FUMC-A2 Missions: 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.