Day 3 - Karero Medicine Drop

I am so proud of myself because in the middle of the night, I realized I could use my I PHONE as the Wi-Fi connect point with my Hot Spot feature!  Modern technology is amazing!

 

Today began in typical fashion with an early breakfast and departure to Kenya.  As we began our journey to the village of Karero, we should have known God was up to something special!  It was an hour and a half drive to the Kenyan border where we saw our first giraffes just gallivanting on the side of the highway.  At the border we had to go thru customs and get a Visa.  It was relatively painless and we were then on our way.  About a half hour into our drive, we turned left onto a dirt road and traveled another 2 hours winding our way into the interior.  There were many people along the way moving donkeys, goats, and cows.  I don’t know where they were going, but they were going somewhere!  I was a little worried about Anne and Lee as the terrain was ROUGH.  If you have ever been on the Indiana Jones ride at Disneyland, you understand what difficult travel this would be for 2 hours.  As you would expect, Anne & Lee were troupers! 

 

Mitch & our driver, Nirdin

 

Finally, we arrived at our destination……the Karero Clinic that Compassion Now supports.  We were greeted at the door by FAITH, the medical assistant (one year of college at the University).  Her English was good which was nice!  She gave us a tour of the clinic…..not at all what I had imagined.  I thought we would see something like clinics we have in the inner city.  This was just a building with several rooms with very little to offer.  She, however, was very proud of the facility, which was not a surprise once we got to know her. 
 

Karero Clinic

Faith has been at the clinic for 4 years.  She serves HER people (the Maasai) and she has a real heart and passion that is VERY evident!  I thought WE were going to be His Hands & Feet in Africa.  No, His Hands and Feet are already there, evidenced by Faith.  More than medical assistance, Faith brings encouragement, hope, and education to a nomadic people.  Her LOVE for her people is contagious.  She lives out Genesis 12:1-3 - We are blessed to be a blessing. 


Faith and her baby, Abigail

Medicine Drop


After our tour of the Clinic, we noticed the village children waving at us in the distance.  We went to greet them and they were a bunch of "giggle boxes!"  They especially liked to see their picture after we took it with our phone!


Children in the Village



About an hour into our conversation with Faith, a man from the village came and relayed the message that in our honor, the men were going to slaughter a goat and we would share a meal with them.  Fortunately, we did not see the slaughtering (though our driver, William did – he said he will never be the same).  They skinned it and cooked it over the outside fire and brought it to us on 2 big wooden skewers.  Then, someone sliced it in to bite size pieces (in front of us) and we ate it with our fingers.  We were told they only have goat on special occasions:  when a baby is born, when someone dies, and when visitors come.  We felt very honored and enjoyed it though it was very chewy,



Elder in the Village




Goat Skewers!

It was time to say, “Good-bye,” and off we went onto the dirt road for the City of Namonga.  We are staying at the Namonga River Hotel tonight……….very different from our hotel in Arusha, though very nice for a third world country.  This is what you would image when visiting Africa.  We will experience sleeping with mosquito nets covering our bed and have begun using our OFF WOODS DEEP spray.  The sounds are very similar to those of THE JUNGLE CRUISE ride in Disneyland (but they are REAL). 

Tomorrow we will travel through Amboseli National Park where we will see our first elephants.  We will stay in the park overnight and visit the school the day after.  Good Night!


Mosquito Net for our bed