The transition to Tenwek is going very well. This is the end of our first full week and each day has gotten better concerning communication with the staff, learning cultural norms, and not being so concerned by the way others view me- but rather being more concerned by how well I am loving the people around me.

 We are on the meal schedule here which means one or two meals a day are prepared for us at different homes of missionaries or at the guesthouse. This has been a great opportunity for fellowship and learning the ins and outs of Tenwek. When speaking to one of the nationals who works at the hospital she was telling me how important it is for me to share my faith with  my patients because they know we are missionaries. This made me realize what a unique place we are in, one in which people come here knowing that we believe “We treat, Jesus heals” and they are banking on that. Prayer is greatly encouraged even if they do not understand a word of it.

I have had a full week at Tenwek, where Josh, on the other hand, was invited to go to an Orthopedic Conference in El Doret  on our second day here. So we have not seen each other since Wednesday morning. They should be returning at any moment, but I have heard that they are having to take another route home which will delay them.  As soon as he gets back and settles in I am sure that he will blog about his first week and the match.

I have officially been given my homework for my time here. I will be designing and having the hospital build a standing frame for the rehab dept.  My time at Cardinal Hill gave me the experience to be able to accomplish this task and I am very glad I get to share the knowledge with Tenwek. On Monday I will turn in the plans to the workers and they will start welding. We will problem solve as we go!

I have always wondered if I would like to work with pediatrics in physical therapy. I have known that it is very useful in the mission field. Well, now I know that yes, I do like pediatrics. The pediatric ward here at Tenwek is a room with beds with about 1.5 ft between them and the child and their parent sleeping on a single size mattress. These children need to play and physical therapy is an avenue for that.

 I would like to introduce you to Gideon. Gideon was hit by a truck, got caught in the truck, and was drug for half a mile 3 weeks ago. He suffered a crushed ankle and a minor brain injury resulting in R hemiparesis.  His mother has passed away from HIV/AIDS and his father is currently HIV +. Gideon does not have HIV. When I first saw him on rounds he kept the cover over his head and drew away as the physician tried to examine him. He was very, very scared, and traumatized- rightly so. I asked Solomon the next day if I could start working with him. He said sure! We started with some simple exercises and then started walking in the parallel bars. He was very scared at first but soon we finally saw a smile come across his face for the first time since his accident his father said. I visit Gideon several times a day to work on him with gait (he advanced quickly to a walker), balance, strengthening, and coordination. He continues to have R sided weakness but it is continually improving. His gait has dramatically been improved by the help of an orthotic. Gideon is a child who, in the states, would go to intense rehab for several weeks to continue to progress his functional ability, but here in Kenya, he goes home early next week. Families cannot afford to spend weeks upon weeks in the hospital. Although I could work with him a lot longer and see great results, I can also see that this young man is determined and will get plenty of exercise at home, as there is no X-box or even play area, he will get more exercise living the normal life of a Kenyan than most of us do in the states with our gym memberships. He will come back in a couple weeks for us to check his progress and give him any equipment needed (if available). Everyone has watched him progress over the past week not only physically but emotionally as well. He now wears a smile full of hope.