Day two in Kitui

Day two of clinic today.  Yesterday was a bit slow, 200 patients.  Not as many people as we had hoped, but that allowed us to learn our jobs well and get to know the local volunteers.  Their are eight of us in our group and about 15 local volunteers that help us and translate.  Today we saw 260 patients.  Better than yesterday, but still waiting for the "rush".  Tomorrow a speaker truck is headed out around town.  We told the driver to say it will be the last day, that way people will come and not all wait till Friday!

We start the process with registration and evanelisim which is manned by the local church volunteers.  (A new Lutheran church plant was started here in Kitui 2 months ago)  

After check in they head to triage.  Pastor and Thomas and Sybil and Philip assess the patients needs  and direct them to their next stop.  They also take the opportunity to talk to them again about God, our salvation, and His grace.

After triage, they head to either the Doctors, reading glasses, and/or vision screening and distant glasses construction.    I have been pulling the lenses after the refractor assessment.  Rich and Rose have become very efficient at putting custom glasses together.  And when we are not busy, Rose gives Swahili lessons.  I anticipate Rich might move to translator by the end of the week.

The reading glasses station is the most popular.  The gals running it stay very busy.  It has been awesome to watch these patients put glasses on for the first time and being able to see!  So cool!

   We end the day with praise and prayer together.  David leads us in song.  And as always it's full of the African spirit!  Not even the Lutheran influence can suppress that!   It is awesome.  I wish I could bottle it up and bring it home.

Now it's, dinner time.  So I need to refresh and then to bed early.  Oh, one highlight of the day...I got to hold baby girl named Michelle!  Yep, you guessed it, after M Obama!  I have a lot to say about that, but not wanting to cause a cyber fight I will keep to myself.  Let me just say, this week while I'm in Kenya, is the only time I am glad for Obama's win.

Sleep tight all!  Don't let the bed bugs bight.  Keep your nets closed and the squitos out!

love  and prayers,
amy lea