Filled by His Joy: MbeWOW!

Greetings from Mombasa! --(I could make postcards)

I hope everyone is doing well. My spring break has been going wonderfully so far. Although I feel like I have been here a week, today is only day 3.

Yesterday we attended church at Mbewau. I was once again happily greeted by Mary with wide and excited eyes and open arms. She held my hand and led me into church. She just cracks me up. I wish each one of you had the ability to come and experience this lifestyle, passion, and these people.

I had forgotten how intense the village church services were. When the pastor prays, everyone prays. And it is usually not quiet whispers, but praying out loud. Everyone, at the same time. Sharing their praises, thanksgivings, and burdens with their Father. Church was in Swahili but it was good none the less.

I saw the babies I have been watching grow up, if you will. My first year the babies, mostly girls, were all about 4-8 months old. Then the next year I cam back and they were all toddling around, exploring. Now I come and they are big girls! Baby Mercy is as charming as can be, and I think she knows it. Rosie is still shy, and the others are as cute as a button.

Baby Mercy and I in 2009

I had the humbling opportunity to visit the government run hospital yesterday. We went to go pray over one of the church families who has a 4 month old baby with a severe case of jaundice. If measures would have been taken at the hospital during birth, this baby would be fine. But because of the lack of attention and care by the hospital then and now, this sweet baby girl is slowly fading. Her liver is not functioning at all and she has lost weight. She is tiny. We also went to visit a man who is the father of the school's gardener who was beat up the night before. He had been attacked on the road by a machete, with three hacks taken to the head, and about a dozen small stabs by a sharp/skinny object to the abdomen. He had a fractured skull, bleeding, and swelling in his brain along with who knows what in his abdomen. His eyes were glazed over, he was unaware of what was going on, and he was fighting to take the bandages off his head. After being there for 12 hours, he had not been given any medication or much attention. He had been tied to the bed and was laying restlessly in soiled rags around his scalp. The doctors didn't care.

This entire experience I want to share with you, not because I want to scare you of Africa or health care, but because I want to open your eyes to how lucky we are and what goes on in many third world countries around the world. In the baby ward, each crib had two babies in it. The crib had no sides so the mamas could sit or lay on the beds with the babies. On the other side of the room was a row of... drawers. Imagine taking all of your drawers out of your dresser and lining them up in a row. Then place some fabric, maybe a small pillow, and a sick baby in each of them. This is what it looked like. There were flies everywhere, smell of bodily fluids overrunning the room, and sick, helpless babies. Instead of having individual IV bags for each child, there was a water bottle filled with the hydration fluid that had 5 tubes with a hose and needle going into 5 little babies. In the neonatal, I saw the TINIEST baby I have ever seen. I cannot even describe her to you. It broke my heart. In the ER, a baby had died that day that had simply been wrapped up and laid on a bed for who knows how long. A man had a serious foot injury which had been bandaged up. He had his foot on the floor as he was laying on a bed. We told him to lift his foot above his heart, when he did we realized there was a constant drip of blood from his foot onto the floor. I wish I could have recorded all that I saw and smell with my eyes and nose and replayed them for you, but I can't. Healthcare is a serious problem in developing countries. Government health care is usually reported as being better than it actually is because of misrepresentation.

The day then turned for the better again as I was able to reunite with our bus driver from the last two times I was here. Richard, his family, and I have become very close each of the times and they continued to call me about once a month while I was in the states. Richard has a 3 year old son, Elijah, and a 6 month old baby girl, Lisa. Elijah has one of the best smiles and pictures don't do it justice. I wish I could bring him home with me. We sat on the couch for 45 minutes as Elijah just sat as peacefully as could be with his head on my chest. Richard is such a blessing in my life and his joyful spirit brings such joy to my heart as well.

Richard, Me, Elijah, Lisa, Pauline, Lisa, Chris

Last night I had a treat! We had what I would call girls night, although there was a boy there...oh well. We watched Life As You Know It, ate popcorn and ice cream, had cokes, talked about life and boys and what God is doing, and I bought some cute African shoes. It was so great and so needed.

Today we went back to the school and cleaned out all of the classrooms because the kids are on break. Similar to our Christmas or Summer break, but lasts 1 month. We pulled down posters, swept with african brooms, peeled sticky tack off the walls, sweated like nobodies business, spoke and learned swahili, laughed, sanded desks and tables, sang, and enjoyed each others company. The conversations and way things are said here just crack me up. Today Chris was asking one of the guys in charge of the school if he ever sings to his wife (who was sitting across the lunch table). He said yes. Chris asked him to sing us all one of the songs. He said, "no, because you are not part of it." And as we were making our chai for breakfast, we were getting our tea bags from the bowls and one of the other men in charge was explaining to Chris that "African's love each other, one tea bag can last 10 men." He was very proud of their frugality and their ability to share.

Tonight I had the most American dinner I have had yet.... HEB mac & cheese, steak, potatoes, and a salad!!!! MAN, it was yummy--Thanks Lisa!

Before & After Pictures of Mbewau