HIV Testing

In February 2008, Beacon launched their on-site, comprehensive medical clinic. The structure is an outstanding upgrade from the former facility, which was a one-room clinic with a pharmacy in a cabinet, and one other single room for HIV testing. The new clinic was built to include several exam rooms, a procedure room, a proper lab and pharmacy as well as a suite of rooms for HIV testing. This week they anticipate receiving approval from the Kenyan government to begin administering pharmaceutical treatment for HIV, or antiretroviral medications (ARVs).

With the ability to dispense ARVs, the Beacon medical center will become the premier HIV treatment center in the region. Until now, patients have had to travel over forty minutes via public transportation into Nairobi in order to receive their ARVs. Many lack the $1 fare for the round-trip matatu (bus) drive, making receiving medications from a medical center in the capital city impossible. With this new facility locally providing government-funded ARVs, the people of Ongata Rongai and Kware, the adjacent slum, will have new hope in the battle against HIV/AIDS. Upon approval from the government, this clinic will make life sustaining medications readily available for nearly 8,000 people in the area living with HIV.

While we were visiting Beacon this week, the plan to administer ARVs here hit a logistical snag. One of the grants we were depending on to financially cover the CD4 counter fell through. Without this expensive machine that tracks the number of white blood cells killed by HIV (CD4 helper T cells), the clinic will not receive government approval for treating patients with ARVs.

This essential piece of equipment costs $45,000. As Beacon's partner, we would love to assist them in meeting this need in timely manner. For our church to step up and support Beacon in this way, it would mean that every individual at Blackhawk give-a one time gift of just over $10-15. Though the individual donation is small, in collaboration, we can pull together to have a large impact. Please consider partnering with our team and with Beacon in this way. If you would like to give a tax-deductible contribution for the CD4 counter, please visit our cause on facebook at the following link:

http://apps.facebook.com/causes/causes/show/75203?m=56806&recruiter_id=4968638

Without funding for the CD4 counter equipment, many in this region who have HIV will have far more difficulty accessing their life-saving medications. It means 8-year-old Margarete, whom Paul just tested at our medical camp, will be without her medications due to a lack of resources in Ongata Rongai. For Margarete and many others, we urge you to prayerfully consider generously supporting this worthwhile effort.

James

Home Visit

our team is currently putting together a video to explain what BOH is doing here in Ongata Rongai and just how much their work is making a difference in the lives of these women. our prayer, through this humble attempt, is that many would be made aware of the devastating poverty. in Rongai there is poverty that numbs the brain...it beats you down mind, body and soul.

for the film we are following two of the women who are weavers here at BOH. on thurs we followed one of the women from BOH through the streets of Ongata Rongai to her home where she shared her story with us. her name is Merab.

as we sat down in her humble brick and mortar home with a dirt floor, we got a chance to talk to her and 3 of her 5 children, Raheili, Chris and Celestine. Merab's husband abandoned them shortly after Celestine was born in 2000 and is currently trying to sell their house right out from under them.

Merab was soft spoken and so generous in sharing her life story with us. as she proceeded in sharing her story i could tell that she was trying to choose her words carefully...all of the sudden she tightened her mouth and looked at the ceiling and got teary eyed and said "i've never disclosed my status to my children" - so essentially, through explaining her life's journey to us, she revealed to us, and to her children that she had AIDS.

i wanted to leap out of the window. i couldn't believe that something so intimate was shared with us in that moment right in front of her children. all got quiet and then i noticed that her oldest daughter Raihele (age 14) had huge tears streaming down her face. she didn't make a sound. i was so overwhelmed as i watched this all unfold. sweet Raihele, a 14 year old girl just found out her mother had HIV and understands the heaviness that it all entails. before we left Merab's home, i prayed for the family and for God to bless them with health, to keep their home and for doors of opportunity to open for them. i could barely speak.

as we walked Merab back to BOH, melissa continued filming. Merab was more than willing to stop and do another "take" as we moved through the congested streets filled with goats, garbage and diesel fumes. as Merab followed every cue from melissa's direction, i realized how beautiful and strong she was. i wanted to be more like this woman...her courage is more than i will ever experience this side of heaven. we continually thanked her for her cooperation and tried to explain that this film would show many people how BOH is bringing hope to a people that are desperate for it.

i cried myself to sleep that night. all i could think about was Raihele. i couldn't get the picture of her little bedroom out of my mind. her little bed that she shared with her baby sister. as i laid there, i couldn't stop thinking that she was also lying in her bed crying about her mom. i wanted to give that family everything i had. i wanted to shower those kids with wonderful gifts and treasures. i wanted to hold them and never let them go and let them know that it was all going to be alright.

when our heavenly father sees each of us, He wants to love us that exact same way...this side of heaven he entrusts us to do His work. His spirit of unconditional love flows in and through us to tell the world that He is who he says He is...that He is truth, and He is love, and that He meets us face to face....i pray we would all see with new eyes and recognize Jesus.

because of BOH Merab will be able to get her antiretroviral drugs, counseling, and a job. Merab's children will also be offered counseling to work through the many difficulties that HIV/AIDS brings. i thank God for those of you who support BOH and believe that all things are possible with Christ!

Kortney Kaiser

Beacon Medical Camp

It falls to me to describe the clinic we did two days ago @ the Beacon of Hope Center in Rongai. Here goes:

The AM started in typical fashion for a project such as this. There was much preparation the day before, but this undertaking was on a large scale. The difference between this clinic and Bissil was that we had the personnel resources to take care of the loose ends rather quickly, and we started relatively on time.


Many people on our team and Beacon Staff worked very hard throughout the day in registration, in triage (blood pressure&temperature), in seeing patients ( 3 of ours and 5 from Beacon) , in HIV testing, in lab (blood sugar and malaria testing), in pharmacy (the very picture of controlled chaos), ushers (helping people to get from place to place), translators (sent surely from heaven above) and kitchen workers (to feed all the other workers).

We saw 1500+ patients that day (not a typo), and had 90+ people do HIV tests. We pray that they that not only received medicine and advice to help them, but also that they felt God's love in some small way. The Beacon of Hope Center has a relatively new clinic (up and running for about 6 weeks) so we hope our clinic was a good advertisement for them, and many of the people we saw can be hooked up there for ongoing health care.

Very early in the morning, one of our providers saw a woman 6 months pregnant who was threatening a miscarriage. Being fully unequipped to help her, we were able to get her quick transportation to a hospital for the appropriate medication. The miscarriage seemed to be halted and fetal heart tones were reasonable, so we pray that her baby dodged a bullet.
We also saw a lot of the things that we see back in the States: with age, bodies break down the same on both sides of the ocean. We treated lots of malaria, amoeba, and worms. One of our providers saw a probable elephantiasis, so it was educational for us as well.

The patient I saw that I will not forget is a little 8 year old named Margaret. Her 20 year old sister had brought her in because their mother had died. We talked about some other problems they had and I encouraged them both to be HIV tested. I have ordered HIV testing on a lot of people in the US, and have (thankfully) never had to tell someone that they are positive. Margaret's 20 year old sister was negative, but Margaret was positive.

Statistics tell us that HIV in Africa is approaching 1 in every 10 people, but statistics are statistics and here was Margaret standing in front of me with HIV. With the help of medicine (the government supplies this free of charge if she can get to where they distribute it) she can lead a relatively normal life, but it will be a different life and a shortened life. Admitting that it's not fair for her seems very weak. There is injustice and then there is INJUSTICE.
Margaret's beautiful face will always be the face of HIV in Africa for me.

In short, I think the consensus was that the clinic was a great success, a testament to many people pulling hard in the same direction, enjoying the blessing of God with outstanding results. All the workers were very tired by 5:30, but happy that the day went well. PRAISE GOD--

Paul Pankratz

Masaai Market

Sunday after church and lunch at Java House where we enjoyed some wonderful espresso drinks with much needed caffeine, some of us went to the Masaai Market. It is a market that takes place on a large street corner and the vendors lay out blankets on the ground covered with all of their goods. On first glance, it looks like a typical American farmer's market with hand crafted goods, but once inside, you realize that it is much more. First of all, nothing has a price on it, and if you ask how much it is, they will most likely give you an inflated quote since they operate on a bartering system. The vendors will literally grab you as you are walking by and try to show you their goods. However, despite all of this chaos, once you learn the ways of the market, it can be extremely fun. I got 2 beautiful necklaces and a wooden carving of two people holding hands and praying also. Several other team members came out with some great items as well. Overall, the experience is a bit overwhelming, but definitely fun and rich in culture.

Cindy Reigner

Medical Camp Prep

We've been back at Beacon in the days since Bissel, getting ready for our second, and larger medical camp on Saturday in Ongata Rongai. Last year's camp served 800 patients, and this year we hear projections substantially exceeding that amount. In preparation, we're putting what we learned from our first go at a medical camp in Bissel to good use. We have revamped our pharmacy area with the help and advantage of our team's gifted health care professionals (and those of us who've become experts in the last week or so!).




Mark, James, Paul and Barry put their heads together and came up with an inventory of all the medications we have and all potential dosages and uses for each. Thanks to Mandy living with a laptop for the last few days, we now have a beautiful one-page computerized form for each patient that all of the providers will use to prescribe medications. Our hope is that, with the help of this form, the pharmacy process should run more smoothly for Saturday's clinic, and future medical camps to come!



Barry (our head pharmacist), Sarah and Jenna (pharmacy technicians-in-training) have spent the day in the pharmacy organizing and alphabetizing. Mike, Nathan & Cindy have counted pills all day and filled tons of bottles with cough syrups and suspensions that overflow our many boxes. After a hard day's work I think we are almost ready for medical camp...and a good night's sleep.

Morning Worship: An Invigorating Experience

One thing that has truly impressed me here at Beacon of Hope is their morning worship. Devotions and worship begin EVERY morning at 8:00am sharp, gathering both the women working at Beacon and the entire staff there. What a great way to start the day! For us Americans, it means getting up early to make it to BOH on time (leaving Gracia Gardens at 7:00am and fighting Nairobi traffic for 45 minutes), but we wouldn't miss it.


The singing and clapping make the early rise worth it. We have enjoyed the call and response in Kiswahili, making it less obvious that we don't always know all the words. It's so evident that the women really connect with God during worship. They incorporate fantastic rhythms and a cappella voices, and they are kind enough to let us try to groove along with them. We shared some American worship songs as well, thanks to Kortney and Mike H. on the guitars.


Every morning a woman from Beacon, local pastor, or staff member shares a short devotional message at the end of the musical worship. Even our very own "Reverands" Barry and Mike A. have blessed us by giving their devotions, too, thanks to translators who are impressively fluent in both Kiswahili and English. The words seem more powerful when spoken at the slow pace necessitated by the need for translation to Swahili or English. We often find ourselves leaving morning worship wanting to slow our every morning down, connecting to God in this meaningful way.


What a wonderful tradtion these women are witnessing at Beacon of Hope; the staff and workers truly "walk and talk" their faith. It is refreshing to see an organization put God first in tangible and deliberate ways. In return, we see God working here so powerfully - and are so honored and blessed to be a part of it.

Masaai Medical Camp

On Tuesday we drove the two and a half hours to Bissil, a Masaai village in rural Kenya. We saw for ourselves just how traditional the Masaai people were when we walked through the center of town to make some home visits as well as raise awareness about the medical camp we would hold the next day. We brought bags full of food to three manyattas (the traditional Masaai home made of mud, straw and sticks that comes up to a person's shoulders). Two or three of us would enter the home to invite the inhabitants to the medical camp on Wed and pray with them while trying to adjust to the heat, smoke, and darkness inside the manyattas. The only openings to let out the smoke was the door we entered through. It was also quite interesting for us to see their traditional red and purple robes, colorful beaded necklaces, earrings, and bracelets, as well as the large holes in their ears with weights on the ends. After our three home visits, we returned to the church where we were staying, finished getting ready for the medical camp, and then had a worship service. The Masaai got all of us up in the front dancing and singing with them for almost forty-five minutes. It was incredible to see their passion and the difference between the way we worship. Some of us think that we should bring their style back to America. We got up with the roosters the next morning and started the medical camp. We ended up treating over 500 patients and over 50 people were tested for HIV. The doctors and our team working in the pharmacy worked without breaks. One lady sick with Malaria was carried in a wheelbarrow and several kids walked over 12 miles to be treated. I worked at registration and was amazed to meet fellow nineteen year old girls bringing their children to the camp. We filled over a thousand prescriptions and we hope that we touched many lives that day.

Sarah Wier

The Great Med Run

Nate and I left Beacon of Hope with a driver to purchase medications for the community health clinic we are holding Wed at the Masai town of Bissil. The 30 minute drive took about 50 minutes due to heavy traffic, potholes, and wayward carts on the road. We finally got to the site only to find out it would take about 75 minutes to get it together. We made a run to our hotel to help load the 20 plus boxes of build-a-backpack supplies to take back to Beacon of Hope. However, we arrived only to find out we just missed them, and all the supplies were loaded. (way to go Mark and Paul). When we returned to get the meds, they weren't ready yet so we waited about 30 minutes more. Finally about 13 large boxes came out, we loaded and off we went back to where we began. All in all, it took about half a day just to buy the meds. Tomorrow we depart for our overnight visit to Bissil. Weds will be a great day as we can really meet the needs of many of our Masai brothers and sisters. As an added bonus, I am hoping to learn from the Masai how to kill a lion with my bare hands. I can't wait!!!

Monday, First day at Beacon of Hope

Today we rose bright and early to head out for our first day at Beacon. As soon as we got here we joined all of the women for devotions (with a translator). We felt extremely welcomed! We got a tour of the entire premises which was very encouraging for those who travelled last year since the new facilities are MUCH larger. We got to see the classrooms and meet all of the kids who were thrilled to see us. This was followed by a tour of the women's project areas where they receive training in sewing, weaving rugs, and beading jewelry, as well as how to spin and die the thread that is used. The handmade articles they produce are absolutely beautiful!

Perhaps the most encouraging part of the tour was seeing the new health clinic up and running. We learned much about AIDS testing, medication, etc. and were encouraged to hear that somewhere around 60% of the people in the surrounding community have been tested for AIDS. We eagerly look forward to the medical camps that we will be helping to run at Bissil on Wednesday and in Ongata Rongai on Saturday. Later on, a few of us went down the hill to the school again to spend time with the kids during recess. They literally chased us around in mobs of 10-20 kids and would not stop jumping up to try to touch our hands. They were also enthralled by the girls' painted toenails.

After our first lunch at Beacon, consisting of beans and ugali (something similar to condensed grits), we are sorting all of the boxes of supplies that arrived on last night's flight. Half our team will spend the day prepping the backpacks for the kids while the other half is observing a home-based care class taught by Beacon staff.



Cindy Reigner

Sunday, Sunshine & Settling In

On Sunday, we arose to a nice leisurely breakfast on our outside patio. We were told not to expect this leisure-ness all the time, but for now we'll take it. We then headed off to church at the Ngong Road church plant (1000 in attendance) - part of Nairobi Chapel.



It was a wonderful site to see . . . a huge white tent (I'm talking HUGE) similar to a big circus tent, set up out in a big field. As we got closer, we saw 2 or more tents nearby (these were for the children's ministry and youth). The temperatures are fairly nice year round, so no need for walls. We sat in plastic chairs and enjoyed meeting many new friends. The service was similar to ours (a bit more clapping) and we felt a wonderful community spirit. We were fortunate to meet Pastor Oscar in the parking lot as we were heading to the tent. He oversees all of Nairobi Chapel, which consists of the main church and 34 church plants in and around Nairobi. He spoke at Urbana '06 and is very active in initiating partnerships between the African Church and the Western Church.



Our lunch was at the mall - very similar to an American mall - and we stopped in the Nakumatt, a store similar to Wal-Mart. To expose us to a more Kenyan-ish market, we also visited the Masai Market which had hand-crafted African items, such as jewelry, scarves/kikoys, carved animals and bowls, etc. This market is different than most in the US as you have to bargain for your purchase - a bit overwhelming for this first-time shopper (I'll have to practice for next week's visit). The rest of the afternoon, we rested . . . it has been a lot to take in. We found ourselves in the dark from 5-10pm during a planned power outage for all of Nairobi. We ate a nice dinner by lamp light. We surprised Mike Anderson with a birthday cake (we didn't ask how many!). It was a wonderful way to end our first official day in Kenya.



My words for the day would be: beautiful yet dusty, rustic yet modern, and appealing yet gates/fences everywhere. It is quite a dichotomy. But overall, we are feeling very blessed to have this opportunity to share life with people in another country.

Linda Hershberger

39 bags...2 to go

Last night three of us braved the Nairobi night in a reconnaissance mission for the luggage that never made the tight connection in London. Through a series of very fortunate events including what may have been the Jedi mind trick, two of us were allowed into the baggage claim area to await the arrival of the 9pm flight (it arrived at 10pm). Soon after luggage began moving on the conveyor belt, a mass of personal team bags and boxes filled with the build-a-backpack donations began pouring in our direction. After 40 minutes of pulling bags and boxes from the carousel, we had in our possession 39 of 41 checked pieces of luggage. Only one personal bag and one box of backpack items did not make it (they are set to come on the flight tonight). As a result, this am the entire team is very fashionably dressed in a new set of clothes and looking good as they all had a chance to use their own personal toiletries (shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste) for the first time in a few days. In a few moments we are heading out for the Beacon training center. We will post about our first day on site this evening.

Thanks for your prayers. James

Greetings from Kenya

We arrived safely last night following one very tight connection in London. However, with the assistance of a very assertive gate agent, our entire team was able to make our connecting flight. This was a minor miracle as we had just under 30 minutes to pass through security and make it to our gate at the very end of the terminal. Needless to say, none of our luggage made it. Thus, following church this am, our team will set out for the Nakumat Grocery to pick up the items necessary to maintain team unity (namely deodorant and toothpaste).

Reality in Kware Slums

The following excerpt taken from www.beaconafrica.org is a look at Kware slum, home to the women trained at Beacon of Hope.

The Kware slums are no different from other slums beyond the suburbs of Nairobi, the capital city. They are densely populated and congested, and poverty is rampant. Kware has about 60,000 people living on square feet and desperate poverty has led to a deep sense of apathy and hopelessness, alcoholism, prostitution, battery, and an increase in crime in the surrounding estates.
The people in Kware are desperate for some form of employment, they dream of one square meal a day when most of us indulge in three. Most of all, poor nutrition, inadequate health information and services leads to widespread infection and disease. Poor immunization means even preventable diseases are unchecked.
Depression, the resultant alcoholism and promiscuous living also lead to a high level of HIV infection. In fact, 90% of the women who work at the BOH center are infected with HIV; a majority has full-blown AIDS and constantly struggles with, and succumbs to opportunistic diseases. This reality has prompted us to open a makeshift health clinic on the BOH premises where we stock medication donated by well wishers, and friends of BOH.
The fight to survive has led many to prostitution. It is no longer surprising to learn of families where the mother and her daughters are engaged in commercial sex, many times with the full knowledge and reluctant support of other needy family members. As these men move from hovel to hovel and sexually take advantage of these women, they leave behind a deep sense of hopelessness, disease and bitterness. After some time, the women become skeptical and they are driven by bitterness and hopelessness to infect others with HIV even by choice.
The single women especially are easy pray for wealthy business men who promise them a meal or two in exchange for sex. Unfortunately, there are illicit beer points all over the slum, where cheap, but highly flammable and corrosive alcoholic beverages are found in plenty. Many have been known to die of toxic poisoning from these brews.
Inevitably, there is also a high level of teenage pregnancy and the vicious cycle of poverty continues as children raise children.

We are headed to Kenya

Now that January has arrived, snow covers the ground in Madison, WI. As a result, setting foot on the red clay of Kenya this May seems a long way off-- another world, a seeming lifetime away.

As of today, our team was selected for the May trip to Nairobi. We have individuals from 13 to 58 yo, with skills as diverse as graphic design and an MD in Neurology. All in all, the entire team is excited to get on the ground in Ongata Rongai to work with Beacon of Hope. The plans for this year's trip are quite exciting and diverse. We are slated to once more participate in home visits in Kware slum and to run a free medical camp at the brand new Beacon training center in Ongata Rongai.

This new home base is an answer to prayer as God continues to expand the influence of Beacon of Hope throughout Kenya. Come what may!