Day Seven: St. John's Bible College

Today we are serving in a new village, at St. John's Bible College. Not knowing what to really expect (may be like the Misi village, who knows! God is full of surprises) we get our assignments and do a little preparation. The two days we are in clinic, I will be playing with the kids and teaching them Bible stories and doing arts/crafts (yay, my favorite!).

The children are precious and not as many children here as there were in the Misi village. But it will still be a great, happy day! These children have nothing and it's heartbreaking to see this but knowing that we are here now, helping them, gives me  little peace. We did the coffee filter butterflies which were a huge hit and played frisbee -- they absolutely loved the jump ropes we brought them! They actually taught us some African jump rope games! FUN and REWARDING day.

See what tomorrow holds ...

Day Six: Bittersweet Goodbyes

This is the last day in Misi village, tomorrow we head to St. John's Bible College for two days of clinic there. We also hope to do a little shopping, I would love to get a shirt made for me! Trying not to think about this being the last day and just focusing on getting as many prescriptions as I can filled. Today, Nola asked me to help with the HIV/AIDS class with Bishop, Alisha and mom. I am nervous but as a teacher, I am prepared!

WELL ... that didn't go as expected. When we talked about monogamy and how that can reduce the risk and infection of HIV/AIDS, there was a ripple of laughter that ran through the crowd. Kind of feeling like the elephant in the room, I tried not to take it personally and to realize that polygamy is part of their culture (as weird as that sounds, I know) so although it was not as successful as some classes, they still had some great questions at the end. That last part gave me hope that maybe in the next generation, their children's generation, this could actually work. For now, time to start up clinic.

Today, it was a little heartbreaking because a blind boy about 13 or 14 came to see us. Seeing the hope in his face that we could do something to help me overwhelmed me because after we examined him (lesions on his eyes which is common because they do not wear sunglasses and some kind of infection or disease was causing him to lose his eyesight and making it very painful for him), all we could do was pray for him and recommend him to the hospital (which is 30 km away). Tears sprung to my eyes and knowing we wouldn't be able to help him makes days like these hard, I had to step away for a second. After a minute or two I returned to the little boy and just held his hand and not knowing that else to do, I said a silent prayer for him while Nola and his parents continued to talk. Sarah was there and I could tell she was emotional too, she was rubbing his back and trying to comfort him and it's just difficult to turn these people away, knowing that they probably won't make it to the hospital. I pray for him and his family and for God to grant me the strength to continue and know that while we can't help every person but those we do help is done with the grace of God. 

SOOOOOO ...

We helped over 230 people which seeing that written on paper made my heart swell with warmth and gratification that God gave us the patience, resources, and stamina to reach out to that many patients! Time for dinner and then bed time. Early start tomorrow to depart for St. John's!

(P.S. Will come back later to post pictures, don't have all of them but will post them at a later date!)

Day Five: Clinic Continues

Off to clinic again with a servant heart, an open mind and blind eyes. Serving alongside such a strong and faithful team has been amazing and since we made it through yesterday with flying colors, I know we can do all with God's help. I just hope my servant heart continues to serve and my blind eyes will continue to gain more and more worldly sight. I hope today goes as smoothly as day one but if not, God is on my side and I have to let go and let God!

Later ... today was such a happy day! We helped even more people today and filled so many prescriptions! Also, taught the community health class with mom and Christy. That went well and we just emphasized the importance of clean sanitation, good hand washing, Malaria prevention and clean water. They responded well and had a lot of great questions after class. After class, clinic began and we were on our toes all day! Again, they served us lunch and chai (African word for tea) and again more gratification came knocking at my heart, and I just couldn't get over how thankful and gracious and giving these people are to us. It's just mind blowing and the holes in my heart are slowly getting filled with peace, love and a greater understanding of helping others. Now off to bed ... exhausted but ready for day three!

Day Four: First Day of Clinic

I am excited about our first day of clinic. Not sure what to expect, I am excited at the prospect of helping people and educating them about community health! My assignment for the three days of clinic is pharmacy. I will be filling prescriptions and educating those who are receiving medicine on their medications they will be taking (better work on my Swahili, hopefully a translator will be there!) The Misi village is about an hour and a half away and they have absolutely nothing. We are building a clinic there so they at least have adequate health care without having to walk by foot to the nearest hospital (30 km away) or forgo the hospital trip because they can't make it and their condition worsens. We stop first to see how the clinic is coming along and we are immediately welcomed with handshakes and many "Jambos!" It's so refreshing to see all these people greeting us and overwhelming at times, but amazing to experience. The clinic is just getting it's foundation down, and they are just laying the first couple layers of their homemade mud bricks. It's coming along slowly but surely and can't wait until it's completed and sure the people are just if not more excited.

Later that night Wow, that was not what I was expecting. We were swamped from the getgo, trying to filter people in and out of the pharmacy as fast as we could. Good thing I work best under pressure! An overwhelming sense of gratification throughout the day would come over me, just seeing these people who have nothing who give everything to us in appreciation (they made us chai and served us chicken/rice/vegetables/fresh fruit) and knowing that they could use this food more than we could was almost unbearable but it would be rude to refuse. We were so thankful, probably the most thankful I have ever been in my life. These people literally have nothing but they are happier and more content than those who have the whole world in their hands, it's such a contrasting world to ours where you are defined by what you have and what you don't have. They have nothing or very little and still have joy and thankfulness in their hearts. It was a great day at the clinic and I can't wait for tomorrow!

Day Three: Cont'd

Wow, that church service was THE experience of a lifetime. It was filled with lively music and traditional African dance. It was the most beautiful church service I have ever been to. Gene, our team photographer took a video of it and when I get it back from him, I will post it. Words or pictures cannot describe this service. Emotions took over me when the first dance group came to perform because you could just see their bodies being filled by the Holy Spirit and their faces reflected perfect, pure love for their one and only Lord Savior. So, yes I started crying in the middle of the church service because I have never seen God's love so raw and so pure. I wish you all could experience this, because it's just amazing. I told my mom if our church services were like this at home, everyone would go. It was fun without losing focus on why and what we were there for, the dancing did not take away from the glory of God, but instead added a whole new level of glory. The Africans have much passion and true love for their Jesus, something I wish we had more of in the States. Only prayer and God can change that. That will my be personal prayer tonight that we will all one day be filled so much with the praise and glory for God that we can't resist getting up and dancing in the aisles or streets or wherever we may be. Dancing for the kingdom and the celebration of freedom in Jesus. Just dancing and giving praise to the God who started it all.

Day Three: No Place Like Africa

Still suffering from Jet-lag but ready to experience an African church service. I am excited because if it's anything like our home services, it's going to be awesome! We walk to the church which is only about a 10 minute walk down the dry, dusty unpaved road and while we walk, we start to accrue a small amount of curious children who see all these "Mzunugus" (Swahili for white person) walking down the street! We stop for a moment to talk and play with them and take some pictures. African children go nuts over having their pictures taken and love to see themselves on that tiny screen of your camera. It was definitely a precious moment. We get back on the road (yes, the sweet children still following us!) and we arrive at the church. It's obviously not as I expected but still holds it's own beauty, wonder and awe. The true beauty is in the people and the children. After several (more like hundreds) of "Jambos" and "Karibu Sanas" ("Hello" and "Welcome!") we meet tons of new brothers, sisters and friends in Christ.

For several minutes while they are preparing for the church service, we play with the children and take pictures with them. Some of the older ones inform us in broken English that there will be several Baptisms and Confirmations in church today and I follow their pointing fingers to a group of about 15 children or so who are standing in line in their Sunday best. These children are the ones getting confirmed today. I go over to them and congratulate them on their special day, they are shy at first, but after a few pictures are taken, they begin to come out of their shells and pretty soon laughter and shouts of excitement fill the air. It's the best sound my ears have heard in the longest time. After a few more minutes of playing and interacting with the children, we head inside the church.

BUT FIRST ... my mom gets to do the honors of laying the first cornerstone of the church. We do a small procession to the back of the church where there is a ribbon tied and a cornerstone covered in a white sheet. After beautiful African hymns, my mom cuts the ribbon and unveils the first cornerstone of the church. People clap, cheer and ay-yiyiyiyi (African women make this sound when they are excited! It's amazing and we tried to do it, but to no avail!) and took pictures of my mom and the Bishop. It was such an honor for me and especially my mom! Very proud of my mom. 

We file into the church the same way we proceeded to the cornerstone ceremony with hymns of African praise and music. I can already tell that this is going to be the experience of a lifetime and this church service will not be like the ones at home. I am excited and feel God working his ways through these people with their beautiful music, dance and celebration that Christ is risen indeed!

(**MORE TO COME ABOUT THIS SERVICE LATER!)

Day Two: A LONG Road Ahead

Arrived in Mwanza this afternoon and have to trek 2-3 hours to Bariadi where we will hold our first medical clinic in the Misi village. Our vans arrived to pick us up at the airport and after going through Customs, we are on our way. Bishop Ngussa who has been working with our mission trip for a number of years now also meet us at the airport. Down the road we go …

LATER that afternoon: apparently our “bumpy” 3 hour drive has turned into a 6 hour drive! Down in the bush, driving in the complete darkness and trying to figure out how far we really are (every time we ask the driver we always get the same response, either ‘one hour’ or ‘only 30 km away’ but it has been ‘one hour’ and ‘only 30 km away’ for a while now!) and when I say bumpy, I mean bumpy. These are unpaved dirt roads with huge potholes and rocks in them … so I will leave the rest to your imagination!

on the road we go …

EVEN later that afternoon: Apparently, we are almost there (again ’30 km away’) but the window in our van popped out. YES! I am not joking, our window was completely out of the frame. So we stopped in the middle of nowhere in the bush so Gene and the other guys could duct tape the window. I feel like this is only the beginning of a very interesting night. We will see …

YES, I was exactly right. About an hour later, we stopped for a much needed bathroom break (and by this I mean bathroom on the side of the ride in the bush!) and “sizzling bacon” (sorry, inside joke between me and the team.) Off we go again. Another 30 minutes down the road, the Bishop’s Land Rover suddenly breaks down, we all stop again in the middle of nowhere in the bush and try to see what is going on. Gene and Fred are working on the car when they suddenly ask for another flashlight. I volunteered mine since it was in the van and knew exactly where it was. Little did I know that when I reached for that van door and yanked to open it, it would fall completely off the hinges! This is just a night of unfortunate events that you just have to kind of laugh it off and get along down the road again. So we did just do exactly that!

FINALLY! We arrived in Bariadi and checked into our hotel. We have to be up at 7:00 am for church at St. Paul’s and it’s already 1am. Such a long and eventful night!

Day One: Leave All Expectations at the Door

First time going to Africa and don’t know what to expect. It’s normal to feel this way, but I also need to open up my heart, eyes and mind and by doing this I have to leave all expectations at the door. Letting go and letting God is a huge must for me right now. We are in Nairobi for tonight but tomorrow morning we will be departing for Tanzania to start our medial mission. We have an awesome team and feel so blessed that I am able to work alongside with each and every one of them (including my mom!), we have such a  strong and faithful team. I know I am not in the comfort of my own home right now but I just have to trus God and my team and to know that both are there for me. 

Excited about knowing the unknown but also a little nervous since I have never been to Africa before and not sure how and if I am really prepared for this. I am looking forward to new doors opening though …