WRITINGS FROM JOHN
Riots.
Last Thursday saw us taking Vct and the medical unit to a village called Obumba,,,,,about an hour drive ,,,as we were going through certain neighbour hoods we were noticing debris and smouldering tyres and the like but didn’t give it much thought,,,,,then a police car over took us with lights flashing and that never happens,,,,as we were leaving town and heading to a place called Kibos we caught up with the police car and a truck carrying police in riot gear,,,,,then just ahead of them we saw the road blocked by a crowd of men and in the distance smoke billowing from the village,,,,,,the police car and truck charged the men and they dispersed and and at this point we decided to find another route to avoid any trouble,,,,,when we returned after our days work we traveled through the trouble spots to find a number of burned out homes and many people gathered in animated groups
The violence occurred between two different border border bases ( rival bicycle transport groups),,,,resulting in some people losing their homes,,,what a waste
The Reed People
There is a group of people living in the middle of papyrus reeds ,,,it’s a community that keeps itself to its self so when I got to hear of it I knew I had to visit and take the word of God,,,,,,,so we hired a boat to take us there,,,,the boat dropped us near to shore and then we got out to walk,,,,,if that’s the word,,,we sank into mud that came up to our knees ,,,we were in a mangrove swamp and mangroves drop needles that do your feet no good,,,,,,,it took us about 45 mins to walk 45 feet before we realized that there had to be a better way,,,,,we retraced our steps back to the boat and tried another route,,,,we called out and these children appeared and directed us us where we needed to go and so we entered the swamp once again,,,,,,eventually we got to this really poor village and the only ones there were a few children and two women so we introduced ourselves and asked if they wanted to hear the word of God and they said yes ,,,so off we went
Heres the funny bit,,,,,when we said we would like to come back and they agreed , they suggested we took the foot path from Dunga Beach to avoid the swamp,,,,,,after that I fired the guide
Today Julius was discharged from hospital with a pin in his femur, the surgery was free but his hospital stay was ksh20000 ($260),,,,,,it was good to get him back home we just hope and pray that his family will take care of him
Have I told you about Maurice
Maurice is a 28yr old with chronic TB with a chronic infection in his leg and arm,,,,,,,I had no idea how dangerous TB is and can affect any part of the body,,,,Maurice has acute osteomyelitis,,,,I have never seen so much pus oozing from a body,,,,when we discovered him in his home I just wanted to gag we had to take him to a private hospital because if we had taken him to a government hospital he would have died from a secondary infection from the bed he would lie upon.
he is stabilized and waiting for extensive surgery followed by three weeks of recuperation I had no idea what we were getting into
On his admission he needed blood and so I called his brother who turns out to be hiv pos,,,,so I end up giving him blood,,,,,so here I am once again simply reporting events
I go to the lab in this so called private hospital , the lab person comes to test my blood and touches the needle with her bare hand,,,,I say I hope you are not going to use that needle and she smiles at me sheepishly,,,,,she goes away and comes back with a lab coat gloves and a fresh needle and I’m a happy camper.
I get this outrageous bill from the administrator and so I go to every dept seeking an explanation for each shilling spent ,,,,,I end up in the ceo office asking him to find a way to make the costs more reasonable,,,,,he agrees to trim the costs but you can never get a straight answer to what the real cost is going to be .
Then I wait all morning to see the surgeon…..and then I give up and go home and as soon as I get home he calls me to say he is here and where are you?????aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh
I go back to the hosp a 25 min drive and thank goodness he’s still there,,,,,,he tells me how complicated this procedure is,,,etc etc etc and I tell him that we need to find a way to reduce the costs,,,,,he tells me he will take KSH5000 off of the cost,,,,but he couldn’t tell me what the end cost would beAAAAAAAAAGH
As I wait for the surgeon I am sitting with Maurice who is a quiet gentle person with much patience and courage,,,,,he never complains he only speaks luo and I only speak English and the only way that we can communicate is through the bible,,,,,how perfect is that??? Thaaaaank you GOD,,,,,,I read and he follows me and sometimes he reads and I follow him,,,,,,we point to a verse and some how we know ,,,,,we just knowit is so beautiful,,,,,nothing else matters not the treatment ,,,not the cost ,,,,absolutely nothing,,,,,,,at times like this I know why we are here,,,,and finding the money is just a step out in faith,,,,I can’t find the words to describe what is going on inside of me at these times I only know that I have never felt closer to God
Kevil and Panaa
It’s a Monday,,,,,,,so where are you going to find me /us???at the kiboko of course,,,,,,,,the last three Mondays when we have been there some one has bought our meal for us,,,,the first time a gracious young man from Jackson Mississippi here on business ,,,his name was John Schmitt,,,,,we talked and talked and got on so well,,,,thank you John,,,,,then the next week Hezron bought our meal as we joined him ,the two Jims, Barak and Jared ,,,,thank you Hezron,,,,,and then the third week there was Kevil and panaa,,,,,,,,
So here I was in the loo minding my own business when this Indian strikes up a conversation with me,,,,,,,usually I don’t talk to complete strangers in the loo.
But he’s a persistent fella and insists on me joining him and his “friend”,,,Panaa,,,,(connie didn’t come because we had no money and that she had too much to do,,,,,where as I didn’t????),,,I was there to compile our blog,,,,,are you telling me this isn’t work?,,,,anyway kevil tells me that I am a true Indian because I refused three invitations before I joined them
Kevil is from Bombay and has spent the last 40 yrs in America and panaa( is also Indian), is from Kisumu and left when she was 6yrs and moved to England,,,,,through a mutual relation they were introduced and now they are on safari for the next 6 weeks traveling overland to south Africa,,,,can you believe this???
Anyway we had such a blast together at the Kiboko that I invited them to have dinner with us ,,,,,they were staying at the “Imperial” Kisumu and they came to us for beans and rice,,,,,,yes they were crazy,,,,,we had an incredible evening together that we will never forget,,,,we talked all evening sharing our histories,,, we spoke of Jesus and prayed for their relationship and hope that we now are lifelong friends,,,,,,,,,footnote to kevil and panaa if you are reading this blog,,,,,,,,,WE LOVE YOU
Steven,,,,,,,,is settled in his school and home and doing well,,,we call each week just to check on him,,,,,,,Kenneth has agreed to take Steven in the holidays and so this is a perfect arrangement,,,,,Kenneth is the person who is trying to raise funds for Raela the little girl with face cancer that we emailed out to everyone,,,,,,he still needs much help,,,,,,$2000 was sent from a couple in dallas who we thank from the bottom of our heart. Kenneth has an orphanage in the middle of nowhere and is looking for volunteer help,,,,,,so if there is someone out there looking for an adventure,,,,,,,we have the spot
Another car story
Do you remember me telling you about backing into a tree with a church onlooking and no one saying a word,,,,,well get this,,,,,I am leaving Nakumatt(walmart),and a guard who patrols the parking lot sees me reversing so he waves me on,he’s saying come on come on right into another carAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgh;;;;;;;so now I have damage upon damage and luckily the car I hit had so many dents that you couldn’t identify anything fresh,,,,,,I think these guys must be smoking something,
At this point I should apologise for the delay in this blog,,,,,,I composed an epic drama which I lost last week,,,,,,I then cried for the following week over the loss,,,,,I know you feel my pain.
We are about to embark upon a foray into Tanzania,,,,,,we are tagging onto a medical mission and taking the word of God ,,,,,,its what we do,,,,,,we will be incommunicado for about two weeks so please pray for us and especially for connie under canvass.
To all of you who support us ,,,,,,we love you and need you and we wouldn’t be here without you,,,,,,,we thank our ROCK for the way that He has entered your life to the point where He is directing you,,,,we constantly look to Him and His will for where we need to be ,,,,and the relationship with Him that over rides all
Until we next speak,,,,,,,,,,yours in Jesus Christ,,,,,,,c&j
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New Shoes Lakeside
