Clinic Day Three

This morning, we awoke to a changed world.  The rains last night left everything muddy and wet.  We even had a little visit from some mud in the back door of the guest house.  A little problem with the drainage that was easily corrected, but itbrought some drama.  In that kind of downpour, under a metal roof, it was a little scary.  It reminds me of how fragile we really are.  We were never in any danger, but the noise alone can bring apprehension.

 

My apprehension was of a different sort.  Yesterday I promised the widows at Lee McGraw I would come get them in the vehicle for clinic.  I've driven a lot of miles, but not many in mud.  I asked Thomas and Joseph if they thought the road would be ok to travel and they both said yes.  I took Lucas, a local pastor, with me and weset out down the road.  It was slippery for sure, but not as bad as I feared.  There were a couple of spots that were tricky but we made it.

 

The widows and smaller orphans had come up the road past the break to meet us.  When I saw that there were over 25 kids, plus the widows, I locked the wheel hubs and put the vehicle into four-wheel-drive.  We were rolling heavy as we traversed the muddy road, but the Land Cruiser was up to the task.  Breathing easier, we rolled into the Training Center compound to the cheers of the kids.

 

The team had made some changes to the flow of things for this last, heavy day and it was really paying off.  They were able to see 101 kids before a late lunch and then knocked out another 70 this afternoon.  There were some difficult dental extractions, and the sad case of a grandmother, probably 70 years old, trying to care for a baby who was just orphaned by her AIDS infected mother.   We were able to wrap up by 6:30 and begin theinventories and packing we needed to do.

 

Tomorrow we will begin the trip home with the long drive to Nakuru.  We will be able to break it up a little with a possible tour of a tea factory, arranged by our WBS worker inKericho, Francis Chepkwony.  I hope he is able to make it happen, I have never been to a tea factory.  More tomorrow…