A Day of Presentations

Today started off with us walking in the rain to the hospital. When it rains it means more mud to walk through. I don't think I've mentioned it lately,but I love my ugly, dirty hiking boots!

After getting to the chapel for worship the day continued to get better and better. We went back to our work site and painted the outside of the house with creosote, a black oily wood preservative. It is nasty to paint with! At noon we had the dedication ceremony where Steve Freeman presented the keys to the house to the family who it was built for.  People from the hospital attended along with some neighbors and school friends of the oldest child who will be living in the house. There was singing, dancing, scriptures read, prayers offered and a lot of tears of joy.

Stanley, the outreach coordinator for the hospital, and Sue Owens both said the current house that Grace and her 4 children were living in was the worst they had seen. It was barely a roof over this family's head. Parts of the walls were missing, and parts of the roof was missing. Grace, the mother of 4 children, lost her husband in an automobile accident almost 2 years ago. When he died she could not afford to continue renting the apartment they were living in. Her parents did not have room to take her and her children back in so Grace found a shack to live in.

The gift of this small two room house with no electricity, no plumbing, no air conditioning, no kitchen is a BIG thing. Not only will this house provide a safe place for this family to live, but it is life changing. Grace was overwhelmed with emotion as she thanked us. She knows it is a gift of love from God and the members of our mission team and the members of Friendswood UMC.

Pictures (clockwise from top left): Grace and her children with the Mission Team; Steve Freeman speaking at home dedication; Painting the house with creosote; A cross made by Mike Schmitt is left in the window as a reminder of God's love; Looking at the inside of one room in Grace's new house; Looking through the hole in the roof of Grace's old house (shack)

Leaving  the work site is hard. We will never see our new friends again but we can only hope they experienced the love of Jesus through the fruits of our labor and the joy in our times of fellowship and play.

This afternoon we unpacked our duffle bags filled with donations and presented them to Sue Owens - hospital supplies, sheets, towels ,wash cloths, puzzles, games, beach balls, baby hats and sweaters, receiving blankets, diapers, clothing, markers, pens, gifts for the nursing students, toys. Thank you to everyone who contributed items for the people of Maua. They may have few possessions but they have an over abundance of joy.

Blessings!

PS: One more presentation: the Brock Kitchen Dedication at Maua Methodist Hospital - watch the video at YouTube

Can I turn on the lights?

I have to admit I take electricity for granted at home and I miss electricity in Maua at times. There are signs posted around the hospital that say, "Do not turn on the lights between 7 am and 7 pm." Only natural lighting is to be used because they can't afford this unnecessary expense. When Dr.Lee made rounds with another physician she noticed the doctor used a flashlight when he wanted to examine a wound closely. My hotel room only has one electrical plug. I've learned how to make the best use of it by utilizing an adapter, the extension cord and rotating my electronics to charge. Of course, last night when I finally had time to prepare the message for chapel worship that our team led today the electricity was out. But thanks to Terry I had my free flashlight from Harbor Freight. The electricity comes and goes here and we never know when it might go out again.

Today we went to a school for a medical camp that was funded by contributions our mission team received. Our team along with some hospital staff worked together to deworm approximately 650 children. One of the problems caused by having worms is massive malnutrition. Hopefully in a couple of days when the medication has taken effect the children will start feeling better and benefitting from what food they get to eat. Today's medical camp also provided health care for 472 family members of the children. They were seen by nurses and given medication that we helped count and package. It was a very moving experience to see these children and their school. None of the classrooms we visited had electricity.

The children were eager to touch my white skin and gray hair.	Children in their classroom during the deworming part of the Medical Camp.	Children at the Medical Camp held at their school.
Team Members and Jim Monroe ready to begin Medical Camp.	These small structures are the bathroom facilities (out houses) for the school.	Steve & Vicki Freeman get to cut the ribbon at the new hospital kitchen dedication.

We've experienced how man made power is not available to everyone and when it is available it is not always reliable. What is available to everyone and is 100% dependable is the love of God. Help spread the Good News!

Blessings!

A Picture's Worth a Thousand Words

Five thousand words follow...

The woman on the far right will be moving into the house we are building. She is shown with her two children beside her and of course I am holding  her baby. The other people pictured are neighbors.
The house is coming along. It will be dedicated on Thursday.	Wearing a Mike Schmitt cross in Maua Kenya. This cross will be hung in the home we are building as a reminder that this home was built with God's love.
I found twin girls in the nursery today when making rounds with my friend Chaplain Grace	The beach ball is a universal symbol of joy.