Hey everyone! Thank you so much for reading my blog. Thank you for your prayers and support. God blessed us with a wonderful trip to Kenya. We were able to see Him work in many wonderful ways. I think the team worked well together and provided some very helpful information to the hospital so they can raise support for the dental and eye building. It will be a beautiful facility that will really help expand the hospital and expand the work God is doing in people's lives.
If you're interested, all of my pictures can be seen here: http://s101.photobucket.com/albums/m41/ahuyser/Kenya/
Please remember to keep Tenwek Hospital and the missionaries serving there in your prayers!
Friday, March 27, 2009
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Site Model
Here are some pictures from the 3D Computer Model that I worked on in Kenya. It shows the new building and it's location at the hospital. The model was used in the in-country design presentation and will hopefully be used by the hospital staff in fund raising for the new building.
Tuesday
Tuesday March 24, 2009
In Route Home
We stayed at a hotel near the London Airport last night. Danny, Catherine, Wes and I took the subway system (aka the "Tube") into downtown Londan. We walked around and saw Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, the ferris wheel, Piccadilly Circus, and Westminster Abby where the bells were playing. It was very cold and windy, so we took refuge in a pizza place where we had dinner.
This morning we said goodbye to the team members heading off in different directions, and we boarded the plane back to Atlanta.
It was a wonderful trip, and I'm so glad I got to see and experience so much, but I will be glad to get home!
In Route Home
We stayed at a hotel near the London Airport last night. Danny, Catherine, Wes and I took the subway system (aka the "Tube") into downtown Londan. We walked around and saw Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, the ferris wheel, Piccadilly Circus, and Westminster Abby where the bells were playing. It was very cold and windy, so we took refuge in a pizza place where we had dinner.
This morning we said goodbye to the team members heading off in different directions, and we boarded the plane back to Atlanta.
It was a wonderful trip, and I'm so glad I got to see and experience so much, but I will be glad to get home!
Monday
Monday March 23, 2009
1:48 PM Airplane from Nairobi to London
Yesterday morning we went on one last game drive. Early on we pulled up aside two cheetahs. They had been sleeping and stretched out and woke up. They slowly walked toward a nearby section with trees. All of a sudden one took off. I only saw it disappear behind a bush but a few members of the group saw that it took down an antelope.
We enjoyed the serenity and peace one last time before heading back to the safari club. We had the breakfast buffet and headed out to a nearby dirt landing strip. A Kenyan Airlines plane seating about 20 took us to Nairobi. We checked in to an AIM (African Inland Missions) guesthouse and got a brief drive through of Nairobi seeing the prime minister and president's offices, the memorial for the US Embassy bombing, and some of the financial district. There were places where armed military officials were patrolling the sidewalk with automatic weapons. Almost every building had bars on the windows of the first floor. The AIM mission house had barbed wire and 24 hour security. I've never been anywhere with that kind of atmosphere before.
We spent some time at a shopping area where people had things you barter for or buy. They were very aggressive about wanting you to buy things. Some of the EMI folks had fun but it wasn't a situation where I felt very comfortable.
We headed back to the mission house to get cleaned up for dinner at the Carnivore. It's a restaurant with a big African theme (mostly tourists eat there). They bring around different meats to try and there were different sauces on the table to try. Choices included crocodile (not very good), ostrich (I actually like this one the best), beef, lamb, pork, and chicken. We had a private room and did communion together after the meal. It was a neat way to end the trip.
I stayed up late with Catherine and Danny planing cards at the mission house. This morning we left early for the airport and now we're on the way to London where we will spend the night before heading home tomorrow!
1:48 PM Airplane from Nairobi to London
Yesterday morning we went on one last game drive. Early on we pulled up aside two cheetahs. They had been sleeping and stretched out and woke up. They slowly walked toward a nearby section with trees. All of a sudden one took off. I only saw it disappear behind a bush but a few members of the group saw that it took down an antelope.
We enjoyed the serenity and peace one last time before heading back to the safari club. We had the breakfast buffet and headed out to a nearby dirt landing strip. A Kenyan Airlines plane seating about 20 took us to Nairobi. We checked in to an AIM (African Inland Missions) guesthouse and got a brief drive through of Nairobi seeing the prime minister and president's offices, the memorial for the US Embassy bombing, and some of the financial district. There were places where armed military officials were patrolling the sidewalk with automatic weapons. Almost every building had bars on the windows of the first floor. The AIM mission house had barbed wire and 24 hour security. I've never been anywhere with that kind of atmosphere before.
We spent some time at a shopping area where people had things you barter for or buy. They were very aggressive about wanting you to buy things. Some of the EMI folks had fun but it wasn't a situation where I felt very comfortable.
We headed back to the mission house to get cleaned up for dinner at the Carnivore. It's a restaurant with a big African theme (mostly tourists eat there). They bring around different meats to try and there were different sauces on the table to try. Choices included crocodile (not very good), ostrich (I actually like this one the best), beef, lamb, pork, and chicken. We had a private room and did communion together after the meal. It was a neat way to end the trip.
I stayed up late with Catherine and Danny planing cards at the mission house. This morning we left early for the airport and now we're on the way to London where we will spend the night before heading home tomorrow!
Saturday Afternoon
Saturday March 21, 2009
Safari Club 10:35 PM
Lunch was buffet style by the pool again. I wasn't very hungry but did have some tasty talapia, fruit, and an espresso macadamia nut brownie. We had a little more downtime before leaving for the evening safari. Robert first took us to the rhino sancturay where we could get out and get near four docile rhinos who were grazing. It was a great photo opportunity. We then went to a small Masai Villiage where they danced and sang and let us see inside of one of the small huts. Two of the warriors lit a fire by rubbing sticks. I bought some small animal carvings.
We got back on the jeep and looked for a leopard--the last of the big five we hadn't seen yet. The big five are the elephant, lion, giraffe, rhino, and leopard. No luck yet but one more chance tomorrow!
Dinner was tasty beef with potatoes. I had passions fruit sorbet with grapes for dessert.
Tomorrow we have one last mrorning game drive before we begin the long journey home.
Safari Club 10:35 PM
Lunch was buffet style by the pool again. I wasn't very hungry but did have some tasty talapia, fruit, and an espresso macadamia nut brownie. We had a little more downtime before leaving for the evening safari. Robert first took us to the rhino sancturay where we could get out and get near four docile rhinos who were grazing. It was a great photo opportunity. We then went to a small Masai Villiage where they danced and sang and let us see inside of one of the small huts. Two of the warriors lit a fire by rubbing sticks. I bought some small animal carvings.
We got back on the jeep and looked for a leopard--the last of the big five we hadn't seen yet. The big five are the elephant, lion, giraffe, rhino, and leopard. No luck yet but one more chance tomorrow!
Dinner was tasty beef with potatoes. I had passions fruit sorbet with grapes for dessert.
Tomorrow we have one last mrorning game drive before we begin the long journey home.
Saturday Morning
Saturday March 21, 2009
11:16 AM Safari Club
We were awakened at 5:45 this morning with "Jambo, Jambo!" from outside the tent. (That's Hello in Swahili) The server brought the tea or coffee we had ordered the night before with a shortbread cookie. We got dressed and headed to the safari vehicle for an early morning drive. We got to see zebras, giraffes, lots of lions, the sunrise, warthogs, and an elephant. We also saw a wildebeest carcass being eaten by a jackel and a hiena. There were lots of vultures awaiting their turn as well. It was a little disturbing but the way God made everything to work together to survive was really fascinating to watch.
We returned to the safari club for a yummy buffet breakfast that included an omlette station, some wonderful fruit juices, black passion fruit, mango slices, bread, bacon, eggs, and saussage.
We had our team devlotional time and are now relaxing by the pool before lunch.
11:16 AM Safari Club
We were awakened at 5:45 this morning with "Jambo, Jambo!" from outside the tent. (That's Hello in Swahili) The server brought the tea or coffee we had ordered the night before with a shortbread cookie. We got dressed and headed to the safari vehicle for an early morning drive. We got to see zebras, giraffes, lots of lions, the sunrise, warthogs, and an elephant. We also saw a wildebeest carcass being eaten by a jackel and a hiena. There were lots of vultures awaiting their turn as well. It was a little disturbing but the way God made everything to work together to survive was really fascinating to watch.
We returned to the safari club for a yummy buffet breakfast that included an omlette station, some wonderful fruit juices, black passion fruit, mango slices, bread, bacon, eggs, and saussage.
We had our team devlotional time and are now relaxing by the pool before lunch.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Friday Afternoon
Friday March 20, 2009
10:34 PM Safari Club
What an amazing afternoon! We split into 2 groups for the afternoon "game drive." There were 5 of us and a guide from the Masai tribe that is in this area. We were in a land rover type vehicle with a top that raised up about 2 feet so that you could stand and look out. We saw so many wonderful things including zebra, giraffes, wildebeests, antelopes, elephants (including a baby), dik-diks (the smallest type of antelope), lions, an impala, and several unique birds. It was so amazing having a 360 degree view of all the animals and God's beautiful creation. We really have a wonderful and creative God who has blessed us so much! I had a blast this afternoon!
We came back to the safari club for about an hour. I went back to the hippo tent where I saw some hippos (a mom and a baby got out of the water and then ran and jumped back in) and monkeys across the river.
We boarded the jeeps again. The 5 of us will stay with our driver Robert all weekend. It was dark and he turned his lights off the road a bit to show us the hippos that come out at night to feed. Then we stopped at a location with a big bonfire. We all sat around the fire and one of the staff told us to take a moment of silence before he told us a story. As we all waited quietly, about 10 men dressed in their Masai Warrior outfits came running out suddenly. They then sang/chanted and danced for us. Part of the dancing was 1 or 2 of them coming out and jumping vertically 2-3 feet in the air repetitively in one spot. They then took the hands of the ladies (and Danny because there weren't enough females in the group) and danced us around the fire. They put necklaces on us that jingles as we danced. We were all laughing very hard because we couldn't understand what they were saying and it almost looked like some sort of a marriage ceremony!
After the dancers left, we were told stories of how to prevent/handle attacks from different wild animals. We then enjoyed a wonderful buffet including an eggplant salad, a cold noodle salad, leg of lamb, grilled pork and shrimp, zucchini soup and some very tasty desserts including a brownie like dessert with a macadamia nut crust. The stars tonight were the best and most I've ever seen.
We're back at the safari camp and I'm in my big comfy bed with mosquito nets. I can hear hippos splash and groan in the water nearby. There were hot water bottles in the beds down at our feet to get the sheets warm.
Here are a few tidbits I remember from today:
10:34 PM Safari Club
What an amazing afternoon! We split into 2 groups for the afternoon "game drive." There were 5 of us and a guide from the Masai tribe that is in this area. We were in a land rover type vehicle with a top that raised up about 2 feet so that you could stand and look out. We saw so many wonderful things including zebra, giraffes, wildebeests, antelopes, elephants (including a baby), dik-diks (the smallest type of antelope), lions, an impala, and several unique birds. It was so amazing having a 360 degree view of all the animals and God's beautiful creation. We really have a wonderful and creative God who has blessed us so much! I had a blast this afternoon!
We came back to the safari club for about an hour. I went back to the hippo tent where I saw some hippos (a mom and a baby got out of the water and then ran and jumped back in) and monkeys across the river.
We boarded the jeeps again. The 5 of us will stay with our driver Robert all weekend. It was dark and he turned his lights off the road a bit to show us the hippos that come out at night to feed. Then we stopped at a location with a big bonfire. We all sat around the fire and one of the staff told us to take a moment of silence before he told us a story. As we all waited quietly, about 10 men dressed in their Masai Warrior outfits came running out suddenly. They then sang/chanted and danced for us. Part of the dancing was 1 or 2 of them coming out and jumping vertically 2-3 feet in the air repetitively in one spot. They then took the hands of the ladies (and Danny because there weren't enough females in the group) and danced us around the fire. They put necklaces on us that jingles as we danced. We were all laughing very hard because we couldn't understand what they were saying and it almost looked like some sort of a marriage ceremony!
After the dancers left, we were told stories of how to prevent/handle attacks from different wild animals. We then enjoyed a wonderful buffet including an eggplant salad, a cold noodle salad, leg of lamb, grilled pork and shrimp, zucchini soup and some very tasty desserts including a brownie like dessert with a macadamia nut crust. The stars tonight were the best and most I've ever seen.
We're back at the safari camp and I'm in my big comfy bed with mosquito nets. I can hear hippos splash and groan in the water nearby. There were hot water bottles in the beds down at our feet to get the sheets warm.
Here are a few tidbits I remember from today:
- Lions hunt 2 hours, eat 2 hours, and sleep the rest of the day (something that seems to have been picked up by house cats too!)
- Elephants are the reverse--sleep 2 and eat/graze the rest of the day.
- All zebras have different striping like fingerprints. This is something I'd heard before but seems much more stunning when there are so many!
- Baby elephants don't eat grass until they are 3 years old
- It was either a wildebeest or an antelope, but one of those babies can run as fast at their mommas when they are only 6 minutes old
- Lions don't usually go for elephants, however they will sometimes urinate on a baby elephant. Then when the mother smells the lion, she will kill her baby and then the lions come back for it.
- Dik-diks mate for life and when one dies the other will then starve.
Friday March 20, 2009
2:06 PM Safari Club
I think we were all sad to leave Tenwek this morning. Ben and Jen served us one last meal on their porch--french toast, eggs, and bacon. We said our goodbyes and loaded into two vans with our backpacks and clothes for the next few days. Our big bags will be bussed to Nairobi on Sunday. We then took a very rough and bumpy ride to the safari club. We made one stop in the town of Bomet for someone to mail a package at the post office but we stayed in the van. The ride here transitioned from the lush green tea farms around Tenwek to some very dry, flat land--the way I had pictured Africa to be. We saw (and had to stop for) several cows and goats. We also saw antelope, zebras, and monkeys. There is something amazing about seeing an animal in its natural habitat for the first time. I think it makes them just that much more beautiful.
The safari club is really nice. We're staying in tents but they are hardly roughing it! I'm with Donna, a structural engineer on the EMI staff from Colorado. There are two "twin" beds which look more like doubles or queens, a shower, and bathroom, and electricity. All of the tents are scattered in a beautiful setting along a river with hippos.
We had an outdoor buffet style lunch. There were some fun things to try including tomato salad, butternut squash soup, avocado salad, a lemony fish, some baked bananas in a somewhat spicy sauce, and some tasty bite sized desserts.
I'm taking some quiet time now to read and journal in a peaceful area called the "Hippo Tent" overlooking the water. I saw some hippos earlier further down the river but now I just see a Kenyan herding cattle and goats across the way.
I originally felt a little guilty about doing this on the missions trip, but now I'm glad since we're so close to this beauty and I may never get this chance again. This is a great blessing!
I think we were all sad to leave Tenwek this morning. Ben and Jen served us one last meal on their porch--french toast, eggs, and bacon. We said our goodbyes and loaded into two vans with our backpacks and clothes for the next few days. Our big bags will be bussed to Nairobi on Sunday. We then took a very rough and bumpy ride to the safari club. We made one stop in the town of Bomet for someone to mail a package at the post office but we stayed in the van. The ride here transitioned from the lush green tea farms around Tenwek to some very dry, flat land--the way I had pictured Africa to be. We saw (and had to stop for) several cows and goats. We also saw antelope, zebras, and monkeys. There is something amazing about seeing an animal in its natural habitat for the first time. I think it makes them just that much more beautiful.
The safari club is really nice. We're staying in tents but they are hardly roughing it! I'm with Donna, a structural engineer on the EMI staff from Colorado. There are two "twin" beds which look more like doubles or queens, a shower, and bathroom, and electricity. All of the tents are scattered in a beautiful setting along a river with hippos.
We had an outdoor buffet style lunch. There were some fun things to try including tomato salad, butternut squash soup, avocado salad, a lemony fish, some baked bananas in a somewhat spicy sauce, and some tasty bite sized desserts.
I'm taking some quiet time now to read and journal in a peaceful area called the "Hippo Tent" overlooking the water. I saw some hippos earlier further down the river but now I just see a Kenyan herding cattle and goats across the way.
I originally felt a little guilty about doing this on the missions trip, but now I'm glad since we're so close to this beauty and I may never get this chance again. This is a great blessing!
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Wraping up the Design
Well sorry it's been a few days, but it's been incredibly busy here! We worked late into the night last night and all day today right up to our in-country presentation for some of the doctors and hospital administrators. The design won't be completed for several months, but we had a good presentation for everyone to see the basic floor plan, building location, demolition required. About 4 people shared the different sections that had been worked on. The staff was receptive but understandably hesitant because it will cost about $1.5 million to build the building and make the recommended upgrades to the power, water, and sewer systems. Most of this money will be raised back in the US.
My mom said she wanted me to keep saying what I was eating so here it goes for the last two days! Yesterday for lunch we had a chicken tomato soup. For dinner we went to the head missionary surgeon's house for dinner. We had beef and carrots and mashed potatoes. For lunch today we had more of the soup from yesterday and for dinner we had vegetables and rice. There are some wonderful pineapples and mangoes cut for us to eat. They are SO yummy!
The surgeon whose house we ate at has been at Tenwek for many years. He had an amazing story for us. When he first came to Tenwek for his residency, there was only one other surgeon who was a bit burned out. This doctor followed him around for 5 days and then the other surgeon left him to take a vacation. The doctor has framed 5 metal and painful looking arrows that he removed from people that night with a plack that says "One Night On Call at Tenwek Hospital!" Arrow injuries are frequent here!
After dinner tonight four of us went up to the maternity ward to see the babies. We were in the room with the really premature babies. It was so different than America. We just asked if we could hold them and washed our hands and wore an apron. They were so tiny. There are about 22 babies born every day here and only about half survive. It was amazing how small they were. I'll post pictures later.
We'll I'm exhaused and ready for bed! We're leaving Tenwek in the morning, so I may not be able to update until I get home on Tuesday. I'll be sure to post more pictures and give more details then!
My mom said she wanted me to keep saying what I was eating so here it goes for the last two days! Yesterday for lunch we had a chicken tomato soup. For dinner we went to the head missionary surgeon's house for dinner. We had beef and carrots and mashed potatoes. For lunch today we had more of the soup from yesterday and for dinner we had vegetables and rice. There are some wonderful pineapples and mangoes cut for us to eat. They are SO yummy!
The surgeon whose house we ate at has been at Tenwek for many years. He had an amazing story for us. When he first came to Tenwek for his residency, there was only one other surgeon who was a bit burned out. This doctor followed him around for 5 days and then the other surgeon left him to take a vacation. The doctor has framed 5 metal and painful looking arrows that he removed from people that night with a plack that says "One Night On Call at Tenwek Hospital!" Arrow injuries are frequent here!
After dinner tonight four of us went up to the maternity ward to see the babies. We were in the room with the really premature babies. It was so different than America. We just asked if we could hold them and washed our hands and wore an apron. They were so tiny. There are about 22 babies born every day here and only about half survive. It was amazing how small they were. I'll post pictures later.
We'll I'm exhaused and ready for bed! We're leaving Tenwek in the morning, so I may not be able to update until I get home on Tuesday. I'll be sure to post more pictures and give more details then!
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Working Hard
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
8:20 PM Tenwek
Well the team has spent another day working hard in our workroom! Some of us are still up here pluggin' away. It's only 8:20 here, but it gets dark at about 6:30 so it feels pretty late. Things are coming together with the architectural plans and engineering design. The surveyor has also made lots of progress.
We enjoyed a nice lunch with Ben and Jen and dinner with another missionary doctor family here at the hospital. Everyone is so kind and hospitable. There are lots of people coming and going, so they know how to take good care of us!
The weather here is wonderful. I used to think I would never like to live somewhere where there wasn't much change from season to season, but if the weather was like this year-round, then I think I could handle it! It's in the 70s during the day and drops maybe as low at the upper 50s at night. The Kenyans bundle up in sweaters and heavy jackets at night, but we all laugh because it's pleasant to us! It has rained hard every afternoon which the Kenyans are very thankful for. It's the start of the rainy season in March.
There isn't airconditioning or even ceiling fans, but it's relaly not necessary. There are always lots of windows open and the hospital was designed with open corridors and courtyards and such for airflow. Our team is incorporating the same type thing into the new dental and eye building.
The hospital isn't as clean and stark feeling as an American hospital, but I believe the quality of healthcare is still very high for Kenya. The hospital was recently inspected by the country government and got the highest ranking of any missionary hospital and was 6th in all of Kenya. Today a plastic surgeon came in for about a week's stay to do lots of surgeries that were saved for his visit like cleft palletts.
I'm finally starting to sleep better at night, which is very nice. I've even gotten a little used to the mosquito nets! The team is working well together. There are 3 of under 25 and the rest range from 40 to low 70s. We're also from all over the country, but being thrown in with everyone all day everyday, you get to know each other quickly.
Well I better get to work! Thanks for reading! Internet has been on and off, but I'm trying to update everyday if I can!
8:20 PM Tenwek
Well the team has spent another day working hard in our workroom! Some of us are still up here pluggin' away. It's only 8:20 here, but it gets dark at about 6:30 so it feels pretty late. Things are coming together with the architectural plans and engineering design. The surveyor has also made lots of progress.
We enjoyed a nice lunch with Ben and Jen and dinner with another missionary doctor family here at the hospital. Everyone is so kind and hospitable. There are lots of people coming and going, so they know how to take good care of us!
The weather here is wonderful. I used to think I would never like to live somewhere where there wasn't much change from season to season, but if the weather was like this year-round, then I think I could handle it! It's in the 70s during the day and drops maybe as low at the upper 50s at night. The Kenyans bundle up in sweaters and heavy jackets at night, but we all laugh because it's pleasant to us! It has rained hard every afternoon which the Kenyans are very thankful for. It's the start of the rainy season in March.
There isn't airconditioning or even ceiling fans, but it's relaly not necessary. There are always lots of windows open and the hospital was designed with open corridors and courtyards and such for airflow. Our team is incorporating the same type thing into the new dental and eye building.
The hospital isn't as clean and stark feeling as an American hospital, but I believe the quality of healthcare is still very high for Kenya. The hospital was recently inspected by the country government and got the highest ranking of any missionary hospital and was 6th in all of Kenya. Today a plastic surgeon came in for about a week's stay to do lots of surgeries that were saved for his visit like cleft palletts.
I'm finally starting to sleep better at night, which is very nice. I've even gotten a little used to the mosquito nets! The team is working well together. There are 3 of under 25 and the rest range from 40 to low 70s. We're also from all over the country, but being thrown in with everyone all day everyday, you get to know each other quickly.
Well I better get to work! Thanks for reading! Internet has been on and off, but I'm trying to update everyday if I can!
Monday, March 16, 2009
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