Till The Stars Appear

So, I have one week left and this past week there has not been much for us to do-so very frustrating. I hate slow days because I get bored really easily. I was able to convince one of my teammates and an intern from Ghana to go on a walk at night....we were out too late and the intern got in trouble. Ugh! I'm dying staying in one place and not being able to go and explore. Since being out here I've realized how independent I really am. I am looking forward to going off to places on my own once back home.
I don't have much else to share....sorry!

As I've said before I've read many books while out here, and I just finished a book on Amy Carmichael who was a missionary to India. She wrote a poem that I really wanted to share.

MAKE US THY LABOURERS,
LET US NOT DREAM OF EVER LOOKING BACK,
LET NOT OUR KNEES BE FEEBLE, HANDS BE SLACK,
O MAKE US STRONG TO LABOUR, STRONG TO BEAR,
FROM THE RISING OF THE MORNING TILL THE STARS APPEAR.

MAKE US THY WARRIORS,
ON WHOM THOU CANST DEFEND TO STAND THE BRUNT
OF ANY PERILOUS CHARGE ON ANY FRONT,
GIVE TO US SKILL TO HANDLE SWORD AND SPEAR
FROM THE RISING OF THE MORNING TILL THE STARS APPEAR.

NOT FAR FROM US, THOSE STARS,
UNSEEN AS ANGELS AND YET LOOKING THROUGH
THE QUIET AIR, THE DAY'S TRANSPARENT BLUE.
WHAT SHALL WE KNOW, AND FEEL, AND SEE, AND HEAR
WHEN THE SUNSET COLOURS KINDLE AND THE STARS APPEAR?

-AMY CARMICHAEL

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Tenwek

Journal Entry 7-13-10

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Visiting Tenwek Hospital

Today we left for Tenwek, we got to see the hospital here and it was amazing! We had to wait for around 30mins for a Doctor to show us around the facilities. He came and told us the history of the hospital and shared some of his experiences working; he was a great man. As we were walking around I was thinking if I could be able to work in a setting such as this-it would take some transitioning but I think I could adjust. The hospital is one of the best clinics around and they have so many wards compared to all the other places. The hospital really encourages praying with each of the patients, there motto is: "We Treat, Jesus Heals." Each doctor and nurse does the best they can do in treating the patients but sometimes all the best medicine and knowledge are still not enough. The doctor explained to us that this is a compassion hospital, "We don't just take care of their physical needs but there spiritual as well." "We prepare individuals for heaven while working here," said the doctor.

"We Treat, Jesus Heals"

The boys grabbed lunch while me and MB headed out to the yard to journal. While we were waiting for the guys to finish up a young boy who was sunning himself next to his father on the grass came over to us. The father kept redirecting his frail and sick son away from us, the father assumed we didn't want anything to do with his child. He was wrong. I noticed this boy a few times throughout our tour of the hospital and I wondered what sickness he had. I motioned for the boy to come over and sit next to us and he marched on over. His father started laughing and took a seat next to his son.The boy was extremely malnourished and had sores around his mouth and neck. The boy was so content in sitting next to me, it was great! I wanted to communicate so bad with this boy and his father but because of the language difference we couldn't. Luckily, a random man stopped by who knew English and he was able to translate a little of the boys story for us. The man told us that the boy was 8 yrs old (he looked as if he was 4 yrs of age) and had been at Tenwek hospital for an entire year. All he could say about his condition was that he had stomach problems and was not able to eat for some period of time before his admittance. This poor child looked like he was in so much pain-luckily, they said he had improved immensely since being at the hospital. Thank goodness!

We got to hike down to their waterfall which generates all of their electricity, I was glad for the chance to be outside around trees and water. It was my highlight for the week.

Some kids we found while hiking to the waterfall-
They loved holding our hands while we walked.

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The Death of a Chaco

7-09-10
I have the saddest story to tell-
Me and MB walked into town to purchase a few items and when we got back my feet were caked with dirt, filthy! I decided to soak/wash my feet and after they were clean I proceeded to wash my chacos. As I was placing my sandals outside to dry I had a vision of something happening to them- I shrugged the thought off and went back inside to read. A few hours later I was heading to the outhouse and as I was passed my sandals on the way out I noticed one of them was missing, I became frantic. I saw a dog nearby and marched in that direction. On my way over I found my chaco, the back strap chewed all the way through. I was pissed. As I picked up my sandal the dog came over and started growling. I waved my sandal at her and shouted, "Bad Dog!" I wanted to hit the dog but thought I shouldn't...I hurried back inside before the dog wanted to chew through me. When I got back inside I started doing some deep breathing and pacing-thoughts of, "What will I do for the next 2 1/2 weeks in Africa?" "I really don't want to start the homeschool trend of tennis shoes and skirts." After a few minutes I collected myself and grabbed for the tape and proceeded to tape the straps together...I don't know how long it will last because of all of the dirt but hopefully it will get me back to the states.
When I told my story to the team they laughed a little too hard in my opinion. I am trying my best to be positive but it has been hard. I'm learning lots out here. Ha!
After the ordeal me and MB made a veggie lasagna with homemade rolls. I have decided that anyone can cook in the states, the real test is cooking in another country. I'm getting better at my baking/cooking skills but the food never looks appealing. I'm all for presentation....at least it taste goods....kinda. Ha!

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3 days

Since returning to the bush I have tried my best to adjust again to bucket baths and an outhouse....it's not bad but I'm missing the little luxuries of running water.

7-06-10
I was in the lab observing some tech guys taking blood and testing patients for various diseases. It has been really good to watch and ask many questions about their way of testing. Two patients that came in was a 4 yr old boy and his 7 yr old sister. There was an older woman who accompanied them, she seemed to really care for the kids. I was so impressed at the kids for not crying and making a huge fuss while they were drawing the blood. I found out that the children were orphans, both their parents had died from AIDS and both of them were dealing with the disease. I can't imagine the pain they must be going through. They are so young and facing some huge struggles and they have much more to face. I hate hearing stories such as that and be able to do anything, I have continued to pray about them and the many other children who are suffering through the exact same thing.
Each of us has extra money to spend on a "special project," there is no program for HIV kids set up at the clinic yet. I would love to spend my money on these kids but I am still praying as to what should be the best and most productive area to put the money towards.

7-07-10
Today I joined another team in going to a girl's school and teaching about sex education. This culture doesn't talk or educate on sex (not saying the states does a good job but at least it is discussed a little more). There were around 150 girls present and all of them new about condoms but were not educated about them at all. The team goes out and teaches on abstinence but they also talk on the use of condoms. I was thankful. In my opinion having sex is not something you can control. Most of the girls are either bribed for sex by male teachers in exchange for good grades, some have been raped, and some have sex because they want to. In this culture women don't have any rights and are told or forced to do many things, education is crucial for them to not to get pregnant or contract an STD. The team offers a yearly course to every school they attend, they encourage the school to administer the program to further educate the children. I was impressed by the course and was glad to be part of it. I had so many girls ask me, "condoms are safe, right? I won't get an STD or get pregnant if I use one, right?" We answered as many questions as we could. After our 6 hr session I was wondering how many girls were feeling overwhelmed by the information we were giving out or how many of them felt guilty from past decisions or rapes. The families don't talk on this topic and the schools aren't being educated on this....who provides moral support and counseling for these girls? I was really sad to find out all of this and am still figuring everything out.

7-08-10
Me and Josh went on another mobile clinic...we saw more pregnant women and babies. It was good. While out there we met another team of Americans, they were in Kenya for two months working in the schools. They slept in tents the entire time, I can't imagine! I really have it good. Ha! I love meeting new people and seeing/hearing how God is working through them. It was great.

"Do I really dare to let God be to me all that He say He will be?"

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Good Reminder

I've been reading Oswald Chamber's My Utmost For His Highest every morning and I love how God allows you to read something at just the right time. I read this a few weeks ago but I thought I'd share anyways.

"He is a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief." Isaiah 53:3

We are not "acquainted with grief" in the same way our Lord was acquainted with it. We endure it and live through it, but we do not become intimate with it. At the beginning of our lives we do not bring ourselves to the point of dealing with the reality of sin. We look at life through the eyes of reason and say that if a person will control his instincts, and educate himself, he can produce a life that will slowly evolve into the life of God. But as we continue on through life, we find the presence of something which we have not yet taken into account, namely, sin- and it upsets all of our thinking and our plans. Sin has made the foundation of our thinking unpredictable, uncontrollable, and irrational.
We have to recognize that sin is a fact of life, not just a shortcoming. Sin is blatant mutiny against God, and either sin or God must die in my life. The New Testament brings us right down to one issue- if sin rules in me, God's life in me will be killed; if God rules in me, sin in me will be killed. There is nothing more fundamental than that. The culmination of sin was the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, and what was true in the history of God on earth will also be true in your history and in mine-that is, sin will kill the life of God in us. We must mentally bring ourselves to terms with this fact of sin. It is the only explanation why Jesus Christ came to earth, and it is the explanation of the grief and sorrow of life.

I keep re-reading this section-it's a great reminder. Sin is still present. It has been and will continue to be until Jesus Christ returns. Sin is seen in my life, the Maasai, my family, in the states-it's everywhere! God demands that I strive to be pure and virtuous even though sin is present. "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God." I am not some special person created in heaven, but a sinner saved by grace.

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Summary of past month

I am half-way done with my internship and I can't believe it! As I look back over my journal entries I see God revealing Himself to me in ways I was not expecting. God allowed me to be present in various situations that I had no clue I would be placed in- through the journal entries you see my gut response. I can't say all my responses are right, actually I know they aren't. I am a stubborn person who tends to use absolutes, e.g. all men are lazy beings. I am not claiming to be perfect or always right but I am honest. I won't sugar-coat my feelings, they're real-good and bad. I pray you will see a girl who loves God and is trying her best to follow Him with all her heart. I do want to say that everything I am learning is due to God but also those God used to send me here- thank you to everyone who either supported me financially and/or who are praying for me through the duration of this internship. I can't express my gratitude enough!
There are a few prayer requests I have had on my heart and thought I'd share: I covet your prayers!

1. Have unity with the team-we would continue to work well together and be able to encourage one another
2. Boldness, 1 Timothy 1:7 keeps coming to mind, "I did not give you a spirit of fear but of power, and love, and self-control."
3. Tangible ways to serve. That I can meet needs with compassion and love.
4. I desire to be a blessing to my team, the missionary family, and the Maasai but the past month I have felt more of a burden than anything else. Maybe I won't see my life being used to impact someone in a huge way while here but pray that my time and energy spent is not for myself but others.

Thanks you!
I am so excited to see what God shows me this next month! "I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." Phil 3:13-14

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Olkoroi

I wanted to quickly summarize a few journal entries but didn't want to go as in-depth as my last few posts.

Journal entry 6-25-10

Me and MB had the opportunity to travel to a few medical clinics in Kenya to help assist the doctors there. I love traveling so 2-3 hour car ride is enjoyable, even though we are traveling on the worst roads ever. One of the clinics we went to was in Olkoroi. I assisted Dr James, a national who lives and works in Ewaso N'giro, with vitals, book work and physical exams. We saw mainly pregnant women who were 13-20 years of age. All of the women were married except one. I think pregnant women by far are the most beautiful creatures ever...call me weird, I don't care! Dr James taught me how to estimate the age of the baby and the position just by feeling the mother's stomach-so cool! I was also able to give my first immunization to a little 11 year old girl, right in her butt-poor thing! We saw around 120 patients and didn't stop for lunch- it was exhausting but really beneficial day. Busy days-it's how I role! A few patients stuck out to me that day so I will quickly share a two of them with you:

1. Our very first patient was a mother who had 4 children and was 7 months pregnant. As the doctor was showing me how to examine the mother, another doctor entered and said something in and proceeded to pick something off the floor. As I turned around, I noticed that the mothers child was lying flat, face planted to the floor. I found out that her 5yr old daughter had epilepsy and had seizure while we were examining her mother. I felt so bad, we didn't even hear her collapse. Her seizure got worse and I had to help hold her arm while the doctor injected her with medicine. the seizure stopped and I asked when she would wake up and the doctor said around 45 mins-the mom flung the child on her back and headed home. I am so impressed with the mothers out here, they are so tough. We have seen around 10 patients with epilepsy since being here, not sure why it is so common, but it is.

2. A mother came in with her 1 year old baby who had been sick and was on antibiotics for the past two weeks but the child was not getting better so she brought her back in. The baby started to fuss and the mother began to nurse her to calm her down-we sent the infant for HIV testing, it came back positive. The mother was told the outcome and was given counseling right on the spot. Since the baby caught the disease we knew that the mother must have given it to her child, but to make sure we tested her for HIV testing as well, it also came back positive. How devastating! The mother not only found out her baby had this terrible disease but she was the one who gave it to her child. Was the mother unfaithful or her husband? I can't imagine getting such bad news.

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