Even through her death, Susan is working to raise funds for those she loved in Kenya. In lieu of flowers her family has asked donations be sent to Partners for Care www.ingramfuneralhome.com. Her visitation is Saturday night 5-8 pm at Ingram's funeral home in Cumming. I will go to represent those she loved in Kenya.
Missing a good friend,
Connie
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Sunday, April 22
Friday, April 20
Partners for Care has lost a friend
Partners for Care has lost a dear friend and a board member. Susan Spencer died this afternoon leaving many here and 10,000 miles away saddened. Susan loved the people of Kenya especially the young men in the Temples of Worship. She played their music over and over and dreamed of the day she would return to Kenya to see them again. She also hoped someday they would come to the US and sing in churches here. When that day comes they will dedicate a song to Susan. It is hard to lose a friend...I will personally miss our visits and our talks on the phone as I shared with her how "her boys' as she called them were doing.
We pray for her family at this difficult time....Connie
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We pray for her family at this difficult time....Connie
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Friday, April 13
They came to serve
They came to serve with the Kenyan PFC staff. Side by side the two teams served together in Marsabit, Marurui and Mathare slum. The Michigan team members were Dr. and Pat Wendt and their children Jenny and Caleb, Dr. and Kim Wills, Dawn, Gary and Teresa, Sue and her son Cal, Amanda, Jen Garborg, Julie and Linda, a PFC board member.
Together with the PFC staff the following was accomplished:
The Michigan team also equipped the ministries of PFC with the following:
We are grateful for the Michigan team - the friends who returned and the new friends we have met!
A very special thank you to Melinda who prepared the team spiritually to come and covered them with prayer while they were serving.
Blessed to have served together,
Connie
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Together with the PFC staff the following was accomplished:
- Dental care for all the PFC staff and 3 of their family members
- Dental care for 58 people in Marsabit
- Nets distributed, community health taught and hypertension and diabetic screening for 111 persons at our medical clinic
- Dr. Craig and Julie, RN, saw patients at the clinic in consultation with Dr. Vincent
- Marriage mentoring for 43 people in Marsabit and Nairobi
- Sponsored a soccer tournament in Marurui
- Served 950 people in Marsabit in 3 medical camps
- Checked all the computers in the IT school and repaired three of them
- Developed a food security plan for Kathi's House
- Visited 3 clients at Community Transformers and took each one food
- Taught school and held a end-of-the term celebration for 2 days at Tree House Children's Home
The Michigan team also equipped the ministries of PFC with the following:
- i-Dent dental chair to be used to provide dental care to those in the tribal areas
- i-See eyeglass program
- 200 bed nets
- An oral devise for Bible stories in the Rendile language
- A guitar and a banjo
- Watches and thermometers for the mHealth program
- A kitchen knife
- School supplies for 2nd Chance School
- 50 leadership books for the PFC staff
- 100 pair of shoes
- Soccer equipment - 46 soccer shoes, 19 cones, 72 bibs, 43 balls, 14 sports socks, 92 jerseys, 18 shorts and 1 volleyball
- Many people were served and many more will be served with the equipping of the PFC team.
We are grateful for the Michigan team - the friends who returned and the new friends we have met!
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| The Michigan team with the Partners for Care Kenya team |
A very special thank you to Melinda who prepared the team spiritually to come and covered them with prayer while they were serving.
Blessed to have served together,
Connie
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Thanks David
David, thanks for letting us use your lens when we went to Marsabit. We know how important your camera equipment is to you! We wanted to share with you some of the photos Sam took...
Mom and Sam
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Mom and Sam
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Wednesday, April 4
The children of Parkishon
When some of the team members of this team who is with us from Michigan came last time they did a medical camp at Parkishon. They felt the children there were among the sickest children they had ever seen. The children had fungus, upper respiratory infections, jiggers on their hands and feet and were malnourished.
In August we started funding Pastor Hirbo to go to Parkishon once a week to treat the jiggers. He has treated 350 of the children for jiggers. He has worked with the moms teaching them how to prevent the jigger infestation and other community diseases.
Yesterday the team who had been there before were amazed at how much better the children were. We found only a few children infected with jiggers. And, it was wonderful to see the children in their Crocs that Cris Willis had bought for them! They prevent the jiggers...and they hold up even in the Marsabit harsh conditions!
Sometimes it is easy to get discouraged...but seeing the children of Parkishon so much better was encouraging.
From Marsabit,
Connie
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| The children in August |
In August we started funding Pastor Hirbo to go to Parkishon once a week to treat the jiggers. He has treated 350 of the children for jiggers. He has worked with the moms teaching them how to prevent the jigger infestation and other community diseases.
Yesterday the team who had been there before were amazed at how much better the children were. We found only a few children infected with jiggers. And, it was wonderful to see the children in their Crocs that Cris Willis had bought for them! They prevent the jiggers...and they hold up even in the Marsabit harsh conditions!
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| The children today |
Sometimes it is easy to get discouraged...but seeing the children of Parkishon so much better was encouraging.
From Marsabit,
Connie
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A little about where we are - Marsabit
Marsabit is in the far Northeastern part of Kenya. It is considered arid land. Here are some facts about where we are serving:
Population - 291,166 in the area
Marsabit town population - 60,000
Density per km - 4
Poverty rate - 91.7%
Number with secondary education - 8.9%
Population with electricity - 7.5%
Paved roads - 0%
Immunized - 60%
Children born in a health care facility - 17.9%
Can read and write - 26.2%
Annual rainfall - 0%
The statistics speak for themselves but it doesn't really tell the whole story of what we see and feel when we are here. It is easy to get overwhelmed when you see the poverty, the lack of water, the hard life of so many here. Women walk for MILES for water and firewood. But, Pastor Hirbo is making a difference here - one child, one school, one village at a time.
From Marsabit,
Connie
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Population - 291,166 in the area
Marsabit town population - 60,000
Density per km - 4
Poverty rate - 91.7%
Number with secondary education - 8.9%
Population with electricity - 7.5%
Paved roads - 0%
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| Marsabit roads |
Immunized - 60%
Children born in a health care facility - 17.9%
Can read and write - 26.2%
Annual rainfall - 0%
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| Marsabit land |
The statistics speak for themselves but it doesn't really tell the whole story of what we see and feel when we are here. It is easy to get overwhelmed when you see the poverty, the lack of water, the hard life of so many here. Women walk for MILES for water and firewood. But, Pastor Hirbo is making a difference here - one child, one school, one village at a time.
From Marsabit,
Connie
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Leaving Marsabit
It is late Sunday night in Marsabit town. We are preparing to leave at 5 am in the morning to head south through the desert to return to Nairobi. Many on this trip will be forever changed. They have seen things they didn't know existed. Many have had their hearts broken at seeing what abject poverty looks like and the effect it has on children. Most children here are very small in stature but big eyes and smiles.
The team has had an impact here in Marsabit. Here are the numbers:
Seen in medical camps - 950
Treated by the dentist - 58 (4 cavities were filled and 75 teeth extracted)
Said yes to Jesus - 19
Signed a commitment card to do their part to fight HIV/AIDS - over 500
Many hours spent playing soccer!
The team did great! Everyone worked hard with no complaining even though it was hot and the days were long.
Blessed by the team from Michigan,
BSW
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| Praying together |
Seen in medical camps - 950
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| Dr. Vincent and Dr. Craig seeing a patient |
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| Charles and Linda taking blood pressures |
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| Peter helping an elderly |
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| Dr. Wills working on a patient |
Said yes to Jesus - 19
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| Jen praying for people |
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| A pastor signing a commitment card |
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| Soccer with the boys |
The team did great! Everyone worked hard with no complaining even though it was hot and the days were long.
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| Justus |
Blessed by the team from Michigan,
BSW
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Friday, March 30
Feeling the pain of loss
The team that is with us are close friends, family and colleagues so when bad news came to one of their team members yesterday it affected the whole team.
One of their team members is Sue, a kindergarten teacher. The kind of teacher we all pray would be our children's first teacher. Full of joy and wonder at God's creation. I have laughed and enjoyed her so much this trip as she shouted with joy at every animal she saw from the bus. I have held her as she wept when she saw the children - hungry and dirty.
In the middle of night before last I was notified that Sue's brother died suddenly and expectantly of a heart attack. The decision was made by her team leaders to wait to tell her until when we returned from the first day of the medical camp. All day I watched her knowing the news she would receive that night.
Sue had dreamed for so many years to come to serve God in Africa. Her family has asked her to stay to fulfill her dream. So for today she is going with is to serve in the second day of medical camps.
She is with her friends here and Pastor Hirbo spent time with her last night which she said greatly helped.. Pastor Hirbo she more now than ever before knows how important it is to reach the lost before it is too late.
Praying for this team as we experience together the joy of serving and the pain of loss,
Connie
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One of their team members is Sue, a kindergarten teacher. The kind of teacher we all pray would be our children's first teacher. Full of joy and wonder at God's creation. I have laughed and enjoyed her so much this trip as she shouted with joy at every animal she saw from the bus. I have held her as she wept when she saw the children - hungry and dirty.
In the middle of night before last I was notified that Sue's brother died suddenly and expectantly of a heart attack. The decision was made by her team leaders to wait to tell her until when we returned from the first day of the medical camp. All day I watched her knowing the news she would receive that night.
Sue had dreamed for so many years to come to serve God in Africa. Her family has asked her to stay to fulfill her dream. So for today she is going with is to serve in the second day of medical camps.
She is with her friends here and Pastor Hirbo spent time with her last night which she said greatly helped.. Pastor Hirbo she more now than ever before knows how important it is to reach the lost before it is too late.
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| Sue |
Praying for this team as we experience together the joy of serving and the pain of loss,
Connie
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Learning from the ground
After a 13 hour bus ride (5 hours of the travel was off road) we arrived in Marsabit. The team did well in spite of hurt backs, swollen legs and a few broken hearts at the conditions we were seeing out the windows of the bus. As we had done most of the pill counting and organizing the medications before we left Nairobi we had just pouring of liquids medications to do in the evening.
We bought soccer balls - 12 of them. We shared with Pastor Hirbo that we thought we could leave two at each medical camp and use the other 6 on Sunday during the what if? event. Pastor Hirbo asked us not to leave the soccer balls at each village as he was using soccer balls to evangelize. He explained if we just give things like soccer balls he loses the opportunity to use them to reach the people with the gospel.
He shared how recently he used pencils and small notepads to reach a group of Morans (the young warriors of the tribes). He used the pencils and notepads to teach them to write. The young men soon were asking Pastor Hirbo to pray for them.
Pastor Hirbo has taught us how we can stand behind him and support his ministry as he reaches the unreached tribes. We need to be careful not to get out in front of him and make it more difficult for him. So today we took the balls with us and some of the team members played soccer with the kids while the rest of the team was doing medical camps. When we left the medical camp, we took the balls with us as Pastor Hirbo will use them to create soccer teams and teach the kids more than we could have in one day.
Learning more and more how to help....
Connie
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We bought soccer balls - 12 of them. We shared with Pastor Hirbo that we thought we could leave two at each medical camp and use the other 6 on Sunday during the what if? event. Pastor Hirbo asked us not to leave the soccer balls at each village as he was using soccer balls to evangelize. He explained if we just give things like soccer balls he loses the opportunity to use them to reach the people with the gospel.
He shared how recently he used pencils and small notepads to reach a group of Morans (the young warriors of the tribes). He used the pencils and notepads to teach them to write. The young men soon were asking Pastor Hirbo to pray for them.
Pastor Hirbo has taught us how we can stand behind him and support his ministry as he reaches the unreached tribes. We need to be careful not to get out in front of him and make it more difficult for him. So today we took the balls with us and some of the team members played soccer with the kids while the rest of the team was doing medical camps. When we left the medical camp, we took the balls with us as Pastor Hirbo will use them to create soccer teams and teach the kids more than we could have in one day.
Learning more and more how to help....
Connie
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Helping Without Hurting
Partners for Care has received a team from Michigan...prepared to try to help without hurting. We have worked together for the past 8 months preparing the team in the US to come and the team in Kenya to receive. It isn't easy to bring together people from different backgrounds, different cultures, different day-to-day lives. But, they share a common goal to - serve God and to reach the unreached with the love of Christ.
This is a medical/dental team and we are traveling to Marsabit to hold medical/dental camps. We are excited to be going with Pastor Hirbo to see the children of Parkishon and two other villages where the children are infected with jiggers.
In preparation to come, the US team read "When Helping Hurts". Each person came understanding they came to join an existing team already bearing fruit. They came desiring to leave the team on the ground more equipped to do the work God has called them to do.
One of the best part is what a teachable spirit the members of the US team have. Together we look at what we are doing and ask "are we helping or hurting". The Kenyan team is our best teachers. So, together we are learning.
Over the next couple of days I will share with you our mistakes, our paradigm shifts and what we learn.
For now we are 27 people headed for Marsabit through the desert off-road bouncing and hanging on to the bus seats so we don't fall off.
More later from Marsabit,
Connie
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This is a medical/dental team and we are traveling to Marsabit to hold medical/dental camps. We are excited to be going with Pastor Hirbo to see the children of Parkishon and two other villages where the children are infected with jiggers.
In preparation to come, the US team read "When Helping Hurts". Each person came understanding they came to join an existing team already bearing fruit. They came desiring to leave the team on the ground more equipped to do the work God has called them to do.
One of the best part is what a teachable spirit the members of the US team have. Together we look at what we are doing and ask "are we helping or hurting". The Kenyan team is our best teachers. So, together we are learning.
Over the next couple of days I will share with you our mistakes, our paradigm shifts and what we learn.
For now we are 27 people headed for Marsabit through the desert off-road bouncing and hanging on to the bus seats so we don't fall off.
More later from Marsabit,
Connie
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Ask a young person....
Ask a young person what they want to do when they grow up and they might tell you they want to be a doctor, or a lawyer or an engineer so they can get a lot of money. Ask them why they want a lot of money and they may tell you to buy a house, or a car or even a boat.
Tonight I asked those questions to a young man who is working for Partners for Care. His name is Jefwa and he is 19 years old. He is a friend of a close friend of Franko's and he comes from the coast. He is one of thousands of young people in Kenya that have to dropout of high school because they cannot pay school fees. He came to Sammy in January and said he just wanted to go to school. Sammy loves to help young people like Jefwa. He enrolled Jefwa in our 2nd Chance School and gave him a job helping at the PFC House. He is paid $30.00 a month. He is very bright and doing well in 2nd Chance. He shows up early every morning at the Partners for Care House to help. I never see him idle. He is a very hard worker.
Now back to the question. The other night I took Jefwa and Franko for tea and "chips" (french fries). Jefwa told me that was the first time he had ever gone out like that. I asked Jefwa what he wants to do when he finishes 2nd Chance. He told me "be an engineer" so he can make a lot of money. I asked why he wanted to make a lot of money. He said, "I have 5 brothers under me who I want to help pay their school fees so they can go to high school." That is a big dream for a young man who himself hasn't completed high school. But, God is a big God and I think He will honor Jefwa's desire to help his brothers to go to school.
Humbled to know a young man who doesn't desire things but desires to help his family,
Connie
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Tonight I asked those questions to a young man who is working for Partners for Care. His name is Jefwa and he is 19 years old. He is a friend of a close friend of Franko's and he comes from the coast. He is one of thousands of young people in Kenya that have to dropout of high school because they cannot pay school fees. He came to Sammy in January and said he just wanted to go to school. Sammy loves to help young people like Jefwa. He enrolled Jefwa in our 2nd Chance School and gave him a job helping at the PFC House. He is paid $30.00 a month. He is very bright and doing well in 2nd Chance. He shows up early every morning at the Partners for Care House to help. I never see him idle. He is a very hard worker.
Now back to the question. The other night I took Jefwa and Franko for tea and "chips" (french fries). Jefwa told me that was the first time he had ever gone out like that. I asked Jefwa what he wants to do when he finishes 2nd Chance. He told me "be an engineer" so he can make a lot of money. I asked why he wanted to make a lot of money. He said, "I have 5 brothers under me who I want to help pay their school fees so they can go to high school." That is a big dream for a young man who himself hasn't completed high school. But, God is a big God and I think He will honor Jefwa's desire to help his brothers to go to school.
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| Jefwa |
Humbled to know a young man who doesn't desire things but desires to help his family,
Connie
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Wednesday, March 14
MedShare visits Partners for Care in Kenya
Recently, board members, the Executive Director and staff of Atlanta based MedShare included a on their trip to Kenya a visit to Partners for Care. The Kenya team was very excited to host the MedShare team to share with them about the work of PFC and to thank them for the 40 foot container of medical supplies and equipment PFC recently received. The following is an excerpt of a posting on the MedShare blogspot written by one of their board members.
I am Terry Blum and I have the privilege to serve on MedShare's board. This is my second trip with MedShare and it is a wonderful journey in terms of learning and sense-making. Quite frankly, I am not sure I can construct meaning from all that I am sensing from my eyes, ears, mouth, fingers and nose. I am also sensing from my heart, making this whole experience so difficult to justly describe. As someone who is quite cerebral in everyday life, this adventure touches below my head into my heart and reaches into the region of feeling and intuition. The incredibly rich tapestry of the lenses of the people with whom I am touring, all of whom are awesome in their own way, is coupled with the wisdom of those we visit. I know I will not be the same when I return as I was when I left Atlanta in that huge airplane.
After wonderful bonding and familiarizing ourselves with the agenda, we got into the reason for MedShare today by first visiting St. Mary's Nairobi and then Partners for Care I will report on Partners for Care which is part of the mHealth alliance which engages in mobile health initiatives among other things.
Our group transitioned from St. Mary's to Partners for Care with lunch at the incredible Safari Park Hotel, where Sam (communications director) and Samuel (director in Kenya) from Partners for Care joined us. The grounds of the Safari Park are quite elegant and could have been a movie scene from colonial times or an upscale suburb anywhere. The food and the group's camaraderie are awesome, but the contrast with the needs of so many is evident as one passes by the slums of Kibera (2nd largest in the world after Soweto with estimates of 1-2 million residents), and Marurui where 26 - 30,000 people live.
En route to the clinic, we rode on a really bumpy road that went on for quite a while. We came to a stop outside a building that was the initial Partners for Care destination for most of us. The signage said, what if? Life Changing Center.
"what if?" is a question of what it would be like if there were no AIDS in Kenya. While most of us went into the clinic building, Lindsey Barber and Charlie Evans went into Marurui slum with Peter from Partners for Care. Peter took them to visit a friend's home as well as to complete a patient assessment to show how the mHealth program works. The hand-held device relays medical information and pictures to Dr. Vincent at the clinic. Dr. Vincent then triages the patient relaying the instructions for caring for the patient to Peter. Each entry creates a secure medical record for the patient.
Partners for Care was founded by Atlanta nurse, Connie Cheren, who came to the MedShare store for supplies for some of her medical team mission trips. PFC has 8 programs in addition to the clinic. As we walk past the goat on the corner into the what if? building through the door with Clinic written on it, we found a world of hope and love. At the what if? Life Changing Life Center, there is a one room clinic, class room for their Second Chance program that prepares 20 students for the national graduation exam with 2 years of education. There is also a computer room that serves 20 adult students at a time. Forty-five or so have received or are receiving training and 20 have found jobs.
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| Meredith with the PET |
Their Marsabit program is really striking. Partners for Care serves one of the most impoverished sections of Kenya. They treat children infected with jiggers, a kind of parasitic flea that enters the skin and reproduces so the children can't walk. The inflammation is incredible. 350 children have been treated with anti bacterial soap and water after which the hands and feet are covered with Vaseline. 89 have been provided with shoes that can help prevent the jiggers from infecting the children.
The health programs are important as 473 Kenyan children under 5 die every day, 71 due to HIV/AIDS, 93 to malaria….90% of these deaths are due to preventable causes! So Partners for Care is there to help reduce child deaths.
Our visit was truly inspirational….we were sung to with a Jambo (welcome) song which included Hakuna Matata, reminding me of the Lion King and the Circle of Life! They also sang a song "Smile"…happy for you… will lift you up, hold your hands, loose your pain, so you smile again. They ended our visit by singing "That Little Light of Mine" in English and Swahili….We left on our bus singing "That little heart of mine, let it shine," knowing the love in the hearts of the Partners for Care staff. The passion and inspiration of the Kenyans who spend so much energy to do their work to serve their own people is a memory I will always cherish. They are rich in spirit, and thanks to them there is a little more light shining for many.
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| The MedShare team with the Partners for Care staff |
Connie
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Monday, February 27
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Thursday, February 23
Bridgette Boylan Interview
Our own Bridgette Boylan was interviewed yesterday by the Gwinnett Daily Post about her passion for Kenya! The article is in today's edition below. Check it out!
Tuesday, February 14
Connected by passion for the children of Parkishon
Surely it is an unlikely connection. Cris Willis and her family live 10,000 miles from Parkishon, a small village in Kenya. The Willis' live in Cumming, Georgia. They run a high-end gift store - Parson's a family business www.parsonsgifts.com. Pastor Hirbo is a humble pastor who owns no property, had no vehicles and relies on God for provisions to meet the basic needs of his family. Very different people from two different worlds and cultures. But, they are connected by their passion to help the children of Parkishon.
In August 2011 Cris and her 18 year-old daughter Kacey traveled to Kenya and then went another 12 hours of which 6 hours was on a public bus through the desert to Marsabit in northern Kenya. There they met Pastor Hirbo and the children of Parkishon. During this mission God entrusted them with a small child - Yewlanda who was desperately sick. Cris and Kacey were able to work with the Partners for Care staff to rescue Yewlanda. (See www.partnersforcare.blogspot.com/August 2011).
But, the story didn't end there. Returning to the US, Cris met with her family and they prayed asking God what He was calling them to do to help the children of Parkishon. As a family they made a decision to help Pastor Hirbo through Partners for Care so he could help the children of Parkishon.
The children of Parkishon have many needs. One of the most urgent needs is to treat their hands and feet for jiggers infestation. Many of the children spend their days in the manyattas (hut-like houses) because they cannot walk because of jiggers infestation. Jiggers treatment consists of soaking the feet and hands in a strong soap and covering them with vaseline. The jiggers are white fleas that become parasites living in the hands and feet of the children. They lay eggs multiplying. They rob the child of necessary nutrients and keep them awake at night as their itch and are painful. Children even lose fingers and toes if the jiggers are not killed. After the jiggers are killed vaseline is used daily to help restore the fingers and toes. But without shoes the jiggers will return.
Starting in September Pastor Hirbo has traveled the 15 kilometers to Parkishon every week from his home in Marsabit to treat the children for jiggers. Often he spends the night in the village. He has gone from manyatta to manyatta searching for the children with jiggers. To date he has treated 315 children... and they are still jigger free. With Cris' help Pastor Hirbo has put shoes on their feet to prevent the jiggers from returning. He has taught the moms to spread cow dung on the floor of the manyattas, which helps keep the jiggers out.
And, Pastor Hirbo is reaching this unreached Rendille tribe as he tells them of the Great Physician. Sitting on the floor of the manyattas he tells them of the love of God. He has brought 39 to Christ.
Cris knew that sometimes Pastor Hirbo walks the 15 kilometers to and from Parkishon. For Christmas Cris told her husband that all she wanted for Christmas was a motor bike for Pastor Hirbo. And, that is what he gave her. This trip I was blessed to help Pastor Hirbo purchase a motor bike, helmet and insurance. Pastor Hirbo said "nothing can stop me now!". He will see that Parkishon is jigger-free. And, he will the move to the next village.
Our work at Partners for Care is to find people like Pastor Hirbo and then find people like Cris and her family who can equip them carry out their passion. It is truly a blessing.
Witnessing God working in Kenya,
Connie
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In August 2011 Cris and her 18 year-old daughter Kacey traveled to Kenya and then went another 12 hours of which 6 hours was on a public bus through the desert to Marsabit in northern Kenya. There they met Pastor Hirbo and the children of Parkishon. During this mission God entrusted them with a small child - Yewlanda who was desperately sick. Cris and Kacey were able to work with the Partners for Care staff to rescue Yewlanda. (See www.partnersforcare.blogspot.com/August 2011).
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| Cris reaching out to the children of Parkishon |
But, the story didn't end there. Returning to the US, Cris met with her family and they prayed asking God what He was calling them to do to help the children of Parkishon. As a family they made a decision to help Pastor Hirbo through Partners for Care so he could help the children of Parkishon.
The children of Parkishon have many needs. One of the most urgent needs is to treat their hands and feet for jiggers infestation. Many of the children spend their days in the manyattas (hut-like houses) because they cannot walk because of jiggers infestation. Jiggers treatment consists of soaking the feet and hands in a strong soap and covering them with vaseline. The jiggers are white fleas that become parasites living in the hands and feet of the children. They lay eggs multiplying. They rob the child of necessary nutrients and keep them awake at night as their itch and are painful. Children even lose fingers and toes if the jiggers are not killed. After the jiggers are killed vaseline is used daily to help restore the fingers and toes. But without shoes the jiggers will return.
Starting in September Pastor Hirbo has traveled the 15 kilometers to Parkishon every week from his home in Marsabit to treat the children for jiggers. Often he spends the night in the village. He has gone from manyatta to manyatta searching for the children with jiggers. To date he has treated 315 children... and they are still jigger free. With Cris' help Pastor Hirbo has put shoes on their feet to prevent the jiggers from returning. He has taught the moms to spread cow dung on the floor of the manyattas, which helps keep the jiggers out.
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| Pastor Hirbo walking up to Parkishon |
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| Treating a girl for jiggers |
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| Fitting the children with new shoes |
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| The children displaying their new shoes |
Cris knew that sometimes Pastor Hirbo walks the 15 kilometers to and from Parkishon. For Christmas Cris told her husband that all she wanted for Christmas was a motor bike for Pastor Hirbo. And, that is what he gave her. This trip I was blessed to help Pastor Hirbo purchase a motor bike, helmet and insurance. Pastor Hirbo said "nothing can stop me now!". He will see that Parkishon is jigger-free. And, he will the move to the next village.
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| Pastor Hirbo on his new motorbike |
Witnessing God working in Kenya,
Connie
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Saturday, February 11
Unpacking hope...
Yesterday we unpacked the container from MedShare. Wow...seeing the items listed on a packing list is nothing like seeing them in person. I really wish all of you could have been here to see the excitement of the PFC staff. All the staff were overwhelmed with how wonderful the supplies are. Everything traveled well - nothing was broken. Every ministry in PFC found something that they could use to help people. Ice packs for the sports ministry, a cabinet for the 2nd Chance School, a step down for the music team, even supplies for Moses for the PFC house.
There was one item that surprised all of us - personal transportation carts! I saw them on the packing list but didn't know what they were. The team quickly assembled one of them. They are carts that someone sits in and it has hand pedals. Immediately the staff identified seven people with disabilities to give them to. One is a young boy in Marurui slum who scoots on his belly. Two will go to Marsabit. Pastor Hirbo wants to give them to two people there who are handicapped and help them use the carts to sell small items so they can support themselves and their families. Another will go to a man who lives nearby who all his life has scooted as he can't walk. These carts alone were worth the wait in Mombasa :).
There were many boxes of large urine collection containers. Staff saw them and immediately called them water jugs. They will go to Marsabit for the people to carry water. The team was excited because the size of them will be easier for the children to carry water instead of the big yellow jugs.
We had 18 men helping so within 8 hours everything was off the truck and sorted. We separated what PFC can use and what will go to hospitals and other ministries. Our clinic in Marurui sees about 150 people in the clinic and another 75 through the mHealth program. And, we usually see 3-5,000 people in medical camps each year. We are able to use many of the supplies for the clinic, mHealth program and medical missions.
All of the equipment is either in our clinic or in our garage. The team did great getting the work completed. Part of the team was in the kitchen cooking most of the day as we fed everybody throughout the day.
There was one special box I saved opening until the end. Staff gathered around as I opened the box and read them the letter that was in the box. Inside the box were four beautiful paintings sent by The Foundation for Hospital Art www.hospitalart.org. They are a non-profit organization working to bring art to hospitals all over the world. All the paintings are beautiful. We plan to hang one in our clinic and then take the others others to hospitals that will hang them. Dr. Vincent's wife is a nurse and works at Gertude's Children's Hospital. It is a hospital for children with HIV/AIDS. We were going to see if they would hang one or two of the paintings.
At the end of the day the staff were tired but excited about the wonderful medical supplies they had received. There were many heros in this story including:
Connie
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| The container arriving at the PFC house |
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| Unpacking the stuff |
There were many boxes of large urine collection containers. Staff saw them and immediately called them water jugs. They will go to Marsabit for the people to carry water. The team was excited because the size of them will be easier for the children to carry water instead of the big yellow jugs.
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| Carrying the many boxes into the PFC Compound |
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| All the stuff at the PFC House |
All of the equipment is either in our clinic or in our garage. The team did great getting the work completed. Part of the team was in the kitchen cooking most of the day as we fed everybody throughout the day.
There was one special box I saved opening until the end. Staff gathered around as I opened the box and read them the letter that was in the box. Inside the box were four beautiful paintings sent by The Foundation for Hospital Art www.hospitalart.org. They are a non-profit organization working to bring art to hospitals all over the world. All the paintings are beautiful. We plan to hang one in our clinic and then take the others others to hospitals that will hang them. Dr. Vincent's wife is a nurse and works at Gertude's Children's Hospital. It is a hospital for children with HIV/AIDS. We were going to see if they would hang one or two of the paintings.
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| One of the first recipients of the blessings, who received a walking stick |
At the end of the day the staff were tired but excited about the wonderful medical supplies they had received. There were many heros in this story including:
- Nell Diallo - Vice President of MedShare. Without her help, support, guidance and encouragement PFC would not have received this container. The PFC staff know her by name as we throughout the process of clearing the container we always talked about what Nell was telling us. The staff hope someday to meet her in person so they can thank you. PFC is grateful to Nell!
- Dan - as most of you know Dan is the "man behind the scene". He managed all the funds ensuring we had what we needed "on the ground". Thanks Dan!
- There were a couple main donors that helped us with the costs associated with getting the container. While MedShare paid for the majority of the costs there are costs associated with receiving a container. Without these donations we would not have been able to get the container.
- Sharon and the PFC board members - they were there during the entire process with prayers, support, encouragement and funds to help. So glad for all of them!
- And, of course Mark, Sammy and Franko. They never gave up! It was challenging for us to get the container due to the congestion at the Mombasa port. But, they worked the process and were successful.
Connie
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Friday, February 10
Partners for Care receives a huge blessing
Ever since I learned of MedShare, I have been impressed with their great work. MedShare ships medical supplies and equipment all over the world. The supplies are shipped in 40 foot containers. While MedShare donates all the medical supplies, the shipping fees can be as high as $22,000. But, the container can have as much as $500,000 worth of medical equipment.
The costs to get a container seemed out of our reach. But, God says you have not because you ask not. He also says all things are possible for those who believe. So when we were contacted by MedShare to pick-up a container that was at the port in Mombasa we asked God to help us with all that needed to be done to clear the container and get it to Nairobi.
Sammy, Mark, Franko and I have spent 8 days in Mombasa working the process to clear this container. We have learned a lot about shipping! But, as the truck carrying our container declares on the back "God is great" and this 40 foot container is on its way to Nairobi with us traveling ahead of them!
All the Partners for Care staff will meet us at 6 am to help unload the medical supplies. There is equipment for our medical clinic and supplies we will take to Marsabit to help the government hospital there. There are supplies we will use for our medical camps. There is an electric dental chair. So much! Everything will be used as MedShare intends - to serve those in need in Kenya.
God is great...
Traveling from Mombasa to Nairobi with our container, Connie
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The costs to get a container seemed out of our reach. But, God says you have not because you ask not. He also says all things are possible for those who believe. So when we were contacted by MedShare to pick-up a container that was at the port in Mombasa we asked God to help us with all that needed to be done to clear the container and get it to Nairobi.
Sammy, Mark, Franko and I have spent 8 days in Mombasa working the process to clear this container. We have learned a lot about shipping! But, as the truck carrying our container declares on the back "God is great" and this 40 foot container is on its way to Nairobi with us traveling ahead of them!
All the Partners for Care staff will meet us at 6 am to help unload the medical supplies. There is equipment for our medical clinic and supplies we will take to Marsabit to help the government hospital there. There are supplies we will use for our medical camps. There is an electric dental chair. So much! Everything will be used as MedShare intends - to serve those in need in Kenya.
God is great...
Traveling from Mombasa to Nairobi with our container, Connie
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Partners for Care and PeacePassers
Partners for Care fans and supporters,
Be sure to "like" these photos!
Friday, January 27
Peter has passion for his people
Many of you know the area we work in when not traveling throughout Kenya is Marurui slum. It is one of 22 slums in Nairobi - a small slum by comparison to other slums in Nairobi like Kibera or Mathare. There are 25,000 people living in 1500 shanty like homes in this slum. Unemployment and illiteracy are very high. Diseases are also very prevalent. Most of these diseases are preventable - malaria, water-borne illnesses and HIV/AIDS. Also, many people have chronic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes that are poorly managed. Our physician Dr. Vincent screened 200 patients for hypertension and found 50 had high blood pressure.
Our goal as Partners for Care is to promote wellness and eliminate disease in Marurui slum by:
1. Teaching the people of Marurui slum how to prevent community health diseases.
2. Treating those who get sick
3. Help the chronically ill to manage their disease.
We are approaching this through our medical clinic, by implementing mHealth and through community health teaching. And, PFC is working to ensure every child in Marurui slum sleeps under a bed net. To date the staff have distributed 833 bed nets in this slum. The team is teaching how water can be cleaned by using the sun. As you walk through the slum you can see the people have placed jugs of water on their roofs for the sun to turn the dirty water clean. At night there is clean water for their children.
The team is using the malaria and the HIV teaching cubes. Working with groups of 10, the staff have the client complete a pre-test to determine their knowledge about malaria and HIV. After teaching with the cubes the staff gives a post-test to measure the increase of knowledge. It is very exciting to the staff to see how much the people are learning about malaria and HIV/AIDS using these innovative teaching tools. Learn more about these cubes at www.e3resources.org.
When the people are sick they call Peter who works in our clinic. He goes to them at night, weekends - whenever they call him. Peter uses his mHealth mobile devise to collect medical information and then transmits the information to Dr. Vincent through the internet. An electronic medical record is opened for the patient. Dr. Vincent reviews the information on his computer and then directs Peter how to help the patient.
Peter, a young man with a wife and two small children has passion for helping the people of Marurui slum. Marurui slum is his community. He grew up there. And, like Moses who helped the Israelites, Peter helps his people. He doesn't want his people perishing from a lack of knowledge. To the people of Marurui slum, the Red Sea is HIV/AIDS and other diseases that prevent them from reaching their full potential. Peter is helping them cross to the promise land.
It is a great joy for me to hear Peter talk about his work. Peter arrives early for meetings and is always available to do whatever is necessary to serve his fellow staff of PFC or to serve the people of Marurui slum. Equipping Peter to do his work is why Partners for Care exists. As Ryan says..we equip them and then stay out of their way because they can do the work....they can reach and help their own people.
Blessed to know and learn from a young man like Peter,
Connie
Sent via Cingular Xpress Mail with Blackberry
Our goal as Partners for Care is to promote wellness and eliminate disease in Marurui slum by:
1. Teaching the people of Marurui slum how to prevent community health diseases.
2. Treating those who get sick
3. Help the chronically ill to manage their disease.
We are approaching this through our medical clinic, by implementing mHealth and through community health teaching. And, PFC is working to ensure every child in Marurui slum sleeps under a bed net. To date the staff have distributed 833 bed nets in this slum. The team is teaching how water can be cleaned by using the sun. As you walk through the slum you can see the people have placed jugs of water on their roofs for the sun to turn the dirty water clean. At night there is clean water for their children.
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| Peter teaching women from Marurui Slum on community health |
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| Jugs of water on a roof in the slum for the sun to clean the water |
When the people are sick they call Peter who works in our clinic. He goes to them at night, weekends - whenever they call him. Peter uses his mHealth mobile devise to collect medical information and then transmits the information to Dr. Vincent through the internet. An electronic medical record is opened for the patient. Dr. Vincent reviews the information on his computer and then directs Peter how to help the patient.
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| Peter |
It is a great joy for me to hear Peter talk about his work. Peter arrives early for meetings and is always available to do whatever is necessary to serve his fellow staff of PFC or to serve the people of Marurui slum. Equipping Peter to do his work is why Partners for Care exists. As Ryan says..we equip them and then stay out of their way because they can do the work....they can reach and help their own people.
Blessed to know and learn from a young man like Peter,
Connie
Sent via Cingular Xpress Mail with Blackberry
Wednesday, January 18
Nick requests prayers for his family
This morning I received a message from Nick. Nick always touches my heart and inspires me with his faith in the God he serves. In spite of hardships we can't even imagine Nick believes. Here are Nick's words:
I have been busy going to Kenyatta hospital everyday, my uncle was attacked by robbers and was seriously injured with lots of cuts on his head that has penetrated into his brain and he will be having surgery soon. Thanks for your prayers for my uncle and his family keeping in mind that his wife is bed-ridden and paralyzed. I know this is a trial time and it is meant to make me strong and bring happiness in our family even so many are either HIV positive, poor, orphan etc. I know that no matter what happens my God will never forsake me nor leave me alone. I want my family and community to see God, love and encouragement in me. I desperately need your prayers. The love you have for me always remind me of the little time I had with my late mum on this earth. Nick.
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| Nick |
Connie
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