2017 Kenya Update #7 - When was the last time you had a P&J for lunch?

From: Kathy Macdonald

What's your record for number of peanut butter & jelly sandwiches made at one time? This evening our 8 high school students set a new Kenyan record of 130 sack lunches … complete with sandwich, juice box, chips, napkin and a few hard candies.

Setting the record is a bit easier if no one in the country knows what a P&J sandwich is, but that aside, we are ready to share a typical American sack lunch with Class 7 and 8 from Gichunge Primary AND the entire teaching staff AND the porridge cooks AND the van drivers and the entire mission team. Jeremy Punch was the brains behind this cultural exchange last year. Now as a high school senior, he has marshaled his peers into doing it with him. The adults stayed at a safe distance while they shopped at the local Nakumat (think Wal-Mart meets Kroger meets Stadium Hardware … an odd mix, but it works in Kenya) and as they assembled the lunches.

We are off early tomorrow morning to conduct the morning devotions at Gichunge Primary, which involves they-sing-we-sing-they-laugh-at-our-singing-they-sing-some-more, … and the flag goes up. A good way to start the day.

We then all leap back into the vans to get to BLISS for a round of tying off loose ends. We then head back to Gichunge to share P&J sack lunches and have them laugh again at what we eat for lunch. It will be great.

To honor us, they have decided we should plant "some trees" with them on the school grounds after lunch. We are hoping not to set another record on this activity. A few weeks ago they did several hundred plantings in an afternoon. We may need to burn off all those sandwiches, but …

Finally, we plan to end the day with a visit the Amani Children's Home and Dr. Karambu. It is always good to hear what she is up to in terms of the orphans and peace and justice issues here in Kenya.

We have a few more days, but tomorrow we are going to pause to celebrate our work and friendships with P&J sandwiches. We invite you to do the same wherever you are.

2017 Kenya Update #6 - What would you change today?

From: Kathy Macdonald

We meet each day after dinner to plan for the next day. We keep the sessions short since everyone is pretty tired, but we end with a question. Tonight the question was, "If there was anything you could change about today, what would it be?" Today was long with a lot of moving parts, but the resounding answer was, "I would change nothing."

Let me try to hit the high points:

• The entire BLISS community paid honor to the life of Dixie Edwards through the dedication of new student assembly area. The hour-long tribute included a drill by the Boy Scout Troop that meant so much to her, the BLISS band, a poem written for her and a special musical performance, multiple speeches … and a few tears. Dixie would have been thoroughly embarrassed … and I suspect, very pleased.

• There was a visit to Kithoka Primary to check on the building of their kitchen to support their feeding program. Dave and Nancy Moore had purchased aprons for the porridge cooks. At the end of the tour, we stopped by the wooden shack that is their current kitchen to give the aprons to the cooks as a thank you. One side of the shack was where the porridge is poured to cups for the children. The male cook beamed at the gift and immediately put one of the aprons on. We entered the other side where the porridge is cooked to repeat the process. As one of us expressed our thanks for what she does, the cook turned to take off the cloth she had over shirt and when she turned back, tears were streaming down her cheeks as she placed the apron over her head. She was overcome … and so were we. It was an IKEA apron that was so much more than any of us had realized.

• Today the BLISS Science building was turned into a dissection lab. Dan Nicoli took charge of putting two rabbits (along with his fingers) to sleep using chloroform (we now have a better understanding why we don't still use it in operating rooms), as Jeff Punch used his talent as a surgeon to begin the dissection hoping to keep the rabbit's heart beating for the students to view. We had been informed that both rabbits were male. As the second dissection began, the task was quickly turned over to Margaret Punch (an OBGYN) when it turned out that the second rabbit was a female. The students stood on lab tables to see over their peers. They each knew this was likely a once-in-a-lifetime experience to witness what they were seeing and to hear three gifted doctors talk them through the process. The questions asked were serious and touching … including how were these kidneys like those of a fellow student's who were failing?

• In the afternoon, the photography team finished the class photos at Gichunge Primary while another team finished the height & weight study. Several worked with the Deputy Head Teacher to try to figure out the challenges of the official Kenyan computer tablet program for Grade One … with one working power plug. None of the classrooms have electricity.

• Back at BLISS, there was another round of Women's and Men's Health Q&A sessions. This time it was with Form 2's and 3's (10th & 11th graders). So many boys attended, they had to hold the session outside. The girls were packed, standing room only, into the largest of the science labs. Again, the questions exceeded the time allowed. Another team conducted a follow-up study on the solar lanterns we donated for each incoming Form 1 student last year. The written comments on their impact and the verbal stories told after one year of use, all began with "Thank you …"

Working in Kenya is humbling. You get a lot of things wrong. But every so often you see proof that being here makes difference. It might be with a rabbit, a lantern, an answered question, or maybe an apron.

Would we change anything today? Nope.


BLISS Student who designed the new assembly area in Dixie's honor.




One very happy cook at Kithoka … the tears came next.





The Science Lab …

2017 Kenya Update #5 - A Snake, an Ox, 3x5 cards, and the Electoral College

From: Kathy Macdonald

Our drivers keep us safe and get us to where to need to go. They also have amazing eyesight. Driving back from Gichunge Primary this morning, the van came to a quick stop and we were ordered to spot a heron about 200 feet out on our left. As most of us fumbled to follow his directions, he continued to guide our vision to the 3-foot bird having his breakfast. As the snake wiggled and squirmed, we were glad to be as far away as we were.

We had just left the primary school where we had spoken to the good soul hired to turn the soil for the feeding program. I suspect his ox plow was not a John Deere. It has been very dry with the spring rains already two weeks overdue. The parents were waiting for the first rain, to plant.

We had part of our team continue the weight/height study we began several years ago. The ages for third grade ranged from 8 to 15 … the weights from 45 pounds (less than our luggage limit) to 75 … the heights from 4 feet to 4'9" … and these are improvements.

On a lighter side, we are taking class photos again this year. The photos we took last year were a first-time event for most of the children. Larry Gray and Marcos Bacelis took the lead today … we had a great time looking through the shots this evening to see how many of them Marcos photo-bombed as he dashed in to try to straighten out a line or get someone to face forward. We should make an album of these alone.

The 3x5 cards were used for student questions in a seminar we were asked to hold with all of the Form 1 (Ninth Grade) students on male & female health issues. We are fortunate to have three physicians on the team this year. Margaret Punch and Catherine Nicoli took the lead for the girls and Jeff Punch and Dan Nicoli took the lead for the boys. They opened addressing some of the issues the teachers had shared and then began to respond to questions from students submitted anonymously on cards. Evidence of the lack of good information, there were more than enough questions to fill the full two hours scheduled. We need to buy more cards for the Form 2 session tomorrow.

Along with Science classes, a part of our team presented a class on the American Electoral College. Our students took the lead and the reviews were great.

It was a great day all the way around … except for the snake.

Tomorrow to we pay tribute to Dixie Edwards who was a long-time member of this mission in the dedication of a student assembly area constructed in her honor at the high school. She would have loved the snake, the ox, the 3x5 cards, and maybe the discussion of the Electoral College.

2017 Kenya Update #4 - Figuring out the why

From: Kathy Macdonald

Tonight we each shared something we could celebrate. For our youngest member, Moka Johns, it was her birthday that began with Happy Birthday sung by 300+ primary school students and ended with an amazing cake created by the former teacher of one of our drivers who has started her own bakery.

Other celebrations included the safe arrival of our final team member, Dan Nicoli, spending the day with Bishop Imathiu, the exchange of national anthems sung at full strength (I think the Kenyans won), hearing the BLISS band practice, hundreds of hugs by primary students, being welcomed with open arms at two school, and the serving the morning porridge to the students at Gichunge. Everyone had something to share.

This was Monday and the full team jumped into the week. Trying to figure out "how to be of use" is not always easy back in Michigan … it can be tougher here. You have to let go. You have to have faith that you got this far for a reason. Maybe it was to teach "Heart & Soul" to young musician who does everything by ear … or to have two little girls quietly share that today was their birthday too … or to answer the questions about the American electoral process to students facing a big Kenyan election this summer … or to just let someone touch your hair. It's the waiting for it to happen that is tough.

Mark Twain said the two most important days in your life are the day you were born, and the day you find out why. This applies to Kenya. It's only Monday … and a lot of folks are figuring out the why.

2017 Kenya Update #3 - Ready to start our work

From: Kathy Macdonald

Kenyans sing. It is worth the trip just to hear the sound. A voice will begin, others will join in and soon the walls are shaking. Only after the singing begins does the accompaniment, if any, join in. Fred's Academy provided the music in the worship service we attended. I know, "Fred's Academy" might sound like a shaky Internet outfit, but it is actually the name of a fairly exclusive boarding school next to the church. Their singing and energy were worth the trip.

Following church we paid a quick visit as an orientation to the schools where we will be working this week. Gichunge Primary was quiet. Tomorrow it will be filled with the voices of 400 young students. Margaret Punch was a huge hit with a handful of students who were practicing their bike riding skills by producing photos of them from last year's visit on her phone. Jeremy Punch astounded them by showing that he could ride a bike too.

We also visited BLISS High School … quiet, save a few music students practicing their instruments. We were thrilled to see the 90% completed memorial to Dixie Edwards, a long time Kenya team member. The student assembly area created in her memory will be dedicated on Wednesday morning. Watch for photos of the dedication.

Tomorrow we begin our day at the primary … it will be like jumping into the deep end. Hundreds of small hands that want to shake your hand, learn your name or teach you theirs. It will feel like a nonstop blur … and it will be wonderful. We will catch our breath and spend the afternoon at the high school. It will feel like another planet. Our understanding is that each classroom now has 50 students as the school does its best to admit as many students as it can. If you can't get into BLISS, you probably are not going to high school. Not going to high school means much the same thing in Kenya as it does in the U.S.

If we can carry the energy of the singing we heard into our work tomorrow, all will be well.

Ready for church ...



It may not take much to impress these kids, but Jeremy did …



The Bishop trying to convince Jeff to do a kidney transplant on a student from BLISS with renal failure!

2017 Kenya Update #2 - We made it to Meru!

From: Kathy Macdonald

Did I say our drive from Nairobi to Meru would take 5 hours? Well, it's Kenya. We rocketed here 9 hours including a stop of a Curio Shop (think roadside shop on steroids, BUT with toilets!), a lunch at a great Kenyan landmark called The Trout Tree, and a GIGANTIC traffic jam created by a women's conference that was ending as we entered town. Almost every one of the thousand women was in an identical outfit which created chaos for all the drivers who were there to pick up "their" women but had no idea which women were their's. (Think Where's Waldo!)

The photo below was taken as we set off this morning … we were a bit stickier and a lot dustier when we got to the Thiiri Center in Meru. The high school students with us were immediately caught up in a Girl's high school leadership conference had just ended as we arrived. Jeremy Punch (our only male) was a really big hit.

All in all it was a good day … and we made it. Only one suitcase missed the journey and only one table at lunch had their rolls taken by a Colobus monkey (Boy, are they FAST!)

We are off to church in the morning as our adventure continues and our real work here in Kenya begins. Keep us in your thoughts and prayers.

2017 Kenya Update #1 - Nairobi

From: Kathy Macdonald

We have made it to Nairobi after two 8-hour flights. For those who don't sleep well on airplanes, it was pretty rough. We made it to the Methodist Guest House about midnight … we looked more like the walking dead than a dedicated team of volunteers.

For those of you worried about family members, everyone is doing fine. There were no lost passports, misplaced visas or other mishaps. Getting through Kenyan customs was relatively smooth. We connected at the airport with Jeff Punch who flew in from doing a week of kidney transplants in Ethiopia.

All that being said, we plan on a good night of sleep in a horizontal position. We are up early Saturday to meet our drivers and head off to Meru on the north side of Mount Kenya. It's about a 200-mile drive that will take us well over 5 hours … if we make good time. We'll send an update once we arrive in Meru with highlights of the drive. For many on the team, this will be their first look at Kenya.

Hope all is well at your end!

The 2017 Kenya Mission Team at the Detroit Airport

FULL TEAM: Marcos Bacelis, Jean Bush-Bacelis, Elizabeth Donovan, Mairaid Erhardt, Laura Gee, Larry Gray, Greg Hulbert, Tom Jackson, Moka Johns , Kathy Macdonald, David Moore, Nancy Moore, Catherine Nicoli, Sarah Nicoli, Dan Nicoli, Margaret Punch, Jeff Punch, Jeremy Punch , Julie Roesch, Lucie Roy, Lydia Savatsky , Melanie Snook, Brad Stotz, Emma Young