Blessings of the New Year — Mildred Smith Mission Health Center

The New Year has seen some changes and many blessings at the clinic. Judi and I returned to the US in January, where we were able to be with our family to welcome a new grandson into the world, and to say goodbye to our newborn granddaughter and my brother, who returned to the love of their Heavenly Father. It was good to be able to encourage one another in the challenges of new life, and the adjustment to being separated from those we love. We were just grateful to be able to have that time at home, and for me to be able to work to get the resources we need to continue our work here. The trip was made possible because we were able to add Dr. Eric Presler Odida to our staff in December. He graduated from medical school last year and just finished his internship, and because he was there, we could travel, while he took care of our patients.

We were even more grateful and indeed overwhelmed by the outpouring of love that greeted us in the New Year. Many of those who are supporting the clinic donated during the Christmas season, resulting in all of the equipment and medical supplies that we were able to bring back with us! This included a new microscope, a wheelchair and a cot, as well as an emergency cart.

Those were all blessings, but an even greater blessing was that we had a vehicle that could carry it all back to the clinic in Awasi. Back in August, the opportunity came for us to bid on some Toyota Landcruisers that the Kenya Red Cross no longer needed. These had been used as ambulances, and were stripped down for resale. We had bids on 3 vehicles, high, medium and low priced, and we won the bid on the middle one. We had the resources to pay for the vehicle, but it needed a lot of work for it to be suitable for us, so when we had returned form the US after Judi’ accident in November, we had sent it to the shop for refurbishing. We didn’t actually have all of the money we needed for all of the work at that time, but trusting in the Lord, we moved forward. When we arrived back this time, it was ready, and the generous donations we had received allowed us to pick it up and use it to transport everything back to the clinic.

We now have a “go anywhere” vehicle to use for transporting patients, personel, and equipment! While this was still a very substantial cost, we were blessed to be able to get it for about half of the usual cost!

God always seems to be providing at the very time that it is needed. We were powerfully reminded of this the day after we returned, when we were notified that one of the church members in a rural area was very ill. He was no able to walk, and so could not get transport to be seen at the clinic. So Dr. Odida, our nurse Lucas Otieno, and myself were able to take the Landcruiser on it’s first house call.

It had been raining in the area where our patient lived, and we did find ourselves stuck once, but a quick shift into 4-wheel drive extricated us, and we were able to continue on our journey. Our patient needed to be seen in the clinic for lab work, so we brought him back with us, and were able to use our new wheelchair to easily transport him around the clinic. A week before, we would not have been able to do it, but just when our brother needed it, God had provided the needed equipment, so his needs could be met! Talk about God’s perfect timing!

There is so much going on in terms of the clinic. We are going to be adding a new building which will have toilet for patients to use, a laundry/sterilisation room where we can clean linen and equipment for sterile use, and a storage area. We are also going to be drilling a well (or borehole, as it is called here), to provide the clinic with water during the dry season. We are collecting rainwater now, but it is sometimes not enough, and as we expand it will certainly not be enough.

And another big change is that Judi and I are planning to move to Awasi, to a house right across the road from the clinic. That will avoid our current 45 minute commute each day, and allow us much quicker access to the clinic as we need. We will miss the 5 flights of stairs we currently climb to get to our apartment in Kisumu, but we are willing to sacrifice that.

God is truly blessing us in this endeavour to share his love with the people here in Africa. We are certainly humbled by the opportunity we have been given to be a blessing both physically and spiritually to our patients and the community. We cannot thank each one who has been a part of this endeavour, and trust that the Lord’s promise is sure that, as we seek first His kingdom, everything that we need will be added to us!