WHY YOU CAN'T BUY CHICKENS AT NIGHT . . . (April 28, 2016 update)

Sorry, for no photos on this one, but, well, it was dark! We were trying to buy chickens for Thiufhati so he can breed laying chickens. We had helped him last year with a micro loan for a garden. Thiufhati had been faithful and paid back the half of the loan he was responsible for. So... We wanted to help him again this year. However, it was our last day in Venda Land, and we didn't get to his house until late. He directed us through the Bush, past the huge Baobab tree, straight on past the goat fence with the angry dog, then turned left at the broken orange chair and we were there. Thiufhati got out and ran to arouse the chicken man.   Promptly 3 grown men showed up with their phones using them as flashlights. We heard the squawking  and saw the blinking lights darting back and forth chasing chickens on the ground.  Suddenly, Thiufhati showed up at CJ's window with a big, very scared chicken in his arms adamantly describing something between his excited stuttering. The chicken protested right in CJ's face and she jumped a foot sideways in the Land Rover, then she sat there keeping her eye on the disturbed chicken at all times. What Thiufhati was trying to say (while he held the beak closed of the protesting chicken) is that these chickens they were catching were too big. The ones he wanted were down for the night, or I should say "up for the night" because they were roosting high in the tree and absolutely could not be persuaded to come down.  He wanted us to SEE that the chickens were simply too big.  All the while, firmly gripping that chicken's beak!  The poor thing darted her eyes back and forth hoping Thiufhati would give her a chance to breathe. Finally CJ asked Thiufhati , "What are you trying to ask?"  Thiufhati dejectedly responded,

"The chickens won't come down till morning."  Since we were leaving, he didn't think we would be able to help him. CJ said, "Thiufhati call the chicken man, we'll pay him tonight, have him do a receipt and you can pick up your chickens tomorrow."  Which is exactly what happened but we had to wait a long while, because chicken man had to "stamp" the receipt to make it official. The Venda LOVE to stamp things. 

 You cannot make this stuff up!  The good news is that, when we come back next year, Thiufhati will have had a better income and HHTH will be able to help another person with a project.