68 at the Equator

Donna’s flights nestled nicely between the snow storms and just after 10:30 PM Wednesday night, Kenya time, Joseph and I got our first glimpse of her clearing customs.  An hour later and we were moving her suitcases into the dark apartment.  We had lost power Tuesday morning (reports widely claimed that the University had failed to pay this particular invoice).  So she unpacked by candlelight.  [We did get electricity back around 3:00 PM Friday afternoon - a new record since I have been here, and responsible for a delay in posting this blog.]

I awoke Thursday morning to a birthday card and the happiness of having my partner safely here with me.  Thursday afternoon Joseph and the students (with a lot of help from the Dykstras) gave me a surprise birthday party.  What a special treat.  I had been telling anyone who ask that what I wanted most for my birthday was Donna’s safe arrival.  But it was very nice to have a fancy cake with “Happy Birthday Cal” iced on top and candles to blow out while the group sang a Kenyan version of Happy Birthday.  After opening a gift and a card, there were speeches all around.  I felt very celebrated!  Then we adjourned to the veranda for a group photograph (Lyle did the honors and so is not pictured).  [From left to right back row is Terry, Susan,Leah and Joseph; middle row is Gladys, Lucy and Daniel; and there we are, Donna and Cal up front.  Remember, Patrick is away attending the double funerals at his church in Nakuru.).  Would you believe she had just spent 24 hours on airplanes and in terminals a few hours earlier.  So far, she has made a great recovery and is suffering minimal jet lag.

I was able to pay a visit to the Kikuyu Mission Hospital Rehab compound, which is quite lovely.  Here is the front gate.  The building you see is the inpatient ward.  If you look closely you can see a mural of the paralytic being lifted from Acts 3:6-10 (just above the center of the gate).  In addition to these inpatient beds, there is a large out patient program.  Patients range from children suffering from injuries and deformities, to elderly diabetes patients who have lost limbs to amputation.  I understand there were 881 procedures done in surgery last year.  The chief limiting factor is having only two suites.

One of the blessings to be found here is the Limbshop where Choi Seo Dong practices his craftsmanship serveral months each year.  Choi is from South Korea and just returned to Kikuyu – this time from China where he was staying with his son who is a missionary.  Choi is very popular with patients and staff alike and is viewed as a miracle worker as his limbs get folk back on their feet once more.  The afternoon I visited the workshop I met Maureen Kirwa, another Ortho Prosthetic artist.  I could have watched them for hours as they made their miracles!

There are two fully equipped surgery rooms, called theatres over here.  They occupy the second floor of this building.  This unit is connected by covered walkways to the ward building to facilitate ease of access for patients coming and going to surgery.  One of the first things you see from the other side of the ward building is this wonderful ramp/walkway which makes the whole building completely accessible to patients.

At chapel on Friday, Dr. Frank Bertram was recognized and appreciated as he concluded his current service period at KMH (Kikuyu Mission Hospital).  He is on his way for two months of service in Malawi.  He and Nancy, his wife, are Presbyterians from Lakeland, FL.  They were regulars for my Friday night dinners out with the Dykstras.  And, very importantly, Frank was my golf buddy for the two outings we enjoyed at the Sigona Golf Club.  I will miss them, the staff and patients at KMH will miss them, but others in Malawi will be very glad to see them soon.

The CPE Chaplain who brought the message at the chapel service this week, Daniel Njenga, spoke from Acts 3.  This sparked a memory for Dr. Bertram from his first visit to KMH eight years ago.  He shared that memory with obvious emotion.  He spoke of a man in his thirties who had been unable to walk since childhood when he fell into a fire.  The scar tissue had locked his legs in a bent position.  This tissue had been surgically relieved now and it seemed time for him to attempt to walk.  Frank recalls asking him if he wanted to walk.  The man replied that he couldn’t remember ever walking and didn’t think he could even now.  “Why don’t you just give it a try?” Frank asked.  With some assistance the man stood beside the bed, then slowly and unsteadily walked around the end of it – with tears in his eyes.  At that point, Frank had to give up trying to tell his story – he was too choked up, but we all knew something of the joy that was in his heart.

Now that Donna is here, my life is significantly changed.  I have moved out of the small room with single bed and we share a queen size bed complete with mosquito netting (which takes some getting used to).  The apartment doesn’t seem empty any longer and we are planning a First supper together tonight.  We are starting preparations for our three day safari to Maasai Mara next weekend.  Life is good!  Here is a photo Terry took at my birthday party.  Peace, Cal Brand

A Trip to Maasai Country, then the Dentist

When I posted last week’s page I was looking forward to a journey to Maasai Country.  Before heading off, Joseph took me into Karen to purchase the Maasai Mara Excursion Package.  God willing, Donna and I will spend the weekend of March 5 – 8 observing Kenya’s famous wildlife.  We returned to PUEA (Presbyterian University of East Africa) to pick up Dr. Rick Allen and a house guest name Ben who is waiting for papers to clear so he can accept a position in Dubai.  We drove mostly south and west for an hour and a half before arriving at the strangest restaurant I have ever visited.  Penned near the entrance road were a dozen or so goats.  When we parked I got my first look at the scenery – the Rift Valley.  It was spectacular to say the least.  Strung along the face of the ridge looking out over the valley were a variety of shelters, concrete pads with tables and umbrellas, and tables and benches in small groves of trees.  Near the parking area we followed the signs to the butchery.  Joseph and Ben, our two Kenyans, ordered our meal and I watched as two good size sections of goat were selected and sent to the cooking area.   Then we made our way to a concrete pad under an Acacia tree with a wonderful view of the valley.  Before too very long a small troop of Maasai dancer/singers came by and performed for us.  Joseph commented that it was a bit unusual for there to be only one female in the group.  I found their singing almost hypnotic, enchanted as I was by the expansive valley – considered by many to be the birthplace of our kind.

When the food arrived I practiced eating Kenyan country style – with my fingers.  We had Ugoli and chapati along with the goat.  Having raised goats and become very fond of them, I had some qualms about eating one, but I joined right in, wrapping morsels in chapati.  I felt like I could have stayed there and watched the valley’s appearance change as the sun sank across it to the West for days.  Too soon we had to leave that magical place behind and head back to PUEA.  Near the road as we were leaving, I saw my first Kenyan wildlife - a tiny, minature deer which I believe is called a Dic Dic (I will check on that).

One of the “dreads” I had about this journey to Kenya relates to my aging and high maintainance teeth.  As Dr. John Sawin can tell you, I am lucky to get by with only one or two dental emergencies a year.  My mouth is full of crowns (and now a bridge), many of which have served me for thirty years and more.

Well, Tuesday night as I did my routine flossing, the crown on my upper, left canine tooth decided to give up and pop out.  Fortunately, it did not dive down the drain or disappear behind the baseboard.  I am getting to be an old hand at this by now, so I put the dislodged prosthesis in a plastic baggie and began to fret about who would do a suitable repair and when.   I called the Dykstras.  I remembered that Lyle had had some dental work done the previous week and hoped he could advise me.  Even with his encouragement and consolation, I felt my first real attack of homesickness.

Wednesdays, you may recall, we have chapel at Kikuyu Mission Hospital.  I made my way there intending to go directly from the chapel to the dental clinic and wait as long as it took to get some help.  I was in for a pleasant surprise.  After completing minimal paper work I was sent to the cashier to pay a KSh$200 deposit.  I returned the Dental Clinic and took a seat.  I had been told that the dentist would not appear until nearly 10:00 AM.  At ten past the hour I was invited into the examination room, fitted with one of those little paper bibs, and introduced to Dr. Joana Olale.  I would guess she is in her late thirties and others have told me that her name belongs to the Luo people (that is the tribal association of our president’s father from the western part of Kenya).

Dr. Olale set about scraping and probing the stump of tooth exposed by the lost crown and soon pronounced it sound.  Next she cleaned and examined the crown itself and in a reassuring voice informed me that the tooth was fine and the crown was fine, and she would just glue it back in place.  (I will try to include a photo of her and some of the staff in my next post.)

I was scheduled to be in a meeting at 10:30, and just as I left the exam room with my crown securely back in place, my cell phone rang.  It was Lyle Dykstra volunteering to come and get me for our meeting with Professor Kirika to discuss future plans for the CPE program in Kenya.  I thanked Dr. Olale and made arrangements to return the next day to have my bite adjusted.    Then I went back to the cashier to pay the fee of KSh$500 (all together about $10.00 USD) and catch my ride back to PUEA with Lyle.  [I had no idea how far off it was until I tried to eat lunch!  I could hardly wait to see Dr. Olale again.]

I was back in her dentist’s chair at 12:40 Thursday afternoon tapping my teeth on articulating paper.  Buzz, buzz, buzz – and suddenly my back teeth made contact once more.  I was very happy and very grateful.  And my gratitude was not only for the good and kind work of Dr. Olale.  This sign adorns the wall in the waiting or reception area.  You can see that the clinic was dedicated in 2002 and was built and equipped by Presbyterian Churches in the USA.  The dear folk in Fargo, North Dakota; Goldsboro and Charlotte, NC; and Birmingham, AL who contributed to the dental clinic at Kikuyu Mission Hospital had no idea they would be helping and itinerant Presbyterian pastor/CPE supervisor from Indiana get a crown replaced half way around the world.  So, I say, when we make our offerings, we have no idea how far God may send them nor who they may benefit.

I did make it for a tour of our Rehab Hospital and got some photos to share, but I think this is enough for now.  My mind is increasingly focused on preparations for Donna’s arrive on Wednesday, February 24th.  I am also spending a lot of time praying the weather will allow her to make the trip.  Nothing could make my birthday (#68) on the 25th feel more joyous than having her here to share it with me.

I would invite special prayers for one of our students.  Patrick is the minister of visitation for a church in Nakuru.  Two days ago he learned that two other pastors in that church were killed in an auto accident returning from a conference.  It is a great personal loss as well as a loss for that congregation.

I have appreciated hearing from several of you who have read these pages and look forward to more messages in the future.  Peace, Cal Brand

Meetings, Meetings, Meetings

As different as things are here in Kenya, they remain the same in many ways.  Here’s an example of DIFFERENT:  Sitting in our usual Thursday morning Interpersonal Relations Group, doing my silent observing from the corner, I became aware of hearing the birds singing just out side.  A little while later I heard the mooing of a cow not far away, followed by the raucus braying of a donkey.  I can’t remember ever having such a background for a CPE seminar before.  Those of you who know me and my love of animals and the country can imagine I found it very agreeable.  Above right - another look out my back door:

But the seminars, ten of them a week – eighteen if you add the individual conferences - that schedule feels just like home.  Fortunately, I kind of like meetings.  This week we added a new and exciting meeting to our schedule.  I have been concerned about not having a professional peer group for Joseph.  Through the good work of Lyle and Terry Dykstra, and Professor Kirika, we now have one.  On Monday we had our first session.  The group includes Professor Kimani Chege (Psychology at Daystar University), Lucy Kuria (Psychiatric Social Work), Margaret Kiaire (nursing administration and training), Professor Kirika (Theology), Lyle and Terry Dykstra, and yours truly.  Joseph uses the first forty-five minutes to present a vignette from his practice and receive feedback; and the second forty-five minutes provides opportunity for any of the participants to share supervisory challenges, dilemas, or delights.  It made my day.

On Sunday evening we journeyed into Nairobi to the home of Dr. Salvador and Irma de la Torres.  They are originally from Mexico, but have been serving here in Kenya for many years.  Salvador did a stint as chief medical officer at Kikuyu Mission Hospital.  Anyway, they hosted about twenty-five PC(USA) regular and part time missionary folk.  We came from all over Africa.  Here are some of us before dinner.  The woman on the left is Janet and she does a variety of HIV/AIDS ministry programs in South Africa.  The woman facing us on the right is Nancy, our new regional coordinator who is stationed in Zambia.  Most were in Nairobi for one of two conferences: one was continuing clinical education so Dr.s and Nurses can keep their credentials up to date (this event happens every two years), and the other was a new endeavor called Community Health Evangelism (a model for grass roots service and invitation to faith).  It was fun to be with such a group of folk who are so invested in working with African Christians/Presbyterians to carry the love and mercy of our Lord to everyone.

As I have been introducing folks, here is another person who is making my stay here a happy one.  This lady’s name is Alice Wambui Gichuru and she is employed three days each week by the Dykstras.  For a small additional wage, she has added my laundry to theirs so I have clean clothes each week.  She is not ordinarily so serious as she appears in this photo.  I interrupted her work and imposed on her to sit for this picture.  I may have a chance to catch her smile one of these days – it is worth waiting for.

Well, that’s enough for today.  I am closing with a picture of the Kikuyu Mission Hospital chapel.  We have communion there once a month, and this past Wednesday was the day.  It is quite interesting here.  Presbyterians are expected to keep a communion card which is signed by the pastor.  If a person is away from home for a period of time, the home pastor will expect to see the signature of a pastor near where they have been – in this case, Simon Njenga, the chaplain.  Coming soon, information on the Rehab Hospital, and report of my visit to a Maasai community with Joseph and friends.   Meanwhile, I am counting the days until my Valentine joins me – just 12 to go.  Peace, Cal Brand

The Red Road North

Walking our Red Road can have its cautions.  You may find yourself being overtaken by a herd of livestock, or you may walk right through some stopped to graze (better watch your step).  If you walk North for about a half-mile on the Red Road you will arrive at the Church of the Torch (pictured in an earlier post) and then we come to a main thorough fare.  Until a week ago it did not look significantly different from our Red Road apart from being wider.  Now, however,it has been resurfaced and folks are quite excited about the improvement.  And then you reach the entrance of Kikuyu Mission Hospital.  I have found it quite difficult to get pictures that reflect the reality of the hospital.  Like nearly every commercial or service facility, it is guarded and gated.  Once inside the compound one is confronted with several one story buildings radiating out from a center circle that is park like with grass, flowers, trees and benches.  There is the emergency department, and several different services including dental, vision, maternity, male and female buildings, surgery theatre, etc.  Another good walk down another red road/path will take you to the rehab hospital where orthopedic surgery and other rehab procedures are done (more about Rehab Hospital in a subsequent post).

Just as the emergency department is the first building to the right on the circle, the chapel is the first building on the left.  [This picture of the Emergency Department was taken from the steps of the chapel.]  Services are held in the chapel each Wednesday morning and it is packed, maybe 200 persons.  The service lasts an hour and for the time being is being led by our CPE students.  We generally get started with ten to fifteen minutes of singing complete with rhythmic swaying and hand clapping or motions.  So far I have heard two of our students preach and several others assist with worship leadership.  They seem to be very well accepted by the hospital community gathered there.  I took this picture with the chapel nearly vacant – its more fun when its full!

As I go back to the University, there is another interesting sight.  If you happened to see “Out of Africa,” you may remember a scene with an old fashioned chapel.  That church was actually the first Church of the Torch.  It could use some cleaning up in order to look as good as it did in the film, but here it is.  I am standing in a lane which runs back behind the church.  There you would find the Thogoto Old Folks Home.  I have not been there yet.

I have been happy to share lunch with an old friend.  Professor Garishon Kirika was a student in Supervisory CPE with us at Clarian Health in Indianapolis ten years ago.  He eventually decided to return to Kenya rather than remaining for the long haul ahead if he were to seek ACPE certification.  As a result of his “missionary” interest in CPE, a good foundation has been laid for CPE here in Kenya.  Our reunion was delayed by a week while he recovered from a case of pneumonia.  Since then, however, we have had several times to catch up with each other and lay plans for further CPE development.  In addition to carrying a heavy teaching load in the Theology department, he is the director of the PUEA CPE program.  It has been fun to reconnect with him once more, and he has volunteered to help me get to Nakuru to see my college friend, Arthur Ndoro.  Sadly, I have been unable to speak with Arthur for the last two weeks and am praying all is well with him and that we will get together.  That’s all for now.  Keep us in your prayers.  Peace, Cal Brand