Kenya: Missions of Hope ~ Stories of God's Goodness ~ Part 1

Hello friends and fellow bloggers,

In Vancouver, British Columbia where I live, the weather and temperatures have caught up to the season. Summer came late to our area but went on until well in to October. Our summer came late, I believe it was in June and we had a lot of rain until then. Then we had next to no rain and severe drought conditions by the end of September.  Things certainly do go to extremes these days.

Today though the real news is what has been happening in the Kenya Missions of Hope initiative.  I'm pleased to share some wonderful news of Kenya and the bit of humanitarian and missionary work that my DH and I carry out in that country.  Some of you may remember Eunice who was suffering from a condition of chronic anemia. It wasn't her only health condition. She has other conditions related to goiter and high blood pressure but the anemia is what sent her back and forth to hospitals on numerous occasions.  After being admitted and discharged from several hospitals, she again was transported by medical ambulance to a private hospital in the City of Nakuru, Kenya, located several hours from her home village. (You can locate Nakuru in the map below by looking northwest of Nairobi). She was admitted in February 2019 and she was there all throughout the pandemic. During that time she almost went home to Heaven on more than one occasion but after intensive care at the  High Dependency Unit (HDU),  she was able to bounce back. Truthfully I am amazed at how God kept her and helped her each time because I really thought her time to go home to Heaven had come.

Between 6-8 months in the private hospital it became clear that the expenses would be far too much for what our little humanitarian group could comfortably deal with.  Private hospitals and even government hospitals in Kenya are notoriously expensive and often procedures are done with a fiscal purpose in  mind rather than a health related outcome.  We could not afford the expense of proper treatment at the hospital where she was admitted and truthfully we didn't even know what proper treatment would entail since we were never told how the hospital could treat Eunice.  They wanted to do some kind of surgery but could not say how it would help her if at all.  We simply could not support doing surgery on a weakened person with multiple health conditions without knowing how it was supposed to help her.

The hospital didn't really want to keep Eunice after the first year because of refusal to go forward with surgery. In addition we were not paying all of the hospital costs.  We were however paying for the intensive interventions that were required from time to time. We also paid for a private nurse to attend Eunice, Eunice's medicines, toiletries and special foods prepared by the hospital. After it became clear that the hospital was not really treating Eunice except when her condition took a serious downturn, Jonah and I discussed the need to try and move Eunice back to her home (hospital).  I strongly felt that at least Eunice could be visited by some of her family members or assisted by them in some small ways once pandemic restrictions were relaxed. 

As you know the pandemic went on for quite a long time so nothing was able to be done about the move.  Moving Eunice would not be easy due to the prohibitively expensive ward fees that had accrued at the hospital.  It was only just before Jonah departed Kenya for Canada that he was able to undertake the travel for meetings with high level hospital officials in 2 different cities and  research and arrange with a new hospital for Eunice's  placement and arrange medical transportation for the transfer. All of these preparations were very costly.

At the new hospital, Jonah was assured by the new doctor that after several months of medical treatment and physiotherapy, Eunice would be able to go home.  I was cautiously optimistic given everything that had transpired over the previous 3 years.

Eunice has been admitted to the new hospital for going on at the hospital now for approximately 7 months. She has grown in strength and during that time.  With the help and assistance of one of her sisters, she has been able to go to her own home for overnight stays to see how she does. She has been doing well but is at this point still in hospital. She will have more home visits until she is hopefully discharged.

We are very happy for Eunice.  To God be the glory for keeping her, helping her and giving us the right medical contacts both to get her transferred and to rehabilitate her. She isn't home yet but we are grateful for how far she has come and I truly look on this outcome as a miracle.

Please continue praying for Eunice to be completely healed and able to live life on her own again. If you are able, and want to contribute to the work of helping the villagers in and around Kericho who need medical, food or educational help there is a Pay Pal button on the right of the blog. We also covet your prayers for these dear ones and for us so we can be guided in the humanitarian work. God bless.

Friday Sky Just Before Friday Sunrise & A Missions Report

 
We are officially into the Fall season and the weather is much cooler than it was a few short weeks ago. We have been having a lot of rain and we expect more this weekend. However today is supposed to be a dry, sunny day.  I look forward to it and will run some errands later in the day.

I hope the weather is good for you wherever you are in the world.

I have some happy and some sad news to report from Kenya.

The young man named Livingstone has now had his cast removed. I think they botched the job when they plastered his leg more than once.  He is now taking a few sessions of physiotherapy to reduce swelling and other concerns. The good news is that Livingstone has stopped drinking and accepted Christ as his savior. We are overjoyed for him.  He has been getting visits from a local pastor in his village and getting counsel from others.  Through that and through the love and helps he has been getting during treatment for his leg and for Covid, he has decided on this faith step. He is now making plans as to what he would like to do to earn a living (raise chickens). It's an awesome change and the first time in years that he has a dream and a vision for his future.

Ernest, the other man who we have been helping in Kenya for the past few years, has also fully recovered from a few health issues though his diabetes is ongoing. His most recent health setback was a stint in the hospital with Covid and we're so thankful he has recovered fully. He's  been very anxious to try and get back to work. His doctor advised him to stay out of the larger town center during this pandemic.  For now it means he is only able to earn very small amount of money by cutting hair for the villagers, mostly children. The payment for services is not reliable since villagers have very little money but what he gets pays for his phone airtime. If he could purchase a good set of barbering shears he would be able to do better business. If you are reading this and want to contribute toward buying this item for him please let me know.

Now for the sad news. Pastor Jonah is in hospital after a very bad reaction to his second Covid vaccination (Moderna). His first jab was Astra Zeneca and his doctor recommended vaccine mixing for better effectiveness.  This view is based on studies showing that a vaccine mixture can have a more potent immune response and thus give more protection against the virus.  Though he expected he might have a reaction, especially since he experienced a bad reaction to Astra Zeneca, he certainly did not expect such a serious reaction. 

On Wednesday night my time, I asked him how the vaccination went.  He wasn't feeling well at all.  As he explained his symptoms and showed me photos of his swollen limbs and his swollen tongue, I  became very alarmed.  His tongue which was about 3 times larger than it should be. I immediately told him to get to the hospital as quickly as possible. He went in to inpatient services on Thursday afternoon Kenyan time. I insisted he remain overnight (or longer) in hospital to make sure he is safe.  He is now recovering and resting at the hospital under doctor supervision. 

We covet your prayers for Pastor Jonah's full recovery and for the material needs of Livingstone and Ernest to be met.

Joining in with Skywatch Friday.

Farm Animals at the PNE & A Few Other Things

These are not the best photos due to low lighting and use of a poor phone camera but I took these several years ago and don't believe I ever posted them. They are photos of the farm animals I took when my niece and I went to the Pacific National Exhibition (PNE). She really enjoyed all the animals. I did take photos of other animals and will probably share them at a later date. Today I am showing the pigs.  I love little piglets and always think of the movie Babe whenever I see them.

 

Sadly, my niece and I couldn't have a visit at Christmas or this summer for her birthday like we usually do. Both of us have underlying conditions so it isn't worth the risk. 

We have been going to the PNE every year for years with her late mom and grandma but of course this year the PNE was not open for business as usual.

The spider I photographed last week is still on it's web in the same spot. It was difficult to get a good shot today.  Please check this post if you would like to see better photos of the spider and it's web.

Tonight's news reported that the air quality advisory for Vancouver and area has been lifted. That's such a relief.  The sky is full of rain clouds and we are expecting rain for several days this coming week.  I took the photo below on Saturday early evening.  There was a flock of birds flying around (click the photo to enlarge and you will see the black spots near the church steeple).  The birds were flying too fast and were too far away to capture them clearly.

I captured a few geranium shots using a lens borrowed from my brother who is a more serious photographer.  He is letting me try 4 different lens and I'm experimenting here and there.  They are all prime lenses not a zoom like I usually use.  I eventually want to move beyond my zoom lens.

I'm currently reading these two digital books and have a notice to pick up 5 paper books at the library.

 

I've made a new header for my blog.  I was looking for some Fall photos which I know i have somewhere but my digital files are not well organized. I have been decluttering digital files here and there and there is much more to do. The last step will be organizing what I have left,  be it digital assets or physical ones. Anyway the photo I've selected instead is of the Pokot children who come from the northern part of Kenya. 

It was taken on a mission we undertook some years back to bring a bit of food relief to the Pokot people who go hungry whenever there is a drought. We have undertaken several food missions to the Pokot people as they are often overlooked given their location in the far north and dusty parts of Kenya.  There are little to no amenities where they live.  The Pokot are largely pastoralists and when there is a drought their cattle die off. 

In the photo the children are eating bread and juice and I believe they also got some fruit that day.  Watermelon if I remember correctly. Many Kenyans love white bread and it is a treat as it isn't something they get very often.  The food stuffs we gave to the households consisted mainly of rice, maize flour and oil. There is a button on the right side bar for anyone who would like to help the people of Kenya. That button will be there for the foreseeable future and there are other links to different aspects of the needs and work in Kenya.

Last,  but not least,  I'm on Day 19 of the 31 Fly Lady Baby Steps (click the highlighted words if you would like to read more about Fly Lady's Baby Steps). If  you already follow the Fly Lady, let me know how what you think of her system.  As for me, I'm working hard at it even though I don't like routines.  For clarity, I do much more than the Baby Steps during the course each day but gradually I am hoping to replace my various quasi routines with a system that seems to work for so many women around the world.  (Note:  I am not buying Fly Lady books or  merch to undertake any routines. I use what I have or get something local if needed).  I'm working toward better routines so that I can keep a household running smoothly, keep up with all my responsibilities and have more time for reading, hobbies and most importantly Bible studies and devotions as well as the  Missions of Hope Kenya.

Enjoy your weekend and stay safe.

I'm linking up with Saturday's Critters.

Short Update

Hi friends,

This will be a very brief update to let you know why I have been silent.

My eldest nephew, the horseman was in a very bad accident yesterday (Sunday) in Kamloops (5 hours north of where I live).  The weather was very cold and stormy which is unusual weather for Kamloops even at this time of year. He was hit by a train while out looking for horses in distress.  My nephew's horse took the brunt of the force from the train and my nephew was thrown into the air and then the ground. The horse is dead and my nephew suffered physical damage but he is alive. He is awake and he is talking but cannot remember much. Please keep him in your prayers or send good thoughts. It is a miracle he survived the accident.

My my nephew and his wife (Photo credit: Candace C)

Also yesterday I learned that one of my primary credit cards was compromised. I signed up for email alerts every time my card is charged so I learned about this fraudulent charge almost right away.  The charge was significant and made to a university in England, a university I have never even heard of before.   I had to spend some time with the bank yesterday and it being Sunday it took more waiting time than usual. But at least the card is cancelled.

The weather is very bad across the province right now. It means that the mountain highways will be very dangerous. In Vancouver where I live, we have had snow off and on since last Friday.  The first snowfalls of the year.  There was even a warning to keep off the city roads if you were not prepared for challenging driving.  In this city the roads become like ice rinks once the temperatures drop given the dampness of the climate.  My brother and I are hoping that once the new card arrives and the snow and wind storms pass through the province we will make a quick trip to see my nephew.  He needs a few days to rest and get stronger before he would be comfortable with visitors anyway though I understand he had some today.

Downtown Kamloops in snowstorm

My general neighbourhood, note the ice on the streets.

In Vancouver we do salt or sand the roads and sidewalks but things still get very messy and icy.

* None of the photos were taken by me.

In Kenya, Jonah who I've been working with for many years has contracted some kind of bacterial infections likely caused  by contaminated food. He has been in hospital since late last week and now that lab tests are back he is on the proper medication and has also received IV fluids. My friend Eunice is still in hospital and so no one has been able to attend to her while Jonah has been sick. Still praying for her recovery. If anyone can assist with her medical costs the Go Fund Me page is still open (see the side bar at the right). Ernest, the man with the injured leg had to have a 2nd surgery as his leg was not straight after the first surgery and months of healing. I don't have an update on how he is doing at the moment but will update when I can. Last but not least, my young friend Alvin, has been busy preparing his university applications for study in Canada, study scholarships and is looking for work in Kenya. I pray for his success.


Thank you for stopping by. I hope regular posts can resume before the end of the month.

'Tis the Season

Welcome to December! May it be a good one.

The busyness of November is carrying into December with many different things going on.  I started my Aqua size class and thoroughly enjoyed it. It is only going to be 6 sessions long.  The class is really just to get you used to the type of exercise you could do in the pool so you can decide whether you want to continue on your own at a public pool.  The pool is heated and not too deep and the exercises are much different than what I’ve seen in most of the Aqua size classes organized by the community centers. Perfect for me.  So I’ll enjoy it while I can.

I’ve also been busy shopping for gifts for Christmas, graduation gifts, winter boots and a few casual and dressy clothes for the holidays. I’ve already been able to use much of what I bought and so that is great as I know the money has been well spent. 

I was invited to a friend’s convocation ceremony and spent almost a full day with him and his family at the convocation, taking photos afterward and joining at the Alumni Centre for cake and coffee.  Later we went to their home for tea and snacks, then they invited me (and a few others) to dinner at a fabulous African restaurant downtown called Simba's.  Some of you long time readers may remember that I took members of the Kenyan Boys Choir there several years ago when they were in town.  There are several African restaurants in town but I think the one downtown is best for consistency and the owner is very nice too.  The food was delicious as always.

My friend has been looking for a job the past weeks now that he has his Ph.D. in Linguistics. I was very pleased to hear he already has an interview lined up and pray it all works out for him. I've become very close to he and his family over the years that they've been in Canada and his wife and I try and get together as often as we can.  She is a wonderful woman who amazes me with her phenomenal energy.  She has a very kind heart and looks after her family and work, participates in community events, church and related activities and so on.  She is always looking to fulfill a need when people don't have family or friends here.  She will see a need and do something special for them like organize a bridal shower or a baby shower.  She is a darling and I don't know how she does it all.  In the new year she will be even busier as she will return to school part-time while continuing to work.

It’s also been busy with the missions in Kenya. My friend Eunice is still in hospital and has her ups and downs health wise. I thank God she is still with us and that her son watches over her and oversees every aspect related to her care.  We are still looking for a donor to help Ernest (the guy who was run down by a motor bike taxi) to start a small barber business and/or repair his humble home. We are also still investigating Alcohol Rehabilitation Programs to see if we can afford to sponsor a man named Charles to get treatment. The Alcohol Rehabilitation programs are very expensive especially as he needs at least 3 months in residence and another 6 months or so of follow up. If we cannot find an affordable program we will have to wait until we have the funds or until we can get someone who would step up to help him.  The Go Fund Me campaign link remains on the side bar for those who would like to contribute to any of these needs. I also continue to help Alvin with all aspects of finances (budgeting, budget forecasting, tracking spending, problem solving for needs) and some investigation into programs on offer here at the university. I do some preliminary research and he does the detail research in regards to graduate school here in Vancouver.

I have a lot of appointments coming up in the next while so I’m not sure how much I will be blogging for the rest of this month.  However I always make time to read and comment on other blogs as most of you will know.  My schedule is full up to the middle of December though mostly with things that have nothing to do with Christmas.  Then in mid-December a friend and I will attend Chantez Noel at one of the church's in the city.  We are both looking forward to it. We've already decided that next year if we are able we would like to splurge and go and see the concert called Winter Harp.  If you like you can google it on You Tube and see what it is all about. 

Yesterday I decided to pare back the schedule a bit in favour of getting more rest and to finish the year strong.  One of the things I want to do this week is to put up the Christmas tree and a few lights. My decorating is not over the top.  There will be just enough to add some sparkle and glow to my living space. In the meantime, I've got a  lot of gifts to prepare as I take them with me to dinner at a friend's house next weekend.  I can give out several gifts to various people I know will be there.  Otherwise it will be very difficult to deliver gifts before Christmas.  I also need to alter some of the clothing I purchased for my niece because she usually need sleeves and leg hems lifted.  I may actually deliver the gifts in person after Christmas which requires a short trip out of town. How I deliver will be decided based on time and energy after Christmas.

We are expecting snow. It may even arrive tonight and it has been super cold all this past week.  I'm well prepared this year with the addition of comfortable winter boots and my long faux fur coat.  I've had the coat for several years but seldom have a chance to wear it. It  only comes out on the very cold days when it isn't raining and I know I'm going to spend time outside.  It keeps me toasty warm.  I find it chilly indoors too.  I've got the heating on 24/7 which I never, ever do because of the very high cost of heating and electricity in general.  The rates have increased twice in the last 2 years and I'm keeping a very keen eye on things due to the significant increases in other costs (car insurance, strata fees, condo insurance and property taxes).  I also wear socks, slippers, puffer vest indoors or sit with the heating pad on. As the years go by I think more and more of moving to a warmer apartment or out of the city altogether. For now I am here because it is not only a lot of work to move but my city has the best access to medical services in the entire province and I would hate to lose that.  So far, I haven't seriously thought about a move but it comes to my mind every so often. Don't get me wrong.  I am grateful to have indoor heating. I just have to manage it properly to make it affordable.

For relaxation I'm reading books number 51 and 52 or watching recorded television programs (Dancing with the Stars, The Marylin Dennis Show, Y & R, New Amsterdam and whatever new and interesting series may be on) .  I have another few books in my reading pile but doubt I will finish them all before 2020 arrives.

Last night, in between running errands, I stopped at a new to me restaurant called Cafe D'Afrique, an Ethiopian/Eritrean restaurant. Since I had not been there before I decided on a combination dish in order to be able to sample as much variety as possible.  The main part of the dish (as you can see in the photo below) is beef  stew surrounded by rice, spinach and beet salad on far left and lentil stew on the far right. It is all served on a plate of injera bread and the small dish of rolled up things is more injera bread (a type of fermented bread).  I've been to Ethiopian restaurants before but this is the first time I had the food delivered on a regular plate.  It is also the first time I've had the beef stew.  Usually I order something called tibs which can be ordered in goat, beef and other meats. The beef stew and side dishes were very tasty.

Wishing you all a very beautiful season as you prepare for Christmas however humble or spectacular. 

May you have moments to pause and reflect on the reason for the season. 

I have been reminded so many times in the last few months to give thanks for all the many blessings I have and not to take even the simplest of things for granted. One of the many blessings I have is faithful blog readers who have become like friends.

I wish each you of you good health, love and happiness.

♥♥♥