On the Friday morning before departure for the first fieldwork sessions on Saturday, I was a bit stressed. I had one last Maa revision to finalize on the survey’s consent form with research assistant Joseph’s Maa translation. Then, we walked out the Tumaini University Makumira campus taking a USB drive to one of the little printing shops that serve the students. The one I planned to use was closed. The next one was open, but the service person was in the midst of a large run. I had basically 2 hours to get the print outs of about 350 copies—most two sided—to stay on schedule. I leave Joseph with the task of staying around for the printing, while I go back to my house to finish preparations. Then, the power goes out. Joseph was charging his phone at my house (as he had no electricity the night before), so I couldn’t call him. He uses the phone of the print shop worker and asks if he should look for a print shop with a generator. Sounds like a good plan. The time passes. Without this survey printed, it makes no sense to go to do the fieldwork. Everything depends upon having the surveys. Typically, I would not wait for the last morning to print because of things like power outages, but I was getting translations revised by two native Maa speakers and working with the revisions due to feedback from Laura and Betsi.
Ok, I’m thinking about delays and alternative plans and communicating them to the driver and the 2 people we will pick up on the way. Then, I pray, singing a chorus, “Lord, I put my life in your hands.” Perhaps a bit overstated in this instance, but it is from a John Michel Talbot song that calms my soul. Just then, the power comes on. I’m in my house with Joseph’s phone charging, but I can’t call Joseph to see how things are progressing. “Lord, I put my life in your hands.” Then, Joseph shows up just at the time I had planned to eat lunch before our driver would arrive. With enough time to eat and for me to do the dishes, we were ready when the driver arrived.
Off we go for a 3-hour drive to rural Maasai land, and rather amazing for Africa, the hopeful time schedule is working very well—for now!
Mikitamayana Engai! / Mungu akubariki! / God bless you!