The following are some of the lyrics from the song, "Love is Such a Worthy Cause", by Sarah Groves:
did you feel the pull, did you hear the call
did you take a chance and lose it all
it's the beauty in the tales we tell
it's the pressing on and ending well
it's the joy that comes when we give our self away
i love because he loved me when i had nothing
i love because he loved me when i had nothing
when you count the cost and all seems lost
love is still a worthy cause
when you're pressing on though your strength is gone
love is still a worthy cause
You may wonder why the first few video excerpts seem to go backward. The reason is that I filmed them while sitting in the back of the trailer (pulled by a farm tractor). I was facing backward, doing my best to stay seated on a tiny 6-inch-high wooden bench and squeezed in between numerous household items. Also inside the trailer was Agnes, Duane, Zach, and Anita (Agnes' niece).
You'll readily see that it was an extremely bumpy ride for all of us!
Be sure to notice when one of the foam mattresses blew off the trailer.
And there's a brief moment - by far, the bumpiest part of the ride - when you can see the shadow of my arm holding my camera.
Agnes and her boys (plus cousin, Anita) at their temporary 3-week home in a small community called Nzoia Center.
The tractor, trailer, and loading crew arrived at exactly 2:00, as scheduled.
Agnes, Duane, Zach, Anita, and I rode in the back of the trailer.
The three older boys were already at their new place.
It was extremely bumpy and the furniture, pots, and pans jostled all around us.
Arriving at the new homestead (in an area called Punjab). Such an exciting moment!
Agnes was preparing lunch when the tractor arrived.
So... she loaded the pot of just cooked ugali
and another one of uncooked greens onto the trailer.
Once everything was in the house, we finally sat down to a late lunch.
Their first meal in their new home was ugali and sukuma wiki, a very typical meal in Kenya.
I brought soda for the special occasion.
A (partial) family photo in front of their new home. Tony and Adu weren't around when I snapped it.
Look at the smiles!
While Agnes and the boys continue to get settled into their new home during the next few days...
... the final payment to the previous owner is due soon.
$1,400 is needed by December 31st so I can do an international wire by January 4th, as stated in the purchase agreement!
That's less than four days for a miracle! "Mungu anaweza!" That means 'God is able' in Swahili. And indeed He is.
PayPal is the quickest, easiest, and safest way to make this happen.
Simply click on this "Donate" button and indicate the amount you would like to contribute to the "Acres for Agnes" fund. Except for PayPal's fee, 100% of your donation goes to this project!
We didn't even need four days; we had the amount in less than 48 hours!
Thank you for your continued prayers for Agnes and her family. And thank you for helping to make her dream a reality. This move will transform their lives in so many ways!
I hope you'll enjoy these two short videos expressing their joy!
Let's all come together and help Agnes and her boys move into their new home by the end of 2012! Here's the latest update regarding what's been happening over the past few months:
May
We found found the land and house. You can review all the details here.
Agnes and her boys' future new home
August
Agnes and I again met with Morris, the current owner of the property. He showed us how far he'd reached in initiating things for the sale, gathering various documents, etc. My friends, Robert and Edgar Alu, also joined us... as did their mom, Mary. Additionally, Tony, Duane, and Zach got to see the place for the first time. Morris and his wife had a nice lunch ready for us.
We all enjoyed a stroll down to the shore of nearby River Nzoia.
September
I attended the first Land Board meeting as Agnes' representative. The purpose of this meeting was for Morris to request permission to sub-divide and sell a two-acre portion of Morris' land. Edgar also came along to help me understand the proceedings.
Besides us, many other people were there to meet with the area land board.
Morris (3rd from left), surveyor (2nd from right), Edgar (far right)
October
Morris and Agnes signed the purchase agreement; I was one of the six witnesses. We also all traveled to meet with the surveyor and submit various forms and pay various fees. Additionally, a large amount of the purchase price (over 2/3) was transferred to Morris' account here in Kenya. This will allow him to make a payment on his new property and start to build his new house.
Edgar filling in the purchase agreement details
The surveyor's office
Inside one of two rooms in the surveyor's office
Agnes signs the document to transfer the title deed.
November
We'll meet with the Land Board for the second time to finalize all the details.
December
We agreed that Agnes would take possession of the property on or before December 31st. That's also when the final payment to Morris is to be made.
Additional charge
Last November and December, we raised $12,340! In May, after we found a piece of property that also included a house and other improvements, I asked if you could help us raise an additional $3,235 that would also cover the surveyor's fees and the costs to move Agnes and her family.. You responded well and another $861 came in!
However, when I tallied that total, I hadn't yet been informed of the 'Stamp Tax' that's to be paid to the Kenya Revenue Authority. I've now been told that it should be approximately $250 (2% of the current value per acre in the area where the land is purchased). It must be paid before a new title deed will be issued in Agnes' name.
That's where we need your help again! It's time to finish what we started! Let's aim to blow the top off of our thermometer before Christmas! We've already received $533 towards the $2,624 that we need.
Please consider contributing and giving to the Acres for Agnes project in lieu of some key Christmas gifts for your friends and family. For those family members, friends, and colleagues that already have everything they could possibly want, or for those in-laws and co-workers who are impossible to buy for... Instead of buying a scratchy pink scarf, iTunes gift certificates, a necktie the guy will never wear, or another t-shirt that will stay in the drawer...
Consider a different idea this year. You could give a meaningful gift that would make a lasting impact and difference in the life of this family. On Christmas Day, instead of giving your family member, friend, or colleague a gift they can hold in their hand, you can share with them how you instead gave to a needy family in Kenya. If just 53 of you contribute $50, or if 70 of you contribute $38... we can finish what we started. You decide what amount to give. Any amount will help.
You may choose from one of these two options:
1. PAYPAL. Click on this "Donate" button. Indicate the amount you would like to contribute to the "Acres for Agnes" fund. Except for PayPal's fee, 100% of your donation goes to this project!
2. SNAIL MAIL. If you live in the United States and would like to send a check, please make it out to Deb Smith. On the memo line, write "Acres for Agnes". 100% of your donation goes to this project!
Mail it to -
Deb Smith
PO Box 34083
Omaha, NE 68134
Thank you so much for your generosity! I hope you take a few minutes to enjoy this video of Duane and Zach enjoying the wide open space of their future home. It's quite cute.
You won't believe what Agnes and I found when we visited my friend, Mary Alu, last week.
Not only did we find just the right land for Agnes and her sons, we found a home!
Mary is the one that told me about the property. She knows Morris, the current owner, very well. In fact, they've been friends for years and even attend the same church.
The property is two acres and is fully developed! It's above and beyond what we imagined we would find! In fact, it's as if this property had been set aside precisely for Agnes!
Let's all join together to empower her! Let's make her dream a reality!
This house is made of bricks, not mud. Because of that it will be much more durable and won't require so much maintenance, like a mud house would. It has several rooms - a large living room, two bedrooms, a dining area, a small cubicle to bathe in (with a bucket of water), and a storage room.
This is part of the front yard, with mature Cyprus trees and a nice lawn.
The structure on the left is a 'store', used for storing maize and other produce. It could also be used to keep small animals (like goats) at night.
The light tan structure on the right is the kitchen. In rural areas, kitchens are always separate from the house because of the smoke from cooking with wood.
In the foreground is a bougainvillea bush that's been nicely trimmed to create shade for the bench. A nice sitting area to visit with a neighbor.
The small light green tree you can see behind the bougainvillea is a Loquat, which produces nice fruit.
This is another view of the 'store', with a small garden in the foreground.
You can see that there are also many fences, with barbed wire, already in place.
In one corner of the property is this mud 'duka'. It has two small rooms that could each be used for business. Currently Morris uses one side as a 'posho mill' (where people come to have their maize ground into flour). The other side has in the past been a small shop for neighbors to purchase staple food items.
Agnes could hire out these two rooms to some other budding business man or woman... or she could run a business or two herself. I imagine there's a possibility that Morris (the current owner) could keep his 'posho mill' machine and established business where it is and rent the space from Agnes. And, as a tailor, Agnes could use the other room for her sewing business.There would be several options for this building.
You can see that there are more mature trees in back of the 'duka'. Trees are quite an asset and this property has 200 of them! They can be used for construction and for firewood... in addition to creating a wind-break and providing shade and beauty.
This is the 'shamba' portion of the property. It's one full acre and the area with the house and other buildings is also one full acre. The land in this area (called Nzoia Scheme) is quite fertile. And this particular area is very wet for much of the year.
Notice the canal on the left-hand side of the photo. These are dug and maintained to prevent soil erosion and flooding. They also help to keep the water at the location of the crop, instead of it running downhill.
The property already has a pit latrine (shown in this photo). There is also already a functioning well. The well is a huge asset, as digging one can be risky... you never know if you'll find water!
The fact that this property is already developed is a huge benefit! The time and stress involved in having a house built on an empty piece of property cannot even be calculated. This one not only has a house, it has so much more!
The property is not only land... it's a home!
Agnes and her boys simply need to move in... and their new lives will begin immediately!
Agnes and her son, Pope, take a look at the 'shamba'.
With them is my friend, Edgar, who lives nearby. Having Edgar and his mother, Mary Alu, near to Agnes is also a huge asset! They will be a great source of encouragement and advice to her!
Additionally, Morris told Agnes that there are other neighbors from her same tribe - Teso. She was very glad to hear that.
This is a sampling of the comments everyone made about this piece of property:
Agnes - This farm is beyond my dreams. I am ready to start a new life here.
Robert - If I had the cash, I would buy it for myself.
Edgar - This is a really good piece of property. Agnes will do well here.
Mary Alu - It seems God has prepared that land for Agnes. She can be like my 'daughter'. I will advise her and encourage her.
Agnes was all smiles on our trip to see this property. She is seeing the dream about to become reality! She is so eager to move away from the congested and stressful market area where she now lives in Misikhu... and instead move to an open and beautiful environment.
Each one of her sons had smiles on their faces during my time visiting them. The difference in their demeanor was so noticeable. It was contagious and exciting to me!
This is Tony, Agnes' oldest son (18). He was able to enter high school while I was there. In this photo he's wearing his uniform for the very first time.
This is Pope (Popino, age 16). He dreams of having small animals at their new home. Here he is with one of Mary's goats. Look at that smile! These boys will blossom in their new environment!
Adu (Anderson, 14) was also so excited to be out in the country-side. His dream is to raise rabbits once they get settled at their new home.
Duane (age 7.5) and Zach (almost 4) are typical young boys, and were eager to climb the trees! They radiated with joy and laughter at the idea of moving to their new home!
With their own land, a big open sky, space to run and play, and clean air... this family will prosper, thrive, and grow! They'll be able to feed themselves and chase their dreams!
Mary Alu (seated) has been a good friend of mine for 9 years. She is excited to have Agnes as her new neighbor and says she will be to her like a 'daughter'.
When they gathered for this picture, Mary said, "Deb, take a photo of me and my daughter."
Agnes' mother died in 2002 and she has longed for someone to fill that role for her ever since. Mary can also be a 'sho sho' (grandmother) to these boys!
Just look at the joy in this photo! It was meant to be... in God's perfect plan!
As one of my friends said, "How neat that Mary comes with the property!"
My original goal for raising money for this project was $12,000. I came up with this figure based on two acres of land in the Misikhu area and then building a simple mud hut. It was hard to predict how far that amount would reach. For instance, I had no idea if it would be enough to dig a well or build a pit latrine. It was simply an estimate, my best guess.
Agnes looked at four pieces of property in the Misikhu area, but none of them seemed to be right for her and her family. In fact, one of them was also developed, but the asking price was much higher than Morris' property.
As I mentioned above, Morris' property is very fertile - more so than the land in the Misikhu area. Because of that, it will be more productive. The yield will be higher without investing extra labor, blood, sweat, and tears.
Morris' original asking price was $16,350. My friend Robert (another son of Mary's) just happened to be visiting from Tanzania. And... he just happens to be in real estate. He and Edgar (who also dabbles in real estate in the local area) did a very efficient job of negotiating with Morris. They got him down to $15,000 - a very fair price for both the seller and the buyer according to the market.
Additionally, we will need approximately $575 for these necessary expenditures:
a lawyer ($350)
a surveyor ($100)
moving Agnes' things from Misikhu to Nzoia Scheme ($100)
an international wire to get the money to Kenya ($25)
That brings the total to $15,575. We already raised $12,340! Let's join together to raise the final $3,235! I believe we can do it!
Maybe you were unable to give in our initial fundraiser. Now is your chance! Or maybe you gave before and are excited to give again for this final step!
For each one of you that gives $25 or more, I'll plant a tree on Agnes' new property. This will be a double way to invest in her life. You'll help her take the final step and the trees will grow in value as they mature!
Some of the trees can be fruit-bearing.
Some can add beauty to the property.
Others can be used for future building projects.
And many of the trees can be used for firewood for Agnes to cook for her family!
In the next two weeks, let's see if we can raise this additional bit of money for Agnes to take the final step! It would only take 130 people to donate $25 each! I wouldn't be surprised if we reach our goal in 48 hours!
Let's try it!
Choose from two methods to give -
1. PAYPAL. Click on this "Donate" button. Indicate the amount you would like to contribute to the "Acres for Agnes" fund. Except for PayPal's fee, 100% of your donation goes to this project!
2. SNAIL MAIL. If you live in the United States and would like to send a check, please make it out to Deb Smith. On the memo line, write "Acres for Agnes". 100% of your donation goes to this project!
Mail it to -
Deb Smith
PO Box 34083
Omaha, NE 68134
Please be as generous as you can in selecting the amount you would like to give.
Any amount is welcome and appreciated.
Thank you so much for partnering with me to help change Agnes'
life. Let's all learn new ways to love our neighbors as we love
ourselves!
-deb
P.S. Please feel free to spread the word about the final step of "Acres for Agnes" by using the "share buttons" on the right.
"There
are always going to be poor and needy people among you. So I command
you: Always be generous, open purse and hands, give to your neighbors in
trouble, your poor and hurting neighbors." Deuteronomy 15:11
After a really wonderful time with my family and friends in India and the US, it was good to arrive back in Kenya last month. Long ago, it become my second home.
Naturally, I was eager to see Agnes and her boys... but first things first. I've learned through the years that jet lag is a serious issue. So... I eased back into a routine by allowing my body to slowly adjust to the 8-hour time difference from New York City. The next - urgent - item on my agenda was to find another house, move, unpack, and get settled.
Finally, the time came for me to travel upcountry to Misikhu. I visited Agnes and her boys last week.
Agnes sees photos of the people that got her aprons.
It may seem odd, but I didn't inform Agnes about our fundraiser or the money that came in. It wouldn't be a good thing if word spread through the very effective "African grapevine" that a "mzungu" (white person) was 1) in the area, 2) with money, and 3) ready to spend it to purchase land for someone.
I knew this would be the prudent thing to do... and I was also advised of the same by several of my Kenyan friends.
We will go about the process of looking for land in as quiet a manner as we can manage.
The day for celebration will arrive soon enough. Once the land is purchased... and again when a house is built and readied for Agnes and the boys to move in... there will be plenty of excitement and joy expressed!
Zach eats breakfast, as Pope prepares more tea.
Duane
Sorry there isn't a photo of Adu (Anderson); he was at school when I took these other pictures.
Pope (short for Popino)
All over Kenya, farmers have eagerly anticipated the start of the "long rains", so they can begin planting this year's crop of "maize" (corn). For the second time, Agnes has "hired" (rented) land to grow her own crops. When I visited her, she had fertilizer and seed purchased... and was waiting for the rain like all the other farmers in Kenya.
I just talked to her and found out it started raining yesterday - at long last.
Bag of DAP (diammonium phosphate) fertilizer
Farmers drop maize seed, beans, and fertilizer in each hole in their plowed soil. The beans mature quickly and are harvested before the maize. She and her boys will be quite busy for the next few days, as they plant their acre.
While I was there, we started the slow process of looking for suitable land to buy for Agnes. My friends, Bishop and Margaret, asked a friend of theirs, Ronald, to assist Agnes and I in this process. I can't show myself until a piece of land has been found and a price agreed upon. Otherwise, when the potential seller sees me - a "mzungu" - the price will go sky-high.
Because Agnes is a woman and also because she doesn't have any experience buying land, Pastor Ronald will act as her escort, so-to-speak. It's only recently that women have been given the constitutional right to own their own land. And... unfortunately, in Kenya, women are still considered second-class citizens in many ways.
Pastor Ronald, his wife, and his son Boaz, in front of their house
It was recommended to me that Tony go along as they look at land. This is for several reasons - so he can learn about buying land, to be another pair of eyes, to share his opinion, to bolster Agnes' spirits, and to have a sense of pride and ownership once the land is purchased. He finished Class 8 (eighth grade) last November and is hoping to get a chance to attend secondary school. In the meantime, however, he's at home and available to tag along on the hunt for a piece of farm land.
Ronald, Agnes, and Tony looked at four pieces of land while I was there. Two were not suitable and the other two may possibly be considered.
Ronald is also a farmer... so after both he and Agnes have this year's crop planted, they will continue to look at other pieces of land.
In the meantime, I am gathering advice and information about the whole process. It's more complicated here than it is in the US. In fact, virtually nothing is straight-forward and simple in Kenya!
For instance, the culture in Kenya is strong on community and community-based decisions (as opposed to the Western world's individual "every man for himself" mentality). Because of this, it will be prudent for us to talk to the extended family of the land owner. We'll want to make sure that no sons are expecting to inherit the land we buy. Additionally, we will likely speak to the local administration of Misikhu - the "chief" and/or "sub-chief" - to confirm that there are no disputes regarding the land.
The purchase process will also involve a Title Search, a survey of the land, a trip to the District Land Board, and the services of a lawyer. And then, finally, the exchange of money.
Then - after all of that - we'll hire a few guys to build a simple house and a separate kitchen, plus dig a pit latrine. If there is enough remaining, we may dig a well and put up a fence.
Joseph (one of our motorbike-taxi drivers) and Tony (Agnes' first-born son)
Throughout the ensuing months, I will keep you updated. In the meantime, the money that was contributed is safe in the bank and earning interest :)
Please pray for Agnes:
daily bread for herself and her sons
successful crop for her maize and beans
customers for her sewing business
good health for all of them
a nice two-acre piece of fertile farm land
Please also pray for me, as I walk through this entire process.
Thank you so much for caring about my friend, Agnes!
