May 29, 2013.

Our work is done.

We have used our God-given talents to serve others.  1 Peter 4:10 says: "Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in it's various forms".

This is the guiding scripture for Hands For God Ministry and describes how this team functioned.  Mark and I used our gifts to ease our patients' pain.  Caroline and Julie were fantastic assistants in harsh conditions.  Michelle examined every patient.  Eileen, Steve, Layne, Tammy, Stephanie, Jason, Danielle and Kayla did eye exams, completed all paperwork, dispensed meds and loved on the kids.  Using their talents to serve God's children.

Thank you to KWO Ministries for inviting us on this mission trip.  Please check out their ministry at www.kwoministries.org.  They are well organized 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that is doing awesome work in Kenya.  They are worthy of your financial support.

Sorry that our pictures wouldn't upload.  Visit my Facebook page to see them.

A special thanks to my beautiful wife, Julie.  Her love for me takes her outside of her comfort zone to follow me around the world.  I love her so much.

We are packing the trucks.  A long drive to Nairobi ahead of us.  I will post about our road trip later.

May 28, 2013


What a great finish!

We started early and left at 7am.  We returned to Adingo-Opanga and immediately began to treat patients.  It got hot early.  We had to screen over 110 orphans and widows, so we had to work hard.

Our team's chemistry had gelled and we were moving patients through.  I don't know if I mentioned that we had a physicians assistant with who did full physicals and prescribed medications.  Whooping cough, scabies, ringworm, skin rashes, parasitic cataracts and gastric issues were the main diagnoses.  We were warned to treat every patient as if they were HIV positive.

Mark and I had a lot of tough extractions on the widows, who presented with teeth rotted  below the gum line.  Limited instruments and low light made success difficult.  The sound of the children playing with new soccer balls kept our hearts light.  Several of the orphanage's goats wandered close and started bleating.  I had to answer.  Questions were posed about my sanity.

I passed on the peanut butter sandwich that I had in my backpack, to have my last Kenyan lunch.  Charred pinto beans were added to our menu, so I had the Kenyan version of bean and avocado burrito.

As the end of the approached, the sun was setting in our window, which made it hot, but put warm glow on our patients and actually was brighter than my headlamp.  Was God lighting the way for last few patients?

There was a cheer when Mark finished a very hard third molar extraction.  We had worked longer than planned because we wanted see everyone, but now we had to pack quickly to get down the dirt road before dark.

Today, Mark extracted 42 bad teeth.  Julie and I extracted 21 teeth and filled 22 teeth.  Over 110 kids and widows were screened.  A great day of care.

The Land Cruisers were packed.  The children were hugged.  We waved goodbye.

At 8pm, we returned to the hotel-13 hours after we departed.

Tired.  Happy.  Fulfilled.

Whew... tough day.

Another early start with breakfast at 7am and then a two hour drive to KWO Ministries' Ongoro orphanage.
 
Even though this location had electricity, we had problems.  When we would try to use both units, the main fuses would trip.  So we defaulted to one unit again.

The morning was very hot.  I did most of the screenings outside, using the sun for my light.  This orphanage houses 170 children.  It was very clean and the kids were very polite.  Lunch was (again) white rice, red rice, dough, Texas tortillas, mystery meat and the slowest chicken.

After lunch, we had a short chance to play with kids.  We jumped rope together.  They were fascinated with soap bubbles.  Lots of laughter and smiles.  Today was college t-shirt day, so everyone wore their colors.The afternoon session started with two very tough extractions for both Mark and me.  This tired us and slowed us down.  Then a monsoon hit that was so loud that when the rain hit the metal roof, we had to yell to hear each other.

As it grew later, we were all tired, then a melody began to flow through the courtyard.  The children started singing "You are My All in All".  A new energy flowed into us and we finished strong.  Julie will tell about the singing.

At day's end, we screened 109 children.  Mark extracted 29 bad teeth.  Julie and I extracted 2 teeth and did 21 fillings

Most in our Land Cruiser tried to nap on the way home (impossible with bumpy roads).
Almost to Kericho, Julie looked over her left shoulder and told everyone to look at the sunset.  I grabbed my camera and got a shot of the blazing red glow piercing the clouds.  Maybe God's thank you for a hard day's work?

We returned to the hotel 12 hours later.

Tired.  Hungry.  Satisfied... for serving God's children.


Prayer Warriors please pile on the prayer for strength and safe travel.  We want see at least another 100 children today and we have 4 hours of travel.  Tomorrow we have a 7 hour drive back to Nairobi.

JULIE:
This was a tough day...we are not promised easy. Encouraged by words sent in earlier email from John:  "Work stinking hard. Grow closer to Christ."
Appreciate your prayers and love you all!  :)

What a great way to celebrate my birthday.

We had breakfast at 7am and left at 7:30am.  A 2.5 hour drive to KWO's Adingo-Opango location.  We celebrated Holy Communion with our brothers and sisters on the other side of the world in Kenya.  Two local pastors shared scripture in English and the local dialect.  Children sang for us.  Voices were loud.  Hands were clapping.  No organs. No keyboards.  Just praise.

We didn't know the words, but we felt the Spirit.  It fascinated me that we were a family in Christ, even though we had never met before.  This was truly a God moment.  Eileen, our team leader commented that we (Americans) have a lot to learn about worshipping our Lord.  Amen.

Lunch was white rice, red rice, Kenyan tortillas (my Texas diagnosis), a huge pile of cornbread dough, some brown meat and the slowest chicken.  Then to work.

Again, the generators would not power up both dental units.  We quickly followed yesterday's plan.  We screened 47 patients.  Mark extracted 21 bad teeth and Julie and I filled 21 teeth.  This smaller location was in a 16x24 aluminum building and was hot.  Good thing that I doubled up on deodorant this morning!  Not bad for 2.5 hours of work.

About two hours into clinic, it struck me what a wonderful wife that I had.  One who would travel around the world with her man, to the poorest people, suck spit and blood, sweat, and still smile.  I stopped drilling, looked her in eyes and told her, "I love you".

We had to leave early because the skies had turned black and we had a 45 minute mountain drive on red African dirt roads.  Luckily, we dodged the storm, but saw one wrecked Jeep, and so much small hail that it looked like snow.

The power went for about 30 minutes before dinner, so everyone sang Happy Birthday to me with candlelight and I blew out one of the candles.

A great birthday.

JULIE:
Hard to describe today....for you 4th Dayers....you know that feeling when you first arrive and wonder what you're doing there and then minute by minute, day by day, He shows you.  Worship was truly just that ....worship....I felt very small...very humbled....a good thing.

Though my skills as a dental assistant are extremely limited, I do feel that God is using me as a comforter to His scared and hurting.  Touch is powerful.
I am grateful to be working alongside a man who listens and honors our God through his actions and his gifts.

We are having fun, developing community....all while loving and praying for those of you at home ....we miss you.  Our Internet is supplied by what I'm sure is a very expensive portable wi-fi courtesy of KWO Ministries ( and if you haven't checked out their website,,,DO) ....must try and get some sleep for a very busy day tomorrow....supposed to see over 100 kids tomorrow.  Love you all". :)

May 25, 2013


What a great, long day!

We left the hotel at 8am and returned at 8pm.  It was a 1.5 hour drive to KWO's Muhuroni Orphanage.  The Kenyan roads proved to be the same mix of asphalt and mud.  No close calls with our fellow drivers today.  Only one truck sideways in a ditch today.

When we arrived, there about 50 kids sitting quietly under a tent waiting for us.  This was the first time that KWO has moved out to a remote location, usually the orphans come to a central site.  So... in keeping with Murphy's Law, things didn't go as planned.

The orphanage's generator would not make enough power to run both of our dental units.  While I did my McGyver thing, Dr. Albritton started screening patients.  Over an hour later, we had to split treatment duties.  The 220v issue would only let one dental unit work.  Mark and his daughter did extractions, while Julie and I did all the fillings.

At day's end, we screened 112 patients.  Extracted 33 bad teeth and placed 13 fillings.  The children also received eye exams and physicals.  Not bad, for 6 hours of work!

My God Moment today was when I took a short break and one of the team jokingly asked, "Why aren't you working?"  I was looking out the wire fence window at children playing with the soccer ball we brought, listening to the laughter, seeing older people sitting the tent, with those cool, flat top African trees close and rolling African mountains in the background.  I answered, "I just want to soak it in".

We leave at 7:30am on 5/26 to drive over 2 hours to attend church in Adingo-Opanga,  then treat their orphans in the afternoon.

Thanks for reading!

From JULIE:
Briefly....this country is beautiful.  It's landscapes created by God, as its people....gentle, quiet, peaceful. Amidst the hustle and bustle of readying the treatment area this morning, I was stopped in my tracks as I heard what sounded like "Lion King Disney" music floating through the air.  No strings, no drums.....but the harmony.....oh my goodness....and singing what?  Praises to our Lord!  (Caroline recorded it in voice memo and will forward to me when we get cell service and I will post.)  I can only imagine what tomorrow's worship will be like!

I miss and love all of you my family and friends (and students!) and will post more as time and service allow.

SEE PHOTOS BELOW:

5/25/13

Sorry about the abrupt end of our road journey, we had wifi for a short time at a restaurant.

We are leaving to go to a KWO feeding station and will post tonight.

After over 28 hours of travel, we finally laid our heads down on our pillows.

We only got around 3 hours of sleep because we had little kids sitting behind us kicking our chairs and crying on both flights.  We went to bed at 12:30am local time and got up at 6:30. We had some chai (coffee, tea, milk, sugar) to jump start us with a breakfast of mandazis (like beignets).

KWO Ministries has a nice 20 bed dormitory for visiting teams.  Julie said that we had a guard last night-armed with a bow and arrows.

We are driving on Kenya's incredibly bumpy roads for 6 hours to get to the Tea Hotel in Kericho.  Tomorrow, we will drive for 1 1/2 hours to the Muhoroni orphanage, where we will see over 100 children.  I am trying to get used to the driving on the wrong side of the road. (Slight interruption in writing to kill a huge horsefly that flew into Layne's hair).  I think that our drivers are former NASCAR drivers-speeding, weaving around giant potholes and playing chicken with oncoming traffic when passing slow vehicles, bikes, motorcycles and donkey-pulled carts.

On the roadside, there are hundreds of shanty market stands, selling packets of coal, fruit, sticks for construction, candy, worn clothes, baskets, animal skins, toilet paper-there are very few "stores".

The countryside is beautiful, when not interrupted by the signs of poverty.

Dr. Mark Albritton from mid-county is working with us, assisted by daughter, Caroline.  KWO has most of the dental supplies that we will use in country.  There 13 on our team.  Most are from Golf Course Road Church of Christ.  About half are college-aged.  Their church formed KWO Ministries and it is now a separate 501(c)(3) - like MOSIAC is with Wesley UMC.  Please visit their website to learn about their mission work in Kenya- www.kwoministries.com.

Wow!  We just saw a herd of antelope on the left side and zebras and water buffalo on the right.

Now, we are stuck in the middle of about 50 18-wheelers at weigh station.  Street (highway) vendors are trying sell us their stuff through the windows.

OMG-an oncoming car who was passing in his lane had to pull to the shoulder on our side to keep from hitting us head-on!  Everyone just snugged up their seatbelt.

05/17/13

As we pack, we would like to thank our friends who made donations for this trip.  Baptist Hospital provided us with some of our vaccinations and new scrubs.  Cotton Cargo embroidered our logo on the scrubs.  Munro's Safety Apparel donated some awesome long-sleeved fishing shirts that will cool in the day and warm at night, and they embroidered our logo on the shirts. Our Sunday School class, the Daily Walkers, made a generous donation for expenses.  Thank You and May God Bless You Always!

05/13/13: Set up blog tonight. Packing for our mission trip to Kenya. Check back.