Opportunities and Sad Goodbyes

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

Galatians 6:7-10

It’s so nice to have the opportunity to be here. I was thinking about what beauty it is that the Lord has given me and my husband blessings that allow us to give two months of our lives to come to East Africa and be amongst other believers that are like-minded. He knows we needed experience and guidance in the call we feel on our lives. The history at Tenwek is unbelievable. Just 50 years ago this was an un-reached area and now it is home to thousands of Christians! In this Galatians verse I am encouraged by the command to do good to ALL people, especially our brothers and sisters in Christ. I know Joey can testify that it is amazing to give care for his fellow kinsmen in Christ that would not otherwise have received care. But it struck me when reading this verse that the Lord always sets up appointments for us to do good to all people. It is His motto; to serve others and “…in humility consider others better than yourselves.” (Phil 2:3) I need to be more mindful of how I can serve others daily in the small things and consider others better than myself.

This week has been kind of sad, our friends, the Champions: Greg (gastro. Doc), Laura (wife), Joshua (16), Sarah Baskin (13, almost), Abby (11), and Luke (9), left yesterday. I’ve gotten so spoiled with the girls b/c they watch Bethany if I want to go to the bible studies or up to the hospital to help out. Bethany has gotten attached to all of them. She calls for Abby and “Baskin” when she sees them from across the way. She was asking for Abby all day yesterday! I am thankful we will be able to meet up with them once we get home. They live in Birmingham, AL and we’re planning to meet up when we go for a wedding the weekend we get back from Africa! This is also Julia's last day here. She has been such nice company and a help when my computer wouldn’t cooperate with me. We're having a dessert party tonight to send her home.
On Sunday Abby, Julia and I went to the pediatric ward and made bracelets with the kids. Some kids were too sick to even sit up in the bed and others were so grateful to have some entertainment and smiling faces to greet them. I am touched by how this culture is very family focused. The mothers or fathers stay in the beds with the children and never leave. Joey commented the other day the he has yet to see a patient who is without family. In the US he almost always treats elderly people with no family members present or visiting and it’s just not that way here. Last week I went out with community health with Julia and the nursing students. The community health program here is in crisis b/c it’s main donor for more than 20 years pulled out their giving. The donations funded vaccinations to children and pregnant women, orphans, and community awareness of HIV/AIDS and more preventable diseases. This organization is such a backbone here. Julia’s project has been getting pictures and footage for a movie for fundraising efforts and updating the website so others are more aware of the monetary needs for Tenwek and it’s programs.
I also spent some time in the NICU. I don’t feel very comfortable going up there b/c there’s not much we can do to help. I remember when my sister was in NICU for 1 month after her birth, no one was allowed to visit except immediate family and only at certain times. Also, after having a 4lb baby myselft, all those feelings of trying to protect my small child from sickness comes back to me up there. It wouldn't be acceptable for us to come into a nursery in the US, especially a NICU, so I feel like I should give the Kenyans the same respect. I feel like by going up there I’m doing more harm than good. The Kipsigis people are arguably the most common in the world to have multiple births! There have been 2 sets of quadruplets just since I’ve been here and numerous triplets and twins! Most are so tiny and some don’t survive. Many of these stay the NICU nursery. After the nursery visit we went to see the mothers in the maternity ward. Many of them are up there b/c they can’t leave until they pay their bill! It doesn’t really make any sense to me that you would keep them day in and day out to only rack up more of a bill. Several of Joey’s discharged patients are still in the wards eating and sleeping!
Well, it’s been another long post but there is always something fun to write about. Tomorrow, Krista and I are taking the babies to a nearby market. We are borrowing a missionary’s car so this should be a very interesting trip. The roads are so bad here that it’ll take us all day just to get there!

Shannon- Will you email me so I have your email address? Tell me what happened. It’s so weird b/c I was just thinking of her since I’ve been here!
My email is patrick_tia@yahoo.com