Day 66 Kakamega July 13, 2011

Greetings

Today we continued with the passion fruit training seminar at the Blessed the Blessed ECDC for the widow’s group.  I guess their official name is the Blessed Widow’s Group of Kakamega.  This morning was spent both in the classroom and in the field learning how to prune and properly plant.  While the class was going on this morning I went back out into the orchard and started to count dead plants.  As I was going around I noticed that many of the dead that I thought were dead have come back to life.  I thought that there were forty dead and sixty questionable.  I then recounted the dead and there were only seventeen confirmed dead.  Later when Robert came out to the field he said the questionable ones are ok too.  Sometimes the seedlings can take up to a month before the grafted portion starts to sprout and take off.

Once Robert and the widow’s got out into the orchard everyone got a chance to prune their own seedling with a razor and bleach (Jik).  After everyone got pruning lessons we started to replant some of the dead seedlings and Robert gave the women detailed instructions on how to properly plant.  After the training session the widows had a little celebration to celebrate their project and to thank everyone involved to help improve their lives.  They really love to sing and dance.  Of course me being about as white as can be I have literally no ability to move like they do.  I thought this group was about forty women and I asked the secretary for the exact number and she told me that there are fifty members.  Today we had over forty in attendance as well as a few area pastors, Bianna, Hezron and his wife Melissa.  I am quite pleased that the women and others are starting to really take ownership of this project.  I pray that every thing goes well for them during the next six or seven months as these passion fruit come to maturity.  There is a great deal of detail to keep these little babies healthy and in shape to maximize yield.  Robert also showed us that many of the plants that are starting to take off are starting to flower after only three weeks.  One of the seedlings already had three flowers that he cut off.  He told us that all the flowers have to be removed until they are at least a foot onto the wire eight feet off the ground.  I must say these women have their work cut out for them in the next six months.

Pastor Robert Wafula explaining proper pruning of passion fruit seedlings

Widow's and guests gathered around for instructions

Pastor Robert at the blackboard

Hezron’s and Melissa’s grandson (18 months) is doing better and should be released in a few days.  Hezron had told us that the boy had plus plus malaria which I assume is really bad and had it for a least a few days before he started passing out.  Thank you for your prayers for this little boy.

Tomorrow we will be back at the orchard site to finish pruning the older seedlings, removing the grafting tape and replanting the last of the dead ones.  I am still looking to wrapping up my trip here in Kenya and am anxious to get back to Nairobi.  We still have not got word of the control keys arriving at the bank in Mumias.  I do hope they come in tomorrow or Friday.

Take care and God bless

Dave