Our First Days in Kenya

Michael and I have had quite a few surprises since our arrival in Kijabe. Pictured below is Maurine with her daughter Shangwe and Deborah with her daughter Rachel. If you've been following the blog, then these ladies might look familiar. We blogged about them last March in Our Last Day in Kenya. Michael and I spent quite a few hours with them talking about our families and our faiths. Both of these ladies know God's word and depend on it every day.  We had no idea that we would ever see them again, so you can imagine my surprise when I walked out to the nurses' station on Monday and saw Deborah sitting there with Rachel.  Deborah and I both squealed (you know how women do when they see each other after a long time?)  Well, it was that kind of squeal when everyone in the room turns and looks. Cory loves it when that happens.  So all day today we've been hanging out with Deborah and Rachel and enjoying every minute of it. This afternoon  I was working in the ENT room and Michael says to me, "I think I just saw Maurine walk by with Shangwe!"  Michael and I fly downstairs to the clinic and there sits Maurine and Shangwe.  Maurine was as shocked as I was.  The best part was reuniting these ladies together.  It does feel somewhat miraculous when you see friends that you never expected to see again.  It really felt like a dream.

Maurine left today with Shangwe, but even with the short visit we talked through some pretty cool things. She said her time at the hospital last year was life changing.  She finds it amazing that something that should have been so frightening turned out to be such a blessing to her family.  We talked about the truths in the Scriptures which tell us that very reality - trials allow us to see God and his plan more clearly.  She said in Kenya many people think that malformations, such as cleft palates and lips, are the result of sin. What a relief to know that's not how it works - else I'd be covered with tumors!  We spoke of Jesus' words in John 9 when Jesus was asked why the man was born blind.  Jesus responded, the man was born blind "so that the work of God might be displayed in his life."  What a amazing God we serve.  He creates friendships out of hardships, joy out of trials.