first week in the hospital and my bday!

This past week Reika and I spent most of our time in the hospital. Our mission was to go around to the different wards and look for patients that had been discharged, but were still hanging around the hospital. This is a huge problem that Tenwek is having, and it’s costing them a lot of money. The ward that we spent most of our time in was in the maternity ward. We talked to about six women that had been in the hospital for over three months. Their babies were no longer new born looking babies ha. They were all telling us pretty much the same story. Their husbands had dropped them off to have the baby, and they had yet to return to pick them up. If their families had phones they told us that their families were “locking” them so that the mothers would not be able to reach them. They told us that they had not been in contact with anyone since they had birthed their babies. From what they were saying it sounded like their families wanted nothing to do with them. I can’t imagine going through the whole experience of having a child, and not having anyone to support me or be there with me after. A lot of these women don’t even have phones, so the only means of communication is by word of mouth, which could take weeks since the majority of the patients are tribal people and live in villages all over the mountains. It’s overwhelming trying to figure out how to help them. It’s also overwhelming trying to figure out if what they are saying is true or not. Reika and I have both been told that all the patients will try to take advantage of us since we are white.

Reika and I decided that we would right down each of the patients name and information such as their family name, tribe name, chief of the village, and some background info. We are now having to work together with community health get a hold of the chiefs, or go to the villages to reach the families of these women. A lot of them were in tears by the end of us talking to them, because they were so overwhelmed at how large their bills had gotten. They had no idea how they were going to pay for them. This week we will continue to help these women get a hold of their families and try to get them home.

Reika and I both really enjoy going on our walks through the mountains. We always end up being invited into peoples little huts for chai, and then they proudly show us their crops, animals, and land. They are so proud of the small amount of stuff they own. Everyone’s gardens consist of maize (corn), beans, tea plants, and lentils. Everyone’s lives are so out in the open. I think the Kenyan’s would be shocked coming to America and seeing how private everyone lives are.

February 20^th was MY BIRTHDAY. It started off with an invitation to go over the Bemm’s (my supervisor) house at 9am for homemade banana, choc chip pancakes. They were amazing. I got a candle on my pancake and everything. After breakfast Reika handed me a card. Little did I know the surprise that was awaiting me inside of it. When I opened the card it said, “I hope you have a great birthday in Bosto!!!!” (Bosto was the very fist orphan home that we had visited. Reika and I both fell IN LOVE with all of the children. It’s a pretty long, hard drive to get to Bosto, so I didn’t think we were going to be able to return until the end of our trip.) I was smiling from ear to ear. Amy then told me that the taxi was waiting for us outside. It was a beautiful day of laughter, duck duck goose, letting the girls play with our hair, reading stories and cuddling, and showing them how to make bed bracelets that represents the story of Christ. Reika and I were EXHAUSTED by time to leave. Reika actually slept on the ride home, which I still have no idea how she did because we were driving about 110mph in the rain. We were sliding all over the place because all the roads are made out of mud. I know we almost hit about five kids, 3 elderly people and a good amount of animals. When Reika woke up she kept grabbing my arm and we would both nervously laugh, because we thought we were about to die and we didn’t really know what else to do. Since I’m writing this letter it’s obvious that we made it back in one piece. Upon returning to the Bemm’s house they had a wonderful dinner ready for me, which was fresh grilled Tilapia, rosemary potatoes, and homemade brownies. I also received a card from the four Bemm kids and a present from Amy. Needless to say my family does not need to worry that my birthday was not well celebrated. It was a beautiful day and it was mainly because of my beautiful sister Reika Oda, and the generosity of the Bemm family. They have really welcomed us right into their family.