The Thiongo's of Thika--Antony and his Family.

Antony is John's older brother and is the current head of the extended Thiongo family.  He is solid as the day is long!  Working as a security guard at night followed by a full day of construction work with us at Muti Primary School.  The man does not sleep.  He cycles two hours to work on his 17 year old bike daily at 4PM.  Works all night...he assures me there is an  occasional nap and then cycles home.  Quiet but assertive, polite and strong.  He embodies "the salt of the earth".   He is a family man.  His wife is Feri (not to be confused with John's deceased sister) and his two children are Edith III and Rufus aka Fundi Minor, with another child due to arrive in June.  

Father and Son

The  Thiongo Brothers

Antony's Family Home

Transportation

Antony's Homemade Chicken Coop--GO BSU!

Feri, his wife, is incredibly camera shy.  We have looked through all the photos and she has eluded the lens.  Unlike her photogenic son.  

When we met on that first Sunday his name was Rufus.  On Monday he started working with us and he became "Fundi Minor"...a fundi is a construction foreman.  The name stuck and by the time we got home that day he was officially Fundi Minor to one and all.  Calls for "Fundi Minor" rang up and down the compound.  Even his father called him Fundi Minor.  He is a small body with a huge heart!   Three weeks before we arrived he was in a hospital ICU struggling with pneumonia.  His resiliency is beyond belief.  He adores his father and would be happy in the worst of conditions so long as his Papa was present.  I must confess we probably have over 100 photos of the little guy.  It will be hard to be selective but we will try.

I never had to look to far for my glasses.

Edith is his older sister of 5 and the third Edith at the compound--John's mom Edith Major, John's sister Feri's daughter-Edith II.  She tolerates Fundi Minor with quiet grace.  She is much like her mother.