1st Update

I have returned to Kenya. This is a special trip as I will go to the "ends of the earth" (at least one of them) and cut the ribbon dedicating a school in memory of my niece Maggie. Maggie, my youngest sister's only child, died at age 19 in a car accident. Maggie was a writer and after her death my sister published her poems in a book called Beauty Scattered. Laban, poem by poem translated her work into Swahili so the children in Maggie's School as they learn to read can read her poems. I am taking both the English and swahili version to Tukana where Maggie's school is. This school will be called Maggie's School and Community Health Education Center. Here in a place where there was no school, children will learn to read and Moms will learn ways to protect their health and the health of their children.

I believe God is calling me to urgency tonight about fighting the public health diseases that are killing so many. Once again AIDS seems everywhere. The first news I heard after I arrived is the friend I told you about in previous visits that was in the hospital after her HIV went to AIDS died on Sunday. She had fought the disease successfully for 17 years. Then a very close friend of mine shared with me that her oldest brother is infected and his wife has already died from the disease. Their 6 year old little boy has AIDS and is not doing well. Her brother has remarried and his wife is infected.

And Pastor Hirbo called from Marsabit to welcome me back and to tell me they have found 10 more children infected with HIV/AIDs. Seven in Marsabit and 3 outside Marsabit. And he said five children had already died from AIDS this year in Marsabit. He said many of the 10 infected children are orphans.

And I spoke with Charles (Nick and Charles from Mathare) and he is sick with thyroid and a parasite from water He has been sick for awhile and has to spend a lot of money for medication. And a friend of his was very sick with malaria and thyroid. Diseases that can be prevented.
Please pray for Charles to get well as he is taking care of so many himself and pray that this disease called HIV/AIDS stops taking parents and infecting children.

Connie

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