The Simple Life

I have officially moved to the clinic..

So right now, I'm watching the rain outside, and waiting for my beans to cook for dinner. It's funny how fast I feel like life has changed and I feel as if I have been time flown back to the 1700s

where you have to cook on a tiny gas stove, hand wash dishes, and take bucket showers that are freezing cold.

I am like the sister on Little House On the Prairie who struggles to do her chores like hand wash her clothes and cook the food. In fact, the native Kenyans seem to think that watching me cook or clean or wash dishes is quite the show. Since I have no idea what they are saying or laughing at as I do it, I have to try and imagine what they could be saying and I try to through in some tricks every now and then to keep them amused (you know clowning basics, juggling, or maybe a fake fall).

This is my dear friend Ruth who is the doctor's wife. She is helping me to learn how to cook some local dishes. In this pot there are potatoes, bananas, onions, and tomatoes.

Being here in such a tiny room, with very minimal things makes me realize how rich I am. Like filthy rich, not fair rich. And sometimes it just doesn't seem fair that for me this is and "adventure" this is a short term mission trip but for these people this is life. The reality is that a women here in Kenya will spend about 6 hours a day cooking and cleaning for her family, will never have access to showers or wifi or electricity, and they will never know the convenience of grocery stores, shopping malls, fast food. There are so many things about America that my friends here in Kenya will never understand because it is just a different world, a different life. Being here, makes me realize how much I have and how little I really need. It also challenges me to be more generous.

I feel like all in all, I am not that generous of a person. I mean help someone who is dying, or go on a mission trip, give a little bit to charity- ok.

But give all of my things away to the poor? Give everything? Or give something that really means a lot? That is more difficult for me.

So now I'm starting to think, what does God want me to give away? What does it truly mean to be generous?

Like I have been blessed so much by just the fact that I'm born in America, got to go through college, and now can travel. How would it change my life if I could learn to live extravagantly generous? To learn to live like nothing is my own but everything is God's. #GOALS

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On a side note, this is my fourth night living at the clinic and both the past two nights I have waken up to see babies born. Last night was especially special because there were twins born. It was super cool to see them delivered and help and one of them was a footling breach (when means the little foot came out first). I still am so amazed by births. I think they are the most wonderful things. I don't mind the blood and amniotic fluid everywhere. My favorite part is when the baby comes out and I get to take care of the baby getting it clean, warm, making sure it's breathing good. Births are so indescribably incredible.

Unfortunately though the sweet little twins we delivered last night came were itty-bitty and premature. They were only 32 weeks and about 1.5 kg so we had to transport them to our referral hospital which is an hour away. I am a little concerned about the babies wellbeing because the referral hospital is super minimal and they don't seem to have oxygen monitoring devices or any monitoring devices for that reason. When we got to the hospital there was one nurse (in charge of like 20 patients) and she just stuck the little babies in a room. I just hope and pray that the babies are ok and are not neglected there. It definitely makes me miss the NICU and our hospital resources back home.

The smaller twin on the left came out first with his little foot coming out. The second one came out about 30 minutes later and both were sharing the same placenta. Don't you love them?!!

Funny story, actually while we were at the hospital (only 20 minutes) like I said pretty sketch place compared to American standards, we heard a patient yelling. The nurse was like "Oh no a patient is in active labor and ready to push." Can you guys help?? So we literally ran into the delivery room (very very basic) and the nurse who drove the ambulance who works with me at the clinic helped her to deliver the baby right there. I was like are you kidding me? This is crazy!! But this is Kenya.. so life is an adventure ;)

Please keep me in your prayers guys and especially these sweet little babies =)