First Day of Work

As we bounced and rocked through dried ruts left from the long-since-passed rainy season’s runoff, our “Serbian Lorry” kicked up red dust and someone shouted over the engine’s low growl, “Duck, torn branches!” Everyone leaded forward as if imitating the giant wild ostriches we’d seen the day before. “A warthog,” someone pointed out as it rumbled away quickly into the thorny African bush. “Pumba” our new Tanzania friend interpreted as he pointed to the squatty beast. We continued along further, a plume of red dust billowed in our labored wake. Then the hand of Zeke Nelson silently motioned to something ahead. “It caught my eye because the trees looked like they were running,” he explained later. The “trees” emerged out of the thicket and crossed directly in font of our truck – a mama giraffe and her young baby – pausing long enough in front of us for everyone to sit in wonderment and awe…

So began our first day of work – the commute, anyway. We arrived at the Maasai village of Liobor Siret – our Serbian Lorry full of strange foreigners amped and anxious for the first day or work. The village shaman began the opening ceremony with words of welcome and solidarity. “Our color may be different, but we are all the same in the eyes of the Creator,” he remarked and continued with elegant words of support and thankfulness for our efforts. After the ceremonial first bricks were laid by representatives of our group and the community, the sun emerged from the typical morning cloud overcast and our work began. Team were formed – brick layers, brick carriers, sifters, cement mixers, and those that hand chiseled half bricks for when we needed them at the corners of the building. Our students dove in head first and many hands both local and our own promised good results. Our production goal for the day was exceptionally exceeded thanks in large part to the late afternoon arrival of approximately 30 children from the village. These young Maasai, ranging in age from about eight to thirteen years old, seemingly found themselves motivated to contribute to the library that would ultimately serve them. Without request or hesitation, they began carrying the heavy, handmade red-dirt bricks (some weighing nearly as much as they did) to those of us waiting to stack them. Like a swarm of worker bees descending on the hive, a chaotic “running of the bricks” ensued. Young girls dressed in wraps of vibrantly beautiful Maasai patterns of red and blue traded enormous smiles with our own students as they eagerly passed brick after brick. “Without a doubt, a highlight of the day,” Sammy Douville shared at our nightly, reflective group meeting. The goal for Day One was to lay three rows of bricks. We laid five rows and on some walls seven rows. Measured success. Our students returned to camp and enjoyed a well-earned bucket shower – water boiled over a fire was mixed to take some of the shock out of the initial pour. There were no problems falling asleep after our first workday.  More to come!

~Mark