Farming without Sight
on A Serendipitous Journey (Kenya), 16/Jul/2009 18:29, 34 days ago
After visiting the soap making project at the Kerugoya branch of the Kenya Union of the Blind, we were invited to the Chairman’s farm. The Chairman owns a 5-acre plot on a steep hill within the lush green region of Kerugoya.As anyone who knows me might guess, I wasn’t exactly dressed appropriately for a farm visit and my beaded Maasai sandals were less than ideal for walking down the steep slopes of the farm. :-) It was embarrassing and amazing at the same time, when Julius (who must be at least in his mid-sixties and is completely blind) was holding me up and guiding me down the steep and narrow paths without using his white cane. He’s been living there for more than 40 years and knows every rock along the way, every curve in the narrow path and even exactly where to cross the bridge (log across a deep pit.) Once again I was reminded not to underestimate the abilities and independence of blind persons.After our tour of his farm we were invited into his small home and treated to fresh mineral water from the waterfall at the base of his farm. It tasted a lot like flat soda water and apparently brings many health benefits. Then his wife cooked us a meal of ugali, chapatti, rice and chicken stew. It was the best chapatti I’ve ever tasted and apparently I’m developing discerning tastes, as my local colleagues even packed some to go saying it was the best they’ve ever had as well.