The Roller Coaster of Life

It has been too long since I last updated this blog. I got so focused on trying to put together my support letter for my next 2 year term with LIMBS International that my brain burned out. If any of you following this would like a copy of my letter and have not gotten one already, please let me know and I will email it to you.

A lot has happened since I last updated.

I got the opportunity to join the Local AIC Kijabe church on their annual missions trip to Amaya in East Pokot the last week of August. While there, I met a 12 year old boy named Kipilat. He was born with only one leg. His parents 

died when he was young and he has been passed from neighbor ever since. Because of his limited mobility and poverty, Kipilat has not had access to education until this year when the local east pokot church stepped in and enrolled him in preschool. Before I arrived, no one knew that anything could be done for the boy. After I told them about the LIMBS prosthesis, the boy was brought to CURE in Kijabe where we measured and fabricated a prosthetic leg just for him. By the end of September, Kipilat was walking on his own for the first time in his life!

Me and Risa's Mother and sisters

Part of my job is following up with patients using the LIMBS leg. Risa is a Maasai who lost his leg when he had an epileptic attack as a child and fell into the cooking fire. Traditionally, the Maasai are a nomadic people moving from place to place, caring for goats and cattle.If a man cannot walk, he cannot herd animals and therefore is a burden to the community. Many with physical disabilities are ignored by the community or hidden away. This was the case for Risa until he got his LIMBS prosthesis.
 You see, Risa sustained massive burns across his lower body and right side. Doctors were able to save his left leg. However, the knee is completely fused. Therefore, the only prosthetic option for Risa is a leg with a free moving joint and the LIMBS knee is not only a low cost free moving joint, but also works like a normal knee does, locking when loaded with weight. Once Risa started using this leg, he was able to rejoin his community. I finally got a chance to visit Risa in his homeplace. The community has given him some goats to care for and he watches over both his and his uncle’s animals. He cares for his mother and siblings just like any other oldest son would do. His mother and aunt presented me with a Maasai necklace. I felt VERY honored!

On September 21st, Westgate Mall, outside Nairobi, was attacked and held under siege for 3 days. On this particular weekend, I was in Kijabe looking after a couple children for a missionary family while their parents were away. I did not find out about the siege until they got home and turned on the television. For the next few days, most of us were glued to the television watching as the situation unfolded. Many ex-pats and missionaries frequent this mall so it hit everyone hard. Tension was high during the first hours of the siege as everyone called everyone else they know to make sure they were okay. Only two Kijabe-linked families were in Westgate Mall when the attack started, but both quickly escaped. After the siege was over, some tension was relieved but the attack left the country in shock. Clean-up has begun as lives are moving on. We are healing. Kenya has been wounded but not broken. Nowadays, extra vigilance is taken and many in Kijabe make sure that others know where they are going when leaving Kijabe. LIFE CONTINUES.

October was a busy month. The first week, I went to Malindi, on the coast of Kenya, for an Orthopedic Technology Conference.The only bus directly to Malindi is a night bus. So, because I was presenting on the first day of the conference, I left Kijabe a day early. The extra time allowed me to acclimate to the heat and humidity and spend some time with Orthopedic Technologists working in the Ministry of Health.  We visited the Malindi District Hospital, the beach, and had lunch at a local café. God’s provision was evident that day because this informal time with these top government people allowed me to get to know them better and even discuss the future of LIMBS in Kenya. The next few days of the conference were busy but went well. I returned to Kijabe after the conference on Friday so I could be back by Saturday when I was expecting a guest. WELL, I got sick. I was able to entertain a little, but slept most of the day. I spent the entire next Sunday in bed. The rest gave me enough strength to return to work on Monday. 

Then sorrow struck, a young translator friend of mine died suddenly from a pulmonary embolism. This young man was only 30 years old. He was working hard to make a difference in his poverty stricken community. His death hit everyone hard. I attended the funeral along with most of his community and some members of RVA (Rift Valley Academy, where he worked as a librarian). Everyone was emotional.

Time helps heal wounds and so have the last couple of weeks.

A few weekends ago, I went to visit a friend’s, Linda’s, family in Nairobi. She is a student at Kenya Medical Training College studying Orthopedic Technology. She is on attachment for 3 months at CURE. I really enjoyed spending time with her family. However, the entire weekend was overshadowed because my wallet was stolen. I lost my Kenyan ID, Credit Card, ATM Card, and some money. Thankfully, I will be back in the States at the end of November so I will only have to live without them for a few weeks. If it had to happen, now is the best time. God is in control so I don’t have to worry about it. God provides!

Two day Vacation

As I mentioned in my last post, I have been doing a lot of business travel recently with mostly disappointing results. Therefore, I decided I needed to get away for a couple of days to relax before I head to western Kenya on the 18th. It just so happens that a friend of mine is in Mombasa right now, so, on Thursday, I took a bus to visit her. In addition to the comfort of relaxing with a friend, the 80 something degree weather made a nice change to the "high of 60" weather here in Kijabe.

Mombasa is on the coast of Kenya along the Indian ocean. Although the city itself is built on an island, most of the surrounding coastal region is referred to as Mombasa. You may have heard in the news about turmoil in Mombasa. This unrest is not targeted at foreigners specifically, but at the Kenyan Government.

Have you ever heard of Texas pride? Well, that is the closest description I know to the attitudes of Mombasa natives. Like Texas, Mombasa has threatened on multiple occasions to separate from the rest of Kenya and the Mombasa culture is entirely different than everywhere else in Kenya. The people move slower, talk slower, socialize more, and in general take friendliness to a whole new level.

Yes, Mombasa has its problems like any other major city in the world. Almost all, if not all, major cities have areas to avoid at certain times, situations and things to watch out for, and safe & unsafe methods of transport.travel. As long as you know what to look out for and what to avoid, you are fine. My friend grew up in Mombasa and knows all about the city and surrounding area.

I was so excited!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I spent the first day of my vacation relaxing within earshot of the palm trees and the ocean and just reading. It was great to do nothing!! I cooked dinner that night and got lots of compliments from my friend and her friends. What an esteem builder!

Sukuma Wiki, a common Kenyan Dish made
with Kale/Spinach, tomatoes,  and garlic or onions.
Usually served over a starch or as a side dish.

Saturday, we moved to Mombasa itself and I went to a bakery, helped my hosts' son build a "tent" (made of towels, chairs, and a broom), and WENT SWIMMING!! I loved being in the water and working out in it, but I also realized just how out of shape I am. One lap and I was winded! Eventually, I built my endurance up a bit and got a great workout! By the end my legs were jelly, but I truly enjoyed my time in the water. One of the things I miss most about North Carolina is swimming. Growing up, I got to swim every summer as well as visit the ocean. In Texas, I got to play a bit in a pool once, but that was all. Kijabe is TOO cold to swim. I don't think the temperature ever rises much above 75 Fahrenheit here. Therefore, this trip to Mombasa was almost like paradise! The ocean, the heat, the pool, the company, etc.

I got back to CURE this morning and am leaving tomorrow for western Kenya until late Thursday night, but last week seems like months ago. I am emotionally, mentally, and physically refreshed. (Ok, so right now I am a little sleep deprived and ate something my body didn't like yesterday, but these are minor things compared to how I felt before.)

Me and the Mombasa Sunset

Prayer Items:

• I am headed to Kitale and Eldorat for a mobile clinic tomorrow. Please pray for travel mercies and for those we will minister to both physically and spiritually.
• My Alien Registration card is not ready yet. It is supposed to take 5 weeks to process, but it has already taken taken that long. This card serves as my legal ID in Kenya and until I get it, I have to carry my passport with me everywhere I go.
• I am discouraged about the LIMBS progress here in Kenya. Other than project sponsored patients, there have been no new patients fit with the LIMBS Knee this year. Pray for guidance!
• I am getting over a cold! Pray for healing!

PRAISE THE LORD!

• First, God allowed me to get involved with several missionaries (both long and short term) in Kijabe.
• MY COMPUTER IS FIXED!!!!!!!!!! Now I just need to find safe transport for it from the USA to Kenya!
• God provided the opportunity for me to travel to Mombasa to relax with a friend. AND, and added bonus, I had the best seat in the bus on the way there!

My view (in Nairobi) headed to Mombasa.

• I got to the bus station an hour and a half early and therefore, was able to enjoy a cup of tea and read my Bible for AN ENTIRE HOUR before the 8.5 hour bus ride! =) 
• God brought me safely from Mombasa back to Kijabe!
  

Full Circle

The Femural IM Nails I helped modify while at Cedarville.

This week I had the opportunity to travel to Tenwek Hospital near Bomet. Many of you may not know, but this is the hospital we partnered with during my senior design project, resizing and reverse engineering femoral Russel-Taylor nails.
My goal during this trip was to introduce the LIMBS Knee system to Tenwek. However, after discussing with the prosthetic in Tenwek, I realized that the hospital has a steady supply of donated prosthetic components and therefore the LIMBS Knee would be more expensive for patients instead of the free donated components. All was not lost though, I was able to see the finished modified Russell-Taylor Nails. This was important to me because inventorying and shortening the nails was my part of the senior design project and these nails were like my babies! I was almost brought to tears when I saw the results of my hard work; the use of the nails by those who need them most.

Me and Samuel, the person in charge of the
orthopedic implants at Tenwek.

God works in strange ways. While I was looking at the nails, a Japanese missionary nurse approached me and asked if I had had anything to do with modifying the nails. I told her I had, she asked if she could take my picture and went to get her camera. After she took several pictures on her IPad, we struck up a conversation. At the time, I didn’t understand why she had tears in her eyes. However, later, when she emailed the pictures to me she explained how much of an encouragement I had been to her. We had been talking about the challenges of organization in Kenya (and the hospitals in particular) and apparently she had just returned to find the extensive organization work she had done in the basement destroyed by a renovation project. When we were talking, I had no idea just how much my words of frustration about trying to keep things organized and my compliments on how organized the sterile storage room looked would mean to her at that moment. I am not by nature an encourager, but God knew this nurse really needed encouragement at that precise moment. All glory goes to GOD!

I stayed in Tenwek an extra day so I could catch a ride with someone leaving for Nairobi at 5am on Thursday.  Therefore, I spent the day sorting and inventorying prosthetic components for Tenwek’s Rehab Department.

Some of the organized prosthetic components
(and rotary grinder on right).

Prosthetic Department at Tenwek.
(That is a standard size oven)

Bright and early on Thursday morning, we left for Nairobi. By 8:30 am I had been dropped in Mai Mahu (which translated means “Hot Water”), the town below Kijabe and was awaiting a piki-piki (motorbike) to carry me up the hill. By 9am, I was back in Kijabe and working at CURE Hospital. That evening I made a cake for a friend and attended praise team rehearsal.

Friday, I went into Nairobi to meet with a patient. The meeting didn’t work out but I did get to meet an incredible missionary couple transitioning between ministry locations.

It had been a busy week, but a fulfilling one.

Prayer Requests

• There is a terrible cold virus going around Lower Station, Kijabe. Please pray that those who have caught the virus will get better quickly.
• My support is low. Please pray for God's provision.
• Please pray for my work here. I have been in Kenya almost 2 years now and yet I am still working on a project that was supposed to take 6 months and only a handful of patients have even used the LIMBS Knee. Please pray that I will know what to do and how to do it.
• Because of the frustrations mentioned in the previous request, I have bee feeling discouraged. Please pray for my emotional stability and moods. \
• I am planning to visit the USA in November-December. Please pray that the details would be ironed out.

Praises

• Praise God I have my voice back. I have had a cold for the last two and a half weeks and the incident with the policeman (refer to previous post) caused me to lose my voice. I was frustrated at not being able to sing, but now I can again!
• Praise God for providing transportation for my trips this week and safety while I was travelling.
• Praise God for Missionary Friends and community.
• Praise God for my cat, Tiger. He provides my with companionship, but also keeps away the vermin. 
• Praise God for faithful supporters who support me and the ministry both in prayer and finances.

When I am Weak, HE is strong!

Last Friday I had an anxiety attack in Nairobi.

Now, before you arrange/demand my immediate return to the USA, let me explain.

Thursday evening, I was asked to accompany a missionary and his Kenyan secretary to Nairobi for propriety sake. Since there was not much for me to do in Kijabe on Friday, I agreed to go.

I did not sleep well Thursday night because of incessant nightmares. But all the same, I got up Friday morning and went about my business until the three of us left for Nairobi.

The morning was uneventful, he had a meeting so she and I hung out in the food court at the shopping center.  she had a dentist appointment after lunch so we were free until then. I got a little work done on my (temporary) laptop and we walked around a bit. Nothing really exciting.

After lunch, the secretary went to her appointment and the missionary and I went to find a fuse for my converter. After an hour of unsuccessfully searching for the right fuse. We headed back to the shopping center to pick up the secretary.

WELL, then things happened. A policeman waved us over to the side of the road (aka. Our car got pulled over by the policeman.) right outside the shopping center. The policeman told us that we had turned without signalling. (We had signaled, but you never argue outright with a Kenyan Policeman.) He was going to charge us with reckless driving, an offense carrying a fine of over $1,000. He told us we "could finish this right here" and not go to court if we paid him. However, as a missionary, God calls us to follow and obey Him and bribery is wrong, not to mention illegal in Kenya. The missionary (He was driving) told the officer that he was a missionary and would not do anything that would bring shame on someone, even in the appearance of paying a bribe. The policeman told us that we would have to go down to the courthouse and that the missionary would be locked up until he could pay the fine. The missionary said "whatever it takes, do what you have to do."  Neither of us had ever met a policeman who was SO insistent on a bribe!
Well, the officer left the window and said he needed to speak with his supervisor.

So, the last paragraph describes the facts. Here is my side. When I see the policeman wave us over, I wonder what is going on. When he leans in my window, 6 inches from my face, I get nervous. When he explains why he pulled us over, I start getting anxious. 100,000 Kenyan Shillings (over $1,000) is A LOT OF MONEY! When the officer starts pushing for a bribe, I get lightheaded and pale. Did I mention his radio at full volume was right beside my ear? I tried to lean my seat back, the officer reacted. I explained about the radio and he turned it off and I sat back up. As the policeman continued to hassle and push for a bribe, I continued to lose my sense of reality and almost passed out once. When the officer left to "speak with his supervisor", I leaned back my seat and before I could stop it had an almost full-blown anxiety attack, in the car, in front of the missionary. I was SOOOOOO embarrassed! The harder I tried to stop it, the worse it got!

I don't exactly know what happened next, but the car started moving and the policeman was gone.

I finally caught my breath and asked the missionary to pray with me and then I was able to calm down. The missionary explained what had happened during my attack and the policeman's reaction. When the missionary saw that I was having an anxiety attack, he felt sorry for me, but thought "this is perfect." He told me I should have seen the look on the policeman's face when he saw me shaking and screaming and asked if I was okay. When the missionary answered no, the policeman told us we could go.

By the time we had found a parking space at the shopping center, I had regained my calm though physically drained. The missionary even had me laughing about the whole situation!

Since the day was hot, I decided to go into the shopping center and help the missionary get the groceries he needed. Thank goodness for shopping carts! They make great walkers when you feel weak!!!!!!! hehe!

The moral of all this is that God uses even the most scary and embarrassing things to His glory! God used one of my biggest weaknesses to show HIS power in getting us out of a potentially horrible situation. Not all police in Kenya are corrupt, but God took care of us when we met this corrupt one.

1 Thessalonians 5: 18 says to "give thanks in all circumstances." Well, I guess that means I should give thanks for my anxiety attacks! I may do my best to control my anxiety and emotions, but I have to be willing to let God use them for His Glory in His Time.

PS. I lost my voice from the screaming.

More on my life soon....

Trust

Why is trusting SO hard?

How many times has God come through for me and yet I still struggle to trust Him entirely?

It is so much easier sometimes to try and take control yourself, especially when God is not working in your timing.

Being in Kenya has shown me a lot about trust and where it should or shouldn't be placed. There is a saying that goes, "once injured, twice shy." That describes me pretty well in terms of trusting. Unfortunately, I also struggle with generalizing and therefore, if someone breaks my trust, anyone I met at around the same time or in the same situation suffers from that breach of confidence.

Case 1:
Setting: My house
Situation: The contents of my first aid kit and some money are missing
Characters: Two young kenyan ladies from different families

Neither of them admits to taking the money or the first aid supplies. So, in an effort to be fair, neither are allowed any more into my house without close supervision.

That should be the end, right? But no, since my trust in them is broken, my trust in their entire family and their friends is threatened. I have become overly suspicious of anyone entering my home. I struggle to trust even those I know are trustworthy and have an excellent reputation in Kijabe. WHY?

What is trust? Can you trust someone only partially? OR Does it mean that you have full and entire confidence in that person?

Case 2:
Setting: My life
Characters: God and me
Situation: My problems, struggles, and seemingly impossible obstacles

God saw fit to bring me into a personal relationship with Him very early in my life. As I grew older, he taught me more about what it means to be a Christian and how to follow Him. Only by His Grace and help did I make it through my adolescent years. He called me to serve him in missions and then provided me with ways to follow His Calling. God has worked out situations at the last minute, but in His Timing. He supernaturally orchestrated my arrival and ability to work and live in Kenya.

So, if He has come through and worked out SO MANY things in my life thus far, WHY OH WHY do I struggle to trust Him when my computer breaks?

Here's the story:
When my parents came out to Kenya last summer, they brought me over a new laptop because my old one no longer worked. It was supposed to be the toughest computer out there. Within the first few months the back USB port stopped working. Then, a second USB port stopped working with my modem. Now, within the last month, my final USB port started having problems. I have one month left on my warranty, so I called the technical support number.

Another missionary friend had also spoken to the tech support from this company and had warned me of the connection difficulties I might have.

However, when I called and was transferred to the right person, the whole call took less than 15 minutes! And that was even with being put on hold a couple of times!

1 point for God!

In the past, when I have called technical services for my computers, the person is Indian, Asian, or Hispanic, and while I have no problem/issue with any of these people as human beings or people, sometimes understanding them is difficult because of phone connection quality and accent. Imagine my surprise and delight when the man on the other end had a deep southern accent! What I blessing! I could understand every word he said. (Though we had to repeat ourselves a couple of times because of the internet connection.)

2 points for GOD!

This all happened on Wednesday night. All day Wednesday, I had been trying to back up my computer so I wouldn't lose any information when I sent it back to the computer company. Three time the back up had crashed. After talking with Technical support, I started the backing up the computer a fourth time and began worrying that I would never get a full back-up. Why was I worried? Hadn't God already come through for me twice just that day?

I found out that there were three ladies leaving on Thursday and one of these said she was willing to take the computer. Now, if only I could get the computer to backup itself.

Tic-toc, tic-toc. It's past 10 pm and I am still waiting for the back up to finish. It's at 64%. I use the time to talk to my family and a couple friends over the internet. Tic-toc, tic-toc. It is 11:15pm. I am falling asleep, but the back up successfully completed. Praise the LORD!

3 points for GOD!

I left the computer with the guard at CURE because I had to meet the 5am bus from Kijabe to Nairobi on Thursday and didn't know if I would be back in time to get the computer to the lady who volunteered to carry it.

Well, Thursday morning came too fast. I caught the bus (which was early), we hit minimal traffic, and it dropped me off much closer to my connecting station then I expected. The connecting bus filled quickly and I arrived at my destination an hour earlier than expected. Wonderful! Things were moving smoothly!

4 points God!

Now, by this point you should see that God has been providing for me in SO many ways over the last 15 hours and I should be trusting him to get me through the next 15, right?

Well, the Bible says, "The testing of your faith produces perseverance."

Enter testing. The lady who was going to carry my computer started having second thoughts. Once I finished what I needed to do in Nairobi, I hurried back to Kijabe. Half and hour before I arrived, I got a call from the lady saying that she couldn't take it. Now, what was I going to do? No one else from Lower Station Kijabe (where I live and work) was going to the States until mid June and that was too late.

But why was I worrying?
Hadn't God worked things out so far?
Where was my trust?
I know in my heart, but my head isn't following!

I arrived back in Kijabe, picked up my computer and prayed.
Then, it hit me, "What about RVA?"
I quickly called and found out that someone was leaving that very day for the US and might be willing to carry it for me. I tried calling the places the guy might be, but to no avail.So, since I needed to go up to RVA anyway, I picked up my computer and bags and headed up to the school (RVA). I met my Missionary friend, the one who recently sent his computer to the States for repair, and he helped me track down the departing missionary, Lamar. Lamar was very willing to carry the computer and it also gave him an excuse to purchase one of the snazzy RVA computer bags for his computer in the States! (He preferred this option over taking my bag and then having to send it to my parents.) He left last night and my computer is safely on its way to the US. This is an even better situation than the one that fell through before!!!!!

Now, why was I SO WORRIED? Why can I trust God with the big things like salvation from eternal punishment, yet I struggle to trust Him in the little things like getting a computer over the ocean in time for it to be repaired?

GOD ALWAYS PROVIDES! Why do I worry?

I think I need some supernatural help in trusting those who deserve it!

God Bless!

An Anchor in the storm

Hello Family and Friends!
The last few weeks have been not only busy, but also, very emotionally draining. The first week I travelled and house sitted. Last week, I was representing CURE International and LIMBS International at a christian health Conference. However, during this time three people I knew went to be with the LORD.


Ok, so let's started with the week of April 15th.

• On Tuesday, I spent the day in Nairobi interviewing 2 patients, helping 3 patients learn to walk correctly and then filming them. Then in the afternoon, I had a long meeting with the medical training college across the street from the hospital to talk about the possibility of them hosting a training workshop for LIMBS. I left at 7am in the morning and didn’t get back until 7 pm in the evening.
• Wednesday, a patient was supposed to come to be evaluated for the LIMBS system above knee prosthesis, but she never showed up.
• Thursday was by far my longest day. I accompanied the CURE mobile team to Embu because I needed to meet a patient/client there. We left Kijabe at 5 am and didn’t get back until 8:30 pm. I did get to see the patient and do what I needed to with him and after that I helped around the mobile clinic. One of the things CURE doctors do at mobile clinic is tenotamies (where they cut the Achilles tendon in order to enable it to lengthen and the foot to have better range of motion) on infants with clubfoot that is being treated by serial casting. Some mothers are fine holding their child during this 5 minute procedure, but yesterday the mother looked like she might pass out when the doctor explained what they were going to do to her child. For once, I could see she was very uncomfortable so I offered to hold the baby and let her sit outside. As I held the baby while the doctor and his assistants prepared, the baby promptly peed on the sheet on my lap under him! Go figure! I guess I bring out the best in everyone! The tenotamy went well and the child’s leg was casted in the corrected position. The hardest thing for me when holding a child that is undergoing a tenotamy is feeling the Achilles tendon snap. The feeling is a little freaky. Since Embu is about 4 hours away, when we left at around 4pm I knew we wouldn’t get into Kijabe until after dark. When I got back to the house it felt like midnight! However, it was only 8:30 so I took care of my evening responsibilities and tried to watch a movie. Bad Idea! I fell asleep halfway through!

I addition to my other responsibilities this week, I was house-sitting for a missionary family on vacation. This basically just requires me to feed their 5 cats and lock the youngest two in the storeroom at night. I were kind enough to let me stay in their house when I wanted/needed to this week and that has been a big blessing because they live halfway between my house and CURE so the distance to work is half. All my transportation this week has left from the hospital compound so being that much closer allowed me to sleep more than I could have if I stayed at my house. (For example, yesterday, I was able to sleep until 4am instead of 3:30am, etc.)

• Friday, I spent the morning in the house so I could focus on my write ups and admin work. The noise at the workshop makes it hard at times to write up a patient’s story/profile.

I wish I could say that was all that happened that week, but it wasn't. On Monday, I found out that one of my hallmates in college lost her father to cancer. This made me sad and caused me to start prayer for her and the rest the the grieving family. On Wednesday, an AIM missionary and friend of mine, Martha Pontier, had to be admitted to the hospital with a fever of 104 F. I found out on Thursday that another missionary friend of mine in Texas, Joe Comroe, went to be with LORD after fighting the effects of "Agent Orange" for the last several years. Friday, Martha seemed to be getting better, but by Saturday she had to be moved to a hospital room with Oxygen. Sunday morning she was in ICU. AIM worked as hard and fast as they could to get her medi-vacted to South Africa, but to no avail. Sunday night she was moved from Mombasa to a hospital in Nairobi. I got a call right after lunch on Monday, April 23rd, that Martha was in the arms of Jesus. Her illness had lasted 5 days from beginning to end!

Did I mention that this missionary was the sister to the missionaries whose house I was watching?

SO, in the course of a week I lost 3 people I knew. Each one hitting closer to home and more abrupt than the one before. I had only met my hallmate's Dad once, but I knew her VERY well. Joe and I both worked at Missionary TECH during my time in Texas and I got to know him and his family well. But as I said before, he had been suffering the effects of exposure to "agent orange" used in the Vietnam War for several years so his death by cancer was to be expected. Then, there was Martha. I first met her a couple months ago when I visited Mombasa. Then, I had gotten to know her even better when she came to Kijabe to stay with her niece and nephew while their parents, her sister and brother-in-law, were in India on business. The suddenness of her death hit me hard. In fact, I was looking forward to possibly meeting her again last week when I was down in Mombasa helping out her sister and niece with some organizing and renovations down there. 

Our exhibit table at the CHAK Conference

Then, there was this last week. Since Martha's illness, my trip to Mombasa had been cancelled. However, I was told Monday morning that the hospital (AIC-Cure International Children's Hospital) wanted me to represent them (and LIMBS International) at an exhibit booth during the annual CHAK (Christian Health Association of Kenya) conference in Limuru, about a half hour from Kijabe, starting Tuesday morning. This was definitely something orchestrated by God. When my trip to Mombasa didn't work out, HE filled my time with something else to keep my mind off the deaths of two dear friends. And you know, God even enabled me to stay calm in the midst of all the disorganization during the conference? The late nights and early mornings forced me to sleep at night and not think to much about the sorrows. The conference ended Thursday afternoon and I was exhausted! After a half hour accidental nap, I went to praise team rehearsal as scheduled, then, returned to my house and slept. 

Friday, I spent the day waiting for and building wheelchairs for someone who was supposed to pick them up, but never showed. 

"We interrupt this dialogue with a weather update." 

 "Due to the heavy rains this week and the tremendous rainfall last night [Friday], the tunnel leading to Kijabe is blocked and mud/landslides have blocked many parts of the only major access road to Kijabe and her hospitals"

This is the main road into Kijabe and yes, that is a full sized
railroad pylon at the men's feet!
(about a mile from the railroad and tunnel)

Full-sized tree swept down the hill into the middle of the
main road.

In front of the church. If you blow up the picture, you can
just see the the church gate to the right of the red motorcycle
and the church sign on the ground behind the two fallen trees.

This WAS the RVA fenceline! Everything is wiped
out from here to the gate.

The tunnel before it was cleared.

Above the tunnel/the railroad tracks!
The water went OVER the tunnel/railroad tracks!

The road directly after the tunnel /railroad bridge.

Another landslide blocking the road.

"Now back to your dialogue."

Judy and Me

As mentioned above, Friday nights heavy rain caused mudslides, landslides, and a flash flood that essentially cut Kijabe off from the outside world and on the one Saturday I HAD TO go to Nairobi. I was going to meet a friend that I had not seen in close to a decade and Saturday was our only chance to meet before she returned to Western Kenya to teach. Well, where there is a will there's a way! Since the tunnel was blocked I walked up the hill over the railroad tracks over the tunnel (about a mile) and caught a ride on the other side to Limuru and then on to Nairobi. I had a wonderful visit with my friend, Judy, and by the time I returned to Kijabe, the tunnel was clear and I was able to get transportation all way down to Kijabe. A long day, but it was worth it. 

Yesterday was Martha's funeral. Nine of her friends from Mombasa were able to make it to Kijabe to attend. Martha was the manager of Amani Acres, a retreat area for missionaries to escape their hectic lives and relax. Martha was loved by practically everyone she met and therefore many are devastated by her suddeen death. The funeral was full of stories about her hospitality, generosity, and love for Christ. Many of us in Kijabe prayed that the rains would hold off until after the funeral and God answered. The rain did not start until after the final shovel of dirt was laid on the grave! However, it was hard to see Martha being buried and her mother, who traveled all the way from the US for the funeral, was unable to stand in her grief and had her eldest son stand for her to do the necessary things. PLEASE KEEP THIS FAMILY IN YOUR PRAYERS!

Now is a new week and I have more time to think.

Prayer Requests:

• For those grieving the loss of loved ones. Not only the ones mentioned above but also for the family that lost three children in Friday night's mud/landslide.
• Pray for me as I grieve. Losing two people I am close to in one week is hard and this week not as much is going on and I will have more time to think.
• I am trying to arrange a training seminar on the LIMBS knee for sometime this summer. Please pary that the details would work out. 
• Pray for those affected by the landslide, mud slides, and flash floods here in Kijabe. This is the worst mudslide and flooding Kijabe has had since anyone can remember. Several homes have either been entirely washed away or filled with mud. 
• Please pray that interest in the LIMBS knee would pick up and that these legs can get to those who need them most. 

Praises:

• God gave me and those with me safety during our travels.
• Praise God that Martha's Family was in Mombasa when she got sick and were able to be with her during her entire illness.
• Praise God for keeping my house and my neighbors safe during the flooding. 

1 Timothy 4:12

I realize this is out of order but I wanted to share it anyway.

I help teach AWANA at the local church here in Kijabe on Sunday afternoons. At the beginning of this year, the church started holding prayer meetings on Sunday afternoons for the upcoming elections in March. These prayer meetings started an hour after AWANA did so none of the other leaders could ever attend the meetings.

On Sunday March 2nd, the day before the elections, my phone service provider was acting up.  Any texts messages I received were delayed several hours. I arrived at AWANA on time, listened to the verses the children had memorized during the week, and then started game time. Only I and one other leader were there. However, as I was leading games, two other leaders showed up and told me that they had tried to text me that they had cancelled AWANA so they could attend at least one election prayer meeting. This obviously had been a DIVINE miscommunication because we already had many children at AWANA. The other leaders suggested that we just send the kids home, however, God gave me another idea. If it was so important for the AWANA leaders to go and pray for the elections, why not demonstrate the importance of prayer by having our own prayer meeting?

So while the other leader attended the prayer meeting, I divided the kids (ages toddler to 8th grade) into groups with at least 1 or 2 7th or 8th graders in each group to lead. Every group had a different aspect of the election to pray for. One prayed for the presidential race, one prayed for the numerous other races to would be voted on the following day, one group prayed for peace during the election, and  another prayed for peace after the election. Once I made sure each group knew what they were praying for, the groups each went to a different part of the field (where we hold AWANA) to pray. I cannot describe the joy I felt watching these young ones pray for their country. The adults of the church may have thought that these children were too young to participate in prayers, but God didn't. The leaders of each group made sure everyone in the group had a chance to pray, even the preschoolers. After all the group had finished prayer, we gathered back together for a final prayer and release the children to go home 15 minutes early.

God definitely had His Hand in the events of that day. He caused the text message cancelling AWANA to be delayed for several hours so I would be at AWANA that day. He gave me the idea to hold our own prayer meeting. He caused there to be the perfect number of 7th and 8th graders to lead the prayer groups and HE enabled even the youngest children to focus and concentrate for a full half hour during the prayers.

I was blessed and I hope this story blesses you as well!

Prayer Requests and Praises April 2013

Praises

• My travels went safely
• The Kenyan Elections went peacefully
• I am making more missionary friends
• My brother got engaged to his long time girlfriend!!!!!!!!!!!!! =)

Prayer Requests

• My emotions have been all over the place. Please pray for clarity and control.
• I feel like I am in that stage of culture shock where everything foreign is suspect. Please pray that I will have a positive attitude and patience.
• I have been told that I am pushing some people too hard. Please pray that I might have patience and show kindness when handling difficult people and stressful situations.
• Please pray for LIMBS relationship with the main government hospital in Kenya. The hospital  have been dragging their feet for over a year now, yet when you talk to the Head of the Department (HOD), he seems enthusiastic about the project and continued partnership with LIMBS International.
• Please pray for my mood. I have been down a lot recently.
• I am starting to make plans for going to the US at the end of this year. Please pray that things will go smoothly and that I find cheap airline tickets.
• Please pray for my Grandma who isn't feeling well.
• Please pray for my friend Nancy and her family. Her brother died last Thursday and they buried him today.

Its Raining, Its Pouring....

Welcome to the rainy season in Kenya! During this time of year you do your laundry any sunny day possible because no one knows when the next one will be. Last year, it took a week for my shoes to mostly dry.

The last few months we been busy! CURE Hospital (where i am stationed) closes two weeks before Christmas every year so shortly before Christmas, I visited a friend in Rwanda and we spent a couple days by some beautiful waterfalls in Uganda.

We came back to Kenya and two days later she left to visit another friend while I spent Christmas day in Kenya for the first time in my life. I visited friends and rested.

In Kenya, very little business happens after the second week in December so I basically had time off. In January, the country starts moving again and this year that included lots of politics! This is an election year for Kenya. Since the last elections in 2007 resulted in extreme violence, all missionaries were encouraged to stock up on necessary supplies in case we needed to stay in our houses for an extended time.

Praise the LORD there was minimal violence following the March 4th election and following court cases. In Kenya, if you want to contest an election result you take it to the supreme court and they will consider the evidence and make a decision. The presidential runner-up did take the results to court, but encouraged all Kenyans to remain peaceful. Easter Saturday, the supreme court announced that the results were valid and the winner was announced! PRAISE THE LORD there has been minimal violence!

I apologize about the sporadic nature of my posts. Sometimes, I sit down to write and get writer's block. Other times, I am so busy and stressed that I just forget.

Life is going fairly well. I am experiencing lots of what I feel is spiritual warfare. Work is going slow, but somethings are getting done.

LIKE......




THE  LOCAL KNEE HAS THE KEBS CERTIFICATION MARK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is so exciting because, as you know, I have been working on this for over a year!



In February, I finally got the chance to travel to Mombasa. It is like another country! The air is hot and humid. People walk at half the speed of those in other parts of Kenya and time is laid back. Mombasa was not part of Kenya before Kenya gained its independence. Mombasa originally belonged to the Amman but was included in the country after the British pulled out. Because of this, many natives of Mombasa do not consider themselves part of Kenya. This segregation is further intensified by the Kenyan Governments disregard for the area when it comes to allotting finances for development and infrastructure. The area is beautiful but there is a major shortage of fresh water. My reasons for travelling there were both business and pleasure. I needed to meet a LIMBS contact down there and see the facilities available for making prostheses. I spent half a Friday meeting with this individual and touring their facilities. They are the best I have seen in Kenya since I arrived. The rehabilitation Center even has a school for children who have to stay as inpatients for rehabilitation.

After finishing my business work, a friend of mine showed me around Mombasa and the Old Town Area. The view is beautiful from the wall by Fort Jesus.

We spent Friday night and Saturday on the coast and I got to go swimming in the ocean for the first time in three years! It felt SO GREAT! Ok, so I did have to watch out for sea urchins and be careful of riptides, but it was fun. I only wish I had my mask so I could see the fish better.

I really enjoyed the trip and was encouraged by the enthusiasm of my contact there.

February is also the month of my birth. I spent my birthday travelling to Meru with the CURE Mobile clinic. When my co-worker found out it was my birthday, he offered to go to the store and buy a cake. WELL, the icing on Kenyan cakes can be harder than rock. See my attempt to cut it below.

I eventually did get it cut open, but it gave us a good laugh! We even considered using the cast cutter if we had to!

After that trip, it was time to stay close to home in preparation for the elections. Even though the elections went peacefully, there was no guarantee of that peace beforehand. We had to be prepared for the worst because if things did get violent, we needed to be prepared.

Like I said before, the elections were peaceful.

I celebrated Easter with another missionary family and relaxed in the afternoon. I never thought Lamb and potatoes could taste SO good!

Life is settling back down to normal now.

Unfortunately, the stress has also gotten to me. For the last couple of weeks I have been stressed out trying to come up with a strategic plan for LIMBS in Kenya, pushing for progress in the assessment, and bridging the gap between Kenya and Texas.

In the week before Easter, I spent all-day Tuesday and part of Wednesday working from my house because I was afraid I might have an emotional breakdown.

I am not sure what is going on with me, whether it is hormones, stress, spiritual warfare, or a combination of all of them.

Some members of my family have told me just to return to the USA, but I know God has called me here and  you will have trials and struggles no matter where you are. Plus, I am NOT a quitter. God will provide.

Prayer Requests and Praises are coming in the next post.....