Uncommon Road

Prayer requests

2012-02-16T10:16:00.000+03:00

Just a note to let you know that I've updated the prayer requests on the sidebar of our blog, so if you are using a blog reader you might want to periodically click over to the blog to see those. I will try to do a better job of keeping those updated as we truly appreciate your prayers.

We're still here!

2012-02-16T10:00:00.001+03:00

Let's see if I still remember how to do this blogging thing...

It has been a long time since I've posted here. I assure you it is not because we aren't doing anything, it is just because things feel routine and "normal," so it doesn't seem like we have much to say. I guess it is slightly humorous to think that driving on the left side of the road alongside donkey carts on crazy, bumpy roads feels normal to us, but it does now.

The kids are halfway through their second term (out of 3 terms) and are all doing well. We are so thankful for RVA and the ministry of the many families that serve there.

Erik's work is busy, but very rewarding. BethanyKids' work with the refugees of Dadaab has been limited recently due to security concerns as humanitarian aid workers have been attacked in and around the camps. We pray that the United Nations and other organizations involved will be able to improve the security in the area and will begin allowing humanitarian aid workers to return as the refugees desperately need the medical attention.

We are so grateful for your support, prayers and encouragement.

How Did That Happen?

2011-12-22T13:44:00.002+03:00

I decided it was time to update the blog a little. The picture at the top was over two years old so I added our newest family picture. I kind of hated the thought of removing that old picture completely, so I decided I'd put it here along with some other pictures (old and new). It amazes me to see how much these guys have grown!

the old


the new

age 9 and in need of a haircut

age 6

age 7


If I recall correctly, we had a hard time keeping this guy still for the pictures 2 years ago - some things haven't changed.

the pout

This is his, "How could you possibly get mad at me?" face.

Bethany Kids Christmas Party

2011-12-18T22:34:00.002+03:00

On Friday we had the privilege of hosting the Bethany Kids at Kijabe Hospital staff members in our home for a Christmas luncheon. I was unsure about what to serve so Erik and I decided to do a "Christmas Around the World" theme and serve a little bit of everything. We had lasagna, enchiladas, cashew chicken, spring rolls, sweet and sour meatballs and Kenyan favorites such as chapatis and beef stew. I was a little nervous that our Kenyan guests would only eat the Kenyan food and would not try the food from other countries, but I was pleasantly surprised that they did eat the other foods. I'm sure some ate them just to be polite, but many seemed to actually enjoy the enchiladas and lasagna.

We had 60-70 guests and it was a wonderful time. There was singing, a gift exchange and true to Kenyan tradition, several people gave speeches. It was a pleasure for me to be able to meet many of Erik's coworkers that I previously only knew by name. We are so thankful for these people and the way they minister to the sick children and we are blessed to come alongside them in their service.

One of the highlights for me was watching these three men try the desserts. We served apple pie, Texas Sheet Cake and ice cream. They were a little hesitant to try the ice cream and the apple pie so they decided they would all try it at the same time. The ice cream was too sweet (I can't blame them - I'm not a big fan of the ice cream in Kenya either), but the apple pie got good reviews!

My Boys and their Toys

2011-12-15T08:17:00.000+03:00

According to my husband, the excitement of the safari is capturing the perfect picture. I actually choose to sit next to the driver and just look at the animals without the worry of having to take the perfect picture - less stress that way.

Erik got a new camera for an early Christmas present so in preparation for safari, he was reading up on all the tips and tricks for his new toy. We also took a couple of our less expensive cameras so the boys could take pictures like their daddy (our daughter preferred just looking - that's my girl.) Since we just turned the kids loose with the cameras, we got some interesting pictures.

the back of the seat in the safari vehicle


part of the safari vehicle window - I just love the composition of this one.

Luckily, we did get some good ones - even from the kids. Some of the animals made it pretty easy for them. This lion decided to approach our vehicle on one side, crossed the road right in front of us and then stood on the other side of the vehicle and posed for a while. He put on a great show for us and here are some of the pics we got.

Our 9 year old took this one

our 7 year old took this one - We may need to work on holding the camera straight, but this is a good start.

Our 3 year old was screaming because he didn't have a camera and I didn't want him to scare the lion away so I desperately handed him my phone. Pretty impressive, huh??


Here is Erik's.

Safari Pictures

2011-12-14T09:34:00.001+03:00

Here are a few of the thousands of pictures that Erik took while we were on safari last week.

Elephant

Cape Buffalo

An elephant at the end of the rainbow - Who needs a pot of gold??

Cheetah

Lilac Breasted Roller

Giraffe

Superb Starling

Gazelle

Gold crested cranes

King of the jungle - no zoom lens needed for this guy - he was about 10 feet away from us.

the illusive leaopard

None of the rhinos seemed to want to have their pictures taken

zebra

An Overdue Update

2011-12-13T22:52:00.000+03:00

I've been absent from the blog for far too long so I need to give you a quick update.

Erik's parents have been visiting us for a few weeks and we've loved having them here. We went on a safari and have had a great time showing them around. (pictures still to come)
There is a doctor's strike in Kenya which means that all government employed doctors have not reported to work for a week and a half. Actually, they called off the strike last night, but then began striking again this afternoon. Basically, what this means is that no doctors are staffing public hospitals and patients that go there typically see medical students or nobody at all. Kijabe Hospital is getting many patients that would normally go to the government hospitals. Please pray for our doctors as they care for an increased number of patients and as they share the hope of Christ with patients that wouldn't come here otherwise.
On Friday, we will be hosting a Christmas luncheon at our home for the Bethany Kids staff and nurses. We're expecting 40-50 people and I'm the caterer! I have lots of cooking to do over the next few days, but I'm looking forward to being able to get to know all the people that Erik works with every day.

After One Year

2011-11-23T19:21:00.001+03:00

It is hard to believe that we are approaching our one year anniversary in Kenya. It has been one year since I've been to a Wal-mart or a Target. It has been one year since I've seen a television commercial. It has been one year since I've eaten fast food - yes, we have KFC in Nairobi now, but it can hardly be called fast! I may need some help from our readers to tell me if I’m a little out of touch with the world.

I am not quite sure what is in fashion now. Based on what I see here, denim jumpers and Keds are all the rage! I have heard an ugly rumor that harem pants are in style again - please say it isn't so. I have even seen some European men in Nairobi sporting knickers lately and I'm really hoping that that is not a trend in the US. If it is the trend, please send me pictures of the men in your life sporting them so I can get ~~a good laugh~~ more educated about fashion in America.

When I heard that feathers in the hair is a new trend, I thought that I must be ahead of my time - Farah Fawcett and I had feathered hair long ago. Then I realized that people are using rooster feathers - now that is just weird!

Now that it is time to start thinking about Christmas gifts, my kids have no idea what kids in America are playing with or are asking for for Christmas. The "Great Big Toys R Us Book" didn't arrive in our mail this year. Some Kenyan children like to roll metal wheel frames with sticks. Our two younger boys have caught onto this creativity and have been spotted playing similar games with metal scraps they've found on the ground. They'd probably be thrilled to receive a Christmas present that I'd collected from the trash, but I feel like I should get them something more typical. I think I will get them Pound Puppies, pogo balls and troll dolls. Those are still in style, right??

We get American music here so I am able to stay on top of the latest music trends. Clearly Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton's Islands in the Stream is at the top of the charts because that is what they play here all the time. Other current chart topping artists are Milli Vanilli and Lionel Richie. It is a great relief that we are at least able to stay current on music here.

As much as we try to keep up with the news and trends in America, it sometimes feels like we've stepped into a time warp of sorts. I feel certain that when we come back for a visit we will be in for a real shock and I will need the help of good friends to take me to the mall for a fashion intervention.

Well, I better go now. I need to sneak over to the neighbor's house to pluck a feather from their rooster!

Carnival

2011-11-11T08:03:00.001+03:00

A few weeks ago the school had a carnival where the kids get dressed up in simple, easy, homemade costumes and go around the gym and play games. Erik and I were not around for the carnival because some friends came and stayed with our kids for the weekend to give Erik and I a little getaway - our first date in 10 months!! Thankfully, our friends took pictures of the kids so we could enjoy the carnival a little as well!

The kids all designed their own costumes. Check out our 3 year old's costume: Bob the Builder pj pants, a Spider Man pj shirt that doesn't button at his belly, and his red blanket that doubles as a Super Man cape! LOVE THIS!

You know those Sumo wrestling inflatable games they have at carnivals in the US? Well, this is our version of it!

Update

2011-10-23T22:37:00.000+03:00

I know that many of you have been following the news and are aware of the tensions and threats here in Kenya. We just wanted to let everyone know that we are fine, we are being alert and cautious and we appreciate your concerns and your prayers. We are resting in the knowledge that the safest place for us to be is in the center of God's will.

Thompson Falls

2011-10-18T08:39:00.002+03:00

The Theatre Staff (Theatre is what they call the Operating Rooms here) went on a team building outing this weekend. Most of the staff (50 or so people)piled onto a big bus with the plans of heading to the Aberdares for a little game drive. A few families went along in our own vehicles to join in the fun. Once the bus got to the Aberdares they learned that due to a great deal of rain, the bus would not make it through the roads so the bus turned around and went for Plan B. We drove another couple of hours to Thompson Falls.

We discovered that Thompson Falls is a bit of a tourist trap with camel rides, face painting, balloon animals - it felt a bit like a carnival. A couple of guys put chameleons on our kids and then when Erik took a picture tried to charge him 200 shillings ($2). Erik said he didn't want to buy a chameleon and one of the guys said, "That's not to buy it, that's the cost to take a picture with it."

At Thompson Falls, we had a picnic lunch complete with Nyama Choma (roasted goat) and chapatis (Kenyan flat bread). There were lots of speeches (Kenyans have speeches at every gathering), singing and fellowship. I enjoyed getting to meet the people that Erik works with on a daily basis. It was a lovely time with the staff and friends and I was so thankful to have kids that are great travelers since our ten hour day included 7 hours of driving and 3 hours out of the car. What great sports they were!

We crossed the equator a few times during this trip.

The chameleon

Thompson Falls

Our daughter was not happy about this camel ride, but apparently, once you get on, there is no getting off of it.

How about a kiss?

Not too sure about the fur on his meat

a little fur won't stop this carnivore

Our Kikuyu entertainment

I'm still new at Kenyan travel and I always forget the bring along some toilet paper.

Titchie Sunday

2011-09-30T08:37:00.001+03:00

Each school term the Titchies (elementary school kids) have Titchie Sunday during which they sing a song during church.

Last year, after our kids' first Titchie Sunday, this kid declared that he would not be going to Kindergarten. When I asked him why not, he said he didn't want to get up in front of the church to sing. I assured him that we would not make him go up to sing if he didn't want to and several times throughout the year he confirmed that information. All week leading up to this term's Titchie Sunday, he kept telling me that he was not going to be singing with the other Titchies and I assured him that he didn't have to. We were at our Samaritan's Purse retreat for several days leading up to the big performance, so I didn't think he would even know the song.

The big day finally arrived and he asked me again, "Do I have to go up in front of the church to sing?" And again, I assured him that he did not. He then said, "Well, I might." Erik and I exchanged a confused look. When it was time for us to leave I suggested that Erik bring his camera because things could get interesting.

When we arrived, he went up to the stage and sat down with the other Titchies. When it was time for them to begin their song he actually stood up with the other kids.


He is in the red striped shirt looking very nervous.

The music started playing and the strangest thing happened - he sang and he even looked like he was enjoying it!

Erik and I were in disbelief and I might have teared up just a little.

From Erik in Dadaab

2011-09-28T17:30:00.002+03:00

Much has been written and broadcasted of late about the famine in East Africa and the resulting flood of new arrivals to the Dadaab refugee camps. The population of the camps has swelled to nearly half a million with many of the new arrivals being children. Like so many others, I have felt heartache and pain for the people who are forced to leave their homes, their culture, and their country to find a safe haven. The living conditions are difficult in the camps and most of the luxuries of autonomous life are missing. There is, though, a strange “joy” in seeing patients in the camps. The often oppressive heat, sandy terrain, and malaria-carrying mosquitos certainly aren’t the draw. In fact, I’m usually quite ready for the trip back to Kijabe where I live a very blessed and, all things considered, very comfortable life. I enjoy, however, being able to re-connect with a mother whose baby boy is doing extremely well after surviving a difficult first few days of life and a major operation. Today I greeted a father with his two boys, both born with cleft lips, whose repair we did a few weeks ago. Dad was beaming and the boys were happy. Our languages are worlds apart, but we communicate with handshakes and smiles, both enjoying seeing the results of the boys’ smiles. I realize that the strange joy I feel stems from gratitude – the gratitude of a Somali father for the care of his sons and the gratitude that I feel as a son toward my Father for the opportunity to be a part of what He is doing to change lives and establish His Kingdom here on earth.

Off to Dadaab

2011-09-26T07:59:00.004+03:00

Today Erik left for Dadaab for a few days. Caring for refugees is a big part of his work here, but these trips to the refugee camps are always a challenge (physically and emotionally). Please pray for his team (3 doctors) and for the refugees who desperately need hope and healing.

Adventures in African Travel

2011-09-18T10:34:00.003+03:00

This past week we enjoyed a retreat with Samaritan's Purse on the Kenyan coast. Samaritan's Purse field staff from all over Africa joined together for a week of worship, learning, rest and recreation. It was fun to be reunited with our fellow post-residents to find out how they were doing and to just encourage one another.

At the end of the retreat all the post residents (including the 12 children) headed to the airport at 11:45am for our 1 hour flight back to Nairobi. The drive from the coast to Kijabe is about 8 hours so we were thankful that we were able to fly there and back. But of course, life in Africa is always an adventure and this day was no exception. When we arrived at the tiny Malindi airport we learned that the plane was running late so there would be a one hour delay. But when the little prop plane did arrive, it had some mechanical problems - apparently a light came on about a problem with the landing gear. So we spent four hours in that little airport dining on rationed Pringles and ice cream bars. Our oldest son added LOTS of coins to his foreign coin collection. Apparently, an airport full of missionaries from all over Africa is a great place for a numismatist. It was a relief to be stranded there with patient friends who read to the kids, shared their candy and kept Mom and Dad from going crazy in that tiny room!

So, we did finally board our flight and had an uneventful hour trip back to Nairobi. Our bags arrived and our driver was waiting for us when we came out of the airport and he navigated us through the evening Nairobi traffic quite easily to take us to the office compound where our car was parked. All that was left was the one hour drive to Kijabe - so we thought!

But when we asked the guard at the office for the car keys we had left when we dropped off our car, he said he didn't have them and that they were probably locked inside the office. After several phone calls, we were able to track down someone who was going to send someone to unlock the office. An hour and a half later that person arrived and found our keys for us.

While trying to get out the ridiculously narrow gate at the office parking lot, Erik was having to do a lot of backing and pulling forward and at one point one of the back tires went into a drainage trench and we got stuck. Once we get pushed out of the trench, we were on our way!

We do everything we can to avoid driving in Nairobi and on the Kenyan highways after dark, but on this night we didn't have many other options so we prayed for God's protection and headed off. Traffic was a little messy in Nairobi, but we finally got out of it and it seemed to be smooth sailing - until it wasn't! We came to a sudden stop where cars were not moving at all. We never did find out what the problem was or even where it was, but mysteriously after about 30 minutes of no movement, it all just broke up and suddenly we were all moving as if nothing had ever happened.

We did make it home and our wonderful friends who were staying at our house while we were gone had made dinner for us so we were able to eat a great meal before crashing for the night! Unfortunately, after all the adventures of our return trip, I'd completely forgotten that I'd just had a week of renewal and relaxation!

First Day of School

2011-09-01T15:51:00.000+03:00

Tuesday was the first day back at school and it was our 6 year old's first day of school. When I woke him up I said, "It is time to get up for kindergarten," and he responded, "I hate kindergarten." I explained to him that he couldn't hate kindergarten until after he'd actually been to kindergarten. Luckily, when I picked him up at noon his attitude had changed!

Learning a New Language

2011-08-19T14:57:00.000+03:00

In Kenya, there are two national languages (English and Swahili) as well as more than 50 tribal languages. Erik and I are trying to learn Swahili, but we are finding that even the English here is a little different and sometimes we need help translating. Since Kenya was once a British colony, they use many British terms and some terms are just uniquely Kenyan. Here are some examples of English words that are different in Kenya than in America.

1. Kenyans call cookies biscuits.
2. They call diapers napkins and napkins are called serviettes.
3. When you want air in your tires, you ask for "pressure."
4. When you want lumber, you ask for timber.
5. What we would call a faucet, they call a tap.
6. A kid refers to a goat - not a child.
7. A truck is called a lorry.
8. If someone says they are going to flash you, you should not panic. They are just going to call you and hang up before you answer so you will have their number in your cell phone without having to pay for the call.

It's the Little Things

2011-08-18T22:47:00.001+03:00

I usually make a trip to Nairobi every week or two to pick up groceries and run errands. Nairobi is quite modern and pretty westernized. The kids don't usually make the trip with me, because the older two are usually in school and the younger two would rather be playing in the dirt. But during this school break, we've had a few occasions to take all four kids to the "Big City" and these trips remind me of how different their lives are since we moved to Kijabe because they get excited about the simplest things. Here are some examples from our recent Nairobi excursions.

1. On our way into town our daughter said, "Oh, Mom. Look at those nice lane lines!"

2. While parking at a large shopping mall our kids were shouting and enjoying the echo. Our 8 year old said, "I remember these from America. What do we call these?" I reply, "A parking garage."

3. While washing my hands in a public restroom, I see our daughter clutching a paper towel against her cheek and she says, "Oh, I've really missed these." This was after she'd commented about how nice this bathroom was because it had toilet paper in it!

4. While riding down in a glass elevator our 6 year old exclaims, "It's just like the Tower of Terror!" We only went down one floor.

I'm so glad that it only takes things like lane lines, parking garages, paper towels and elevators to get my kids excited! That is easy entertainment!

Hope and Healing in the Midst of Famine

2011-08-04T19:45:00.001+03:00

You have probably heard about the drought in Northern Kenya and in the Horn of Africa, particularly in Somalia. Thousands of Somali people are leaving Somalia and coming to Dadaab refugee camps for aid. BethanyKids has been working in Dadaab for many years and is established in the area. The pediatric surgeons make several trips a year to the refugee camps and children are brought to Kijabe weekly for operations. Because of the food crisis and the large influx of people, the demands for medical aid have increased dramatically and BethanyKids is trying to address these needs. Please pray for Erik and the rest of the BethanyKids administration as they are prayerfully making decisions and plans to help bring healing and real hope to the refugees in Dadaab.

Things I Shouldn't Have to Say

2011-08-01T22:22:00.000+03:00

There are some times when something comes out of my mouth and I think, "I can't believe I just had to say that!" I know you parents can relate (at least I hope you can). Several years ago I decided that I was going to write a book of these things and I would call it, "We Don't Put Pliers on Our Penis." Yes, I really did say that once (luckily I only had to say it once). Since I don't think I'm ever going to have time to write that book, I figured a blog post would suffice. Here are a few things I've found myself saying just this week that I really shouldn't have to say.

1. Don't ride the dog.
2. Stop chasing the monkeys.
3. Only one kid should be peeing at a time. (I have to say this way too often. Do all boys find excitement in peeing in tandem?)
4. I can't blame the dog for scratching you. You shouldn't be rubbing her nipples.
5. Yes, I know there is a hole in your underwear, but it is supposed to be there.

If you've said anything that you shouldn't have to say to someone lately, please leave a comment so I can get a laugh out of it as well!

The Indian Ocean

2011-07-27T14:14:00.003+03:00

After our safari we went to the Kenyan coast for a few days. When we got there we discovered that a ton of seaweed had washed up so the beach was covered in the yucky stuff so we spent most of our time at the pool.

We decided to take a walk on the beach before dinner.

OK. You can put your feet in, but just your feet.

A couple of people had to go back to the room to change clothes before dinner.

Some people didn't mind the seaweed.

Safari

2011-07-26T23:14:00.000+03:00

My parents have been here for about 2 1/2 weeks and we've loved having them around. Erik was able to get a week off last week so we did some traveling. I hope you aren't bored by pictures of family vacations because that will likely be what you get for the next few blog posts!

We were able to go on our first Maasai Mara safari.

We stayed in a Bush Camp with comfortable tents that were frequently visited by a baby eland.

This is my kind of camping!

A new maasai warrior friend


My 8 year old is a true cheetah expert and this was certainly the highlight of the trip for him (and me).

The timing of our trip was perfect to see the annual wildebeest migration.

We saw thousands of wildebeest and zebras cross the Mara River.

A picnic in the Mara

An Overdue Update

2011-07-16T14:40:00.000+03:00

1. We did make the move up the hill two weeks ago and are enjoying our new home.
2. My parents are here! They arrived on Tuesday and we've enjoyed showing them around Kijabe.
3. The kids finished school on Thursday and will be on break until the end of August!
4. We are leaving for safari tomorrow and will head to the beach after our safari. We haven't had the opportunity to go on a true safari yet, so we are all very excited.
5. My parents say that we should all wear neutral colors so we will blend in with the wildlife and won't scare animals off. My daughter's wardrobe is pretty much limited to hot pink. I'm not counting on seeing any wildlife.

Life Lessons

2011-06-29T08:16:00.002+03:00

We are moving this week. We are just moving to a different house up the hill so it shouldn't be a big deal - but it is. We hope to move on Friday, but we might have to wait until Saturday (or sometime next week!) Life in Kenya is a lesson in flexibility.

The painter went to the new house to walk through it so he could tell me how much paint to buy and then he called me and told me to buy 14 cans. I drove to Nairobi and went into the store to buy the paint and the lady thought I was crazy buying 14 cans of paint. She only had 9 cans so I was going to have to go to another store in a different part of Nairobi for the rest. I took the 9 cans and made another trip to Nairobi a few days later to get the remaining cans. When I dropped off 16 cans of paint (I decided to buy a couple extra) I walked the painter through the house to show him what we wanted painted. I took him upstairs and he said, "I didn't know there was an upstairs." What??? So, he needed 3 additional cans of paint (I bought 4). Life in Kenya is a lesson in perseverance.

The painter called me this week and told me that he wanted to use lead paint in the house. I freaked out a bit because I didn't want ANY lead paint in the house ANYWHERE. He said that is what was already there and he was just going to paint over it with the same thing. Finally I remembered that the Kikuyu people have trouble pronouncing their "r"s and "l"s so I said, "Do you mean RED paint?" He said, "Yes, lead paint." OK, sure! Life in Kenya is a lesson in communication.

One day we WILL move, but the lessons will continue and so will the blessings of life in Kenya.

"I Do It Myself"

2011-06-23T21:20:00.001+03:00

Things We Didn't Think We'd Miss

2011-06-20T07:49:00.000+03:00

When we decided to move to Africa, there were many things that we knew we'd miss. We knew we'd miss our family, our friends, our church and we knew we'd miss Target & McDonald's too. (Oh, how I've missed McDonald's) But we've been surprised by some of the things we've found ourselves craving so we've been working on a little list for you.

1. Pickles
2. Milk that doesn't smell like a barn
3. Good deli meat
4. Street signs
5. Jif Natural Peanut Butter
6. Kraft Olive Oil Mayo
7. Traffic lights (or at least traffic lights that people actually obey)
8. Home Depot
9. Being able to call a repair person and having him come out and fix the broken item correctly the first time. (Nevermind - that didn't happen in the US either).
10. Being able to go places without having people stare and laugh at us. (Who knew we were so entertaining?)
11. a reliable internet connection
12. Rotel

All joking aside, there are certainly things we miss about the US, but there are so many things we've grown to love about our new home.

1. We love Chai time - not just because of the chai, but because it is a time to slow down and fellowship. Now Erik is not a big fan of chai time because that means people just walk out of the operating room during a case, but in most circumstances Chai time is a really good thing.
2. Mandazi - We don't have Krispy Kreme here, but mandazi are the next best thing. They are a Kenyan fry bread that are not sweet, but we top ours with Nutella, honey, powdered sugar or whatever topping we can think of and they are a fun weekend treat.
3. Fresh passion fruit juice.
4. A slower pace of life.
5. Our new friends and our little family away from family.

Caring for Refugees

2011-06-15T22:08:00.000+03:00

“Dadaab” is the largest refugee camp in the world. It was established in Eastern Kenya in the early 1990’s to provide refuge for thousands of Somalis fleeing the violent conflict in their own country. Under the direction of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), various non-governmental organizations (NGOs) run three separate “camps” located around the Kenyan city of Dadaab, each built for and intended to house approximately 30,000 refugees. The latest figures put the total population at ~350,000! It’s literally bursting at the seams as 10,000 new arrivals are welcomed each month in the camps mostly because of the draught in the region. In the past, newly arrived families received food ration cards, a small plot of land and some building supplies. There is no more land to build on and people are left to construct huts of sticks and mud. The climate is arid with oppressively hot temperatures reaching 110-115⁰F. There is sparse foliage growing in the desert-like sands. In the midst of this, there are glimmers of hope for the people since schools, limited healthcare, and safety are provided within the camps. While the NGO workers exhaust themselves to care for these often forgotten people, funds are limited; this is especially true when it comes to healthcare. Each camp has a small hospital and clinic where 2-3 physicians, usually with only one year of post-medical school training, are tasked with providing healthcare to over 100,000 people. Specialty care, including much surgical care, has to be referred outside the camps. Emergent cases are freely and quickly referred, but each camp has funds available for only 6-8 referrals per month. BethanyKids has committed to caring for the surgical needs of the thousands of kids in the camps. In conjunction with the NGOs in the camps, BethanyKids screens patients in each camp every two months. During our visits to Dadaab, we are also able to do some smaller procedures at the hospitals in the camps, but larger procedures require transport to Kijabe Hospital where BethanyKids provides all the necessary care. It’s a wonderful opportunity to meet basic needs and to be the healing hands of Our Lord.

Note: Recently TheAtlantic.com featured Dadaab and its 20 year existence. The photos will give you some idea of the conditions of the camp.

Meet Mercy

2011-06-01T21:51:00.001+03:00

BethanyKids’ medical work in Kijabe is a practical way to show God’s love to children and their families. It involves dozens of people doing a multitude of jobs to reach out and care for these kids. One of the most integral members of the team is Pastor Mercy. She is the chaplain for BethanyKids at Kijabe Hospital and is a woman in love with her Lord and committed to the children and their families. All children admitted to the hospital are required to have a parent/guardian stay with them, and as one might expect, these are mostly mothers. Mercy personally visits every patient and parent during their stay in the hospital. She counsels, encourages, and teaches them about the love of our Savior. Each year for the past few years, she has seen 300-400 people commit their lives to Christ during their stay in the hospital. She also has a network of 265 patients’ mothers called “disciplers” who are spread across the country. These women help to identify medical problems in the community, spread awareness for the work of BethanyKids, Kijabe Hospital, and CURE Hospital, follow-up patients, visit clinics, follow-up new believers, and evangelize. These women saw literally thousands of people commit or re-commit their lives to Christ last year. The numbers alone aren’t important, but the hearts and souls that they represent mean everything. People may bring their kids to Kijabe for the surgical care offered there, but as a surgeon, I know that the spiritual and emotional care that Mercy provides is ultimately more important than any operation I could do. Christ made the lame to walk, the blind to see, and the dead to rise, but more than that He came that we all might have abundant life.

Please pray for Mercy and the very important work that she does at the hospital.

2011-05-23T08:07:00.001+03:00

Well, we finally got our newsletter mailed and emailed. If you did not receive a newsletter and you would like to read it, you can click on the Newsletter tab at the top of the blog to view it. You can also click the Sign Up for Newsletter tab to get on our email list for future newsletters. We are so grateful for those of you who support us financially and through prayer and we want to stay in touch with you.

Ode to James

2011-05-17T14:00:00.000+03:00

(It is not really an ode. I don't actually know how to write an ode, but I do know how to write clever blog post titles.)

Today our gardener James killed THE MOUSE with his bare hands. He didn't think he needed to wash his hands afterwords, but I insisted. I may not be the doctor in the house, but I do know that one should always wash their hands after they use them to kill a mouse.

Since James is my hero, today's blog post is in his honor!

Here is James having chai with his BFF.

Here is James' most loyal assistant.

This guy's job security is now in jeopardy.

Family Pictures!

2011-05-15T15:00:00.000+03:00

We are way overdue for sending out our prayer letter to update our friends, family and supporters about what is going on in our lives so a few weeks ago we sat down and wrote out the newsletter and got it all ready to go except for a family picture. We realized that we hadn't taken a decent family picture since December so we needed to do that and wanted to include it in the newsletter. Anyone who has young children knows how hard this can be. First you have to find a time when the children are all clean and dressed appropriately. Since the hobo look seems to be quite the trend around our house, this proved to be a real problem. Then you have to have an extra body around who can actually take the picture. We've set out to do this a few times, but have failed for one reason or another. Finally this morning we announced to the children that we were going to get these pictures done today and all children had to look presentable. After some whaling and gnashing of teeth, we had all the kids dressed and were anticipating catching someone during the day to capture the big moment. Unfortunately, breakfast messed up our plans since the kids ate chocolate doughnuts and our 2 year old used his khaki shorts as a napkin. Tonight we had friends over so I made our daughter change out of her hula dancer outfit (although we did allow her to keep the flowers in her hair), I put on some lipstick and we headed outside to find a pretty spot for some pictures. I thought you might enjoy seeing some of the process.

Trying to get everyone in position. I never imagined that we'd be one of those families that included our pets in the family pictures.

Oops - we lost a kid. This is actually my favorite of all the pictures - the REAL Hansen family.

Trying to regroup - I think I'll hold the 2 year old this time.

The cat decided he didn't want to be in the picture - there he goes.

We have to break up a fight. I also like that you can see one of our friends in the background wearing a shirt that is identical to our 8 year old's.

Well, 1/2 of us look good.

I think this is about as good as it will get!

Happy Kids!

2011-05-14T07:43:00.000+03:00

We are so thankful for the wonderful box of goodies that we received from The Church at Brook Hills. It was filled with American treats that we are not able to get here and it has been so much fun to enjoy things that we've been missing. They also included hundreds of handmade bracelets that were made by the children for kids in the hospital here. The Shirley family and our family had the privilege of delivering the bracelets to the children at the hospital. We were able to visit with the moms and kids, pray with them and sing songs with them. Each child was so excited about the bracelets and were so thankful. We wanted to share some of the happy faces with you.

Pictures!

2011-05-11T20:41:00.000+03:00

Someone found Mommy's makeup. I think he needs a different shade.

Mom being tickled by 3 boys at one time!

Gotta capture these moments when you can. Don't you love our entertainment system?

Must find the perfect pear

No, this isn't our new pet - just a dog the kids adored.

These baboons think they are our pets, but I'm trying to convince them otherwise.

2011-05-02T07:34:00.000+03:00

The container of donated medical supplies has arrived! It was a little like Christmas around here when the container finally arrived and was unloaded. We are so thankful for the donors that helped us fill and send this container!

The doctors waiting to see what new toys they have to play with!

It was all hands on deck to unload this huge container.


There were several very heavy anesthesia machines that didn't roll well on the loose gravel so they used backboards (also from the container) to make tracks for the machines so they could push them into the hospital.

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

2011-04-10T15:00:00.000+03:00

My Garbage Disposal

My Dishwasher

Laundry Time

Learning how to make English muffins

A boy and his dog

A girl and her cat

Neighborhood pests

A Birthday Celebration!

Time to play


Time to rest

Time for a bath

100% Healthy

2011-04-06T14:00:00.003+03:00

I love the packaging of products here. In the US, there are strict guidelines about what food companies can put on their labels and what claims they can make. Here, there are no such rules so food manufacturers make all sorts of claims about their products.

Earlier this week I went grocery shopping in Nairobi and my daughter was begging me to buy some cheese curls so I gave in and bought a bag. When I got home and examined the packaging I was so excited to discover that these chips were 100% Healthy!

After my children devoured every single bite of this 100% Healthy Snack and complained because I only bought one bag, I turned the bag over to see the nutrition information given. It listed iron, vitamin A, calcium and then it listed 14% fat and 14% ash????

I'm not sure I should buy these again, but I probably will!

School

2011-04-05T14:32:00.001+03:00

Here are some pictures of the kids' school.

The sign at the entrance of the campus. The campus includes the elementary school, middle school and high school as well as the dorms for the boarding students.


The elementary school is called Titchie Swot. Titchie is a British word that means a little person, but it has the connotation of a brat. Swot means study. So Titchie Swot is the place our little brats go to study!

Kindergarten through 6th grade meet in this building.

The Titchie playground reminds me of the playground at my elementary school and I'm pretty sure the equipment is at least that old. We are so thankful that it is all getting a new coat of paint because I'm pretty sure what was on it previously was lead-based. The Titchie playground probably wouldn't meet any safety standards, but it sure is a lot of fun!

This huge merry-go-round could easily seat a few classes at one time.

This is the zip-line platform. Yes- a zip-line. I told you it wouldn't pass any safety tests!

The crash net

Whee!

Titchie Court is where the kids can play basketball, ride bikes, etc. It's also the location of the skating party held each term.

An MK Tells All - Answering Your Questions

2011-03-31T08:47:00.000+03:00

Here are the answers to the great questions you posted. Feel free to post any more you might have.

From the 5 year old:

What kinds of things can you buy at the duka?
lollipops
(mom's edit: We can get most of our basic needs at the dukas (flour, sugar, oil, pasta, bread, peanut butter, cleaning supplies, some meat, and lollipops!)

CBF Kids want to know what mandazi is?
a Kenyan doughnut

From the 6 year old:

How do Kenyans say Hello?
"Hello" is "Jambo," but we usually say "Habari" which means "How are you?"

Rascal reminds me of a cat I had when I was a little bit older than you; his name was Smokey Joe. I dressed him in doll clothes. Has Rascal modeled any of your doll clothes yet?
no

What kind of music do people in Africa listen to?
Kenyan music and American music
(mom's edit: They have a strange fondness for country western music - particularly Kenny Rogers.)

What's your favorite color?
pink

What does your school look like?
We are going to go take pictures around the school sometime this week and will make a separate post.

From the 8 year old:

What is different about your house in Kenya than your house in the US?
We don't have air conditioning or heat.

What other kinds of games do you play with your friends?
soccer, capture the flag, tennis baseball

Who is in charge (i.e. government, etc)?
the president (Mwai Kibaki)

Do people vote on them?
yes

What kind of food do the people eat there?
sukuma wiki, ugali, rice, chapatis and samosas

What is sukuma wiki? Do you think I would like it? Do you?
Sukuma wiki is cooked kale and sometimes a little bit of meat. I like it and I don't know if you will like it.

An MK Tells All - Part 4

2011-03-28T14:00:00.022+03:00

Because I didn't have the patience to try to get answers to questions from a wriggly, silly 2 year old I decided that you would just get pictures of his experience in Kenya.

Our two year old is always busy and is always keeping me busy. His favorite activities are making messes, climbing on things, playing in the mud and screaming. His parents can frequently be heard saying, "It's a good thing he's cute." He loves to snuggle and read books with Mommy and his favorite book is David Gets in Trouble - I think he can relate to the main character.

Feel free to leave any questions you have for him in the comment section and he ~~will be happy to~~ probably will not answer them. I do try to protect the kids' privacy by not using their first names online, so I ask that you please do not use their names in your comments. Thanks!

An MK Tells All - Part 3

2011-03-27T14:30:00.001+03:00

Since the "big kids" are out of school for a while, I've decided to put them to work and have them help with the blogging a little bit. I also thought you might enjoy their perspective on life in Kenya.

Our 5 year old (soon to be 6) attends a mom-led preschool two mornings a week and enjoys playing outside and jumping on furniture the rest of the time. He is very good at making people laugh and always has a word of praise. When he grows up he'd like to be a "cooker" so he likes to help me in the kitchen.

Here is his interview.

1. What is your favorite thing about living in Kenya?

going shopping at the dukas (our local shops)

2. What do you miss most about living in the US?

I miss my grandparents.

3. What is the best thing that you’ve seen or done while you’ve been in Kenya?

going swimming

4. What is the biggest difference between Kenya and the US?

The people have different skin.

5. What is your favorite thing about your preschool?

snack

6. What different animals have you seen?

giraffes and a buffalo head

7. What is the weather like there?

sunny

8. What new foods have you tried?

mandazi

9. What is your favorite thing about your pets?

I like playing with them.

Feel free to leave any questions you have for him in the comment section and he will be happy to answer them. I do try to protect the kids' privacy by not using their first names online, so I ask that you please do not use their names in your comments. Thanks!

An MK Tells All - Part 2

2011-03-26T14:17:00.002+03:00

Since the "big kids" are out of school for a while, I've decided to put them to work and have them help with the blogging a little bit. I also thought you might enjoy their perspective on life in Kenya.

Our 6 year old (soon to be 7 year old) is an easy going, adaptable child who loves to be around people. It is fun to watch her interact with the Kenyans around us because she is so natural and comfortable with them. She will just skip up to them and start talking. I never thought she was very friendly when we lived in the US, but she has really come out of her shell since we moved here. She likes to write stories, take care of our pets and dance in our yard.

Here is her interview.

1. What is your favorite thing about living in Kenya?

being free to play outside

2. What do you miss most about living in the US?

I miss my friends and grandparents.

3. What is the best thing that you’ve seen or done while you’ve been in Kenya?
seeing wild animals

4. What is the biggest difference between Kenya and the US?

The grocery story is far away.

5. What is your favorite thing about attending Rift Valley Academy?

I’ve made lots of friends.

6. What different animals have you seen?

monkeys, giraffes, zebras, baboons

7. What is the weather like there?

windy and rainy

8. What new foods have you tried?

sukuma wiki and ugali

9. What is your favorite thing about your pets?

My cat snuggles with me.

Feel free to leave any questions you have for her in the comment section and she will be happy to answer them. I do try to protect the kids' privacy by not using their first names online, so I ask that you please do not use their names in your comments. Thanks!

An MK Tells All

2011-03-25T14:17:00.000+03:00

Since the "big kids" are out of school for a while, I've decided to put them to work and have them help with the blogging a little bit. I also thought you might enjoy their perspective on life in Kenya.

When we first started talking about moving to Kenya our 8 year old was the most enthusiastic. He talked about it all the time and was so eager to move, but as it got closer to our actual move date he got very nervous. He had trouble sleeping, had stomach problems and was very angry with us for making him move. At times I wondered if we were going to be able to get him on the airplane. Now that we are here, he has settled in quite well and really enjoys it here.

Here is a little interview that I did with him.

1. What is your favorite thing about living in Kenya?

drinking Chai

2. What do you miss most about living in the US?

family

3. What is the best thing that you’ve seen or done while you’ve been in Kenya?

seeing monkeys

4. What is the biggest difference between Kenya and the US?

There are more Kenyans in Kenya.

5. What is your favorite thing about attending Rift Valley Academy?

playing basketball during lunch

6. What different animals have you seen?

monkeys, giraffes, zebras, baboons that look like bears

7. What is the weather like there?

windy in the morning and evening; warm during the afternoon.

8. What new foods have you tried?

sukuma wiki and ugali

9. What is your favorite thing about your pets?

Mocha doesn’t bark.

A Quick Update

2011-03-25T07:48:00.000+03:00

Today is the last day of the school term for the kids so they will have the next month off. Rift Valley Academy is a year round school so they have three terms with long breaks between each term. We will have to figure out what to do to keep the kids busy (especially on the rainy days).

I am very thankful that we've had some sun this week. It had been pretty dreary and muddy, but the sun found its way out of the clouds and we've had some nice weather this week.

I had to take our car to the garage for a repair to the tail pipe. It seems that we hit a bump too fast and did some damage. I really had no idea how much it was going to cost, but was shocked when the owner of the garage told me it was 600 shillings - that's about $7! So... if you need your car repaired, it might just be cheaper to bring it to Kenya!

Erik will be leaving on Monday to go work at a refugee camp for a few days. They go several times a year to treat children who have little access to medicine and even less access to the gospel. Please pray for his safety and his ministry there. I will have him give a full report when he returns.

This is how rumors get started!

2011-03-22T15:53:00.000+03:00

Blogger has a nice feature that allows bloggers to see how various readers have found their blog. Today I clicked on that little feature and was surprised to see that 6 readers found our blog this week by googling "amanda hansen pregnant." So... to my newest readers, I say, "Welcome to our little blog, but I think you've got the wrong Amanda Hansen."

That is all.

Rain!

2011-03-21T14:00:00.002+03:00

I've always taken rain for granted. Sometimes I enjoyed the noise. Sometimes it meant that we didn't have school due to flooding. Other times it was just a nuisance. I never considered that there are places where rain can be the difference between life and death.

Living in Kenya has changed the way I think about rain. Most people here live off of their shambas (vegetable gardens) and don't live off of their grocery stores like we are accustomed to. The average Kenyan lives on $2 per day and groceries here are surprisingly expensive. For most Kenyans when there is no rain, there is no food.

I've asked Kenyans when the rainy season begins and they can't tell me a date or even a month. Their response is that the rainy season begins when it starts to rain. Well, we were so excited on Thursday when Kijabe's rainy season began. Immediately there was talk of planting and a sense of hope and excitement.

On the downside, after 5 inches of rain in 5 days, our dirt roads are muddy and cars are getting stuck. My kids are muddy, our pets are muddy, the house is muddy and I'm already feeling a little gloomy without the sunshine I've grown quite fond of. I'm trying to keep it all in perspective and to be thankful for each drop of rain that falls, but I'm also hoping for some breaks of sunshine!

Our two year old comes in looking like this a few times a day. It was only cute the first time.

Celebrating!

2011-03-20T21:48:00.000+03:00

We have so much to celebrate today! Erik made it home safely this morning and had bags full of chocolate chips, parmesan cheese, pecans, candy and other special treats from the US. I was so proud that I'd survived the long 10 days while he was away. Tonight he learned that he passed his oral boards for pediatric surgery so we have even more reason to celebrate! We're so proud of him and are really glad to have him back home! We really appreciate your prayers for us while he was away. They were indeed felt!

Just Another Saturday in Kijabe

2011-03-13T14:00:00.000+03:00

I thought you might enjoy a little taste of our day to day life in Kijabe. Today was a relaxing Saturday and the kids all slept late and then climbed into bed with me until 9. It was so nice to have a day that was completely unplanned, easy and not at all rushed.

9:30am milk delivery - We have milk delivered to our door 6 days a week. It comes to us in 2 liter coke bottles and is still warm when it gets here. We then boil it, let it cool, skim the fat and put it in the refrigerator. Some of our kids will drink it straight, but I think it tastes like a barn so I mainly use it for cooking. I pay about $1 for 2 liters of milk.

10:30am We buy most of our produce at a nearby market, but there are some specialty things like strawberries, apples, oranges and grapes that we can only get in Nairobi or if someone comes door to door selling them. Today was a lucky day for us because Samuel came with grapes - both red and green! Grapes are pretty pricey here so they are a rare treat - $7 for two cartons. Samuel also brought gum for the kids and gave them a quick Swahili lesson. The boys love it when Samuel visits!

1:15 Peter came by and said he was going to butcher chickens today and needed to know how many he should butcher so he came by to take orders. I ordered two.

3:00 Peter delivered my chickens. They were 3-4 pounds each and cost about $6 each. I could get them cheaper in Nairobi, but I haven't found that they are very good quality so I'd rather buy them fresh. This brings new meaning to the words "Fresh, Free-Range Organic Chicken." It doesn't get much fresher or more "free-range" than this.

5:00 A friend came by to keep me company and to help me get the kids to bed since she knew Erik was gone. It was so nice to have extra hands during the crazy evening hours!

5:15 Rachel came by selling egg rolls, Samosas and tortillas. I had just made some fried rice so I was so pleased to have some egg rolls to go with it and I bought some Samosas for a quick lunch later in the week. The egg rolls cost less the $0.20 a piece and the Samosas are about $0.25 each. Many ladies here sell baked items to the missionaries living here. We can buy English muffins, mandazi (a Kenyan fry bread), pizza crusts, tortillas, egg rolls and Samosas.

Throughout the day the kids were in and out of the house, playing with various friends and enjoying the freedom to run and roam and just be kids. I'd have to say it was a pretty good day!

Update!

2011-03-12T12:56:00.000+03:00

It's been a while since I posted so I just wanted to give you an update. Do not worry - the lack of blog posts is not because we are depressed or miserable; it's just because we've been busy and haven't made the time to sit down and put our experiences into words. We are doing well and are quite happy. I hope to get some thoughts processed and written down to share with you guys soon.

Erik is in the US this week for his pediatric surgery oral board exams. He arrived safely on Friday and is studying for his test that is on Tuesday morning. I know he would appreciate your prayers as it is an extremely stressful testing experience. He is looking forward to being done with it and we are looking forward to his return (with lots of chocolate chips) next weekend.

We have once again added a pet to our family, even though we said we were not going to have any pets. Mocha is a sweet old dog that has been passed from missionary family to missionary family and she is now ours. She is a calm dog who loves to be around people and will even tolerate our cat and 2 year old. I don't think she is going to make a very good watchdog since the only time she barks is when the cat tries to steal her food, but she is a great companion.

Teaching Kids to Pray for Missionaries

2011-02-26T11:35:00.001+03:00

We love to hear that your families are praying for us and we consider you partners with us. I've found some resources that I thought might interest those of you who are praying for missionaries with your kids and wanted to pass them along. None of these ideas are mine, but I selfishly would like for you to have them!

1. The Missionary Toolbox

2. An A to Z Guide for Praying for Missionaries

3. Operation World website

4. Praying Through the Week for Missionaries

Triage - by Erik

2011-02-20T21:21:00.000+03:00

Every surgical and emergency medicine trainee learns the “ABCs” of the “primary survey”. It is a simple way to keep focused during the evaluation of a trauma patient. “Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Disability, and Exposure.” As any surgical trainee – past or present – will testify, these fundamentals are engrained upon your psyche as you manage patient after patient in the trauma bay. As simple as it is, I still remind myself of this basic approach with each patient because it’s amazing how easy it is to become distracted by the chaos surrounding a sick patient in the emergency department.

The other day, the surgical intern called me to ask for help with two multiply-injured ladies who had been brought by good Samaritans to our Casualty. Behind the red curtains separating patients in Casualty, I found these young women in serious condition with life-threatening injuries. As I ran through the “ABCs” in my head, I knew that at least one woman needed to have a breathing tube placed immediately – nothing else should come first. The logistical issues of getting a breathing tube and the necessary equipment became secondary to the question of what I would do with this woman if I did intubate her. While we are very fortunate here to have an ICU with ventilators, there is limited space, and if I intubated her now only to find that the ventilators were taken by patients with better chances of living then I’d be stuck having to make the ultimate triage decision. Before “Airway” comes “Availability of a ventilator.”

The same weekend, I was in the operating theater with an older man with multiple medical problems who needed an emergency operation. Just before induction of anesthesia, a resident from labor and delivery came to the OR because a pregnant woman needed an emergency Cesarean section. There was one anesthetist in house and our initial efforts to contact back-up help by phone and courier were unsuccessful. Standing over my patient in the OR, the anesthetist and I looked at each other both querying what we should do. “Who has the better chance of living?” The answer was clearly the young mother, not to mention the fact that in her case two lives were at stake. We decided to leave my patient on the OR table with someone watching him while the anesthetist readied another OR and I went looking for more anesthesia help.

These situations are far from unique and certainly not as dramatic as those that many other physicians in developing countries experience on a daily basis. In developed countries, terms like “access to care” and “limited resources” are bandied about by students and politicians alike in support of their own social agendas often without a realization of what people in the 2/3-world experience every day. Sub-Saharan Africa has a dire need for healthcare where “limited resources” may mean “no resources” for millions of people.

I am grateful and honored to have the opportunity to serve the sick and needy, to show the love of Christ, and to address the massive healthcare needs more broadly as I join others to train African physicians to increase the healthcare workforce in Sub-Saharan Africa. May God continue to glorify Himself in and through His church.

Meet Plan G

2011-02-17T16:32:00.000+03:00

Those of you who know us well know that we aren't exactly animal people and we certainly are not cat people. We have always said that we would NEVER own a cat, but I also said that I would never be a missionary in Africa so clearly I must eliminate the word "never" from my vocabulary.

After trying store bought mouse traps, homemade mouse traps and all kinds of trickery to catch our pesky mice we decided that desperate times called for desperate measures so we'd like to introduce you to our desperate measure named Rascal.

Right now the cat is scared of just about everything and we frequently find him hiding in our desk drawer so I'm not sure he is going to be the fierce mouser that we'd hoped for. Our daughter is teaching him to shake and would like to get a leash for him so she can take him on walks.

This is How We Roll

2011-02-16T22:29:00.000+03:00

A few weeks ago we were able to purchase a van. Since we do our grocery shopping in Nairobi (about an hour away), having a car is extremely helpful for us. We have had to adjust to driving on the left side of the road as well as crazy Kenyan drivers and pedestrians. Driving the highways of Kenya is never boring and it allows us to practically live out Paul's command to "pray without ceasing." So far, I have not attempted highway driving, but stick to the bumpy roads of Kijabe. Erik is actually quite good at navigating Nairobi traffic so I will let him take me grocery shopping for now.

We are so thankful for the generous gifts of our supporters and for God's gracious provision for us.

Adventures in Potty Training

2011-02-05T09:40:00.000+03:00

Sorry I haven't blogged lately. There hasn't been much worthy of writing about seeing that most of my day is spent at home trying to potty train a very strong-willed 2 year old. But for those that are really interested, here are some examples of a typical conversation around here:

Me: Do you need to go to the bathroom?
2yo: No, I already went.
I now realize that he is wet and am left to search the house for a puddle.

Me: Do you need to go to the bathroom?
2yo: No, I peed in the grass.
I guess that counts as progress??

Me: Do you need to go to the bathroom?
2yo: No. I'm not going potty today.
Hmmm?

Hopefully I can get Erik to come post something ministry related soon.

A Day Trip

2011-01-22T22:40:00.000+03:00

Today we took the kids to a resort in Lake Naivasha where we enjoyed time swimming with friends and a relaxing lunch by the pool.

We then decided to go for a walk around the resort grounds and this is what we saw:

A pretty good day!!

A Bunch of Bullet Points

2011-01-19T23:35:00.000+03:00

Today you get a bunch of bullet points updating you on our lives because that just seems easier than actually writing a real blog post.

Last week Erik was asked to present at the monthly meeting of The Kenyan Association of Paediatric Surgeons (we're very fancy in Kenya so we use the British spelling - even though Blogger's spell check keeps telling me it is wrong) or KAPS. I believe the organization had 6 members, but I guess Erik makes 7. Erik spoke about minimally invasive / laparoscopic procedures.
Yesterday Erik traveled to Brackenhurst (about an hour away) to speak at the Pan-African Academy of Christian Surgeons (PAACS)' Principles of Surgery Conference. This is a two week conference offering training for the surgical residents that are a part of the PAACS program. Erik gave one lecture on anatomy and another on trauma in children.
The big kids are still enjoying school and getting them up and out the door in the morning isn't nearly as painful as it was the first week.
I'm potty training our two year old. I'm using the potty training in one day method - this is day 7. I could use prayers! :)
Erik can now add Swahili to the list of languages that he can communicate in and I'm still only fluent in English and Pig-Latin. Ustmay eepkay udyingstay.

From Erik

2011-01-08T11:03:00.000+03:00

This week marked my first week of “full-time” work at the hospital. The patient volume has been uncharacteristically light, but this is allowing for an easier transition as I learn how the system here works. The hospital has a brand new suite of operating theaters that is very nice, and while I’ve done a few cases so far, I look forward to an increasing patient load. One goal of BethanyKids at Kijabe Hospital is to be able to provide broader neonatal care for Kenya and the region. Unfortunately, many children with congenital defects that are almost always curable in more developed countries die without ever making it to a healthcare facility that has the ability to treat their problem. The reasons for this are multifactorial but among other things involve delays in presentation, the ability to travel, and the cost of care. BethanyKids is already known throughout the region for the care it provides for the wide spectrum of spina bifida. We want to provide hope and holistic healing to families as we strive to increase awareness among the rural communities of Kenya as to the availability of affordable, quality pediatric surgical care at Kijabe Hospital for children with a wide array of congenital problems.

First Day of School

2011-01-08T09:52:00.000+03:00

Our older two kids started school this week at Rift Valley Academy. They both had a good week and are really enjoying being in school. So far, the hardest part has been getting them up and out the door every morning. We've sure been spoiled with our homeschooling schedule where we started school around the breakfast table at 8:30 while still in our PJs!

What We've Been Up To

2010-12-31T20:10:00.000+03:00

For the past few weeks we have had time to get settled here in Kijabe, work on learning Swahili and just spend some relaxed time as a family. We are all doing well and are enjoying our new home. Next week the older kids will start school, Erik will be at work full-time and we will be adjusting to a new routine. We're so thankful that we've had this time to ease into life here, but we are also very excited about what is ahead.

Prayer Requests

2010-12-27T09:05:00.000+03:00

So many of you have asked about specific ways you can be praying for us so I've decided to include an ongoing section on the side of our blog that will list current prayer requests. I will do my best to update those regularly so those of you that follow our blog via a blog reader may want to click through to the blog periodically so you can keep up with our prayer requests. We value your prayers and are so thankful for those of you who have committed to pray for us!

The 12 Days of our First Kenyan Christmas

2010-12-24T23:27:00.003+03:00

12 monkeys romping in our yard

11 failed attempts at catching a wily mouse

10 Kenyan shillings for a yummy andazi (Kenyan fry bread)

9 Swahili lessons (so far)

8 dusty, calloused and thorny kiddy feet

7 days of jetlag

6 inch slimy, white slugs

5 minute walk to the hospital

4 am - the time the Kijabe roosters start crowing

3 cases of the flu

2 grateful parents

1 very blessed new home

As we celebrate the birth of Christ, we pray that you will know the fullness of His joy and peace.

Merry Christmas from Kenya! Sikukuu njema ya Krismasi!

A Quick Update

2010-12-22T17:55:00.000+03:00

I just wanted to give you a quick update. Erik started working this week and is enjoying being back in the hospital after 7 weeks of rest. He has been working in the morning and we have our Swahili lessons in the afternoon. He will have his first night of call on Thursday and will be home for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. We're looking forward to a quiet celebration that will include Christmas caroling through the hospital, some of our favorite family traditions and Christmas dinner with some of the other missionaries here.

We hope that you all have meaningful time with family and friends.

First Case

2010-12-14T22:15:00.000+03:00

Erik isn't scheduled to start work at the hospital quite yet, but he did get to perform his first procedure in the OR yesterday. The patient just happened to be our 2 year old. I noticed a funny spot on his finger and pointed it out to Erik who quickly said, "Yeah, that has to come off and I'm going to need a scalpel."

As Erik got dressed to go to the hospital our 2 year old said to me, "Mommy, Daddy's going to cut it. Do not worry." He then looked at Erik who was now wearing his white coat and said with a surprise, "Daddy, you a doctor?"

Luckily, Erik's first case went quite well. The patient was very cooperative and hasn't reported any complications.

The House

2010-12-08T22:13:00.003+03:00

Our house is very modern by African standards. We have running water, electricity and plenty of space for our family. Here are a few pictures to give you an idea of what our house is like. We're still unpacking and getting settled, so please pardon our clutter! :)

The Garden

2010-12-07T22:09:00.000+03:00

When we arrived at our new home in Kijabe, we were so surprised to see such a lovely garden in our backyard. I wanted to share with you some of our favorite flowers from the garden.

Home!

2010-12-03T21:39:00.000+03:00

We made it to Kijabe this morning and while Erik and I unpacked bags, the kids explored our amazing yard. We laughed when we literally had to shake the dirt out of the 2 year old's curls before we could let him back into the house.

I have shared with many of you that I have been particularly concerned about our 8 year old's adjustment as he has been extremely nervous about this move and I've asked for you to pray for this transition. Today I was so touched to see how God answered your prayers. We had been at the house for less than 2 hours when we sat down for lunch. While we were eating we went around the table and everyone said what their favorite thing was so far. Obviously the 2 year old liked the sand box (which should probably be called a dirt box), the 5 year old liked the tree house and our 6 year old said she liked the whole house. When we got to our 8 year old he said, "I like everything about it. It just feels like home." Thank you so much for your prayers; we can't do what God has for us to do here without the wonderful senders we left behind!

We Made It!

2010-12-02T16:24:00.000+03:00

All children and bags are present and accounted for after two long, but uneventful flights. The kids did great and we were all able to sleep on the planes.

We've been running errands and gathering supplies in Nairobi today and tomorrow we will head off to our new home in Kijabe!

We do have one travel tip to pass along:

It is probably best if your 8 year old does not pack his night vision goggles and telescope in his carryon. Security frowns on those things. Luckily, after he was patted down and his bag thoroughly search, the agent tried out the night vision goggles and told him that he really liked them. I don't think the 8 year old was even bothered by all the "attention" and he was allowed to take his spy gear with him.

Thank you for your prayers!

Off to Kenya

2010-11-30T08:54:00.000+03:00

The bags are packed (all 22 of them) and we are eagerly and somewhat nervously anticipating our departure. We leave for Kenya on Tuesday afternoon and will arrive in Nairobi late Wednesday. We plan to spend a couple of days in Nairobi shopping and getting the things we will need to set up our home. On Friday we will head to our new home in Kijabe. We would appreciate your prayers for us as we travel. The kids are pretty nervous (the grown-ups are too) so please pray for peace for all of us. We also ask for you to pray for the logistics of traveling with 2 adults, 4 kids, 22 suitcases, 4 car seats, a stroller and 12 carryons. Pray for understanding gate agents and fellow passengers as well!

We'd love for you to follow our adventures on our blog and we hope to keep our friends, families and supporters updated with periodic emails. If you are not receiving our emails and would like to, please sign up using the tab at the top of our blog. We are so thankful for the love and support you've shown us as we've prepared for this next adventure in our lives and we covet your prayers.

The Goodbye Tour - Part 2

2010-11-29T17:16:00.000+03:00

Here are some more pictures from our Goodbye Tour. We've really enjoyed this time with friends and family!

Christmas in November

2010-11-29T17:13:00.001+03:00

Every year my mom gives all of the kids in the family pajamas to wear on Christmas Eve. It is a fun tradition that the kids get excited about each year, but they also understand that after they open the pajamas they all have to put them on for a group picture. This part of the tradition is not so much fun!

This year Mom gave them their pajamas at Thanksgiving since she wouldn't see us at Christmas this year. There were nine cousins, but we let the littlest one who was napping opt out of the picture! I'm not sure any of the photographers were able to get a good picture of all of the kids, but when I uploaded the pictures from my camera it sure was fun to laugh at the results I got. Any of you who have tried to get eight kids together for a picture can relate to this.

Online Giving

2010-11-18T07:01:00.000+03:00

During our initial two years in Kenya we will be partially funded by World Medical Mission's Post-Residency program and have been raising support for the balance of our ministry needs. World Medical Mission has created an account for us so that all gifts given to our ministry fund are tax deductible. Recently, World Medical Mission made it easier to give by setting up online giving. For those who would like to use the online option to financially support our work in Kenya, you can now do so by going to WMM's giving page and typing "Hansen" in the box. Our picture will show up and you can follow the directions on the screen to complete the process. You will be given the option to make a one time gift as well as a recurring gift. We are so thankful for the way so many of you have supported us and consider you true partners in the work we will be doing in Kenya.

First Baptist Church of Harlingen

2010-11-18T06:46:00.000+03:00

On Sunday, Erik had the opportunity to speak at the church he grew up in, First Baptist Church of Harlingen. That afternoon we were able to reconnect with old friends and meet many new people from the church at a reception. We enjoyed getting to visit with so many people and left feeling very encouraged.

The Goodbye Tour

2010-11-16T19:59:00.000+03:00

We are enjoying time with friends and family during these last two weeks before we leave for Kenya. We are looking forward to a big family Thanksgiving and catching up with Texas friends! Here are some pictures from our tour so far:

Homeless

2010-11-03T06:07:00.000+03:00

We moved out of our apartment in Nashville on Saturday and are now homeless and living out of our cars! We're so thankful for good friends and family who are housing us for the next few weeks as we are on our "Goodbye Tour."

Our first stop was in Birmingham for our church commissioning. Our church family truly surrounded us and loved us well as they prayed for us and sent us off. We felt so loved and encouraged and it was great for the kids to see just how many people were supporting us and praying for us! Our small group hosted a lovely lunch for us and it was fun to catch up and spend time together.

A good blogger would have lots of pictures to document these events, but I've never claimed to be a good blogger. :)

Just Checking In!

2010-10-19T22:03:00.000+03:00

We now have a little over a week left in Nashville. We have really enjoyed catching up with our Nashville friends, but the time has really flown by. We will be moving out on October 30th and on October 31st we will be commissioned at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham. We are so thankful to be a part of this faith family and are honored to be sent by a church that is committed to spreading the gospel around the world. We are looking forward to a sweet time with family and friends. We will then spend November at an orientation with Serving in Mission (SIM) and traveling to visit friends and family.

Right now we are feverishly trying to get packed and once again we are purging things we will not be taking. Please pray for us as we prepare and travel. Also pray for our kids as they will be living out of their suitcases and abandoning their routine for the next several weeks. Overall, they are handling this pretty well, but are showing some signs of anxiety.

We are so thankful for our friends and family who are encouraging us and praying for us as we prepare to move to Kenya! We are dependent on God's faithfulness and rely on your prayers! Thank you!

Doubts

2010-09-16T23:47:00.000+03:00

Lately, I have been having doubts. I've doubted whether or not I could really do this. I'm not exactly the adventuring type - I don't even like to go on vacation. Why would I go to Kenya? I'm not really good with people - there are days that I don't even like people. How am I going to do life and ministry with people from a different culture? After 35 years of practice I've still not completely mastered English - how will I be able to learn Swahili? Life here is comfortable and we are happy - why are we packing up our family and moving to Africa? The list of doubts goes on and on and the journey ahead seems really hard and a little bit crazy.

Today at Bible study the teacher talked about how Lazarus had been dead and in a tomb for four days when Jesus finally came and instructed him to "Come forth" and Lazarus got up and came forth! Our Bible study teacher pointed out that since Lazarus was dead he had no power of his own to come forth. Lazarus didn't do anything special nor did he possess special skills that allowed him to conquer death. Lazarus rose from the dead because his Lord called him and told him to do it. It was the power of Jesus' call to Lazarus that allowed him to rise from the dead.

I've known that I need Christ in me to do what God has called me to do, but in my mind I thought it was Jesus + me. Christ alone gave Lazarus life! It wasn't Jesus + Lazarus. It was Jesus alone.

Right now I'm feeling a lot like dead man Lazarus. I don't have much to offer and don't really know what I'm doing or how I'm going to do it. But today I'm leaning hard on the God who has called us to Kenya and trusting that the very same God who breathed life into ordinary Lazarus' dead corpse will accomplish His purposes in and through our ordinary lives. I'm trusting that with God's call comes His provision and His power!

I may need some of you to remind me of this a few months down the road when I'm in the throes of culture shock and wondering how I will survive.

Frequently Asked Questions - Part 3

2010-09-14T18:30:00.001+03:00

Most of the questions we get are predictable and we were prepared to answer them, but we were initially caught off guard by what is probably the most common question we are asked. The conversation is usually with someone who does not know us well and it follows a predictable series of questions that goes something like this:

"You're moving to Africa?"

"You have four kids?"

"Are you taking them with you?"

I'm pretty sure the people asking these questions think it is crazier to take four kids to Africa than it would be to go without them.

So just to make sure we are perfectly clear...

4. Are you taking your kids with you?

yes

Frequently Asked Questions - Part 2

2010-09-07T05:00:00.002+03:00

2. How long are you staying?

We are moving to Africa indefinitely. Our initial two years will be through World Medical Mission's "Post Residency Program" (a branch of Samaritan's Purse). WMM helps us establish ourselves in Kijabe over the course of a 2-year period just after the completion of Erik's formal training. We then have the opportunity to transition to a long-term mission sending organization. We are very grateful to have the chance to to work with Serving In Mission (SIM) which has allowed us to begin making plans for continuing with them after our time with WMM is completed. We plan to make Kenya home.

3. What will the kids do for school?

We are so excited that the kids will be able to attend Rift Valley Academy. RVA is a boarding school that serves missionary families throughout Africa. It is located just up the hill from the hospital and our children will be able to attend as a day school. We are so thankful that they will be in a Christ-centered school with a diverse student population.

Frequently Asked Questions - Part 1

2010-09-06T05:00:00.001+03:00

We are going to be using the next few blog posts to answer some of the many questions we've been asked about our move to Kenya. Feel free to add your questions in the comments section as well!

1. What will your housing be like?

Our housing will not be very different from what we are used to in the US. The housing is quite modern and we will have running water and electricity (most of the time). We do not know exactly where we will be living, but all of the physicians' housing is within a very short walk to the hospital. We will likely be in a duplex or an apartment of some type.

Here is a picture of the apartment Erik and I stayed in when we visited last year.

An update

2010-08-09T23:33:00.001+03:00

I know it seems that we've disappeared, but we're still here! We are enjoying Nashville and a slower pace of life. We are really enjoying having Erik home most nights and weekends and the kids are loving that they can spend more time with Daddy.

We're continuing to prepare for our move to Kenya and are trying not to get overwhelmed by all that we need to get done before we leave in a few short months. We have a long "to do" list that lingers over us during our "free" time.

We have a week of orientation with World Medical Mission coming up in late August and are eager to learn more about this wonderful program that we will be affiliated with for the first two years we are in Kenya. We will also have a week of orientation with Serving in Mission (SIM) in November as they will be our sending organization after we complete our initial two years with World Medical Mission.

We are also planning our "goodbye tour" the last two weeks of November where we can go to Texas and say goodbye to family and friends before we catch a plane from DFW to Nairobi at the end of November.

We are so thankful for our family and friends that continue to encourage us in so many ways and are so thankful for your prayers. Please pray for our kids as the reality of this is starting to hit them and they are very nervous about all the "unknowns" that are ahead of us.

Graduation!

2010-06-26T07:44:00.000+03:00

Today we celebrated Erik's graduation from 29th grade. He has participated in many graduations in his life.
Here are pictures from a few of them.

Kindergarten: I really love the tie and the brown pants!

Undergraduate

Medical School

Tonight Erik was honored for completing his pediatric surgery fellowship. The department hosted a lovely dinner and we enjoyed having family in town to celebrate with us. We are all so proud of him!

Home??

2010-06-19T03:38:00.000+03:00

Two years ago we received a BIG surprise when found out we had a new baby and we brought him home from the hospital six days before we moved from Nashville to Birmingham. Our Nashville friends really became the hands and feet of Christ as they came and brought food, packed and loaded our home, and cleaned our house so we could keep it on the market. I don't really remember much about those days, but I remember standing around with a newborn strapped to me just watching people pack boxes, move furniture and love on us in such a tangible way. As we were going to bed that last night before we moved, Erik and I recounted all that our Nashville friends had done and were still doing to serve our family and we talked about how hard it would be to leave these friends who had become family to us. I certainly couldn't imagine Birmingham becoming a home to us like Nashville had become home.

When we drove into Birmingham the next day we got lost trying to find our house and we continued to get lost EVERY time we left home for several weeks. Even if I wasn't physically lost in this city, I sure did feel lost. I had four kids ages five and under and we didn't know anyone. I resented that Erik got to go to work and I was left wandering around this strange city - feeling lost. It was also hard for us to adjust because we knew we'd only be here for two years and I didn't think that was enough time for this city to begin to feel like home for us.

Here I am two years later with a house full of boxes as we prepare to move back to Nashville for a few months. Once again I am amazed at the wonderful friends who are serving us and blessing us. Friends that are partnering with us in ministry, friends that are helping with kids so I can pack, friends that are bringing food for us and friends that are committing to love on our family even when we are across the globe. Somehow this city I was determined not to get too attached to has become home. I'm not sure when it happened or how it happened, but I've grown to love the community that God placed us in during these two years and part of me isn't quite ready to leave it behind.

It is a bittersweet move as we leave behind one home to return to our former home. We are looking forward to catching up with precious friends in Nashville and know that they will be a great source of encouragement to us as we prepare to make our new home in Kenya.

God has provided for us in amazing ways as we have journeyed with Him one step at a time and we are so thankful for the many friends who have loved us well along the way.

What to keep?

2010-06-02T06:49:00.000+03:00

OK, I'm sure you guys are going to get tired of my packing and purging posts but that seems to be consuming my life right now! Today I was working in the kitchen. It was shocking how many of my Ziploc containers didn't have lids and how many extra lids were just taking up space in there.

I've also been trying to decide what kitchen appliances we will actually be taking to Kenya with us. We won't have room to take everything so we have to decide which things are necessities for our family. Fry Daddy - so long. Coffee maker - gone. Electric can opener - who needs you? Crock pot - bye bye. Cookie press - why on earth is this so hard for me to part with? Food processor - definitely keep. Ice Cream freezer - certainly not practical, but I think it may be going with us.

So I'm wondering: What kitchen appliances would you consider to be necessities?

It's All Got to Go

2010-05-29T04:26:00.001+03:00

We move to Nashville one month from today and will be moving to Kenya in about six months. As we pack up our house I'm really trying to get rid of all of the junk, clutter and excess that we've accumulated. This process has been a bit overwhelming for me.

I used to say that a child can never have too many books, but the fifteen boxes of books we've gotten rid of over the past several months say otherwise.

When we got married we registered for two sets of dishes, two sets of flatware and three sets of glasses. I have no idea why I thought I'd have a use for all of that or that I'd even like it when we finally had an opportunity to use it, but we got carried away with the registry gun at Dillard's and now I'm trying to find good homes for these barely used dishes.

Goodwill really loves us as they have been the recipient of many boxes of clothes, towels and toys over the past few weeks. In fact, I keep taking our stuff to different drop-off locations because I'm afraid they'll start to recognize me and when they see me coming they will laugh and say something like, "I wonder what the Junk Lady is bringing for us today?"

A few items have me stumped. Should we save them? Should we just give them away? Could we make any money off of them? Here is one of them:

This is Erik's Garbage Pail Kid collection. He has hundreds of these cards that he has saved from the mid-80's. I'm so glad Erik is no longer attached to these and is willing to give them up, but I don't really have time to go through them all to see which ones are valuable. I think I may have to recruit a certain 7 year old to help me with this task.

I'm actually really looking forward to being free of all of the junk - especially the Garbage Pail Kids! I like the idea of living more simply and having less clutter in our lives. I'm just not sure I like the process involved in getting there.

We're still here!

2010-05-21T16:13:00.000+03:00

We haven't disappeared from the blogosphere, we've just been a little busy.

Erik will be graduating from 29th grade at the end of June and as the end is finally in sight, we both have a bad case of senioritis. After 9 years of training, we are really looking forward to being done! After he finishes in Birmingham, we will be heading back to Nashville for a few months where he will be working at Vanderbilt until we leave for Kenya. We don't know an exact departure date for Kenya, but it looks like it will be November or December.

The move to Nashville is bittersweet for all of us. We loved living in Nashville and are excited to return, but we really hate to leave behind the relationships in Birmingham and our church home here. We would really appreciate your prayers for us as we have lots of changes and transitions in store for us.

Questions from a 4 Year Old

2010-03-01T23:13:00.001+03:00

Today while riding in the car my four year old asks me, "Mom, will we have breakfast in Africa?" I said, "Yes." He said, "What about lunch and dinner?" I said, "We'll eat lunch and dinner too." After a few minutes of quiet he asked, "Will there be kitars (guitars) in Africa?" I said, "Yes, there will be guitars." He then said, "OK, that sounds good then." Apparently, all of his fears have been relieved!!

I wish it was that easy with our older two kids who are beginning to express more concerns about going and they have some very real and reasonable fears. I would love to be able to tell them that everything will be perfectly fine and that there won't be any problems, but none of us can really promise our kids that. Instead, we're just trying to point them to the promises of the God who called us to Africa and remind them that He will never leave us or forsake us. We appreciate your prayers for our family during this time.

Pictures!

2010-02-09T06:54:00.000+03:00

We thought you might like to see some pictures of our future home. Erik and I had the opportunity to visit Kijabe in May and here are some of the pictures from our visit.

This is the entrance to the mission station.

This is the security entrance to the hospital.

the clinic entrance to Kijabe Hospital

entrance to the BethanyKids Pediatric Ward

the Operating Theatre (OR)

the scrub room

emergency triage

recovery room

back entrance to hospital

BethanyKids is building a duplex on this lot and we have been told that one of the units has been designated for our family. Our friends Megan and Rhett, who moved to Kijabe in November, took this picture so we would have a "before" picture. The kids have already spotted a good climbing tree!

The Radical Experiment

2010-01-06T01:24:00.000+03:00

We just wanted to let you know about what our church is doing over the next year and invite you to join us if you'd like to. We are making a commitment to an intentional pursuit of Christ as individuals, families and as a church. Specifically, we're committing to:

1. Pray for the entire world over the course of the year. We'll be using the Operation World website as a daily guide for our individual prayer time and a book called Window on the World as a guide for families. I'm really looking forward to teaching our kids about what is going on in other parts of the world and guiding them as they learn to intentionally pray for the entire world.

2. Read through the entire word over the course of the year. The Bible reading plan that we are using is unique in that it is chronological from creation to new creation rather than just following the order of the books of the Bible. You can follow along with us at the Radical Experiment website. We're only on day 2 so you're not too late to join in. A Family Worship Guide is also available so you can lead your families in a weekly Bible lesson, scripture memory, song and prayer time.

3. Give our money sacrificially for urgent physical and spiritual needs around the world.

4. Spend time in another context - either across the globe or in another part of your city.

5. Be involved in a local church.

It sounds like a lot, but it is all part of pursuing Christ and we are excited to have a church body to encourage us and to hold us accountable. We'd love it if you'd like to join us as individuals, families or small groups. The Radical Experiment website will be updated weekly so you can follow along in prayer and Bible reading. You can also listen to the weekly messages that will go along with our reading for the week prior.

As we look at the year ahead and all that God has in store for our family, we are amazed and humbled. As we approach this year, we want to be intentional about pursuing Christ simply for the sake of knowing Him more. If we accomplish anything else, it will simply be overflow.

"To Kenya"

2009-12-31T01:03:00.001+03:00

A box in our storage room is marked "To Kenya." It overflows with our favorite Christmas items that we want to take with us. As we packed up our Christmas decorations, it was interesting to see what ended up in that box. It wasn't the most expensive items, but the things that we have made or things that have fond memories associated with them. We packed our advent calendar that we made last year, our two favorite nativity scenes, as well as some of our favorite (non-breakable) ornaments. I realized that we have way too much stuff and most of it really isn't important. Our dining room now holds several boxes of Christmas decorations ready to go to Goodwill.

I'm sure there will be many trips to Goodwill over the next year as we eliminate the junk we've filled our house with. It is strange to think that in several months our belongings will be reduced to a small number of suitcases marked "To Kenya."

We are so thankful to have friends and family that are supporting us in our adventure and we value your friendship! If my "To Kenya" box was big enough I would love to pack you all up to take with us! Instead, we will enjoy communicating with you from afar and will cherish your prayers and encouragement! We'd also love visitors!!!

A

Sign Up for our Email Newsletter

2009-12-21T00:46:00.001+03:00

Many of you have asked about receiving email updates from us once we are in Kijabe so we have set up a form that is located under the tab that says Newsletter Sign-up that will allow you to sign up for our email newsletter. We hope to send regular emails to update you on our ministry and life in Kenya.

Where We are Headed

2009-12-05T07:05:00.000+03:00

About a year from now, our family will be living in Kijabe, Kenya. Erik and I had the privilege of visiting Kijabe in May and were amazed and excited by the people, the hospital and the beauty of the country. Kenya is in East Africa on the coast of the Indian Ocean. The national language of Kenya is Swahili, but the official language is English. Apart from Swahili and English, each of the more than 40 tribes have their own tribal language or dialect.

Operation World is a favorite website of ours and has a wealth of information about Kenya, the role of missionaries there, as well as information on how you can best pray for Kenya.

Kijabe is about an hour northwest of Nairobi and sits on the edge of the Rift Valley. Kijabe houses one of the largest mission stations in the world which includes Kijabe Hospital, CURE Hospital, Rift Valley Academy (a school for missionary kids), and Moffatt Bible College.

Kijabe Hospital is owned and run by the local African Inland Church and provides excellent medical care, training for medical professionals as well as spiritual care for patients and their families. Kijabe hospital also offers the only accredited pediatric surgery fellowship training program in East Africa.

We are so excited and eager to join in the work that God is doing in Kijabe, Kenya and are thankful for your prayers and encouragement.

Kids Can Tour the World

2009-11-29T08:35:00.000+03:00

I recently discovered a great website called SIM Kids that allows kids to take an internet tour of the world. It features countries in Asia, Africa and South America and offers fact sheets, biographies, games, puzzles, crafts, stories and recipes from the various countries. The website also shares information about how kids can be missionaries and how they can pray for missionaries around the world. Of course, we are most interested in the information about Kenya, but I really could have done without reading the story of the boy whose dad nearly stepped on a spitting cobra when he went to the bathroom one night!

Welcome

2009-11-16T01:09:00.000+03:00

Welcome to our blog. We created this blog in hopes that our friends and families will follow us as we journey to Kijabe, Kenya at the end of 2010. We have been accepted into World Medical Missions' Post-Residency Program and Erik will be serving as a pediatric surgeon at Kijabe Hospital. We are so excited about what God has in store for us and hope that you will pray for us as we prepare.