Sr. Julie Update !
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Hello! Hope all of you are having a nice Spring and you are ready to celebrate the Gift of the Spirit tomorrow.
The best news is that Regan has gained about 5 pounds and is doing well. I even took him and Geoffrey out to lunch and both ate chicken and chips. We bumped into Purity in Karen so she also joined us for lunch. Then, Geoffrey told me that Regan had never been in a store like Nakumatt so after lunch we took a very slow tour. Of course, the biggest hit was all the TV's and boom boxes on the 2nd floor. Regan enjoyed just looking at them. Then he asked if he could get Uncle John a present. He tried to get Geoffrey to buy a 100 shilling safaricom card so Geoffrey directed him to me. It amazes me that every time you take the kids into Karen for a treat they all ask if they can bring something back for Mum or Uncle. Safaricom cards always seem like a nice practical gift for them. also, Priscilla wasn't feeling well this week but now she is fine. She has a beautiful face but she looks pitiful when she does not fell well. When you see her you immediately pray for a quick miracle to make her well again and turn that frown upside down. so please continue to keep both of them in your prayers.
We also have 2 teenage boys down from the village, Benjamin and Titus, who both need some medical attention. They are staying at the boys hostel and seem to be fitting in well although they seem a little bored during the day when the other boys are at school. It is nice to see how easily they blend it with the other kids and pitch in to help do some of the household chores. So please pray that they can get the medical help they need to deal with their medical conditions.
Even though the weather has been cool and rainy lately the kids are fine. The sun peeks through quite a bit and at least helps to warm our bones and get some warm water. I'm constantly taking my jacket off and on. As soon as the sun appears it gets warm and as soon as it disappears behind the clouds it gets cool. i think it has something to do with the high altitude here. I wish we could send all this rain to the village where they really need it. The other thing that keeps going off and on in the rain is the electricity which also causes computer problems. i have already transferred this email to the draft file so i do not lose it if the electricity goes off.
This week our children got to entertain and say farewell to the Kest group. All the girls had to get back to school. Of course, it was a tearful goodbye but I think there 2 week experience learning about and visiting all 3 of our projects was good for them. Now they have to go home to write a report for school. Lloydie did a great job with them and is now enjoying a quiet break from them. She will remain in Kenya waiting for the Kest groups to arrive. Other adults who have been here before will bring the groups over. I think she has about a 2 week break until the next group comes.
We also had the pleasure of hosting 2 US senators this week. As usual the Paul Miki performers did a great job entertaining them. They are both involved with USAID. I cannot remember their names but one was from Tennessee and one was from Georgia. When we were getting a group photo the kids all put up their thumbs and shouted OBAMA. They met with S. Mary then toured the lab and visited the cottages meeting Regan, were entertained by the kids and then headed to the hostels. After Nyumbani they were heading to Kibera to see the great work that is being done through our Leatoto Program. Let us hope and pray that through this visit they will be even more committed to helping Nyumbani and help us to get the reagents we hope to get through Pepfar (Buck from Pepfar was also with them) when we get our Drug Resistance machine. I think they also saw the spirit of Father Dag in Sister Mary and know that she will not take no for an answer. Sister Mary is determined to get what our children need. How can they say no when they see the smiling faces of the children they have helped to save and know that because of their help Regan has a hope for a future that he did not have before he came to Nyumbani a few weeks ago. Please pray that they take our message back home. I am so proud of what the people of America are doing for the children of Africa and pray that we will continue to expand our support to save the lives of many more children.
We also had a Mums and Uncles Meeting and a Staff Meeting this week. It was great to hear the Mums and Uncles report on how their kids are doing and stress how important it is for all of us to work together for the betterment of the children. We tweaked the children's schedule a little but all agreed that on the whole it is going well. This was affirmed by Lloydie and her group as they visited Nyumbani. Lloydie was pleasantly surprised to see how great the evening study and Saturday Program was going and how serious the Mums, Uncles and kids were. We all love these kids and are working together to help them grow and mature into responsible christian persons. With God's help, our hard work, and the continued support of all of our benefactors these children will have a bright future. Please pray for all of those who give so much of themselves to make the lives of our children better.
I got all of the ceilings painted on the 2nd floor of Noel House this week and cleaned some of the windows. My only disappointment was that the water stains still came through. I'll have to see if there is anything else that I can use to coat the stains. i also washed the outsides of some of the windows. The novices will return today so next week we are going to house clean the Noel House while most of the rooms are empty. Donna, remember you and I did it last year. That way we will be ready for Tomi's audiology group and the hands Around the World group that will be coming in mid-June. On Friday I also traveled to Mbagatha Hospital with the nurse and Uncle John for a follow up visit with Dr. Mellotto for John and Geoffrey. He was pleased with Geoffrey and showed him some exercises to do that he was sure would bring Geoffrey's leg back to 100 percent mobility. Right now the knee is still a little tight but with exercise it will loosen and be fine. he was very happy to hear he can play football again. John will be scheduled for more surgery in November to remove the metal plate and stretch his bone and then after he recuperates should be fine. Until then he has to be sure to always wear the lift in his shoe. Both have another follow up appointment next week. So please continue to keep both of them in your prayers.
Please take care of yourselves. Pray for us as we pray for you. Love and miss you all. Julie
Bookmark :
Hello! Hope all of you are having a nice Spring and you are ready to celebrate the Gift of the Spirit tomorrow.
The best news is that Regan has gained about 5 pounds and is doing well. I even took him and Geoffrey out to lunch and both ate chicken and chips. We bumped into Purity in Karen so she also joined us for lunch. Then, Geoffrey told me that Regan had never been in a store like Nakumatt so after lunch we took a very slow tour. Of course, the biggest hit was all the TV's and boom boxes on the 2nd floor. Regan enjoyed just looking at them. Then he asked if he could get Uncle John a present. He tried to get Geoffrey to buy a 100 shilling safaricom card so Geoffrey directed him to me. It amazes me that every time you take the kids into Karen for a treat they all ask if they can bring something back for Mum or Uncle. Safaricom cards always seem like a nice practical gift for them. also, Priscilla wasn't feeling well this week but now she is fine. She has a beautiful face but she looks pitiful when she does not fell well. When you see her you immediately pray for a quick miracle to make her well again and turn that frown upside down. so please continue to keep both of them in your prayers.
We also have 2 teenage boys down from the village, Benjamin and Titus, who both need some medical attention. They are staying at the boys hostel and seem to be fitting in well although they seem a little bored during the day when the other boys are at school. It is nice to see how easily they blend it with the other kids and pitch in to help do some of the household chores. So please pray that they can get the medical help they need to deal with their medical conditions.
Even though the weather has been cool and rainy lately the kids are fine. The sun peeks through quite a bit and at least helps to warm our bones and get some warm water. I'm constantly taking my jacket off and on. As soon as the sun appears it gets warm and as soon as it disappears behind the clouds it gets cool. i think it has something to do with the high altitude here. I wish we could send all this rain to the village where they really need it. The other thing that keeps going off and on in the rain is the electricity which also causes computer problems. i have already transferred this email to the draft file so i do not lose it if the electricity goes off.
This week our children got to entertain and say farewell to the Kest group. All the girls had to get back to school. Of course, it was a tearful goodbye but I think there 2 week experience learning about and visiting all 3 of our projects was good for them. Now they have to go home to write a report for school. Lloydie did a great job with them and is now enjoying a quiet break from them. She will remain in Kenya waiting for the Kest groups to arrive. Other adults who have been here before will bring the groups over. I think she has about a 2 week break until the next group comes.
We also had the pleasure of hosting 2 US senators this week. As usual the Paul Miki performers did a great job entertaining them. They are both involved with USAID. I cannot remember their names but one was from Tennessee and one was from Georgia. When we were getting a group photo the kids all put up their thumbs and shouted OBAMA. They met with S. Mary then toured the lab and visited the cottages meeting Regan, were entertained by the kids and then headed to the hostels. After Nyumbani they were heading to Kibera to see the great work that is being done through our Leatoto Program. Let us hope and pray that through this visit they will be even more committed to helping Nyumbani and help us to get the reagents we hope to get through Pepfar (Buck from Pepfar was also with them) when we get our Drug Resistance machine. I think they also saw the spirit of Father Dag in Sister Mary and know that she will not take no for an answer. Sister Mary is determined to get what our children need. How can they say no when they see the smiling faces of the children they have helped to save and know that because of their help Regan has a hope for a future that he did not have before he came to Nyumbani a few weeks ago. Please pray that they take our message back home. I am so proud of what the people of America are doing for the children of Africa and pray that we will continue to expand our support to save the lives of many more children.
We also had a Mums and Uncles Meeting and a Staff Meeting this week. It was great to hear the Mums and Uncles report on how their kids are doing and stress how important it is for all of us to work together for the betterment of the children. We tweaked the children's schedule a little but all agreed that on the whole it is going well. This was affirmed by Lloydie and her group as they visited Nyumbani. Lloydie was pleasantly surprised to see how great the evening study and Saturday Program was going and how serious the Mums, Uncles and kids were. We all love these kids and are working together to help them grow and mature into responsible christian persons. With God's help, our hard work, and the continued support of all of our benefactors these children will have a bright future. Please pray for all of those who give so much of themselves to make the lives of our children better.
I got all of the ceilings painted on the 2nd floor of Noel House this week and cleaned some of the windows. My only disappointment was that the water stains still came through. I'll have to see if there is anything else that I can use to coat the stains. i also washed the outsides of some of the windows. The novices will return today so next week we are going to house clean the Noel House while most of the rooms are empty. Donna, remember you and I did it last year. That way we will be ready for Tomi's audiology group and the hands Around the World group that will be coming in mid-June. On Friday I also traveled to Mbagatha Hospital with the nurse and Uncle John for a follow up visit with Dr. Mellotto for John and Geoffrey. He was pleased with Geoffrey and showed him some exercises to do that he was sure would bring Geoffrey's leg back to 100 percent mobility. Right now the knee is still a little tight but with exercise it will loosen and be fine. he was very happy to hear he can play football again. John will be scheduled for more surgery in November to remove the metal plate and stretch his bone and then after he recuperates should be fine. Until then he has to be sure to always wear the lift in his shoe. Both have another follow up appointment next week. So please continue to keep both of them in your prayers.
Please take care of yourselves. Pray for us as we pray for you. Love and miss you all. Julie
Doug Walker, Pete Stuart, Andy Stirling, Roddy James and Jamie Pert of Montrose have completed 
We officially launched phase one of our program to provide audiology services to 3,500 HIV+ children in the internationally acclaimed Nyumbani community in the Nairobi and Kitui districts of Kenya. It is mind boggling to realize that our patient load is about the same as the total number of HIV+ children in the entire United States. The Au.D. students who participated describe their 2 weeks as an educational experience of a lifetime.
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