Staff | Administrative | Church Council | Contact

Church Calendar:  This Month | Next Month

From The Savutos...

12 April 2008

Dearest Friends and Family,

"Earth's crammed with heaven, and every common bush afire with God; but only he who sees takes off his shoes."
-
Elizabeth Barret Browning

The political situation in Kenya is stagnant right now or perhaps moving backwards. Last Friday it was reported that the cabinet would finally be announced this past Sunday. Everyone was excited and pleased as there has been such a delay in choosing the cabinet. However, no announcement was ever made on Sunday. "Though people supported the peace accord and believed that the 50-50 power-sharing deal was in order, many have expressed disappointment on the never ending political fights between the two leaders' parties. There is a deep seated mistrust between ODM and PNU" The Nation, 11 April 08

Our greatest disappointment is that there are still 100,000's of Internally Displaced People in camps, sleeping in tents during the rainy, cool season, eating what food is available, and wondering what their future holds. President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila don't seem the slightest bit worried about those people and their future. Their only concern is for their power base. Most of our friends are deeply disappointed and disturbed with both parties and leaders. We all wish the two leaders would go live in an IDP camp until they make the hard decisions. As with so many leaders, our leaders cannot understand the average Kenyan as they live in a completely different world. Please continue to pray for this nation. Please continue to give to UMCOR, United Methodist Committee on Relief, has an Advance Special for Kenya. You can give through your United Methodist Church or by sending a check to UMCOR and mail it to UMCOR, PO Box 9068, New York, NY 10087. Write "UMCOR Advance #982450, International Disaster Response - Kenya" on the memo line of your check.

We do have some good news. We think the rainy season has finally started. We have been very worried as our rainy season usually begins around March 15th. In early March we had a few good rains so many people began to plant their crops in their shamba. However, the rain stopped. It was often cloudy and cool but we got almost no rain. With so many farmers off their land in Kenya, it is vital for the areas that have land and farmers to have a good crop this year or there will be very high prices and starvation. Thursday night we got a typical rainy season rain which started around 10pm and was very hard for a long period. Yesterday it rained during the day and we pray it will rain again today and tonight. No one complained yesterday when it began raining around the time to leave work. We are all so grateful to God for the rain.

Last Friday morning around 4am a matatu filled with 14 people rolled and four men from Njoune died. One of those who died, Koome, had worked at Maua Methodist Hospital for 28 years. He had worked in the Operating Room as a Unit Attendant. He was a good man, a Godly man. I still remember what he always said when he led morning devotions in our Chapel. (You may remember we start every day here in the Chapel with singing, prayers, Bible reading, and a short devotion.) Koome always said that we were either a "blessing or a curse" to the hospital and he was always telling us how important it was to be a blessing. Indeed, he was a blessing.

Two matatus filled with friends and neighbors left at 3am to attend a graduation of one of the village's young men. The second matatu had a driver that did not know the road well but was trying to catch up with the first vehicle and was driving too fast. The vehicle rolled outside of Meru and 4 men died, 8 men were sent to hospital, and 2 men walked away, one was the driver. All were from Njoune, 2 Km from Maua, and yesterday the four that died had a mass funeral and then were buried on their own land.

I had the privilege to visit Koome's home with staff from the hospital on Wednesday afternoon. Ten of us went together. We made one stop to buy some food for the family. We represented all the departments of the hospital and most of those of us who went were Unit Attendants.

I have known Koome since 1999. I feel confident two of the first people that will greet him in heaven are Birgit and Dietmar Ziegler (our missionary Surgeon and Medical Superintendent and his wife from Germany who died in a road accident in October 2003 - both worked in the Operating Room and knew and respected Koome). I know Koome through Birgit.

The family lives on the Meru Park Road. When we arrived at the compound, we were greeted by four of Koome's children, several grandchildren, his wife, Mary, and her sister, Grace, who works at the hospital. I was so taken by their compound. It was beautiful with green grass, lots of banana, avocado and mango trees, a small stream and from that stream two ponds that are used for fisheries, and arrow root, beans, maize and other crops. There was a small wooden house at the entrance of their compound and their 3 wooden houses about 100 yards from the entrance. Many friends and family were sitting on the grass when we arrived. They were there to help the family. As we arrived, some of the women immediately went to fix tea for us. One of the women left the compound to gather grass that is used to feed cows. Some women were caring for all the children, mostly Koome's grandchildren, so the son's, daughters and mother could be together. Benches had been set up on one side of the compound for visitors and chairs and benches were brought so the family could sit across from us.

After we had greeted everyone on the compound, we sat on the benches and the family came to sit with us. We began with introductions and then a prayer. One person read Joshua 1 emphasizing the following verse: "9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."

During the Bible reading a large swarm of bees flew into the compound and went straight to the wooden house at the entrance of the compound. The noise from the bees was so loud we had to stop reading the Bible. We all watched as the bees disappeared into the wooden house. Mary and one of her daughters began to cry. In my mind I imagined their tears were caused by one more tragedy which would move family members out of that house. We have bees on the hospital compound that swarm and live in the outer walls of two of our wooden houses. but I have never seen or heard the bees swarm and enter a house.

When we completed the Bible reading each person from the hospital shared how they knew Koome and what he had meant to them. One of the workers, after sharing his love of Koome, stated that in Meru tradition bees always bring a blessing and how appropriate the bees swarming and going into the entrance house was showing that Koome is blessed and so is his family. I sat in stunned silence amazed at God's goodness in the most difficult situations. Mary and her daughter did not cry from sorrow but from goodness.

After we had shared our condolences the family thanked us for coming and talked about how their husband/father felt about the hospital. We then had tea and took a walk around their compound. I was wearing my uniform (a teal colored suit with a mid-length tight skirt). I hiked my skirt to get over a fence and we came to the stream. My colleagues crossed quickly on some stones but all the stones were under water and I decided not to risk the stream crossing. However, as I stood there four of Koome's grandchildren crossed the stream and the smallest couldn't have been over 3 years old. At that I decided I could cross the stream and did with amazing ease. On the other side of the stream were the ponds and most of the crops so I was glad I hadn't missed them. Except in crossing the stream, the grandchildren continuously held my hand during our compound walk and what a joyous time I had.

Yesterday was the funeral service and burial. This began at the Maua Methodist Hospital mortuary with prayers. One of the men who had been killed in the accident had been the Chief of Njoune so there were many administrative people from our District including many chiefs. I had gone for prayers as 10:30am. As I arrived four vehicles arrived and drove up to the front of the mortuary and four identical white wooden coffins were carried into the mortuary one after the other. Then the four wives were taken into the prayer room, each wearing the same clothing, a black skirt, white blouse and a red scarf around their heads and shoulders. Then some of the pastors and most of the children were allowed in the prayer room and the doors were locked. There was a huge crowd of people from the village, the District Administration, and the hospital. We waited until 11:30am when the hospital chaplain came out and we sang four hymns. We were then told that we would walk through the room to view the bodies starting with the family members, the District Administrators, hospital staff, and friends. After we had all walked through the prayer room the District Administrators entered and carried out the Chief's coffin. Then the staff of the Operating Room of the hospital went in and carried out Koome's coffin. Friends carried out the other two men's coffins. We were then asked to move in front of the vehicles for prayers. The Hospital Chaplain prayed and then the vehicles with the coffins were filled with those persons who carried the coffins out of the prayer room, the family was put into vehicles, and others walked behind to the mass funeral service. I know it would have been Koome's desire that his funeral would bring people of his village to know Christ or to deepen their relationship with him.

Meru people are buried on their land, if they are married. The coffin is carried from the vehicle to the grave site by several groups of men starting with the old men and ending with the young men. After the body is placed in the grave everyone helps to shovel dirt on the coffin. The grave is filled and then starting with the family, each person or family group plants a flower on the top of the grave. I find the burial very meaningful and less painful than how we do it in the USA.

Please continue to pray for Kenya, for a good rainy season, and for Koome, the three other men who died and their families. Please continue to pray for Bill and me, that we can see to take off our shoes!

In His grip,
Jerri & Bill Savuto
savuto@maf.or.ke
Maua Methodist Hospital
Box 63, Maua 60600
Igembe, Kenya

Our Lord has written the promise of the resurrection, not in books alone, but in every leaf in spring-time. ~Martin Luther


23 March 2008

Dearest Friends and Family,

The resurrection gives my life meaning and direction and the opportunity to start over no matter what my circumstances.  ~Robert Flatt

The above saying seems to fit Kenya perfectly right now.  Though things are moving along well as far as the political solution to our problems, there are still 1000's of homeless people who need to start over somewhere, somehow.  And the good news is our Risen Lord knows where and how!  Please continue to pray for the political process and especially for the people who have lost their homes, land, and possessions but prayerfully not their faith in God.

Good things continue to happen at Maua Methodist Hospital and we stand amazed at the generosity of others and the commitment of Maua Methodist Hospital staff.

We have received three amazing gifts to help the hospital in three wondrous ways!  Last week I received seven boxes of brand new nursing books sent to us by PEARSON EDUCATION/PRENTICE HALL.  The boxes contained 71 Nursing books covering almost every topic you can imagine in nursing and 18 CD's covering Basic, Intermediate, Pediatric, Critical Care, and Maternal/New Born Nursing Skills.  Our School of Nursing and hospital have been fortunate in receiving books for our library but usually we receive used books.  To receive these new books was such an incredible gift.  We have always had a good library but this gift has just pushed good to Very Good!  This happened because of Gayle, a work team member that was here last summer.  Her husband, Chris, and a team of people at Person Education worked tirelessly for and with me to make this a reality and we are so grateful.  Gayle had talked to me about the need for books and certainly we have a great need.  However, it is difficult to ever receive new books because the books themselves cost so much and then the cost of mailing or sending them is tremendous plus 16% VAT and customs duty that is up to 30% of the value. PEARSON EDUCATION/PRENTICE HALL paid all of that for us and we could not be more thankful, joyous, or amazed.  Barbara Dickinson, a mission partner from Britain who has worked at the school for 28 years says "It is so rare for us to receive new books and never that many new books at one time.  What a huge difference this will make to the students and staff."  Thank you Gayle, Chris and all the people at PEARSON EDUCATION/ PRENTICE HALL who made this possible.

                                                                              

  Laundry staff next to the new washing machine               One shelf of books received from PEARSON

EDUCATION/PRENTICE HALL

The second marvelous gift arrived, was installed, and began working 7 March 2008.  That is a brand new washing machine!  With our additional patient load the new washing machine is a God-send.  The laundry staff just couldn't keep up with the amount of laundry that they had to wash daily.  This past week when I talked to the Laundry Supervisor, Elizabeth, she smiled and said they were doing great!    This incredible gift came from a team member that visited us in Feb. 2007, Rachel and her husband, Mike, of Grapevine UMC in Texas in memory of her parents, Clarence and Grace Unruh.

The third gift was given by Scott, a work team member from Memorial Drive UMC, Houston, through a family foundation.  He gave us funds to lay the foundation for our new four story staff flats building.  As I have shared in the past, staff housing is a great problem and this new building will help us to solve one of our most urgent problems, housing for staff and visitors.  It will be the number one project the 2008 work teams will work on and the entire staff is so excited.  Bill has been working very hard to try to keep this project timely.  Today I walked to the foundation area and was simply amazed at how much is being done. 

   

                                        The foundation work at our future 4 story staff flats

This past week has been incredibly busy but I have felt like it opened the door to a new era at Maua Methodist Hospital.  This past Thursday and Friday I was part of a team that had a two day teaching session on Strategic Planning for our Unit Supervisors/Representatives.

Last September, following an NHIF Assessment of the hospital, I had written a problem statement concerning the need for the hospital to have a strategic plan.  As part of the Quality Improvement plan, I had recommended that we ask all staff to contribute their ideas and dreams so that when the Hospital Management Team (HMT) created the strategic plan it would include in-put from all staff.  I was thrilled when the HMT approved my plan.  I asked all the unit supervisors to meet with their units and forward their dreams and ideas about Maua Methodist Hospital and where we would be in 5 years.  However, I only received this from two units.  Many supervisors came to me and told me they had no idea what I was talking about.  It was thus decided we would train the supervisors so they could help their staff with this process.  I had hoped the training would happen soon but it didn't.  I was disappointed but this past Thursday and Friday I realized that once again God's time table is perfect.  This was the ideal time to train our staff.  They were so excited about this opportunity to help create the future of the hospital and were amazingly open and honest, which could not have happened earlier.  As I listened, taught and shared with them, I was so grateful for their responses and hope for the future.  What a treasure Maua Methodist Hospital has in its supervisory staff. Right now there are many of us here who believe that anything is possible, so watch Maua Methodist Hospital.  God and an extremely committed staff are making plans that we pray will glorify Him and move our hospital in astonishing new ways.

              

               Staff attending the Strategic Planning Workshop, on Thursday and Friday.

It is our sincere prayer that you will experience the presence and love of the Risen Christ today and always. 

In His grip,

Jerri & Bill Savuto
savuto@maf.or.ke

Maua Methodist Hospital
Box 63, Maua 60600
Igembe, Kenya

Our Lord has written the promise of the resurrection, not in books alone, but in every leaf in spring-time.  ~Martin Luther


8 March 2008

 Dearest Friends and Family,

 "Love and kindness are never wasted.  They always make a difference.  They bless the one who receives them, and they bless you, the giver."  Barbara De Angelis

 Before I begin to share today, I have been asked by one of our management team to ask for help.  Our internal phone service has not been functioning for some time.  The management is looking to buy a new PABX system.  We want a system that will take us 10 years into the future (at least) and will allow us to grow.  The management is presently looking at the Motorola VoIP Analog Gateway GT48 Series.  We wondered if anyone knows about this system and could tell us if it is a good system to use in our hospital?

 There is much news these days.  On March 5th the headline of the Daily Nation was "Smile, It's a New Kenya" and showed President Kabaki and Mr. Odinga sitting together with huge smiles on their face.  Those two men, with consultation from their respective political parties, are working out the details of our new government.  They will be sharing power as Mr. Odinga will be the Prime Minister while President Kibaki remains President.  There is a tremendous amount to do to work out all the details of the new government.  We are all prayerful and hopeful that the government leaders are thinking more about the 1000's of homeless people still in the displaced camps throughout the country than about their own future.

 Tumaini Na Undugu, the coalition of churches and businesses that the Methodist Church in Kenya is working with to distribute food, clothing, supplies and hope, is still very active.  They are visiting the Internally Displaced Persons Camps around the country taking desperately needed food and supplies for the 1000's of persons who still have no place to live.  We are so grateful that they continue to "be with those people". 

 There continues to be so many good things happening at Maua Methodist Hospital.  For the past three weeks, Dr. Stan Topple, a retired Presbyterian missionary from the US, has been here doing orthopedic surgery.  His specialty is performing surgery on disabled children.  He did 29 surgeries in the last three weeks and changed the life of 29 children, youth and adults.  The week before Dr. Topple arrived a team of ENT surgeons and anesthetists were here from Sweden.  They were able to do 39 surgeries in one week.  They removed tonsils and adenoids and did numerous ear surgeries.  Yesterday, David and Mary Sarson arrived from Great Britain.  They have been coming to Maua since 1999.   David is a surgeon and Mary, a nurse, works in our pharmacy storeroom and we are so grateful for both of them and what they do as volunteers to help the hospital. 

 I wanted to share another success story from our Giving Hope program.

 Martin Mugendi- Giving Hope

Martin is 22 years old and takes care of his mother who is living with HIV. His father died 4 years ago due to HIV/AIDS. He has two sisters - Caroline Kanana and Makena who are in primary school. Caroline is in class eight and Makena is in nursery school.

After Martin completed form four, he engaged in casual labor at the local market to support his family.  Giving Hope supported him with 3,000Ksh ($44) to start a shoe shining business.  He bought two stools, shoe polish, shoe brushes and other materials that he used to start his business.  He soon was doing quite well and was able to engage another boy to assist him, whom he pays in commission.  Martin is able to use his earning to support his family and he hopes to save some of his earning to start a barbershop in the future in the nearby market.  Martin is grateful to Giving Hope for giving him the support he needed.  His challenges are that his business is small and his family depends on him for basic needs.    

 

Martin shining shoes

 Two More Stories:  In our nursery we presently have two orphaned babies.  1) One is an unnamed baby boy, as his mother died during childbirth and has no father.  No relative is willing to visit or pay for his care because he is disabled, he was born hydrocephalic.  Our surgeon has operated on him and placed a shunt which is necessary to drain the excesses fluid from his head and save his life.  We will continue to care for him until we can find a good home for him.  We will not receive any money for his care.  However, that has not stopped us from providing him with the best care we can possibly give. 

Unnamed Orph.jpg        Koome.jpg

Unnamed baby boy                                                        Koome, 8 months old

 2) Shortly after Koome was born his father brought him to our hospital and told the nurses that Koome's mother had died during child birth and he needed to bury her. He wished to leave Koome with us for a short time as he had no one to care for him. The Hospital agreed and took Koome to our new born nursery for those babies not born in our hospital.  Koome's father never returned.  When we went to the village where the father said he lived, no one knew of the family and no mother had died recently giving birth. Koome has been with us eight months now, an abandoned child.  We have been working closely with the District Children's worker but things move very slowly.  We thought we had placed Koome in a children's home in Meru but they could not take him as on the birth certificate we had put the name of the mother that we had been given by the man who brought Koome to us.  We are now working to delete that name and leave it blank.  Then we are told Koome will be accepted at the home.  We have taken care of Koome for 8 months and will continue to until he is placed in the home.

 We can take care of the unnamed baby boy and Koome because of your gifts to the Service Fund which help us pay for their care and the care of all the orphan's that are left here and those persons who cannot afford to pay for the care they receive.  We are so grateful for your gifts to allow us to care for "the least of these".

 You can help us pay for the hospital bills of Koome and the unnamed baby boy.  A 7 day stay in Maua Methodist Hospital costs approximately $150.  Write your support check to your UMC and put it in the collection plate with this note at the bottom:  "For Advance Special #09613A - Maua Hospital Service Fund, Kenya" or you may make your check payable to "Advance GCFA" and mail it directly to Advance GCFA, P.O. Box 9068, GPO, New York, NY 10087-9068 or to make a gift on the internet go to:  gbgm-umc.org/advance/donate (be certain to use the Advance Special # and name).

 Thank you for your emails, encouragement, support and prayers.  It is such a blessing to have you in mission with us.

 In His grip,

Jerri & Bill Savuto
savuto@maf.or.ke
Maua Methodist Hospital
Box 63, Maua 60600
Meru North, Kenya

 Everything that is done in the world is done by hope.  Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.


24 February 2008

 Dearest Friends and Family,

    "Isaiah 61:1 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; ... 3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified. 4 And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations."

We are so grateful for all your prayers for Kenya.  We continue to need them.  It is difficult to know what is happening.  Negotiations continue and we are all hopeful they are leading to peace.  However, ODM has promised demonstrations next week and we are so prayerful they will be peaceful.   Our prayer for Kenya right now is that the pain so many people have suffered is like labor pains and will produce a new nation, free from ethnic hatred and violence.  We pray that God will bring beauty from ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, and will raise, repair and rebuild the destroyed land, homes and lives.

I do want to share some good news from Maua.  Though so much destruction has happened there is always good happening, lives changed that glorify God, and God's love seen in the most surprising and amazing places and situations!

Maua Methodist Hospital raised 63,000Ksh. that we sent to the Presiding Bishop for Tumaini Na Undugu.  We are so grateful for the staff's generosity.  Our hospital is extremely busy right now.  In the last month our out-patients have doubled in number from 200 - 250 to 350 - 488 daily.  Our wards are busier than I have ever seen with 104 - 112% bed occupancy (yes, there are two patients in many beds).   Pediatrics has had up to 98 patients; Surgical Ward has had 68 - 77 patients; Medical Ward has had 65 - 75 patients; and one night recently Maternity Ward delivered 17 babies (midwives not doctors!)  We have called in all our nurses from leave, hired locums, and worked so very hard.  I find the attitude of the staff phenomenal.  When I ask how they are doing, they do not complain or fuss, but thank God for all the patients and the strength to manage day by day.  One day when I went to talk to the Pediatric Ward In-charge, Sr. Sophia, when they had 92 babies and children of which it seemed 50 were crying, I asked how she was managing.  At the time she was dealing with a physician, mothers, children, and me.  She turned toward me with a smile on her face and replied, "By the grace of God and the prayers of many, we are finding the strength to do the work we need to do and we are doing the very best we can."  We all need your prayers!

And now for the rest of the story:  Those of you who have seen Bill's slides or Power Point presentation will remember a young girl named Julieta who had a large growth on the side of her chest.   In June 2001 a newly married couple on their honeymoon, Jackie and Bob, led a team to Maua.  During their time here, they went with one of our Outreach Clinics and met Julieta.  At the time she was 10 years old.  The growth on her chest was so large she could barely walk.  She was not in school and her mother had told her that she had no money to help Julieta and so Julieta would die and when she did her mother would have another child.  Julieta didn't think anyone loved her or wanted her alive.  A compassionate teacher had brought her to the clinic.

Jackie and Bob were so touched by Julieta and determined to do something for her.  When they returned to the compound they asked us what it would cost to remove the growth on Julieta's chest.   We talked to Stanley Gitari and the surgeon, Dr. Ziegler.  The cost would be $45.  Jackie and Bob paid the money and Julieta came for the surgery.  I met her for the first time after her surgery.  Stanley Gitari brought her to the house to visit us.  We were so impressed with her and so thankful that she had received help.  She started to school for the first time shortly after her surgery.  We visited Julieta at her school in April 2003.  Her Head Master told us she was doing very well and was such a testimony to God's love and great evangelist for our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

On Thursday 11 February 2008, Stanley Gitari came to my office right before lunch time.  He had a beautiful 16 year old girl with him.  They came into my office and Stanley asked me if I knew who she was.  I looked at her and guessed but was incorrect.  Then Stanley, with a huge grin on his face, said, "This is Julieta."  I was so amazed, delighted, grateful to God, and joyful I could hardly contain myself.  Stanley shared that Julieta was in Standard 7 and doing very well.  She recently had been asked by a family to come and live with them as their baby-sitter/house helper.  Julieta refused.  She knows how important school is and she is determined to finish school.  We are so proud of her.  As I looked at and listened to Julieta, I could feel the presence of God in my office.  "Beauty from ashes!"

    

        Julieta before her surgery in 2001                             Julieta after her surgery in 2001                                 Julieta in my office Feb. 2008

Recently, Reegan Kaberia, the young man who works for our Giving Hope program and Stanley Gitari who is in-charge of the program sent me five success stories.  Giving Hope is a development program that works with the youth who are AIDS Orphans to help them in numerous ways including interventions aimed at sustainable self-employment; increased respect of rights, spiritual guidance, self-confidence, primary school completion; improved access to secondary education, hygiene & sanitation, medical care, diversified diet; and the reduction of frequency of illnesses to mention some of the anticipated impacts and goals.  (See my 11/07/07 email)

Purity is a 19-year-old total orphan. She lost both parents in the years 2001 and 2003 while in school.  At her tender age, Purity assumed responsibility of providing food for her three sisters and brother who were all in school.  Her siblings are Winfred Makena who has completed class eight, Josses Mutembei, Nyandola Karwitha, and Jedidah Gakeni who are still in primary school.  After completing primary school, Purity attended a polytechnic for one year where she graduated as a tailor. To earn her living, Purity started renting a sewing machine for Ksh 300 every month which she was using to repair clothes for the neighbors.  She joined Giving Hope and was supported to buy a sewing machine and given clothes to repair to start a tailoring business.  She no longer needs to rent the machine and is able to not only repair old clothes, but also make school uniforms, dresses, skirts, and suits with new material. Her challenges are to meet the basic needs of her siblings because her business is very small.  Her dream:  To have the best cloth and tailor shop in town.

                              Purity with her sewing machine

One last bit of news about the hospital:  In the past month our CEO has resigned and our Medical Officer In-charge left this past week.  Friday the Hospital Management Team had a General Staff Meeting (the first since we have been here) to share this news and who will be acting in those positions for now.  We are very encouraged and thanking God for His goodness.  We do ask for prayer for all our new leaders.  Dr. Claire Smithson, a mission partner from Britain, is serving as our Medical Officer In-charge, though she has more than a full time job as the Palliative Care physician.  Bill will be the new Chairperson of the Computerization Committee, which has not functioned for some time.  Mr. Gikemi will be acting CEO and Mr. Mung'athia will be acting Administrator.  Please keep Bill, Dr. Claire, Mr. Gikemi, and Mr. Mung'athia along with all our management team in your prayers.  Thank you!

I also wanted to tell you that UMCOR, United Methodist Committee on Relief, has an Advance Special for Kenya.  You can give through your United Methodist Church or by sending a check to UMCOR and mail it to UMCOR, PO Box 9068, New York, NY 10087.  Write "UMCOR Advance #982450, International Disaster Response - Kenya" on the memo line of your check.  As always, UMCOR has been helping in Kenya from early January.  We are so grateful for their assistance around the world and around the corner in the name of Jesus Christ.

May God bless each of you and transform your ashes into beauty.

In His grip,

Jerri & Bill Savuto
savuto@maf.or.ke
Maua Methodist Hospital
Box 63, Maua 60600
Meru North, Kenya

Everything that is done in the world is done by hope.  Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.


Sunday 3 Feb. - Wednesday 6 Feb. 2008

 Dearest Friends and Family,

"If you lose hope, somehow you lose the vitality that keeps life moving, you lose that courage to be, that quality that helps you go on in spite of it all. And so today I still have a dream."

- Martin Luther King, Jr.

Bill, Claudia Freund, a mission partner from Germany, and I again traveled on Wednesday, 30 Jan. 08 to Nairobi.  The previous week Presiding Bishop had requested that we travel with him and others from Tumaini Na UNdugu, (which means Hope and Brotherhood) to visit Nakuru and Molo Displaced Persons Camps.  In last week's email, I stated that Tumaini Na UNdugu was made up of the Methodist Church in Kenya (MCK), the Presbyterian Church, and the Anglican Church.  We learned that in cooperation with the three churches Equity Bank, Britak, Housing Finance, Kenya Broadcasting Company, and a few other churches were all working together to bring peace and hope, food, clothing, and needed supplies to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) of this nation regardless of ethnic group.

 We had called the Conference Office  several times on Monday and Tuesday, 28th & 29th of January to make certain the group was still traveling to Nakuru and Molo as we heard numerous rumors and read news articles of the problems that were occurring in that area of Kenya.  We knew that Presiding Bishop Stephen Kanyaru would never allow us to be in danger.  He was constantly in meetings with Tumaini Na UNdugu members to make decisions regarding the safety of the team.  Early Wednesday morning, we were told that they were definitely going.  We traveled to Nairobi with no incident or road block.  That afternoon while checking into our guest house we were told that the Nairobi - Nakuru highway was blocked and there had been much violence and killing in Limuru.  We went to the Conference Office and visited with Lucy Kaindio, Women Fellowship Coordinator for the MCK.  We shared what we had heard about Limuru.   She said that there were two IDP Camps in Limuru, one for the Kikuyu and one for the Luo.  As the IDP (predominately Kikuyu) from western Kenya returned to Central Kenya there was no place for them to go.  In Limuru the problem was acute and thus the Luo people working in Limuru and renting houses were asked to leave and given a certain number of hours to go. Ruth and members of the MCK visited the Luo IDP who were staying at the Tigoni Police Station in Limuru, approximately 2000 Luo people on Tuesday.  She stated that there had not been violence nor anyone killed, which was later verified by the news.  The MCK had taken food supplies but the people needed cooking pots so they bought enough cooking pots for 2000 people.  When the team took the pots to the police station on Wednesday, the number had grown from 2000 to 6000.

 We met the members traveling to Nakuru at 8am on Thurs. morning 31 January 2008.  We were to ride in the Presiding Bishop's vehicle which was provided by the Equity Bank.  A caravan of vehicles left NairobiWe were told we would not be traveling to Molo, only to Nakuru.

 

Presiding Bishop Rev. Dr. Stephen Kanyaru

On the two hour trip to Nakuru we never saw any violence or road blocks or riots or problems.  After watching the news and reading the newspapers, we expected to see the results of much violence in Naivasha and Nakuru but we saw none. 

 Our first stop was the Anglican Cathedral in Nakuru.  We had the great privilege to meet many of the leaders of Tumaini Na UNdugu.  They were bringing 300 bags of rice (weighing 200 pounds per bag), 2 tons of clothing, needed supplies to include blankets (1000), soap, sanitary napkins, diapers, and underwear and logistical and counseling tents as the churches involved will provide counselors for the Displaced Persons Camps.

The leaders made speeches to a large group of reporters who were gathered.  Each speech was different but all spoke of the sacredness of human life, the tremendous need for peace, forgiveness, and loving of our enemies, as God commands us.  They shared that Tumaini Na UNdugu was created to bring HOPE and to work together with all ethnic groups to help all persons to rebuild a nation where people can live together.  They called for the entire nation to help those who are displaced.  Dr. Mwangi of Equity Bank stated that their bank slogan was "The Listening, Caring Financial Partner."  He called on all companies, banks, etc. to live out their slogans as now was the time for action. 

We had been told that we would visit two IDP Camps in Nakuru.  One for the Luo and Kalenjin and one for the Kikuyu, Kisii, Kamba Meru, and Luhya.

We were headed for the Luo/Kalenjin IDP Camp when the news was announced regarding the death of the Member of Parliament (ODM) in Eldoret.  We were informed we would still visit the camp, as we had a message of hope and togetherness for everyone, along with supplies and the leadership felt it was so important to visit both camps.  However, as we neared the camp, the lead vehicle in the caravan made a U-turn.  Each vehicle was notified that word from the IDP Camp Leader had advised us not to visit the camp at this time.  That caused a great sadness as everyone thought it very important to visit and share with both camps. 

We did proceed to the IDP Camp at the Nakuru Show Grounds.  Presiding Bishop had visited this camp on Tues., nine days earlier, and reported there were 3,500 people in the camp.  As we drove through a section of the camp, we were overwhelmed by the large number of people.  We were taken on a quick tour of the camp.  Our first visit was to the Camp Administration Offices where we were told that the camp presently has over 8000 displaced persons.  Approximately 100 displaced persons leave the camp daily to travel to stay with family members or friends or churches that are willing to help and 500 new displaced persons arrive daily.  Each person that arrives is greeted and data is collected so that there can be a tracking system for all the IDP's.  We also learned that in Nakuru District, which is approximately 20 miles by 20 miles with a population of 1.5 million people, includes Naivasha, Nakuru Town, Molo and some other towns, there are 71 IDP Camps with 206,000 people.   

We then visited the Clinic and saw the lines of people being seen and given drugs.  We went to the store rooms of food and were very thankful we were bringing 300 bags of rice.  We went to the several places where supplies were given to the people.  Each had long lines. 

                                      

Patients waiting to be seen in clinic                             Presiding Bishop praying                            People going to hear the message of hope

We then made our way into the Show Grounds where most of the people were located. We walked around watching the children, women, and men of the camp.  We watched a few trucks being loaded with goods for people to leave and we watched two trucks from Kericho being unloaded.  We could not imagine that so many people and many goods could fit in a truck. 

        

      Truck preparing to leave camp                                    Truck arriving from Kericho                                 Truck unloading people from Kericho

While the pastors and leaders of Tumaini Na UNdugu were giving a word of hope to a large group of assembled men and women, Bill began playing with a group of children.  They completely surrounded him and I could hear their laughter and see their joy.

         

       Bill with group of children                                       Boy's playing on & under a table                          Bill and one of the little girls         

While Bill was playing with the children, I talked to three men about their experience.  Patrick, a Kikuyu, was from Molo.  He has a wife and four children. His home was looted and burned by Kalenjin, ODM supporters.  He ran for his life and literally has nothing.  He has been in the camp for one month.  He shared that even the clothes he was wearing when he ran had been ruined.  He has been given new clothing and is being fed one meal daily. He was born in Molo and has lived for 44 years there but was still considered a "foreigner" by the Kalenjin.  We talked about his future.  Yes, he would go home to Molo if there was true and lasting peace and safety for his family. 

      

                     Patrick                                                                                   Ezra                                                                            Isaiah

Ezra is 21 years old.  He too is a Kikuyu and his family were farmers in the Molo area.  They lost all their belongings and their home was burned.  He has been in the camp for one week.  Ezra was with a group of young men approximately his age.  As we talked, I shared my hope that Ezra would be a leader amongst the young men and would work for peace and forgiveness.  As I talked Ezra and the young men smiled and then he said that they knew revenge would not help anything.  There had already been too much violence, too much destruction, too much suffering.  He and his friends were not planning to retaliate; they just wanted to go home, back to school or farming.  They wanted to return to Molo.  We prayed together that returning home would be a possibility and that Ezra would be a leader to help bring peace to Kenya.

Isaiah, a Kikuyu, was the final person who talked to me.  His situation was much the same though he was from a different area.  He was born there and had a family and was a farmer.  He has been in the camp for one month.  His home was looted and then burned along with his land and his goats, cow, and chickens were killed.  When asked if he would return home, his answer was not like the others.  He sadly shook his head no and said he would not return.  He had too many terrible memories of the day his Kalenjin "friends and neighbors" came to destroy his home, his property, his life.  He had his family, for which he was thankful but everything else was destroyed.  When I asked what his future plans were he said he would resettle somewhere else, have a fresh start with new friends and neighbors he knew he could always trust. 

So what were our impressions of the IDP Camp?  There were so many, many people and probably ½ of them were children.  There is not enough food, water, shade, tents, or medicine for 8000 people and the number grows daily.  The people were friendly and kind.  We did not talk to anyone who wanted to kill, destroy, or take revenge but all were anxious to either go home to where they lived or find a new home.  All were eager for peace.  The emergency needs are tremendous.  We are so grateful to the US Government for their $5 million in humanitarian assistance.  We are so thankful to the United Methodist Churches and others who are supporting the emergency efforts through the MCK and Tumaini Na UNdugu and UMCOR.  The supplies that Tumaini Na UNdugu provided that day will be most helpful but so much is needed.  And after the IDP Camps are closed the work will have just begun.  The long term effects of the violence will take a very long time to heal.  Soon, we pray, Kenya will not be in the news but it is then that this nation will need so much help and so many prayers.

Why are there so many people in Nakuru?  "Nakuru is a town of 400,000 people from all corners of the nation and the globe.  Truly one of the most cosmopolitan towns in the country where residents of all races and religions co-exist in perfect harmony" (Nakuru Town Constituency's Official Website).

Nakuru is called the hub for the IDP of Kenya.  If one is traveling from Rift Valley and Western Kenya it is the first safe town they reached.  For those that have been displaced from Central Kenya it has been the last safe town.  And until 7 days ago it was a SAFE TOWN.  With all the IDP coming through and/or staying in Nakuru Town it remained a safe haven for almost one month. 

On 28 January 2008 violence erupted in Naivasha and Nakuru.  What we had hoped and prayed would never happen, happened.  After approximately 1000 people had been killed and 400,000+ had been displaced from Rift Valley and Western Kenya (mostly Kikuyu and Kisii) a small number of Kikuyu's began their revenge.  Of course, as we look at numbers, it has always been a small number of people that have caused so much suffering.  Out of the 36,000,000 people in Kenya, probably 35,500,000 have never participated in any violence, no matter what their ethnic origin, but have just wanted to live in peace. 

In Nakuru Town and Naivasha approximately 180 people were killed as retaliatory violence prompted new retaliations.  Few ethnicities were safe in the two towns as the sheer numbers of youth overwhelmed police efforts to restore order.  The military was called in and on Mon. 28 January a curfew was imposed which helped the situation immensely.  Since the curfew almost no one has been killed.

Human life is so precious and what is most tragic is the innocent have paid with their lives and their homes and property.  Those killed originally and then for revenge were most often not the people who rioted, looted, burned, fought, and killed.  They were innocent people trying to make a living and live in peace.

This past Thursday, 31 January, the body of the brother to an important business man in Maua was brought to Maua and to our hospital to be placed in the mortuary awaiting his funeral on Sat.  He was married to a Luo woman, had 4 children and lived in Western Kenya.  It seemed he and his family had escaped the tragedies that had happened to some of his neighbors.  His family in Maua had urged him to come home, but he had felt it was not necessary.  One day his wife came running home saying she had heard that a large crowd was coming to kill them.  The man ran to his land lord for help.  The landlord took him back to his home and cut off his head in front of his wife and children.  When the crowd arrived they decided they would not kill the children and wife.

The day of the funeral the brother announced that people in Maua must revenge the death of his brother.  He and others had written some fliers demanding that "all the foreigners" be expelled from Maua.  (Actually the word foreigner in this context does not refer to the missionaries but to the other ethnic groups.)  However, the elders and leaders of Maua immediately met.  The Ministers of Parliament in our area came to speak words of peace.  They sent out messages to the entire district saying that no one was to be expelled from Imenti District but all were to feel welcome and safe in any community in our area.  They also told the brother of the man killed in Western Kenya that if a hand was laid on any foreigner, the first person that would be killed would be this man, as they would kill him themselves.  Thankfully, what could have erupted into violence and blood shed and the adding of more displaced persons was stopped.

On Sunday when I began writing this email, I would have ended it by saying that I thought we were very close to peace.  We were absolutely amazed at what we saw in Nairobi, on our trip to Nakuru, in Nakuru Town and our trip to and from Maua.  From the newspapers and TV I thought we would see roads blocked and destroyed, rioters in Naivasha and Nakuru, burned vehicles, homes and businesses and general chaos.  But in fact we saw none of this.  On the entire trip to Nakuru we only saw one building that had been burned and we went by Naivasha and all through Nakuru Town.  On Friday in Nairobi we went to Kangemi Slum.  Though many of the slum dwellers are without work due to the lack of tourists, it was peaceful.  It seemed that the violence was happening in very isolated places and often in places that have had a history of ethnic skirmishes.  Today I am not certain.  The peace talks were to last 7 days creating a road map to peace, resettlement and rebuilding the nation.  Things don't seem to be happening and new threats and demonstrations are planned.

What are some of the impacts of these 6 weeks of violence.  A decline in food security in all sectors - farmers and urban poor.  In some areas businesses have been burned or looted and many of the working population no longer have jobs.  Trade and transport to Kenya's neighbors and other countries has been interrupted with road blocks and railroad tracks being destroyed.  Fuel prices have increased which touches the lives of everyone as public transport costs increase.  Living in the violent area and in camps have caused malnourishment, particularly to children with lack of fuel, food and inappropriate cooking facilities.  In Nakuru, three children died on the day of the Presiding Bishop's first visit.  Schools have been burned or abandoned, there is a shortage of teachers in many areas due to fear and violence.  Last night on TV they showed a teenager weeping in one of the IDP Camps.  He stated he had finished secondary school and his State Exam but all were burned and he had no proof of anything.  At present we require proof to admit students in our School of Nursing or any other higher learning institution.  He will proba