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.

Counting Zebras

I've been posting a lot of wild birds critters this past few weeks. The wildlife photos were all taken in Kenya, East Africa. 

You might be interested in having a look at the other posts

here 

here 

here 

here 

here 

here 

and

here

 

Aren't these zebras real beauties?

I managed to see all the ones in these photos at Lake Nakuru National Park located on the southern end of the City of Nakuru. On my day there it looked like many locals were enjoying the park.

How wonderful that this park is virtually located in city limits and yet there is a wonderful array of wildlife.

Check in with Eileen at Saturday's Critters for more awesome critters.

Happenings on the Mission Field

So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

Matthew 7:12

Hello friends,

I want to thank all of you who have given and prayed for Little Linet while she was alive and for her family after her passing. As I mentioned in my last post, the family left for her final resting place on Friday from Nakuru, Kenya to Kisumu, Kenya to the Luo Tribal home land.  It broke my heart to see them leave on their journey and to know that they were leaving with few funds in their pockets.  But God is gracious.  Through the loving prayers of many of you, the family has now completed it's journey and is back home in Nakuru where they will try to carry on without their little girl.

Mama Linet and her husband, are both impoverished and have very little education. To top it off they are living far from their home territory and they live in the slums where there is little opportunity for anyone.  Life is extremely hard in Kenya for people with this background. We pray that the small charcoal business which we helped the mother to start will bear some fruit so that she can help provide for her family. She does have another small child who is younger than Little Linet was.  We know the hardships of children in developing countries where the life expectancy for a child is low.  Little Linet had not yet reached 5 years of age when she died of malaria.

In most poor countries, mortality is highest among young children (below the age of 5), especially infants (below 1 year). Once children reach the fifth birthday, their chances to live a long life improve dramatically.

In general Kenyans do not have a long life expectancy.  If you look on the graph below you will see how much less a Kenyan might live compared to most people in the world, including the Chinese.

My hope is that through my efforts and yours,  someone, or several someones, will have a better chance at a long and better life. That is one of the reasons I have been focussing on medical interventions for children in Kenya.  Though my efforts are modest in comparison to a non-government organization (NGO). I want to do my part to raise awareness of the needs there and the hardships for the people in that country.

I hope you will join me on the journey to raise awareness and to take action to help others who are less blessed than we are.  Your actions, however small or large, have impact and mean something to someone.  One day you will know the fruit of your labours.  How many of you would turn away a starving child who came to your door? It is like that when we hear of and see starving and hurting children who live a world away from us. They are real and they need you. Please consider how you can help. If you truly cannot help, then I understand. But there are many people who still do not go without indulging their every desire for the best and the latest, in technology, clothes, vacations, etc. not only for themselves but for their children. I've been in homes of people who are not very wealthy but yet I stumble over the toys strewn about the entire living area; toys that belong to one child.  I do believe in providing for children but there are only so many toys or possessions that any one human being, including children, can appreciate.

Of course, if you work and want things, that is okay.  After all, that is what most people work for; things that make them happy.  I am only asking that you consider helping a small child or two in Africa if you can.  Moreover, I am challenging you to consider their needs as your own.  I always say, there but for the grace of God, go I.  I could have been one born in Africa without the blessings that God has given me in Canada. It could have happened to any one of you who are reading this in Australia, Canada, United States, or Europe.  Please remember that.  God has been gracious to each one of us.  Let us be gracious in turn, to those whose mothers and grandmothers (and fathers) hearts break over the fact that they cannot provide for their children or grandchildren; simply because of the circumstances into which they were born.

It takes a whole village to raise a child. 

Igbo and Yoruba (Nigeria) Proverb 

Source: World Bank computations based on WDI

In other news of Africa, I am excited to announce that I have added two other children to my family.  I welcome Linunda and Hiness, both of whom are in grade 6 and live in the African country of Zambia.  I am going to help them with school tuition, food and clothing. They go to a Christian School and the are blessed to have good people overseeing the school.  I am happy to welcome them to my family of sponsored boys in Kenya (Peter 8 years old and  John 9 years old) and Ethiopia (Haile 21 years old).

Lindunda is 15 years of age.  The way he holds his mouth in an impish grin, reminds me so much of a young nephew when he was the same age.

This young girl's name is Hiness and she is 12. She is a beautiful young girl with a bright eyed intelligence about her.


  If I can encourage you to sponsor a child and you have some questions about doing so, I would love to hear from you. Feel free to contact me at any time if I can answer your questions or encourage you to support a child in Africa.  If you would like to know of opportunities for sponsorship in Africa, please click here.

I'm linking up with Our World Tuesday this week. A big 'thank you' to those who host this meme! It's always great to see what others around the world are doing.

Update ~ One More Day with Little Linet

Dear friends,

Thank you to those of you who sent your prayers and your donations for little Linet and her family. Your continued prayers for this family's needs are very much needed. (For the background story read here and here).

Since Little Linet has passed from this life, her body has been at the morgue in Nakuru. Funds sent to her family have been used to pay for her casket ($100) and for morgue fees ($60). The balance of funds has been used to help the family to defray food costs.

As is the custom they have had to host relatives and friends which also includes feeding them over these past six days.  Since Little Linet is from the Luo tribe she will be returned to Luo territory near Kisumu which is also the custom. But first her family will sit with her for one night at their family home near Nakuru.

This past week has been very hard on Little Linet's mother and father. We have tried to be supportive and bring them practical helps like food to help meet the needs of those that have come to show their last respects.

Please pray for this couple.  There are still many unmet needs and they are scheduled to depart for Kisumu with Little Linet's body on Friday.  We are trusting in God with whom all things are possible.

Helping this little one move from this life to the next will be our Valentine's Day gift to her and her family. May God richly bless them and comfort them in this grievous time, and may He give them the joy and the hope that they will one day be reunited with their Little Linet. 

Update ~ Friday, February 15, 2013

Mama Linet and about 20 people left for the long journey to Kisumu. They've had to go by matatu (shared taxis which are the least expensive form of city or inter-city travel). When people in Kenya die they are generally laid to rest in their tribal homeland. Mama Linet and her husband are from the Luo area near Kisumu which is why they are headed there.  See map here.

Once they arrive they will have to build a temporary shelter, feed the mourners and undertake some cultural rites related to the burial. All of this is very costly for such poor people and we ask for your prayers for their every need to be met.

 We have helped them as best before they embarked on the journey.  There is still time to help them if you are moved to do so. We can send the funds by M-Pesa (mobile money transfer). This is an innovative form of transferring money within the country of Kenya, especially to rural places.

The matatu is being loaded for the journey (with Little Linet)  to her final resting place.

(Anyone who wishes to donate may do so by sending a Pay Pal donation to the email on my blog profile). 


Please continue to keep this family in your prayers.

Linet's Final Rest

  . . . to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified. 

 Isaiah 61:3

Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I
will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle
and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls, for my yoke is easy and
my burden is light.

Matthew 11: 28-30

Dear friends,

I mentioned in my last post that Little Linet has passed on to her eternal rest.  Jonah visited Linet's family and learned that on Wednesday they will travel from near Nakuru, Kenya to Kisumu, Kenya in the far west of Kenya to the traditional home land of the Luo Tribe.

Although the distance between Nakuru and Kisumu does not look so far on this map, it is a distance of many hours journey that the family will have to make to lay little Linet to rest.

Mama Linet (in orange). Jonah took her a gift of some food and some funds to help with the travel.

Please keep this family in your prayers as they travel and prepare for the funeral.
God bless.

Gone too Soon

God blesses those people who grieve. They will find comfort.

 Matthew 5:4

My heart is very sad today.

I heard the news that someone I love has died.

The little girl I knew as Little Linet has lost this earthly battle for her life.

I was first introduced to her by my friend Jonah who voluntarily undertook missions in Kenya for many years before recently stopping for a time of transition. He learned about Little Linet while he was going to university.  She was wasting away and unable to eat due to her cleft palate problem.  He took her for medical help and she was eventually able to resume eating and she regained some weight. Then I started trying to help her with her medical issues with the ultimate aim of getting her through cleft palate surgery.  Some of my lovely readers helped me with that. I am very grateful for your help. Rest in the knowledge with me that we tried to make her life and her small family's life a little brighter and to lessen their suffering.

We helped Mama Linet start a charcoal business, helped a bit with food needs and got Little Linet to the doctor twice for different medical treatments and also for a round of testing. She was declared a candidate for cleft palate surgery. That is where our help ended as we did not have enough to carry out the surgery.  I was still trying to save  money for that need.

Linet is gone too soon. Her poor family has one less child to care for but that does not alleviate their sorrow. I mourn for her right now. I mourn for the hugs and kisses she will never again receive from her mom and dad, the laughter and games she will not be able to partake in , the sunsets and sunrises she will never see again and never getting to hold her myself. I mourn for the joy she brought that will never be again.  But life is very difficult in Kenya for those that are very poor. That is one reason we wanted to help her get cleft palate surgery. At least if she had the surgery she would be marriageable and she would not have to fend for herself. There would be someone to help her provide food and she might have children some day of her own. Now all that is not to be.

I am grieving today.  But her loving family and Jonah who had the privilege of serving Little Linet and her family as best he could grieve more so.  Jonah got to know the family fairly well while he was a student in their town.  Now he is living back at his home but they called him just very recently and he rushed to Nakuru area where the family lives to see how he might help. Little Linet was very sick. Jonah rushed to her but it was already too late.  Sadly, Little Linet succumbed to the ravages of malaria. There was nothing that could be done to help her after he got there. It is very sad and we will try to do something to help with funeral arrangements and costs.  The burden of funeral needs and costs is a real hardship there in the poor slums and villages as it is anywhere else. That is the least that can be done for them at this difficult time.

Dear Little Linet, now you may rest in peace in the arms of our loving heavenly Father.

I hope one day to meet and share the hugs and laughter we could not share on this earth. 

Gone too soon my dear little angel. 

I will remember you.

(Please pray for Linet's family at this time).

Kenya Missions of Hope: Floods Cause Loss of Life and Lots of Damage

There has been so much damage and loss of life in Kenya due to floods. Just this weekend, flooding struck near where Jonah from Missions of Hope is staying. He went to survey the damage.  You can read the story by clicking the link below.  As always, our hearts go out to these people who have so little and are struck by yet more calamity.

Kenya Missions of Hope: Floods Cause Loss of Life and Lots of Damage: "Three people are missing while close to 40 families have been left homeless in Nakuru town after their homes were swept by raging floods o...

Such a beautiful and dignified looking mama. She holds a lot of the experiences of a hard life in her eyes.

My Safari in Nakuru Park Comes to a Close

It has been fun showing you around the national park located in Nakuru, Kenya. I hope you've enjoyed it as much as I have. It has been great reliving the memories of my safari there.  Today will be my last post on the trip to this wonderful park. If you've missed out on the rest of the safari, please be sure to check out the links at the bottom of this post.

In the late 1970s and 1980s poachers decimated Kenya's rhinos, of which there are only two species in the country, white and black rhinos. Before the rampant poaching Kenya had an estimated 20,000 black rhinos in 1973. Today, black rhinos number only 610, according to the Kenya Wildlife Service.  The David Sheldrick Trust was instrumental for the conservation projects related to preservation of the rhino in Kenya. You can read  much more about their wonderful efforts here.  The link will take you to the efforts to save the black rhino.

White rhinos are even more endangered in Kenya with only 240 in the country.  The Nakuru Park is home to a rhino conservation project and I consider myself very fortunate to have seen a group of white rhinos as we were driving around in the park.

The white rhino's name comes from the Dutch word "weit," meaning wide, which refers to its wide, square muzzle, adapted for grazing. The white rhino, whose real color is gray, has a pronounced hump on the neck and a long face.

These photos are of the extremely rare white rhino.

 

I feel very blessed to have seen the rhino up close as I did. As we sat in the vehicle and watched them graze, I felt an sense of awesome wonder.

It is sad that just just after my visit to Kenya a group of poachers was arrested for killing a southern white rhino for its horns.  The horns sell for more per weight than gold and are used in Asia to make medicines, and in the Middle East to make dagger handles.  The Kenyan Wildlife Service (KWS) is doing a great job to try and project the country's wildlife but they face huge challenges.  If you are ever in Kenya, please take time to learn about the KWS and ways you can help them or you can read here and see that there are different ways to support their work, including wildlife conservation.

As we move on in the park, I see many other types of antelope, both in the wooded areas and on the Savannah. I just love to watch them.

 

I also love to see the many birds feasting in the lake.

They provide many photo opportunities too for the tourists.

As I was going through my photographs I came across this water bird who I forgot to feature when I did my post on the flamingos and pelicans. I'm not sure what kind of a bird this is but it is obviously some kind of water bird with it's long legs.  Perhaps one of my African readers can identify it for us.

Now I must say that for me it is always a highlight to see the majestic lions of Kenya. These truly are magnificent creatures and unfortunately they are a dying breed in Kenya.

My driver was not so sure I would see a lion before I left the park but I had a sense of certainty about it.  Just as we were leaving the park, we came across this female lion. It was a little difficult to get a good photo but I did the best I could.  She was just going to find a resting perch on a fallen tree.

Here she is making her way to the end of the tree when we spotted here.

Ah, there she is now resting on her perch.

I thought it fitting that my last shot of the wild animals in this park was one of a lioness taking a rest. We make the journey back to the main part of the city, passing by the park sign and other photographers. I hope to pass this way again some time.

Click here to read Part 1 in this series. It starts with my stopover in Nairobi, Kenya.

Click here to read Part 2 in this series in Kenya. It continues with my sojourn in Nairobi, Kenya.

Click here to read Part 3 in this series on Kenya where I stop to view a stunning lookout.

Click here to read Part 4 in this series on Kenya where I stop at Lake Elementeita.

Click here to read Part 5 in this series on Kenya where I talk about some hotels in Nakuru.

Click here to read Part 6 in this series on Kenya where I show you some tourist sites around Nakuru.

Click here to read Part 7 in this series on Kenya where I show you the Castle Without a Princess.

Click here to read Part 8 in this series on Kenya where I feature a collection of scenes from around Nakuru. 
Click here to read Part 9 in this series where we enter the park and begin to tour it. 
Click here to read Part 10 about the flamingos and water buffalo. 
Click here to read Part 11 about  the Baboons of Nakuru Park.

Click on the badge above to see more beautiful scenes from around the world.

Baboons of Nakuru Park

Thank you and a big welcome to my newest followers: Alan (an awesome photoblogger), Ms. Burrito (a 5 year old emerging blogger), Paco (who has an artsy photoblog) and Cathy Lookabaugh. Cathy you don't have a website link so I can't visit you.

There is so much to see at the Nakuru National Park and I've had to split the photos into several posts (you can find the links to these and to my other travel posts on Kenya at the bottom of this post). In today's post, I bring you to Baboon Point one of my favourite places in the park.

One of the reasons I enjoy Baboon Point on Baboon Cliff is because of the spectacular views. Here from high up you have a fantastic view of Lake Nakuru.  Another reason is to see the troop of baboons. Baboons like to live in groups or troops of 20-100.  Each troop is protected by one or more dominant males.

A baboon is basically a type of monkey and is easily recognizable by a large head and cheek pouches.  The baboon also has a long jaw and this enables them to store food in their cheek pouches just like a chipmunk.

Isn't the view stunning? I love that I can see the winding dirt path that brought us from the lake to the cliffs.

This photo is taken just a little more to the left of the photo above.

This is one place where it is gratifying to see a lot of locals and African visitors.

There are so many baboons to keep everyone occupied in watching them, hence the name "Baboon Cliff".

I tried to zoom in on the lake.

These baboons are ignoring me.

These baboons are doing what baboons love to do.  They love to explore cars and will get into them if you are not careful.

Something inside this car has caught this baboon's eye.

Baboons have long, powerful limbs and can travel at high speeds.  Their buttocks are hairless and are often a bright colour.  Their fur is coarse and usually short and they can come in a variety of colours from blondish to a dark brown.

The baboons seem oblivious to humans but I wonder if they would like to tell us to 'get lost'?

Here a baboon is grooming another.

Just chillaxin'

Another spectacular view.

Pondering life's big questions.  The baboon is a very intelligent animal and can be trained.

I tried unsuccessfully to capture a photo of the baby baboon with it's mother under this picnic table.

Baboons are social creatures.  The female baboons are about half the size of the males and they produce one baby baboon after carrying it for a 6 month period.

I transferred my attention from the picnic table to take a photo of this mother and her baby.

A group of baboons is called a troop.  Unfortunately they are big pests for Kenya's farmer and can inflict a lot of damage on crops.  So while we tourists may like the baboon,  the local farmers do not.

Even baboons get tired. Maybe this one is bored with the tourists that day! LOL

Baboons eat a variety of things like worms, insects, reptiles, small mammals, fruits, vegetation and eggs. I didn't get to see any baboon having a meal that day. Perhaps another day.

Please come again for more of my expedition to Kenya.  If you haven't been on the trip before today you can catch up by checking out the links below.  Thank you for visiting!

~~~~~~~~~

Click here to read Part 1 in this series. It starts with my stopover in Nairobi, Kenya.

Click here to read Part 2 in this series in Kenya. It continues with my sojourn in Nairobi, Kenya.

Click here to read Part 3 in this series on Kenya where I stop to view a stunning lookout.

Click here to read Part 4 in this series on Kenya where I stop at Lake Elementeita.

Click here to read Part 5 in this series on Kenya where I talk about some hotels in Nakuru.

Click here to read Part 6 in this series on Kenya where I show you some tourist sites around Nakuru.

Click here to read Part 7 in this series on Kenya where I show you the Castle Without a Princess.

Click here to read Part 8 in this series on Kenya where I feature a collection of scenes from around Nakuru. 
Click here to read Part 9 in this series where we enter the park and begin to tour it. 
Click here to read Part 10 about the flamingos and water buffalo. 

Click on the MW badge above to see more of our spectacular world and please do leave a comment below before you go.