"What I did was..." Africa #5

Everyone asks "So?! What did you guys do to help?" Well...we did a lot I think =) I personally did a variety of things and kinda just "filled in" when needed, which was nice since I got to meet different kids, hospital workers and my fellow SHe crew.

~Diet and Hygiene class/ Recreational Therapy

Look closely at Rinda's confused
face..what on earth is Sudi adding?

playing boggle while
waiting for her mom

I started at the hospital, I was Rinda's "Vanna" for a class about diet and hygiene. The people, who wanted to see the dentist or optometrist, had to attend this class first. Then we took their case histories and led them back to the appropriate place. Yes, more than one person had HIV/ AIDS but it's something they deal with daily there....scary to think about. Rinda did a fabulous job teaching by the way...even when the translator kinda took over her class one time and said things we definitely didn't say (he'd go on for five minutes when Rinda had said one sentence!) See my next post (what I learned/ big moments) for some good things I learned from Rinda (love her!) She, Lindsay and Juanita also spent part of a day with kids with cerebral palsy. Rinda also spent time going to one ward of the hospital and making everyone laugh (She said, "I DID get everyone to smile"). Really really love Rinda =)

~Dental clinic

In our group was a dentist (Brandon) and a dental hygienist (Meghann), they let us help with dental injections for numbing and some minimal cleanings. People think it's "gross" apparently to want to stick someone with a needle. I didn't...I thought it was cool. When am I ever going to get to do that again (legally) ya know? The lady I injected asked me if I was a student afterwards...because...well...I did it incorrectly (more kindly actually but incorrectly). I started giving her the numbing stuff too soon and so it ran out faster than expected and the dentist had to inject her again later on. Hey- I consider this mistake a tender mercy for her. I mean, the sooner the number the better ya know (wow that's bad grammar but it flows)?  I also occasionally "fanned" the dentist hahah- there's no AC in the hospital or really anywhere in the town...

~Optometry

Amman

can you see me now?

 I helped with eye screenings- yep! I now know how to screen near sighted and far sighted conditions. Amman, is an optometrist. He got more precise prescriptions after the screenings and is going to send glasses back to those who need them. A "notable" case was an albino kiddo at the school. Amman spent some time with him and said that he'll probably be able to correct his nearsightedness but that he'll only see about 20/70 far sighted. Hey since I'm 20/ 1600 (unaided) I don't think that's so bad! Way to be awesome and generous Amman.

~Physical Therapy

Andy

We also had with us a physical therapist (Andy- not to be confused with Andrew) who spent time fixing not just patients, but basically everyone else (including me! My neck has never felt so great hahah). I felt badly that since he was working one-on-one with a PT in the hospital, and wasn't with our main group, we'd forget him and leave to go home without him or forget to bring him lunch. Good thing Andy isn't easily offended =p. He honestly helped out so much (one guy had  been there since January and BAM Andy fixed him) and was really appreciated (I'm sure forever by some of the locals and Robert, the PT he taught and left supplies with), but Andy's quiet (umm in groups- not one-on-one) so he served just more humbly in the background I guess. Way to be awesome Andy!

~CPR and neonatal resuscitation

Heidi, a nurse



We had 4 nurses with us (one currently taking her boards to become a nurse pracitioner) and they were invaluable! They taught CPR (Pete, Rinda and I helped a little though we are not nurses) and neonatal resuscitation.

  

~Construction

We had a construction crew that helped replace (well tare up then replace) some flooring and some roofing. I helped with painting for half a day but wasn't really one of the "construction" crew. They all did awesome work and Lindsay and Rachel really stepped it up with that =).

~Teaching

Jeni

The teachers were also on strike the week we stayed at the school, so George, the headmaster asked if we could teach. Basically the teaching team manned up and taught daily. They started off teaching their core curriculum, and then decided it was easier to teach what they knew (though we did have people teaching sex ed and coming from a group of LDS singles...we're not very experienced hahah).  We had a "career day" on Friday, and I taught that morning. I basically told them what I do, how we hear and then answered their questions. Let's just say that the question I got asked the most was "Why aren't you married?" Sheesh people! I can't escape that question even on a different continent! One of the 18 year olds told me I should have three children by now...well then... ? Many of us (yes me too)ring, and the expectations for husbands to help us clean, care for the children and watch the kids while we have "girls nights". Good job dissuading them Curt haha. I did give several of them my email address and let them know I am on "The Facebook", since our IT team hooked up the Internet for them while we were there.

   

(These are actual signs painted on the walls of the school ...they got "sex ed" everyday in my opinion)

The second most common question I got asked while teaching~ Q-tips! Also, the universal bane of my existence. Don't get me wrong, q-tips have a purpose and place in the world...just not in your ears =p.  I do have to say many kids asked some great questions. It was also during this "teaching" session that I discovered Kinango has a DEAF SCHOOL! Yeah! I'd been there a week and had no idea. I'd asked the native nurses (one who told me that they just need me there and I must come back) and even the in country director what they did with patients with hearing loss and/or vertigo. Well, no one but the kids told me about the deaf school. One of the older boys, Omgee (said Ohm-jzee) walked me to the school. Reed, one of the SHe leaders, needed to go into town so we walked together. Bill, a SHe member, joined us as well. Omgee kept calling it the "dumb" school, which always made me laugh. Finally he asked me why I always laughed when he said "dumb". Reed and Bill kindly explained to him the other meaning of dumb and how he should consider calling it just the "deaf school" or "mute" hahah. I've resolved to go back to Kinango one day and help them at the deaf school...I'm working on it!

~ Field Day and Talent show
The teachers (or someone smart) came up with the idea for a field day with the kids. It was awesome

 

Amman had decided to screen the kids eyes, who actually attend the school and Ben and I spent most of the field day helping him so we missed parts (Ben and Amman just rock to work instead of play- i can't say it enough- fabulous guys and people on this trip!) but we got out there in time to see a few events. They did a three legged race, which resulted in the worst bruises I've ever seen from that game (seriously who tied you all?!). They balanced water bottles on their head, did simple running races, and did jump rope races. At the end some of the SHe people made a pyramid that did stand for about 30 seconds before it fell. Good job guys!
The talent show was kind of our last night "Farewell" time...it was really sad. April had taught the kids to sing "Leaving on a Jet Plane" and then we all started singing it. Such a sweet moment! It was sad to say good bye =(

~Business Team/ Night Hike

We also had a business team come and assist some local businesses. One night a group of ladies, who have a business working with rocks in a dried river bed, welcomed us to their business by SINGING to us "Welcome to our business!" One of the girls pointed out that they sang for over a half hour never tiring of welcoming us! It's very true! They are so gracious (I've never been to a place where everyone just walks up to the tourists and says "Karibu to Kenya! You are welcome here". I've decided that one day, I will welcome tourists to America....and watch their reaction...) They then taught us how to sing the "Jambo song". They also sang a song where they called a few of us out to dance in the middle and "show off". I got called out to dance with Amman. He's a better dancer than I am, and it's hard to dance for 2 minutes with a big group of people wacthing you hahah. I think I did ok. While they were singing to us, I laid down on the ground and just looked up at the stars and listened (were those hyenas in the background too..some people said so). It was definitely a great moment, and one I'll remember forever!

We sang for them the National Anthem, popcorn popping on the apricot tree, and head shoulders knees and toes (which the little ones knew! And admittedly I stopped singing a few times to hear Amman next to me. He's an amazing singer and he also plays the violin apparently....I hope to hear it someday).

For a finale the little kids sang "Happy Birthday" to Angela, who turned 23 that day. I told her that no birthday is ever going to be top being sung to by Africans in a river bed late at night =)....I'm planning on keeping in touch with her so we'll see if anything ever does.

Lyrics Jambo bwana song=

Jambo (hello)
Jambo bwana (hello sir)
Habari gani? (how are you)
Mzuri sana (very fine)
Wageni wakaribishwa (visitors are welcome)
kenya yetu (Kenya and you)
Hakuna Matata (no problems)

Hakuna Matata ad lib
Kenya nchi nzuri (Kenya is a good country)
Kenya Kupedneza (lovely country)
Twapenda Wageni (we love visitors)
Mna Karibishwa (you are welcome here)

~Business Group/ Carnival/ Market Day (Lindsay recorded the video wrong side up...sorry she didn't know)

On market day, the business team decided we should set up carnival games. The people could come and play 3 games for free. They could throw a Frisbee through a tire, knock down our empty wet wipe containers with a tennis ball, and/ or throw bracelets over empty coke bottles (side note: their soda, which is super super cheap comes in glass bottles. you have to pay a deposit for the bottle on top of purchasing the soda. if you bring back the bottle or just drink it in the store, you get your deposit back. The only time we didn't get our deposit back was when we purchased a one liter glass bottle of Coke for Curt- it was well worth it! He loved it!) If they won a game, they got a raffle ticket. The main prize was a goat! I also brought 2 slap watches (from staples- they are so fun...brought back memories of elementary school days and slap bracelets) more to barter with than anything, but when we decided to have a carnival, Lindsay suggested they'd be good prizes. A little girl got the pink watch and a little boy got the blue one. The little boy, who won the watch, also won the goat. He will reportedly sell it to pay his school fees for an entire year. Funny things about the carnival- we had a megaphone that Fred (native Kenyan who was awesome for translating) usually used to instruct people, as well as give away sodas every half hour. The megaphone played a random Spanish song (heard in the video) that stuck in my head almost as much as the Jambo song.

~ Making sure everyone was entertained

We also- danced with the kids, blew lots of bubbles, listened to lots of music, played "athletics" (they speak very proper British English there), sang, danced (an entire dance party- they weren't big fans of the electric slide or line dancing, but we tried) and just talk and bonded with the kids.

Other mentionable moments-

~While waiting at the hospital to go over to the deaf school (Reed wanted to check in with the crew) I saw the cutest baby sitting with her mom. No, this wasn't your stereotypical "starving African baby". It was a very healthy, chubby girl. Her mom was waiting (patiently mind you) to see the dentist. The mom was laughing and playing with the baby, who was squealing and so happy. It was such a cute moment. Omgee asked me if I wanted him to take a picture and I told him no. It may sound funny, but I just want to remember that in my head....for me... All over the world the things that matter the most are the same. Mom's loving their babies- AH! It was so tender!

Loren/midwife

~We were housed in the maternity ward. Loren in our group (who works at a golf shop and has a marketing degree) delivered a baby! She had bonded with the maternity midwife who came to get here when a baby was coming. She then told her to "catch it!" He was apparently a healthy, beautiful baby boy. He's going to be told for the rest of his life that he was delivered by a white girl from America.  Way to go Loren!

~We also saw a dead lady...yes....a dead lady! The natives didn't seem to be shocked at all by it. Some guys brought her to the hospital on a motorcycle. I could tell just from seeing her at the beginning that she was dead, but it took a little while for her to be declared dead. When I came back out of the hospital, she was lying there on what was basically the front porch of the hospital. They had covered her face and several people stood around seemingly saying their goodbyes...and then they left her there... yeah. Children were playing around her etc. I looked at a native lady standing off to the side and she said, "She is dead." I asked, "How did she die?" She said, "She had the bleeding disorder (I clarified-hemophiliac) and AIDS" then she shrugged.  I asked, "Are they going to bury her?" She said, "I do not know where's she's from" (I guess that matters....?) Then I said, "Well yeah but...are they going to bury her?" She said, "I don't know. Anyway...." No joke?! "Anyway" I was shocked but...I mean...that's how it goes in Africa I guess?

~A little boy came in to the hospital injured. His parents had been trampled to death by elephants that day. Andy, had tried to cheer him up before he realized what had happened and ended up feeling worse about trying to be so perky (there's no way he could've known- bless Andy's heart). I'm certain though that he will be well taken care of. They think of family as a much bigger unit than we do here- they actually know their second cousins etc.

Rinda and I spending time with some of the resident boys after school.