Traveling Home

Monday we begrudgingly packed up and left Sarova after a huge breakfast! Stopping along the way for restroom breaks and a little bit of shopping. After arriving back at the East Central Africa Division Guesthouses, we unpacked the truck. After supper we sorted the left over meds and did inventory, before packing up the supplies for the next trip in March of 2010. By the time we were done sorting and counting, no one wanted to see in medicine again! It had been a long day and everyone was tired and ready for bed.

Tuesday after breakfast we headed into Nairobi for several hours of shopping! Now, let me tell you - I have had lots of groups here, but this group took the cake for their shopping abilities! I am not sure there is anything left in the town of Nairobi for anyone else to buy!

After supper we loaded up the bus and were off to the airport!

It was a great mission trip! Each person made a difference, each person reflected Christ!

Tomorrow (Wednesday) will be a busy day for me - I will finish up the sorting and packing of supplies, run some errands in town, and visit some children that are sponsored through MDP, plus do a food and water delivery to a Maasai family. Thursday evening I will head to the airport and be back in the US on Friday. Am looking forward to seeing my family again!

Please keep the group in your prayers as we all travel over the next couple of days, and ask the Lord what He has in mind for you? He just might want you to join us our our next trip to Kenya in March!

Thanks for keeping up on our adventures on the blog!

kim

Pampering at Sarova

Sunday morning we packed up early and headed to the Mara Sarova Lodge for a day and night of well deserved R&R! We arrived just before lunch - eager for hot showers and normal bathrooms! The group spent the day swimming, sleeping, shopping, bird watching and getting massages.

Around 4pm Kamunge (our driver) and I took Dr Meharry to the Keekerok airstrip for his flight back to the USA and then re-joined the group at the lodge.

The meals were incredible - a true smorgasbord! After supper we sat around a fire and watched some traditional Maasai dances before heading off to our beds for a good night's sleep!

The group had worked hard, they had stepped out of their comfort zone and given all they had - the time at Sarova was well deserved and much needed!

kim

Sabbath in the Masai Mara National Reserve

Sabbath morning we all got to sleep in! What a blessing that was. Breakfast was at 8:30am. (Pancakes, mangoes, passion fruit, pineapples, papaya, granola and hot drinks) Then we had worship and put all of our things on the truck for a day of game driving and a night camping on the edge of the Mara River!

The animals were abundant and we were blessed with another leopard and spent sometime sitting next to her with her kill. We then headed out to the Mara River and had a picnic lunch under a tree, before heading to our campsite near Musiara. We stopped at gate just briefly for everyone to use the restrooms (the next 24 hours there would only be bushes to use - no running water, no bathrooms)and then headed to the forest on the edge of the Mara River. From our campsite you could see numerous types of animals. With a herd of close to 70 or more elephants hanging around. After we set up our tents we took Dr Guild to the air strip for his flight back to the USA, then headed back to camp for supper and worship by the fire.

The night sounds were incredible (the snoring was also incredible) The baboons barked out their warnings, while the hyenas laughed, the elephants trumpeted, and the hippos voiced their opinions. The stars and moon lit up the sky - it was a perfect night for camping!

There is nothing like spending the day in God's book of nature! Over all it was a fantastic Sabbath day!

You would have loved it!

kim

Friday - Clinic at Siana and Ground Breaking Ceremony

As the sun rose we ate breakfast and had worship then loaded up for a few hours of viewing the wildlife on our way to clinic at Siana Primary Boarding School. The sun was warm, and the hot air balloons were rising into the sky.

The lay workers that had translated for us traveled with us today through the park - they had a great time standing up looking out of the top of the truck - they felt like tourists for the morning! SMILE

Clinic started right on time and we had many students that came to be seen. Our first visitor at clinic was a little child that had been hit in the eye with a stone. Blood was streaming down his face like tears. Once the eye was cleaned up we could see that there was no damage to the eyeball itself, just a cut on the edge of the skin by the eye. It was once again a busy day for all areas of the clinic.

At 2:45pm we closed clinic up in order to make it to the special ground breaking ceremony for the new hostel. They bused a group of children from Siana Primary Boarding School over to the ceremony (those that are sponsored through MDP were part of the group). The site looks great, and the fence is fabulous. I am sure Jan or Celeste will share on the blog about the site and the ceremony so won't go into too much detail, other then to say it was a honor to be a part of it and have the mission group participants there to join in. The children from Siana are so very excited about having a place to call home!

After the ceremony we headed back to Game Trackers Campsite - supper was ready, showers were hot, and the fire was lit. We welcomed in the Sabbath hours around the fire with worship and then headed to bed. Our last clinic was done - and all of were ready for the rest that only Sabbath can offer.

Happy Sabbath to all -

kim

Thursdays Clinic in Talek

At 6:15 am we all were loading the truck for an early morning game drive! The Masai Mara is so very dry - in fact I have never seen it this dry in all of the 18 years that I have lived in Kenya. We bumped along slowly over the roads, stopping to take pictures of all the animals. Before heading back to camp for breakfast we were blessed with several lions laying around and a cheetah eating a gazelle.

After breakfast and worship we left for our day of clinic at Talek. There were people already waiting outside the clinic site when we arrived, so we quickley set up and registration started. It was a busy day for all! The little baby that the March '09 group had treated for burns over most of his body was brought to the clinic. He is looking so good. We had a chance to visit with the family and local clinician after the clinic was over and we decided to step out in faith and send the little baby to Kendu Bay Adventist Hospital to have surgery on his foot, so he will be able to walk again. Several of you have mentioned to me that you would be interested in helping with this surgery - and I thank you for that.

After clinic we headed back to camp to drop off some items and use the restrooms - and then headed back into the park for a late afternoon/evening game drive. The animals were once again amazing - and we were blessed with a leopard!

Around sundown we arrived back in camp and Margaret had supper waiting, there were hot showers and a fire to sit by. As we fell into bed that night the hyneas laughed and the wind blew, while the stars twinkled above.

Wish you could all be here with us!

kim

Wednesday - Trip through Narok

After breakfast and worship we loaded up the truck and set out for Masai Mara National Reserve, with several stops planned along the way.

First stop was on the escarpment of the Great Rift Valley. We stopped at a curio store with a great view of the Rift, and the group had a couple of minutes to shop and use the restrooms.

Second stop was in the town of Narok, a larger town bustling with Maasai, cows, goats, sheep, matatu's (vans that are taxis) and motorcycles. We had an 11:00am appointment at the Narok Hospital - Jim Anderson, one of the mission trip participants had brought a defibrillator donated by Cal-Ore Emergency Flight Service for the hospital. There were hospital administrators, government officials, and community on hand to participate in the donation ceremony. Some of you might remember the little girl that we had seen on our July mission trip that had fallen into the fire and burned her eye. Her father brought her to the hospital in Narok for me to see. She was beautiful! They had done a great job on her eye, and her smile had come back. They are not done with surgery yet though - this next week they are returning to the hospital to have a false eye put in. I cant wait till next March to see the final outcome. This little girl's life has changed - and it is because of each of you - those that give for the mission trips, and those who came and gave what they had to help pay for the hospital bills. Thank you - you have no idea the difference you have made!

Third stop was a short stop at at another curio store - so our driver could get a little break, and the group could spend a few minutes shopping and using the restrooms again.

Fourth stop was at Sekenani Gate - then main entrance to Masai Mara National Reserve. We drove slowly through the park enjoying all the animals.

Fifth and final stop was Game Trackers Campsite on the edge of the Masai Mara National Reserve. We unloaded everything, moved into our little cabins. After supper we relaxed by the fire and ended the day with worship.

God had blessed us all day! But then that should not be a surprise - for He always blesses!

kim

KMQ (Kenya Marble Quarry) Clinics

On Monday and Tuesday we did clinics in the KMQ area. Plenty of people showed up for both of them and kept us on our toes the entire time! At Tuesdays clinic we had a man show up with a wound on his thumb. The thumb was quite swollen so Dr Guild checked it out and found a small stone in it. Evidently the man works at the quarry. We put the stone in a small clear bag so he could take it to work and show them what we had found inside of his thumb.

It seemed like most patients had back aches, chest pain or bad coughs. We treated a lady that was probably in the final stages of cancer. She had a deep ulcer on her heel that was so deep you could see the bone.

After clinic today we all packed up for the Mara, loaded supplies on the truck and enjoyed a little more relaxed evening for a change. The group surprised me with a wonderful chocolate cake! It was a big surprise and appreciated a lot. My birthday is on Sabbath while in the Mara so I had no clue what was coming, but it sure was a yummy surprise!

Tomorrow we leave for Narok District where we will stop briefly in the town of Narok to donate a defibrillator to the hospital there (thanks to Cal-Ore) and will also have opportunity to visit the little girl that the mission group in July treated for a burned eye. She has had eye surgery since the July trip so it will be nice to see how she is doing and send the group an update on her.

We wont have internet or electricity till next Monday night - so wont be able to update the blog. Please keep us on your prayers though as we travel and continue to share Christ in Maasailand.

We will update you Monday night next week! Thanks for checking the blog and praying for us!

kim

Clinic in Ilparakuo

Over Ngong Hills and down into the Great Rift Valley we traveled. The road is like a long winding snake traveling through the dry rocky land. The clouds were still covering Ngong and the mist was thick as we traveled. Today was our first clinic and we were headed for the little village of Ilparakuo near Lake Magadi. Rain had come to the area and the acacia trees were green, although there was no grass below them.

After we arrived and had prayer with the lay workers we set up quickly in two different rooms and we were ready to begin. Medical/Wound Care treated about 170 people yesterday and Dental treated 39. It was a busy day and we had to turn many away at the end.

On the way home we stopped to give out water to those waiting for us by the side of the road (they knew we had extra, so had brought their containers to the road). We got back to the East Central Division Guesthouses just in time for supper! It was a great day - and everyone one seemed to enjoy themselves!

Monday we are heading out to the Kenya Marble Quarry area to do our second clinic. It will be a very busy day! Please ask God to give us the extra strength and health that we need to do what He has asked us to do!

Why not consider now joining us next time?

Appreciate all of you so much!

kim

Sabbath in Kajiado District

The rain stopped during the night and by morning it appeared that the grass was already turning green again! After breakfast we loaded the truck and headed out to Esukata - passing Ostrich, Giraffe, Zebra and Thompsons Gazelles along the way.

The members of the Esukata church has built a metal structure with cut out windows and little wooden benches. With the members and our group we filled the little church. Every visitors was asked to stand and share who they were and where they were from. Following special music, Marlin Meharry gave the sermon.

Several in our group sponsor children or lay workers and today was a a special day for both Karla McKinven and Jim Anderson! Karla sponsors Samwel Saruni who is being raised by lay pastor Daniel Sinti. It was great watching her a Samwel interact. It was if they were made for each other!

After church we stopped by at the Kajiado Rehab Rescue Center to visit the girls that are sponsored through Maasai Development Project. Jim Anderson and his wife sponsor two girls there, and Jim had the opportunity to visit with them while we were there. It was great to see him hugging them and reminding both of them that they are loved by him and his wife.

From there we went to see Joshua who is about 7 years old and is sponsored by a little boy his age in the US. While there the group had opportunity to go inside the Maasai homes and check them out.

It was a great day, and we all had a fantastic time. It was truly a blessed Sabbath day! Wish you could have all been here with us!

Tomorrow we are off to Magadi for our first clinic day! Keep us in your prayers!

kim

A Perfect Day

Because of the pouring rain yesterday, we had to postpone our trip out to the old Mzee's boma to deliver food for his family. Unfortunately, our 4-wheel drive is not working and though we have the parts ordered, they've not yet arrived!

Celeste was praying all night that God would keep the rain away from us today so we could go and worship with the mission group out in Esukuta. We woke up to gray sky's but the rain stayed away. We discovered that the rain has still not come as far as Kajiado, so people there are still suffering from the drought.

Marlin gave the sermon today, his topic, letting God fight the battles in our lives. Since he is staying with the mission group and not here at the house, little did he know that God used him to speak to Celeste's and my heart. Just this morning, Celeste and I were talking and praying about that very subject. God showed us so many verses and promises this morning. As usual, Satan is stirring the pot with a certain group trying to disrupt and destroy. We are learning a great lesson on "Waiting on the Lord".

After church we accompanied the mission group to visit the girls at Kajiado Rescue Centre. What fun we had with the girls. Later the girls sang for us. I could have listened to them all day! Before leaving, I had the opportunity to speak with the girls for a few minutes about dreaming, setting goals and the ability to achieve their dreams. The potential in the girls is amazing.

Leaving Kajiado, we traveled to Kisaju to visit the Sumug family, especially Joshua Tenina. He is the little boy who was born in my truck 7 years ago and who's mother died from a ruptured uterus, bleeding out in my truck. She was a good friend of mine, we actually got her to a clinic, where they packed her, but by the time we got her to the hospital and she had surgery, it was too late. I remember giving my blood to help, unfortunately there was not enough blood available to help her. While she was in surgery the song, "Nothing But the Blood of Jesus" came on over the radio. As I looked at the hematoma on my arm from giving my blood in hopes that she would live, I was reminded that only the blood of Jesus gives us life.

As we were driving up to the boma today, I could see some little children running out towards us, I knew one of them was Tenina. I jumped out of the truck and knelt down with my arms open. Tenina came running up to me and threw himself in my arms. My heart melted all over the ground.

Looking around the outside of the boma area, we saw dead cows. In one area alone were about 5 dead cows. They lay in every direction, a constant reminder of the devastation of the drought. The stomachs were slit so that the dogs and vultures would eat them.

After saying good-by to the Sumug family, we left to visit yet another daughter of Nalamai (the mother of Tenina). When we arrived, we found that Damarice was sick so we didn't stay long. What a wonderful day we had fellowshipping and reconnecting with life long friends in Maasailand.

From Kisaju on, Marlin road in our vehicle. It felt kind of strange leaving him off at the Division with the rest of the group and coming on home without him. I won't see him now for a couple of days. Seems funny we are in the same country and yet still apart. I think something is wrong with this picture.

Jan Meharry
Founder/Executive Director
Maasai Development Project - www.4mdp.org
Help Give: Hope for Life - Hope in Life, one girl, one woman at a time.
Your support helps save young girls from under going the horrific FGM and forced early marriage. When you save a child, you save a village.

____________________________________________________________
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Visit to Sheldricks & Giraffe Feeding Center

Last night the group arrived safely! Praise God.

What a blessing - it rained all night long - we desperately needed the rain! This morning after breakfast we packed our sack lunches and headed out for Sheldricks Elephant Orphanage. They baby elephants ranged in ages from 3 weeks to almost 2 years old. They had more orphans then they had ever had before. It was great to watch them being fed their bottles, to touch there fuzzy trunks, and coarse backs. They played in the mud and pushed each other around. The rain held off just long enough for us to enjoy all the baby elephants - then there was a big down pour. Some ran for the buildings, others of us gathered under bushes until it past then we headed back to the bus and on to the Giraffe Feeding Center. While at there a few in the group were bold enough to put the grain pellet between their lips and let the giraffe take it - aka "Giraffe Kiss!

Some shopped at the little gift stores until I thought they would drop from exhaustion - but it appears that some in this group are serious shoppers! I told them I was going to have to get my big stick out to help them STOP buying things! SMILE

We got back to the East Central Africa Division Guesthouse about 2:30pm. Some headed for the showers and others took a little nap. Then we all spent sometime sorting and repacking supplies for Sundays clinic. Even with all the rain it was a great day. We are all heading to supper now and will open the Sabbath hours with worship.

Tomorrow we will be out at Esukata for church, then will be stopping by the Kajiado Rehab Centre to visit the girls that are sponsored through MDP.

Thank you for your prayers! God is good - as ALWAYS.

Happy Sabbath
kim

Mission Group Arrives Tonight!

We have a busy day ahead of us - tonite the mission group arrives, I can't wait! They come from California, Colorado, Florida, Michigan, North Dakota, and South Dakota! They represent many profession - Dentist, Doctor, Registered Nurses, Paramedic, EMT, Lab Scientist, X-Ray Tech, Auditor, Secretary and me!
Three in the group sponsor children though MDP and two sponsor a lay worker. Jan Meharry's husband - Marlin is joining us on the trip, and I cannot even begin to share with you all that he does for MDP!

Please keep us all in your prayers as we travel and minister to the people of Kenya. We want to reflect Christ in all that we do!

Stayed tuned for all our adventures - thank you to all of you for your prayers and support! None of us could do this without you!

kim

Visit to Meru!

On Wednesday, Jan and I headed up to Meru to visit 10 of the secondary girls that are sponsored through Maasai Development Project. We headed out around 5am and drove for a little over 4 hours to the little school out in the middle of nowhere! (The last 25k we bounced up around on a little dirt rode) Meru is in the Eastern Province of Kenya with fantastic views of Mt. Kenya.

The girls were expecting us and we were able to sit down with them and catch up on everything. It had been a long time since we had seen them. They updated their bios, wrote letters to their sponsors and we took pictures of them. Then it was time for the 4 hour drive back home.


It was great seeing them again - they are growing up so very fast. You would be proud of them. I was especially proud of Siapei who seemed to be doing better in school and looked so happy. (Siapei was an 8th grader that gave birth to a little boy that MDP took it - Samwel Saruni who is 2 years old now)

kim

Drought, Dust, Dead Cows and Hunger

There have been several visitors at the gate today. There are times you dread having visitors because you know that once again there will be another plea for help. Maasai Development Project is set up such that all monies are designated to specific projects. Such as lay worker sponsorships, children's sponsorships, building projects,
food program, education etc. When visitors come to the gate, any help that is not within the designations must come out of my pocket. When the money runs out, I have nothing more to live on. It is so hard to say no when you see pain, hunger or despair in a face. Today was no exception.

I don't usually like to give money because it buys a bit of food today but tomorrow the stomach is hungry again. One of the visitors was a lady that I knew needed help but how could I help her help herself? I had just bought a packet of beans, so decided to give it to her to start a small business. She will cook up the packet of beans and sell them by the cupful. She will then go and buy two packets of beans with the profit and thus start a small business. The first day she will not have a profit for herself, but within a week or two she should be able to have profit enough to help feed her children and continue her business. In Kenya,people buy cooked beans on their way home from work to add to their dinner that night. Thus they don't have to wait for beans to cook before eating, speeding up the cooking process at home. Since she will have no overhead with this first packet of beans she should be able to take all the profit to buy two packets. I will check up on her in a week's time to see if she has been successful. Oh how I pray so.

Think about it, if your family is starving, will you actually use that packet to start a business or will you listen to the cries of your hungry children and feed them instead. If you wait, a business can be started to help sustain your hungry children, but in the meantime can you ignore the cries of your children? This is the decision that this lady will have to make when she gets home. My heart cries for her.

Then an old Mzee came, last time I was here I had given him 3,000/= for his daughter's education out of my pocket. Today he was back needing 5,000/=. In the meantime his wife has died, he is in debt and had sold all his cattle to try to help her. What he didn't sell, died in the drought. Today I gave him 3,000/= more for his daughter's education,
but as I looked at his sunken cheeks and painful eyes while watching him slumped over in the chair, I couldn't bare to see him go away
hungry. I came back to the house gave him a bag of maize meal potatoes, tomatoes, what few beans I had left and a head of cabbage. I gave it to the Maasai guard that works for us and asked him to cook a meal for the Mzee and send the left over food home with him. Before I left them to their meal, I prayed for God's blessing. As I prayed I could feel God's sadness and longing for His dear children.

Walking back to my house I began to cry. Have I ever known true hunger? Has there ever been a time when I can truly say there is no hope? The look of this old Mzee will forever be with me. My heart breaks.

I don't have enough for everyone but at least this one man won't go home hungry today. This is one man of thousands in the same situation here in Kenya. People are dying! They say an elninio (sp) is coming, but when? Even my home is a dust bowl right now. Driving
down the road the other day I saw a dead cow, just left outside of the village. Another man was herding the few cows he had left, one of his cows lying alongside the road, the owner kneeling beside it willing it to live. An overwhelming sense of sadness washed over me as I witnessed the suffering of both man and beast.

Maasai Development Project is joining hands with East Central Division with their food program. Won't you join hands with us as we feed one family at a time? Just $3000 feeds 150 families. Together we can make a difference. Make you tax deductible contribution to Maasai Development Project, PO Box 394, Harvey, ND 58341 or donate through our web site using PayPal.

Jan Meharry
Founder/Executive Director
Maasai Development Project - www.4mdp.org
Help Give: Hope for Life - Hope in Life, one girl, one woman at a time.
Your support helps save young girls from under going the horrific FGM and forced early marriage. When you save a child, you save a village.

____________________________________________________________
Best Weight Loss Program - Click Here!
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Achieving Dreams

How blessed I am to be part of Maasai Development Project! An episode of the Oprah show has gotten me so excited. It showcased the story of an incredible woman, Tererai, who grew up in a rural village in Zimbabwe. She desperately wanted to go to school, but her father would not let her attend. That didn't stop her! She took her brother's books and taught herself. Finally her father let her attend but only for two years. Tererai was married at the age of eleven and had three children before eighteen. One day twenty years ago, a lady from Heifer International visited her village. Sitting in a circle with the young women of the village, she asked them, "What are your dreams?" Tererai's strong, yet quiet demeanor caught the lady's attention. "What is your dream?" she asked. Tererai knew what she wanted—an education! Tererai's mother told her to write her dream down. She wrote down four things: go to America, get a Bachelor of Science degree, a Master's degree and, finally, a PhD. Putting the paper in a tin container, she buried it under a rock in a field where she herded cows. Remarkably, Tererai has achieved her dreams after all. She never forgot the lady who told her, "You can achieve your dreams!" Those five words changed her life.

 

Another lady from India shared how her husband had accumulated debt and would beat her because of it.  Her sister-in-law made fun of her when she had no food to feed her children and her mother-in-law told her husband to take a second wife because she only gave him daughters. She was empowered by a small loan (under $100) to start her own business. She negotiated her first contract for beadwork and has done such beautiful work that she has been busy ever since. She has even paid back her loan, paid off all her husband's debt, hired thirty employees, including her husband, and the entire community borrows money from her. There is no mention of a second wife now! She is educating her three daughters so they will not face what she has.

 

Pulitzer Prize winners Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn shared that we "change the course of history by educating girls." It was stated that the greatest moral challenge of our time is to educate girls and empower women to change their lives. MDP has been giving young girls an education, many that have been rescued before an early marriage and some after they've been married, thus changing not only their lives but the lives of their children as well. Adult literacy and income generating projects, sponsored by MDP, have empowered Maasai women to change their lives, and in turn, change their families and communities. Last March, I looked into Sylvia's eyes and tried to imagine how she felt. Her brother had taken some dowry for her to be a child bride, but the chief came and asked MDP to rescue her so she could finish her education. One child, one set of eyes, one story, yet how will just this one make a difference in the world?

 

The United States government has discovered that areas with the highest concentration of uneducated girls have the greatest growth of terrorists. Each of us has the opportunity to make a difference in this world right now! There are many organizations that are changing lives through educating girls and empowering women, and I am proud to say that Maasai Development Project is just such an organization.

 

One lady saw an episode of the Oprah show several years ago and sponsored two women from the Congo who had been raped and were in the middle of the civil war. Exchanging letters with them inspired her to put together a run to raise funds to sponsor more women. Finally, she traveled to Congo to see firsthand the impact these letters of support had on the women, even more than the money they received. Last year, she raised enough money for her organization to sponsor 1,000 women. The true impact of this will take years to be realized as those women raise over 5,000 children whose lives will be changed as a result of their mothers' sponsorship.

 

What can you do? Pray and ask God to show you what He desires of you. Remember that words of encouragement change lives. Share your resources with those in need. You can achieve your dreams. We can change the course of history by educating a girl. I hope that you will choose MDP to be part of how you help empower others.