A couple of days ago a young mother, her baby just a month and a half old was bored in the stomach by a buffalo while gathering firewood. She lives in the same area, Lolmunyi, as the man kicked by the donkey that I wrote about in my recent blog. This is a very unusual event because in Maasai country a new mother does not normally do any work for at least three months after giving birth.

Maasai women are constantly on the go, drawing and carrying water, cutting and gathering firewood, caring for the young cattle, sheep and goats, repaired her cow dung house and cooking the evening meal. A big part of her life also revolves around finding something to cook for that evening meal of corn porridge or wild spinach.

This young woman’s family lacks anyone to help her so she had to go for firewood and water. Thus, she she had the bad luck of meeting a Buffalo and was gored in the stomach. She is in the hospital at Karatu some two and a half hours drive from Olbalbal. She is slowly recovering there. Her mother passed by the mission this morning looking for help so that she could travel to the hospital in Karatu and be with her daughter.

It was early morning at Loromunyi, a forested area high above the plains at Olbalbal. Losetu and his wife Ngoyo left their village driving a small group of donkeys to draw water. Each of the small grey bests was loaded with two five gallon plastic containers in leather saddle bags. The donkeys were irritable and very thirsty, one small grey mare especially so. She was always bad tempered. This donkey never missed an opportunity to give another donkey a solid kick when she had a chance. Nearing the spring, the small herd of donkeys jostled each for the chance to have the first taste of the sweet spring water. The mare saw her chance and let loose with a tremendous kick. Unfortunately, Losetu was in the line of fire not another donkey.

Fortunately, help came quickly and Losetu was carried down the mountain on an improvised stretcher and a car was found to take him to Endulen hospital that is two hours away. He was kicked in the stomach and clearly was very seriously injured. We’re waiting to hear something from Endulen.