My first day of work...yesterday!

I tried to write this last night and simply had to sleep first.  I fell deeply into a great night of sleep in my freshly made bunk, beneath the protection of a mosquito net with an oscillating fan keeping the air moving...

Yesterday was amazing...  Arriving in Kisumu at 8:45am we found rich red dirt, blooming hibiscus and so much more.  Flying over the massive Lake Victoria was spectacular!   Once we got our bags, we began the transportation adventure!  First up...we rode home from the airport in a "matatu".  This is a van...minus all the extras including padded seats!  I believe these vans are intended to carry a maximum of 15, but I have seen them with 20-25!  Then there are boda-bodas... a very common form of inexpensive transportation.  This is a bicycle with a slightly padded rectangle on the back side for a rider such as me; and Tuk-tuks, which are a 3 wheeled, motorized, contraption with a driver in the front and a bench seat in the back.

Just a few hours after arriving at the CHI headquarters I learned that two of the long-term volunteers from the Netherlands were going to be visiting a couple of hospital patients.  We were asked if anyone wanted to go along and I volunteered.   Getting to the hospital took about 2-1/2 hours, a tuk-tuk, an Acacia Shuttle (bigger than a van; smaller than a bus), a boda-boda and a beautiful walk through a cool forest.  I was blessed to meet a young man whose body was ravaged by HIV.  He was too weak to speak and could barely lift his head - but when I asked him if he would like me to share some scripture from the bible he opened his eyes and blinked several times.   I prayed over "John" and shared Psalm 23 and Numbers 6:24-26.  The peace that came over his face was visible.

Next we visited the women's ward.  The first lady I saw asked me if I would take her baby girl home to America...  More prayers, more scripture and lots of love.  Words cannot describe.

When we left the hospital to return to CHI it was nearing sundown and the sky was filled with lightning and thunder and God delivered us safely home.  There is so much more to share but I imagine I've already lost a lot of you so I will stop for now.

Thank you for your prayers.  

In Christ alone...

Pamela