some excitement
So,we had a fire at our house today. Everyone is completely fine asante sana Jesus!! And since really nothing much is damaged and I cannot stop laughing about said incident I have to record it lest I ever forget that there is NEVER a dull moment in living here. I guess a fire is not the first thing that comes to mind when you say funny but the whole situation is just another reminder that 1. God is always in control and 2. crazy stuff happens here.
After another crazy busy day Jason and some of the workers from our school were welding our gate (after some unfortunate run-ins with bikes it had busted). They had plugged in the welder thru a window in our spare room and stretched an extension cord to the gate outside. Jason had left to go run an errand and the workers were continuing fixing the gate (and soon a bike that needed attention as well). I was inside preparing my lesson for our lil' shule when Evy; still in her nasty-cold-neediness wanted to nurse yet again. The power cut but I thought nothing of it since that happens all the time here. I was sitting and nursing her when all of a sudden one of the workers vaulted himself over our outside railing and ran inside. He was screaming "moshi" (smoke). Not good. About 10 seconds later smoke was filling the hallway and Marta and another woman with me started suggesting (in a yelling freaked out way) for me to leave with Anni and the baby. I ran outside (boob NOT put away but covered by an upset Evy). As soon as we got outside we saw the smoke pouring out the bedroom window. Our guard's family was outside and Mama quickly ran inside her house and grabbed her sleeping little girl by the arm and dragged her outside (the poor girl did not even cry after being awoken and drug outside...the kids here are SOO hardcore!). We all watched and listened to a play by play with the workers hollering back and forth about what was happening inside. What I could discern is that Marta and the worker inside were stomping the fire out (don't ask me how they did that barefoot). I felt helpless outside but was not chancing the watotos safety by investigating. After just a few minutes the smoke had dissipated and they came outside to report that the wire had been overloaded some how and sparked a foam cushion we had under the bed. After surveying the room it really was a miracle that nothing else caught fire as there was a mosquito net, sheets, pillows, curtains, etc all within inches. God is good. The wall was singed and the floor and foam cushion were a complete mess. Our hero had some very minor burns on his hands but other than that no causalities (except of course the foam cushion which was burned beyond recognition). I guess the power tripped since it was overloaded and since the extension cord was sub par it sparked. The craziest part was everyone else seemed completely unphased by what had just happened. Marta just continued moping the floor and the workers suggested they get a generator from the site to finish the welding since the plug and extension cord thing was not working out so well (ya think?). The little girl just crawled back to bed to finish her nap. Jason arrived home a couple minutes later to a chaotic scene. Our house still smells of smoke but shule went on as planned with the kids arriving and wanting to hear the story of the fire at the Wazungus house. Ah, maisha kama kawaida (life as usual) with some minor excitement thrown in.
said cushion....
the culprit...
After another crazy busy day Jason and some of the workers from our school were welding our gate (after some unfortunate run-ins with bikes it had busted). They had plugged in the welder thru a window in our spare room and stretched an extension cord to the gate outside. Jason had left to go run an errand and the workers were continuing fixing the gate (and soon a bike that needed attention as well). I was inside preparing my lesson for our lil' shule when Evy; still in her nasty-cold-neediness wanted to nurse yet again. The power cut but I thought nothing of it since that happens all the time here. I was sitting and nursing her when all of a sudden one of the workers vaulted himself over our outside railing and ran inside. He was screaming "moshi" (smoke). Not good. About 10 seconds later smoke was filling the hallway and Marta and another woman with me started suggesting (in a yelling freaked out way) for me to leave with Anni and the baby. I ran outside (boob NOT put away but covered by an upset Evy). As soon as we got outside we saw the smoke pouring out the bedroom window. Our guard's family was outside and Mama quickly ran inside her house and grabbed her sleeping little girl by the arm and dragged her outside (the poor girl did not even cry after being awoken and drug outside...the kids here are SOO hardcore!). We all watched and listened to a play by play with the workers hollering back and forth about what was happening inside. What I could discern is that Marta and the worker inside were stomping the fire out (don't ask me how they did that barefoot). I felt helpless outside but was not chancing the watotos safety by investigating. After just a few minutes the smoke had dissipated and they came outside to report that the wire had been overloaded some how and sparked a foam cushion we had under the bed. After surveying the room it really was a miracle that nothing else caught fire as there was a mosquito net, sheets, pillows, curtains, etc all within inches. God is good. The wall was singed and the floor and foam cushion were a complete mess. Our hero had some very minor burns on his hands but other than that no causalities (except of course the foam cushion which was burned beyond recognition). I guess the power tripped since it was overloaded and since the extension cord was sub par it sparked. The craziest part was everyone else seemed completely unphased by what had just happened. Marta just continued moping the floor and the workers suggested they get a generator from the site to finish the welding since the plug and extension cord thing was not working out so well (ya think?). The little girl just crawled back to bed to finish her nap. Jason arrived home a couple minutes later to a chaotic scene. Our house still smells of smoke but shule went on as planned with the kids arriving and wanting to hear the story of the fire at the Wazungus house. Ah, maisha kama kawaida (life as usual) with some minor excitement thrown in.
said cushion.... the culprit...
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