Car break down

On our second day in Mirerani, Mama Lynn decided that we would all go swimming with her kids. We loaded up into her 4 Runner – 5 adults and 10 kids – and made our way down the “road” (an unpaved road in miserable condition that would actually be perfect for 4-wheeling). During the dry season, this place is too dry, and in the wet season, it gets so much rain that it is cut off from the rest of the world and the roads wash away. The people’s houses (which they make out of clay) also wash away.

Heading down the road, the car decides to stop. We get out, me to escape the heat of the car, but absolutely no help in the car department (I left this to Sara – she always had her Leatherman on her), and by some freak coincidence, a man drives by, who helps Mama Lynn with daily things she needs done in Mirerani. He gets out to help along with some others (one clearly intoxicated). After about 30 minutes of trying to figure out what was wrong, and Job and Maria (2 of the kids) translating for Mama Lynn, we called a Land Rover to come pick us up (or so I thought) – there is no way we could have walked the kids back in that heat.

A full Land Rover (also used as a city buses or Dala Dalas) arrived. As I prepared myself to wait for the next one, we were told to get the kids in the car. We were then “towed” – which at first consisted of a rope and later, a chain – by this land rover back to Mirerani, all 15 of us, and the man who had stopped to help us. I asked Mama Lynn if this was the longest swimming adventure ever – she said no, just her daily struggles! I am going to have nightmares about this woman alone on the side of the road with her 11 children. Sara and I’s next goal is to raise enough for her to get a new car  By the way, it was the spark plugs...