Jambo!
Today we had the pleasure of going to a missions hospital in the city of Kijabe and also visiting the Cure hospital located in the same town. At the missions hospital we were able to talk with a missionary from Germany who first came to Kenya to minister to the Somali population that has migrated to the region. It was very evident when we first stepped in the building that there is a vast difference between American healthcare and Kenyan healthcare. We were told that people come from all over to this hospital because of its affordability and capability to treat anyone. Another exciting fact we learned was that some people actually pretend to be sick just so they can visit the hospital and hear the word of God; which is amazing to think about considering the amount of people who turn a deaf ear to the truth in the U.S. After the missions hospital we walked next door to Cure. This is a childrens hospital that is located in several areas of the world including the U.S. and the Dominican Republic. They were very open and excited to show us the work they do and the equipment they have, even showing off their new "theatres" or operating rooms. Cure focuses on treating children with physical disabilities such as cleft lip, club foot, scoliosis, and other ailments. The most interesting part for myself was seeing where they actually make prosthetics and specialized shoes to help children walk more normally. All of the equipment used in each process seemed to be very outdated but it is amazing the amount of children they are able to help each year with inferior technology. The doctors and employees at both of these hospitals definitely are disadvantaged in the world of device technology or even sterility; however, their passion for helping others both physically and spiritually far surpass the people I have met in the States. It is really humbling and encouraging to talk with the people who give their lives to these causes and learn how they arrived where they are today. To cap off the day, we traveled through the Rift Valley to and from Kijabe and enjoyed the surreal scenery from the mountain tops looking over the valley. It was just another testament to how great our God truly is.
~Ben