Party Day and Farewells

September 23, 2012

After the last day of work, we always have a party with all of the volunteers.  This gives us a chance to thank the Kenyan volunteers and recognize their effort, spend fun time together, and say farewell.

 The party wasn't until 2:00, so we had a leisurely morning.  A few local villagers showed up to be seen for pains, coughs, wounds, and other issues.  Ever since we held the clinic in Sabaki, we have had a slow stream of people coming in the morning and evening.  With only a few days remaining and a good supply of toys left, we try to give the children a treat in addition to seeing to their medical needs.  It was punch ball day at the Sabaki Clinic today.

Punch balls were given to all child patients today

Diane and I had intended to go for a walk to the river, but we never quite made it.  While Marlene went to Malindi to pick up the pastries for the party and to change some dollars into shillings to give to the volunteers as a thank you, the rest of us worked on preparations at the hotel.  We sorted the last of the supplies, separating items to leave at the regional hospital and supplies for the wound care kits we gave to each of the volunteers. We emptied bins that we raffled off to lucky Kenyan volunteers and set aside a basket of health care kits for everyone. We also set out and organized prizes from America for the volunteers - clothing, jewelry, cosmetics and odds and ends that we were leaving behind. 

A basket of health care kits for the volunteers

At 2:00, the volunteers arrived and assembled under the gazebo.  After a welcome from Rodgers as our host, everyone was given the chance to speak to the group.  There were many heartfelt expressions of gratitude and camaraderie, with good wishes given between the Americans and Kenyans.

The speaking part of the program culminated in a speech by Francis in which he thanked the American volunteers and organization for their care and support of the people in the villages.  "Imani" means faith in Swahili, and Francis said that faith in each other is a guiding principle of the Imani Project in Kenya.  He has faith that together we can create opportunities for improving the conditions of his people.  He then praised the Kenyan volunteers for working without asking to be paid.  That teaching and caring for their neighbors was not a job, but an act of love from the heart, and he was proud to have so many people willing to give their time to lift up those who need help.

Francis praises the volunteers for giving their time to help others

Then each volunteer was given a wound care kit so that they had supplies to help treat people in their villages with burns or cuts.  Many of the volunteers have become unofficial health care workers in their communities, and their neighbors come to them for help.  Names were drawn to give away the empty bins, which are highly valued since plastic storage bins are not available in Kenya.  Refreshments of cake and pop were served while people came one-by-one to choose prizes from the clothing and jewelry.  Henry took charge of the iPod and Boombox speaker to select music for the festivities.

 

The volunteers get their wound care kits

The party ended with a group photo of all of the volunteers together.

Imani Project volunteers, 2012

After the Kenyans all departed, the Americans made a final trek to Hippo Camp on the river.  No hippos were out, but we had a beautiful sunset to end the day. 

Sunset over the Sabaki River

 

The Imani Project Arrives in Kenya

By now the Imani Project's United States contingency is bringing their time in Kenya to a close, but we would like to go back a few weeeks and recall our eventful arrival to Kenya.

On September 10th, Imani Project member Phil Garding wrote,

"I've heard it said that your trip to Kenya is never complete without a close encounter with a mouse, the frogs, and a snake.  If so, our trip is already complete.  More on that later.

After flying for 19 hours, we and our 18 pieces of checked luggage landed safely in Nairobi.  We met up with Cindy Harnly, a health educator and paramedic who had flown in from Portland.  We drove to the Heart hotel where we found a welcoming bed and a hot shower the next morning.  After breakfast at the hotel, we climbed back into the trucks to return to the airport.

The flight to Malindi is only an hour long, on a small prop-driven plane that holds about 50 people.  Checking in was a challenge due to our luggage.  On such a small plane, there is no bin room for conventional carry-on suitcases, so those had to be checked as well as our larger items.  We are allowed 20 kg of luggage per person with the ticket price, but our 24 pieces of luggage to check weighed 522 kg!  The airline waived part of the baggage fee, but we still had to pay $260.  An expense, but no problem.  The problem came when we were sitting on the plan, just about to take off.  The man from the airline desk came on the plane to tell us that they couldn't fit 15 of the storage bins on the plane.  They would be delivered tomorrow morning.  Fortunately, the training day was tomorrow, not today.

The Sabaki River Delta Hotel is a little bit different this time than last.  They've moved the tents around and built some new covered areas.

They now have a small generator which helps to power a light over the eating area and power where Rodger and his family live.  In 2010, we were only able to charge batteries through a solar panel or by taking AA and AAA batteries into the village.  We will help pay for petrol (gasoline) for the generator.  Even more advanced, Rodger's son, Mtawali has an internet stick - a USB adapter that connects to the cellular network for data access.  We can do our email, upload of this journal, and other things right from the Hotel!  The world has gotten smaller in the last two years.

The dining table is in a new covered area:

The trouble with this is that the side walls block the breeze from flowing through, so we are getting bug bites around our lower legs and feet.  We actually enjoyed being in the open space so we could watch the birds and world from the dining table.

Diane and I are staying in a tent on the property.  Showers and toilets are in the building at the left edge of the photo:

As expected, we have already had some encounters with the local wildlife.  When putting the suitcases in the tent, I discovered a little mouse inside the front partition.  Not too surprising, considering that the tent flaps were a little bit open at the ground level when we got there.  I tried to shoo the mouse toward the door, but ended up chasing it around until it went through a hole and into the back partition where the bed is located.  I gave up on that for a while.

Later, I made a new survey of the tent to find the mouse, and I was lifting up the edges of the tent to expose folded over areas where the mouse could hide.  While doing this, I discovered a snake instead of a mouse.  It was dark grey, narrow, and about a foot long.  I went out where Rodgers and his daughters were sitting and asked, "Are there poisonous snakes in this part of Kenya?"

They became very interested.  "Yes. Why?"

"I found a snake in the tent."

They became even more interested.  "Show me!"  I led Rodgers and Elvina to the tent and pulled up the fold.  "It is what we call a house snake," Rodgers told me, "only a little bit poisonous."  He then sent Elvina for a stick.  He took off his sandal and killed the little snake, so that Elvina could scoop it up and carry it draped over the stick.  "They come looking for insects.  They don't bother people.  One could sleep in your bed and it wouldn't bite you."  We still felt better knowing that the tent was properly de-snaked.

Continuing our animal adventures, we were surprised to see some eyes looking up after using the toilet.  There has been a frog living in the toilet bowl for the last few days, using toilet paper as a lily pad.  Earline is convinced that it is trapped there.  How would it be if every time you tried to climb out, the monsoon comes and flushes you back down?  Not only that, it rains on you all of the time.  Even more surprising was that the frog population increased.  After using the toilet last night, there were two frogs looking back.

Mammals, reptiles, and amphibians.  Our African adventure is complete."