Machakos Medical Camp

Wednesday, July 15 marked the date of our Medical Camp at Machakos! We woke up at Ken's mother's home and were fed a hearty breakfast, complete with Kenyan oranges (which are actually green) and with drinking chocolate, a big team favorite! We loaded up our things and drove down the dusty mountain road to the school which was our clinic site. Classes were canceled for the day so the empty classrooms were transformed into examination rooms, a pharmacy, and a staff multi-purpose room. An open-air waiting room was set up outside using about 50 of the students' chairs.

When we arrived at the school at 8am, there were already people there waiting for the clinic to open. Local folks learned about the camp through churches in the area. And by “local” I mean that some people had walked 3 or more hours to attend!

From the moment of our arrival, time flew by as we scrambled to organize ourselves and decide what each team member's role would be. Many of us didn't know what we would be doing at the Medical Camp until minutes before we started registering patients! Our team members were so flexible and willing to serve wherever there was a need. Some great examples of this flexible attitude were Joel and Tony. These guys had never laid hands on a stethescope, and yet they took a 30 second crash-course in taking blood pressure, and then spent the entire day working in triage taking blood pressures, pulses, and temperatures! When everyone is trying to work as fast as possible, it is NOT easy to learn a new skill and put it into practice at the drop of a hat. We estimated that each of us in triage took vitals for at least 150 people!

Joel and Tony did a great job. One story that we've been laughing about comes from an experience that Tony had working in triage. For some reason, kids were frequently fairly afraid of Tony. There was often an inconsolable child screaming at his station. On one occasion, he had offered to hold a young child while his mother stepped onto the scale to be weighed. The mother took one look at Tony and then set her baby down on the ground! Maybe there isn't a career in pediatrics waiting for Tony, but he definitely was a trooper!

The camp was a success. We saw about 1000 individuals between 8:30 and 4:30! Each team member played a key role whether it was pharm tech, doctor, nurse, or crowd control. The staff from Beacon of Hope exemplified great patience and skill, and the staff from the Machakos Clinic were a pleasure to work with. The Wathome family also lent helping hands throughout the day.

It was difficult to turn away people at the end of the day because the clinic needed to close. There were still many people waiting to be seen. We have discussed as a team the need to recognize that our small team is not capable of bringing healing to the entire village of Machakos. Healing comes from the LORD, and we need to remember them in our prayers. We must trust that God will care for the people of Machakos and meet their needs.

The clinic concluded with a prayer circle formed by all of the individuals who had worked at the Medical Camp. It was the perfect way to end our hectic time there.

We packed up our things, and began the long and bumpy ride back to Nairobi. We grabbed dinner at the Prestige Plaza around 8:30pm, and then crashed for the night back at Gracia. This was an exhausting day for everyone, and there are so many more stories to share! Machakos was a great experience, and we have really bonded as a team. As I am typing this update, we are preparing for our next Medical Camp at Beacon this Saturday.

Asante sana (many thanks) for your interest and support!
Clare