Coming soon - photos of house dedication

The AIDS orphans's house is complete and we will dedicate it this afternoon.  The keys will be presented to the family during a ceremony of singing and celebration.
The team is faring well despite the lack of luggage.  Everyone gets to do laundry often!
 There are many exciting things happening at Maua Methodist Hospital.  New buildings are in the works as well as new equipment being purchased. This is a dynamic place where many people are receiving good healthcare in a Christian environment.  We enjoy our continued partnership with this place. Leda Phillips

If You See Our Luggage Please Send It To Maua

We are becoming concerned that our luggage, specifically 6 bags with medical supplies have not arrived yet. Please be in prayer that these needed materials will make it to the hospital this week.

"Our School is # 1" AG Clark Early Childhood Development Center

All days in Maua are filled with projects and activities, but Wednesday is an especially packed day.  Beginning with leading the early morning Hospital Chapel service, then lunch with MMH Hospital Leadership Team, ending with Bible School, the team stays on the move.  There are nearly 200 preschoolers attending the EDC now. Fifty are orphans.  The school supports the guardians of these children with education, group activities, training, food supplements.  On the campus there are animals, pigs, rabbits, chickens, and a garden.  These allow the school to be more sustainable as these projects provide both food and training opportunities for the children.we were able to spend about two hours singing songs and playing games yesterday afternoon.  This is always a wonderful highlight.  Students, even the youngest ones, are very proud of their school and sang a song for us about being #1.. Too cute.

House Under Construction in a Very Poor Family Compound

Many children around the homesite are malnourished.  One with an untended infected wound for which our firstaid kit came in handy.

"Management" to "Leadership" a Change in Attitudes

GUMC has lunch with Maua Methodist Hospital Executive Leadership Team.  We are commenting on the progress being made and changes being embraced by those in leadership positions at the hospital.  There is truely a renewed spirit amoung the staff and God is being most glorified here.

Team Tours Hospital

Great First Day at Maua Methodist Hsopital

GUMC team members toured the hospital this morning and recieved updates on various deparments and the comprehensive services offered to the community.  As always our hosts are enthusiastic to welcome us and make us feel genuinely appreciated.   We worked on various projects, including assembling some new play equipment for the Children's Ward (Terry, Fred, Rich)  Barry, Andrew, Gerre, Kristen began constuction of a home for an especially needy family consisting five children, ages 12 years down to 6 mos.  The grandmother is disabled and cares for the children while mother is attemping to collect wood and food to maintain the family. Leda assisted Dr Inoti in surgery anad in eye clinic today.  There are still many areas of eye services and the hospital overall that need our support and continued prayers.   This is a short blog but we will post more later this week.

We arrived safely in Nairobi last night. The usual baggage delays but we are all well and ready for a good day of travel along the scenic highways of Kenya. Appreciate your prayers.

Departure in 3 days!

Our team held its final meeting before departure last night and everyone is ready to go.  We appreciate all the support we have received from family, friends and neighbors! We hope everyone will follow us as we travel and work with the people of the Maua and Meru communities over the next 2 1/2 weeks. As often as we can (whenever we have internet access), we will post information to this blogspot; so stay tuned!
Leda Phillips

2014 GUMC Kenya Team prepares for travel

The 2014 GUMC Kenya mission team is in the final stages of preparing for their trip which will be July 10-25, 2014.  This past Saturday, June 14, the team held an all day training session to complete the information gathering portion of the training.  On June 22, 2014 the team will be commissioned by the ministers and congregation of GUMC during the 11:00am worship service.  All are welcome to attend this service.  In the afternoon the team will pack all the medical  and school supplies in large suitcases to be stored til the day of departure.  We hope our friends and family will follow the team through this blogspot as we embark on another mission experience to help the men, women and children of the beautiful country of Kenya!  Leda Phillips

We have arrived in Chicago all well. Can't wait to share our experiences with you

We have arrived in Chicago all well. Can't wait to share our experiences with you

We have enjoyed God's creation here at Sweetwaters Game Reserve and are eating our breakfast in a tented dining hall and preparing to start the long trip home.  Its been a trip in which we all have experience the presence of God in many ways, the people, situations, and scenery.  Pray for our safe travels.  (picture: Cheetahs resting that we observed yesterday)

During our time at the Bio-Intensive Agricultural Training Center we really enjoyed getting to know the 17 youth that are with us. As expected they are all enthusiastic learners and had the time of their lives getting to know each other and playing all sorts of games during their breaks from class. On Sunday we all worshiped together at the Kaaga Methodist Church, just down the road from the training center.  We have enjoyed worshiping there many times over several visits to Kenya.
When we arrived at the farm Saturday, James, one of the teachers there, presented us with a several page report about last year's trainees. He visited all of them and took pictures of their projects. This is his life's mission, and he is very passionate to help these orphans. One orphan, Samson, had been very successful in starting a tree nursery. He also used his certificate of training (that we presented him last year) to obtain a government position as a community agricultural trainer. We all were tickled by his resourcefulness.
 

And another inspiration:

Our team had the joy of spending three days with 17 Hope Companions at the Bio-Intensive Agricultural Training Center.  The information they leaned about food crop production is invaluable, as they all must grow their own food. When they return to their homes, not only do they start to utilize new knowledge and skills, they also teach many other orphans what they have learned.  These young people lift us up and inspire us all.  At first glance one would never know that these young people are orphaned and left with the responsibility of caring for their younger siblings.  They are in an orphan empowerment program that, through basic instruction and assistance in health and hygiene, housing security, food security, business development, and faith, makes their families self-sustaining in 2-3 years.  Families of orphans work together in groups of about 15 families to cooperatively support one another.  Currently there are about 96 working groups in the Maua area.  Twenty-two of those will be graduating from the program this year.  What we do in taking a few selected leaders for training is just a very small part of a very huge and impactful program.  The social workers of ZOE and the orphans they work with inspire us. (picture of orphans receiving their certificate for the training they completed at the Bio-Intensive Farm)

 

In our debrief time we should review our past days here in Kenya, evaluate what we were able to do, who we were able to minister to, and most importantly how have we been changed by it.   So I thought I might just write about some of the programs, people, and experiences that impressed me.    I wrote something about our Monday in Maua, so now I want to tell about my Tuesday in Maua.  On last Tuesday I spent the day with Stanley Gitari, the director of the Community Health Department at Maua Methodist Hospital.   The morning started with a meeting with leaders of the many programs: AIDS Orphans Project, Palliative Care, ZOE Hope Companions, Maternal Child Clinics, and more.  The work of the programs reaches hundreds of people each day and the way that the various programs integrate with one another is impressive.  The team discussed the development and expansion of two new programs and how they might be implemented.  The first was to discuss a partnership with the Central Texas Conference and the No More Malaria campaign of GBGM.  Basically, there is limited accessibility to bed nets in Maua, yet 30% of admissions to the Children’s Ward are caused by Malaria.  The mortality rate in the below 5yr age group is quite high.  There was an energetic discussion and exploration of how to obtain the raw materials and training needed to manufacture the nets in Maua (employing ZOE Orphans who have sewing machines) and using the existing trained community health workers to distribute them.  The discussion was quite animated and positive.  Another topic on discussion was the analysis of data collected recently from street children (glue sniffers).  They are exploring entry points for ministering to the children and establishing a rescue/detox center for them, and getting them back in their homes or some supportive group in their villages.  

Stanley and I traveled some dusty back roads to visit two rural clinics operated by MMH, Kijua and Ndolili.  At Kijua a Mother/Child clinic is held monthly.  Babies are immunized, family planning is offered, education about childcare, disease prevention is given while the mothers wait their turn.  Several MMH staff, Nurse James, and trained community health workers operate the clinic which takes place on the grounds of a Methodist Church.  Immunizations given are pretty much the same as we give at home.  The infants all appears robust and the moms content.  The clinic (dispensary) at Ndolili operates daily and functions as a general clinic for all.  The dedication, ingenuity, persistence, and compassion of these health care providers inspires me.  (picture of Kijua Mother/Child clinic).

 

We have arrived at SweetWaters Game Reserve.  We have internet access here and will be sending some more information about our past few days. 

Friday: Medical Camp-bush clinic

Regina and her two children receiving home

Regina and bag of concrete mix