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.
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