The hospital we are at is very resourceful and careful with literally every bandage that is used. Things are not as disposable here in Kenya because things are not as accessible. If, you will notice in one of the photos all the ambu bags and oxygen tubing have been washed and hung out to dry and these are used over and over, in America these are used one time. Gloves and masks are reused if possible. Paul uses a mask a day instead of one per case in surgery.
In the U.S. things for surgery are often packed in bundles (with most everything being disposable by our standards), the O.R. opens it but may only use one item and the rest is thrown away. Those thrown away items are just what this mission hospital desperately needs. We brought several duffels of suture with us when we arrived. We purchased some as a gift and one large duffle was given to us by a physician friend (Thanks Dr. Todd) who collected suture that was going to be thrown away.
If you can see any IVs hanging by the patients in the pictures- those are glass bottles. Every IV solution is made by the hospital staff and put in glass bottles that are sterilized and reused, no plastic IVs here.
I think we have grown to appreciate even seemingly small conveniences at home, like clean running water, so much more. Here we are gathering rain water, boiling it for ten minutes and then waiting for it to run thru a filter before we can have water to drink and it makes me conserve every drop! Water bottles are coveted; we have refilled ours a hundred times already!
I spent this afternoon in the grassy yard of Mrs. Linda, where some of the women who attend the village Bible study walked (many for hours) to recite their scriptures as a requirement to get a new Bible. There was a good turnout, about 20 women, considering what this area has gone through over the last few weeks. I sat for about an hour and half and listened as each woman one by one recited all 16 scriptures in Kipsigis. Many sat resting in the sun, some prayed, others whispered quietly and a few tended to the babies on their backs waiting until every lady there was finished. I am honored they allowed me to join them and humbled at the same time.
I celebrate their accomplishment and am happy each will receive a new Kipsigis Bible!
As I looked up the scriptures to make a list for myself, none were new to me and many I have memorized, but each one has taken on a new meaning as I read them through the eyes of these Kenyan women and the life they lead.
Thought you might like a list of the scriptures they recited from heart:
Luke (Luka)1:37 Mark(Mariko) 8: 34
Philippians (Philipik) 4:6, 7 I John(1 Johana) 1:9
Luke 2:52 Luke 6:22, 23
Isaiah (Isaia) 43:4 Luke 6:27
I Corinthians(1 Korintoek) 10:13 Hebrew (Hebranik)11:1
Galatians (Galatiek)5:1 Romans(Roamnik) 5:8
Mark (Mariko) 8:34 Luke 8:15
Psalms (Tienwogikab Kalosunet) 46:1 Psalms 145:8
~Jennifer