God of Wonders

Look around you and you will see the fingerprints of God everywhere!  It's pretty exciting.  :)

On Sunday, I experienced my first solar eclipse, and it was amazing.  Thanks to a friend at RVA and some donations of leftover solar eclipse viewing glasses from the Australian eclipse in 2012, we and our neighbors were treated to an amazing view of the eclipse over the Rift Valley in the late afternoon.  We served "eclipse food" - sort of.  In Kijabe, the moon eclipsed about 90-95% of the sun...which fit right in with my off-center deviled eggs.  Why were all of the yolks at the ends of the eggs??  Must be the way the eggs are stored.  In Northern Kenya, the eclipse was total - but they unfortunately did not experience the best weather for viewing.

Not-quite-total-eclipse deviled egg

Two cool dudes ;)  They look like they are at some sort of 1960's scifi drive-in!

Um...

Our neighbors made a pinhole projector to watch the eclipse safely.

This is what it looked like through the "projector."

Emily and her friend Sallie even painted their faces for the occasion. :)

We borrowed a welder's helmet from another friend at RVA, so that we could take photos without frying our cameras.  I didn't know your camera could be damaged from photographing the sun, but it makes sense.  The protective glass made all my photos turn out green, but no matter. 

Early on

Near maximum eclipse

I love events like this that show off the majesty of God in this giant universe - to see the moon cross in front of the sun in real time like that is almost breath-taking to me.  I mean, the moon and sun are both mind-boggling enormous and so far away,  and I watched them cross in front of each other.  Wow.  Our God is a big, mind-boggling amazing God!

At the time of maximal eclipse, an eerie dusk settled over the area.  It was noticeably darker...but not a normal change in light as during a storm or evening.  And it became cold.  Our dog, Mak, who is terrified of our steep stairs (because he can't get back down them), appeared on the upstairs porch.  I don't know if he sensed something strange, or if he just wanted to join the party, but he really wasn't himself the rest of the night.  Very subdued and quiet.  This change in light only lasted about 5 or 10 minutes, and then the sun began to become stronger and warmer again as the moon moved past the sun. 

Mak watching the sun descend in the sky after the eclipse ended.

I'll share another photo of the full moon that I took while up near Mount Kenya last June.  Amazing that it turned out so well, since I know almost nothing about photography.  It doesn't do it justice, of course, but look at all the detail on the surface of the moon even so.  I wish I could photograph the night sky here in Kijabe - one of the perks of getting called into the hospital in the middle of the night is walking back and seeing a bajillion stars and the Milky Way stretched across the sky.  Truly more than my mind can comprehend!  I can identify with the words of the David in Psalm 8: 3-4 "When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?"
Yet, He loves us like a father loves his child.

Sunset over Mt. Longonot on another night.  God is certainly a God of Wonders!

Lord of all creation
Of water, earth, and sky
The heavens are Your tabernacle
Glory to the Lord on High

God of wonders, beyond our galaxy
You are holy, holy
The universe declares Your majesty
You are holy, holy

Lord of heaven and earth

Early in the morning
I will celebrate the light
And as I stumble through the darkness
I will call Your name by night

God of wonders, beyond our galaxy
You are holy, holy                           
The universe declares Your majesty
You are holy, holy

Lord of heaven and earth

Hallelujah to the Lord of heaven and earth

God of wonders, beyond our galaxy
You are holy, holy
Precious Lord, reveal Your heart to me
Father holy, holy
The universe declares Your majesty
You are holy, holy, holy, holy

Hallelujah to the Lord of heaven and earth
(Lyrics by S. Hildalong and M. Byrd)

Lots of love,
Sarah

Isaiah 40:11-13

He tends his flock like a shepherd:

He gathers the lambs in his arms

and carries them close to his heart;

he gently leads those that have young.

Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand,

or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens?

Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket,

or weighed the mountains on the scales

and the hills in a balance?

Who can fathom the Spirit of the Lord,

or instruct the Lord as his counselor?

Hateful Tb

Tuberculosis.  Even the word sounds bad. 

I remember reading in Time magazine a few years ago about the resurgence of tuberculosis and the development of resistance to the medications that we have to treat it.  In the developing world and the HIV population, it is a very real problem - and those two worlds intersect here in Kenya.  Our HIV population is smaller than you might imagine - about 6 percent of our pediatric inpatient population.  Many of them have tuberculosis or have been treated for it in the past.  But, it is not just a problem of HIV infected patients - many of our patients come in with chronic coughs which make us suspect Tb.  I say suspect, because it is actually difficult to confirm Tb in children here.  All children get the BCG vaccine for tuberculosis as infants, and that can muddy the waters when interpreting the skin test that you are all probably familiar with.  That skin test is not even available to us here in Kijabe.  Chest xrays are standard in the work-up of cough/shortness of breath/oxygen requirement, but CXRs are only shadows and cannot confirm the diagnosis of Tb.  Sputums are difficult to obtain on infants and young children.  Gastric aspirates are possible here, but they end up being difficult in practice and are often not confirmatory.  We can occasionally pursue other testing in Nairobi, but those sources are not routine. 

I am just setting the stage for you about how difficult it can be to actually diagnose this common and potentially devastating infection.  Is it treatable?  Yes, very often.  Is it a simple treatment?  No, definitely not.  The standard regimen is to begin on 4 drug therapy (plus pyridoxine, to prevent some side effects of the medications).  This must be taken daily for 2 months, and then you can back down to 2 medications.  Tuberculosis is a tricky germ and, if you use only 1 or 2 or even 3 drugs, it can easily develop resistance.  If the children are infected, often you need to test the parents to see if they need to be treated also.  Taking medications for this long can be difficult for a family (it is difficult for us to remember medications in our family!), and these medications are hard on one's body.  So, you don't want to start someone on the medications, if you don't really think they have Tb....but it is difficult to confirm and you don't want to miss it and have it spread in the body and worsen.

Students learn in medical school that Tb can be anywhere in the body.  Here, we have most often seen it in the lungs, meninges around the brain, and bone.  We use the abbreviations PTb (pulmonary Tb) and TbM (Tb Meningitis) commonly.  We admitted an 8 month old child last week with a 5 month history of cough and a suspicious chest xray.  Mom denied any exposures to people with known Tb/chronic cough, but you have to take that with a grain of salt.  After 2-3 days of "regular" antibiotics for a possible bacterial pneumonia, I started him on the 4 drug Tb regimen (RHZE) because everything about him pointed to Tb.  That one was a pretty easy decision, and I am hopeful that he will do well.

Two other boys with Tb (or probable Tb) have been heavy on my heart this week.  One is a little boy named Jonah, who has Pott's Disease or Tb of the spine.  He is about 8 years old and was brought here from northern Kenya.  He is from the Samburu tribe and does not speak English or Kiswahili, so verbal communication is difficult.  However, he is a sweet little boy who would smile and wave through the window of his hospital room when he saw me and many others coming down the hall.  Tb of the spine will eat away the bones and cause collapse of the vertebrae, resulting in a gibbus formation and "hunchback."  Jonah's condition was advanced and he could not walk.  I have learned, though, that once the infection is treated and the spine is stabilized, these kids often heal well and the overwhelming majority are neurologically normal - walking!  The goal with him has been to treat with Tb meds, debride the abscess around the spine, and stabilize the spine with rods/bone grafts. 

His surgery was difficult due to hypotension (very low blood pressure) and an episode of circulatory collapse but, after 3 trips to the OR, his infection was drained and the spinal cord fused.  We are all waiting and praying that he will wake up and be neurologically normal - first, his brain after the cardiac arrest that he experienced during his second surgery, and secondly, that his lower extremities will function.  For the full, eloquently written story, see Mike Mara's blog (orthopedic surgeon) at marasafari.org.

The second boy is named Vincent.  There are some things in life that just don't have an explanation.  We see many things here in Kijabe that just "shouldn't happen,"  and this is one of them.  He is a 15 year old boy - about Ted's age - who has been having weakness for a few years, and has not been ambulatory since January.  He is from a large family without resources, and he did not receive proper treatment.  He may have Pott's Disease too - many elements of his presentation are similar to Jonah's:  hunchback on exam, vertebral collapse on MRI, etc.

The big difference is that, because he lay in bed without proper cushioning or rotation, he has developed enormous pressure sores on his buttocks.  I can't post photos of this, because it is just too horrifying.  It is horrifying to me.  I held it together while examining the wounds Saturday morning, but couldn't control my emotions when I got home.  The left ulcer shows the ball of the femur totally exposed and is some 10 inches or more across.  He is depressed, weak, paralyzed, and in pain.  If only I could turn back the clock to before these pressure sores developed and treat him....if only I could stretch new healthy skin and tissue over these gaping wounds....if only Jesus could touch him.  Jesus can heal him - with one touch or slowly over time.  But I feel helpful to care for him - he cannot have spinal surgery until his pressure sores heal, and really that is secondary now.  His wounds are growing a multi-drug-resistant bacteria called Klebsiella, and he is terribly malnourished which prevents wound healing. 

He should be in high school and playing sports with his friends, like my son.  I can offer no logical explanation of his situation, and it grieves me to even think of him.  Please pray that his infections will respond to the many costly medications and that he will eat and gain weight.  Please pray that his pain is tolerable and that he truly has the will to live and cooperate with his wound care and conditioning.  Please pray that he truly knows Jesus.

Love,
Sarah

Matthew 9:36-37
And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

Hope

As I write today, I am touched by the many, many folks who have written and even called to make sure we are safe, in light of the ongoing hostage situation in Nairobi.  We sincerely appreciate your concern and your prayers for us and the victims.

We are safe here in Kijabe and we, like you, await more information.  The worldwide news sites, such as CNN and BBC, are as informative and up-to-date as any of the local news sites in Kenya.  In church this morning, it felt a little like attending church after 9/11...except without the incredulity that something like that could happen nearby.  Everyone here understands that something like this can and does happen here sporadically - we are briefed on it before we come and are constantly reminded that we need to be aware in public situations, avoid demonstrations, etc.  Also, we are the outsiders here - we stand out naturally and don't need to do a lot to draw attention to ourselves.

I generally avoid Nairobi on the weekends:  not just from a safety standpoint - I don't like crowds and traffic.  However, I did take Anna and some friends into town last Saturday.  We were pulled over twice by the Kenyan army.  I had no idea why and no one was coming to my car to ask for my license or a tissue to wipe the dirt out of my wheelwell to read a sticker (this has really happened!).  The army was pulling everyone heading in my direction off of the road, but the first time it seemed like they were directing everyone down a "frontage road" (and I use that term very loosely).  Assuming they were directing everyone around an accident, I followed the crowd down this rutted path paralleling the highway and eventually found my way back to the highway.  A few minutes later, I was pulled off the road again.  This time, I asked the officer why and he replied "a state function."  The girls were convinced that the president would be passing by in a convoy, and that seemed reasonable.  As the minutes passed, it dawned on me that I was sitting in the middle of a large Kenyan crowd of vehicles and pedestrians with something related to the government about to happen/pass by....and all the warnings started to come back to me.  Unable to find anything on the local news sites on my phone (have I ever mentioned how our phones are really lifelines here?), I looked around for a way to leave.  When another car pulled out onto the highway, I followed and so did many of the other cars.  Of course, about 3 or 4 minutes later, the president's convoy did actually pass us!!

The Presidential/government convoy.

We speculated that this was the President's car.

I only mention that story to illustrate what life is like here.  You cannot assume that your grocery shopping or birthday party or sporting event will be routine - even returning from a trip to town without being involved in a road traffic accident makes us so thankful.  One of my interns in the nursery right now wanted me to email a lecture to him last week, and he mentioned that he would get it from a friend's computer because his laptop was "lost."  That seemed strange to be nonchalant about losing a laptop, so I asked him about it.  It turns out that he was knocked unconscious leaving a friend's house in Nairobi a week or so ago, and his laptop was stolen.  Indignant, I asked if he reported it to the police, and the other interns smirked ruefully.  They explained their opinion that it wouldn't make a difference and he will never get the stolen items back. 

Things like this can happen anywhere - in any city or small town across the world, including in the US.  But, we don't assume that they will happen in the US.  We live in a privileged world of assumed safety - our infrastructure is maintained, our police force has cars, we have a 911 system for emergencies, we can drink water straight from the tap.  Honestly, it is mind-boggling!  Twice on the cul-de-sac where we were living before moving here, different families called 911 for an ambulance, and they arrived in less than 5 minutes.  FIVE MINUTES!!  It took the airport in Nairobi 2 and a half hours to get the firefighters back to fight the huge blaze last month - it wouldn't even have made the news if they had been there to put it out or had arrived in only five minutes.  

The issues here in Kenya are complex and I can't begin to offer an easy solution, but I do want us to both appreciate the luxury that we live in and not let it corrupt us or make us apathetic about the world others live in.  If we take our privilege for granted, it will corrupt us - we will become haughty and proud...and ungrateful.  If we become apethetic (ex, "It's their problem, not mine."), we will not reach out to help others with our time, skills, and wealth.  The simple interaction I had with the young Kenyans about the stolen laptop belies some of the fatalism that exists here, even among the well-educated that will carry the next generation.  While I am convinced that we cannot help by just giving out money and directing change, we can come alongside our Kenyan (and other areas of the world's) brothers and sisters and offer them hope.  The hope of Christ offers love that does not end and is not based on race, socioeconomic status, or even worth.  Hope gives a reason to enact change and reach out to others, crossing tribal and political lines in a way that nothing else can.  

So, as the world waits for the standoff in Nairobi to end and for more answers, please pray for the victims and their families.  Please pray that this is not the beginning of more attacks in Kenya or around the world.  And please pray for hope to come to this land and the world - to all places where hope is squelched by fatalism.

Love,
Sarah

Romans 5:1-5
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ² through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. ³ And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; ⁴ and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; ⁵ and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. [emphasis mine]

Luke 12:48
...From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.

The road less traveled.

Good morning!

On this Saturday morning as I start to write, I am alone in the house.  Ted had an early morning tennis practice after overcoming almost a 50% cut rate to make the tennis team.  Anna is at Junior High Splash Day in Nairobi for the day - sometimes RVA feels like part school and part camp.  

**Several hours later...**  

Emily went to a health fair up at school, where they record each child's height, weight, and vision and have discussions on safety, etc.  Rick is rounding at the hospital - we are splitting the weekend on call, and he took Saturday.  Those activities sound pretty typical for the average American family on a Saturday.  So, what's different?  I hung up a load of laundry on the line while mist from the rain over the crest of the mountain blew down on me.  I had to step over monkey poo several times on the way to and from walking to RVA for the health fair.  I bought grapes from Samuel who came to the door this morning, and then soaked them in a sterilizing solution of sorts.  Our chicken is "broody" (Read:  If history repeats itself in the Gessner coop, that hen will sit on a bunch of eggs, eat half of them, one egg might hatch, and then she won't lay eggs again for 6 months!  Sigh...), so Ted decided to buy 10 fertilized eggs from someone in Kijabe, marked them with a sharpie, and then put them in the nest box where she sits.  I'll let you know in 21 days.  I boiled some bones from a recent goat roast, so Mak can have a gourmet meal of goat-infused dog rice tonight.  Just a few differences from the average suburban activities!

This summer, during my blog hiatus, we were blessed with many visitors.  What an encouragement it was to each member of our family!  A family that we are good friends with from Raleigh came in mid-July, and we traveled with them to the Maasai Mara.  They travel to India every couple of years and told us how they had once gone on a "safari" there.  They traveled many hours to the interior of India and reportedly only saw the hind end of one elephant disappearing into the foliage, so they were thrilled to see the abundant wildlife that Kenya boasts.

***Two days later....***


On another of our jaunts, we drove in 2 cars to a place called Ole Pejeta Conservancy.  We got a kick out of this clever sign positioned before a small bridge.

After spending the day in the conservancy, the afternoon was winding down and we were preparing to leave significantly later than we had planned or hoped.  You know how you plan the time you want to leave (including the buffer), then the time you should leave (to still allow for emergencies), and then the time you must really, really leave - well, we were about 30 minutes after that.  And there was a most impressive thunderstorm raging in the direction we were heading.  Did I mention that we took 2 cars?  That means Rick drove one and I drove one.  So, we headed out to find the turn onto the short cut that we had taken that morning (the green mosque was our landmark).  Yes, the 15-20 miles short cut that seemed a little dicey when the ground was dry now had to be navigated with flowing streams where the cavernous potholes had been that morning...in the light rain and the gathering darkness.  I don't have much experience with 4 wheel drive either, but I certainly got an entire course on the way home.  The photos don't do it justice really, but the guys took a photo of us coming down the road - and those are not superficial little puddles.  It felt a little like a video game while trying to choose the most navigable path before getting my car stuck...except that I couldn't just press "New Game!"

I love this next picture that I stopped to take of the guys' car in the distance.  (They drove a lot faster and, I think, actually aimed for the deepest puddles.  They later said they were only worried about having to pull us out of the mud, if we got stuck!)  This short cut was quite uninhabited and the sunset was phenomenal with the clouds and mist.  Kind of makes me think of Robert Frost's poem about "I took the road less traveled by, and that has made all the difference."  It also makes me think about how we can get all caught up in our worries and immediate concerns in life, but if we don't look ahead of us at the goal, then we will miss the beauty of it all.  We will either see the mud and the potholes and discomforts around us, or we will see the stunning beauty of the reward that awaits us at the end of our journey.  Let us not miss the chance to take the road less traveled, and let us certainly not take that path mired down in worry.  But let us each one remember to keep our eyes focused on what God has in store for us "down the road," and that His beauty is all around us if we will just lift our eyes to see.

Love,
Sarah


Forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 3:13-14

  

Insights from Africa

You know when you don't write for a while, and then it seems like there is so much to say that the sheer enormity of it drives you away?  Okay, enough excuse making...

We have now lived in Kenya, East Africa for just over a year, and I thought I'd make a non-exhaustive list of insights that we have observed along the way...

Backwards things:

• Turning the shower water down when you want it hotter

• Driver's seat on the right side of the car (We call it an "American moment"  when you walk to the front left door to drive....or turn on the windshield wipers when trying to turn on the blinker.)

• I don't run to the hospital as fast as humanly possible when there is a baby crashing, because I won't be able to breathe myself when I get there (Our house is downhill from the hospital, and Kijabe is at 7200 ft elevation.)

• Seasons - we are just emerging from winter

• Giving up what you cannot keep to gain what you cannot lose - Jim Elliot

Funny things:

• I can tell if whomever picks up the phone in our house is speaking to a Westerner or to a Kenyan, by the accent they use!  (Okay, I can also tell if Rick is talking to his brother on the phone, too, because he picks up an even-more-Southern accent than usual!)

• There are termites emerging from every wooden crevice of our house, and it is a rueful observation when a new tract is discovered - not a frantic call to the pest control service.  (Our house may fall down around us....)

• We can often tell when a chicken is laying an egg from inside the house (maybe not impressive to you folks familiar with farms, but a big step for us)

• All hands on deck to run get the laundry off the line during the rain

 
 New Lingo: (Not necessarily new, but definitely distinctive here.)

• To confirm - to make sure   "Let me confirm about the meeting."

• To pass by - to stop in   "Pass by the nursery and see if the baby is getting its transfusion."  or  "I'll pass by tomorrow and feed your dog."

• Contact info - usually cell phone number, but may be email also

• To pick - to pick up.   "I need to pick some groceries in Nairobi."

• Sawa - okay   "I'll see you tomorrow."  "Sawa"

• Sawa sawa - really okay   "The car will be ready to pick tomorrow."  "Sawa sawa"

• Pole - sorry   "I broke my hand."  "Pole!"

• Pole pole - slowly  "The repairs are happening pole pole."

• Piki piki - motorcycle 

• Cafo - school cafeteria

• Vac - school break

• Chips - french fries

"Only in Africa..."

•  4 people to a piki piki

• Goat being transported on a piki piki

• Soaking disposable CT contrast syringes in bleach solution to reuse

• Waiting 18 hours for a bilirubin level on a baby

• Tapping on the ventilator dial to make it register

• Kids noticing and commenting "This is a smooth road!" (Especially when it is not compared to US roads - it just is relative to other roads here.)

• American food days in the cafeteria (hamburger and chips...see above)

• Vac takes students home to twenty-something countries

• Creative ways to procure Crystal Light, Bacon Bits, and children's clothes!

• The electricity goes off and no one seems to notice

• Goat roasts 

• A pediatrician running a radiology department

Things we miss from home in the States:

• Family and friends - always the most important!

• Convenience - you name it, and it applies.  Having apples or grapes in the house is not a foregone conclusion - you can't just stop by Food Lion on the way home.  If you run out of something, you make-do until the next trip to Nairobi...or someone can bring from the States.

• Smooth roads/quality infrastructure

• Public library

• Local restaurants - I can't wait to hear "Welcome to Moe's!"

• Swimming, and warm weather to go with it

• Ice cream

• Potable tap water

• Dishwashers

Things we appreciate about living here:

• The kids' freedom to come and go in Kijabe 

• Walking to school (Okay, the kids may disagree, but I think it's great!)

• Walking to work

• Only driving rarely

• Much less bureaucracy in the medical world (I had to look that up in 2 dictionaries!)

• Appreciating things more, perhaps, after realizing that so many of the things we have are not rights but privileges

• No tv (Yes, you read that right!)

• Flowers blooming all year long

• The stunning beauty of God's creation on safari

• The view of the Great Rift Valley from my bedroom window

• The emphasis placed on relationships above tasks and schedules (can also be maddening at times....) 

Now that we have lived here for a year, we are starting things again that were new to us last year.  We understand our roles better; the kids are not the new ones at school this year; we know the people/hospital/school/community; we know how to shop in Nairobi, where to get your hair cut, and how to navigate life in general.  In short, life here is not as difficult and overwhelming as it was a year ago, because we have learned the ropes.  Don't get me wrong - life here is difficult compared to the States, but it has blessings in the difficulties and can be refreshing in its beauty and simplicity.  I pray that God is using these difficulties to stretch us and grow us into the people He wants us to be.

Thank you for joining with us during this past year!  We look forward to walking together with you again during this coming year, Mungu akipenda (God willing).  [This is a photo-deficient blog, but the next one will be full of cool animals. :)]

Lots of love,
Sarah

“For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it” –Mark 8.35 

Ilchartuiani Church Women's Conference

A couple of weekends ago, a friend of mine who helps start and run children's homes through Oasis for Orphans invited me to a Maasai Women's Retreat out near their first children's home.  The children's home, which they refer to as The Hill,  is located about 5 hours from Kijabe, and this first-ever women's retreat was held in the local church there for all the Maasai women in the surrounding communities.  We left just before 6am, in order to arrive by 11am for the all-day conference.  I made coffee before leaving and had my travel mug all ready - why I keep filling travel mugs with coffee around here, I will never know.  I think it just must be a comforting ritual from carpooling days in the US, because I certainly can't drink it on the roads near Kijabe.  The only way to consume the coffee on the roads leaving Kijabe is to sniff the splashing coffee as I bring the mug to my mouth! ;)

Once down the escarpment from Kijabe, we drove across the Rift Valley floor toward the west.  The land here truly is beautiful, and I loved seeing how the various communities through which we drove grow different crops.  I saw wheat growing in Kenya for the first time.

Dawn on the Rift Valey

Wheat fields....

.....dotted with beautiful acacia trees.

Typical Maasai dwelling in the rural areas

"The Hill" is so named because it is located on the far side of the Rift Valley, as the escarpment on the western side begins to rise again.  It is located at about 7000 feet - similar to Kijabe - and the land is lush and incredibly beautiful.  On our way, we drove through the land of various tribal groups, including Maasai, Kipsigis, and Kisii.  We saw many interesting sites, most of which I will have to save for another blog.  Near The Hill, the Kisii and Maasai lands are next to each other.  The Kisii tribe is somewhat wealthier than their Maasai neighbors, which is evident in their living arrangements and farming success.  I am not sure of the reasons for the differences, or if the differences apply to other settlements of these tribes.

Maasai dwelling on the crest of a hill - notice the terracing for the crops.  Also notice that their mud huts have thatched roofs.

Kisii land in the distance - notice most of the homes have tin roofs (costlier than thatch) and their fields are well-organised.

This photo is quite telling and remarkable to me:  just before the children's home, this is a view of the Kisii land on the left, separated by a roadway from the Maasai land on the right.  It is obvious that the Kisii land is much more developed.  

We arrived at the church to a very warm welcome by many of the men in the church - they had held early (and short) services that morning, in order to allow the conference for the women to begin at 11 and run most of the day.  The church is set near the crest of a hill - a small mud structure with a tin roof and a dirt floor.  There are wooden benches for seating and plastic chairs at the front for the folks leading the conference or service.  After trying to sit on the benches with the women, we were ushered by the pastors' wives (2 different pastors - not multiple wives!) to the front.  The Kenyans are very gracious to their leaders, and I always think about the passage from Luke 14:8-11 when I am in that situation or notice someone else in it.  But, I hardly feel distinguished enough to be given a prominent seat.

The church in the background, before the conference.

The inside of the church, from the rear.

The conference was very well organized and ran remarkably on a schedule.  Each speaker, and there were many of them, had an allotted amount of time, and a bell was rung to indicate that their time was done.  Early in the morning, Emily the community health worker spoke to the women.  I was amazed that this was one of the most interactive of all the sessions - the women obviously have many questions and misinformation about their health, particularly reproductive health.  Rick and I would love to return and work with the community health workers to offer a conference dedicated to health related topics for the men and women separately.  What a neat ministry that would be and such a necessary resource for the people!  They have to walk several kilometers to the nearest clinic - a huge commitment of time, not to mention the money that is required for any services provided.  Comparatively, we in the States have almost unlimited access to the internet, medical offices, and other resources to answer so many of the questions we have...plus we have cars and telephones to easily make contact with those resources.

So, the day was filled with great teaching from the Bible and fellowship among the women of the church.  I'll include some photos below of the sweet women...

Lunch was included - rice, hot coleslaw, and boiled beef...plus soda.  Soda is safer than water in many places.

This woman intrigued me - she obviously dressed in her finest clothing, and probably went to the trouble to have a hat that matched, but she wore very rough boots on her feet.  It is actually unusual to see this kind of footwear on the women - they usually wear dress shoes or some other lightweight shoe.  I wonder how far she walked to get there and what her life is like.

Towards the end of the conference, the women were invited to write something they were struggling with or something they wanted to give over to God on a slip of paper and tape it to a rough-hewn cross.  At the end, we prayed for God to remove these struggles or sins from the women's lives - to forgive them and offer them freedom.  The women seemed to rejoice in the opportunity.

At the end, my friend Ann had brought small beaded gifts for the women to choose from, as a token to remember the conference.

The men outside were measuring off the footprint for a larger church building.

A few of us after the conference.

This is most of the women who attended the First Annual (hopefully)Ilchartuiani Church Women's Conference.  (You won't find me here, because I am the photographer.)  The pastors' wives who organized it did such a fabulous job in pulling together the program, the speakers, the food, and supplies.  They have a real love for the people they serve.

I hope to share with you more stories on another day.  For now, please pray with me for the Maasai women of this community and rejoice in thanksgiving that they were even able to spend a whole day away from their homes in a conference dedicated to women! 

With love,
Sarah

I Thessalonians 5: 14-18
We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone. See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people. Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.