11 March 2011 - Ashes To Ashes and Ball Joints to Dust

I remember Lent from my childhood. A small monastic inclination in the day-to-day, a paper bag in a cupboard with candy deferred, and a cloud of not understanding that I liked. Here’s how it showed up this year.

Yesterday was Ash Wednesday. I was in Nairobi in until late afternoon, and we arranged for a special distribution of the ashes for the kids and all of us at the church when I got back.

Some of the kids were unclear on the concept

and I was trying to explain it to them afterwards.

Seemed to go ok, but Joshua was not at all thrilled about being turned into "soil," as he called it.

He had a foreshortened timeframe which didn't allow much comfort in the symbolic mix.

But Simon somehow rose to epiphany.

The late trip to the church pushed back the homework until after supper.

So the dusted ones put their shoulders to the plow

and set a furrow straightaway.

One day earlier --This is what a 2001 Toyota HiLux 1 ton pick up looks like without a driver's side lower ball joint. Early on Fat Tuesday morning, or Fat Chance Tuesday morning, as it sized up here, I was stopped at the intersection of King'yara Rd and Ngong Rd. I heard/felt a powerful "thunk." Got out to see how badly I had been hit from behind and found not a rear-ender, but the right side of the front axle on the tarmac, the wheel knock-kneed.

There are tow trucks in the area. Not that you would recognize them, but I flagged one down after a few minutes and a very long line of vehicles had queued up behind me. The pirate who was piloting it did his best to rob me, but regained some of his senses after a brief talk with Sabobo.

At the petrol station/garage, I met George, the mechanic. He must also have had some buccaneer blood in him. He tried to charge me 3000ks for a 600ks job. And let's just say his timing wasn't great. I wasn't too far away from whackin' him on the head with a jembay handle I keep handy for these negotiations, when Huron, the supervisor, stepped in. He confirmed the larceny and George was banished...temporarily. In any case, I had to find two new, reasonably authentic lower ball joints. Mr. S and I got a taxi and headed to Dagoretti corner, a real slice of Nairobi life. Seven or eight auto spares shops later and nada. The decent aftermarket brand is called 555. But there are fraud 5's, of course. We taxied down the road to Karen district, to Impala Spares. Masoom didn't have the right ones but assured me he could have them sent from their shop in City Center. 20-30 minutes. A guy, Alden, would bring them by matatu. Two hours later Alden showed up with two beautiful new genuine 555 upper ball joints, which were the wrong ones. I had passed a good deal of the wait in a small bike shop talking with Joyce, a lovely Kenyan woman who races mountain bikes, so my trigger finger wasn't so itchy. Masoom dispatched another matatu-riding courier, now in the teeth of the jam (rush hour traffic) directly to the petrol station where my lame pick up waited.

Another hour and a half and the hand off was made. Edward, a mechanic I sort of trusted took over at my insistence.

He's in the red, and worked the hour or so of remaining daylight. There weren't any outside lights at this place, and no one had a flashlight, anywhere. Mine was lifted from the truck sometime in my last absence. It was getting darker,

and darker

and darker.

George slinked back into the picture and due to and under the cover of darkness was reinstated. Edward and George worked under the dim illumination of my mobile phone snaked into the dark space for the last half hour.

But as is almost always the case here, it worked out. I drove away happy...that the ball joint hadn't let loose at full speed on the Mombasa Highway, that I didn't have to spend the night with Mr S guarding the remains of the truck, that none of us are really alone in our tilt-a-whirl adventures, and that tomorrow was Ash Wednesday.

All the best in your preparation.

David

Comments(8)

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Joan Bosworth says
March 11, 2011 at 8:05 pm

I see lent is being honored. Are all the children baptized Catholic?
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admin says
March 13, 2011 at 12:55 am

Hi Joan,

No, we haven’t baptized any of the kids. Lots of things to consider when you adopt 21 kids!!

David
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Pat says
March 14, 2011 at 9:03 am

Good Morning [Evening], I enjoyed our visit last evening! Such a typical story from Kenya. You’re certainly blessed l that it ended so well. I know it seems sometimes you’re fighting uphill. Just remember that God is your light and He is with you as well as all of us ALWAYS! Keep the faith Brother!!!

The children look wonderful! Give them all a hug! Have a blessed day David!

Hugs, Love and Prayers,
Shep
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admin says
March 14, 2011 at 11:21 am

Hey Shep,

Yes. Great to talk to you yesterday. Just got home after tucking the kids in for the night. That’s the centering point. That’s where the uphill turns to a downhill coast. The boys were learning the Apostle’s Creed this evening. Just like we did. Just like our parents did. And so it goes…

Trevor sends his warmest regards. Me too.

Love,

David
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Bernie & LouAnn says
March 14, 2011 at 3:36 pm

Wonderful “Travelogue”, David! Enjoyed seeing the celebration of Lent in Kenya with all the kids.

Thank goodness you are so “street smart”! Others of us would not have fared so well. What you do, and how you do it, is absolutely remarkable! Keep up the good work (God’s work)!

Love, and God Bless!

B & L
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admin says
March 16, 2011 at 10:57 am

Hi Bernie and LouAnn,

We’re knee deep in Lent here. The kids are naturals at long preparatory seasons.

Anyone living in Kenya has to develop a few street smarts, or the street will sort you out post haste. You would be just fine, and your learning curve short here.

Lots of love,

David
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Chris L says
March 16, 2011 at 6:03 pm

Once again, your blog had the intelligence to block one of my comments. Wish I had that self-control.

Love,
Chris
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admin says
March 16, 2011 at 6:21 pm

CL,

We pay a lot of money for those riff raff filters. Good to see they’re on the job.

D

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11 March 2011 – Ashes To Ashes and Ball Joints to Dust

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11 March 2011 – Ashes To Ashes and Ball Joints to Dust