By Juli McGowan Boit | Published: August 17, 2015
Kenyan Countryside
Today I am going to write about the beautiful countryside of Kipkaren, Kenya where Living Room International’s Kimbilio Hospice is located; and where we have all been staying for the past seven days. Kipkaren is located approximately one hour drive from the town of Eldoret, Kenya. The drive begins on one of the main paved roads leading out of Eldoret which comes to a turn into many dirt roads. The dirt roads are made of clay which is only drivable by the most rugged of vehicles and 4-wheel drive is a must! Kipkaren’s terrain is composed of rolling hills full of lush green grass, large plots full of corn and sugar cane, and trees of all species are scattered throughout the countryside. The trees are always full of birds composing a symphony of sound that is foreign to our western ears but sets the soundtrack to our daily adventures. Kenya sits right on the equator so there are many tropical plants and animals; however, Kipkaren is a village located at 5,500 feet so the temperature remains fairly mild with minimal humidity.
Early every morning, the sky is filled with the warm glow of the sun and clouds spot the sky. Tuesday morning we got to watch the weekly cow dipping where every farmer in the village comes to bring their cows to be given a preventative treatment against ticks. The cows in the village are abundant and they roam the roads that we walk every day to get from our guest house to the Living Room. The chickens are also a common site seen both in the roads and even in our very own yard. Dogs are another common site but they have very little in common with our dogs in the U.S. as they are not allowed to sleep inside the house. They are left to find their own food and they are all used as either working dogs to help heard cattle or true guard dogs to protect the home.
The majority of the homes here are small huts made of mud with very simple wooden or tin roofs. They often mix the mud with manure to give it strength and to make sure that it holds together. The manure also helps keep away any unwanted pests. Thankfully, our home is made of concrete with a tin roof and tile floors which is a far less common sight in the Kipkaren countryside.
The days often end with rain clouds which bring rain in the late afternoon lasting 1-2 hours. The rain clears before sunset leaving beautiful sheets of clouds for the sun to bounce its rays off of, resulting in a spectrum of colors ranging from deep reds to bright oranges with hints of purple added to the mix.
The sunset gives rise to the dark night sky’s which are often obscured by clouds but on one faithful night, the clouds parted and the Kenyan sky demonstrated the beautiful handiwork of God. The stars were more numerous than could be counted and the Milky Way was shown in all its glory. In the same sky, the Southern Cross was visible to one side and the Big Dipper visible to the other. With each passing day our hearts grow more fond of this beautiful tapestry of God and I hope that this blog entry can give all of you a small glimpse at the glory we see on a daily basis.
God Bless,
Anthony Barton
Beautiful skies
Chickens roaming around
Mud houses
Corn fields
Streams running through the countryside
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