Hello, All:
A dear friend of mine wrote to me the other day, and one of the questions she had for me was:
"It's hard to imagine what your life is like now - what is a typical day for you?"
Wow - how can I answer that? I have been trying to figure out what a typical day is like here since I arrived! Each day brings new challenges and learning experiences, and, while I have developed some sort of routine, it is subject to change at any moment! But, here is my schedule for a day that does not have any "monkey wrenches" thrown at me:
Monday through Friday:
5:00 AM - Wake up to crowing roosters and active children - no need for an alarm clock! Take a shower, have devotions, eat breakfast.
6:30 AM - 12:00 PM - Clinic hours for the children before they leave for school, then hours for the staff and Baraka women.
12:00 - 4:00 PM - Free time - may use it to go shopping, rest, prepare for the Baraka women's Bible study, assorted errands and the unscheduled request for medical assistance. When my Ugandan friend Andrew, who is a nurse, was here the last three weeks, we conducted physical exams on each of our 82 children, then the staff who desired a check-up. Our spare time has been spent compiling a well child and sick child exam form, converting it to a Word document, and entering all the data from our recent check-ups onto a flash drive so the medical information can be accessible to anyone who comes after me, and to eliminate random nursing notes left in notebooks and pieces of scrap paper in assorted places on the compound.
This spare time is also often used to take a sick child to the clinic to be seen by a physician. I also use this time, on occasion, to do health education classes with the staff regarding hygiene, first aid, and a bladder training program for the children who are wetting the bed.
4:00 - 6:00 PM - Clinic hours for the children returning from school, the Baraka women, and any staff who need assistance.
6:15 - 6:45 or 7:00 PM - Devotions with the children and staff (7 days a week).
7:00 PM - Dinner time and relaxation - often interrupted by children complaining of a headache or stomach ache - usually the two complaints. Even though I have told the children repeatedly that calling on me after 6:00 PM is for emergencies only, and have discussed what a true emergency is,
our definitions of what an emergency is are still vastly different! Often times, they just need reassurance that they are really okay, and a reminder to drink more water, and not run and play in the hot sun right after eating. When I tell them this, however, I get the look that says "What kind of nurse are you, since you are refusing to give me medicine?!" It's taking some "de-programming" to convince them that they don't need a pill every time they have even a vague and minor complaint!
9:30 or 10:00 PM - Devotions and lights out!
Friday afternoons - Bible study with the Baraka women.
Saturdays - 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM - Clinic Hours - time off after 2:00 PM - again, often interrupted by children complaining of stubbed toes, or the customary stomach ache or headache!
Sundays - Church at 9:00 AM, grocery shopping and/or dinner out after church - free time the rest of the day - again, subject to change! Sunday evenings - Bible study group with the high school girls where we usually have a cooking or make-up session, eat, laugh, and try to work in a Bible study or more serious discussion about topics that they are concerned about. So far, we have learned how to make bread pudding and potato salad - this Sunday will be home-made pizza dough and making personal pizzas - woo-hoo!
So, there you have it. As always, this schedule is subject to change if we have to make an emergency run to the clinic or hospital for a sick or injured child. And, when a child is sick who needs closer attention, I will keep them in the infirmary we have established next to the clinic and upstairs from my apartment. I care for them during the day, and will often designate an older child or caregiver to stay with them during the night, knowing that I am available for an emergency should it arise.
I hope this helps you understand a little bit better what I do with my time here. There is never a dull moment, and sometimes I grump about never having uninterrupted time to myself, but I often get hugs and "butterfly kisses" from a sweet child, and that makes it all worthwhile!
I hope you are seeing the promise of Spring turning into reality after this long winter. I am sending some warm Kenyan sunshine your way, along with my love and prayers for you.
Feel free to leave me a comment - I love hearing from you!
Love,
Nancy
One of My Favorite Photos
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
Saturday, March 15, 2014
The Beauty of Africa - Its Scenery and Its People
Last weekend, I went to Amboseli National Park in the foothills of Mt. Kilimanjaro, with a Ugandan friend of mine who is visiting me from Lira, and another First Love staff member, Ginger. It was an overnight stay and a safari, and we were blessed to go on two game drives. Amboseli is known mostly for its abundance of elephants, and boy, did we see elephants! It was wonderful to see so many large males with long tusks - a sure sign that they are well-protected from poachers.
Our first glimpse of Mt. Kilimanjaro peeking through the morning clouds was a sight I will never forget - truly breathtaking! I can see why Kenyans are so proud of their treasured mountain - it is truly spectacular.
It was good to get away after a very busy and demanding week here. My Ugandan friend, Andrew, is a nurse who I have served with in medical ministry several times when in Lira, and he has been visiting me for a few weeks. It has been a blessing to have him partner with me to do the yearly physical exams on the kids - especially for the boys and male staff here who are more comfortable being examined by a male nurse. It was quite a chore to get all 82 children's physicals done in the last week, but with Andrew's help, we were able to complete the task. I was glad to examine the children individually, and get to know them a little bit better. We found two girls who have some irregular heart beats that would have gone undetected had we not done these exams, and will be taking them to the Dr. this coming week for further evaluation. Another little girl has sickle cell anemia, and we found that her eyes are a bit jaundiced, and her liver is somewhat enlarged, so we will take her to the Dr. as soon as possible this week, too. We will also be returning to Kijabe Hospital this week with the woman who is being seen for infertility, and may take the girl with sickle cell there, as well, if she is well enough to put off seeing the Dr. until the 21st when we go to Kijabe.
One little girl, Kendi, who I wrote about before, just about broke my heart this week. During her physical exam, I mentioned again how much it touched me that she wrote me the lovely thank you note for caring for her when she was sick shortly after I arrived in January. I also told her that I thought that God has something very special planned for her life, and has blessed her with some wonderful gifts and a beautiful heart. I then quoted some of the verses from Isaiah 43 where God is telling His people that He knows them, has called them by name, and that they are precious in His sight, and that He loves them. I told Kendi that He knows and loves her, and has called her by name, and that she is precious in His sight, and mine, too. Kendi then hugged me, and began to cry - big, clear tears that rolled down her face. All I could do was hold her - I had no words to say - and she held onto me for about 20 minutes, silently crying and hugging me. It was so precious. Kendi didn't explain what she was thinking, or what made her cry - I suspect she was missing her mother. But, I didn't feel that I should question her at that time - what she needed was just to be held and loved, and it was my privilege to do that. It was such an honor to share God's love, and mine, with her, and I hope she was blessed by our time together. What she can't fully understand is how much she touched and blessed me, too, and I am humbled by this gift of love to me.
Whenever I grumble that I have been interrupted during dinner for the third time in a week because of a little one's request for something for a headache or tummy ache, I remember Kendi, and the fact that all these children really need, in most cases, is a motherly hug and reassurance that they are loved. It's that simple - and that profound.
I have attached some pictures from our safari - I hope you enjoy them! Thank you for your prayers for me and the ministry to which God has called me. You are precious to me - and to our Father. In His love -
Nancy
Our first glimpse of Mt. Kilimanjaro peeking through the morning clouds was a sight I will never forget - truly breathtaking! I can see why Kenyans are so proud of their treasured mountain - it is truly spectacular.
It was good to get away after a very busy and demanding week here. My Ugandan friend, Andrew, is a nurse who I have served with in medical ministry several times when in Lira, and he has been visiting me for a few weeks. It has been a blessing to have him partner with me to do the yearly physical exams on the kids - especially for the boys and male staff here who are more comfortable being examined by a male nurse. It was quite a chore to get all 82 children's physicals done in the last week, but with Andrew's help, we were able to complete the task. I was glad to examine the children individually, and get to know them a little bit better. We found two girls who have some irregular heart beats that would have gone undetected had we not done these exams, and will be taking them to the Dr. this coming week for further evaluation. Another little girl has sickle cell anemia, and we found that her eyes are a bit jaundiced, and her liver is somewhat enlarged, so we will take her to the Dr. as soon as possible this week, too. We will also be returning to Kijabe Hospital this week with the woman who is being seen for infertility, and may take the girl with sickle cell there, as well, if she is well enough to put off seeing the Dr. until the 21st when we go to Kijabe.
One little girl, Kendi, who I wrote about before, just about broke my heart this week. During her physical exam, I mentioned again how much it touched me that she wrote me the lovely thank you note for caring for her when she was sick shortly after I arrived in January. I also told her that I thought that God has something very special planned for her life, and has blessed her with some wonderful gifts and a beautiful heart. I then quoted some of the verses from Isaiah 43 where God is telling His people that He knows them, has called them by name, and that they are precious in His sight, and that He loves them. I told Kendi that He knows and loves her, and has called her by name, and that she is precious in His sight, and mine, too. Kendi then hugged me, and began to cry - big, clear tears that rolled down her face. All I could do was hold her - I had no words to say - and she held onto me for about 20 minutes, silently crying and hugging me. It was so precious. Kendi didn't explain what she was thinking, or what made her cry - I suspect she was missing her mother. But, I didn't feel that I should question her at that time - what she needed was just to be held and loved, and it was my privilege to do that. It was such an honor to share God's love, and mine, with her, and I hope she was blessed by our time together. What she can't fully understand is how much she touched and blessed me, too, and I am humbled by this gift of love to me.
Whenever I grumble that I have been interrupted during dinner for the third time in a week because of a little one's request for something for a headache or tummy ache, I remember Kendi, and the fact that all these children really need, in most cases, is a motherly hug and reassurance that they are loved. It's that simple - and that profound.
I have attached some pictures from our safari - I hope you enjoy them! Thank you for your prayers for me and the ministry to which God has called me. You are precious to me - and to our Father. In His love -
Nancy
Saturday, March 1, 2014
Baraka Women's Group - A Blessing to Me!
Our Baraka women's group meets every Friday afternoon for a Bible study which I am privileged to lead. Barak means blessing in Swahili, and it has been that to me - and so much more!
Many of the women in the group are HIV positive, and live in the Kibera slums. They come to the program that First Love has to learn different skills to enable them to develop their own businesses and provide for their families. The main program that First Love provides is a sewing skills course where the women can learn to sew and establish their own tailoring business.
We have been doing a study of II Corinthians by Max Lucado. I chose this study because I felt it would be easy enough for them to understand, and because I appreciate the way Lucado applies the Scriptures in a very human and compassionate way. It has been a learning experience, for me, however, these past five weeks, as I have struggled to adapt to the way the women learn and understand how they are comfortable expressing themselves. They speak English quite well, so it is usually not a problem in communicating with them. But, it takes a LONG time to establish trust, and to have them share anything verbally! They are just beginning to answer questions that I pose to them, and to pray out loud, although it is still a challenge to get them to respond very readily. I have prayed many times for wisdom beyond my own to know best how to relate to these dear women. We're getting there!
Yesterday the study was on II Corinthians 6:1-10, and while there are many parallels between Paul's sufferings and those that the Baraka women face, I chose instead to focus on the example that Paul and Christ set for us as servants in ministry. As with any group of women, it seems, there are squabbles, petty jealousies, competition, and general interpersonal difficulties in ours as well, and I thought that it might be meaningful to have the group wash each other's feet, as Jesus did for the disciples as a way of expressing His love to them. It was interesting to contemplate how we felt in being the one to wash the other's feet, and also to be the one receiving the washing. There were conflicting emotions, as you can imagine, and some laughter as well, but I felt that this simple exercise served to break the ice between us, and several of the women told me that our time together yesterday was a blessing to them. That is the first time they have said that to me!
The woman who leads the sewing ministry, is from Atlanta, Georgia, and we have become good friends. Her name is Ginger. Ginger has served in this ministry for several years, and has gotten to know the women fairly well. She has been interviewing the women individually in the last week, asking about their lives, families, goals and struggles, and I hope to learn more about the women as she shares their stories with me.
With their permission, I will share some of their stories and pictures with you, so you can get to know them, too, and pray for them. The products that the women make - aprons, purses, travel bags, stuffed animals, etc., are beautiful, and are sold in the store that we have here on the compound, and are shipped to churches in the US to be sold there, and support the ministry here.
First Love is exploring ways to expand this enterprise, and it will be neat to see how God works in the coming months and years to bless this ministry.
Thank you for your prayers for me, and for these precious women. You are a baraka to me!
Nancy
Many of the women in the group are HIV positive, and live in the Kibera slums. They come to the program that First Love has to learn different skills to enable them to develop their own businesses and provide for their families. The main program that First Love provides is a sewing skills course where the women can learn to sew and establish their own tailoring business.
We have been doing a study of II Corinthians by Max Lucado. I chose this study because I felt it would be easy enough for them to understand, and because I appreciate the way Lucado applies the Scriptures in a very human and compassionate way. It has been a learning experience, for me, however, these past five weeks, as I have struggled to adapt to the way the women learn and understand how they are comfortable expressing themselves. They speak English quite well, so it is usually not a problem in communicating with them. But, it takes a LONG time to establish trust, and to have them share anything verbally! They are just beginning to answer questions that I pose to them, and to pray out loud, although it is still a challenge to get them to respond very readily. I have prayed many times for wisdom beyond my own to know best how to relate to these dear women. We're getting there!
Yesterday the study was on II Corinthians 6:1-10, and while there are many parallels between Paul's sufferings and those that the Baraka women face, I chose instead to focus on the example that Paul and Christ set for us as servants in ministry. As with any group of women, it seems, there are squabbles, petty jealousies, competition, and general interpersonal difficulties in ours as well, and I thought that it might be meaningful to have the group wash each other's feet, as Jesus did for the disciples as a way of expressing His love to them. It was interesting to contemplate how we felt in being the one to wash the other's feet, and also to be the one receiving the washing. There were conflicting emotions, as you can imagine, and some laughter as well, but I felt that this simple exercise served to break the ice between us, and several of the women told me that our time together yesterday was a blessing to them. That is the first time they have said that to me!
The woman who leads the sewing ministry, is from Atlanta, Georgia, and we have become good friends. Her name is Ginger. Ginger has served in this ministry for several years, and has gotten to know the women fairly well. She has been interviewing the women individually in the last week, asking about their lives, families, goals and struggles, and I hope to learn more about the women as she shares their stories with me.
With their permission, I will share some of their stories and pictures with you, so you can get to know them, too, and pray for them. The products that the women make - aprons, purses, travel bags, stuffed animals, etc., are beautiful, and are sold in the store that we have here on the compound, and are shipped to churches in the US to be sold there, and support the ministry here.
First Love is exploring ways to expand this enterprise, and it will be neat to see how God works in the coming months and years to bless this ministry.
Thank you for your prayers for me, and for these precious women. You are a baraka to me!
Nancy
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