Jim Bunn's Journal

4/12/08

Up before sunrise, gathered bags as sun was just beginning to rise. We gathered the bags and supplies for the early morning flight to Amsterdam. We arrived at the airport and checked nearly 70 bags; the remaining medical supplies have already been shipped to Kenya. Take-off was smooth and we are off!

4/13/08

I can’t recall which flight went from Saturday to Sunday, but we flew about 8 hours to Amsterdam from Seattle and about 10 hours from Amsterdam to Nairobi. Arrived in Nairobi at 7:15pm, it is dark and rainy. We finally made it through customs and our prayers have been answered as 100% of our bags, medicine, supplies etc made it through with no problem.  We arrive in Ndumberi and get to see the newly built clinic where we will spend a few nights. The toilets at the clinic are difficult to flush as the water is in short supply, but we are thankful to have facilities to use. A full day has ended at midnight and we look forward to tomorrow.

4/14/08

04:55 I woke to a rooster crowing and a dog barking, a few moments later a heavy rain began, lasting only 15 minutes. The spotless clinic from last night is now strewn with some sort of insect wings, not just a few but hundreds of them. Large flies have flown in an open window and they are not “American” style flies, they are large and angry looking fellas. Some of the other volunteers expressed concern for the safety of our crew over breakfast, but as I looked out the window at the banana trees, I feel at peace. We spend the day unpacking the medical supplies and equipment.

4/14/08

I am excited to be here, it’s the feeling you get on Christmas morning. This morning I helped unpack the ultrasound machine and begin setting up equipment. Dr. Thompson and another medical team members begin training the African workers on how to use the ultrasound. Meanwhile, outside a crowd is beginning to gather. With wide eyes the children watch in awe as our puppet show stage is being set up. I am off to Kambu to get supplies; the dirt roads are deeply rutted from the rain yesterday. The rest of the day is spent organizing and setting up the pharmacy and supply areas.

4/15/08

I woke at 4 am, it’s raining again and it’s cold. I thought to myself, what a day to be working outside. I then remembered the 525 families in the refugee camp living in this weather housed only in bamboo and scrap material houses measuring 10x10. I’m up and out in the rain. Our generator has finally arrived and it works great! Finally we can run the ultrasound and the other equipment. Our truck got stuck in the mud; we used flashlights to unload more supplies. Tomorrow is a big clinic day. We are tired but excited.

4/16/08

The additional Doctors from Ndumberi are arriving today to assist us with the clinic. There is a large pot of hot boiling water on the fire in the shed for sterilizing and cleaning utensils. We have brought along bleach, and medical grade sterilization solutions as well.

 I walked up a tiny path to where the refugee’s get their water. The spring is dirtier than before, when I was here. The Giant bamboo grows right above the watering hole. I stare in wonder as the people bring tin cups and buckets to fill for drinking and cooking. This same spring is used for watering livestock and washing clothes.

The additional doctors have arrived and a large line is forming. We saw 116 people today at the clinic. The children were treated to a puppet show teaching them in Swahili about god’s love for them. They have never seen a puppet show. It was a huge hit. It’s now midnight and we are sunburned and tired. The outhouse ran out of water and the only water available is rain drained off the roof, or from the ditch. The old pump has quit.

4/17/08

More patients today, I irrigated an ear canal for an elderly man that could no longer hear. I pray it will help. Last time I was here, I was asked to help pull teeth, but I didn’t have the nerve, this time I will try anything to be of further help to these wonderful people. I love it here. The kids and the pastors are an inspiration.

4/18/08

Last day of clinic. 04:00 vehicle horn blaring through area, the vehicle kept circling around the clinic. It didn’t stop, just kept circling. We will be shutting down the clinic today; there is much to do. We visited a tin shed with a dirt floor near the clinic; it’s the local cloth factory. The handmade looms are incredible and the cloth is bright and colorful.

The local electric facility nearby is another small building and consists of batteries with lights and small propane stoves, the people can join/pay a fee of 1000 shillings to get a battery, light, tank and stove. When the battery dies, the refill charge is 100 shillings. Many cannot afford this comfort.

Today we finished up eye exams and handed out glasses. A 90-year-old refugee grandma received glasses today. She was so pleased she tried to repay us with three eggs, which to her was almost everything she had in this world.

A 16 year old girl couldn’t see to attend school, out of 600 pair of glasses, only one pair worked. They were the old pair my wife Sonja sent along. For the first time this girl could see clearly and tears of joy were shed. She is excited to attend school now.

Evening is drawing near; we have a projection movie to show to the kids, I pray that everything will run smoothly with the generator. The show was a hit; the kids have never seen a “movie” before. The video about Jesus in Swahili was a great idea. We pack up the equipment for storage and head for Brakenhurst. On our way to the town, we pass a small church, there are refugees living under plastic sheets outside. The church is their only hope. I pray for their safety and feel so guilty at what we take for granted.

4/19/08

We are in Brakenhurst today preparing to leave for the refugee camp high in the mountains. We did get to see a lion with two twin cubs walking right past our vehicle.

I learned today that two doctors flying in from Sudan brought along two gunshot victims with them. They would have died had they not brought them to a Kenyan hospital. One man had a horrible infection in his leg where the bullet shattered the bone; the other one was shot in the belly.

One wears a wooden cross now and holds it up when you are near them to show he is a believer. We have located a doctor to perform surgery on a very sick woman. The surgery will cost $100 and the hospital $8.00 per day. I emptied my wallet, as did others.

4/20/08

We will be visiting four different churches today, we listened to “Rick” a volunteer, tell us about his mission trips to Mexico and the loft houses they were building. E3 Ministries is the umbrella organization.

We spend the day speaking to refugees about Gods love for them. It’s now 8:30 pm and two of the younger team members are not back from Nairobi. We are very worried, Nairobi is very dangerous during the day, and at night it’s even worse. We wait for them as the rain pours down. They arrive later, and we are all relieved.

4/21/08

Left Brakenhurst for Kirasha. The bus got stuck in the mud again. Refugees offered to help us push the bus out in exchange for pills to treat worms. Not money, but wormer. The bus is out and the men remind us they need medicine.

We were invited to a refugee family home today; the house measured 6x7 and housed two women and four children. The walls were made of plastic sheeting. The woman told us about her husband and daughter being killed by having their throats slashed. They somehow still smile even through the tragedy.

Along the road to the forest refugee camp, we are stopped by police at 5 roadblocks. They inspect our papers and go through our supplies. We arrive safely at the forest camp. Two armed guards are stationed at the camp.

4/22/08

The rain is pouring down again; we begin packing supplies and medical equipment. We must carry it up slippery trails, as the bus cannot. The generator and larger equipment arrives by wooden cart and donkey. We finish setting up and turn our attention to the 150 refugees waiting for help. The puppet show stage begins to take form again, much to the wonderment of the children and adults.  The children here are afraid of the puppets, they have never seen them before. They can’t figure out where the voices are coming from, but they warm up quickly!

I performed eye tests and helped dispense about 30 glasses. One of the refugees served as an interpreter for me during the eye tests. The Chief of the camp had his eye test too, he asked for two pair of glasses, but we respectfully offered one! Bus stuck in the mud again, off we go to push and dig. We spent the evening listening to the Kenyan music of drums and a round gear used as a triangle. The laughter and joy is contagious.

4/23/08

We traveled down to Brakenhurst today to a place that had paid internet service, a rare and expensive service. The email is challenging and the connections drop. My one goal, an email. Today is my wife Sonja’s birthday, I sent her an email greeting, although it will be delivered early due to the time difference.

I’m now back at camp and we have just found out that a refugee who is HIV positive, with two young children has accepted Jesus. She only has a couple of months to live, but now she has an eternity. World Vision Missions showed up today, they heard we were here and they brought extra blankets and mosquito nets for each family. Supplies came in such a time of need, as we could not meet all the needs.

Refugee children are lined up on one side of the tent we’ve put up and the parents are on the other side. They are smiling and happy to receive any help. The sun is out and it only rained a couple of times today. I gave a refugee a solar cooker made from my old campaign signs and covered in foil to reflect the sun.

4/24/08

Last day of the clinic today in the forest camp. It’s raining again, and I put bamboo poles under the tent roof to keep the rain from collapsing the tent. The truck is 2 ½ hours late with the blankets and food. It finally arrived and we began distribution. It took 4 hours to hand out one blanket, 2 KG corn meal, 2 KG beans, a Swahili or Kukui Bible and vitamins for the kids and the adults.

One older woman told us how her Bible had been burned. She was thrilled to receive another one. We handed out blue sweaters and caps to the children. Bus stuck again, we pushed it for ½ mile to the road. The camp residents and the villagers from below surrounded our bus dancing. 825 people were treated between the forest refugee camp and Kirasha

4/25/09

We are back at Ndumberi clinic and we are setting up the generator. It will stay here to help power the laboratory. We load our equipment, say our goodbye’s and head for the airport. I am thankful for the chance to have been a small part of this mission trip.