Monday, February 27, 2012

Good Morning from Soroti, Uganda! It rained yesterday and lat night here in Soroti. It has been so long since it rained that the ground soaked it uo faster than it could go anywhere. I always sleep so well when it rains.

Patience is a trait that you learn here in Uganda. I haven't blogged in a while, because quite frankly, there just hasn't been anything to blog about.

First, I'm currently without transportation. Last September I made arrangements to get a vehicle here in Uganda. The process of getting it here started in November. It was to be shipped from Japan. Unfortunately, it has been stuck in Mombasa, Kenya at the port. I read this morning that there are about 200 containers that are about to be auctioned off, 150 of which belong to Ugandans. The port is so clogged that is backing up the timeline for getting others out. The man I bought the car from is so frustrated that he went to Mombasa 4 weeks ago to try to get things moved along. I think it is finally on its way to Uganda, possibly at the border as I type this blog. I'm not saying when I should get the car, because frankly, I have no idea. TIA, this is Africa!

Second, we need to be drilling more bore holes. Whichever method we use to deliver the water for the irrigation project, we need to know how deep the boreholes are, so that we can get a firm quote. Without knowing the depth, you either over buy or under buy. Its just better to know. Unfortunately, the square tubing that we used was not made of thick enough steel. The tubing just twisted like a cork screw. We have ordered the correct tubing, but are still waiting for it to get here.

In the mean time, the people of Water4.org are gathering information from a wind-mill company back in the USA to see if we can use it with our bore holes here. Its so nice to have experts working on that problem.

Patience. I'm learning it! Please keep praying for me and this project.

Goodbye from Soroti!

Tom Cox

Saturday February 18th, 2012

Its already Saturday night here in Uganda. I returned from Nairobi, Kenya on Thursday morning. So, I've been thinking the last two days on how I would describe my trip to Kenya. Don't get me wrong, Kenya was nice. The trip went very smoothly. We were met at the airport by a man named Charles Munene. He picked us up, drove us to several hotels so that we could decide between saving money or personal safety. Kenya is under a travelers advisory from the USA, but I didn't have a budget for $300.00 a night. We found a nice place called the Boulevard Hotel for about $120.00 a night for both Joseph and I. As it turned out, Charles used to work there several years ago and still knew many of the people that worked there. He was able to negotiate for us a very good rate. It seems that in Kenya, like many other countries, has a local rate and a Westerner Rate. It was good that we had Charles for the rest of the week to pick us up every morning and drive us anywhere we wanted to go for only $70.00 a day. That's less than the cost of renting the car and driving yourself back home in Oklahoma. If anyone is ever planning a trip to Nairobi, I would be happy to share his information!

So, back to why we were there in the first place. Thika, Kenya is home to Kijito Windpumps. A place where they manufacture windmills. As it turns out, they are the only place in Eastern Africa that does. We wanted to know if we could place a windmill on one of our hand bored water wells. Was our well deep enough? Would the low cost pump that we were using from water4.org work with their windmill? You see, I want to make the money that was given so generously by my church, Westmoore Community Church, be enough to provide irrigation in all three of our Villages. I believe we can, but it is taking some planning and research to make it happen. More than that, God is crossing my path with many people that I believe will make it happen.

As it turns out, windmills are a viable option for what we are doing. The low priced pumps will not work, but that's because they are designed to pump in an entirely different way. The bad news, however, is that the price of the windmills are considerably higher priced than I had ever imagined. I had already contacted some manufacturers in the US and had been given some rough estimates as to cost. The prices I was quoted in Kenya were no where near those cost. And the shipping cost they were giving me wasn't a whole lot less than what I think it would cost to ship an entire container from the US. Fortunately, Johnny Jones, who works for Swift Transportation and also attends WCC, is checking on some shipping cost. Thank You Johnny!

All in all, it was a good trip. We were able to get some questions answered that I don't think we could have done had we not went. It doesn't mean that I liked all the answers I received, but they were answers none the less. The great people at Oklahoma Pump and Water4.org are helping me with questions and answers and more questions. They have assured me, that when and if we install windmills, that they would like to be here to help make it happen.

One thing I do know now is that regardless of which way we go, the wells need to be dug to determine how deep they are. We wont be able to get accurate pricing without knowing the depth of the water. In fact, with us getting water at only twenty-one feet for the first one, it may make using a solar pump a more viable option as well.

Now you know why I have struggled to write about the trip. I feel like I have just rambled on just asking a lot of questions. Well the truth is, that is what I am doing.

On another note, I did take the time to go and visit the Nairobi National Park. What an amazing place! I was able to see giraffes, white rhinos, black rhinos, a lion, zebras, buffalo, many types of gazelles, pigs, monkeys, and many more animals in their natural habitat. They are amazingly beautiful creatures. God's work is so magnificent and beautiful!

Please keep me and this irrigation project in your prayers. Keep Uganda in your prayers!

Tom Cox

Friday February10th, 2012

Hello everyone! This morning I have mixed emotions on writing this blog. There are some days that I am just moved to the point that I just want to write. Other days, when I know I need to, but just don't know how to say what I need to say. This is one of those days.

The last two weeks have been long weeks. There was the planning involved of receiving guest. Not just any guest, but those that were coming to change everything. In Uganda, planning doesn't come easy. Just ask anyone that has been here. There is a saying here: "Americans May Have Watches, But Ugandans Have Time!" This is so true, yet so frustrating.

In late November of 2011, Jimmy Sullivan and I went to meet with the people of Water4.org located in our home city of Oklahoma City. We had a great conversation and left there very excited about the possibilities. Those possibilities came to some fruition over these last two weeks. I am very happy to say that we have successfully installed our first bore hole in Abuleajet, Uganda.

This was a successful test drill to see if we could hand drill for water in this area. I had been told previously that we would have to go to deep to hit water in this area. We found sustainable water during this dry season at only 20' deep. Prior to this bore hole, the man you see pumping the first bit a water from this water well was making three trips a day to the nearest working water well to get enough water to cook the meals for our kids. Each about three miles round trip. That's nine miles a day, six days a week! You should have seen the smile on his face and the spring in his step as this bore hole came to fruition.

A big thanks go out to the people at water4.org and the people they work with here in Uganda, Sue, from the UK, and Sunday, from here in Uganda, both from Mission 4Water.

There is a lot more work to do here, but this is a big step in what I believe will change the lives of many. Please keep praying for this irrigation project! Please keep praying for me!

With Love!

Tom Cox