Last Sunday, there was only one Mass here at Gekano so we decided to travel with Fr. David to an Outstation called Nyamwanga.  He usually has three Masses every Sunday but because of a special Mass happening at here Gekano, he had just the one.  The one Mass at Gekano was held outdoors as many people were expected - a young man who is from this parish and recently ordained, was the celebrant.  The Mass was scheduled to start at 10 am but since we can hear everything being the church is just across the alley, it started around 10:30 and it lasted until 2:30 pm.  We were glad we attended Mass at the Outstation! 

On Monday, Wednesday and Thursday of this past week, we held follow ups and home visits for the water filter program.  For the follow ups, we traveled to five different locations with around 150 women attending.  When we arrived at Geta, no one had the key to the gate to get into the church courtyard which also meant no one had the key to get into the church.  One of the mamas, whose shamba was not far from the church, offered for the women to gather in her yard.  Some chairs were brought from the house though the mamas preferred to find a rock pile or the grass to sit on.  The sky was blue with fluffy white clouds, the air was filled with the laughter and chatter of the women as they worked in their books and as the cows meandered by to take a look at the women, one could hear them grab mouthfuls of grass and the sound of chewing.  Finally, the chirping birds that filled the nearby trees provided background music…it was a beautiful setting. For three of the groups, it was their sixth and final follow up and for those who attended five or all six of the follow ups, we will deliver blankets to them next week.  We, along with Lilian, also made home visits in the Enchoro area – an area we have now finished.  Forty-five women in this area were trained and received a filter and bucket in January of 2022 with most of them now qualifying to receive a 210-liter water drum since they were using and properly cleaning their filter after our home visit.  Once our truckload of drums is delivered to the shamba, we will look at dates to get the water drums to the women.  Just as we did last week when making home visits to this area, we saw beautiful landscapes as we went from shamba to shamba – large tea fields and shambas dotting the sides of the mountains as we walked along.  Some of the hills probably had a slope of 45 to 50 degrees which we carefully walked along grabbing onto tree branches as we walked down or up the hill to the shambas while Lilian and our guide, Berita, walked like mountain goats not hanging onto anything and even at times with walking with their hands behind their back!  Walking these hills is second nature to them – we got our workout for the day!

On Tuesday, we spent time at the new shamba checking on the progress.  Several different groups of fundi (skilled worker) are at the shamba from those laying the tile on walls and floors, the welder working on the railings (stairways, parapet, and second floor porch) and those pouring the terrazzo on the roof.  The terrazzo needs to “cure” for a period of time and once ready, the fundi will use a grinding pad to smooth the texture and finally, it will be polished and sealed.  We are still waiting on the tile for the bedrooms, chapel, and office – these are the tiles that will have a wood look.  Hopefully they arrive this week so work can continue.  In the next week or so, we need to go to Kisii to pick out the color of the cabinets for the kitchen, bathroom, laundry, office and wardrobes for the bedrooms. 

On Friday, we left after Mass to take an orphan for physical therapy on her knee and then to see the doctor for a checkup.  After physical therapy and seeing the doctor, it was decided that a MRI should be done to see if there was anything else going on since she was still having a lot of pain.  Kathy set her expectations low when she went to the Cashier window to pay the consultation fees but even though she did that, she still got frustrated with those who tried to cut the line.  At one point, as a mama tried to push her way in front of Kathy, Kathy wouldn’t budge and simply pointed with her thumb to indicate to the women she needs to go to the back of the line.  The women stared at Kathy though Kathy didn’t care…enough was enough!  Finally, the woman went to the back.  We arrived in Kisii that morning at 8:30 am and didn’t leave until almost 3 pm.  It was a very long day. 

This past week we receive a little over four inches of rain – much needed rains.  On Monday evening we received 1.60 inches which helped to fill our water drums from the water coming off the Sister’s roof.  It rained small amounts on a few other days though on Saturday afternoon and into the early evening, we received 2.30 inches.  We now have about 4 feet of water in the cistern thanks to the rains, some water now back in the borehole and the Sister’s filling our tank for a couple of hours one day – we are getting back to a more comfortable level of water in the cistern. Should we continue to get rains as we did this past week, we can hopefully stop hauling water into the house to flush the toilet.  Once we are at the new house, water should not be a problem since we have a deep well there but hopefully, we always keep in mind how not to waste water even though there is an ample supply of it.  We tend to take water for granted and yet there are many places in the world – some not very far from us here in Kenya - where they haven’t had any measurable precipitation for a long time and many animals are dying and people are starving. 

On Saturday morning, Wes went with Fr. David, Robert and Janet to Ichuni for Mission Saturday and then back to Gekano for Mission Saturday.  While Wes was in Ichuni for Mission Saturday he took an orphan back to the doctor for a follow up.  When the Wellness Seminars the Mission sponsors were held in January of this year, a young man who is in high school was found to have a very low hemoglobin and iron deficiency.  After iron therapy over the past few months, he had a hemoglobin recheck in July at which time the results were almost the same before taking the iron – the doctor told him in July to eat more nutritious meals which is easier said than done.  In the end, supplements were prescribed again and hopefully his iron levels come up.  What was of more concern to the doctor was the young man’s blood pressure – it was very high for someone his age.  The doctor instructed him to return to the clinic several times this week for a recheck and if still high, further investigation will take place.  Instead of going to mission Saturday, Kathy drove to Kisii to pick up the orphan who had been seen on Friday to take her back to the doctor to discuss the MRI results.  Before going to the hospital to see the doctor, they had to stop at a different hospital to pick up the MRI results.  Here, when you have labs, x-rays, or in this case an MRI, the patient is the one who picks up the results and takes them to the appointment.  The patient is also responsible for keeping their records.  After picking up the results, Kathy drove to the ortho doctor’s office in the hospital.  On Friday when Kathy asked the doctor what time he wanted them to come, he stated he would be at the office by 9 am but that was not the case…he finally arrived at 10:30 am!  In the end, physical therapy on the knee area will be continued for the time being to see if the pain will lessen.  The diagnosis is Sinding-Larsen-Johansson Syndrome which usually affects teens as they grow.  The pain at the bottom of the kneecap is caused by swelling and irritation of the growth plate.  It usually goes away when the teen is done growing and per the doctor usually doesn’t cause lasting problems.  This orphan has been dealing with the pain for almost a year but didn’t say anything to us – it was only when we noticed her limping on the way to Mass a few months ago and started asking her questions that we took her to the doctor.  She had said something at school and was given pain killers but nothing more done.  We have come to see that because of people not being able to afford health insurance and/or even to self-pay, medical issues are not taken care of.  Because this young lady is enrolled in the Bismarck Mission Education Program, she will receive the care she needs.  These are just two examples of the orphans able to receive medical care because of the generosity of those who support the Mission.  If not for the Mission, they most likely would not get the care they need…we are grateful and we know they are too.  This young lady has always expressed her gratitude for being able to go to the doctor…another one of those things we take for granted. 

On Friday of this week, Emma is getting married to Vincent.  We have attended funerals here in Kenya but this will be our first wedding.  As we have driven to follow ups, trainings, etc. over the past few months with Lilian and Emma, we have been educated on how weddings are done here.  Some things appear the same while others are very different.  Emma and Vincent don’t necessarily decide everything for the wedding – the women of the church as well as the people Emma and Vincent chose to be their sponsors decide a number of things. Emma stated one day that there are 6 flower girls to which Kathy asked, “why are there are so many” to which Emma answered, “they are like a decoration”!  There were days as we drove, when we would burst out laughing at some of the things said and stories told by Lilian and Emma.  For instance, the wedding party is called the “marching squad”!  They don’t have a “head table” – it is called a “high table”.  We are sure it will be an interesting time and we will probably have numerous things to write about it in next week’s blog.  The wedding is scheduled at 10 am but our bets are on it starting much later because nothing here starts on time!

Please know that we keep you in our prayers and ask that you keep us, the Mission, and those we serve in yours.  Mungu Akubariki!

See photos from this week in the album section by clicking on the link below.  Note:  If unable to view the photos using the link below, you can still view them by going to St. Joseph’s Parish website and scrolling down to the section titled Kenya Mission – photo album.  The website:  www.stjparish.com


https://stjparish.com/photoalbums/kenya-8-13-23