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POLÉ POLÉ

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  It is hard to believe that my time in Africa has come to an end. Time has flown by faster than I could have ever imagined. I expected to be counting the days until I could go back home to the US, but instead, I spent the past month dreading the steady march of time and making sure to live every moment spent in Kenya to the fullest. God has grown me in so many ways, and I cannot even begin to understand all the ways that He used me to impact the Kenyans, and the ways that they, in turn, impacted me. I keep wondering, how will I adjust to being back in America? What will I realize I missed, and what will I find to be frustrating? Will I take a little bit of Africa back with me- not in souvenirs, but in my heart? We had a new missionary family come to Kendu in November. The Kims are both physical therapists and have three adorable daughters, aged two, four, and six. Like the Hong family, they are career missionaries that have come to Kenya to serve there for about five years. It is exci
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Brighten the Day

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  Stepping out of my house, I enjoy the crisp morning air before the sun’s heat burns it away. I hear the shouts of laughter, crowing of roosters, and the banging of pots and pans as my fellow Kenyans begin their day, bright and early.   When I return from my lunch hour, my belly full of rice, beans, and chapati (fried tortillas, yum!) I stop by my house to collect my things before returning to the hospital. I’ll dodge a soccer ball and laugh as the kids living in my row of houses shout my name and come running to me. Their sweet little voices surrounding me, conversing in Swahili, is enough to brighten my day. These precious kids are always in play mode, and I’ll often find their shoes, bags, toys, and sweaters in my yard and on my front porch. When I enter my house, they wait impatiently on my doorstep, banging on my door and calling for me. A patient smiles and hands me their baby, wanting to take a photo of me holding their little one. I rub their fuzzy, curly hair and grin at the
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From Safaris to Auditing

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  Time is flying by so quickly! It seems like it was just yesterday when the boys and I arrived at Kendu Bay and spent our first day in the hospital, but we have already been in Africa for 7 weeks. I have been so busy that I’ve neglected to keep this blog updated! Several weeks ago, we went to the Masai Mara to go on safari and learn about the native Masai tribe. I expected to see most of the animals anyone would associate with Africa- lions, zebras, elephants, giraffes, etc. Not only did we see a wide range of animals, but we saw them in huge numbers, too! Since it was the Great Migration, there were enormous herds of wildebeest and zebras, pounding their way across the savanna undeterred, all with the same destination in mind. To get in their path could mean danger a person outside of the vehicle! It surprised me to see how comfortable the animals were with the safari trucks, as we were nearly close enough to reach out and touch some of the animals if we had tried!  Both mornings we
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Send Me Out

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  I love Kenya.  I love the people and their kind, welcoming spirit, along with their easygoing attitude. They are on fire for the Lord and are not afraid to say it.  I love the surroundings, with the crowing roosters, natives speaking loudly in their native tongue, the putt-putt of their motorbikes, and the constant lilt of music- (I am living right next to the church and near the main road, and morning prayer meeting starts at 6:45 AM!) Everywhere I go, I am greeted, “Hello, habari ya asubuhi! Sasa? (Good morning, how are you?)” The culture is so warm and friendly, so greeting each other is very important- it is considered offensive if you ignore one another. They have a more traditional culture in which the women are viewed as more subordinate than in the US. Many a time I have been laughed at when I tell people that I can run long distances and told, “You can’t carry that! It is too heavy for you!” Or “It is just women that are supposed to be in the kitchen…” To these comments, my
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Curious Children and Cesarian Sections

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  Jambo! Karibu! Welcome to Kenya!  Finally, after 18 hours in total of flight, and about 30 minutes to an hour of sleep, we landed in Nairobi! Passing through security was slightly eventful, as I was shushed and told to leave the area when I laughed too loudly at an officers’ joke. Later we discovered that Logan’s carry on- which he was forced to check under plane on the very first flight- had both of the wheels ripped off! We stayed at the LMS Guesthousing at the Adventist Conference Headquarters, in which I discovered how to turn on the hot water… after I had already taken a cold shower! The following morning, we were served a delicious breakfast, met our host, Dr. Hong and his family, then bought SIM cards and other items we needed. The guys and I, accompanied by our trusty guide, then began our trek to Kendu Adventist Hospital. Cattle, sheep, donkeys, and goats are very common alongside the road, sometimes accompanied by a herder in brightly colored clothing. Driving down the road
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 Hey! Leilani here! As many of you may know, my personal journey of responding to God’s call to the mission field has been filled with many changes. My location has changed several times, as well as who I am going with, what I’ll be doing, and when I will be leaving. The Lord has already built my faith and tested my flexibility, and I am excited to experience the ways He will use me in Kenya! My destination is Kendu Adventist Hospital, in Kendu Bay, Kenya. This welcoming and loving hospital is located near the shores of Lake Victoria, providing services to people in the surrounding villages. It is known to be the oldest and largest Adventist medical facility in Kenya, offering a variety of medical services, from general surgery to dental care! The three other student missionaries and I will be serving in many ways, including working in the hospital, helping with the kids in the elementary school, holding VBS, and a plethora of other tasks that I have yet to discover!  Please pray for m
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