Blogalong

Children enjoying their pineapple

2010-03-11T19:36:00.007+03:00

after which the cows enjoy the scraps.............

Bessie and Tyson, above,

and Brown, below.

(Bessie will be having her calf any time soon...)

2010-03-08T19:56:00.002+03:00

Paula, This one is for you. Little Bernard is not a baby any more. Here he is "teaching" his classmates.

Take one step forward, take two steps back.

2010-02-13T22:25:00.002+03:00

Did you used to play "Simon says"? Some days I feel life is like that. Evangeline, our patient with the huge tumor in her neck shown a couple of blogs back, came back from Nairobi without having done the scan. I had given her a check for the scan and cash for the bus. Just before reaching the hospital the bus was attacked by thugs who took everything and beat the people, causing some to be hospitalized. By the best of luck, some good soul said "don't beat her; she's sick". So she escaped being hurt, but they took all her documents. She had hidden the check deeper within her clothing, so they didn't get that. But here she is back sitting in front of me telling me that she must go and get the original documents. They can't do the scan without the written order so she's back to step 1. Monday she'll go back to the place that referred her (an hour's ride from here), and get new documents. Then she'll take the bus again to Nairobi and try once more. One day at a time!!!

John the Carpenter

2010-02-04T18:56:00.004+03:00

John decided he'd have his carpentry students make model furniture so they could learn jointmaking and so that he'd have miniature samples to show potential customers. He started with beds. I can't wait to see the sofa sets......

TITUS TEACHING HIMSELF TO PAINT AND MAKE SIGNBOARDS

2010-02-03T20:51:00.002+03:00

Titus, mentioned previously as a senior waiting for his government exam results, is teaching himself lettering and sketching. We're very pleased with his results, and it makes a little pocket money for him to buy shoes. Here Evans, whom he is playing Big Brother to, is assisting him. Having brought himself up, so to speak, Titus is in a good position to assist other orphans, and he is a great help to us as we place children in schools. He has helped Evans get all the necessary items for school (here most schools are boarding schools as kids can't afford public transport to go to and fro, and their homes don't have electricity for studying at night); and tomorrow he will act as his parent/guardian as he escorts him to his new school as a freshman.

ENDURANCE

2010-02-02T16:10:00.005+03:00

There are many times in a day's work when you have to say: "Sorry I can't help." But this isn't one of them. Our friend here has had to put up with this "volleyball" in her neck for such a long time now. Needless to say, breathing is very difficult for her. She couldn't afford an x-ray which is of course a pre-requisite for any surgery or intervention, or even the transport to Nairobi. So early tomorrow she'll be on her way down to Nairobi Hospital for the x-ray and evaluation.

Nimrod

2010-01-30T20:27:00.002+03:00

The results from Nimrod's tests came back and he still doesn't have enough haemoglobin for the surgery. So another month of "buildup" before another evaluation.

Samuel's sadness turned to joy....

2010-01-27T17:59:00.003+03:00

Our little first-grader Samuel came in on Monday and was about to be scolded for being out of uniform when he told us his house had burned to the ground on Saturday. His "house" was a floorless room, rented for $5 a month, where he and his parents and younger brother and sister dwelt. All their possessions, which weren't much to begin with, went up in smoke. They were left with absolutely nothing. An uncle found Samuel some clothes so he could come to school. Teacher Jane then gave him a school uniform.
Today when I heard they were sleeping on bare earth, I sent Titus, our trusty helper (he just graduated from high school and is doing odd jobs for us while he waits to get his results) over to their place to check out the details. He went over to Riverside and got the full story. The two younger siblings were cooking on Saturday when the fire went out of control. Their parents were out seeking odd jobs so they could feed the children. Their neighbor also lost his house due to the fire.
Titus found the two younger siblings in another rented room and assessed what they had and needed. They had an aluminum cooking pot contributed by a neighbor. They had no clothes except what they had on their backs. There was no food in the room, and no other item was found in the room. And it was true---they were just sleeping on the cold ground. So we now sent Titus back to town to buy a foam mattress, blanket, small cooker, 5 plastic plates, 5 spoons and 5 cups all at 10 cents each, another cooking pot, a lamp, and a few other items, plus some shoes and a hat for Samuel. Samuel was just beaming. I think his parents will beam too when they get home this evening, and see that some help arrived while they were out doing odd jobs.

UPDATE ON NIMROD

2010-01-23T19:18:00.002+03:00

Nimrod had his checkup at Nairobi Hospital yesterday. The doctor was very pleased with his progress ---- he feels Nimrod's body is now well built up and he is strong enough for surgery. I took his mother and him in to Cottage Hospital this morning as a few more tests were needed. He made his own little variety of sounds all the way in and I'm sure it won't be long before he starts talking. When they have these results, and if they are satisfied, they will set the date for the surgery. So hopefully, it will be sometime soon!!

DREAMS FULFILLED

2010-01-05T10:46:00.003+03:00

There's been great excitement among the 8th grade graduates since the 29th of December when their national government exam results came out. Around 700,000 eighth graders countrywide took these exams. Only about half of them will get a place in high school this January, so there is great jubilation among those who did well. And sadly, a lot of tears for many. At home in the States, it's just assumed everybody can go to high school. Here it's a great treat and privilege, and parents struggle hard to get their kids in better grade schools to give them a better chance of making the cut. Here on our mission compound, Our Lady of Visitation Boarding Primary School is run by the diocesan fathers, i.e. the parish priests. It once again performed very well which is a great joy for the diocese, the administration, the students and staff. We gave our best performing St. Elizabeth School student a scholarship to do her upper primary at Our Lady of Visitation.
One of the reasons I built St Clare Technical School was to help some of those who cannot go on to high school. Sometimes after spending a year or two at the technical school, where they study English, and get good nutrition along with practical skills, we see that they really are able to do high school work, and then we find a way for them to attend.
This January we are giving a scholarship to one of our sewing girls who has been doing so very well, and just passed her government trade exams with us. Although she's already in her 20s, she's overjoyed to be able to follow her dream and go to high school. We are also giving a scholarship to a man in his late 20s, married and with children, who worked here as a security guard, to go to a teacher training college. He was eligible but was never able to afford it, but has long nurtured a dream of being a teacher.

REUBEN

2010-01-03T12:20:00.002+03:00

Reuben passed away this morning, but at least not in the streets, but rather in a warm and loving situation with the best care possible from devoted nurses. He was found a few months ago by our local priest lying on a shop veranda here in town pleading for someone to help him and not let him die there like an animal. He was spending cold nights there on the cement where the air temperature goes down towards the freezing point. He was only in his early 20s, but his feet and ankles were extensive open decaying wounds. He had no known relatives and no friends to help him except for a few good samaritan sympathisers who collected some coins to help towards sending him to a hospital and a few "duka" owners who would give him some tea or "githere" (a mixture of maize and beans) that was left after their day's customers were finished. To help out we rented him a room to come home to and got him a bed, foam mattress, some blankets and towels, some food and other simple needs. However he couldn't stay in this new "home" long as after some initial treatment, his condition only continued to worsen. We then had him admitted at the nearby town's Cottage Hospital, known for its good diagnosis and treatment. After further treatment of the wounds, they started to heal, but the swelling just wouldn't go down.
It was determined there that he needed a heart scan as a heart problem seemed to be compounding his wound problems. He needed an ambulance to take him down to a hospital in the capital Nairobi as he was now on oxygen. It took quite some doing to set up for one to carry him and to get a nurse to accompany him. The results were discouraging as it showed a very enlarged heart. After some more weeks of treatment at Cottage Hospital, we took him over to the nearby Huruma Center, a hospice run by the Felician Sisters. There he was given the best care possible but we knew it was only palliative as there was nothing more could be done short of a heart-lung transplant. We tried to cheer his last days with visits and treats of bread and juice whenever Maina or Rose or I would go to visit. He passed away a few hours ago today January 3rd, 2010. At least he died with dignity and surrounded by helping and caring hands. We have arranged for him to be taken to the town mortuary today and tomorrow will buy a coffin and a grave and arrange for a proper burial service. He was abandoned in life but was not abandoned in death. May he rest in peace.

NOT RAIN, NOT HUMAN ERROR

2009-12-23T22:24:00.002+03:00

This is disgusting. Yesterday's train derailment in Nairobi was due not to rain, not to speed, not to human error but to "flying toilets". Where latrines are lacking in slums, inhabitants relieve themselves in plastic bags and then hurl the waste away from their dwellings, in this case onto the railway line. This caused excessive wheel slip in yesterday's accident. Two bodies have been retrieved, but they won't know how many died until the wagons are lifted and the containers are removed.

UNDERPASS

2009-12-23T08:20:00.002+03:00

The great news here is that about 1/2 hour up the road from us, they're building an underpass for elephants so that they can continue to follow their seasonal migration routes up and down the mountain sides without endangering motorists. A great example of working with nature instead of against it.

DOLLY

2009-12-21T21:01:00.002+03:00

Teacher Nancy made a dolly today for a child over at the hospice. She is the only child there with all the adults and had no toy.

AN OPEN LETTER FROM ISAAC

2009-12-09T12:28:00.002+03:00

Just as a dream, an ambition, an aspiration lies in every little boy/girl/youth’s heart, the same lay deep in my heart. Even as a real little kid, I had a dream to pursue education. But alas, a separation between my parents wiped out my dream to complete my studies.
My name is Isaac, a Kenyan male youth and a resident of Timau. I was raised by a single parent. My mother has been the sole bread winner of our family since I was a little boy. She unfortunately developed medical problems that were followed by an operation that left her weak and unable to work anymore.
It was during and after the operation of my mother that I discontinued my high school education for lack of tuition fees. I dropped out of school in grade eleven. However, after three years of doing odd jobs to support my mother and brother, through the help of well wishers, I was able to go back to school and complete my twelfth grade and sit for my national government examination for Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education. The results were released, and kumbe!, my hard work was rewarded with good grades, having attained a B+ academic rating average for 8 subjects by the Kenya National Examination Council.
In the year 2007, I applied and was admitted to the University of Nairobi to follow a career in bachelor of law. I was so, so excited to begin the four year course of studies. I made it through the first and second year, loving every moment of it and working hard. With great excitement I took up my internship posting at Nanyuki law courts where I got practical experience to blend with the procedural and substantive theory we did in school.
Unfortunately in the beginning of my third year of study, my good Samaritans could no longer help me with tuition fees and, sadly, this led me to once again to discontinue my studies. I felt discouraged and depressed. Once again my classmates all returned to school and I stayed home to look for odd jobs. I missed my studies and I missed my friends. My dreams were once again shattered. The hope of making the best in life through education was once again compromised.
When all hope was gone, imagine my great surprise this fall when I’m told that through the Newman Mission Center I am going back to school. Imagine my joy as I rush back down to Nairobi to re-join my classmates and continue on with my courses, and catch up with what I missed these past months. Who is Newman Mission Center?, I ask. I am told they are a group who help people who are struggling. In deep gratitude, I promise I will give back the best of knowledge attained at school to my community and to be an inspiration, a role model to all the youth and school-going students who might be going through the same life experience as me. Yes, in future I will also help people who are struggling.
Newman Mission Center, you have given me wings; it is now my promise that I will “fly” to make all the people who have contributed towards my academic excellence proud. I will be a positive force for good in my country, and as a lawyer, I will help right wrongs, and I will be a voice for the poor and voiceless. Also, once I finish and get employment I will help my brother to get his education, and will help my mother with her medical problems and be there for her as she ages.Newman Mission Center, may all the blessings of this Christmas festive season and New Year be with you. For me 2010 will truly be a “NEW” Year. God’s abundant blessings to each and every one of you who are members of Newman Mission Center. Love, Isaac

Seamstresses return from trade exam

2009-12-07T12:08:00.003+03:00

The girls are excited to have finished their courses and school year. Here they are seen wearing the new dresses and holding up the shorts they have just made for the practical part of their government trade exams. Teacher Mary is on the right. They will be back in January to do the advanced course and work towards a higher certificate.

CHILD'S LIFE SAVED

2009-12-04T13:04:00.002+03:00

This "thing" was removed from a small Maasai girl this fall with donations from friends. This "thing" is a hydatid cyst which was the largest one blocking the abdomen of this small child. Without this surgery, death was certain. These cysts develop when people live in close proximity with dogs and sheep and goats. If it's a must to have dogs to help in herding sheep and goats, then upmost cleanliness must be observed regarding handwashing before eating. Without water available, this is not always possible, but it's the only way to wipe out the disease. Hydatidosis is common in the areas down behind the mission. The child is now taking medicines which will clear out any remaining eggs and cysts. Her father and mother have promised they will help in educating their neighbors and friends about how to prevent this condition.

Lunch time. More please!

2009-11-05T15:47:00.002+03:00

2009-11-05T14:39:00.001+03:00

Almost finished!

2009-11-05T14:25:00.002+03:00

The carpentry students learned today that instead of buying reject wig hair and reject wool, the sewing girls are happy to give them all their cloth scraps for stuffing their chairs.

His latrine before we built a new one

2009-05-25T22:10:00.002+03:00

Before and After

2009-05-25T22:06:00.001+03:00

Here's what he was living in:

Long time no blog

2009-05-25T21:58:00.002+03:00

I better put something here or I may lose my blog. Here's a house we just finished for one of our villagers.

Visit by our sponsors (con't)

2009-02-27T22:48:00.006+03:00

Visit by our CFCA sponsors

2009-02-27T21:35:00.002+03:00

We hosted our CFCA visitors from the States and England yesterday and today as they traveled around the mountain. Besides an informative session and visits to families in the various areas where we work, we held entertainments in our St. Elizabeth courtyard. Our parents and students danced, sang, and recited poems for our guests. The workshop students surprised even themselves putting on a very entertaining play about how to resolve tribal differences.

Scouts Night Out

2009-02-21T20:13:00.002+03:00

The scouts are camping out on the school compound tonight. Because it's cold they aren't using their tents---we put the girls in the library and the boys in a classroom, and borrowed the mats from the pre-school for mattresses. Tomorrow they will go to Nyeri for the Jamboree Day/Lord Baden Powell Day. Needless to say, they are very excited about the trip.

KIDNEY TRANSPLANT

2009-02-04T19:32:00.002+03:00

I've been really moved that in a place where it's difficult to get even a friend or relative to give blood to one in need, a former student of mine, Irene, and her brother have been vying over who would be the one to donate a kidney to their father, a still relatively young man. They've both been deemed compatible and they both wanted to spare each other. It's now been agreed that the 22-yr old son will be the donor. They've worked really, really hard to make this possible. During the fundraising family members have sold their cows, taken out loans, and given up many things. The surgery will be this Sunday in India. Pray that the operations will be a success and that both father and son will have many, many happy fruitful years ahead of them.

Wedding Bells

2009-02-02T20:42:00.001+03:00

(Yesterday's blog was a snowstorm on Mt. Kenya.) I'm changing it to a snap of Jean's wedding in December. For those of you who know the Thompsons (or knew Jean and Charlton as little kids), Charlton is second from left, Fr. Mazzucchi is behind Charlton, then Jean and Andre, then Ruth. Her pastors are on either end and this is the local Anglican Church which Arthur built.

Fare Thee Well

2009-01-25T07:40:00.004+03:00

Yesterday being Paula's last day in Kenya (for now), we decided to do something special. Nairobi has a charming little theatre built in colonial times just a five-minute drive from the Flora Hostel. It accommodates about 100 people and every viewer is within 15 feet of the stage. We attended the delightful matinee presentation of "Cemetery Club", a comedy by Ivan Menchell. It was very funny as well as poignant, reminding us of "Steel Magnolia".

Our final fun event before she flies out tonight takes place two blocks from the Flora Hostel. Paula's treating us to lunch at a Chinese restaurant (and this is the Chinese New Year). Brother Vincent will be joining us---there was no opportunity to get down to see him these past three months of Paula's visit, so this grand finale will be their hello and goodbye, until next time. Safari Njema Paula! Don't delay in planning a speedy return!

Eternal snows

2009-01-20T18:02:00.003+03:00

This is our beautiful mountain which I couldn't get on the other time. Here it is seen with snow, but our eternal snows for which it is known are not so eternal due to global warming. A sight unheard of in the past, there are days when it is totally brown and snowless. It's glaciers feed our rivers which at the present moment are very low. It's a beautiful sight to work under and January/February are the months when it's clearest and most visible. Other times you can go weeks at a time without seeing it.

St Elizabeth and porridge time

2009-01-20T01:36:00.004+03:00

When Fran was here in 2007, she was amazed to see how the little kids loved their little 2-inch plastic statue of St. Elizabeth, our school patron. She decided to look for a larger one. When I arrived home this past fall, there waiting for me was a 2 1/2 foot high St. Elizabeth Fran found on e-bay. Luckily British Airways allows an extra bag for missionaries and she made it safely back with me. (St. Elizabeth that is, not Fran.) We waited to put her up until after we painted the dining room, which we've just finished. Here the children are taking their morning porridge, as St. Elizabeth overlooks them. Yes, Fran, she's now varnished. I know the idea was to have the natural outdoor woody look, but I was outnumbered by those who thought she must be varnished.

Through the windscreen......

2009-01-07T20:46:00.003+03:00

As we go around on our home visits and field work, we can't fail to appreciate how lucky we are to have wheels. This is a common sight all along the track. We are going home to maybe have some soup and a sandwich for lunch. They are going home to do their other tasks, and often are not going to eat until evening as it would take too much of their precious fuel to make a fire twice.

Our Welding/Fabrication Workshop

2009-01-07T20:28:00.002+03:00

One area of our St. Clare Technical Training School involves Metalwork and Welding classes. The students are encouraged to make things that are useful and needed or which are ordered by customers. Here a customer is collecting some window and door frames for his new house.

One Year Onwards

2009-01-04T03:00:00.000+03:00

Last January a frantic grandmother came running into my office one evening begging me to come and get her daughter-in-law to a hospital as she was having difficulty giving birth. We jumped in the car and rushed to her house only to find that there were twin babies on the bed, and the mama was kneeling on the floor in great pain trying to expel the afterbirth. Grandma wrapped up the twins and got in the front seat, and we got mama into the back seat and headed over to our local clinic on the hill. As luck would have it, the nurse on duty was out, but we waited. Finally the nurse came and under the light of a kerosene lamp, the nurse did all that is prescribed, the silver nitrate drops in the eyes etc. By now the husband had been informed and was present. We felt the mama should remain for the night, but she wanted to go home, so I took them all home. I was very happy for their visit the other day to show me the growth of the babies. I told Bernard I couldn't forget their names because they're the names of my grandmothers: Catherine and Rose, although I couldn't of course know which was which. Here they are a bit frightened of my Christmas lights.

Our Beautiful Mountain

2009-01-03T10:53:00.000+03:00

A Bed For Christmas

2008-12-26T16:09:00.000+03:00

Paula and Maina delivered a new bed (made by Gitahi in the carpentry shop) in plenty of time for Christmas to Ann (the little girl with such severe scoliosis). Also a firm mattress. She has been sleeping on the ground.

Japhet's New House

2008-12-26T14:57:00.001+03:00

Japhet and his family were among those chosen to get a house from a CFCA grant this past fall. He's the boy in the beige sweater. With him are his grandpa and mother and brothers, and some nephews for whom his mother is guardian. We don't like to build houses on hillsides, but when you live in the mountains, and that's the only land they can get, you have to.

Little Boy in the Rain

2008-12-20T22:47:00.000+03:00

It's interesting how a different culture will view a thing. A little snow globe from the dollar store caught my attention last October, so I brought it back from home leave. I keep it on my desk and use it to amuse little kids when they're in my office with their mamas.

"Snowman" and "snow" are not within most people's experience here. I was amused to hear a mother pointing to it and saying to her little child: "See the little boy inside the ball. See the little boy. See how it is raining on the little boy. See the little boy in the rain."

December 18th

2008-12-18T07:35:00.000+03:00

This is Shadrack with 6-yr old daughter Tabitha and 6-month old baby Jedida on her back. Brenda and Patrick are 4 and 9 years old. They lost their wife and mother just after Jedida was born as she lacked food and never regained her strength. It was brought to our attention when Shadrack brought baby Jedida in to our offices. Their little house and garden are behind them. Tabitha makes a great little mother taking care of Jedida and their grandma lives nearby. Grandma tends her garden and grows food for the children. We found their home today very high up in the mountains. Little Jedida has a terrible case of crusty yellow scalp infection covering her entire head. Shadrack will bring her down tomorrow to the dispensary for treatment.