tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49882608197747135642024-02-19T07:23:33.054-07:00Annette's Adventures at TenwekAnnettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15524383618923794242noreply@blogger.comBlogger113125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4988260819774713564.post-52858349732470491532020-04-04T06:55:00.002-06:002020-04-04T09:34:44.044-06:00We need more Oxygen<div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u>The basics:</u></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, this post includes some medical info. If you want to skip all the reading, here are the basics. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tenwek needs to buy another Oxygen concentrator to support our patients. We need to move quickly to purchase and install it so we are ready for patients. I am asking for help to raise these needed funds. Through supporters and organizations, some funds have already been given/pledged, and we are moving forward to purchase the machine, THANK YOU. Funds are still needed to fulfill this commitment and for piping, installation, and renovations. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Americans </b>-give to <a href="https://www.wgm.org/project/tenwek-covid19" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">WGM, Tenwek Covid Project.</span></a> OR <a href="https://interland3.donorperfect.net/weblink/weblink.aspx?name=E126579&id=71" target="_blank">Friends Of Tenwek.</a> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Canadians-</b> Donate through Into All The World, Go to <a href="https://app.etapestry.com/onlineforms/IntoAlltheWorldInc/shortterm.html" target="_blank">https://app.etapestry.com/onlineforms/IntoAlltheWorldInc/shortterm.html</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Please send me a message via e-mail (annette.lievaart@wgm.org) or Facebook of the amount you have donated so I can direct the funds. Also, you can write Covid in the comments box. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u>The Story:</u></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Everywhere you turn these da</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">ys is talk about COVID-19. Whether it be affected numbers, a salute to health care workers, the need for hospital beds, or the need for ventilators. As a Respiratory Therapist, I have never seen my profession and the work we do highlighted so much. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kenya is gearing up for this disease, our current count is 126 cases. The government here has put in place many measures to reduce the spread. Yet, hospitals are preparing for an influx. Tenwek is working together with the County who will care for many of these patients. At Tenwek in the last few weeks, we have been saying, “We are not scared. We are prepared.” So, we are working hard on those preparations. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tenwek wants to focus on the basics with OXYGEN. Not all patients who develop COVID-19 need hospital care. In fact, many will have mild symptoms. But of the ones who do need hospital care, not all need ICU care. This group of patients need oxygen to support them until they can recover, which can be provided by a mask connected to a flow meter that delivers the oxygen. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The challenge is where does oxygen come from? This is a question I never asked when working in Canada - the answer was the wall - you plug in the flow meter and oxygen comes out. Here in Kenya, I have learned a little more about the process. Tenwek uses something called an oxygen concentrator - maybe you have seen a small one in someone’s home who is on home oxygen. The one we want to purchase is similar but on a much larger scale. This will work continually to produce oxygen for many patients. We can serve many patients with one concentrator. The hospital currently uses a few concentrators to provide for the hospital but they are at near capacity. A few weeks ago when we had many sick patients they could barely keep up. So we have decided we could really use another one as we expand. We are doing some renovations and will be increasing the number of beds in the hospital. There is a machine already in the country - we just need the funds to purchase it - will you help give funds to help us help these patients? Giving information is above. </span><span style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A few years ago we bought a new compressor to work with the Oxygen conentrator. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Giving Oxygen can sometimes be added to by creating a simple CPAP device for babies. </td></tr>
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Annettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15524383618923794242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4988260819774713564.post-52251242116079537202020-03-18T21:39:00.004-06:002020-03-18T21:39:58.067-06:00I hope socks are in this box and why is the money orange?So I started this blog post two months ago, forgive me that it has taken so long for me to finish, life got busy.<br />
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I am enjoying life back in Kenya. I left Alberta in a bit of a snowstorm and am glad Dad's truck has snow tires - and that he is more experienced driving on snow and ice than I am. Although, I did get some practice this past year. I also left before the arctic chill moved in. I am happy to have left Alberta before it got below -25C.<br />
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My flights went well. I was able to catch up on some movies and even got some sleep. Despite landing in Nairobi many times I always am a little nervous. Will the passport line be long? - will my luggage come? Will my large bag come out at the normal carousel or at the oversize section. This time I got lucky the bags, all three, came out quite quickly. Then the next hurdle: Customs. Will they open every bag? Will they x-ray every bag? Will I have to unload my carefully balanced cart? Will they charge me fees? With a prayer and a push of the cart, I went through Customs with only one bag going through x-ray. I was thankful to be out of the plane and in the taxi after only 40 min.<br />
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Kenya is a large cash society. So a quick stop at the ATM, had me in my sleep-deprived, jet-lagged state surprised. While I was away Kenya changed their currency so instead of the normal 100oshilling notes I was used to, I got orangey/pink ones. It took a bit for me to recognize what it was and then take my money and go.<br />
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After a few days in Nairobi getting a new cell phone sim card, buying groceries for the next few weeks and renewing my physiotherapy license. From there it was the 4 hour trip to Tenwek and settling back into my place. I moved back into the same house as before. While I was away some short term visitors stayed in my house. Some things were packed away and so the unpacking began.<br />
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Every time I move (or pack into or out of storage) I am amazed about how much space everything takes up. I had left myself a list of some of what I had in storage. I had left a note - telling myself to not bring back socks from Canada. 95% of the time I wear sandals anyway. However, while I was unpacking, I was a little worried, as I did not find my socks until the very end. A few were in the slow cooker, wrapped around kitchen stuff - boy, am I glad I looked inside before I put it on the shelf. It took only a week to get settled and after being back at work for two months, it feels like I never left. I have settled back into the routine of work being patient care and education, answering e-mails for visitors who want to come and everything else that is part of life here. Below are some pictures to give you a taste of the last two months.<br />
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When it rains here it pours, we have gotten a few days of rain every week since I got back even though it is supposed to be dry season. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A shift change lecture to the nurses on Arterial line management</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So driving home from Nairobi last month I was following this truck down the escarpment, part of this road has steep drop-offs and I am nervous in my SUV, glad I was not driving this wide load. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Last week we did a 2 day ICU crash course for nurses who are new to ICU. Was busy but fun. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIW6aaEuOegRwRXvghkcWyBtSNLU7U-_MyjKFDd5nifauadNQyXaUxhEqP6wNsqux-LDSsVgfMkmpDXLkoxkdZUhecndFwzOY_YktC18FMK0-fVSUXioQHrhhO0lRZhwkSldSTdVVPyV_B/s1600/IMG_4215.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIW6aaEuOegRwRXvghkcWyBtSNLU7U-_MyjKFDd5nifauadNQyXaUxhEqP6wNsqux-LDSsVgfMkmpDXLkoxkdZUhecndFwzOY_YktC18FMK0-fVSUXioQHrhhO0lRZhwkSldSTdVVPyV_B/s640/IMG_4215.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We receive many short term visitors, these medical students and residents asked for teaching on ventilators. I never say no to the option of teaching. Especially as the residents take overnight call, and if they learn how to do it, they don't page me at 2am. </td></tr>
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<br />Annettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15524383618923794242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4988260819774713564.post-40276222180828240852019-10-16T19:58:00.002-06:002019-10-17T09:06:26.618-06:00Preparing to Go Back, WHY?The Lord willing in three months, I will be back on Kenyan soil. I have enjoyed the last 6+ months in Canada. I have a comfortable apartment, a convenient LRT (subway) ride to work, I am enjoying being able to visit with my family often, go for coffee and supper with friends. I have a job where I am challenged but not stressed. I work with a fun group of people. I get paid well, and I don't need to raise support for it. So why would I want to leave?<br />
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There are a few answers to this question:<br />
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- I have a great place to live in Kenya too, it's comfortable, I have great neighbours, and I can walk to work, and home for lunch too.<br />
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- Family is farther away (and that is hard) but I have great community, kids who call me Aunt Annette, friends who I can call at any time. I am thankful for technology that helps me to keep in touch with the family that is far away.<br />
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- Work is the same in Kenya, in some ways, but different in others. I am working in a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit in Alberta. On weekdays when I show up to work here there are two pediatric intensivists working, a few peds residents and one pediatric fellow (finished residency and getting more training in ICU care). Each critical patient has a nurse assigned to them with specific training in pediatric critical care. For our 16 bed ICU, we have three respiratory therapists assigned each shift.<br />
When needed, the pediatric team of physicians can consult pediatric pulmonology, or infectious disease, or endocrine or oncology or...<br />
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-Contrast this to Tenwek: when I show up at work there are one or two pediatricians for all the pediatric patients (20-30 on the wards, ~30 in the nursery, a line up in outpatient and a few in the ICU). We have interns working who are with us for one year of training in adult medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics, and surgery. At the end of their training year, they are helpful but at the beginning they need a lot of guidance. We have one or two family residence on the pediatrics service helping out. When the service gets stuck they can talk to the pediatric surgeons, they can talk to the adult intensivist, they can talk to a smattering of other staff or they can send an e-mail home with questions.<br />
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-For respiratory therapists at Tenwek - there is one, and I am not just caring for the pediatric patients, I am helping out wherever I can. When I go back to Kenya, the hope is to do more formal teaching so one day, hopefully soon, there will be more than just me.<br />
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So all this comes together to show need but there is more.<br />
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Eric Liddel, an Olympic Gold medal winner in running, said: "God made me fast and when I run I feel His pleasure".<br />
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Frederich Buechner said, "The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet."<br />
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Together both of these bring me to Kenya. At risk of sounding proud I will say I am a good respiratory therapist, when I work in respiratory caring for patients or teaching others I feel God's pleasure. When I look around I see the need in Kenya. Pulling this all together, Kenya fits for me.<br />
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So I will go back, this next term will be three or four years. I am excited for what this term will look like. I am looking forward to greeting old friends and meeting new ones. I am nervous about what will be waiting for me, how will things have fared while I was away. I am hoping I am prepared.<br />
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I ask for your help. This can be done in a few ways:<br />
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1. Prayers, Tenwek is great but hard. To give some perspective in the last six months working in the PICU and floors, I have seen 2-3 deaths of children. In Tenwek, I sometimes see that many in a week. Including adults in my count (I don't keep track as that is too depressing) 2-3 deaths a day is normal. So pray for God to encourage me. If you want some perspective of this I recommend you read a book called "Promises in the Dark" by friend and fellow missionary Eric Mclaughlin.<br />
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2. I also need financial support. The hospital does not pay me so my salary and other expenses must be raised. Donations are easy just follow the instructions in the <a href="https://respiratorykenya.blogspot.com/2019/09/giving-2019.html">post </a>below this one.<br />
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There are a few more reasons to go back to Kenya. The weather is lovely all the time and it is beautiful. Below are some favourite pictures. If you ever find yourself in Kenya send me a message and maybe we can meet up.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWa4ABJgCvp4ObZPXHKK-hjwEeqdRP9x1hAt9SFqrU-xsicPHL8f6jzMyO2xdIVqsYIR8yq3_v7KtP7NvAxsR2OxTXB3xoX_Mk2BBZkutlnCYiJSfZFl3AC-IWjmA3-cW6yHKZXquJPr1j/s1600/IMG_3733.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWa4ABJgCvp4ObZPXHKK-hjwEeqdRP9x1hAt9SFqrU-xsicPHL8f6jzMyO2xdIVqsYIR8yq3_v7KtP7NvAxsR2OxTXB3xoX_Mk2BBZkutlnCYiJSfZFl3AC-IWjmA3-cW6yHKZXquJPr1j/s400/IMG_3733.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What A Strange Bird</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFr4qL3toceQhnDzG6vi8UhTWdDhSu2dl8PY_EKX4vTF6m19oQvWaZfiGdLN3V9_fuR3vSpP9j7l9JzYzMpx1PDiGzQmH7usAAVvKq4PZjPETAHO5a0xcjuMCeM1j0yRLuDNeoze-QXcAy/s1600/IMG_3767.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFr4qL3toceQhnDzG6vi8UhTWdDhSu2dl8PY_EKX4vTF6m19oQvWaZfiGdLN3V9_fuR3vSpP9j7l9JzYzMpx1PDiGzQmH7usAAVvKq4PZjPETAHO5a0xcjuMCeM1j0yRLuDNeoze-QXcAy/s400/IMG_3767.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2 of my Favourite animals together in the wild</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCANO8y7KyHd3kIKpxbwbkXyHdeDXFiYOCmiswgaTsbf5R00lRGtOaYDlirsZnd3Exx9teqW5mQ0NPTCgjnH1w9T9F7Jn8UtXnSJ2ZOm3p6DF7ZNbmyoVGFFfGF4WQsdjvE5HksH3ItVfH/s1600/IMG_3832.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCANO8y7KyHd3kIKpxbwbkXyHdeDXFiYOCmiswgaTsbf5R00lRGtOaYDlirsZnd3Exx9teqW5mQ0NPTCgjnH1w9T9F7Jn8UtXnSJ2ZOm3p6DF7ZNbmyoVGFFfGF4WQsdjvE5HksH3ItVfH/s400/IMG_3832.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL-D1uWE3ZriaMA3APZOt0UHkNcRx0lyrflLd1APu-JKFkljo9QW77QFpmLGQuUAoXeJ-XDWxjwZ0C2Pp8jPjtQsvrqPqOg6KxzUPL8GME_j8oerJKYCKgAxRRreTPwocOd9gpr4FzIC7a/s1600/IMG_3843.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL-D1uWE3ZriaMA3APZOt0UHkNcRx0lyrflLd1APu-JKFkljo9QW77QFpmLGQuUAoXeJ-XDWxjwZ0C2Pp8jPjtQsvrqPqOg6KxzUPL8GME_j8oerJKYCKgAxRRreTPwocOd9gpr4FzIC7a/s400/IMG_3843.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhplMNYwwE7lZXqUeJKfsBeZO77qpJA3Lv_i8aIIA_dJI9kdpqlRppIwC0KrDHvxJE2eab1jnu6Kt0P6QUC6bwjFqt_-cKc9uAJRV1SIVSrQEGrEnv9mI4waJWB-a-gI_IdEN7dWYBcEN8d/s1600/IMG_3883.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhplMNYwwE7lZXqUeJKfsBeZO77qpJA3Lv_i8aIIA_dJI9kdpqlRppIwC0KrDHvxJE2eab1jnu6Kt0P6QUC6bwjFqt_-cKc9uAJRV1SIVSrQEGrEnv9mI4waJWB-a-gI_IdEN7dWYBcEN8d/s400/IMG_3883.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I took this picture just outside my door. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Colubus monkey (4 hours away in the rainforest)</td></tr>
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<br />Annettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15524383618923794242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4988260819774713564.post-295662692467471092019-09-30T16:48:00.004-06:002021-08-02T11:31:08.295-06:00Giving 2019<span style="font-family: inherit;">Thank You for supporting this ministry. You will </span>receive<span style="font-family: inherit;"> a tax </span>receipt<span style="font-family: inherit;"> for donations, j</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">ust follow the instructions below. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I ask you to consider regular scheduled giving, it is easy to do and will help sustain the ministry. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><b><u>Canadians - Give via Into All the World</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Ministry vs Personal </b>- When you donate there is an option between Project and support. Both are tax-deductible. Project covers expenses beyond my salary ie travel, materials, equipment, fees etc. Support is my monthly salary. You may choose whichever you like. If needed I can transfer between funds. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><u>Electronic Funds Transfer, Credit card, Cheque, E-transfer</u></span><br />
Use this <a href="https://drive.google.com/open?id=1qdK2BtQn_uLO5df8MGuFRMUdMqcQqCPE" target="_blank">IATW Form.</a><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="line-height: 20.7999992370605px;" /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.7999992370605px;"><u>Web:</u></span></span><br />
<a href="https://app.etapestry.com/onlineforms/IntoAlltheWorldInc/donate.html" target="_blank">https://app.etapestry.com/onlineforms/IntoAlltheWorldInc/donate.html</a><br />
Select my name from the drop-down list and fill in the information.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.7999992370605px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><b><u>Americans - Give via World Gospel Mission</u></b></span></span><br />
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<u>Check, credit Card</u><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">Use this <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1l3e7R1la_eiL60waYzPz3XnPCy4Jqep-/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">WGM Form</a></span><br />
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<u>Web:</u><br /><a href="https://www.wgm.org/lievaart" style="color: #0563c1; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;" title="https://www.wgm.org/lievaart">https://www.wgm.org/lievaart</a><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;">.</span><br />
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Thank you for your prayers and supportAnnettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15524383618923794242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4988260819774713564.post-25710531510550724312017-11-24T20:47:00.000-07:002017-11-26T11:00:32.121-07:00All I want for Christmas is...So Christmas is coming and while I am away from a lot of the commercialization that surrounds the North American Christmas season the thoughts of what I want for Christmas is on my mind. This year I am asking for something big and I am asking for your help.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">This year all I want for Christmas is New Ventilators. </span><br />
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These are not for me personally although I do have a collection of medical supplies in my house. Currently my desk is covered with Laryngoscope blades, I tripped over my spirometer that I store under my bed and this bag of CPAP masks is getting in the way. (Don't worry all this stuff will be used by the hospital). The new ventilators I am asking for will be utilized well. We have already ordered two and plans are to order four more.<br />
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Since I arrived in 2010 Tenwek has managed to get by with a collection of donated machines, over time some of these machines would break in a way neither I nor Bio-Med could fix and they would join the broken pile. Since I have arrived we have gotten four 'new to us' machines. Three of these were already 15+years old and one quickly became extra parts for the other two.<br />
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We still have a few machines with us that have been here for (way) too long. Two of them always alarm "check diagnostics", one no longer delivers PEEP which is needed for 90% of patients. (Yes my fellow RT's: really 100% need PEEP but head injuries and overdoses do OK with no PEEP.) Now if this was your family member would you want them on a machine made in 1981 and is also found in museums (not a lie) or would you want them on a machine that alarms and no one knows why? DO you want them on a machine that says "No PEEP must keep at 0". While we have been able to provide safe care to the patients a change is needed. So we are working with a distributor to purchase six 'new to us' machines. Two are going to the cardiac surgery area and have already been paid for but the other four will be used in our general population.<br />
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Are you willing to help me with this Christmas present? Four machines and shipping will be expensive but will help sustain the ICU and HDU in Tenwek for many more years. Some funds are already in my account but I am giving you the opportunity to help. To give you an idea of cost - I was thinking of buying a car but since I am borrowing another family's car while they are in the States for a year I figured this would be a better use of the funds. So if you want to help - it's easy click the "<a href="http://respiratorykenya.blogspot.co.ke/2015/05/how-to-give-update.html" target="_blank">to donate</a>" button on the side and follow the directions, you will even get a tax receipt. Then send me an e-mail or Facebook message letting me know that the donation is for this purpose. If by chance (that would really be a miracle) I raise more than needed the extra funds will go to preventative maintenance of these machines.<br />
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I have also added some pictures to show the new machine and old machines.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqoO1xFTLBWO7dgjKGI_DwvtxmMRYVS8is2lvyg70eSuNlN45-jO8pb8318lQs3gZZGqnMsmbPK3-xz1MHcnUhI0uTq3yaWHflKPcd9B4iGHHY682wXw_PWikVVvf-hBIGy3kPv4XLZRux/s1600/IMG_5847.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqoO1xFTLBWO7dgjKGI_DwvtxmMRYVS8is2lvyg70eSuNlN45-jO8pb8318lQs3gZZGqnMsmbPK3-xz1MHcnUhI0uTq3yaWHflKPcd9B4iGHHY682wXw_PWikVVvf-hBIGy3kPv4XLZRux/s400/IMG_5847.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The New Machine - We already have one, it will be great to have more. Isn't it beautiful?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT9eX_x-2IFSUIZw-ZpsjC24NlgVsJ9zxwATTQKoT2_mUhkD98eGqs-r2kjdp6_i6vLtOJtfQNqS0tLsl9F27wzRn4xi3wDU-RJw5_WJco0WeaK5KUlRIBJPtM6hPnEUa9OQZEosO7OCDJ/s1600/IMG_5848.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT9eX_x-2IFSUIZw-ZpsjC24NlgVsJ9zxwATTQKoT2_mUhkD98eGqs-r2kjdp6_i6vLtOJtfQNqS0tLsl9F27wzRn4xi3wDU-RJw5_WJco0WeaK5KUlRIBJPtM6hPnEUa9OQZEosO7OCDJ/s400/IMG_5848.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old machine from 1981, we actually have two of these, this one with some trouble but the other actually works well. You may notice this is the same brand as the new ones we are buying hopefully they will also hold up for 30+ years</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuASYiLCG-M8BxqA1_caHH4E9W0kURAe5kmN0UryEkZeO_1cJxXEQRCeTh-JA3c1fYQj2H1xucVi0h3o8YBUgtrGKleR7ixOOw7IUe7dZkzb4geltCqWRAxWhZ5ncxVDOEJrLpJiiBRhpz/s1600/IMG_5849.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuASYiLCG-M8BxqA1_caHH4E9W0kURAe5kmN0UryEkZeO_1cJxXEQRCeTh-JA3c1fYQj2H1xucVi0h3o8YBUgtrGKleR7ixOOw7IUe7dZkzb4geltCqWRAxWhZ5ncxVDOEJrLpJiiBRhpz/s400/IMG_5849.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">another older machine, notice the 0.00 in the top middle. That is supposed to read the amount of air the patient is breathing. A helpful value, however it does not work (despite replacing the sensor). </td></tr>
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Annettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15524383618923794242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4988260819774713564.post-8800908731622046852017-10-08T10:43:00.001-06:002017-10-08T10:43:09.828-06:00Unique Talents one learns on the mission field So living in Kenya has taught me a few things that I probably would not have learned back in Canada. I thought I would share a few of them here.<br />
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<ul>
<li>Ability to look at the gas burning in the bottom of my oven and know if the temp is set to 350F or 450F necessary as the temperature regulation looks identical to the ones on the stove, no numbers.</li>
<li>Able to drive (a standard) while dodging motor bikes, potholes, people, cows, donkeys and other cars.</li>
<li>Can now distinguish the difference between Thompson Gazelles, Impala, and Grants Gazelles. </li>
<li>Can give a speech with a few minutes notice, although my 4-H days taught me this.</li>
<li>Can hear a ventilator alarm from a different part of the hospital or through the phone line and know what the problem is.</li>
<li>Able to go shopping only every 6 weeks, with the exception of a few staples and veggies and not starve.</li>
<li>Complete a recipe with multiple substitutions, see why above, and it still tastes good. </li>
<li>Speak to patients in various languages. My Swahili is coming along well, but some patients only speak a local tribal language - Kipsigis, interestingly my 15-20 kipsigis words include cough, don't bite, breathe, breathe by yourself and lie down (relax). I guess you learn what you need to. </li>
<li>How long it takes for me to get cabin fever - 6 -7 weeks. With elections happening we were told to sit tight. So here I am, after not leaving Tenwek for 7 weeks and I am going a little crazy. I guess I know my limit.</li>
<li>Able to quickly get to know and work with a new phsyician, dancing the line between advising them what do do and telling them what to do. We have about 150 medical visitors a year so a lot of hello's and good-byes</li>
<li>I'm sure the list is longer but that's all that comes to mind right now. </li>
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Annettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15524383618923794242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4988260819774713564.post-90340202567053961182017-03-01T14:32:00.004-07:002017-03-01T14:32:37.073-07:00Ghana, Non-Medical missionsSo I am a little behind but I thought I should write a bit about my time in Ghana. I am serving with an organisation called Reach Beyond. Missions are full of confusion so they second me to the organisation known as World Gospel Mission (WGM) that I work with at Tenwek. Anyway, Reach Beyond divides up the world into regions and I am part of the Sub Saharan Africa region. A few times a month I have been meeting via Skype with the other missionaries in the region. It was time to meet in person and with visitors from the American HQ coming out to Ghana it was a good time to go. So beginning of January I took off for a few days.<br />
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I enjoyed my time in Ghana. I got to meet the rest of the team and their families, the children who had previously been annoying shrieks over voice Skype were now fun to play with. I also enjoy visiting other parts of Africa. Africa is a huge continent with diverse cultures. When travelling across the continent it is interesting to see what is similar and different. Nairobi has much more western malls and fast food than Accra, Ghana but in Accra you can safely walk after dark.<br />
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While meeting the rest of the team in person was the best part of the trip, I really enjoyed seeing the non-medical side of missions. The rest of the Reach Beyond group on the team are not medical but do radio. It was really great to see the work going on. Christian broadcasts going out in local language, spreading the good news of the Gospel, another group who has recorded audio bibles in 300+ languages, visits to a community where the water source was a puddle and with some help from reach beyond and a visiting team, a well was put in. Changing the health of a community. The medical side of missions is great, however I enjoyed the exposure to another side, which is also great.<br />
Rather than say more I will share a few photos<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcoko9tK6UMqbEwVp9XBwZgClZkVT__AsqazoYX1oB_gHTeljXQ5Zm43RxYMfkQFE8dw1ypp72LuDnCKOdyi9f9WDB6ddDAdTgYQzwsAsGIy-2S0c_DqAlPDCG2ebKF-pDKmkw1_c5neQZ/s1600/IMG_0562.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcoko9tK6UMqbEwVp9XBwZgClZkVT__AsqazoYX1oB_gHTeljXQ5Zm43RxYMfkQFE8dw1ypp72LuDnCKOdyi9f9WDB6ddDAdTgYQzwsAsGIy-2S0c_DqAlPDCG2ebKF-pDKmkw1_c5neQZ/s400/IMG_0562.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I did do some medical work, assisted a nurse in putting a dressing on the finger of one of the boys in the village.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnrMabvz8dkKnIEFp5Q-OV7amgnw-vh3ESBHvhiUXVr2Tv4ofifm3fp2OddN2KwOJT5FpHJlq-pXPc7tfTJsb1gbfFyvyjzXjZKzg0UkDiUVXHozJ9aW8CsEVwqV6nnffyT813fW-lPJyC/s1600/IMG_0553.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnrMabvz8dkKnIEFp5Q-OV7amgnw-vh3ESBHvhiUXVr2Tv4ofifm3fp2OddN2KwOJT5FpHJlq-pXPc7tfTJsb1gbfFyvyjzXjZKzg0UkDiUVXHozJ9aW8CsEVwqV6nnffyT813fW-lPJyC/s400/IMG_0553.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just like Kenya the kids love photos and strange looking people with white skin and red hair.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwifZMEFW68jDkUSVJ-XXoOFFfmm_K6kZu94FkwhI8NgiCXFBYB9aBjAOGhc_1BGihI-TpyVHlrT50xU8N4ZqYfs4FP7L7cU7MRCdTZG9wY1dRcKRpPi3Cwj6QVkOZQcC9_aE-TocjVXVY/s1600/IMG_5009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwifZMEFW68jDkUSVJ-XXoOFFfmm_K6kZu94FkwhI8NgiCXFBYB9aBjAOGhc_1BGihI-TpyVHlrT50xU8N4ZqYfs4FP7L7cU7MRCdTZG9wY1dRcKRpPi3Cwj6QVkOZQcC9_aE-TocjVXVY/s400/IMG_5009.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Recording live for the radio, we all were in the room trying to be quiet. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNHOXxB1GUW7bnYxb5kQrTWpyu4UJwnXtDz-a_Zt96wp_Y2O2eHqYg3bslM9UlfhRrM_vld51Igx91IJ-wstfTLd3ew3QMSA-tUDYp8JCrtKM10c3Bwf9prnXWlqAORuuttokBG7Azdu3r/s1600/IMG_0520.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNHOXxB1GUW7bnYxb5kQrTWpyu4UJwnXtDz-a_Zt96wp_Y2O2eHqYg3bslM9UlfhRrM_vld51Igx91IJ-wstfTLd3ew3QMSA-tUDYp8JCrtKM10c3Bwf9prnXWlqAORuuttokBG7Azdu3r/s400/IMG_0520.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's a jungle</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhadizt9cjjQO2Rax2ZwTnFNqaso6n-2liDIRRFvipoLNNCL8psUNUiVJqzZnhrs7D6hqix1lhkhT7N0fAbJHBUUe4X9PWhFjeLR88qlUg4xv-ciPwnjUqEzRyZweZHGIMWnLliBSEJTM4L/s1600/IMG_5005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhadizt9cjjQO2Rax2ZwTnFNqaso6n-2liDIRRFvipoLNNCL8psUNUiVJqzZnhrs7D6hqix1lhkhT7N0fAbJHBUUe4X9PWhFjeLR88qlUg4xv-ciPwnjUqEzRyZweZHGIMWnLliBSEJTM4L/s400/IMG_5005.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The DJ at work.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYWTyPnlkRZSWQ1ZZMMx9z8KD5Mn0hHz7jxN7-nYfL58l_exAWswtfiUhmt4514G9ibH-NzzC0QAiE9TpgRgOVMK4MJPlTeUIX-vvjM2uYqaDXrCnfetHiyrLoORqFFQI3L2CteBZRvXXs/s1600/IMG_0502.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYWTyPnlkRZSWQ1ZZMMx9z8KD5Mn0hHz7jxN7-nYfL58l_exAWswtfiUhmt4514G9ibH-NzzC0QAiE9TpgRgOVMK4MJPlTeUIX-vvjM2uYqaDXrCnfetHiyrLoORqFFQI3L2CteBZRvXXs/s400/IMG_0502.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cocoa beans -yum.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Nk9aHYN8KiTfLTiwrWgcvtLAodMBydMxFznLPw0zmjoxg2AvvwWdwfLxzolhtuIBVD34mFDcQ7nVkIbBq9yyiG7ZKapRVUXwXvICdO2HnnzN0JIhgPB6eXa3SQGDnHLEAPCf1vtpiZs5/s1600/IMG_0495.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Nk9aHYN8KiTfLTiwrWgcvtLAodMBydMxFznLPw0zmjoxg2AvvwWdwfLxzolhtuIBVD34mFDcQ7nVkIbBq9yyiG7ZKapRVUXwXvICdO2HnnzN0JIhgPB6eXa3SQGDnHLEAPCf1vtpiZs5/s400/IMG_0495.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Village's old water source.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSYTqq_p8kJ7j_M_7q6MlDof5kNZhMus_GXZLgsD4GU93pYRmSsTKAz-IE-kv9FCPJ2nVQAOgJTRWJ0-Hpd7-NHApBnsZ91q6A93ed-HxXuVHnbdStnNH2XlmWnq6zgp-TSPpg7GB_uoch/s1600/IMG_0467.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSYTqq_p8kJ7j_M_7q6MlDof5kNZhMus_GXZLgsD4GU93pYRmSsTKAz-IE-kv9FCPJ2nVQAOgJTRWJ0-Hpd7-NHApBnsZ91q6A93ed-HxXuVHnbdStnNH2XlmWnq6zgp-TSPpg7GB_uoch/s400/IMG_0467.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New water source, tastes good I drank it fresh from the tap.</td></tr>
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<br />Annettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15524383618923794242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4988260819774713564.post-4587167947325833362017-02-03T02:23:00.003-07:002017-02-03T02:23:50.674-07:00RainSo I have become someone who always annoys me - people who have a blog and don't keep it updated. So sorry, I have a good reason and I will use this reason to write a blog post.<br />
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Life here in Kenya has become normal, when I arrived in Kenya years ago everything was different and exciting. From new language, a different culture, a different hospital and different responsibilities. All of this gave plenty of material to blog about. I have not blogged about it all but it now seems normal. When visitors come and get excited about the baboons on the side of the road or are dismayed by the high number of suicide attempts or I explain to a guest what we should and don't have to use filtered water for, it is all just normal life now.<br />
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Writing about normal life is boring. I keep reminding myself that even though I find my life boring (as in normal) it may still be interesting to you. So I will write about something so normal here but it still makes me shake my head. That is RAIN.<br />
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When you read about Kenya in guide books or online you will read about the rainy season and the dry season. How the rains come March through June and August through October, or maybe about the December short rains. That the rest is dry. However this is crazy in my experience - it rains most weeks, except January, January is dry unless it rains. Why you may ask? Two reasons: first Tenwek is at a high altitude and therefore gets more rains, second is climate change, now I don't want to get in to an argument about global warming but in Kenya the weather has gone from predictable to unpredictable. The locals tell me they used to be able to say what day the rains would start, now it's just confusing.<br />
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So those of you who think I live in a dreary wet drizzly climate couldn't be farther from the truth. Here when it rains - it pours, maybe for 5 min maybe for an hour but then the sun comes out again. I am sure there is a five degree difference between rain and no rain.<br />
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SO how does rain affect life here:<br />
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Because when it rains it pours - never, ok rarely, a little drizzle - no one goes anywhere. You wait. I have come home for lunch and had my lunch extended by 20 min waiting for the rain to stop, it never rains for long. A walk to the hospital even with an umbrella and I could get drenched.<br />
Some days at the hospital it may be slow for me and I think one more thing and then I will work on things at home, then it starts to pour so I work longer or vice versa, if it has been an on and off rainy afternoon I may go home early if there is a break in the rain. Or there are days like yesterday where I decide to run home in the rain and get completely soaked. You know the type of soaked where you don't even walk through the house but are thankful you live alone and the curtains are closed so you leave the wet clothes in the entrance.<br />
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I don't complain about the rain, it's normal and as a farm girl I know about the importance of rain. Much of Kenya right now is experiencing a drought. So while the rains have started here at Tenwek (it's no longer January) parts of the country remain dry. So join me in praying for rain for those suffering from drought.<br />
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How's that I don't write for months and then all I talk about is rain? Pathetic, I know.<br />
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<br />Annettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15524383618923794242noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4988260819774713564.post-11996800754187096962016-07-09T01:43:00.001-06:002016-07-09T10:22:15.899-06:00life update and why you should get your tetanus shot<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">So my plan has been to write a post once a month. I have failed again. Sorry. Since I last wrote I made a quick trip to Canada to attend a friend's wedding and see family. It was great to see everyone there again, if I missed connection with you I am sorry. I have joked that I am the missionary that never leaves as since arriving in Kenya in January I have made 2 trips back to Canada. The <a href="http://respiratorykenya.blogspot.co.ke/2016/03/upside-down.html" target="_blank">February trip</a>, as you know was unexpected. This trip that I just took was planned already in January, and I am so thankful for that. I don't have any further trips planned so it will probably be a year before I am back in Canada. It was hard to be home without mom but also good to connect with my family. I have found since coming back I have progressed further out of the grief. The other day at work I was singing. I used to do that often but not in the last few months. It is good to feel more normal although I am sure there are times when it will seem to bog me down again. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Work at the hospital continues and I would like to share a challenge that does not exist in Canada but is one of the hardest things about working here. Healthcare at Tenwek and many mission hospitals is often referred to as working in a resource limited setting. That limitation of resources vary vastly on the spectrum and Tenwek is a better equipped resource limited hospital. However we still have to be judicious concerning our use of this equipment. For me a weekly question is the use of our ventilators. We currently have 5 working ventilators (1 broke while away and I still can’t find a replacement part). When a patient is placed on a ventilator that means we can not use that machine for someone else so decisions need to be made about how appropriate this is. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Let me share a story about this. A few weeks ago I got to work to discover a child with Tetanus had deteriorated over night and was placed on a ventilator. Tetanus is an ugly disease - so please get your vaccine. If it progresses to the point of needing a ventilator the chance of survival is poor, but there is still a chance and without the ventilator in this case the child would have died. So the decision was made and we continued to care for this child. Tetanus means the child may need a machine for 2-3 weeks. Therefore we are unable to use the machine to care for other patients with this machine (although I have 4 more) meaning other patients may die or may not. There are weeks when I only have 1-2 patients on a machine and some when all are in use. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">So here we were with this child on the machine. Praying, treating and hoping he will recover. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">However there is a second resource limitation here - the families resource. Staying in the ICU is an expensive treatment. About $100/day or more. That is cheap by western standards but if you only make 5$/day this is a lot. With all your funds going to pay the hospital bill still not being enough some families have to sell their land to pay the bill. Yes, Tenwek is a mission hospital and does provide care to all patients and we have a fund to help patients when needed but a large amount still falls onto the family and their community. So back to my patient after 2 weeks on the machine he died. Now not only is the family grieving a loss their savings have also been depleted. Limited resource is hard. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Now a few weeks later I get a page, another child also with Tetanus, not doing well. Now what do we do. We have a ventilator available - do we use it? Is this a good choice? Again the family has no money? Transferring to another hospital is not an option as the government hospitals will also charge and require a large deposit up front. These decisions I hate. A colleague of mine once said “don’t make a decision based on what happened to your last patient” not sure if he was quoting someone else but we took this advice. We decided to put the child on the ventilator and 24 hours she is doing a little better and she came off the veniltator, not on purpose the tube fell out but momentarily stable. So we observe. She may need the ventilator again she may not. She may live or she may not. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">In closing - a public service announcement: this is the 3rd child with tetanus in a few weeks, 2 have died and the 3rd we still don't know. Please, wherever you live, ensure you have your tetanus shot. </span></div>
Annettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15524383618923794242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4988260819774713564.post-38827656427636502612016-04-24T07:16:00.000-06:002016-04-27T09:04:44.345-06:00Back to work, life and restSince coming back to Tenwek I have not yet shared with you what's been going on. I have felt like a bit of a yo-yo as I was in Kenya for 3 weeks than back in Canada for 4 (for Mom's funeral) then back at Tenwek for 4 weeks and then off I went again for a week of retreat. By the time you read this I will be back to work at Tenwek again.<br>
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I love the work I do at Tenwek and did not really know what to expect when I got back in January. After being gone for 11 months would I still be remembered, would the nurses I invested time in teaching still remember what I taught them? would they still be there? Would the physicians welcome me back allowing me to run my machines and care for patients? Would my equipment still work? The answers to these questions was vastly positive. My first few days back at work were busy greeting everyone. Many of the nurses wishing me a Merry Christmas - a bit of a joke as they had not seen me for so long and I missed Christmas. I was happy to see many nurses still there and still remembering much of what I taught, however other nurses have gone to other departments, hospitals or for further training. The physicians were happy to have me back and let me know by paging me for something almost every day for the first two weeks (including nights and weekends). As for my equipment that was a different story - I came back to every single ventilator not working or "working" with multiple problems. I spent the first two weeks hurriedly trying to fix the machines. I was happy to have the help of a bio-med from Samaritans Purse who had come to help out the cardiac team. We took machines apart, swapped parts, put them back together and said lots of prayers. Some machines were just broken from normal wear and tear, others had just missed out on some routine maintenance, and one had been put back together wrong and fried a piece - when it smells burnt you know you have a problem. So fixing machines has been a priority. I can not care for patients if equipment does not work, nor can patients benefit from a life support machine that is not working. Two weeks ago I had six functioning vents and each one was in use. We were turning away patients and unable to provide the care we would have liked to for others. In Canada, this happens but a well equipped ambulance is there and able to take the patient to another hospital also well equipped. However Tenwek is the only hospital in a large area that has ventilators so so if we say no.... This is hard so I am hoping to fix another ventilator when I am back next week - I have one that is more broken so current plan is keep swapping parts until it works.<br>
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I have enjoyed being back at work it has challenges but also many rewards - being able to see patients get better after a severe illness. We had a young man who was quite sick after a road traffic accident. On top of multiple fractures his lungs were affected (Fat emboli/PE/ARDS) he spent a good week on the ventilator and it was great to see him get better and leave the ward smiling.<br>
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Life at Tenwek is always a changing landscape - I have found myself missing friends from last time who were only here for a 2 year term and staying busy meeting new people. I <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">dove back in facilitating bible studies Wednesday nights and helping with youth group when the Kenyan youth are home from boarding school. After retreat, I plan to soon restart pizza parties with the interns; a fun way to get to know each other and relax. I practiced my rusty pizza making skills a few weeks ago as there is a couple from Edmonton now at Tenwek so I had to catch up with them. I see so few Canadians. As I am now a long term missionary at Tenwek instead of a visitor that does not leave I am now responsible for furnishing my house. I have borrowed furniture for a few more months but have done a fair amount of shopping - this weekend was expensive as I bought a fridge and washing machine. I am having a bed frame built and will also buy some furniture from a family that is leaving this summer. It is fun to set up house. </span><div>
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As I mentioned earlier, I also just had a week of rest. Every year all the missionaries with the organization I am with here in Kenya (World Gospel Mission) take a few days of retreat. About 100 (including children) of us headed to the hot and humid coast. It was exactly what I needed, as you can see from above it has been a busy few weeks - this has not given me a lot of time to grieve the loss of my mom. This retreat gave me a chance to talk with my colleagues who are also so busy at Tenwek, we worshiped together - most times of worship had me singing with tears running down my face. I hate crying in public but this was a safe and good place to do so. God also sent us a great speaker. A christian counselor and psychiatrist who has worked with missionaries all over the world. He led a session on grief that reminded me I was normal and reminded my colleagues that I will need time. The session wasn't just for me - most missionaries are grieving something whether something big like a death or a collection of smaller things - being away from family, not knowing if you are doing what's best for your children or the cumulative loss of too many patients etc. Anyway, this was a well needed break, a reminder that I have a missionary family that loves me and even more a God who loves me.<br>
So this post has been long I will end with some pictures of the beautiful coast.<br>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge-XDYHi88z6CzsFq7vLk5a20frf61TCxfCUaG4EdcUEyc1e8HbgQwJvRO30PdahQSEwBXi0fgKApL5MITBbIEDAco4CqQbVf2ogEWT6uNhBnQOkZ07d-sXlARuZALJKH4hf_wiTHgodaQ/s1600/IMG_0214.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge-XDYHi88z6CzsFq7vLk5a20frf61TCxfCUaG4EdcUEyc1e8HbgQwJvRO30PdahQSEwBXi0fgKApL5MITBbIEDAco4CqQbVf2ogEWT6uNhBnQOkZ07d-sXlARuZALJKH4hf_wiTHgodaQ/s640/IMG_0214.JPG" width="640"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Woke up early to watch the sunrise</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYubdLVADxMGBlmde8u9OdHjkieJ33YrNJOE5qSCp2TQyHeCsGaK0twDRXMZdiXLomSbCNpZ0WV7dsmw-hDL7IBGdzdRES2pgm00Ui7A7i_dSVJwrrpTmy4Oa90cV0yvwS4JzGRAszVHzc/s1600/IMG_0292.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYubdLVADxMGBlmde8u9OdHjkieJ33YrNJOE5qSCp2TQyHeCsGaK0twDRXMZdiXLomSbCNpZ0WV7dsmw-hDL7IBGdzdRES2pgm00Ui7A7i_dSVJwrrpTmy4Oa90cV0yvwS4JzGRAszVHzc/s640/IMG_0292.JPG" width="640"></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjkxQGhJHjucjdNVlvlultjacaUjRcrK6bAvfyGV3hiVdUY0wmLR2LoUBeo0aiPfBnKrynSEiRx8RcgsEgKiDZYmxaB6urrivMEQgna-N3qRNB01qVZ5nMl0-Tci9gd8kBtIPGzJaSQ9mO/s1600/IMG_0305.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjkxQGhJHjucjdNVlvlultjacaUjRcrK6bAvfyGV3hiVdUY0wmLR2LoUBeo0aiPfBnKrynSEiRx8RcgsEgKiDZYmxaB6urrivMEQgna-N3qRNB01qVZ5nMl0-Tci9gd8kBtIPGzJaSQ9mO/s400/IMG_0305.JPG" width="400"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A weaver bird - so beautiful</td></tr>
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<br></div>Annettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15524383618923794242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4988260819774713564.post-7376574673388610212016-03-03T15:05:00.001-07:002016-03-03T18:12:57.639-07:00upside downI had started a few blog posts in the last few weeks but have never finished one. I had one started about coming home to Kenya, and one about two weeks back at work but again not finished. You see, I wanted to spend some time getting it right, to share a post about how excited I was about being back in Kenya. Settling back into life and work with the people I love. However, before I could finish these posts my life turned upside down. My mom has battled a disease called scleroderma for eight years and about a week after I arrived in Kenya I heard from her and the rest of my siblings that she was not doing well. Scleroderma is an ugly disease and she has done not well before but how could I sit down and write a blogpost about how excited I was to be back when 13 570km away my mom was quite ill? How could I write when I was worried about her and time was spent talking on the phone as well as the busyness of being back at work? So I did not finish a post.<br>
Then, I heard news that further turned my life upside down. On Feb 18, I learned my mom was transported to Calgary and was in the ICU. I was happy when my family gave the phone to the ICU doctor so I could hear what was going on in language I could understand. I thought I heard him wrong when he said cardiac arrest (I didn't). Then I began to hear more - liver failure, dialysis/prisma, unable to ventilate - only when we bag, inotropes, this doctor was painting a picture that I knew too well. I have been in that ICU as caregiver many times. The doctor said we will not do CPR again and I agreed completely. My family put the phone to my mom's ear and I said some words that barring a miracle would be my last to her.<br>
Less than 30 minutes later I got another call. She was gone. So I was 13 570km away in my living room crying. Now what?- I called a missionary lady who lived next door and she came over. She notified the rest of the community and we did the next thing - looked at flight. It was 10 at night and driving to Nairobi was not an option until the nest morning so the earliest flight would be 24 hours away.<br>
I was thankful to be surrounded by my Tenwek family with their hugs, tears, stories and bunnies (yes one of the missionaries brought over a baby bunny for me to cuddle). I sent people away with food from my fridge as I was told to go back to Canada for one month. Some of the ladies tidied my house and I gave them stacks of things that needed to be taken care of before I left. The next began the trip home, 24 hours after I got The News I was on a flight back to Canada, 48 hours after The News I was hugging my dad at the Calgary Airport. However, there was some joy among all of this. The day after we lost my Mom, my brother and sister-in-law had a baby girl. A new niece.<br>
Those of you who have lost a family member before knows what was next, tears, hugs, stories and doing the things needed to plan a funeral. My dad has been surrounded by wonderful friends, family and neighbours. The fridge and freezer were filled with soup, buns and casseroles that quickly disappeared when my mom's family from Ontario arrived.<br>
So here I am a week later after the funeral, the house is currently quiet although visitors and food keep coming, Dad and I put a big dent in the paperwork and life continues. Part of me feels guilty about continuing life I know. I must continue to take the next step and by God's grace I can.<br>
In two weeks, I will return to Tenwek, Tenwek is home now and I love the life that I have there and I know that is where God wants me to be. I am glad my parents were able to visit me at Tenwek, twice, and have seen that part of my life and my Mom and Dad could see that Tenwek is my home.<br>
I ask for your continued prayers. The acute grief of losing my mom is passing however the chronic grief of living life without my mom has just begun. A few days before she died my mom shared some scripture with me and I will share it here with you.<br>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #010000; font-family: inherit;"><br></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #010000;">But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #010000;">The steadfast love of the </span><span class="sc" style="color: #010000; font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #010000;"> never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #010000;">they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #010000;">“The </span><span class="sc" style="color: #010000; font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #010000;"> is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #010000;">The </span><span class="sc" style="color: #010000; font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #010000;"> is good to those who wait for him, to the soul that seeks him. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #010000;">It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the </span><span class="sc" style="color: #010000; font-variant: small-caps;">Lord<span style="background-color: white;">. Lamentations 3:21-26</span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br></span></blockquote>
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For those of you interested my Mom's obituary is <a href="http://www.southlandfuneral.com/obituaries.html?view=obits&id=2460" target="_blank">here </a>and the funeral can be viewed <a href="http://livestream.com/tabercrc?query=TABERCR&cat=account" target="_blank">here</a>, just look for memorial service for Marie.<br>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZQ2ERlUTq-_sWAQmhNAff_X_RuWaxCYN75mleSbqFqq9kE3HOtrIa-4wwK-AuqzwRRnWVTXqpn-gSudogfODBlJ3ALtKpHlOswbXua8ooODG0itd2zwF-CbChA40MKKDK2Df68DpHTQwO/s1600/IMG_3953.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZQ2ERlUTq-_sWAQmhNAff_X_RuWaxCYN75mleSbqFqq9kE3HOtrIa-4wwK-AuqzwRRnWVTXqpn-gSudogfODBlJ3ALtKpHlOswbXua8ooODG0itd2zwF-CbChA40MKKDK2Df68DpHTQwO/s640/IMG_3953.jpg" width="640"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My mom and me this past summer</td></tr>
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<br>Annettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15524383618923794242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4988260819774713564.post-76473776582680076242016-01-04T19:28:00.000-07:002016-01-04T23:00:27.860-07:00Baridi Sana, Sio mbayaSo for all you non Kenyans reading this post the title has probably thrown you off. Why? Because this post is a little different. Often I write in Kenya for my North American friends about what life is like in Kenya as a missionary. This post is for my Kenyan friends about life in Canada, particularly Canada in the winter. So you North Americans are welcome to keep reading, don't worry most of it will be english. The title translated is: <b>very cold, but not bad. </b><br>
The last few years at Tenwek when I walked to work at 7am in my sandals, scrubs and lab coat, I would run into others walking or riding to work or school dressed in thick coats, scarves and hats - in Canada we call them toques. When I would greet people I would often hear baridi sang (very cold), my reply was often hakuna baridi hapa (there is no cold here) and further explain that I am from Canada and it can be very cold there. So now I am in Canada and the last few weeks have been very cold so I will share a little about that here.<br>
A few days before Christmas I decided to go downhill skiing with my brothers. Yes, I intentionally got up early and headed into the cold. We dressed warm: 3 layers of trousers, a thick sweater, a thick jacket, scarf and a toque. To ski you need to put these big plastic boots on your feet so I had big thick socks as well. We headed to the mountains and sat on a movable chair that carried us all the way up the mountain and then with our skis on the feet went down. The trick is to turn so you don't go straight down and lose control and fall. At the top of the mountain, where the most snow falls, there was so much powdery snow that when you fell it was just a poof and felt like you fell into a pile of feathers. It was so deep that I would put my poles down to get up again and they would sink in about a meter. While we skied it was snowing so my scarf was white (instead of black) and very icy. It was a beautiful day a little cold at ~ -12C but lovely.<br>
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A few days later was the day of my brothers wedding it was a very cold day -25C. My parents house was full with family and we were very thankful for the furnace that burns all day and night and sends warm air into the house. The morning of the wedding I had to go to the store to get some foods for the meal that night. So despite the cold I took the car to the store and picked up various things. We all met at the church in the afternoon. Everyone was there, and on time. People mentioned the cold mostly along the lines of what a beautiful day - as it was a lovely day with fresh snow and it really was lovely. The wedding party took pictures outside, they were a little cold, the ladies in their dresses and the men in their suits but I am sure the pictures will be lovely. I went skiing another day, a different type: cross-country instead of downhill, still cold but beautiful.<br>
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When you live here life goes on in the cold and rather than suffer through it we enjoy it. So in a few weeks when am I back in Kenya and you tell me "dada, leo ni baridi sana" (sister today is very cold) you will have to let me argue.Annettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15524383618923794242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4988260819774713564.post-77441216616256996522015-12-14T10:25:00.000-07:002015-12-14T10:25:09.897-07:00Getting readySo the countdown is on in a month and a half I will be taking off. Due to the craziness of the next few weeks which I will explain lower down I am already packing. One of three suitcases is already packed at 45lbs (I don't completely trust my scale). This suitcase may be unpacked and repacked the next few weeks. I have made numerous trips to the store to stock up on things. What kind of things does one pack? After a few trips to Kenya, my Kenya list is getting more defined. So I have packed things like Allen keys - needed to fix the ventilators, random donated medical equipment, sticky hooks for the walls, a utility knife for making spacers, ink cartridges, random kitchen stuff etc. Packing is fun. So I pray it will all fit into 3 suitcases and an overloaded carry-on.<br />
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So why am I packing now? - I am planning on bringing everything to my parents next week. I will be in southern Alberta for 3 weeks catching up with family, celebrating Christmas and going to the wedding of my little brother. So it will be a fun 3 weeks but as I will be busy with nieces and nephews - current count has increased to 4 nieces and 5 nephews - just got another niece last week :). So busy with little people, catching up with siblings, chatting with aunts, uncles and cousins, and helping Mom keep everyone happy and fed. I am excited, it will be fun. But not much time will be left for preparing to go to Kenya. Which is why I am packing now.<br />
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So after 3 weeks at home I will be back up in Edmonton for a few days to work a few shifts, say a few more good-byes, and have a commissioning service at church. Than its back to southern Alberta for a few days so I can pack a small suitcase and hop on a plane to Colorado. I have a training there for Reach Beyond for a week - a little ironic is this training is a lot of fundraising training, and my fundraising is at 100%. Yes praise the Lord all the needed support is raised. Also on a belated note the Reach Beyond website is now fully working if you still want to <a href="http://www.respiratorykenya.blogspot.ca/2015/05/how-to-give-update.html" target="_blank">donate</a> - its easier to do now, read below about what happens if more than 100% is raised.<br />
Back to my plans: after a week in Colorado, I fly back to Canada for 3 days before I hop on a plane for Kenya.<br />
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So I ask for your prayers as I spend the last few weeks preparing, saying good-byes, and surviving the cold dry weather.<br />
<br />Annettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15524383618923794242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4988260819774713564.post-30490336122731785142015-11-28T12:34:00.000-07:002015-11-28T15:53:47.372-07:00QuestionsSo this post is a little trivial and a little serious. There are some questions as missionaries that may seem normal to the rest of the world but to me are much more complicated. Here is a sampling and some answers<br>
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<b>When are you leaving? </b></div>
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I have gotten this question frequently while on the road trip that finished a week or 2 ago. Do you mean leaving Ohio? Tennessee? Ontario? Or what ever place I am currently in or when am I leaving to go to home to Kenya. Asking when I am coming home is the same. Do you mean my Kenyan Home, my southern Alberta home, or my Edmonton home. Not easy.<br>
So to answer this question: I will be in southern Alberta over Christmas, and say good-bye to Edmonton before then.<br>
My flights to Kenya departs Jan 27. </div>
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<b>What is your Address?</b></div>
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See above. My home is multiple places. Why do you want my address? If it is for junk mail I will tell you I live in Africa and watch your baffled look. If you are a bank or someone who needs my address you get my parents place. If you want to visit me - it depends where do you want to visit me. If you're Amazon or sending me presents, it's wherever I will be next that charges the least shipping. </div>
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<b>What if you raise too much money?</b></div>
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I am now at 95% of needed funds, which is a huge blessing. Some of you may have been thinking of giving and wondering if you should still give. </div>
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So this question is a little more serious. If too much money is raised - I do not get a raise, nor do I get a trip to Hawaii. What I do get is a little more financial security. My budget is in Canadian dollars, but when I am in Kenya I am spending Kenyan shillings and American Dollars. So with changing economies the amount needed for rent could change. Second if there are extra funds I have more with which to help others. Whether it be helping a patient with their hospital fees, buying bibles for youth group, helping the hospital with supplies or helping other missionaries who are short for a month - others will be helped by the money. Third 70% of my funds are pledged monthly or yearly. Peoples financial situations can change and I may lose supporters over the four years I am in Kenya. </div>
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The decision to give and where to give is between you and God. There are many good causes out there so please pray about your giving.<br>
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<b>How long are you going for?</b><br>
I think it will be a long time until I live a "normal" life in Canada, maybe when I retire. As I am a missionary and funds are raised during my time in Canada. I will be back for a year in 4 years.The next 4 years will be in Kenya. However, I will be using my vacation time to fly to Canada to see family once or twice a year. So you may see me after I leave. </div>
Annettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15524383618923794242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4988260819774713564.post-75365691829844653292015-10-13T20:48:00.000-06:002015-10-17T23:55:53.821-06:00Thanksgiving and RoadtripThis past Monday was Thanksgiving day here in Canada. No, we don't call it "Canadian Thanksgiving". It is just Thanksgiving. We know our neighbours to the south celebrate a month later with shopping but here we are a little more simple. A meal with friends and family, being thankful for the harvest (for farmers, and others who like to eat food) and the blessings of the year.<br>
Ok, sarcastic marks now put aside. I have a lot to be thankful for this year. Over the last few years my life has gone a direction that I did not expect. I am now becoming more and more comfortable stating that I am a missionary. I receive compliments for sacrificing and risking so much to do what I do but really I don't see it that way. I am so thankful to be doing something I love. To be able to interact regularly with other, sometimes multiple cultures. To be able to teach others so health care in Kenya is improved. To be able to join/lead a bible study where we can encourage and challenge one another.<br>
This year at home in Canada, I also have a lot to be thankful for. God has provided a place for me to live, a car to drive, a job to go to, friends to visit with, babies to cuddle, siblings to chat with, nieces and nephews to play with, parents to converse with and so much more. One of the tasks of the year was raising financial support - something I was not super excited about but again I am thankful. God calls people to give to his work. I am encouraged when I meet with people and share and we can encourage each other. Support raising is still a lot of work but every week I am excited to see my support thermometer (see side of the post) go up a few percentage points. God is faithful. I am confident and trusting that the remaining support will come in the next few months I have booked my flights and Jan 27, the Lord willing, I will be off to Kenya.<br>
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Before I take off to Kenya I have some adventures here yet. Next week, I am taking off in my car and heading East. My Aunt J. is joining me for the trip to Ontario and then I will be on my own. Please pray for me as I travel. I am going to visit with friends and family, and attend a conference. I have listed my tentative itinerary below and would love to see you. If you are in or close to one of these places let me know as I love catching up with people - the whole point of this trip.<br>So my tentative, slightly vague itinerary is below and remember I am driving so if you live between point a and b I can stop by.<br>
Oct 21-24 - Travel from Alberta to Southern Ontario.<br>
Oct 25-31 Southern Ontario<br>
Nov 1-4 Ohio and Michigan<br>
Nov 5-7 Global Mission Health Conference Louisville Ky<br>
Nov 8 - Southern Tennessee<br>
Nov 9-10 Travel from Tennessee to NW Iowa<br>
Nov 11-15 North west Iowa<br>
Nov 16-17 Travel back to Alberta.<br>
<br>Annettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15524383618923794242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4988260819774713564.post-21716610469554479472015-08-29T19:56:00.001-06:002015-08-31T16:08:18.295-06:00HomesickI have been back in my Canadian home for 6 months now, the shine is wearing off and I now miss my Kenyan home. Culture shock, or what happens when you come back, reverse culture shock, has its ups and downs. The first few months back I had some challenges but then I settled into normal. <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">One thing that I do miss while in Kenya and have enjoyed here is time with family and friends. Getting to know my nieces and nephews again is wonderful.</span> For the last few months I have enjoyed the shine of normal. The conveniences of North American life are great. I don't think twice before I hop in the car, do some groceries and stop at Subway or Dairy Queen for bite on the way home. The same is true for work at the hospital, I am surrounded by very well trained nurses, physicians, pharmacists, dietitians, therapists and others. Lab tests are ordered without a thought. TPN is automatic. We don't debate whether a patient really needs a CT or what a MRI might tell us if we could get one. Instead everything is at our fingertips. I throw away so many supplies that are hardly used that I would reuse many times at Tenwek.<br>
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So you may be thinking this sounds great, what's the problem. The truth is I miss my Kenyan home. I miss the simplicity of stopping at one of the many shops to buy my fruits (yes we say fruits there), vegetables and other staples. I miss holding her baby as the shopkeeper puts my groceries on the counter and puts my eggs in a small flimsy plastic bag. I miss showing up at work and greeting my co-workers before we get to work - although I often miss this, but they call me on it. I miss walking to and from work, sometimes multiple times a day to get something. I miss coming home at noon to a meal cooked by a lovely lady who helps me out 2 days a week (who wouldn't miss this). I miss the surprises when I get to work in the morning. Quickly trying to figure out who I need to see with the teams of doctors and trainees and trying to round with 3 teams at once. I miss being a part of the team called for advice at all hours. I miss the challenge of fixing a machine when I have no one to ask for advice. Taking the whole machine apart and then realizing I could have just undone 2 little screws. I miss putting that machine back together again and having it work better than it did before. I miss teaching the nurses, physicians in training and anyone who would listen so someday I am not needed. I miss the bible study with my interns where the conversation is always interesting and I am challenged. I miss stepping out the front door of my house and encountering multiple kids on scooters circling my house. I miss going for a walk and encountering another missionary and we can chat about life, and pray for one another. There is so much more that I could add to this list: the fun of trying to speak and understand swahili, going to church and singing song of praise together; it could just go on.<br>
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Many things on this list are the same thing I may have complained about 2 years ago. Life is strange is that way. So now I am continuing in this life here in Canada, working towards going back. I have gotten multiple e-mails from friends back in Kenya with a repeating question: when are you coming back? The plan is January. Will you help me get there? I need to<a href="http://www.respiratorykenya.blogspot.ca/2015/05/how-to-give-update.html" target="_blank"> raise support</a> to get there. Check out the thermometer on the side of the post. I still have a ways to go. So why am I going back? Not just because I miss it. I miss it because that is where God wants me to be.<br>
<br><br>Annettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15524383618923794242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4988260819774713564.post-16454863973526280512015-07-15T09:36:00.000-06:002015-07-16T23:43:25.191-06:00Weather, water, power, housesSo now that I am back in Canada I get all sorts of questions and I would like to answer some now.<br>
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So this month in Alberta it has been hot 30+ C hot (86F). That much warmth is not common here, so over the past few days I have had comments of "boy it's hot, but you must to be used to it as you have lived in Africa". The truth is while I have been in parts of Kenya and other parts of Africa that have been quite warm. The area I call home, Tenwek, is quite comfortable. It a high altitude, about 6000 ft, and therefore is quite temperate. The days are lovely in the mid to low 20s. At nights it cools down to the teens. During the rainy season it's a little cooler, with clouds and rain. But it does not rain all day during the rains, just a few hours in the afternoon and then again in the evening and rains on and off overnight. So really its great weather all the time.<br>
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I have had other people concerned about my water situation. Honestly, the water situation was fairly normal. I had flush toilets and a hot water heater. Some of it was different. I filtered my water in a big filter before I drank it. The hot water heater was part solar and part electric. I would flip it on 30-40min before hopping in the shower, and the water would be hot. The water was hard and sometimes brown but really it was all fairly easy and OK.<br>
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Power. We had power most of the time. There were periods of time when we would have no power for more days than we would but it was ok - I got used to it. The stove was gas so it still worked, I would read books or play games by candlelight and battery powered lights. Recently I have moved close to downtown and have learned to think of rush hour timing when going somewhere. However, still I am occasionally stuck in traffic. You get used to it fairly quick. You learn what works and what doesn't and sometimes you just sit and wait. Having no power is like that. You quickly get used to it and complain at times but really it is just part of life you roll with.<br>
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So lastly people are curious about what my house is like. It's really quite normal. I lived in a two bedroom place that was part of a three-plex . It was a 5 minute walk to the hospital and my neighbors were other missionaries and hospital staff. It was a decent size house and for bible studies or pizza nights 15+ people would fit in there.<br>
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So there you have a little about my life. Feel free to ask more questions in the comments and I will work them into my next postAnnettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15524383618923794242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4988260819774713564.post-86295086975632831332015-05-28T09:39:00.000-06:002015-05-28T09:39:45.065-06:00Big News, Moving forwardAs I mentioned in my last post, I had traveled to Ontario to interview with a new mission organization. I am excited to share that I have been accepted by the group, Reach Beyond. Reach Beyond, formerly called HCJB, has been sending missionaries around the world for a long time. They started with mission radio stations in Ecuador and have since spread around the globe doing radio, health care and other ministries.<br />
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I am very excited about working with this great organization. I have had a few questions so I will try answer them here. </div>
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<b>Why the change? What about Samaritans Purse?</b></div>
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This is a change that I knew would probably have to happen for me to stay in missions long term. Samaritans Purse was great to work with, however, they do not send medical missionaries long term. Going long term requires more support like health insurance, retirement savings, and support of mental and spiritual well-being. These are things that Samaritans Purse was not able to offer me and Reach Beyond can. All that being said I was very happy with Samaritans Purse. </div>
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<b>Are you going to the same place now that your with a new group?</b></div>
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Yes, I am returning to Tenwek hospital in Kenya. The work God has me doing there is still not done.</div>
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<b>Are you going to be paid now?</b></div>
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With Samaritans purse I did not receive a salary but got reimbursed for expenses. Now I will receive a monthly stipend which I will be required to allocate where needed.</div>
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<b>So you still have to raise money?</b></div>
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<b>YES.</b> Reach Beyond functions like many mission organizations. I will need to raise funds to cover all my costs. This will need to be more than I raised last time as funding is needed for the things I mentioned above like health insurance. I ask that you prayerfully consider partnering with this. Giving is easy to do just follow directions on the post below. </div>
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<b>So how long are you in Canada for?</b></div>
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I am planning to move back to Kenya to serve a term of 3-4 years in January 2016. I will not be released by Reach Beyond until 100% of the funds are raised or pledged, but I am hopeful that I will not be delayed. </div>
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<b>What are you doing until then?</b></div>
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I am living in Edmonton reconnecting with my church here, working close to full-time at the hospital, doing some online bible college courses (requirement of Reach Beyond), and most importantly catching up with family and friends. I would also like to connect with you, if you would like to hear more about the work God is doing in Kenya please let me know. I would love to meet with you, your family, your bible study or church. </div>
Annettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15524383618923794242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4988260819774713564.post-47539041610748492102015-05-28T09:38:00.003-06:002017-11-26T11:01:13.513-07:00How to Give - Update<span style="font-family: inherit;">Thank You for supporting this ministry. You will </span>receive<span style="font-family: inherit;"> a tax </span>receipt<span style="font-family: inherit;"> for donations. I ask you to consider regular scheduled giving, it is easy to do online and will help sustain the ministry. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u>Canadians</u></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><u>Electronic Funds transfer;</u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Print off this <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/d5dqc1iyql2tizn/Reach%20Beyond%20Response%20Annette.pdf?dl=0" target="_blank">form</a> fill it out and mail it to the address below. (you can just click the X in the top right corner - no need to join dropbox). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="line-height: 20.7999992370605px;" /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.7999992370605px;"><u>Web:</u></span></span><br />
<a href="http://reachbeyond.ca/donate">http://reachbeyond.ca/donate</a><br />
Select donate to a specific missionary<br />
Please place my name in the message box.<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.7999992370605px;"><u>Call:</u></span><br /><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 20.7999992370605px;"><a href="tel:1-519-650-5444" x-apple-data-detectors-result="1" x-apple-data-detectors-type="telephone" x-apple-data-detectors="true">1-888-354-4252</a>, Reference Annette Lievaart </span></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.7999992370605px;">account #4110579</span><br /><br /><u><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.7999992370605px;">Mail</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.7999992370605px;">:</span></u></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 20.7999992370605px;">Please notate Annette </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 20.7999992370605px;">account #4110579 in the memo line. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 20.7999992370605px;">Reach Beyond</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.7999992370605px;">3-44 Saltsman Drive,</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.7999992370605px;">Cambridge, ON, N3H 4R7</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.7999992370605px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.7999992370605px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u>Americans</u></b></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.7999992370605px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.7999992370605px;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Print off this <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/d5dqc1iyql2tizn/Reach%20Beyond%20Response%20Annette.pdf?dl=0" target="_blank">form</a> fill it out and mail it to the address below. (you can just click the X in the top right corner - no need to join dropbox). </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.7999992370605px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.7999992370605px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><u>Web:</u></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.7999992370605px;"><a href="https://reachbeyond.org/missionaries/read/annette-lievaart">https://reachbeyond.org/missionaries/read/annette-lievaart</a></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.7999992370605px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.7999992370605px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><u>Call:</u></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="tel:1-800-545-9394" x-apple-data-detectors-result="3" x-apple-data-detectors-type="telephone" x-apple-data-detectors="true">1-800-545-9394</a> <span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 20.7999992370605px;">Reference Annette Lievaart </span></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.7999992370605px;">account #11057</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.7999992370605px;">9</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><u>Mail:</u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.7999992370605px;">Please notate Annette </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.7999992370605px;">account #</span>110579<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.7999992370605px;"> in the memo line. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Reach Beyond</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">PO Box 39800</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Colorado Springs CO </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">80949</span></div>
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Annettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15524383618923794242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4988260819774713564.post-23756118117478491582015-04-29T19:32:00.002-06:002015-04-29T20:53:06.729-06:00updateSorry, it's been a while since I've written. Still trying to figure out what way is up. I am back in Canada. Moved back to Edmonton started work again. I am catching up with old friends and meeting babies and toddlers that were not born when I left. The first two weeks back were spent at my parents and they were busy. I had to sort through two years worth of mail, find a car and a cell phone, and get prepared for a new job. I also enjoyed some time with the family. We had a fun evening of bowling and pizza as well as lots of good conversations.<br>
After two weeks at home I moved up to Edmonton. I am staying at a friend's place here. She moved out not long ago. I am thankful she left me a few things as I got rid of most of my things before I left. I am staying in relative comfort. I was able to get a job at one of the hospitals here. A different hospital than before but similar work. I have settled into work, I am thankful that the transition to work has not been too hard. I was worried that I would try to do everything like I do at Tenwek but the hospital is full of well-trained staff so I don't feel a need to wear so many hats.<br>
I am happy to be home in Canada but I am going through some reverse culture shock and still haven't figured out how to answer people's questions. The one that makes me the most crazy was "How was your trip?". If you were referring to my flight home the answer is "fine". If you are referring to the last 2+ years of my life. It wasn't a trip, it was my life. It wasn't a vacation, although I really loved it.<br>
I also am a little confused by Canadian life. In Kenya, I expected things to take a while. That was just how it is there. Here in Canada, I am enjoying the conveniences but I now expect things to work and when they don't I get more frustrated than I should - if you work at Staples or Alberta Health and talked to me in the last few days - I am sorry.<br>
Also very few of my t-shirts fit well anymore. Yes, I have gained a few pounds. I blame fast food. But that does not account for them being two inches shorter - when you have lived with out a dryer for a few years you forget that putting them in the dryer will cause them to shrink. Well, too late now.<br>
So that's what's been going on. For those of you asking what's next? - I hope to hear soon. In the middle of April, I made a trip to Ontario to meet/interview with a new mission organization. I should hear from them soon and then I will let you know. The plan now is to, the Lord willing, head back to Kenya early 2016. <br>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-_fZst-JHwYcwu2mfqmfpLIZkKieCfAAeGuYbSQ7QLxpdh8WORevBWwOmEV7ydZCOZFMbvE-GtG2yyXADKZ4hh47mtdIabr87lKzIAcxAIYoTctaFYtcdF0f9WU2LA2Rdz7_FvoTxVXVa/s1600/IMG_2932.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-_fZst-JHwYcwu2mfqmfpLIZkKieCfAAeGuYbSQ7QLxpdh8WORevBWwOmEV7ydZCOZFMbvE-GtG2yyXADKZ4hh47mtdIabr87lKzIAcxAIYoTctaFYtcdF0f9WU2LA2Rdz7_FvoTxVXVa/s1600/IMG_2932.JPG" height="480" width="640"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In Ontario with Mom and Aunts</td></tr>
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<br>Annettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15524383618923794242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4988260819774713564.post-61854671595674202862015-02-22T03:48:00.003-07:002015-02-22T19:48:25.531-07:00East or West home is best - but where is home?Last week I said see you later to Kenya. My last few weeks were busy with pizza parties - I should really start my own pizza kitchen as I am becoming quite good at it. Finishing up the last few things at work and saying good-byes. I was blessed to be surrounded by such a wonderful community of missionaries and Kenyans while at Tenwek and in many ways Kenya is home.<br>
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I am now on my way to my other home however rather than fly home going west I got on a plane and went the opposite direction. Travelling farther away from both Kenyan and Canadian friends and family, I went east. Here I am in the tropics, people speaking a language I don't remotely understand, the food is completely different - rice and noodles for breakfast? Where is my Chai and Ndazi? That being said, Thai food is quite tasty. I ate supper with two girls from China last night and one of them ordered fish and chips - really, surrounded by all this good food and you are eating fish and chips?<br>
I am enjoying life at a little resort outside of Chiang Mai. I have not yet done the things people expect one to do while in Thailand. I have not left the resort since I arrived Friday night (it's now Sunday afternoon). Instead I have spent time doing a bible study on transition (<u><a href="http://youthcompass.org/life-in-motion/" target="_blank">Life in Motion</a>)</u>. I am enjoying the study and it is helping me process the hellos and goodbyes. I am also just enjoying the beauty of God's creation and life not being dictated by an alarm clock, cell phone or pager. It has been wonderful. The place I am staying is perfect for this. My books and I have lots of trees, benches and rocks to sit on. Right now, I am sitting on my porch under a thatch roof, looking at the mountains ahead of me and hearing the birds sing. These few days have been a beautiful gift. The intent of coming to Thailand was not for this vacation but I am very thankful for it. The real purpose for being here is the conference that starts on Tuesday. I will be with other medical missionaries from around the world. There are many lectures and I am to deliver two on my own and assist in the third. I am looking forward to meeting with so many other medical missionaries. I will also reconnect with some friends who God has sent to other areas to serve.<br>
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So here I am. East. I will keep traveling east in two weeks to make it home which means I will have traveled around the world. Home in Alberta, I was offered a job last week. I will spend two weeks at my parents and then move back to Edmonton. Home right? I'm not sure. I am not who I was when I left. Friends in Edmonton have also changed. I am afraid that I have forgotten to work as a Respiratory Therapist in Canada. The situation in Tenwek meant I functioned a little different than a RT in Canada does. So will it be home? It will be just like Kenya is home. Home is where you make it, where you lay your head at night, where you belong to a church family, and where there is a shoulder to cry on.<br>
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In closing here are some pictures of good-byes and a little of Thailand<br>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnojRX5_wIFKPWftDBIRJ4tVrCqYCtFx5KiG-qSm3SxF1cjgPP96R7pr7nW3JtGVgXUFmOoJD2m46Bj43B-zWuqXL570V3IWplFfCkAm2_HupP2f-gd-bKlbWaN-Fe6PQeRz6axM3M6fyP/s1600/DSCF2928.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnojRX5_wIFKPWftDBIRJ4tVrCqYCtFx5KiG-qSm3SxF1cjgPP96R7pr7nW3JtGVgXUFmOoJD2m46Bj43B-zWuqXL570V3IWplFfCkAm2_HupP2f-gd-bKlbWaN-Fe6PQeRz6axM3M6fyP/s1600/DSCF2928.JPG" height="300" width="400"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These 2 little guys chatting at my good-bye party</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjodcFDDIkPm98wFGIwg9BLlorJKiw857vtHdjaztY0md1OQX4Vbiv5otWZKe0PX9LmDf3CddWBa3vbkIbSMAwo3RBc3AFiakdX4AN5BqzCfEFRArOl2l_E2HZHT-lDgrZQixHhuT0NqI5d/s1600/DSCF2945.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjodcFDDIkPm98wFGIwg9BLlorJKiw857vtHdjaztY0md1OQX4Vbiv5otWZKe0PX9LmDf3CddWBa3vbkIbSMAwo3RBc3AFiakdX4AN5BqzCfEFRArOl2l_E2HZHT-lDgrZQixHhuT0NqI5d/s1600/DSCF2945.JPG" height="300" width="400"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cardiac surgery was happening as I was leaving, This little guy was bored</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYkq6tziHGWXWbk1ytOxqh5RN1tYM2rdLQUXvQDZ3Uoo4Wduc_n8KQ2p7GLOmvZf55jnac7fBvBGe-U1RHjpRXrdhusz19a0iwgRwj4l08OuAdCE6zsVcWwLP8vJjFfm_l2a_S4VxIwWW7/s1600/DSCF2955.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYkq6tziHGWXWbk1ytOxqh5RN1tYM2rdLQUXvQDZ3Uoo4Wduc_n8KQ2p7GLOmvZf55jnac7fBvBGe-U1RHjpRXrdhusz19a0iwgRwj4l08OuAdCE6zsVcWwLP8vJjFfm_l2a_S4VxIwWW7/s1600/DSCF2955.JPG" height="300" width="400"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One last bi-PAP lecture before I headed out the door</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTAQMRHRfLy__ocI-fwHrjqBohsfkGfW_xrLiyNXmc-a9ln3ye-LlsB1The4s8qEwKvSH9IZsubtougdwNjwrVDFToLQrWb9iukHRGOYzChKPPs3YqJCzLr8SS7SNOtekkCHpvTb62OBdw/s1600/DSCF2961.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTAQMRHRfLy__ocI-fwHrjqBohsfkGfW_xrLiyNXmc-a9ln3ye-LlsB1The4s8qEwKvSH9IZsubtougdwNjwrVDFToLQrWb9iukHRGOYzChKPPs3YqJCzLr8SS7SNOtekkCHpvTb62OBdw/s1600/DSCF2961.JPG" height="300" width="400"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Good-bye Cake from the awesome nurses</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEityWbA84ldyQmNrQwx0EvsHlVtZqMNT6OvCpF8D2rpVECWiGIVP2YzSVM83dkDe7CAyLMYX8NFMEDW-XtTLngHu7_RaEl9EVJRhuzt_89J9dqPuD96lhuVOa1SBQIQQn-m8zNx3vwb7MlK/s1600/DSCF2976.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEityWbA84ldyQmNrQwx0EvsHlVtZqMNT6OvCpF8D2rpVECWiGIVP2YzSVM83dkDe7CAyLMYX8NFMEDW-XtTLngHu7_RaEl9EVJRhuzt_89J9dqPuD96lhuVOa1SBQIQQn-m8zNx3vwb7MlK/s1600/DSCF2976.JPG" height="240" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gifts for a proper send-off</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ1Cv0y6cxIp4TBSpFNz273bpoRomo3UGVvGvbPWM4TJuj7iazOyqdAKoWGF0AVyhd-HxKF0VQY-YuKvCM2g-Ho36qnYMmAzd3xaMVv-2rqnBqngBcvqt_9GtXDmg6gI4nDMZCIdwgGdkL/s1600/DSCF2983.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ1Cv0y6cxIp4TBSpFNz273bpoRomo3UGVvGvbPWM4TJuj7iazOyqdAKoWGF0AVyhd-HxKF0VQY-YuKvCM2g-Ho36qnYMmAzd3xaMVv-2rqnBqngBcvqt_9GtXDmg6gI4nDMZCIdwgGdkL/s1600/DSCF2983.JPG" height="300" width="400"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Part of the awesome nursing team in HDU I am going to miss these people</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRj2GtGdWa5r0dLi6xSIU_nAw1e-apjFa7xfHlho1XoEcaaXUw3_r4Rwlkh3j42S2d2t8tj1RuZtxIdeSoK-OvhmQ74pw5_AS63g5yBJMBFYXnzWEPjH_IMOw7sYj8lByhYGIJ8qjyrgX1/s1600/035.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRj2GtGdWa5r0dLi6xSIU_nAw1e-apjFa7xfHlho1XoEcaaXUw3_r4Rwlkh3j42S2d2t8tj1RuZtxIdeSoK-OvhmQ74pw5_AS63g5yBJMBFYXnzWEPjH_IMOw7sYj8lByhYGIJ8qjyrgX1/s1600/035.jpg" height="266" width="400"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Being prayed for as I depart</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2gujLQ5WvRQXd-gtaABtjRHkY1fBnvMejOv_5UJXTh8gndk-J_d6TK44rsbMKgREI3r1_2HD7m-iwBUDB-BTW4-bVV8ZBvccE6xWTN4ctpFxj4Si7vlzeKBZ1W6DvWZ7IHwkzow425Y1u/s1600/DSCF3011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2gujLQ5WvRQXd-gtaABtjRHkY1fBnvMejOv_5UJXTh8gndk-J_d6TK44rsbMKgREI3r1_2HD7m-iwBUDB-BTW4-bVV8ZBvccE6xWTN4ctpFxj4Si7vlzeKBZ1W6DvWZ7IHwkzow425Y1u/s1600/DSCF3011.JPG" height="300" width="400"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Where I am now, relaxing</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDD3ld4ks79-w6kw1JHNBYhwG5-l1cEXcBnAnGRaauqkffCn4qVYF9x2fLIZ44txeJ465aCrx0dwyfC_1dwWz6RNQKpQFlyFHzBoAz708CXprAyzbxu5WGsPQNDBxZBI6nZocVG8y0mxWy/s1600/DSCF3015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDD3ld4ks79-w6kw1JHNBYhwG5-l1cEXcBnAnGRaauqkffCn4qVYF9x2fLIZ44txeJ465aCrx0dwyfC_1dwWz6RNQKpQFlyFHzBoAz708CXprAyzbxu5WGsPQNDBxZBI6nZocVG8y0mxWy/s1600/DSCF3015.JPG" height="300" width="400"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">more relaxing</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGthULzdcToi-uXfbxQ5yOD8TLXM5HpH3PYIclNuj3LIrmHxeucEbU0zU74RS6Cpn9N_oFDNviPdpi6qgxiErg_Vi6tINEITchou5-j22eL7PGQo-pmx_MnDbK-fV4HtNI4aK858B_3fEO/s1600/DSCF3048.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGthULzdcToi-uXfbxQ5yOD8TLXM5HpH3PYIclNuj3LIrmHxeucEbU0zU74RS6Cpn9N_oFDNviPdpi6qgxiErg_Vi6tINEITchou5-j22eL7PGQo-pmx_MnDbK-fV4HtNI4aK858B_3fEO/s1600/DSCF3048.JPG" height="300" width="400"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">and more</td></tr>
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Annettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15524383618923794242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4988260819774713564.post-11646902933748926182015-02-08T11:10:00.004-07:002015-02-10T19:49:34.634-07:00Last few thingsI am leaving soon so here is an update so read through for my thoughts, plans and my one last adventure before leaving.<br>
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Preparing to leave Tenwek, it's strange. I am excited to go home to see family and friends however I am also sad to leave my friends and people who have become like family to me. Many will be here when I return in 2016, but many will not. I have many missionary friends here who's time at Tenwek will end while I am not at Tenwek and their plans are not to come back to Tenwek but to return to the US or head to other mission fields. Also while I am gone will I will miss weddings and babies of friends here. So I have mixed feelings.<br>
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Anyway so those are my thoughts, here are my plans. I am leaving Kenya Feb 19, and flying to Thailand. I will be attending and speaking at a conference there for missionaries from that part of the world. It's a two week conference and I will be spending some time processing the transitions I am going through. Also I will be visiting a friend who lives there. March 8 I fly home to Canada I will spend a few weeks staying with my parents to catch up with the family. From there I hope to move back to Edmonton I am applying for a job up there, please pray with me that it all goes well. I have also applied to the mission agency Reach Beyond (formerly HCJB). I will have to travel to Colorado for an interview with them, not sure when that will be yet. Once I am approved (the Lord willing) by Reach Beyond I will start raising support again and other preparations for coming back to Tenwek in 2016. I have a place to stay in Edmonton but need some wheels. If you have any good ideas for a car for only a year let me know. I need something reliable, and I don't want to have to buy a new car just to turn around and sell it a year later.<br>
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So as promised I also had one last adventure that I would like to share with you. I visited Chogoria hospital which is up by Mount Kenya. I enjoyed visiting some friends up there. I also joined some other friends as we took a quick adventure to see Mount Kenya. I was warned that even though we were close we may not be able to see it as it is often obscured by clouds. I will let the pictures speak for themselves. We also spent a night at a mountain hotel by a watering hole. It was fun to just sit and watch the animals. Again the pictures can speak for themselves.<br>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQtwSp25q_J_D2cMVAZkFzB_y2qintG_KFRpUY77lZQUbcpmDG58GUvNZVDlAisiN5JGf0U-1S0BaCqptYau61U2qIg6VfovFWAFep7etvCKa9ELHem8o5W3Rc72pMq7YKeoOycT-68c9S/s1600/DSCF2753.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQtwSp25q_J_D2cMVAZkFzB_y2qintG_KFRpUY77lZQUbcpmDG58GUvNZVDlAisiN5JGf0U-1S0BaCqptYau61U2qIg6VfovFWAFep7etvCKa9ELHem8o5W3Rc72pMq7YKeoOycT-68c9S/s1600/DSCF2753.JPG" height="480" width="640"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mountain and Wheat Fields this reminded me of home</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpEd2UCfYehB9QUEjMZ-c-WfnhrEhQEkqIxYKrVAdCnv3xtMMZxPMGcK57RAqr6NQMhvmCbnYXcN-aieqCrHXB3NmJsFpz7mdvPlyvsJMi1_zudtn2IDKO98Mj64UM_nDkGtbboEuPGAFr/s1600/DSCF2803.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpEd2UCfYehB9QUEjMZ-c-WfnhrEhQEkqIxYKrVAdCnv3xtMMZxPMGcK57RAqr6NQMhvmCbnYXcN-aieqCrHXB3NmJsFpz7mdvPlyvsJMi1_zudtn2IDKO98Mj64UM_nDkGtbboEuPGAFr/s1600/DSCF2803.JPG" height="480" width="640"></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXwum_khL5bmgod-Gyyq7lLUKuzBptFBjStC4yW6WymVZ8n85VXwzohMR1j4Rgo6nusWhAi8fg8I6lssS9sswTaiY_C4X4klhLjwrYbBAPpe68iT3Dmf-BmXqBCFqB_yoH4kLiR6PCE_mm/s1600/DSCF2849.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXwum_khL5bmgod-Gyyq7lLUKuzBptFBjStC4yW6WymVZ8n85VXwzohMR1j4Rgo6nusWhAi8fg8I6lssS9sswTaiY_C4X4klhLjwrYbBAPpe68iT3Dmf-BmXqBCFqB_yoH4kLiR6PCE_mm/s1600/DSCF2849.JPG" height="480" width="640"></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbWcesycZongaScYRBIeg1joXKNomGKKVxW1gf7-UQRKK2gy_FcXFiwANSdnOgJLPk51p9YHRxyL2ZD5caCfYGbhWaKHTORQAnbNfuUMF4O0oPSjPziRqsjlGxAmul4tPxsj3kGCKAP5Ht/s1600/DSCF2850.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbWcesycZongaScYRBIeg1joXKNomGKKVxW1gf7-UQRKK2gy_FcXFiwANSdnOgJLPk51p9YHRxyL2ZD5caCfYGbhWaKHTORQAnbNfuUMF4O0oPSjPziRqsjlGxAmul4tPxsj3kGCKAP5Ht/s1600/DSCF2850.JPG" height="480" width="640"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">stared this guy down. Little unnerving with the big eyes</td></tr>
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<br>Annettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15524383618923794242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4988260819774713564.post-28036237710193301602014-12-25T12:02:00.001-07:002014-12-26T03:25:25.691-07:00DecemberSo sorry, again, for taking a while to post. I had a friend come and visit in November it was great to have her be a part of life here in Kenya. You will read more about this in a future blog - this post is about December, just like everywhere else, December is a busy month here in Kenya. So rather than share by writing I thought I'd share via pictures.<br>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2B40mqqj9W6b7w_xxOLxTZbQKOC522EundthBpp79FQ49d3zfxUivXRlKvEs3vskUZcYGF3fj8K3Ku-hgoTet475eAy_MPeeiUiaPFoMGYbnE_ZO4pRt24E6vH0YQ1-tJLns6x-IDDEJk/s1600/IMG_2557.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2B40mqqj9W6b7w_xxOLxTZbQKOC522EundthBpp79FQ49d3zfxUivXRlKvEs3vskUZcYGF3fj8K3Ku-hgoTet475eAy_MPeeiUiaPFoMGYbnE_ZO4pRt24E6vH0YQ1-tJLns6x-IDDEJk/s1600/IMG_2557.JPG" height="300" width="400"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I joined a few ladies for a quick trip to Nairobi to go to the Christmas craft fair. We also went out for a lovely dinner and I tried crocodile - it really tasted like chicken.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxL2JXzDOqNKNPeq8aCgA8zKboI0QrpcerdlXLDoS63RMm9o4sxd2agBFpsEBsEpf7scWzJaZR0YxXT-SgoHCU8Zm3G2z6rcWhhA4tevxqq-r5TBjj618bB2XRLym7ALsVOzl9aQ0DS9jU/s1600/IMG_2574.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxL2JXzDOqNKNPeq8aCgA8zKboI0QrpcerdlXLDoS63RMm9o4sxd2agBFpsEBsEpf7scWzJaZR0YxXT-SgoHCU8Zm3G2z6rcWhhA4tevxqq-r5TBjj618bB2XRLym7ALsVOzl9aQ0DS9jU/s1600/IMG_2574.JPG" height="300" width="400"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As soon as I got back to Tenwek it was off again with most of the long term missionaries for a time of meetings and Christmas celebrations. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJc-TqAPfmIXdwbUGE_4bRs2TSqFy_ajVo0Yl4YVsUHVbbD_Z4pMv23Emm7ZY4Sdes3CRUCBMZg38NdeNmG1xIursFiN3nqkaGfDPkgqj0RN7nz8V9Sgy6XRUZ7dw6eOrCBV34hfKr-2tw/s1600/IMG_2575.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJc-TqAPfmIXdwbUGE_4bRs2TSqFy_ajVo0Yl4YVsUHVbbD_Z4pMv23Emm7ZY4Sdes3CRUCBMZg38NdeNmG1xIursFiN3nqkaGfDPkgqj0RN7nz8V9Sgy6XRUZ7dw6eOrCBV34hfKr-2tw/s1600/IMG_2575.JPG" height="400" width="300"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I got up early and saw the sun rise over Mount Kenya, it looks small but its about 175km away </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3QxCIqKiPD7Y8wh55mufZmcfek1N0nCpZbou9nM-_a-Wom3hYWAmo69FvEtmow0LlpExJAgvJhl2jO_2UAcs3hQxqRUH1lXxElH-BDxnZ1IA4j8UjTUakLB64b7VZES5D9iMW2P-ZXFoc/s1600/IMG_2598.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3QxCIqKiPD7Y8wh55mufZmcfek1N0nCpZbou9nM-_a-Wom3hYWAmo69FvEtmow0LlpExJAgvJhl2jO_2UAcs3hQxqRUH1lXxElH-BDxnZ1IA4j8UjTUakLB64b7VZES5D9iMW2P-ZXFoc/s1600/IMG_2598.JPG" height="300" width="400"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The youth did a play. It was entertaining, I was the director of this play. They did well.</td></tr></tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgftY5u9gBmPwXdj3xgkenbfZ3ext6bknGYyKnKah3mv2p9Rp35Fh8_tERNdE38YLQlcDgsqIJFkG7ec03sAKaNBAMwEF4FYoP17d-5UvVTn8EC47IhTrEVvcnpTELnzhG1oRPsZx-MKefK/s1600/IMG_2622.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgftY5u9gBmPwXdj3xgkenbfZ3ext6bknGYyKnKah3mv2p9Rp35Fh8_tERNdE38YLQlcDgsqIJFkG7ec03sAKaNBAMwEF4FYoP17d-5UvVTn8EC47IhTrEVvcnpTELnzhG1oRPsZx-MKefK/s1600/IMG_2622.JPG" height="300" width="400"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the way home we stopped to buy pineapple. This is what happens in this town when you slow down on the road with the window open.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo-AWWbHi8nIn4LRZrS9pSBlDcezDxCYLBY5Nij8USvV6wByA1UXekSjjOyGC-cgGKNJg-cVMBF5o_0RTe7Jz0OSCBTytuoPZrL6J8hOSB4EoH4j9SoMEks6fnr2tQ1kyF6_q8lCbRRycM/s1600/IMG_2634.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo-AWWbHi8nIn4LRZrS9pSBlDcezDxCYLBY5Nij8USvV6wByA1UXekSjjOyGC-cgGKNJg-cVMBF5o_0RTe7Jz0OSCBTytuoPZrL6J8hOSB4EoH4j9SoMEks6fnr2tQ1kyF6_q8lCbRRycM/s1600/IMG_2634.JPG" height="300" width="400"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I attended a party for this young man (the one with the garland) he has just completed a coming of age ceremony. I work with the smart looking lady in this photo. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6s2GGotKzV1F2m9ZyYSXluObg-wZHqa6jaBoJVaTnU3asTr6C3zkcHtZZH9IiDKs9T8tvacjBUmS6__LXqiHBHytRDPqq8wlhCASFogHHh5RUYMdW_yrE5hX70o6ul6MRFvxQX_FtYtnv/s1600/DSCF2646.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6s2GGotKzV1F2m9ZyYSXluObg-wZHqa6jaBoJVaTnU3asTr6C3zkcHtZZH9IiDKs9T8tvacjBUmS6__LXqiHBHytRDPqq8wlhCASFogHHh5RUYMdW_yrE5hX70o6ul6MRFvxQX_FtYtnv/s1600/DSCF2646.JPG" height="300" width="400"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">To celebrate Christmas with the interns I had 16 interns over for a Pizza night. </td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Ds2aXSc4ieFgO9irL5TyaRVy7uSfHKyHK8syeuDr4ZL5yeAV_5Yo8LUP3XEWTHu3N2M9nUTdgAdQLhyphenhyphenrHmfk2OMV-sUduW4eXkEwyGnyhHnNkofZufqUygRhyB6bR67CMnqJJ72uN6hd/s1600/IMG_2673.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Ds2aXSc4ieFgO9irL5TyaRVy7uSfHKyHK8syeuDr4ZL5yeAV_5Yo8LUP3XEWTHu3N2M9nUTdgAdQLhyphenhyphenrHmfk2OMV-sUduW4eXkEwyGnyhHnNkofZufqUygRhyB6bR67CMnqJJ72uN6hd/s1600/IMG_2673.JPG" height="300" width="400"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I am still helping with the youth and in addition to Sunday afternoon get togethers, seen here, we also had a 4 day youth retreat, (Just during the day we sent them home in the evening)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih0RGemkzCMk7HyNhGia1RksPTtOnJdIK3RCoDKrRERIPCr-4DFD0Ky10-l7dXUzqaDHuVJmyVwc-0lOkjxySMYknCmfb8IRqZWDG6PZDTOcE7CTmfUUIV3_tBQA0Ry6TnSy-VqxNy4Nks/s1600/IMG_2690.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih0RGemkzCMk7HyNhGia1RksPTtOnJdIK3RCoDKrRERIPCr-4DFD0Ky10-l7dXUzqaDHuVJmyVwc-0lOkjxySMYknCmfb8IRqZWDG6PZDTOcE7CTmfUUIV3_tBQA0Ry6TnSy-VqxNy4Nks/s1600/IMG_2690.JPG" height="300" width="400"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As a Tenwek community we had a fun eveing of appetizers and some singing. Accordion in Kenya, who knew.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpHT3F9eBZhWjEVZNgMsierbnmpkt-deCgaIeJFl8FfECgZZf5a4dzdLmFf0_uea5T4PHd4FmeU6ssoi7pLl3jy6Eg14UPK0Ek0qjd85FBVq1r7CGb4zflauwiSuDaniUtoumw5rIlcFY-/s1600/IMG_2703.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpHT3F9eBZhWjEVZNgMsierbnmpkt-deCgaIeJFl8FfECgZZf5a4dzdLmFf0_uea5T4PHd4FmeU6ssoi7pLl3jy6Eg14UPK0Ek0qjd85FBVq1r7CGb4zflauwiSuDaniUtoumw5rIlcFY-/s1600/IMG_2703.JPG" height="400" width="300"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Christmas eve service singing by Candlelight</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzOQL4jVG0wR63_EmiSDo4EYy6C2dSPGxByPID-ALIFcQH9DwMFf7F6MmQ1y3Lwxi-trw9v_Yy9f4qoVgF5o9qILB04EiT_FSbmJGmxEYObKNkKTtv4B69mdWajc4cBFWcmk8V4zVsSFwD/s1600/IMG_2701.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzOQL4jVG0wR63_EmiSDo4EYy6C2dSPGxByPID-ALIFcQH9DwMFf7F6MmQ1y3Lwxi-trw9v_Yy9f4qoVgF5o9qILB04EiT_FSbmJGmxEYObKNkKTtv4B69mdWajc4cBFWcmk8V4zVsSFwD/s1600/IMG_2701.JPG" height="300" width="400"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Christmas Carols in the hospital. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So it was a busy month, on top of this was normal work at the Hospital I had some quiet weeks but the last week and a half leading up to Christmas has been busy with up to 8 patients on a ventilator. Hopefully things get better soon.Annettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15524383618923794242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4988260819774713564.post-60094751604506642602014-10-23T04:25:00.000-06:002014-10-27T12:15:02.525-06:00Secrets and work<div class="MsoNormal">
Wow, it has been a while since I have written. So sorry. At one
point I thought I should see how long I could go without writing a post but
that kinds of defeats the purpose of this blog so I better write something. Why
so long without writing – I guess life is normal and I am not so quick to think
“that would be an interesting blog post”. That being said, I am by no means an
expert now at life here. I am still learning every day. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A lesson I have learned the past few months is about privacy
and secrets. To explain this I will give
an example. In North America a girl goes on a few dates with a guy gets excited
and tells all her friends. Sometimes she will tell all her friends to not tell
anyone yet. But usually in a week or two she is fine with the news being out. She
also is proud of her boyfriend and a boyfriend is a status symbol and therefore
will be mentioned in conversations with friends and co-workers. Here it’s a little
different. If someone is dating someone they don’t tell very many people at all.
If they do you are expected to keep it a secret – it’s not your news to share
and sharing someone else news may be the end of a friendship. Until the couple
has met both families and the dowry has been exchanged its not official and therefore
not talked about. Even after it is still not your news if you are friends and
she wants to tell you take the news and treasure it, but don’t share it. The
telling of the whole world via Facebook is much more uncommon. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So I know there are a few Kenyans who read this blog and if
I got it all wrong please tell me. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I am continuing to learn about life here and I will never be
done. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On another note things have been busy at the hospital I am
excited to be having more ventilators as we have added two, soon to be three, Servo 300 ventilators to our vent pool. These are good machines and I am excited to have waveforms
for teaching. We recently used the servo to ventilate a 6 month old with bad
pneumonia/ARDS. Unfortunately, despite three weeks on the ventilator this little one did
not survive; please pray for this family. Life in the ICU is always up and down
with some patients getting better and some not. A few weeks ago we had a big
success. It was a weekend and I was helping out the medicine team on call. We
had a bad asthmatic come into casualty. We gave her the cocktail of meds we
have access to (Ventolin, steroids, Magnesium, she may have even got some Epi)
despite all these meds her lungs refused to open up and she was getting tired.
I tried bipap with no success. So we had to put this young lady on a vent.
Acute asthmatics are some of the hardest patients to ventilate and this lady
was the worst I have seen yet. When she was on the vent we paralyzed her to
squeeze all the trapped air out of her lungs, gave her ketamine as a sedative –
it bronchodilates, and still after a few hours her vent pressures were still in
the 80’s. We threw some more meds at her: aminophylline, more magnesium and of
course a continuous stream of Ventolin. She came in on Saturday and started to
get a little better on Tuesday, finally on Friday we were able to take her tube
out and she could breathe on her own. This young lady took a lot of my time,
energy and prayers. I am thankful she finally turned around a week later she
went home. She now has medications in her pocket and hopefully she will be able
to control her asthma better. If this lady had not made it to us when she did
or had gone to a district hospital which do not have ICU care she would have
died. I am thankful that God uses us to help people like her. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br></div>
<br>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So that’s a little of what I have been up to. Hopefully in
the next few weeks I will have an update for you regarding what’s next. Also I
am excited in a few weeks my friend Shawna, who also edits this blog for me, will be coming for a visit.
I am excited to show her my life here. Also from a work/educational standpoint
we say iron sharpens iron. I have not had a lot of iron to sharpen against so I
am looking forward to that as well. <o:p></o:p></div>
Annettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15524383618923794242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4988260819774713564.post-51627204250219378762014-08-30T11:55:00.000-06:002014-08-31T08:51:49.172-06:00Some Excitement (Outside of the Hospital)<div class="MsoNormal">
Sorry I have not posted for a while but that’s not due to
nothing to say.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The other day I did something that I have not done in
20 months. Something you probably do daily without thinking about. Something I
used to do daily but when I told my mom I was going to do it here she was
nervous, more nervous than when I started to do this alone when I was 16. Have
you figured it out? Yes, I got behind the wheel of a car and drove. A few weeks
ago I blogged about getting my license but due to vacation, busyness and some
fear on my part I was unable to drive until now. I had planned on a Sunday
afternoon drive last week but the battery had died so I waited until Saturday to
find someone to give me a boost. Like most cars not in North America, it’s a
standard. I am thankful I was forced to learn how to drive a stick while in
high school, but it has been a while. So driving an unfamiliar car with a
recently revived battery – therefore no stalling allowed, and the first time
driving in 20 months and the first time driving a stick since 2010 made for an
interesting start. Add onto this many motorbikes (who travel more like
bicycles, slow and on the shoulder), speed peaks (proper word is speed bump,
but are really more like mountains), crazy driving busses, slow moving trucks, and
we drive on the other side of the road here it was an interesting trip and I
loved every moment of it.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I am thankful for the
long term missionary who left me her car for 6 months, this gives me the time
to see how driving goes here and decide if I would like to own a car here in
the future. As every 16 year old knows there is a wonderful freedom that comes
with having a set of wheels. This freedom allows me to go to the grocery store
when I need, visit friends, or give a lecture at a neighboring hospital. All
without having to depend on the local transport system or costly taxis. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br></div>
<br>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A few weeks ago I also got a well needed vacation. My Oma
(grandmother in dutch) celebrated her 90<sup>th</sup> birthday in Holland. It
is cheaper and shorter to fly to Holland than Canada so this made for a nice vacation. My parents and my brother and sister-in-law (S & J) also made the trip. It was great to catch up with
them, spend some time with Oma and some other Dutch friends and also enjoy the
pace of the western world rather than the African world. When we were driving
our rental car through the small side streets or the busy freeways I found it
very relaxing after the Kenyan roads (see above) while my sister-in-law found
it very different than her small town. It was a very relaxing week as Mom and Dad worried about the itinerary and I just had to show up. Some highlights were
the birthday party and seeing the Dutch relatives, climbing up to the top in
the new church in delft (new in comparison to the old church (1246)) according
to Wikipedia the new church was completed in 1496. Anyway, I also enjoyed taking
a boat through a town that transports more by canal than by car. It was a great
trip and as my flight had a layover in Cairo I can also say I have been there
although I only saw the aiport – for 6 hours. Delayed flights are so much fun,
due to the delay I also was in Germany, just long enough to make a mad dash
from one side of the airport to the other. Since than its back at work, getting
to know new missionary families, and just living life.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW6muIqKmRlzJ4Sg2IbmukW1trP2gp9Hktr2WJhGlPUdMnT18yk8ZfsIyQWST8YnuX_Q9CAAvQOTyNMNGF2Bg490PQD1MLWx6N1JrbYY7xOvY6wWDwXAC9FKJtYS7G5LEJLcb4OfYGFfNs/s1600/P8034614.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW6muIqKmRlzJ4Sg2IbmukW1trP2gp9Hktr2WJhGlPUdMnT18yk8ZfsIyQWST8YnuX_Q9CAAvQOTyNMNGF2Bg490PQD1MLWx6N1JrbYY7xOvY6wWDwXAC9FKJtYS7G5LEJLcb4OfYGFfNs/s1600/P8034614.JPG" height="240" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy Birthday Oma</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtfRt8W4IS1Z7Chpp1zz2tzCMR8g_MmyUf9dADOL97V21xOa7-vaGijRIsfhSAxCnGA-PPsrkSqZE6sLpCtjzqp9Qh8afiX3EUZ-QdrJbNAOz6Y2rCf_B-t5f9JHC4vzQfqQRTAanpVI7R/s1600/P8024402.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtfRt8W4IS1Z7Chpp1zz2tzCMR8g_MmyUf9dADOL97V21xOa7-vaGijRIsfhSAxCnGA-PPsrkSqZE6sLpCtjzqp9Qh8afiX3EUZ-QdrJbNAOz6Y2rCf_B-t5f9JHC4vzQfqQRTAanpVI7R/s1600/P8024402.JPG" height="240" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lovely boat ride passing by old houses and barns</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBdbPNJqLAKjKzA2cApXdhdLaxcyzhdgF_IwqJu9mT62k4xlI3ziva7Sh0PrnLPzfdw5j-sC7eiDdmqHkTolM-XY5cPvKf3s5EosZXFasj8XBPywmE318ktAheNVWTegg3Rx2n3YZKVKBX/s1600/P7304130.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBdbPNJqLAKjKzA2cApXdhdLaxcyzhdgF_IwqJu9mT62k4xlI3ziva7Sh0PrnLPzfdw5j-sC7eiDdmqHkTolM-XY5cPvKf3s5EosZXFasj8XBPywmE318ktAheNVWTegg3Rx2n3YZKVKBX/s1600/P7304130.JPG" height="240" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view from the New church</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoTfrR3cSUcxqOBLtLo_9B2DMykV0gZCB1glW1VFhgu6wUW0poMX8DhoDO6n-tZmMPsbeXtFe0p-XknHjwINe4ZMhB02nsiEx1Zx15qzspfo76K6z1BzrnPXo0OJkSgaqhHR0SpZiNey_X/s1600/P7304143.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoTfrR3cSUcxqOBLtLo_9B2DMykV0gZCB1glW1VFhgu6wUW0poMX8DhoDO6n-tZmMPsbeXtFe0p-XknHjwINe4ZMhB02nsiEx1Zx15qzspfo76K6z1BzrnPXo0OJkSgaqhHR0SpZiNey_X/s1600/P7304143.JPG" height="240" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The stairs, we walked around like this all the way to the top and all the way down agiain</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggUio2pgDCtuu-5YNGTxE-CeRKi6j3xHRmFA0p7a1wxsMPyboGXxMBW4V1bCzPDUOrzh4RKOXrO1Vem0rNjP9RRZi5O2G9nD3TXZAvEwRKizjAw1r4Royz8qWNbt0t-6XKyFBXwagF3nfc/s1600/P7304192.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggUio2pgDCtuu-5YNGTxE-CeRKi6j3xHRmFA0p7a1wxsMPyboGXxMBW4V1bCzPDUOrzh4RKOXrO1Vem0rNjP9RRZi5O2G9nD3TXZAvEwRKizjAw1r4Royz8qWNbt0t-6XKyFBXwagF3nfc/s1600/P7304192.JPG" height="240" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">good food, puffertjes, Croquette patat. yum</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br></div>
Annettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15524383618923794242noreply@blogger.com0