Thursday 26 May 2011

An Inspiring Woman

Yesterday, still in northern Kenya and having flown on from Korr, we began the day in Marsabit. This area is home to the Baruna tribal group.

In Marsabit town (though more like what we would consider a market town in the UK) we visited a project run by CCS and Food for the Hungry, a day clinic and an HIV clinic. I met with the staff running the clinic and then spoke with Rosaline.

Rosaline is a 36year old mother of three. Her husband divorced her when she discovered she was HIV positive. Rosaline agreed to share her experience with me and even for MAF to use her story because of her involvement with a positive living group. This group, with about 180 members from the area who are HIV positive, have come together to support each other due to the rejection and stigmatization experienced as a result of their health status.

I asked Rosaline what her hopes were for the future and she immediately said she wants to share her experience, particularly with people in the rural areas, so that others can learn about HIV/AIDS, what precautions should be taken to minimize the spread of the disease, and to reduce the stigmatization and suffering that people endure when it is known they are infected. Rosaline and other members of the group were attending a three day workshop in Marsabit to learn how to go about doing just this. It was an inspiring group to meet with!




The Positive Living Group


So, how does MAF fit in? I was clearly informed by the clinic staff that MAF is crucial for their work. Our flights transport reagents, medicines and laboratory equipment on a regular basis. They are the only medical clinic within a very large area that is able to do a CD4 test, to measure the status of a patient’s immunity system. This is used to determine when a patient should take anti-retroviral drugs. Patients are even referred to the clinic from the local government hospital, for the test.

Wednesday 25 May 2011

AIM, Wycliffe and lessons under an acacia

Tuesday, and we're back in Kenya visiting the work of Africa Inland Mission (AIM) in Korr, north Kenya. This is a desert area, very dry and very hot (and I forgot to put sunscreen on as it was cloudy and cool when we left Nairobi)!

The scenery is of earthy colours; the creamy-reddish sand is littered with rocks and bolders. The acacia trees, with their 3-inch long thorns, are dull green due to a coating of dust.

Korr and its surrounding district is home to 60,000 Rendile people, one of the smallest tribal groups in Kenya. The women are adorned in beautiful bead work closely fitted across their heads, with necklaces around their shoulders and necks.








Stephanie Gidney with a Rendile woman

AIM missionaries, Nick and Lynne, have lived in Korr for 30 years. They came with Wycliffe to work on Bible translation into the Rendile language. Once that was complete they decided to stay on, moving to AIM to enable them to do so. The work they do is extensive and their heart for the Rendille people clearly evident.

Lynne drove us out to see a small part of the work they oversee, having trained up local teachers. We visited a literacy class for women which took place in the shade of an acacia tree and they greeted us with singing. Then, we drove a little further to see a nomadic pre-school class where the children demonstrated their reading skills out loud and some writing on a white board, again, located in the shade of an acacia.




Rendile woman curious about the mp3 recorder Stef uses in the field to get interviews


Nick and Lynne shared how the road to this area of the country not only takes the whole day to drive from Nairobi, but it's dangerous due to bandits operating along the route. Among other things, MAF flights have meant that things like teachers' salaries for their staff can be transported safely.

Friday 20 May 2011

Moving on . . . to Sudan!

Greetings from green south Sudan ! It's the rainy season and today started with a thunder storm. The heavy rain has cleared the air and a cool wind is blowing.

I arrived in Juba two days ago. The town has developed dramatically since I was last here. I get the impression that change and development within Juba is progressing at a phenomenal pace.

Having deposited baggage at the small MAF compound, where staff and the two international families live and work in prefab buildings, I headed off for an afternoon of interviews with some of the partner organisations we fly: Samaritan's Purse, World Vision and Tearfund.



Samaritan's Purse in Bor, Sudan

Yesterday I flew to Bor to visit the work of CMA. At Bor's big red dirt airstrip the UN's presence is clearly visible, with the blue helmets of the soldiers dotted through the high vegetation, and two large UN helicopters landing while we were there. On board the MAF flight was Bishop Anthony, of the Episcopal Church of Sudan, with a group of about 7 other clergy and staff. They were heading up to Malakal and Rumbek for meetings to discuss plans for the future. I was seated next to Denis, who works in IT and has been assisting in an ECS project to improve communication capabilities of the ECS staff throughout south Sudan. ECS staff will not be the only ones to benefit from access to the internet, but the communities where they are based will also benefit too. Sorting out communications is essential in progressing development.

Collaboration between partners is essential here. With the MAF plane departed, my two colleagues and I have had to depend on support from Samaritan's Purse to drive us around and sort out accommodation for us. It wouldn't be possible to do what we are doing without them.

At the hospital I saw the work of CMA. They are here for just over a week doing a mobile eye clinic. They flew in with MAF on Monday, and will fly on to another location next Monday, again with MAF. I spoke with their medical team and a number of the patients awaiting cataract surgery. I love this kind of work (though admittedly did start to feel queezy when inspecting the opaque cataract that had just been removed from one eye - but the heat, combined with wearing a surgical mask, head covering and headphones for the recording equipment didn't help!).



Eye surgery by CMA in Bor, Sudan

Why do I love the eye work? Because in a very short operation - around 10-15 minutes - a person's life is completely transformed; they can see again, and therefore can operate independently once more in what is a tough environment.





Christian Mission Aid in Bor, Sudan

The CMA mobile eye team spend 9 weeks in the field, moving from one location to another, then have 10 days leave back home before heading out for another 9 weeks in the field. The team is entirely Sudanese. Speaking later with two doctors linked with Samaritan's Purse, also Sudanese, and then representatives of ECS, I can't help but think about the suffering and hardship these people have been through over the past decades, and the hope they represent for future of south Sudan. It touches my heart and raises my hopes for this soon to be new nation.

Tuesday 17 May 2011

Hello from Kenya

Arrived in Nairobi Sunday evening after a non-eventful day time flight. Well, saying that, I did get to enjoy a free BA ticket which had me seated in Club Class - much appreciated as I was rather tired having got up at 5am. Apart from the nice food and the ability of my seat to go horizontal (enabling me to catch a bit of sleep)a big plus was the baggage allowance - over 60kgs, so in addition to my suitcase I had with me two large roles of insulation material (weighing over 18kg each) for use on the MAF Sudan base in Juba. Thank you BA!

It's good to be back in Africa!

Monday was spent in Nairobi at the base. It's one of our biggest bases, located at Wilson airport, with a fleet of 6 aircraft (1 PC12, 4 Cessna Caravans and a Cessna 206). 75% of the flying from here goes into south Sudan. It was good to learn about the various ideas/options concerning how MAF could continue serving the people of South Sudan once they are an independent nation. A key influencing factor will of course be security within the country.

Today we hope to visit the headquarters of a number of partners within Nairobi, to learn more about their work and how MAF makes a difference in that.

Tomorrow we head up to Juba, very early, for a couple of nights in the field with partner organisations, including a CMA eye clinic in Bor. Will send an update once I'm back.