Mission to Kenya 2005

Thursday, January 13, 2005

POSTINGS + COMMENTS FROM "Report #2 via the mission field"

CORRECTION

I previously reported that we had two elders and two deacons. It turns out that Marshall isn’t a deacon. He is studying to become an elder and is currently a youth minister at Blanchard UMC.

VIM CHAPEL, THURSDAY, JANUARY 13

The VIM Team presented the morning chapel service on Thursday, January 13. Scott gave the sermon after Alfred presented a book and the second of Susan Lucky’s beautiful quilts to the hospital. Virgie led prayer, Marshall and Sandra read Scripture, and Rebecca closed with their traditional benediction.

KATHY’S POSTING

Walking the crowded pediatric ward for the third day in a row has been jarring to the senses as well as to the heart.

A sea of young mothers lie in their beds, cradling sick babies in their arms. As they nurse their offspring, they chat among themselves and hope for a cure -- or sometimes only relief from -- the malaria, HIV, mal nutrition, tuberculosis, epileptic seizures from which so many suffer.

Young babies who resemble frames of infants and toddlers still at the breast are weak.

A few of the children are 5 or 6 years old. They sometimes smile with curiosity. Some mothers hesitatingly smile. Not many grin and some stare hopelessly with disdain or worry. One child I had seen only yesterday died during the night of pneumonia.

The beauty in this room of 30 women and 30 children is that the mothers and their sons and daughters eat, sleep, grieve, laugh, and cry together.

Please pray for them.

JENNIFER M’S POSTING

Hey, people. I’m here in Kenya working at the Methodist hospital. I am so tired but I have been getting more sleep here than I ever do at home. I am in bed by eight every night, Kenya believe it! I am currently working on a mural for the children’s wing of the hospital which is super fun. We are very limited on supplies so we have to be pretty creative. Well, I’d better go. I miss you all terribly. Take care of each other. Make it a great day.

BARB’S POSTING

Wednesday in Maua. During lunch with the hospital administrators, the term “yellow people” was heard. After further discussion, we learned that when Cindy, Jennifer, Kathy and I visited the neighboring town of Munchungulu, that was our description. Now we were rather conspicuous – all very white and blond – walking through a sea of hundreds of men, wrapping, trading and chewing “mirra.”

We had heard that in this area, the economy somewhat thrives on mirra – not illegal but clearly an amphetamine.

It is amazing to us what a “shopping center” looks like in Kenya.

GAY ON THE FOOD

“Best avocados I have ever tasted!”

FROM DARLENE

Ron, Michelle, Pearl – Darlene says, “Hi.”


2 Comments:

  • This is awesome! Know you are all tired by night from hard work, but what a blessing. . . . Virgie, anxious to talk to you when you get back. Any leads on the autoclave, yet? . . . . Mom's eye surgery went well; it's feeling scratchy, but the color is getting brighter each day.
    God bless y'all real big! Cindy, SW OK

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 12:43 AM  

  • Mom/Darlene,
    First,I must say "I miss you and love you" and hope all is well with your group. I bet you are looking very chic in your safari gear. Write every thing down so I can live through your experiences because I know you are having a "rockin" good time! Ron and Matt had a blast in Boston but nothing compares to Afica. I was so dissappointed that I missed your call, I was in the "Ladies Room". Next time I will race to the phone.
    Love, Michelle

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 8:44 PM  

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