Salami as a Gift!

Hello All,
The Design is locked!  We had a meeting today (imagine that) where we decided that the design for the Bethany Kid's at Kijabe Hospital Wing (official name now) is locked.  That means (in theory) that there are no more changes and the plan is set.  This way, we can get accurate cost data and move forward to the tendering process where we actually invite contractors to bid on the works.  This is very exciting to be at this point!  We have been working with George (our Architect) for about a year now and we are set with the plan.  We just have a few more obstacles (well actually, many more) to overcome and we will have a building!

I got a few more butterfly pictures this week.  I have noticed that some butterflies take their time, and land somewhere and enjoy life, while others flit around like there are ants in their pants.  I think this is a lot like people:

This last picture is of a bee on a pretty flower.

Did you ever get a salami for a gift?  Were you ever an 11 year old boy and you got a salami as a gift from a girl?  I think you know you are "in" when this happens!  It happened to Timothy this week.  He was so happy and has been eating on it all week.  It was a late Birthday present for him.  We were not home when she brought it, but she left a note and it was in the freezer.  I just think that it is hysterical that a girl of 11 years is already so tuned to the wants of a friend that she would know the perfect gift, even if it is a salami!

We were in our Tech Team meeting this week talking about our septic system.  We are trying to move forward with a design, but it is not easy.  It is the top priority for the hospital and it just seems to be at a stall.  So, one of the guys brought up Deut 23 13-14:

13 and you shall have a spade among your tools, and it shall be when you sit down outside, you shall dig with it and shall turn to cover up your excrement. 14 "Since the Lord your God walks in the midst of your camp to deliver you and to defeat your enemies before you, therefore your camp must be holy; and He must not see anything indecent among you or He will turn away from you.

We all thought this was very funny and appropriate!  So, we are moving ahead with the project looking at it as a mandate from God to get it done!

A short termer was here this week and gave a short seminar about Bitterness.  Here are a few things that she said:
Bitterness is just unforgiveness with a few years on it!  There is a quote from Nelson Mandela when asks about being in prison for 27 years, "Bitterness only hurts oneself.  If you hate, you give away your heart and mind.  Do not give those things away."  I really like that idea.  But forgiveness does not mean that the relationship will ever be the same nor that you forget - that is reality.  And, it is a process.  You can't just say, "I forgive that person for doing that to me."  It is something you need to do every day and let it go.  God will deal with them, you don't have to.  God gives us the grace even if we are justified in our bitterness.  Bitterness can also become a legacy.  Look at long standing feuds.  Some people (tribes here and others at home) can't even remember the reason for the feud.  It is just because their parents did it that they continue.  What a horrible thing to leave to your children!  You need to ask for God's grace continually to get rid of the bitterness and pray for the people you are bitter against.  You know that it is done when: 1) The sting of the problem is gone and 2) You can rejoice in the other's successes.  Wow, wouldn't that be amazing!

We made some new friends this past few weeks.  They are from Birmingham (aren't all southerns nice)?  She is a pediatrician and he is an orthopedic.  They brought their kids with them and had a busy 2 weeks here.  Sallie has a new friend to say the least.  Here is a picture if her and the girls (Lilly on the left and Lauren on the right):

We wish them a safe journey home (they left a few hours ago) and an easy transition back to "normal" life!

I am writing today (on Friday) because we are heading to Nakuru Park tomorrow to spend a few needed days away.  I am not sure how relaxing camping is, especially when you are camping "in the zoo" with the animals!  We are going to get a private camp spot where a friend of the person we are going with said that just a few weeks ago they were there and the lions were right outside the tent!  We asked if we needed a night guard, but the person we are going with said, "No, I really don't think so."  Not sure how that computes - let's see, lions outside the tent, kids and adults sitting around, plastic tent material between us and them!  We will see how it goes - don't panic Mom.  I don't think they have had any tourists eaten in the recent past! 

Hopefully, I will have some great pictures next week.  We are only going till Monday, but we may take Tues off too.  We sure do need to take some time off and get a new perspective!

Take Care,
In His Hands,
Jullie T.

The Manual on How to Take Care of Kids

Hello All,

I wanted to start this week's post by talking about the projects: Our CT Scanner has been delayed in South Africa.  Not sure, but it will take an additional 2 weeks at least.  This is actually a good thing for us as it gives us more time to get the building finished.  They have started the plastering and are working on the ceiling right now.  As of last Wed., they still had not installed the braces in the truss system and they removed the large brace that was providing the lateral stability!  Jim was worried when the wind kicked up and then found out that they removed this support.  So, even though he is trying not be too controlling, he brought it up to the big boss and he was going to see that the braces were installed.  It is hard for Jim to keep his hands out of it, but it is a good lesson in patience for him!
Our Bethany Kids Pediatric Wing is moving forward also.  We have had more meetings (on top of meetings!) to discuss the path.  Many things have to happen before ground breaking and we are trying our best to coordinate those items.  We are looking at ground breaking in June at the earliest at this point.  That date may slip also.  We are heading home for a visit on July 24th so we are feeling like time is marching too fast!  One of the things that has to be done is move the Quonset Hut.

These are some pictures of that building.  It looks like a mini air-plane hanger.  It needs to be moved because it is right in the footprint of our new building.  In the states, this would probably be a 1.5 - 2 month job.  Call in a contractor, get a bid, get the work started (with the right equipment) and get it erected in a new location.  Here, it is probably a 6-7 month project.  We are trying to get it done by June, but we will need prayers for that one!

I mentioned a while ago that the kids had a PJ day at school to celebrate Dr. Seuss's birthday.  Sallie had gotten a book from the library that was a cook book for all the food items in the Dr. Seuss books.  There are some crazy things in that book!  But, one that we were actually able to make was the Cat's Mac and Cheese from the Cat's Quizzer book.  Here is a picture of Sallie and Janelle with the concoction:

It was actually very good!  It didn't last but a few minutes!

Timothy said something very funny this week.   On Thursday, I had an errand to do up at the school, so I told the kids I would drive them up.  They love this because they think we torture them every day by making them walk up the hill to school!  When it came to Friday morning, the last day of school for the term, they wanted me to drive them up because it was a special day (any excuse to get me to drive them is a valid one).  I told them since I had driven them the day before, that they could walk.  So, Timothy  proceeds to plead his case.  He said that the Thursday driving was not real because I had another errand to do.  So apparently, when the parent has another motive for doing something nice for the kid(s), that nice thing does not count!  Did you all know this!  I certainly didn't.  I think that needs to be emphasised in the manual on how to take care of kids!   (I won anyway, since I am Mom, and did not drive them)!

Most of you know that Jim and I have been helping a local orphanage build a kitchen.  They are moving along quite well on the project and they should be done (mostly) by the 19th of April.  They are having a King's Feast on that date and we are invited.  Their web site is www.intoabbasarms.org  They recently emailed us with a need.  They are looking for a couple or a man to come and to be mentors and to provide a father figure for the kids.  Here is what Jane (the founder and CEO) wrote:

Jim and Julie:  We are looking for a Godly couple or single retired man to volunteer at IAA for 3 - 6 mths a year.  Possibly several couples or men that could rotate.  I know the children need a good Fatherly example and someone to build relationships with them long term.  I thought I would just put that out there in case you come across some missionaries or anyone that might be interested.

 

I thought I would post this here to see if there is any interest.  This is a big one for sure!  But, in reality, when someone commits to something like this and they start with the notion of "How can I serve," once the process has started, it becomes more like, "Wow, God is blessing me more!"  Just pass this information along to anyone you know that might be interested.
Here are some pictures of that project as it has progressed over the last 8 months

Foundation of the 38'X50' kitchen and dining hall.

Walls going up.

Installing roof trusses.

Facility with roof almost complete

Dining Room Area

Having a vehicle here sure is a blessing, and not just to us.  We have many Kenyan friends that do not have cars.  Most Kenyans do not have a car.  Can you imagine having a car when you only make $4-5 a day?  So, when our good friend Njoki asked us to help her pick up a goat, how could I refuse?  Walking a goat down the hill for 2 km would not be a task that I would want!  We tried to explain to the goat that he was going to go be "with the ladies," but I don't think he understood, especially as he was being tied and put into a bag!  He is "Happy Goat" now though I am sure.

Above is a picture of Issac, Mr. Goat owner's son.  He got a ride in the Mzungu (white person) car and will probably talk about that for weeks!  But, this was the best smile I could get out of him.  The Kenyans learn at an early age to be subdued!

Last week I posted about 1 John 4: 7-8, talking about how God is love.  On Sunday after my post, the pastor talked about 1 John 4: 7-16 and gave me some more insight.  Verses 7-8 talks about God the Father, 9-10 talks about God the Son and 11-12 talks about God the Spirit.  Verses 9-10 use the past tense.  It has already happened.  "He sent his one and only Son.....This is love:  Not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son...."  And in verses 11-12 he talks about the Holy Spirit.  It has been difficult for me to understand the Trinity, but I am getting there.  Verse 12: "No one has ever seen God, but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us."  This is the love that is like hot and cold.  If we allow it to enter, his loves fills us and that allows us to show that to others.  God is not here in the flesh, but we are.  We can show his love to others unconditionally by seeing them as God's children.  Just thought I would mention that because I thought it was timely that the pastor continued with 1 John 4!

The kids are now out of school for a month.  What am I going to do with them?!  It started with a trip to the Masai Market for Trevor and a few friends, then Pizza and then a movie marathon.  I still have a few teenagers sleeping on couches as I write this at 10 am!  We are going to head to Nakuru National Park next week end sometime so that we can (hopefully) see some lions and rhinos among other cool things.

Please keep us in your prayers;  Especially for the Peds wing project.  We have the "go" to continue but that is tenuous at best.  The project needs funds, a board that can understand the issues and a team that will be sensitive to the cash flow dilemma facing us.  And, we need patience as we navigate through it all.

Here is a picture that I took that I am not sure that I have posted in the past.  If I have, sorry about the duplicate, but I thought it was cool:

Thank you so much,

In His Hands,
Jullie T.

The Egg Savor-inator Saves the Day!

Hello All,
 We have had a good week.  The MCH building is moving along.  They have plastered the inside and are now working on the ceiling.  Its a good thing because the scanner is on a boat and should be landing in Mombasa on about the 24th.  We hope it will only take about 2 weeks to clear customs (Pray for this one)!

Trevor's physics class had an egg drop assignment this past week.  We went up on Monday night and watched about 30-40 eggs be destroyed or saved!  The object was to have the egg survive, but you got extra points if the egg survived and then rolled out onto the ground (whole of course).  Trevor's Egg Savor-Inator did just that!  His was a "catcher" where the egg was dropped freely into it.  It did its job and the egg landed safely and then rolled right out onto the ground - Good little Egg!

Dropping the egg into the Savor-Inator!

Trevor and his friend Chris with the saved egg.

Just after we took this last picture, Chris wanted to see how the Savor-Inator worked and said, "Oh, so the egg just goes in here?"  And proceeded to drop the egg into the top whole while holding the box this high.  Do you think the egg rolled out and landed safely on the ground?  No, it made a mess right at his feet!  He understood the principle after that!

I had a close encounter with a Baboon this past week.  We were at a friend's house with the ladies outside on the porch.  We were praying and I was sitting closest to the yard.  I heard something behind me and looked and there was this huge baboon standing there not 10 feet away!  I jumped up and this scared him enough so that he walked away.  The big ones are bold enough that they really don't run from you.  They hold their ground or walk away.  They say that they are not afraid of the women at all and they know if you are wearing a skirt you are a woman!  I think it is more from the smell.  They will usually avoid the men though.  So, when I walk, I take a stick along and just by swinging that, they usually stay far enough back.  I don't really want to be much closer to one then that!

Sallie wanted me to put this picture on the blog this week:

It was her breakfast last Wed.  She just thought it was really pretty and healthy!

Sallie also did her hair in curls this week.   Here are some before and after pictures:

Scary!

Cuteness!

I have told you about communications and how difficult they are here.  That statement has several aspects.  Most of the time, it is about the words and how they are perceived.  But sometimes it is just about the connections!  Here is a picture of Jim trying to get a good connection:

Oh, the things he will do to get the job done!  Here is another rare sight of Jim.  I got him twice this week!

We went to Trevor's Jazz band concert this past week.  It was wonderful!  And that is not just a mother's perspective.  This jazz band is very good.  They played some old songs that I even played at some point in my life.  Songs like:  Birdland, King of the Timbale, Cammilion, and Summertime.  It is funny to sit and watch your son playing the same songs on the same instrument that you used (it would make one feel old if you let it)!  Here are some pictures:

They were all required to wear funky hats and shoes (don't ask me why)!

At our ladies bible study this past week, we talked about suffering and why it happens.  God never promised that we would not suffer. Quite the opposite!  Philippians 1:29 says,

29 For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him, NIV
People don't come to God for the promise of prosperity.  They come to God for the promise of His Love.

1 John 4:7-8
7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
NIV
I picture God as a bucket full of water and that water is love (on a macro scale).  It is not full of rocks or sand where there are gaps or holes in the matter that is in the bucket.  It is complete and utter Love.  And that love spills out over humanity.  When we choose to follow Him, we are accepting that He will love us and from that we can show that love to others.   Picture the opposite of the spectrum:  Someone in a gang or that is just plain evil.  There is no love for anything (including him or herself).  If the heart is full of evil (devoid of love) that is what the person will be like.  Letting God in to love you will let you know what that is like and then you will want to show that love to others.  I recently have thought of Love and Evil like cold and heat.  (I got this from some forward in my email)!  Cold does not really exist.  It is just the absence of heat.  The measurement of cold is really just a measure of how much heat is present.  Love and evil are the same.  There is no such thing as evil, it is really just the absence of love.  As you take away the love (just as if you remove heat) the evil presents itself (just as it starts to feel cold).  I like to think of it this way, because we are beings created by God, and as you take away the love that he has for us (or reject the love) other things begin to fill the gap.  This is not to say that those who love God are perfect.  Far from it.  It is just to say that "our bucket" is being filled even though it has a hole in it because of our humanity!

Take care and write when you can.
We sure appreciate everything you do for us!

In His Hands,
Jullie T.

Communications - You just have to Laugh!

Hello All,
I can not believe it is almost the middle of March!  Time is a crazy thing.

The week started with us having 11 teenagers (15 people in all) for Pizza last saturday.  It was mass caos, much pizza was eaten by all and everybody had their fill (I think).  During the term, RVA has many events to keep the kids busy.  One of these is called Dorm night.  The dorms get together and have a party.  Trevor is not in a dorm.  He is refered to as a "station kid," since he lives on station.  There are 12 station kids in his class.  Sometimes these kids will be invited to the dorm parties, but we decided to just have them here for pizza and a movie.  It was really fun.  I made 10 pizzas and even had 3 slices left!  Here is a picture of a rosemary chicken alfredo pizza:

It was very yummy!

Communications are such a struggle here.  I have mentioned this before, but you would think we would get more used to it.  It always amazes us when the simplest thing can get miscommunicated.  Jim was on the phone the other day with a man from the parks office.  He was trying to see if a certain camp site was open so that we could rent it and go during the term break that is coming up.  He asked the man if the site was available anytime after March 23rd.  The man says, "Sir,  I need a specific date."  Jim says, "Well, anytime between the 23rd and the first week in April.  Is it available?"  "But Sir, I need to have a specific date."  "OK, what about the 28th through he 30th?"  "Sorry sir, we are closed for renovation in that area from the 15th on."  What!???  You just have to laugh!

We went out to Crescent Island in Naivasha a few weeks ago.  Here is a map of the whole Lake Naivasha.  Sometimes, the "crescent" part actually continues around and almost touches the land because the water level is so low.  The level is high this year, so it is really like a peninsula (but Crescent Peninsula does just not sound as nice I guess)!

It is a privately owned island that has a lot of wildlife.  Here are some pictures of that trip:

Timothy Looks scared!

I think this Hippo would not have even considered Sallie a snack!

I never get tired of seeing the Giraffe

I think this is a water buck

Sallie looking cute!

Zebra always seem to turn their butts toward you when you are taking a picture!

Walking across the dessert?

We decided to leave this hole alone!

We had a good time, but had to keep it short.  When it is hot and there is walking to be done, the kids have a very short fuse!

Last Thursday we had a Masai friend over for dinner.  The Masai are meat eaters.  We have had him over before, and had things like soup and spaghetti, so this time we decided to have Nyama Choma (roasted meat).  It was delicious.  We have a small grill that belongs to the neighbors, but it is very useful.  When Patrick was young, in the Masai way, he would eat meat raw.  They (the boys) would also drink blood directly from the cow (with out killing it of course). They just take a knife and slit it and drink the blood as it comes out.   It is a very patriarchal society and the men are the one who eat the meat.  The women will eat other things.  Also, the men want to be served and left alone (usually as a group) to eat.  You will never see a Masai man (older) in a public area eating a meal. It is always an adventure having Patrick for dinner.  He wants us to buy some goat meat and he is going to take the guys out and show them how to cure it and eat it.  Timothy is all for it!

I am heading out of town today with some friends to watch the RVA ladies soccer team in the finals of the division.  I watched the semi final game on Thursday and they were brilliant!   Jim is on his own with the kids.  I don't feel too guilty because I see an iced coffee in my future on this outing!

Please continue to pray for the Bethany Kids at Kijabe Hospital wing (name change this week from Bethany Kids Children's Center).  We have so much to do to make this a reality and there are many people that have to be satisfied along the way!  Pray for wisdom and patience as we continue to inch along.

In His Hands,

Jullie T

Beating the Drum

Hello All,
We had a very busy week again this week!  It ended with a marathon meeting yesterday (7.5 hours).  We were meeting with the architect for the BKCC wing and also we went through the submittals from contractors for pre qualifying them.  We had a spreadsheet where we input all of their specifics to try and quantify it all.  We now have 7 (out of the 18) that have made the cut.  We will widdle that down to 5 on Monday and then we will invite those to bid on the project.  It is very exciting to get to this point!  We are within a month or 2 of actually meeting the contractor that will build this Children's Center.  I know this is boring, but here is picture of us at this marathon!

Have you ever been called Fat and Old and thought it was a compliment?  Well, here in Africa it is!  If you are called "Mzee," that is Swahili for old man, it is a compliment because you have made it that far.  And, if you are called "fat" it is a compliment because you have plenty.  Just different perspectives!

Mathew 5:14-15 says, "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.  Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house."  My friend Ruth (pediatric surgeon) told me about one of her patients father this week.  His daughter was very sick and needed surgery.  He did not have any money.  As is the case here, Ruth operated anyway and made it clear to him that he should just bring what he could.  They would take care of her even if he didn't have the money.  Eventually, the girl and her family went home.  They live a long distance from here.  Quite a while later Ruth gets a visit from the man.  He had returned this great distance to pay Ruth (the hospital) some of the money that was due.  He was so grateful to her for what she had done, that he wanted to give her the money.  He had gone home and probably gathered money from anyone of his friends and family that were willing to give.  He saw the light in what Ruth was willing to do for his daughter.  This is the mandate here for the people of Kijabe Hospital:  Show God through the love that you show his people in caring for their physical needs.  People that don't know that love can really see it when it is shown to them, and like an insect returning to the street light at night, they are attracted to it and want to experience it again.  Sometime in their own lives, they want to shine that love also.  It is little moments like these for Ruth and us, that make it all worth it to be doing what we do!

The palliative care building is moving forward again.  They started building again in early January.  They are just about to finish the forms for the ceiling pad of the ground floor that will be the floor of the second story.  When they finish the pad (and it cures for 21 days) we will go on to complete the second floor and that will serve as specialty clinics.  Here are a few pictures of the progress:

Africans love the rhythm of the drum.  In worship, in life, they love the drum and how it can just keep a steady rhythm. You see it in the way they sing;  they will sing a line or 2 over and over again using a drum as a steady beat.  It is the continuity in life that needs this drum beat too.   We had a blessing of the BKCC wing this past week.  It was just a gathering (of the people that count) to bless the beginning of the building.  It was not a ground breaking ceremony as we are not ready for that yet.  We actually had heard the night before, that there was going to be a ground breaking ceremony for our building, but we had not even been invited!  What?!  Turns out, it was a "blessing" to get the people involved to "keep the rhythm of it going."  We need to beat the drum of the BKCC wing to keep all the people involved, informed and motivate to see the vision that the BK board sees!

I wrote last week about some butterflies I had seen.  Here is a picture of a moth that Jim took this week:

I thought is was very cool with its "eyes!"

The kids celebrated Dr. Seuss's birthday yesterday with a pajama party at school!  Here is a picture of Timothy and Sallie heading off to school in their pajamas!

Hope you all are well.  We sure enjoying hearing from you when you have the time.

In His Hands,
Jullie T.
jimjullliet@AHC123.com