Arrival and the first week

Computer problems have delayed more timely postings in this blog, but after a week, we are ready to begin posting. So here goes:

The drive from Nairobi to Maua was a long (6 hours) and bumpy trip, but we were enthralled with the beautiful, lush, green scenery – banana trees, rice fields, tea plantations in the valley and mountains in the background.

Throughout the entire trip, we saw hundreds of people walking along side the road – some in their Sunday-best, walking to or from church; others en route to or from market.  Kenyans walk a lot! 

We were welcomed by UMC missionaries, Jerri and Bill Savuto when we arrived at Maua Methodist Hospital, and also enjoyed dinner at their house that first night.  The Savutos have served Maua for ten years.  With  their help, we have learned much about the hospital, its programs and the people.

My original concept of Maua Methodist Hospital was misleading.  It is not just one building as shown on the brochure, but consists of twenty medical buildings plus staff housing on  the nineteen acre forested campus.  The hospital has 275 beds and treats 100,000 outpatients plus 12,000 in-patients per year.  In addition, Maua Methodist Hospital hosts a school of nursing and runs an extensive community-based outreach program.  Patients pay a small fee ($2.00 to see a physician’s  assistant; $4.00 to see a doctor) but some of the support comes from Methodist churches in the U.S., Germany, and the U.K.

Compared to the new Pocatello Medical Center, Maua Methodist Hospital is old.  It was built in 1928, but the buildings are surprisingly cheerful.  Each building is built around a central courtyard, which lets in sunlight and fresh air.  Unlike PMC, there are no private rooms here.  Up to seventy patients may occupy one large room or ward.

Roger and I don’t need an alarm clock here.  Each morning at 5:00am some of the nursing students and staff gather in the chapel, which is next to our “cottage” for a Pentecostal –type worship service.  We enjoy waking up to their beautiful singing, but figure that only God can understand their speaking in tongues.  We adjust our bedtime earlier to compensate for the early wake-up call.  We then attend one of the more traditional chapel services at 7:30 (staff) or 8:00 (doctors).

Physicians here wear a long white coat, which distinguishes them from the nurses, students, administrators and other staff at the hospital.  Roger had no white coat so he is wearing one he found in the closet at our cottage.  The problem is that it is quite small and that it says “Leslie Smith, MD” on it.  It bothers me more than it seems to bother “Dr. Leslie”.