The Out Patient Department (OPD)

Good Morning! I thought I would spend a little bit of time sharing some patients I have seen in the OPD. The crowding experienced in the inpatient ward is less when comparing it to the crowding in the OPD. People travel from all over Kenya to be seen for every type of ailment. They wait all day for their visit, labs, and to get their medication to take home for the next several months or until their next visit. The halls and seats in the clinic are always full which leads to people lounging around on the hospital grounds throughout the day. It can be almost a festive atmosphere. Several afternoons the hospital would have people playing music with and an electric keyboard and others singing. This helps pass the time for all the family members and patients that are spending the day at the hospital. This is often followed by and evangelist sharing a message and praying for the people that are there.

A few short stories of patients I have seen;
I saw a 17 year old boy with bad sickle cell disease who was hospitalized earlier in the year for a sickle cell crisis. He was accompanied by his father. He appeared to be 11 years old due to the stunted growth he has experienced from his disease. He and his father were here from several hours away to have his blood count checked and get his malaria prophylaxis and pain medication. All was okay and he went home to come back in two months for follow up. Both he, but especially his father, had infectious smiles and the best spirit...I was immediately drawn to them. I will pray for them and whatever their future holds.
I was asked to see a theology professor and his wife in their 40's from the Congo. They, too were okay, although she was just diagnosed with bad diabetes and we spent a lot of time discussing how she was going to manage her disease back home. I share this because it exemplifies the challenge for people who need basic medical services in the interior of Africa. They had just left Johannesburg, South Africa where he obtained his PhD in theology and they were in Kenya in transit back to the Congo where he was to teach at the University in the Capital. All medical providers are on strike in the Congo, so they are not sure when they will ever be able to see a physician again. Therefore, they made a point to stop in Kenya, a whole different country, almost 1,000 miles away for medical care on their way to the Congo. It makes the inconveniences we face in our health care system seem so trivial.
The last patient was a wonderfully graceful 40 year old male with recurrent lymphoma in his face. It had relapsed after good (but suboptimal) chemotherapy in Nairobi. He was here for another opinion prior to returning to Nairobi. In America with appropriate chemotherapy and radiation I believe he would be cured. Here, I am concerned he will not survive this relapse.

Much more stories exist. Please pray for these patients. They love God with all their heart and I KNOW God loves them, too.

Blessings,
Mitch

The Maasai Market

Today I went into Nairobi with 8 other missionary women to go to the Maasai Market. The Maasai is one of the tribes here in Africa. The other tribe that is slightly larger it called the Kikuyu. We are seeing many of the members of both tribes while we are here, but mostly we are seeing "Kenyans". Back to the Market...

The market is held every Friday in the upper level of a very nice shopping center in Nairobi. Many vendors are there selling their handmade goods. It is standard to barter, so after a while that can get a bit tiring. The goods are beautiful, from wraps, baskets, beautiful wooden bowls, jewelery, carved native animals, etc. Everywhere I walked I heard "sister, sister"-they see my white skin a mile away and believe that the English are all rich, and I suppose we are compared to them. It was a fascinating day and I enjoyed being with the other missionary wives the most. I did quite a bit of shopping and am excited to bring my African treasures back to the states. In light of the past few days, it seems a little selfish, but I consider the blessing in experiencing the culture and spending time with the lovely missionary wives that serve here.

We had dinner (African cuisine) with one of the missionary families that I traveled with today. They have been here over 22 years. They moved to Kenya when their oldest son was 7 weeks old. Dr. Rich is a dentist/orthodontist and has always practiced in Kenya. They are from North Carolina, but Kenya is their home. They are wonderful people and we are impressed with their commitment to this place.

I will be heading over to Bethany Kids tomorrow to start working with the burn victims. I am looking forward to that very much. I also hope to find my Friend Miriam at the local vendor market, my sister-in-law Amy said I should give her that big hug, so I think I will!!

Blessings from Kenya,
Amy