Hi,
Today is September 18 (or so I'm told). We have left the sweltering heat and dubious living conditions of Muhuru Bay and are now on our way to the Massai Mara. So far our experience in Kenya has been varied, and certainly culturally enriching. Travel and communications are really, really difficult. In contrast to the lush greenery of the Kitale / Common Ground area, Muhuru Bay (the far southwestern corner of Kenya at the border with Tanzania) is very hot and dry. We had a 4 mile walk to and from the clinic each day down a busy (read dangerous) dusty road. Life has been generally much harder the past 8 days. But we have learned a lot and made some really good new friends both in the clinic staff and with the other volunteers that were working and staying with us. We are also enjoying the grand luxury of brand new pit latrines....it's probably hard to imagnine why that would be exciting, but trust me, we feel like kings and queens! (the last latrine had bats living in it that flew out when you were trying to go....) Our skill in using pit latrines has also improved greatly, life is good.
At Muhuru Bay we have worked at the Mama Maria clinic. They have been really open to learning about preventive medicine and have been happy to work with us prescribing probiotics, homeopathics, herbs and acupuncture. The patients are enjoying it as well. We have all learned to identify malaria both by its clinical symptoms and under the microscope, and have successfully treated it with both homeopathics and conventional drugs. I have had the pleasure of introducing many people to the wonders of acupuncure for pain relief and created quite a spectacle by giving adjustments in the waiting room. I got to cross the border into Tanzania yesterday, which was a fun adventure.
The parts of Kenya we have been to so far are much more westernized than we had imagined. We have been sorry to see that people do not work as communities as much, very few people still know the traditional songs or dances. They actually listen to pop music and Carribean / Reggae. Nearly everyone is very christian (7th day adventist) or they are muslim. I am not sure that these religions have done the communities any favors....
We are very excited to see the Massai today. They are supposed to be one of the last tribes left in Kenya to have held onto their traditional way of life. They have been marginalized much as the native north americans and have been put on a reserve with very poor land that does not support thier traditional nomadic pastural way of life. So they are being forced to change as well.....
We will not have internet access again until we leave the Massai on Saturday.
I think my phone will work at the Massai.
to call me from the states dial:
011-254-733-243-488
I will post pictures and a much more detailed diary once I get to london (Sept 24th) and have more consistent access to electricity and internet....
Until then, blessings!
I miss you all!
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