Safari and Other Adventures

At the end of my last full day of work at Tenwek my adventurous cousin Sarah arrived and joined me while I was finishing up on nursery rounds. Sarah is working in Kenya doing a public health project this summer, and we had coordinated to meet at the end of my time and at the beginning of her time in Kenya to go on a safari together. It was really fun to show Sarah around Tenwek and to be able to introduce her to the many people that I have enjoyed getting to know this past month. On Friday morning we packed up and loaded our stuff into a vehicle, which carried us across rocky roads to the Masai Mara to go on a safari. The place where we stayed was incredible! The 2 nights that we stayed there were amazingly restful, and we enjoyed four 2-3 hour treks across the safari plains gazing at the wildlife. It was a wonderful way to end my month in Kenya and for Sarah to begin her work there.

We stayed in a very nice tent at the Mara. The tents overlooked the Mara River, which was full of hippos. Our wake-up call was earlier than we had hoped and consisted of hearing hippos snorting as they swam through the river.

The scenery was spectacular. Our game drives either ended at sunset or began at sunrise--allowing for some beautiful pictures.

We were fortunate to find several lions during our game drives. The lionesses were so regal, as they watched for prey and guarded their cubs. One lioness rose from her place out in the field and approached to just a couple of feet behind our vehicle's tire. She was seeking out some shade! The vehicles were completely open (no windows), so it was a little scary to see her come so close, but really cool at the same time.

During one of our evening game drives we saw a pack of hyenas devouring a zebra. It was crazy! There were probably 100 vultures waiting their turn for any scraps left behind. It was such a savage sight to behold as the hungry animals ate everything--skin, fur, bones, etc. If your stomach can handle it :), a short video clip is above.

We were allowed to get out of the vehicle and walk among the rhinos--such a neat experience!

Following the safari we headed back to Nairobi and stayed another restful night at the Mennonite Guest House. On Monday we explored Nairobi a bit and enjoyed riding the public transportation buses called matatus throughout the city. It was a fun and adventurous experience trying to figure out how to navigate the city, and it thankfully went very smoothly. We were able to head about 18 kilometers from the city to visit a giraffe park. At the park they have an elevated platform where the visitors can feed and pet the giraffes. Some people even let the giraffes kiss them (we were NOT among those brave individuals :) ).

Feeding the giraffe--check out his long tongue seeking out a food pellet.

After visiting the giraffe park, we went to a market and had a little time for souvenir shopping and bargaining. Then we headed back to the guest house for me to shower and finish packing. We then loaded in a taxi, dropped off Sarah to meet up with her group for the summer, and I continued on to the airport for my night flight to Amsterdam. Our weekend was a wonderful way to finish/start our time in Kenya, and we really enjoyed seeing the sites together.

After about 30 hours of traveling, I arrived home last night and was greeted by my loving husband and parents. I am so thankful to be back home! This month has been an incredible experience. I feel so blessed to have been able to work among the people at Tenwek and to see all that the Lord is doing there. Thank you for joining me on this amazing adventure!

Pediatric Patients

This past week I have been on the pediatrics team. The children are precious! I have helped care for some patients this week with very severe malnutrition, peumonia, TB meningitis, tetanus, congestive heart failure, acute respiratory distress syndrome, broken limbs, burns, low birth weight, prematurity, etc. The peds team is a very busy team! In the mornings we cared for children in the wards and in the afternoons we worked in the NICU. I want to share pictures of some of the kids I have seen this week.

This little girl had pneumonia and is feeling much better after receiving antibiotics, oxygen, and breathing treatments. Her mother dressed her in her cute outfit awaiting their discharge.

This little girl greets me in the mornings with a big smile. She likes to sit outside in her wheelchair greeting people, as they enter the hospital area.

This little boy came to Tenwek several weeks ago with severe protein energy malnutrition. His abdomen and legs have been very swollen due to his illness. His legs are now back to normal, and his abdomen is slowly coming down. He is eating well and slowly gaining weight. He is such a precious little guy.

This is a picture of one of the NICU babies that was born at a very low birthweight due to prematurity. It is incredible that many of these babies live now with the care that they receive at Tenwek.

This teenage girl is recovering well from a burn that she endured. She was beaming during rounds yesterday; it was so encouraging to see her doing so well.

Leaving Tenwek

Today is my last day at Tenwek--time has flown! It has been an incredible month! I am so thankful for this experience and for the opportunity to work alongside such amazing people caring for the people who live in this area. I wanted to post some pictures of scenes around Tenwek Hospital.

This is the sign that stands outside Tenwek's gate. It is a wonderful reminder that we care for patients as much as we are able, but it is God who actually heals them.

This is the entrance to the hospital. Casualty is the name they use for Emergency--since Kenya uses a British system, there are different names for terms here.

This is the surgical theatre. It is an impressive building with several OR rooms, recovery area, library, classrooms, and even an amphitheater for various events. This building is where the main general surgery cases are held, as well as some c-sections and ophthalmology cases.

This is a picture from one of the men's ward. When the ward gets full, the men double up in these single beds. It's pretty impressive to see! I have heard from people here that if all of the beds are doubly full, then they even move patients to the floor. It is amazing how they don't turn people away for space reasons.

This is a picture from one of the 2 pediatrics wards. The parents are allowed to stay with their children, so the ward can become very full.

Here's a picture of the outside area, where there is a fountain. The setting of the hospital is open to the outside, and patients are often found sitting out in the sun around the fountain or on nearby grass during the day.

Here is a picture of one of the waiting pods for the outpatient area. It can get quite full, and it always amazes me that people can sit for long periods in such tight quarters awaiting care here. There are so many needs.

These are the 2 original Tenwek Hospital buildings. It is incredible to see how big the hospital is now in comparison to its origin. One of these buildings was the ward (a small one!), and another was the operating room, where Dr. Steury began caring for patients.

This is the waterfall and dam that provides the energy that powers Tenwek Hospital. It is about a 1/2 mile down the mountain from Tenwek and is a huge blessing, as this hydroelectic powerhouse fuels the hospital day and night.

Special Patients This Week

This week has been a very full week seeing patients with eye disease. I thought that I'd post a few of my favorite patients from this week and tell you a little about them.


We saw this little girl at the Mobile clinic this week. She has an eye ulcer that we helped treat. Hopefully it will resolve with the medications that we gave her, and her vision will improve without other interventions.


This precious little boy has retinoblastoma, cancer of the eye. The tumor has been growing since about December and has greatly enlarged the eye until his presentation to us this week. His tumor was so advanced that the eye could not be saved. So, he had to have his eye removed this week so that the cancer would not spread to his brain and liver. We are praying that his cancer will be just localized to the eye. He was such a strong, courageous little guy in the OR. Patients here are not wheeled back to the OR--they walk into the room and climb up to the bed. He was obviously so scared and had a few single tears rolling down his cheeks. I began to rub his back and talk to him, and he started whimpering. I teared up too, knowing how scared he must be and also knowing that the surgery ahead would not give him sight but instead was necessary to save the rest of his body from cancer. The surgery went well, and he was fitted with a prosthetic eye matched to his seeing eye. He plans to follow up next week, and we are hoping that he will be doing well.

This is another tough case that we faced this week. This teenager presented with a bilateral orbital mass above his eyes. He was very self-conscious, wearing a hooded jacket and looking at his reflection often with a broken mirror that he carried. The mass was biopsied, and it turned out to be lymphoma. He will receive chemotherapy and radiation; we are praying that this therapy will heal him completely. Seeing these two difficult cases this week reminds me that illnesses are often much more advanced when they present to Tenwek due to lack of access to care in distant villages. We are hoping that these two young guys will be spared from having disease that has spread to other parts of their bodies.

One of the saddest patients we cared for this week is a two-year-old who was severely burned on his face by boiling water. We were consulted because his eyelids are now scarred, and his eyes are not closing well, making his eyes very dry and subject to scarring and infections. We saw him in the pediatric ward lying in bed with his older brother (probably 3 years old) who pulled the boiling pot of water onto him. His brother was also burned but not nearly as severely. This little guy has a long road ahead. The ophthalmologist thinks that he can help save his eyes with medicines and eventually surgery.

This man had a happy ending. He is a Kipsigis gentleman with dense cataracts that limited his vision profoundly. Following his surgery today he left with a great big smile on his face, as he is able to see again!

This sweet lady had cataract surgery recently and came back to us for follow up. She is doing very well and was so happy being able to see again.

Mobile Eye Clinic to Tendwet

Today we had another adventurous mobile eye clinic day. We traveled about 2 hours to the Mau Forest area in a village called Tendwet. The dispensary is perched on a hill overlooking a gorgeous valley that once was a forest. Like many other parts of the world, the forest here has been cut back so that people can have farmland. The soil is very fertile in this region and produces a variety of crops. The small patch of forest still remains close to this rich farmland.
At the clinic we saw probably about 50 patients, screening for low vision, cataracts, eye infections, and other conditions. It was a productive day, and we plan to see several of the patients back at Tenwek for surgery soon.
The roads were very muddy most of the way to the village, so it was very bumpy and at times treacherous. At one point on the way back, we got stuck in the mud. Despite many efforts to get out of the deep mud, our vehicle would not budge. So, we all climbed out into the mud. There were a bunch of men standing in the road looking for business--to assist vehicles escape the mud holes. There was already a taxi stuck in the mud, and the group of men actually lifted the taxi off the ground and placed it on a more solid part of the road. Our vehicle was too heavy to lift, but with the help of those men rocking it while the driver put it in reverse, we were able to get out of the sticky hole. So, we paid the men and continued on our way. During the rest of the way back to Tenwek, we had several more opportunities to get stuck, but our driver John mastered the roads and managed to continue moving through the sludge.
It was another great day seeing patients in nearby villages and screening for eye disease. I am continually amazed by how the Kenyan people are so welcoming and hospitable, as I see different parts of this region.


The long road ascending to the forest region


The muddy road


The Tendwet dispensary overlooking the valley

Umoja Orphanage

Yesterday I had the opportunity to visit an orphanage near Tenwek. It was started with the support of a wonderful OB/GYN physician and his wife who have volunteered at Tenwek for over 10 years. They helped start 3 orphanages during their time here, and it was so special to visit the children at one of the homes yesterday. The orphanage, named Umoja, means "first". It was named that, as it was the first orphanage that the couple started. The OB doctor is here working at Tenwek now, and he took a group of us to see the kids. He shared how the orphanage was started. He and his wife were praying years ago how they could help all of the needy families who were coming to their door asking for help. God led them to an older Kenyan woman named Juliana who had a vision of starting a children's home to provide for the many orphaned children (often from their parents dying early from HIV). She donated a piece of land for the children's home, and her son Joseph, who is very committed to caring for the children, is the director of the home. The OB doctor raises support for the children and has helped provide for the kids' needs. The kids are all able to go to school, and they have a safe, clean environment to live.
During the afternoon, we had a tour of the home, and the kids sang songs for us. They were so happy and were truly inspirational in their joy, as they sang and danced for us. They were also amazing in saying that they had prayed and fasted for the OB doctor's wife, who recently passed away from cancer. They sang a song that she had taught them. What precious children! We were struck by how the children view their director, Joseph, and his wife as their father and mother. The older kids help care for the younger ones--it was really neat to watch.
One of the oldest kids at the home (the tall one 3 people away from me in the group picture) had heart surgery at Tenwek. After he recovered from the surgery, he returned to his home village. He realized that his village was a dangerous place and that he wouldn't be able to fully recover being there. So, he returned to Tenwek, walking much of the very long distance back to the hospital. One of the other kids at the home served as his "shepherd", walking the long distance with the boy and helping him stay strong through the journey. When they returned to Tenwek, they were taken into Umoja to be provided for and to live. The tall boy had never been to school, so he is now in primary school with the little ones. It's kind of funny to think of a boy over 6 feet sitting in a classroom with little kids, but he is so happy to be able to learn.
After we visited Umoja, we went down the road to Juliana's home, where she hosted us for a little while. It was a great afternoon being able to see the children and to hear how they are growing, learning, and walking with God.


The Umoja kids


Juliana, the wonderful lady who had a vision for caring for orphans and provided the land for the orphanage. Check out her earlobes--these are common in older people around this region.


Such beautiful children!


Happy kids


Juliana's home

Mobile Eye Clinic

This past week I was able to travel with some of the Tenwek eye team to a small town for the mobile eye clinic. The mobile clinic happens about 3 times a week, where members from the eye unit travel to a nearby or semi-distant village to screen people for eye disease. The patients that gather are seen in a dispensary (or small clinic) in the village and are given eye medications and reading glasses and are screened for eye disease that requires surgery. If patients require surgical care, they are given the option of traveling back with the team to Tenwek, having the eye surgery, and are given transportation back to their village. It is a really neat ministry. The clinics usually see many patients and bring a large number of patients back with them. This past week we had about a 13 hour day traveling to the village of Lesos, about 3.5 hours away. The roads were very bumpy along the way, but the scenery was so beautiful, that I didn't mind. We traveled through much of the tea fields that supply Kenya and other countries with chai. The fields were amazingly well-kept, and it was interesting to see the workers in the fields gather the tea leaves.
We had a steady stream of patients that visited us to be screened for their eye conditions. We took 4 patients back with us to Tenwek on the bus for them to have eye surgery. During our trip back to Tenwek, we stopped at a town, and a bunch of kids saw me (the lone white person) through the bus window. They were screaming, pointing at me, and they ran to the bus door. They started filing into the bus to shake my hand and called me the M'zungo (white person). It was quite funny!
It was a great day to see how the Tenwek eye team reaches people all over Kenya.

The dispensary where we held the eye clinic.

Two of our eye team members screening helping to screen vision and visual fields.

I'm screening for the red reflex for this mother and her son inside the dispensary.

Screening vision using a Kipsigis chart.

A man gathering tea in the fields.

The beautiful tea fields.

Weekend Adventures

This past weekend was great for seeing more of the surrounding area and more of the Kenyan culture. On Saturday I went on a hike with a group of Tenwek visitors up a nearby mountain called Mt. Motigo. The hike was beautiful and gave us a great view of Tenwek Hospital from the top. I am posting a picture below. On Saturday afternoon, another group of us walked to a nearby town called Silobuette. It is a little larger than the town of Tenwek, and we were able to see more scenery as well as watch some kids playing soccer--it was a great day filled with being outdoors and getting to know some of the people here better.
On Sunday a group of us from the Tenwek Eye Unit were invited to attend one of the eye worker's church for a fundraising event. Apparently, when Kenyan churches want to raise money for a new building, they invite several other surrounding churches to join them for the event to raise money. A group of 6 of us from the eye team agreed to go. The whole experience of going to church took about 8 hours! Let me tell you about the adventure :)...
We started off by driving about 20-30 minutes down a highway and then down a long dirt road. We were instructed to stop by a building along the road and then were told that we needed to walk the rest of the way. Well, walk actually meant HIKE. The site of the church service was on top of a high mountain. I was wearing a long dress and mary jane shoes (without knowing what was ahead :) ). The hike started along a dirt donkey path that was slanted on the sides, where the slopes met at a narrow base full of deep mud and manure. We were successful at walking along the slanted sides of the path. As we continued, the path went almost straight up the mountain. The path eventually ended along the grassy side of the mountain, where we climbed up over small boulders and avoided prickly bushes. We eventually made it up to the summit, where the church was. The scenery was amazing!
When we arrived, many people had already gathered. They escorted us to some chairs that were positioned under a tent-like area (the roof made of feed sacks and flour bags stitched together). Well, people starting pouring into the grassy area on top of the mountain, many sitting on the grass under trees. The service started with singing and traditional dancing and then progressed to the time of offering. They also counted the people there, and they counted over 325 people present! Then a dynamic preacher gave a message (with a translator who was just as charismatic). The two went from English to Kipsigis and vice versa, preaching with great enthusiasm. At one point, the preacher threw off his coat to make an illustration, and the translator did as well!
After the sermon, there was a weird 45 minute or so lull--where kids from all over the mountaintop formed a circle around us 3 white people and just stared at us. It was hilarious! I started practicing Swahili with them, and they practiced English. We made faces at each other; we took many pictures of them so that they could see their faces on our cameras. Then, it was time for the fundraising event. People formed a line and began bringing their offerings for the new church--but these offerings were not just money. Some brought live roosters, sugar cane poles, small trees, kale, wood blocks, and pumpkins. These items were going to be auctioned off to help raise money for the church. Just as they started bringing in the gifts, it started to rain. The rain soon became a torrential downpour! People tried to find cover under the feed sack roof. There was a small structure about the size of an American bedroom that was their existing church. We starting piling into that structure to find a safe, dry place. It felt like sardines--there were probably 200 people in that tiny structure--for about an hour, as we waited out the rain.
As the rain subsided by about 4:30 pm, we were led down from the summit to a person' home, where they served us lunch. It consisted of a mass of dough (flour and water mixed together and pounded into a lump), beans, goat meat, and warm milk. I know it was a sacrifice for them to serve us, and we appreciated their hospitality. The next (and final) part of our adventure was getting DOWN the moutain in the MUD! It was crazy! The first part along the grass and rocky area was not so bad. When we descended to the donkey path (the majority of the hike down), it was terribly muddy, slippery, and steep. A pack of little girls were running beside me, laughing so hard at me and my awkward descent--I felt like I was on the verge of falling almost the whole way down. They thought it was hilarious to watch me scream and slip and slide through the mud in my dress and shoes. There was often nowhere to grab on since the path was lined mostly with thorns and barbed wire, so you can imagine how crazy it was to balance on a steep, slanted, and muddy path. At one point I slid into the gross part at the bottom of the donkey path, and my feet became REALLY gross--oh well! I was SO thankful to make it to the bottom of the hill without falling. I'm posting pictures of our shoes and of the kids who helped us down the hill. We loved the Kenyan adventure but were SO happy to get back to the guesthouse to get clean!

The view from Mt. Motigo: you can see the Tenwek buildings off in the distance.

The church gathering at the top of the mountain

We were surrounded by kids who looked onto us with curiosity.

Some beautiful smiles!

Our muddy shoes after the crazy hike down the mountain.

The cute girls who laughed their way down the mountain with me.