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
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
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