Monday, February 28, 2011
Using Their Imagination
This afternoon, Anna came into the kitchen and said, "Look Mom and Dad!" She had stripped her Graco booster seat of its covering. She used the seat cover as a backpack. The arm rest covers she was using as boots. My first inclination, since I am Type A, was to be upset that she had taken apart the booster seat. Thankfully, I quickly got over it before I said anything and realized she was being rather creative. Leo then walked into the room with his booster seat on his back. He was Buzz Lightyear. In this day and age where all too many kids are absorbed with their I pods, DS video games, and DVD players, I was happy that Anna and Leo were using their imagination--even if it meant that I had to put the car seats back together later.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Only in Kenya
We apologize for not blogging in the last two weeks. No need to worry – we are okay. As a matter of fact, we are better than okay. Our dear friends, Steve and Beth Rolfsen, are visiting us from Michigan. They left their three wonderful kids with trusted family and are spending two weeks with us. We are thrilled that they are able to share in our Kenya experience. Steve and Beth arrived February 13th and hit the ground running.
After just 24 hours to recover from jetlag, Steve and Beth went with Tenwek Community Health to a clinic in Tembu, a village about 45 minutes from Tenwek. They worked all day seeing pregnant women (weighing and taking blood pressures) and immunizing babies. They saw over 100 patients and skipped eating lunch. They returned to Tenwek exhausted but filled with the desire to see more.
Just as we were about to eat dinner, we received a call that one of our postpartum patients (s/p cesarean section complicated by a wound infection) was actively bleeding from her abdominal drains that were placed to drain her infection. She needed O positive blood stat. Beth volunteered to donate. So we quickly fed her a PBJ sandwich and took her to donate blood. Bryan and I took the patient back to the OR and packed her abdomen to slow the bleeding while she received the blood transfusion. Our patient survived the night and is still in critical condition in the ICU. Steve and Beth were quickly introduced to missionary life.
We did give Steve and Beth some R&R this past weekend. We left Anna and Leo with friends and took the Rolfsens on safari. We had some much needed time to talk and catch up and see some amazing animals.
Today, Beth and I went out with Tenwek Community Health to educate local school children about HIV prevention. It was a typical day in Kenya - filled with many frustrations and many joys. As we have mentioned in previous blogs, nothing happens at a fast pace here. We are on “Kenyan time”.
Beth and I promptly arrived at 9:30am. No one at Community Health seemed to be in a hurry to leave. 10am – time for chai tea - which delays our departure even more. By 10:50 am, we were finally ready to leave. What should have been a 45-minute drive, turned into a two-hour trip. We had to pull over at a gas station to get the spare tire patched (30 minutes). We then go to get gas – why didn’t we get gas while we were waiting for the spare tire?? Beth and I were asking the same question. Weren’t the kids at the school waiting for us? We get back on the road only to stop 30 minutes later to fix the back two tires - which felt “loose” to Cosmos, our driver. This was a 45-minute detour. 3 ½ hours after showing up at Community Health, we arrive at Lelaitich Primary School by 1pm.
But wait, our frustrations do not end there. 1 pm is when the kids walk home for lunch. So once again, Beth and I wait. Thank goodness we were together and could spend the time talking. The kids started to return from lunch and one by one they run to see us. Pretty soon, Beth and I were surrounded by smiling, curious kids (approximately 100 kids). Of course, the Community Health workers by this time were nowhere in sight. So Beth and I started teaching the kids some English and they, in turn, taught us some Swahili. We realized that this is why we came – to be with the children.
Lelaitich School has over 500 students with only 10 teachers. The school has no electricity so our team had brought a generator to power the video on HIV. The children learned today about HIV and HIV prevention. We also discussed how important education is and encouraged them to continue to study hard. What a joy it was to see how happy the kids were to have us at their school.
Lelaitich School
After a rewarding afternoon with the school children, we were ready to head home. Although Beth and I were eager to get home, we were not excited that Cosmos was driving like a maniac on the horrible roads. When asked why he was driving so fast, he answered, “I am not driving. God is driving”. I know I should have found comfort that God was driving and in control, but all I could think of was that my children are too young to lose their mom. But praise God, we made it home safely.
I should mention that on our way home, we made several detours and stops to pick up various Community Health workers that were heading to Tenwek. Just when Beth and I thought we were so close to getting home, we would make a random stop and someone would climb in with his/her belongings. After all was said and done, we had 10 people piled into a 5 passenger SUV. Also in our car was a generator (leaking gasoline), two VCRs, a large speaker circa 1980s, a stereo amplifier, and a projector. I am so happy that Beth was able to share in all the frustrations and joys from today. As we bounced around on the bumpy roads, I had to smile and think…only in Kenya.
After just 24 hours to recover from jetlag, Steve and Beth went with Tenwek Community Health to a clinic in Tembu, a village about 45 minutes from Tenwek. They worked all day seeing pregnant women (weighing and taking blood pressures) and immunizing babies. They saw over 100 patients and skipped eating lunch. They returned to Tenwek exhausted but filled with the desire to see more.
Just as we were about to eat dinner, we received a call that one of our postpartum patients (s/p cesarean section complicated by a wound infection) was actively bleeding from her abdominal drains that were placed to drain her infection. She needed O positive blood stat. Beth volunteered to donate. So we quickly fed her a PBJ sandwich and took her to donate blood. Bryan and I took the patient back to the OR and packed her abdomen to slow the bleeding while she received the blood transfusion. Our patient survived the night and is still in critical condition in the ICU. Steve and Beth were quickly introduced to missionary life.
We did give Steve and Beth some R&R this past weekend. We left Anna and Leo with friends and took the Rolfsens on safari. We had some much needed time to talk and catch up and see some amazing animals.
Today, Beth and I went out with Tenwek Community Health to educate local school children about HIV prevention. It was a typical day in Kenya - filled with many frustrations and many joys. As we have mentioned in previous blogs, nothing happens at a fast pace here. We are on “Kenyan time”.
Beth and I promptly arrived at 9:30am. No one at Community Health seemed to be in a hurry to leave. 10am – time for chai tea - which delays our departure even more. By 10:50 am, we were finally ready to leave. What should have been a 45-minute drive, turned into a two-hour trip. We had to pull over at a gas station to get the spare tire patched (30 minutes). We then go to get gas – why didn’t we get gas while we were waiting for the spare tire?? Beth and I were asking the same question. Weren’t the kids at the school waiting for us? We get back on the road only to stop 30 minutes later to fix the back two tires - which felt “loose” to Cosmos, our driver. This was a 45-minute detour. 3 ½ hours after showing up at Community Health, we arrive at Lelaitich Primary School by 1pm.
But wait, our frustrations do not end there. 1 pm is when the kids walk home for lunch. So once again, Beth and I wait. Thank goodness we were together and could spend the time talking. The kids started to return from lunch and one by one they run to see us. Pretty soon, Beth and I were surrounded by smiling, curious kids (approximately 100 kids). Of course, the Community Health workers by this time were nowhere in sight. So Beth and I started teaching the kids some English and they, in turn, taught us some Swahili. We realized that this is why we came – to be with the children.
Lelaitich School has over 500 students with only 10 teachers. The school has no electricity so our team had brought a generator to power the video on HIV. The children learned today about HIV and HIV prevention. We also discussed how important education is and encouraged them to continue to study hard. What a joy it was to see how happy the kids were to have us at their school.
Lelaitich School
After a rewarding afternoon with the school children, we were ready to head home. Although Beth and I were eager to get home, we were not excited that Cosmos was driving like a maniac on the horrible roads. When asked why he was driving so fast, he answered, “I am not driving. God is driving”. I know I should have found comfort that God was driving and in control, but all I could think of was that my children are too young to lose their mom. But praise God, we made it home safely.
I should mention that on our way home, we made several detours and stops to pick up various Community Health workers that were heading to Tenwek. Just when Beth and I thought we were so close to getting home, we would make a random stop and someone would climb in with his/her belongings. After all was said and done, we had 10 people piled into a 5 passenger SUV. Also in our car was a generator (leaking gasoline), two VCRs, a large speaker circa 1980s, a stereo amplifier, and a projector. I am so happy that Beth was able to share in all the frustrations and joys from today. As we bounced around on the bumpy roads, I had to smile and think…only in Kenya.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Super Bowl 2011: Packers vs. Steelers
Even in Kenya, we were able to watch the Super Bowl. We even organized a Super Bowl party - complete with loyal fans and too much junk food. It was recorded via satellite and we watched it a day later. We all agreed not to look at the score before the party. We had a great night of fun and good football.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Getting Muddy
Today I went "mudding". I know you are picturing me in a souped-up truck with monster wheels, but I actually mudded a house with my bare hands. It was awesome. There were four missionary women including myself that went to a nearby village to help finish a home for a Kenyan family.
This Kenyan family of five (a husband and wife with their three young daughters) were living with his parents. Their family and local church helped them build the foundation and roof the house with tin. We were involved in finishing the inner wall of the house. The "house" really was one 10 x 12 ft. room with 4 mud walls, a tin roof, a mud floor, and 2 windows. Some local women from their church and some of the female family members pitched in to help us.
We got to work. The mud literally came from the ground. A 6 ft. hole was dug near the house to get down to the better dirt, then water was poured in to make mud (fortunately for us, the hole was already dug prior to us coming). Buckets of the mud were then filled and lifted out of the ground. We then used our hands to smear the mud onto the walls.
There was actually a technique to applying the mud. Luckily, we worked alongside the Kenyan women who showed us how to do it properly...slap the mud on then smear and smooth with the heel of our hands. You don't want any cracks or holes because then bugs can come in. It was quite therapeutic to get my hands and feet all muddy. I also enjoyed the time of fellowship with the Kenyan and missionary women.
The local kids gathered to watch us (probably getting a good laugh)
Afterwards we sat down to have chai. The family served us bread with butter and corn from their garden. We also shared a time of prayer. Although they have little compared to us, this family was so grateful to God for all they did have.
The Kenyan family with their extended family members
This Kenyan family of five (a husband and wife with their three young daughters) were living with his parents. Their family and local church helped them build the foundation and roof the house with tin. We were involved in finishing the inner wall of the house. The "house" really was one 10 x 12 ft. room with 4 mud walls, a tin roof, a mud floor, and 2 windows. Some local women from their church and some of the female family members pitched in to help us.
We got to work. The mud literally came from the ground. A 6 ft. hole was dug near the house to get down to the better dirt, then water was poured in to make mud (fortunately for us, the hole was already dug prior to us coming). Buckets of the mud were then filled and lifted out of the ground. We then used our hands to smear the mud onto the walls.
There was actually a technique to applying the mud. Luckily, we worked alongside the Kenyan women who showed us how to do it properly...slap the mud on then smear and smooth with the heel of our hands. You don't want any cracks or holes because then bugs can come in. It was quite therapeutic to get my hands and feet all muddy. I also enjoyed the time of fellowship with the Kenyan and missionary women.
The local kids gathered to watch us (probably getting a good laugh)
Afterwards we sat down to have chai. The family served us bread with butter and corn from their garden. We also shared a time of prayer. Although they have little compared to us, this family was so grateful to God for all they did have.
The Kenyan family with their extended family members
Friday, February 4, 2011
Snow Day!
No, we didn't get snow in Kenya but we did have a "snow" day for the kids. One of the mom's here at Tenwek thought it would be fun to call all the home's this morning and cancel school. All the kids on the compound got the day off of home schooling and they loved it.
The difference between snow days in Michigan and snow days in Kenya is that the kids got to play outside all day today. It was in the 80s. They got chocolate cake and ice cream at the Bemm's house then got snow cones at the Manchester's. When Anna went to bed tonight, she asked, "Can we have a snow day tomorrow?"
Spending the morning climbing the "Giggle Tree"
Anna and her buddies
Leo and Anna F.
The difference between snow days in Michigan and snow days in Kenya is that the kids got to play outside all day today. It was in the 80s. They got chocolate cake and ice cream at the Bemm's house then got snow cones at the Manchester's. When Anna went to bed tonight, she asked, "Can we have a snow day tomorrow?"
Spending the morning climbing the "Giggle Tree"
Anna and her buddies
Leo and Anna F.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
African Snow
It is being called the "monster storm" and the "storm of the century." At least that is what I have seen written online with regard to the winter storm dumping on the Midwest. I can honestly say that I do not miss Michigan winters.
Much to my surprise, Anna's science lesson today was on weather - snow actually. So we learned about blizzards, avalanches and how snow is formed. I then remembered that our friends, the Rolfsens, had given us a "Make Your Own Snowman" kit prior to our departure. Time for a science experiment.
Come to find out, all you need is a packet of "Snowman Powder" (not sure how we got this through customs), 4 ounces of water and presto - snow!
The kids enjoyed making snowmen, and I enjoyed that it was 80 degrees outside. Happy Winter!
Much to my surprise, Anna's science lesson today was on weather - snow actually. So we learned about blizzards, avalanches and how snow is formed. I then remembered that our friends, the Rolfsens, had given us a "Make Your Own Snowman" kit prior to our departure. Time for a science experiment.
Come to find out, all you need is a packet of "Snowman Powder" (not sure how we got this through customs), 4 ounces of water and presto - snow!
The kids enjoyed making snowmen, and I enjoyed that it was 80 degrees outside. Happy Winter!
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