Friday, November 30, 2012

Give Thanks!

 It seems the longer I am in Kenya, the harder it gets to update. The last month has flown by!

Here are some of the highlights:


  • A LIMBS leg came in for repair.  I spent the day making a new top block for the knee. Below is me sanding the block into shape. The black particulate that results from sanding is the same size as sawdust so if I don't cover everything, I get it in my hair, mouth, eyes, shirt, etc.. In the background, you can see the socket of the leg this knee belongs to.





  • Thanksgiving with Ex-pats
This year I was really blessed! I was invited to join two different groups for Thanksgiving meals. Since Thanksgiving is an American holiday, I worked until lunch and then celebrated the rest of the day.

At lunch, I ate with two missionary families that live about a 10 minute walk from my house.
My lunch plate (clockwise from the top):
Turkey, roll, broccoli casserole, potato gunk, stuffing, and cranberry sauce (imported from  USA)
After lunch, we got to talk and fellowship with each other. The host and hostess are engineers working in facilities planning in Kijabe hospital (located next to CURE where I am stationed). The other family that was there is designing a house to build in Kijabe and the former are helping them with the floor plans. Anyway, all that to say, I got to see the plans and offer suggestions as to how to make the changes the family wanted. I guess once you get a taste of facilities planning you always enjoy dabbling in it from time to time. I really enjoyed talking shop with other engineers and eating cranberry sauce (Did I mention that it is one of my favorite holiday foods?)


At around 6 pm, I joined a large group of singles in the boardroom at CURE for Thanksgiving supper. 
My plate at supper:
Stuffing, vegetables, crescent rolls, turkey, chicken,
mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, and broccoli casserole 
I was stuffed after eating but the singles brought A LOT of food so we had lots of leftovers. We gave most of the leftovers to the people on night shift at CURE hospital. However, I am still eating leftovers from that meal (a week later). I have about two meals worth of potatoes left. 

This Thanksgiving was so different from last year's. This year, I got to celebrate Thanksgiving on Thursday. Last year, I was on a mobile clinic and couldn't celebrate until Saturday. Last year, I knew almost no one. Now, I know many. So many, in fact, that I had to turn some down.  

  • Worked my tail off in the department this week
The orthopedic department is already understaffed so if anyone technologist is out of the department for a day it creates problems. Well, on Wednesday, two technologists were out and Thursday, two technologists and a student were out. Because of this, I sat down for only about 10 minutes between 10 am and 5pm on Wednesday and on Thursday, I didn't leave the department until 8pm. I arrived back at the department today (Friday) at around 7:15 am. Thankfully, all the patients were seen and now I can write this update.

  • I have been taking care of a 6 month old puppy for the last week. My house is very small and I also have a cat for pest control. A friend in my Bible Study is visiting family in the USA and asked for volunteers to care for her puppy. Two other families volunteered to care for him during the last four weeks she is gone, so I volunteered to watch him the first week. I forgot how time consuming caring for a dog is! After the first 5 days, I found a system that works to care for him. However, my week is now over and now he moves to the next family. 

So there you have it, an outline of my life!

PRAYER & PRAISE

Praise
  • My Christmas shopping is done. All I need to do now is pack it up to send with  a friend going to the States for Christmas.
  • I received an unexpected donation from my home church that will enable me to meet a friend working in Rwanda for Christmas.
  • I got to talk with my family on Thanksgiving. 
  • I got to celebrate Thanksgiving on Thanksgiving Day!!!!!!!!!1

Requests
  • There is very little unity in the Orthopedic Department right now. One technologist is tattling on another. Blame is being passed back and forth. There is major under-staffing (which is probably part of what is causing the tension), especially during mobile clinic days. PLEASE PRAY for UNITY in the department.
  • I have a major decision to make in the coming months that I cannot go into detail about. God knows what it is and that's what is important. Please pray that I will have wisdom and discernment in this situation!
  • My emotions have been everywhere recently. Please pray that I would remain Christ honoring in all I say and do.
  • I am planning to fly to Rwanda on December 18th and then travel with my friend through Uganda and back to Kenya for Christmas. Please pray for us as we work out the details and pray for safety in travelling.