feed. That's one way to do spring cleaning I guess. :)
One busy morning for Moses... on the air early in the morning.
Preaching through Romans 13 in the morning service.
And getting his hair trimmed by our new friend Golo.
Moses and I had a cooler in our vehicle as we traveled north, so we packed it full of treats, knowing that Rachel and Eddie have a solar chest freezer.
Rachel went out of her way to debone the turkey we brought and stuffed it for New Year's day celebrations.
It's a rare day when you eat poultry in the desert... let alone this delicious!!
Mwambi invited us on the air a few more times.
And now we feel God is calling us to share over the radio waves in Uganda too.
Moses and I slept in that small silo during our two weeks stay. Even though the days could be 103 degrees, it was not unbearable in our tiny home. The wind always blew nicely!! A few times we even wrapped up in blankets in the night.
One day the guys asked me to help them write out their cost list on the garage door. It was so cool seeing the local men study that list... so they could plan and budget the next time their brought in a vehicle or motorcycle.
The rocks made it very difficult for me to spend much time outdoors. Such difficult terrain.
We have named our truck the Green Mamba... it was looked after well.
Better than these old vehicles I imagine.
Somehow, you know you are in Africa, on safari, when you see one of these.
My last time on the air.
The sun rising over distant hills.
Thankfully we could caravan with the Andersen family as they headed down country in the new year, so about one and a half hours into our journey out of the Chalbi, we stopped for a roadside picnic and stretch in another river bed.
Odels and Andersens... I love these people.
Every time you leave the desert, it's a prayer request. We vibrated in our sleep for days after the journey.
Another pitstop... Moses was waiting patiently for us ladies to pull up behind them. :)
Oh, desert life!!
Roadside resting... you choose the path you want to take.
Until next time, thanks for checking in!!
