All arose 5am, excited and a little nervous. A few hiccups delayed our departure from M.I.A. firstly packing all the various items proved a challenge, the van wouldn't start, due to the flat tyres, the van almost fish tailed around a corner in the mud, yet we arrived 9.15am safely :D Initially the people came in dribs and drabs, yet soon word spread and the people came. This is the very first time Kenya Health has entered this particular area so it took a little time to win their trust. In total 114 people and children were seen - relatively small clinic in comparison to previous ones held- yet of those several required follow-up treatment or investigations. For example a 5 month baby girl had a large 10cm cyst on her eyebrow. It had begun 1 month ago as a small lump and she had been injected Kenacort at a nearby hospital and it had worsened. A young mother had accidently spilt hot oil down her leg one week ago and had sustained 2nd to 3rd degree burns to which no treatment had been given. A young man of 20 years old, had injured his knee four days ago and [...]

All experiencing jetlag today and were on a "go-slow". We all enjoyed a late breakfast at the orphanage with Mary, Lilian and 3 other volunteers: Helen, Janelle and Amos, before going on a tour of the orphanages. Each trip here there is a new project completed and new improvements seen. The school now boasts new classrooms for the older grades, new accommodation for volunteers are in progress at MIA Nyota, and the older girls at MIA 1 now have "bigger girls" beds (no longer in bunks) in a room with an ensuite, which they love. Set off to Nakuru for supplies for ourselves and most importantly to pick up the medical supplies that Lyle had previously ordered online prior to our arrival. However, there were a number of medications that had not arrived yet, so another trip to Nakuru would need to be arranged for tomorrow, which the team did not mind. Back at our mud hut there still was no hotwater for showers but this was soon fixed by the time we retired o bed :-) Tonight we all experienced sharing in the children's family worship time, which is a real treat! Hearing all those beautiful voices singing with [...]

All the team met for the very first time on the plane in Sydney airport, narrowly missing the final call to board. This trip there is Corinna Catterill (a Community nurse from Tweed who is a wound clinical nurse specialist), Kathie Bontham Smith (a recovery nurse from Singleton hospital, who has experience in primary health care), Michelle Thomson (also from Singleton hospital: a Theatre nurse) and Tagisia Krouse who had volunteered with the Kenya health team on 2 previous trips. After 31 hours later we arrived in Nairobi after a 4 hour stop-over in Abu Dhabi. Our matatu driver had been held up in traffic so we had a further 2 hours wait, but did so in the airport cafe, relieved to be able to stretch our legs after such a long trip. We finally arrived 5.30pm (1.30am Monday our time) to a wonderful welcome from all the children and an absolutely delicious meal of pumpkin soup, garlic bread, couscous, salad, eggplant dish, followed by baked cheesecake and a chocolate torte all prepared by Mary Budulica. Rolled into our mudhut around 8pm Yawn! No rocking needed!

Things are moving ahead with Kenya Health with plenty going on behind the scenes. Although our plan of taking a team in October was derailed, a determined few are heading over to do what they can and "fly the flag" for Kenya Health. With only 7 weeks to go preparations are well underway and some serious fundraising needed. Jan & Mic are doing their bit, setting out on the Camino De Santiago walk clocking up kilometers for Kenya Health. 125 kms in 5 days so far. Keep the donations rolling in. Those blisters can't all be for nothing! Rael, the little girl who was brought to one of our clinics suffering from severe malnutrition is now thriving in the care of Regina at a small care home in Nakuru.

Over our last breakfast together it was unanimous that this has been a successful mission trip enjoyed by all. Challenges were many but the support received by Lyle and the rest of team made it an adventure. Homesickness is beginning to sink in so even though there’s enough work for at least another 4 weeks, it’s time for us to return to our homes, fundraise and plan for the next lot of clinicsJ. Martha, Lyle and Tagisia managed to fit in seeing the younger grades of M.I.A. school, performing for the next level of the singing competition, which was absolutely delightful and we’re all so very proud of them all for making it this far! Banking, finalizing bills, re-stocking and storing our medical supplies for the next trip took up the rest of our day. Yet there was time for a lovely visit to see Ann Marie and the children at Rafiki Memwa home. Tomorrow we plan to visit Alex, who’s been home now for 2 days. Rosemary will join us to organize on-going care. Ida’s appointment with Dr Doer will be tomorrow as well and we plan to visit the East African orphanage finally to treat those needing worming [...]

Our very last clinic for this trip; how quickly time has flown. Setting off to Barut where our clinic was to be held, it became apparent that the information given that it was “not far from Pondamali slums” was incorrect. An hour later we just made it in time for the van to be completely out of fuel! Cyrus organized for a local to travel via “pik-pik” to buy some fuel and bring it back for us; this took well over 2 hours. Meanwhile the uncompleted shell of a church hall quickly was transformed into our clinic and the people came, and came and came. Approx 500 patients were seen. Cases that stood out: a child with a colostomy that had no bag/covering of any sort and needed a possible reversal, a 9 year old boy who had epileptic fits several times daily, was unable to sit or walk unassisted. His mother had died during childbirth and his widowed grandfather was raising him and couldn’t afford treatment. A woman with several abnormal growths protruding in her neck, a 2 month old baby with suspected spina bifida but mum couldn’t afford an x-ray to confirm. By 4pm the last patient was [...]