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

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