Wednesday, Thursday, Friday

Gabriel, Mary and the kids

We got up early on Wednesday and headed to the airport.  Before going, Gabriel and his family visited.  They all look well and the kids are darling.  They have grown so much.  Hok is in school.  Aya starts next year and Lual is such an outgoing little imp.  Mary and the baby came a little later.  The baby looks healthy except that Gabriel said he recently spent three weeks in the hospital with diarrhea.  I am glad he is well.  Mary looked beautiful as always.

We headed through the neighborhood back to the main road with Gabriel carrying my too big suitcase.  Over the stick bridge again.  We got to the road and about three minutes later Makach picked us up.  He took us to Bor Airport, which is noting to write home about.  Thank goodness the man who took my money for the flight was there, checking in passengers.  He announced that there would be only one flight that day.  Boy did negotiations start.  By 9:30 we were in the air and I said goodbye to the Bor/Werkok area.  I had a long delay in Juba, I sat in a covered seating area that has some snacks and cold drinks.  This is new and it was quite comfortable.   Ajak and Mary went on their way.  We said goodbye - sad- as they had to get Mary's yellow fever shot and Ajak had to pick up his passport from the Canadian Embassy.  He is traveling to USA the same day I am but will be on another flight.  I am hoping to see him while he is in Grand Rapids.

I flew to Nairobi in the late afternoon.  During the flight I started with a sore throat.   It has progresses to a whopping full blown cold/upper respiratory infection.  Yes, I have been miserable and really have no idea how this happened.  I arrived at Joy Phillips house.  It is beautiful and is right down the street from Karen Blixin's house.   "I had a farm in Africa".  Anyways, I did get a good night's sleep and in the morning we headed to Tenwek Hospital in the Rift Valley.  The drive was beautiful.  The mountains are layered with different fields and pastures. It was a three and a half hour drive. 

Tenwek Hospital is amazing.  It is quite modern with many specialties.  Currently there is a cardiac team that is there.  The first week they did adults and the second week pediatrics.  I think there was a total of 35 people on the team, including cardiac nurses and the docs.  They brought all their own equipment.  Quite an undertaking and they have had amazing results.  I met with docs and clinical officers who would like to come work in Sudan, holding clinics as well as doing surgeries.  I am very excited.  It was good that I had just come out of South Sudan and could talk first hand to them about the facilities and the needs.  This was a very good trip.  I saw Dr. Chupp and Dr. Spreigle.  They both look well and were so surprised to see me.  It was fun seeing where they work and where so many of the team from Southwest Med Clinic come to work.

I am now back at Joy's home.  I leave later tonight and am very concerned about my ears.  My cold has progressed from bad to worse.  We will go to a pharmacy and get some drugs.  You can buy most things over the counter.  The day is beautiful, sunny and her gardens are amazing.  She does have to keep windows closed or the monkeys get into her house!  Imagine.

I have had yet another wonderful adventure in South Sudan and now in Kenya.  I am blessed for all I have and all I have  been exposed to.  We truly live in a global community.  Until my next adventure.  God's peace to all.