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 
