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Jambo (hello) and Kwaheri (goodbye) from Kenya!

It was with mixed emotions that we began and ended our final morning of dental clinic Thursday in Maai Mahiu’s IDP (internally displaced people) camps. Even the generator battery rebelled against its assignment – the car battery dying too shortly after! David pulled off some feats of repairman-ship to get us through the morning smoothly, and the team did what they do best for the remaining patients, among them a few Marafiki support people, the local pastor, and our matatu driver. When the time came, it was hard to stop registration, screenings, and begin to turn people away, after 7 days of clinic and over 350 patients seen!

But close shop we did, even as we dismantled and packed up the stations for future service. We sat down in the evening for a last goodbye dinner with the full family of partners, volunteers, and friends of the Ve’ahavta-Marafiki Dental Mission 2012. We remembered -over thank yous, a (tooth!) cake, spoken word and laughter- our landing in Kenya less than 2 weeks ago, arriving with our excitement, our 12+ bags of dental equipment, jetlag, our challenges and our continuing partnership to meet the obstacles of dental outreach on the periphery of the system in the middle of a community displaced.

As we leave for safari and make our way home we say ASANTE SANA!

…To our team of pioneer dental volunteers who have built this mission from the (dirt floors) ground up with their experience, compassion, and hard work.

To our partners for their commitment to the rights of displaced peoples and these joint efforts to bring healthier smiles and larger dignity to those in need.

And to the community who have welcomed us into their homes, their hearts… and in their mouths!

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Today’s clinic started on Kenyan time with a few technical challenges- but ultimately overwhelming results. Over the course of the day the team treated a record total of 37 hygiene patients and 29 patients for extraction. Mindy, Tina and Pauline received some of our local dental support aides among their patients- including our beloved technician and his family. The future “Dr. Mark,” 8 years old gloved and masked to practice dental care on our puppets alongside his mentors . “Dr. Mark” was among an increased number of children receiving treatment at the extraction stations with Dr. Ira, Dr. Thileeb, and local Kenyan doctor, Dr. Mike. On the other end of the spectrum, an elderly patient of Dr. Thileeb had her last problem tooth extracted- also her last remaining tooth!

Working next door to Marafiki’s local school has allowed us to get to know the community and spend time with neighbourhood children and their teachers. One of our young friends honoured us today with Kikuyu names, others sang and danced with us, skipped rope, and gathered together around the common water source as the students’ morning meal program progressed.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Hello, how are you?/ Habari yako?/ Wemwege? The team is well here in the land of the Swahili and Kikuyu and other peoples of Kenya. We are still recovering from an active weekend hiking and scaling gorges in Helll’s Gate and an impressive trek up the crater of nearby Mt. Longonot. From the peak of the volcano at 2617m we could see the dry landscape of the Rift Valley and the reflection off the tin roofs of the IDP camps in the distance. The communities of the hundreds of the hundreds of families still living in makeshift tarp homes, we could not.

The return to the clinic was victorious with a total of 54 patients seen Monday, our 4^th day of clinic operations. The competition is on now with equal patients treated between the two extraction stations and 3 dental hygiene stations. The team are busy screening, scaling (cleaning), extracting, suturing, counselling, and providing dental health education to the IDP and vicinity communities with the support of Marafiki representatives and a courageous band of local and longterm volunteers for our dental assistance and translation including Community Elder, Mr. Frances. Facilitating my job and that of our Marafiki technician, David also, is the fact that everything is working! Suction. Cavitrons. Autoclave. Check!

Our feedback and rapport with the community and local dental and healthcare workers allows us to better reflect on highlights and lessons learned in the field:

• There are fewer than 800 dentists registered in Kenya, a country with a population of over 41 million.
• The prohibitive cost of dentistry and local understandings in Kenya often result in patients preference to remove teeth rather than preserve. This is dynamic in play as patients request treatment in our free dental clinic.
• The local, and limited amount of barrelled water piped in from the mountainside has very high levels of fluoride.

• Dental equipment, instruments, and freezings plus mizungus (foreigners) can be scary. Puppets help.
• Nursing station also equals education. Older patients are learning how heart rate can be monitored through pulse points.
• Patients often exhibit different muscle development and dental problems on one side of the mouth as a result of chewing patterns from persistent dental problems.
• - How long does one have to brush one’s teeth for every day and night?

- Two minutes each time.

- No, for how many days?

- For the rest of your life.

Our team education volunteer, Miranda enjoyed her first day of placement at the nearby Maii Mahiu Primary School. Miranda is working together with local teacher Mr. Peter and his small 3^rd grade class of 74 students. Miranda is offering lessons in English, organized after-school recreation and looking forward to offering support by introducing drama activities.

Please keep your thoughts with our team and out patients as the day breaks this morning over the mountains into the Rift Valley, Maai Mahiu.

Another dental care day in the refugee camp.  Today our volunteers treated 38 patients including some who came back a second time for additional treatment.

Melanie tells me that morale is high even though the environment is challenging.

The weather is relatively cold, very windy, and dusty.  The dust makes dental work difficult, but the crew is finding ways to cope.

Still no photos.  There was some brief internet time, but it’s not stable yet.

We may not have a report tomorrow and Saturday, but I hope to update you on Sunday.

Epi

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Melanie just called at 10:30 PM Kenya time Tuesday.  She reports that her roommate is trying to sleep while she is busy calling us with the latest mission news.  The group has arrived at the refugee camp in Maai Mahiu and spent a long work day setting up the dental clinic.  Melanie reports that it looks great and is ready to receive patients tomorrow morning.  There were all kinds of equipment and voltage challenges, but everything is ready to go.

All went well at customs clearance in Nairobi , actually smoother than loading the baggage in Toronto where the group was challenged by having bags with the wrong dimensions!  Dr. Ira has joined the group and we now have a full volunteer contingent ready to begin the mitzvah work alongside our Kenyan partners, Marafiki.

There seems to be good cell reception, and I expect to hear more news from Melanie as the clinic begins its work.

Epi.

This morning I went to my old stomping grounds of Lakeshore Blvd in Etobicoke to deliver some jackets. My first stop was to a lovely lady Barb that I have known for years. Barb is disabled and mentally ill. I stopped by her home to give her a jacket. We sat and recalled the days of my past and she spoke so kindly of my big heart and appreciated that I thought about her.

My next stop was at the LAMP Community Health Center where I went to their daytime Out of the Cold Program. I know a lady Judy there from the times that I was using. She was so very excited to see me and thanked me over and over for staying dedicated to the community that I came from. I dropped them about 15 jackets, one of which was given to a woman right in front of my eyes. She only had a skimpy denim jacket on and was complaining about the cold nights as she is homeless. She was almost emotional to have received a jacket and gave me a HUGE hug.

My next stop was Women’s Habitat Drop in where I dropped off about 20 jackets. I didn’t see any of the clients but the staff were very grateful for the donation.

I was told that there is a women’s group home for young women leaving CAS care on 9th Street. I am going to see If I can drop some jackets to them as well.

I appreciate Ve’ahavta allowing me to give back to my community. They are in such desperate need with a total Lack of services in the area.

Thank you Ve’ahavta.

Theresa Schrader
Community Poverty Relief Associate