A Little Team Work

The first 300 bricks are almost done.  Only
about 700 more to go.

 (picture courtesy of Axel)

In addition to making matoke during this week off, my help, along with Zelva, the secretary, Sister Fraisca, Madam Peace, and Teacher Albogast, was enlisted by Axel, a German volunteer to help him update the football (soccer) field.  After researching several long lasting methods for marking the sidelines, Axel decided that laying white painted bricks into the soil would be a cost efficient and durable option.  He ordered 1500 bricks to be delivered to the school, along with primer to protect them from the weather, and white paint.  All was going smoothly according to plan until we met the painter.  After a frustrating discussion as to whether the painter could or could not paint all the bricks in time,  we decided that the six of us, Zelva, Sister Fraisca, Madam Peace, Axel, Teacher Albogast and myself could prime and paint the bricks ourselves.

We got out our work clothes, kangas or tie dyed shirts, and Sister Fraisca even donned the first pair of trousers I have ever seen her wear.  Appropriately attired, the primer was opened, paint brushes found and the work began.  With radio music in the background and chatter in English, Kiswahili and Kihaya, we managed to paint all those bricks - along with our hands and feet, jeans and kangas.  A local teenager earning money to continue his studies helped to dig where we would place the bricks and after only a short week of work, the pitch looks brand new with sparkling white sidelines. 

In celebration of completing our work, some old jerseys were found on campus along with a football.  After toasting to our success and a group photo the six of us went up to the pitch and played the first 3 on 3 game.  Although not a long game, the competition was intense (with much laughing and fumbled balls!) and ended in a 1 all tie.  

The painting crew - ready to celebrate.  From Left to Right: Axel,
Teacher Albogast, Zelva, Sister Fraisca, myself, and Madam Peace.

The finished football field - ready for the pupils to return on Monday.

The ladies of KEMPS - game faces on!