Friday had an idea over dinner Saturday night that we thought was a stunner: in pursuit of setting up our hammermill correctly, why don't we go around to some millers in the area to see how they have theirs set up? Of course! This is how we found ourselves late on Sunday morning deep within Masala market, talking with the man who owns the local mill.
Friday and Alex
Inside the mill
The owner was kind enough to tell us everything a person needs to know about running a milling operation, all in thirty minutes. We were particularly curious to see how he had arranged his hammermills (he has five), and how they are mounted to the floor. These are the most pressing questions for us as we design the building that will house our own mill. To our delight, before we left a man came in with a sack of corn he had grown, and we got to watch one of the hammermills in action.
Video of the hammermill
Feeling quite educated and prepared to become mill operators ourselves, next we headed out to Kantolomba, where we found our friends already gathering for the big event of the afternoon: the concert! While Alex assembled his recording equipment, the people warmed up. After a few tests they began to sing and did not stop for over an hour.
Recording the concert
Big hearts and big voices!
There was something about that hour that was just magical for us. We find that the people in Kantolomba enjoy a freedom of expression and an unselfconsciousness that many of us who live in the west miss and often long for. In the midst of their poverty and all the challenges that they face, to see these beautiful people give themselves so fully to their music moved us to tears, and we could only thank our great good fortune in being able to witness such a thing.
Video of the singing
Meanwhile outside children had gathered around the windows to dance and to peer inside to see what was going on.
We decided to invite them in to perform their own music for us.
Video of the children
Outside other interesting things were going on. Friday graciously volunteered to come to the rescue of our sinks and toilets--all newly installed, and all leaking from one place or another.
Friday to the rescue
He spent some time making a list of the parts we need to make the repairs; then he, Theresa, and Dave began to design the building that would house the hammermill.
Designing the house for the hammermill
Tomorrow morning we will begin leveling the site and digging the foundation. What fun! The dream of having our own mill is quickly becoming a reality.
On the way home we stopped at the local market to buy the plumbing parts.
At the market
We have been through this before, so we knew what an ordeal this can be. The parts are mostly used, so each one needs to be examined and tested to be sure it is good. No one shop will have all the parts we require, so runners need to be sent to all the other shops to collect the parts that are missing. Then the bargaining begins. Each part comes up as a unique item for sale, no matter how small, and the price for each has to be agreed upon. The sun was going down when we finally left the market with our bag of pipes and fittings, tired but triumphant--the end of another big day.