MAY 2010

During 3 weeks in May, 2010, we traveled with over 25 students/nurses/faculty/friends (spread over 2 groups) from Wegmans School of Nursing at St. John Fisher College. During that trip, the groups were introduced to thier Kenyan counterparts, and spent time with them at the Maseno School of Nursing and Mission Hospital. This also provided us with the opportunity of providing medical screening to the students and surrounding community at Mbaka Oromo Primary School. We've begun building a dispensary at that site with the hopes of continuing this program well into the future. While the dispensary will be staffed 24 hrs/day by the Kenyan government, it would also serve as a wonderful teaching tool by giving US students the opportunity to have a rewarding experience working with Kenyan nurses/doctors in providing much needed health care to this impoverished part of Kenya. When these young women departed, they left behind some newly aspiring nurses...

FEBRUARY, 2011

In February, 2011, my family travelled with me to Kenya. Family friends joined us as well, despite the change in the travel plans. Jim's passing changed the dynamics of the trip dramatically, but everyone was committed to continue with the journey. While my blog goes into greater detail of the trip, I thought I'd place additional pictures here. I can talk about Kenya for hours, and while pictures often have a greater impact that words, there is no substitute for being there. To hear the angelic voices of the primary school choir while the breeze rustles leaves and birds chirp as they fly by... pictures and words can't capture the emotion in that. Similarly, the love and gratitude these people have for all of you cannot be quantified. They are appreciative that you recognize their needs and are willing to aid them in providing a brighter future for their children. That was clearly stated by many individuals as they spoke at Jim's ceremony. We all sat on the equator for more than 6 hours, retelling stories about Jim and his accomplishments. While his physical absence will be felt forever, he continues to watch over these children as if they were his own, and our work their will see it's way to completion. His spirit continues to walk with them.

February 2012

What a trip we just had! My family and I recently returned from Kenya where we are happy to report to have broken ground on the living quarters for the nurse/doctor that will staff the Mbaka Oromo/Hugh Shields Health Clinic!
Not only did my wife and daughters help with digging out the foundation, but many of the 9 friends that accompanied us also played a part. Included in that group was Jim's brother-in-law, neice and nephew. The newly invigorated Health Clinic Committee also joined us in the dirt to shovel and wheelbarrow away an awful lot of Kenyan sandstone! Work continues in our absense, as Job and Samuel keep a watchful eye on the project while we are gone.

The other exciting new from the trip came from the women that we were traveling with. What started out as an idea between Karen (faculty member at the Wegmans School of Nursing at St. John Fisher College) and Job, was embraced by Andrea! Job had been speaking with Karen about the needs of young students as they enter puberty. When their begin their mensus, they are forced to stay home and miss school until the period passes. The SJF faculty and students began talking about how to enable the girls to stay in school. After relaying that story to my wife, she immediately went into action investigating how that problem is handled in other 3rd world countries. She found an orgainzation that makes reuseable kits to give to girls (http://www.gladrags.com). Ann ordered 200, hoping that they'd arrive before we left (and they did). She then called her friends to action, and they responded, too! A Facebook typo added some levity to the project, but the name stuck! Thus, the "Sanity Pads for Kenya" project was born. We recieved donations of disposable supplies as well as underwear for the young girls. The SJF staff/students also got donations that we added to the bags. When finally tallied, we filled four 5' duffle bags with the kits, disposable napkins and underwear!
Once in Kenya, Ann, our daughters and the other ladies joined with our friend Noel Shinali and intorduced the Kenyan girls to the products we brought over. The classes went extremely well, and the Mbaka Oromo students asked great questions throughout the sessions. They were then given their own supplies so that they could take care of themselves. They were elated to be able to stay in school without embarassment. When we returned to the states, the faculty at SJF had held a sewing party where more of the reusable pads were made to bring with them when they next travel in April. The girls at the secondary school anxiously await their arrival.
Ann hopes to be able to order more kits from gladrags.com. She was able to get a great price, so if you'd like to participate in the "Kenya Sanity Pad Project" please don't hesitate to click on the "Make a Donation" tab on the left. A $25 donation will help to keep a girl in school! Just be sure to write "Sanity Pads" in the memo. We'll do the rest.