First Week

Where has the week gone! There is a lot to catch up on.  

We were quite shocked on Monday morning when our driver arrived in a Toyota Corolla rather than the usual van that has always picked us up.  Somehow as only Africans can do we were able to get four huge suitcases, two small suitcases, and the three of us in the car.  The problem was we still had to go grocery shopping for our month’s supplies.  Off we went to the Butchery, the vegetable market, and the grocery store.  All the while I was shopping I was thinking of the small car and as a result I did neglect to get some things I wish I had now.  Our driver kept reassuring me “no problem” that it will fit!  And fit it did after a fashion!  I wish you could have seen me in the back seat surrounded by suitcases and groceries!  Of course the two men in the car seemed quite comfortable!:):)

Four hours later, windblown and stiff from being in one position, we arrived at Tenwek.  We are assigned to an apartment called Twiga (giraffe) because it is on the third floor of the guesthouse.  It is a one bedroom apartment and serves our needs perfectly.  Climbing to the third floor is a great way to get some extra exercise.  I am going to get help with carrying the water up  and doing the laundry.  The added bonus is our beautiful view of the countryside; the green hills covered with tea bushes. 

Marv was immediately off to get his hospital badge and to get us onto the internet.  I began unpacking but was pleasantly interrupted by people stopping by to say “Hi” and greet us in the hospitable Kenyan fashion.  Fortunately we eat at the guesthouse dining room for the first couple of days so I did not have to think about cooking!  It is fun eating there as you meet people from all over. We have a Duke resident here from Taiwan, 2 German medical students, an orthopedic surgeon from Texas, and a large group of Cardiac surgeons and nurses who are doing amazing surgery here in rural Kenya for two weeks.  

On Tuesday I was off to the nursery to see friends and find out if they had something for me to do!  It is always a joy to see my nurse friends in the Newborn Intensive Care Nursery (NICU)  and today was no different!  We did not get to chat much as the nursery is bulging at the seams now.  There is a baby who was abandoned and so I was assigned to love and cuddle her.  Not a problem!  However, she is not doing that well and I covet your prayers for this little one who is a child of God . The name she has been given by the nurses is Ashley Faith.  I will keep you up to date on her progress.  As always the nursery temperature is very hot and I perspire like you would not believe. It is so embarrassing as none of the Kenyans seem to be sweating.  Oh well it is what it is and we just laugh about it.   

On Thursday I helped with some children from the Baby Centre in Nakuru who came to Tenwek for medical appointments.  There were six of them and most of them had special needs so it took six of us to get them through their day.  The Baby Centre is an amazing place.  It rescues babies from infancy until they are adopted or placed in foster care.  Right now they have 60 children in residence.  Sadly the missionary wife who was such a wonderful leader passed away about a month ago of breast cancer.  Her husband is currently in the States.  We mourn with him and with all the staff and children at the Baby Centre as they cope with this enormous loss.

Yesterday after time in the nursery in the morning I was able to go with Solomon, the physical therapist here, to visit a school for special needs children in Bomet. After that we delivered a wheel chair to a very remote area.  This wheel chair for a child with cerebral palsy will be life changing.  He has never been able to sit by himself before. Now he can watch what is going on and his mother can feed him sitting up.  We dedicated the wheel chair and thanked God for the donors who had given it.  I will be telling you more about the special needs clinic as time goes on.  

It is now Saturday morning and we are relaxing.  There was a wonderful rain last night for which we are so grateful.  The drought is very serious.  We hope you all have a relaxing weekend!  I will try and make these blogs shorter but there is so much on my heart and so much to tell!  

Love to all of you,

Miriam (as I am known in Kenya) and Marv