Goodbye

I am sitting on the front porch of the guest house waiting for our ride to Nairobi to arrive.  This according to Kenyan time could be anytime in the next two hours!  The month has gone quickly in most respects although in others it seems like a year!  Like last week when I had the flu bug!Each year has been very different and this year is no exception!  Marv found the OB Dept to be in the best shape ever!  It gave him a lot of opportunities to teach residents and medical students instead of putting out obstetrical fires!  I did work in the nursery and bonded with several mothers and babies.  I also seemed to have more opportunities to visit Kenyan homes and churches than in the past.  The nursery census was lower and so I did not feel the stress of being in the nursery.  Acquaintances really want you to come and visit them in their homes.  It is often an eye opening experience.  Homes are small; some have cement floors, others are dirt. Some  have electricity; lots do not.  It is amazing how well kept they are considering the red clay that surrounds them.  

Well guess what!  Our ride was on time and I am now in the Nairobi airport awaiting our flight to Amsterdam.  The drive from Tenwek is  harrowing as there are only two lanes and a lot of traffic especially as you approach Nairobi.   However, Samaritan's Purse has reliable careful drivers and that makes it easier.  Security is tight at the airport so we were glad to arrive early and get through it all with time to spare.  

I guess what struck me most this time is how much of the labor especially in the rural areas is still  done by hand.  From washing the hospital floors, to mixing cement, to unloading a load of rock, to digging the foundation for a house, it  is all done by hand.  Field labor, most often done by women, is  also done with a  pick hoe or perhaps a donkey with plow.  In the rural areas woman do not wear pants; skirts are the fashion of the day!  It feels like one hundred years ago.  On the other hand most Kenyans carry their cell phones with them constantly!  It is a meeting of old and new.  These contrasts make our visits fascinating.

I will close by saying that I feel blessed to have been able to make this trip again after being unable to come last year.  It is definitely a spiritual experience to join voice with Christians half way around the world.  I was overwhelmed to have many many people tell me that they had been praying for me and would continue to do so.  How humbling.   We American Christians have much to learn from them.  It is always hard to say goodbye and answer the question "when will you return?"  My answer? "Lord willing, soon!"

Micki

FunzoTenwek

Nursing Instructor David Cheruiyot

I visited the Nursing School at Tenwek and heard about FunzoKenya.  This project is addressing  the need for more heath workers.  It reaches out to the community to recruit and train health workers.  That same day I received the Strategic Plan for Tenwek 2014-2018 and again read about the plans to expand training and education.

Educational development is complicated!  Here at Tenwek they have the key ingredients for that development.  The exciting part is now there are new partners!  Did I mention that the School of Nursing Chapel Hill is a partner?...SMALL world!

What should we do?

Dr. Chin Pak from Yonsei University
February 5, 2014 Tenwek Hospital

This morning, Dr. Chin Pak gave Wednesday devotions.  He is here with 6 medical students from Yonsei University Health System, Seoul, Korea.   He told of the mission history of Korea and their more recent mission in Mongolia.  It is an amazing story of faith!....a faith history with an impact in the East, West, North and South.  These experiences always move us as we see God at work building his Kingdom.

What are the biggest changes/differences?

The biggest change is how connected we are!  Cellphones and the internet allow us to stay connected.  Secondly, this place is one that attracts many people from various parts of the world.  We are part of a global church!  It is the best kind of globalization.

How can we continue to provide support?

One response is that we  change how we see the question from a "we/them" to "us".  We  should   all be encouraged to "Pray with" instead of "Pray for" God's workers in the world.  We are truly "One Body".   

My hope is to be able to support local Kenyan obstetric education.  This could mean sharing new educational materials, review of research proposals and reports, curriculum review and recruitment of others. 

What would you like to do?

Marv

   

We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord

The week has gone by quickly!

This afternoon I visited an orphanage where 55 children reside.  I was impressed with how well kept up it is.  Many of the children were in primary school.  The young ones ages 4-7 were in a class at the home.  Several  of the children  ages 14-15 are waiting for money to come through so they can attend the secondary school where they have been admitted.   This money comes from donations received through the long term missionaries here and the need is always great.  It costs about $400.00 to send a child to boarding school.  This includes books and uniforms but is an insurmountable amount for these kids as well as for many families.  If anyone would like to help I can give you the information and you can know that your money is being well spent. 

Sadly what a day.  The sunt operation for baby Jesse could not take place because she has a severe infection.  Of course Mom is afraid and discouraged.  So am I.  I fear that Jesse is going to be very impaired cognitively.  I think mom is beginning to realize this as well.  Kenyan Mothers are so stoic; they rarely cry or show emotion.  I wish that she could just break down and sob. It is what I feel like doing.   

On a lighter note, I fed some twins whose mother has been psychotic postpartum but is doing much better. She  came tonight to try and breast feed and it actually went quite well.  I was thankful for that as it was important that she be able to have enough milk!

I can report to Circle 2 and a Sunday School member from First Presbyterian that the house you donated for the widower with nine children is a reality.  Today, I met with the pastor of the village church and with the lady who conducts Bible study in that area .  They both were impressive intelligent people.  Two churches will work together as community and hopefully begin to build the house next week.    I will report on the details as I get them.  We may have a little extra money to buy a bed or some blankets for the family.  The pastor reports that the twins are being cared for by the grandmother and doing well.  We prayed together at the end of our meeting that God would bless this new house and bless this family and that all of the children would come to love the Lord Jesus.  We  also thanked God for the people in America that have made the house  possible.  My eyes were pretty misty at the end of the prayer.  I am blessed to be a part of the generosity from the village church and from my home church family. 

Micki
January 31, 2014

p.s  This post was delayed due to technical issues of internet access.

Lake Nakuru

Quality Research

Today, I had the wonderful opportunity to meet with Dr. Juma and review his research thesis for fulfilling his requirements to be credentialed in Family Medicine.  I had previously described how exciting it was to first hear about the projects.*   Now, I had the opportunity to see it almost completed!

In addition, there were two visitors from Cambridge, England to assist with development of other research proposals.   It was a wonderful privilege to be with this young group of residents and the faculty as they address their research concerns that can improve care here. 

These residents are making a difference!  Continue to pray for this new generation of healing agents in Kenya that their work will be productive of improved care and outcomes.  

Marv

*http://tenwek2012.blogspot.com/2012/03/obstetrics-102.html

"Teaching Materials"

At Tenwek there is no shortage of referrals, complications and diagnostic challenges!   So the educational experience for visiting staff as well as the permanent staff is amazing!  A difference is that now there are educational tools that connect this place with the world!  What is the same is the dedicated teachers who mentor, encourage and organize the clinical challenges! 

On February 3, 2014 there will be a “White Coat Ceremony*” for the entering new interns and residents.  It is a dedication that involves families and friends.   It is also a time of recommitment of the teacher clinicians.  I will send pictures of this celebration! 

What is amazing is the growth of the teacher clinicians.  This now includes more Kenyans with increasing relationships to the medical school in Eldoret that is about 2 hours from here.   The educational growth and mission of this hospital continues to provide care to this community and Kenya!  As one patient told me this morning when a complication occurred at a small facility, “I was told to just go to Tenwek!”

 Marv

*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_coat_ceremony