Monday, November 08, 2010

1st full day in Kenya

so here I am in my hotel room with wi-fi. I was able to post last nights entry. I'm blessed. Great day today.
we drove from Nairobi through Nakuru, through Kisumu, over the terrible roads to Kakamega. We stopped in to see Dr. Kennedy and he was able to get the pharmacist, Don, to give us an excellent tour for Otis and Mickey. It was great. They are in need of water and land. it is so expensive to build a building UPWARDS (don't I know it!) and they want to add land and build one story buildings. They need a man unit because they have labor/maternity and pediatrics. They have a Comprehensive Care Clinic which is devoted to AIDS. He explained many things about AIDS that Otis was understanding. I got lost on the particulars of medication as I am not familiar with those words. I just say or think retrovirals. He said that children who were started young on treatment have grown to the fifth grade and are doing well. If a mother has AIDS, they put her on medication immediately and her baby as soon as it comes.
It was a low patient day, which was interesting. The chart on the wall was informative to them in ways differently than I understood. We will go speak with the sanitation officer tomorrow and hopefully get up to Emusanda clinic. Mickey has planned a brush-in for the preschoolers---won't that be precious!?!
They'll get to see the clinic building and all the storage.
We had a fun time of sharing and learning on the long drive. I drove to Kisumu but started worrying that fatigue could become costly so I let Frank drive. He did a great job--it is pretty hard because the speed bumps appear out of nowhere when you are scanning for potholes. they are not painted so you just run into them. Definitely does its job of slowing you down!
I am unsure what to write because I worry the wi-fi will quit and I will lose what I've posted.
so it is just spilling out as fast as possible.
We ate at Frank's house. Cynthia made us a delicious feast! They got to try Chapati, the tortilla. There were greens and an onion/tomato dish I like that I've seen frequently. The chicken was a very plump, delicious chicken. I appreciate all her hard work. It would have taken a LONG TIME just to cut up those foods, not to mention all of the watching over pots and adding ingredients. THANKS AND BLESSINGS TO CYNTHIA.
I've got to remember to keep my mouth shut so they can tell me what I do not know. I find that my few trips here give me the impression that I know much (and I have learned many things by my own questions!) and I should let Frank tell in his own way. But I answered many questions for him. (not surprised?? )
I think the long road after the long flight may have been much on Mickey--only because you don't expect it. It was a fun day with much to see and I know I got brain overload on my first trips. We should all sleep so well. We will do a half day tomorrow and then get in as much as possible after that.
Otis felt very informed by the trip to Iguhu Hospital and wasn't interested in another government

OH I'm posting. I lost connectivity for one scary moment. I will just finish by saying we can cut some hospitals off our to-do list which probably will free us up quite a bit.

I wish I had the brains to be more descriptive. I would say, "Let me tell you what He has done for me, He has done for you, He has done for us." I see the great generosity of USAID and of Global.....global something. It seemed that much was given by these organizations. Praise God for helping others!

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