How Many Cows

For three days, we tried to break out that rock and for three days, we chipped away at it, pulled out buckets of soil and rock pieces and yet, we did not progress past 87′. The fact that we have an 87′ borehole is exciting for me – it’s the deepest I’ve drilled to date! Of course, an 87′ borehole doesn’t mean much if there isn’t water at the bottom. It was discouraging to drill, pull out soil and pieces of rock, but never actually go any deeper in the borehole. It took over an hour each time we lower (and then remove) the GI pipe into the borehole to use as a percussion tool. The pipe is heavy (90′ of pipe is nearly 300lbs) and besides time consuming. It also wears the team out quickly. Below is a video clip of the moment we dropped 50′ of GI pipe down the 87′ hole. It took the rest of the afternoon to “fish” the pipe back out.

After three days of no progress in depth, we took a break (this was also after one and a half weeks of drilling at this particular site). I bought some truck leafspring locally and then carried it with me on about 6 different buses. My plan? Take the leafspring to Obule so Collin Rosser, his trainees, Emma and Dan (Water for All International) could fabricate a tool for the GI Pipe to help with the rock.

Every person sitting next to me wanted to know why I was cradling the heavy pieces of metal like they were my prized possession. Mostly because THEY WERE prized possessions to me 🙂 That leafspring was going to (hopefully!) help break up the rock.

I took some time in my travels to visit a few friends between where I was working and where Collin and his wife, Ronnie lived. It was nice to step away from the site for a break. It had been a nonstop three weeks on the two sites and a little break was definitely needed.

My first stop was to visit my former roommate, Kate. When I moved in with Kate in 2013, we talked about working abroad together some day (she is a nurse). It just so happens that we were both working in Uganda at the same time! We took two days off and went to stay in a cottage on the nile. It was a nice break!

My next stop was with the Craig family. David and I met during 3 weeks of appropriate technology classes at Equip International in 2009. I was able to meet up with David and his wife, Emma, later that same year in NYC. The Craigs, originally from the U.K., serve as missionaries in Arua,  Uganda. Although our pattern is visits only every 3-4 years, we always have a lovely time together. 

Arriving at the Collin and Ronnie Rosser’s house feels a little like arriving at my home away from home. I spent time with their family, friends and had a nice bible study around the fire with locals and expats. The “highlight” of the evening around the fire was when a snake decided to join our little group. There was some jumping, chair-standing and eventual snake beating. Snakes creep me out more then anything else alive in the field. This particular one was poisonous but not aggressive…basically, it won’t chase you but if you step on it, you’re still in big trouble.

I am out of time with this wifi- I’ll continue updating again soon!