Water, Uniforms and Conferences!

28 Feb 09

Dear Friends and Family,

“If you decide for God, living a life of God-worship, it follows that you don’t fuss about what’s on the table at mealtimes or whether the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body. Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, careless in the care of God. And you count far more to him than birds.” Matthew 6: 25 – 26

I am sending you a link to the GBGM web-site and to an article about United Methodist Committee On Relief and what they are doing in Kenya to help with the starvation we are facing. It also gives an Advance Special Number you can use to help them feed Kenyan’s.
Starvation in Kenya
(http://gbgm-umc.org/global_news/full_article.cfm?articleid=5317)

Yesterday evening Maua Methodist Hospital had water again. Living Waters had come to look at our water pump to see if it could be fixed or if we needed a new one. The verdict: we needed a new one. Through some amazing and miraculous ways, the hospital actually had money to pay for the pump and Living Waters returned on Thursday evening and installed the new pump Friday.

Past, Present and Future

Dear Friends and Family,

“Water is essential for all dimensions of life. Over the past few decades, use of water has increased, and in many places water availability is falling to crisis levels. More than eighty countries, with forty percent of the world’s population, are already facing water shortages, while by year 2020 the world’s population will double. The costs of water infrastructure have risen dramatically. The quality of water in rivers and underground has deteriorated, due to pollution by waste and contaminants from cities, industry and agriculture. Ecosystems are being destroyed, sometimes permanently. Over one billion people lack safe water, and three billion lack sanitation; eighty per cent of infectious diseases are waterborne, killing millions of children each year.” World Bank Institute

On Thursday 12 Feb as I left an all day Staff Training and Education Meeting, I was called to the phone. It was the Quality Assessor from the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) office in Meru. He was calling to tell me that the next morning at 9am two assessors from Nairobi were coming to assess Maua Methodist Hospital. Our CEO and Nursing Officer In-charge (NOIC) were away at an educational event in Nairobi and our Administrator takes classes in Meru on Fridays. I explained that those three top people would be gone thinking the assessment might be cancelled or at least postponed. However, he stated that the assessors wanted to be with the Hospital Quality Improvement Team and so that wasn’t a problem. He also stated that the Quality Assessors from Nairobi were impressed with my documentation but wanted to see how it translated to the wards and units of the hospital. Normally, we would have several days to prepare for a major hospital assessment.

Update on Linnet and Hunger

14 Feb 08

Dear Friends and Family,

“Jesus said, “I am the Bread of Life. The person who aligns with me hungers no more and thirsts no more, ever.” John 6:35 “There are people in the world so hungry, that God cannot appear to them except in the form of bread.” Charles Dickens, Oliver Twist

We saw Linnet this past week and shared a meal with her and Rahab. I wanted to give you an update on what is happening in her life and ask for your prayers.

As many of you may remember, Linnet is a 24 year old woman, mother of two boys, who on Thurs. 20 Sep 2007 was brought into the hospital by neighbors. She had been found lying in the bush near her home. At around 3am that morning her husband had come to their home, dragged her out and using a panga (machete) had cut her 25 times. He cut off both hands and her right foot was dangling. He cut her back, legs, chest, face, and had left her for dead. After admission to our hospital, our surgeon was able to save her leg. After many surgeries and physical therapy, she was discharged from the hospital in mid-November 2007 and went home to live with her father and step-mother.

Ashes to Beauty

24 Jan 09

Dear Friends and Family,

“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor. They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations.” Isaiah 61: 1 – 4

In October 2007, the home of our very close friend, Fridah Gakii, burned to the ground. I can still remember her telling me that her house burned on the day following the fire. She was so casual and calm I could hardly believe what she was saying. She just kept saying that God was so good as no one was hurt. When we went to her home that afternoon and saw the devastation we were stunned. We could not identify furniture or any of their
possessions as everything was destroyed.

An Awesome December Part II

10 Jan. 09

Dear Friends and Family,

“In the final analysis it is not what you do for your children but what you have taught them to do for themselves that will make them successful human beings.” Ann Landers

In the last several months we have heard from several people who have had special events, birthdays, anniversaries, etc., and have had the money sent to Maua Methodist Hospital for one of our projects. I thought I would share a few of their stories.
Ø Krista collected $125 in lieu of gifts for her 7th birthday to support the AIDS Orphan’s Program. Krista is from Chandler UMC, Chandler, TX. She is mighty young to give up birthday presents for others. We are so grateful, Krista! (Mom and dad came on a work team this last year, Drs. Debra and Tom Cherry!)
Ø 4th grade boys in GAP (God Answers Prayer) group at Chapelwood UMC, Houston, TX raised $180 for the Aids Orphan program. (Kimberly Hillman came on a work team and her son Reid, was one of boy’s in GAP)
Ø From a 50th wedding anniversary; a 90th birthday, the money someone receives from having his devotionals published in the Upper Room; the money saved on stamps when Christmas cards were sent by email; Christmas gifts for all members of a family over 15; and from a saint who died.

An Awesome December Part I

3 January 2009

Dear Friends and Family,

“Just think – you don’t need a thing! All God’s gifts are right in front of you………..and not only that but God himself is right along side to keep you steady and on track……..He will never give up on your. Never forget that.”
1Cor. 1: 5 – 9 (Peterson, THE MESSAGE)

What a joy it has been to hear from many of you during the holiday season. Thank you for sharing by mail and email. We always love to hear from you and know what is happening in your lives. It helps us with our prayers and to keep up with you, the people we love. We pray you had a Christ-filled Christmas and that the New Year will bring us all closer to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Girls Alternate Rite of Passage

13 December 08

Dear Friends and Family,
“Men, their rights, and nothing more; women, their rights, and nothing less”. Susan B. Anthony

During the week of December 1 – 5th the Women’s Fellowship at St. Josephs Methodist Church in Maua, (our church and I’m a member of the Women’s Fellowship) sponsored a Girls Alternative Rite of Passage for 96 girls.

When we arrived in Maua in 1999, 98% of the women were female circumcised. When we returned in 2007 it had decreased to 92%. In our area female circumcision or “Female Genital Mutilation” (FGM) is done as early as 8 years of age to approximately 15 years of age. In the last census it was found that 70% of the boys and girls in our area left school after Standard 3 (3rd grade). Presently Primary School no longer has high fees and many more girls and boys are attending school through Standard 8. Thus the age of FGM has increased. The FGM that is practiced here is 2nd degree which means all external genitalia are removed. The girls/teens generally go in village groups and are circumcised together and then are secluded for one month in a tiny hut built specifically for them by the parents. During that month a woman chosen by the girl or her mother (a woman that had been circumcised in the same group as the mother) would visit the girl/teen daily or might actually stay with her to bring or provide food and teach the newly circumcised girl/teen how to be a woman in this area of Kenya. There was no curriculum so the woman taught what she believed was most important. After one month the girl/teen emerges from her seclusion as a woman. The first week would be a time of healing with the final 3 weeks used for daily teaching. Unlike male circumcision, which entails much celebration, eating and dancing when the man emerges, the new woman experiences little or no fanfare. Since the practice of FGM has been against the law since 1998 it is often done in secret!

Reasons for Our Thankfulness, a Need and a Story from Nature

15 November 2008

Dear Friends and Family,

“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” John Fitzgerald Kennedy

Looking back over 2008, this has been an amazing year with so many reasons to be thankful. I hope as you look back over 2008 you too will be filled with awe and deep gratitude. This is a list of those blessings that I can remember.
1) In September Maua Methodist Hospital won the NNAK Lievens Lankman Award for the Best Nursing Care and Cleanest mission or private hospital in the country. That had us competing against Nairobi Hospital and Aga Khan Hospital, both large, private hospitals in Nairobi with all services provided and priced much like the US. They are also considered to be the best hospitals in the nation. (You may remember we charge approximately $150 – $200 for a 7-day stay).
2) The hospitals rebate from the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) increased from 1800/= ($24) to 2100/= ($28) a day due to the increased quality of the hospital. 2200/= is the highest rebate we can receive in our hospital category.
3) We are so grateful to many of you who have given to the Service Fund and allowed the hospital to continue to pay for the life saving medical care of our critically ill poor patients. Without you that would be impossible.
4) We have had physicians/dentists who have come for 1 – 3 months to help us continue to provide our excellent care: Dr. Sarson, a surgeon from GB; Dr. Stan Topple an orthopedic surgeon from the US has come twice; ENT surgeons from Sweden who come for a week every year. Terry and Sabrina Butler are presently here from Round Rock, TX. They are both dentists and were coming for two
weeks until they heard our dentist had died and then they extended their time and are here for
three months with their nurse daughter, Blake.
We also have Maria, a pharmacist from Germany who is helping us for 3 months as she does yearly
and a German volunteer, Tianna, from Germany, who is working for the Disabled Program for 6
months.

Stories from Maua Methodist Hospital

1 November 2008

Dear Friends and Family,

“The Church as the people of God can truly embody the living Christ among us only when the poor remain its most treasured part. Care for the poor, therefore, is much more than Christian charity. It is the essence of being the body of Christ.” Henri Nouwen, Bread for the Journey

In my last two emails I forgot to mention a special event we were able to attend while we were in the US staying with our daughter, Corrie and family. Brent, our son-in-law, sang the “Star Spangle Banner” and “God Bless America” at a Ranger’s game and we were there to hear him and had wonderful seats. We were so proud of Brent as he did a fabulous job. After the game, fans were invited to line up and run the bases, so Lily and Ethan, our grandchildren, and Brent ran.

Brent Singing Ethan and Brent running the bases

Lily got a head start and was off & running Team of 8 presenting Strategic Plan to CEO

This past Monday during morning devotions, the Strategic Planning group that went to Meru, presented our CEO with a draft copy of the Strategic Plan for 2009 – 2013. Though the draft is now being circulated for corrections and will be read by many including our Governing Board members, we are almost there. Needless to say, we are “happy dancing” in Maua.

We Won and Other Great News Plus A Story of Love

18 October 2008

Dear Friends and Family,
14When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Mark 10:14

I said I would send a few pictures of my mom’s 90th birthday in my next email so here are a few + one of the office dedication, mom’s birthday gift.

Mom’s entire family, she is in the Lily dancing for her great-grandma with
center wearing a white shawl Corrie singing and Brent playing piano & singing

Mom & Jeannie at SS class the next day Dedication service in Maua for the office that
Which was another celebration was built in mom’s honor

Yearly the National Nurses Association of Kenya (NNAK) does an assessment of hospitals. Hospitals must apply to be assessed. There are two awards given for the Best Nursing Care and Cleanliness or Infection Prevention. We applied and were assessed in August. It is a surprise assessment and was done by an officer of NNAK. There are two different groups of hospitals – Government Hospitals and Private/Mission Hospitals. We do not know everyone who was assessed in our category, Private/Mission Hospitals, but we do know that the runners- up were Nairobi Hospital and Alga Ghan Hospital both large, private hospitals with all services provided and priced much like the US. In the minds of most Kenyan’s they are the top two hospitals in the nation and where the wealthy of the nation receive their health care. Are you sitting down? Yes, Maua Methodist Hospital won the award, (#1) and received a Certificate and 30,000Ksh ($430). We are so thrilled and believe this will really establish Maua Methodist Hospital as a QUALITY hospital! The award was presented at the NNAK Conference in Nairobi during the week long national conference. This past Monday the Certificate was given to Sr. Gitari, our Matron, during our morning prayers. (In 2005 we had won second place.)

90th birthdays and AIDS Orphan Fun Day

12 October 08

Dear Friends and Family,

Bill and I returned to Maua yesterday after being the in the US, Santa Fe, New Mexico and Frisco, Texas, to attend my mom’s 90th SURPRISE birthday party. That is the reason I did not mention in my F&F that we would be away as we so wanted to surprise my mom and we did. My sister, Jeannie, retired in May and must have spent most of the time between her retirement and my mom’s birthday on 27 September working on the party as it was an incredible party, the best I have ever attended! Over 65 people were present – all her children, grandchildren and great-grand children and so many friends. She was very surprised and when she saw me, for a few seconds she didn’t even recognize me (I looked like another white haired friend) as I had talked to her on the phone that morning and she believed I was in Kenya.

The theme of the party was ”Traveling Through Life with Winifred”. My mom has been in many countries and my sister had tables and food from all those countries – Israel, Kenya, Nigeria, Belize, England, Germany, Switzerland, Canada, Mexico, Cuba, and Hawaii and Alaska represented the US. The food was fabulous and there were maps on each table and then so many pictures on banners. Jeannie had also spent literally days working on four power point presentations that chronicled mom’s travels.

Inspirational Linnet

6 September 2008

Dear Friends and Family,

“1The Lord is my light and my salvation; I will fear no one. The Lord protects me from all danger; I will never be afraid. 2 When evil people attack me and try to kill me, they stumble and fall…… 5 In times of trouble He will shelter me; He will keep me safe in His Temple and make me secure on a high rock……..13 I know that I will live to see the Lord’s goodness in this present life. 14 Trust in the Lord. Have faith, do not despair. Trust in the Lord.” Psalms 27

Linnet’s door post, Zaburi means Psalms

Yesterday Bill and I had the extraordinary experience to visit Linnet in her home near Chuka, which is about 2 hours from Maua. This trip was possible thanks to Mrs. Rahab, a Kenyan woman who is from Maua but now lives with her husband in Embu. On a visit to Maua several months ago, she heard about Linnet and visited her in our hospital. She told me that she immediately felt that God had called her to help Linnet and she has visited and taken care of Linnet in amazing ways. Mr. Mung’athia, our Acting Administrator at Maua Methodist Hospital, also went with us. He and Rahab were so helpful to us during our visit.

Perhaps I better back up a bit! On Thurs. 20 Sept. 2007 Linnet, a 24 year old mother of two, was brought into the hospital by neighbors. She had been found lying in the bush near her home. The night before her husband had come to their home, dragged her out and using a panga (machete) had cut her 25 times. He cut off both hands and her right foot was dangling. He cut her back, legs, chest, face, and had left her for dead. After admission to our hospital, our surgeon was able to save her leg. After many surgeries and physical therapy, she was discharged from the hospital in mid-November 2007 and went home to live with her father and step-mother.

Methodist Church in Kenya Opening of the Conference Ministries Center

23 August 2008

Dear Friends and Family,

Nothing worth doing is completed in our lifetime,
Therefore, we are saved by hope.
Nothing true or beautiful or good makes complete sense in any immediate context of history;
Therefore, we are saved by faith.
Nothing we do, however virtuous, can be accomplished alone.
Therefore, we are saved by love.
No virtuous act is quite as virtuous from the standpoint of our friend or foe as from our own;
Therefore, we are saved by the final form of love which is forgiveness. REINHOLD NIEBUHR

Before I begin, I want to say that we have had some problems with our email account and thus are changing our email address for now. We may return to MAF but we ask you to change our address to
savutokenya@yahoo.com Thank you!

Last Mission Work Team and Dear Friends

9 August 2008

“The most beautiful discovery true friends make is that they can grow separately without growing apart.” ~Elisabeth Foley

I do want to let everyone know that the quote in my last email was written by Steve Rogers. Steve and his wife, Sharon, came to Maua last year with a team from Kansas. Steve is a gifted writer who often sends me his poetry, meditations and words of wisdom.

Our last team left on Friday August 1st. The hospital is so grateful for the three teams that came and worked so hard and did so much for us. This team from Germantown UMC in Germantown, TN helped the hospital refurbish and strengthen our covered drying area of the laundry. This was a requirement of NHIF (National Hospital Insurance Fund), the hospital assessment organization in Kenya. I can’t tell you how thankful we are. They also built an AIDS Orphan’s home. Dr. Susan Hillebert, a pediatrician, did an excellent teaching on Infant Feeding for nurses and doctors and provided an incredible notebook of information and resources that she left with us. Like the other teams, this team brought us some vital medical equipment and some drugs that will make a huge difference for our patients. When donated drugs are given we are able to sell them and those we have purchased at a lower cost which benefits the community. We are so grateful for the teams and what they have done.

Refreshment of Spirit, Mind and Body

26 July 2008

Dear Friends and Family,

“So enjoy, blessings today as you journey in His work and play,
may your toes be splashed, your hearts washed,
and your tears enthralled …
as you step into those unexpected moments of God …
where He is no longer in the mist,
but in our midst!” Author Unknown

Thus far this summer Bill and I have received great refreshment to
our spirit, mind, and body. Teams always refresh us with their
enthusiasm, energy, and willingness to share themselves. We
are so proud of the hospital and its programs and as we watch
and listen people who are experiencing them for the first time or
re-experiencing them, we are filled with joy and new enthusiasm,
and overflow with thanksgiving.

Teams and Birthdays

29 June 2008

Dear Friends and Family,

“Teach me to dance to the beat of your heart,
Teach me to move in the power of your Spirit,
Teach me to walk in the light of your Presence,
Teach me to dance to the beat of your heart.”
Graham Kendrick & Steve Thompson, 4 lines of the verse of “Teach Me to Dance”

TEAMS: Our first team arrived safely on Saturday 21 June and we have had such a positive and wonderful time with them. Though small in number, 6, they have been powerful in spirit, joy and laughter, hard work and generosity. The hospital has been rejoicing all week at their coming and “being with us”. They have worked on the NHIF (National Hospital Insurance Fund) office which we are building for NHIF so that our people will be able to come to the hospital to enroll in this insurance plan. [You might remember that a family can be insured for one year for $30. However, when you have/make very little money ($0.50 a day) $30 on something you might or might not benefit from, sounds like a huge sum and perhaps a waste!] They also did some painting of our Out-patient Building and worked on the covered walkway between OPD and a building that houses our Rehab, Chest Clinic, and Debt Team. The two doctors went to a Palliative Care Outreach Clinic and have worked on the wards daily. They both did a teaching – one for doctors on Asthma and one on Pandemic Flu Preparedness. The nurse has done construction, worked in the new born nursery, and went on an outreach clinic. The other three did construction, went with our Giving Hope team to do home visits and helped us organize our donation room.

Spiritual Care and Struggles

18 June 08
Our 37th Wedding Anniversary

Dearest Friends and Family,

Sometimes our light goes out but is blown into flame by another human being. Each of us owes deepest thanks to those who have rekindled this light.” Albert Schweitzer

Recently I received an email from someone asking me a question. When I replied he stated, “He did not remember my writing about it in the past.” He recommended I share it sometime. His question was about evangelism at Maua Methodist Hospital. Personally, I believe everything we do in the care of the patient/client and in our out-reach programs is evangelism –‘feeding the hungry, giving water to the thirsty, clothing the naked, welcoming the stranger, looking after the sick and prisoner.’ Along with those six requirements about which Jesus Christ spoke, the hospital does many others: ”31 When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. 32All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. 34″Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.” Matthew 25: 31 – 34.

Good news, Amazing News, Syphonies and Tradgedies

2 June 2008 Holiday for Madaraka Day: 1 June, commemorates the day that Kenya attained internal self-rule in 1963, preceding full independence on 12 December 1963.

Dear Friends and Family,

“All shall be well and all shall be well and all manner of things shall be well.” Julien of Norwich “No matter what!” Madeleine L’Engle

Indeed, all shall be well. The teams that have visited Maua in the past have seen the Sunday School class that the children of St. Joseph’s Methodist Church use. They outgrew the classroom almost from the first day it was used. We have 200 – 300 children in Sunday School each Sunday morning, 10am – 12noon, during Swahili Workshop Service. When we arrived in Maua in Feb. 2007 the church was talking about finishing the upstairs of the Disability Center to use for the SS class. There were frequent announcements requesting funds and finally one person asked that the church be serious and complete the class. A day was chosen to raise the funds and the funds were raised and the upstairs was finished. However, the work was poorly done and the cement floor needed to be broken and redone. During this time a team came with some money for the Sunday School class. That and other money raised was used to redo the floor and complete the SS class. On 4 May 2008 the classroom was used for the first time. I went to visit the Sunday School teachers on 18 May and stood in complete awe as the children filed out of the classroom and down the stairs. They just kept coming and coming and coming. I counted over 300.

Feasting and Waiting in Maua

17 May 2008

Dear Friend and Family,
“For the beauty of each hour, Of the day and of the night, Hill and vale, and tree and flower, Sun and moon, and stars of light. Lord of all, to Thee we raise, This our hymn of grateful praise.” Hymn “For the Beauty of the World” by Fol li ot Pier point
This morning and for the past few weeks, I have been at a banquet table prepared by God and my senses have enjoyed a feast. Our continued rainy season has brought such beauty to our world that sometimes I am completely overwhelmed by God’s creation. There are so many colors of green on this compound and in the area I have begun creating new names: dazzling green, vibrant green, shouting green, quiet green, amazing green and the list goes on. The tea hills are lush green, the grass is emerald green, the jacaranda trees are luminous green, the sukuma wiki (collard greens) are light green, the oleander trees /plants are glittering green, and our grass is dazzling green. The flowers that are blooming in the trees and on bushes add bright orange, sunshine yellow, pale purple, deep red, pure white, and pink to our banquet table. We have some of the most beautiful, delicate roses blooming right now. As I pass them on my way to work, or just stand and gaze at them, or bend to smell their fragrant scent, I am amazed at God’s love for each of us and His extravagance in decorating our world. Along with the trees, flowers, grass, and fields there are so many birds that awaken us in the morning and sing their song to us during the day. We usually eat lunch outside on our front porch.

To Infinity and Beyond!

1 May 2008 Labor Day

Dearest Friends and Family,

“To Infinity and Beyond! Buzz Lightyear, Toy Story

Our grandson, Ethan, just loved the movie, “Toy Story” and became a huge fan of Buzz Lightyear. Recently his mom found a Buzz Lightyear costume at a garage sale for $.50. Ethan loves the costume and recently when we talked to him he was so excited and in a loud, deep voice shouted, “To Infinity and Beyond.” I have been thinking about that phrase since hearing him. Trying to create our Strategic Plan, a document we pray will not sit in a cabinet to be pulled out to be given to our donors, but will actually guide Maua Methodist Hospital as to what we do over the next five years, feels a bit like trying for “infinity and beyond!”

There are two events I will be sharing with you today. On Friday, April 18th, the Community Health Department had its annual AIDS Orphan’s Spring Fun Day. I was so involved that day I only attended 3 – 4 minutes but thankfully Bill was in attendance so I can share pictures and stories.