Kaloleni Kenya Update November 2007

Dear team and supporters, Val and Brian Nibbs have just returned from a "holiday" in Mombasa which inevitably included some very enjoyable visits to Kaloleni and Rabbai. I thought people might appreciate a summary of the progress being made.

Firstly the Laundry: The first group will remember it being just a concrete base - picture left. By the time we left several courses of blocks had been built. In theory it should have been finished in October but it was delayed, mainly because it is a more substantial building than we envisaged. There is also a water heater which will supply the kitchen as well. lt will be a huge improvement for the hospital . It is amazing how much £5,000 can achieve in Kenya.

The Operating Theatre: During the last week of the project we surprised ourselves by cleaning and painting this block which we had previously decided was a step too far. That effort will I am sure reap dividends in the near future. When we left the theatre was full of props, it is now clean and painted. The doctor is aiming to split it into two theatres and they are trying to get extra equipment from a Japanese company. In the meantime the budget we have provided has enabled the equipment to be serviced and used many times. Far fewer patients have been referred to other hospitals which saves the costs of transporting them and the operations brings in much needed revenue.

The Kitchen: A small and a large multi-fuel stove have been installed. Due to the quantities they are now having to cook the small one will be moved to the staff kitchen and another large one bought. Lorraine and several others will remember their horror at discovering dead and alive four legged friends in the food store. I am delighted to report that the food store is now well and truly rat-proof!

Ambulance: A very welcome arrival is the new ambulance supplied by the Kenyan government, This replaces the ancient Land Rover.

There are more patients than they have had for a considerable time. That means the staff are being paid and there is money to employ more people - hence the following letter:

To those who know me Chemical Charo and to those who don't, I say Hamjambo - how are you ? ...I also thank God for I have been taken back again in St. Luke's Hospital as Maternity Cleaner and general work thank you so much . May God bless you.... yours hardworking Chemical Charo Kalume.

So a cleaner hospital and a job for Charo - a great character we remember with fondness and a smile - "you want them chemically clean, sparkling clean" he was proud to say. Maureen writes:

I salute you all in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.. I am glad for this golden opportunity once more to say hey to you all. Your generous contribution and your actual coming to St. Luke's let me testify that it has left a mark in St. Luke's. Believe me or not the painting of the hospital actually totally changed the face of the hospital and this has made patients to flock to the facility seeking for medical services. Our number of inpatients has really increased now ranging between 40 patients and 58 patients per day. We were forced to add ectopic beds because the actual number could not accommodate all the patients . The four delivery beds that Madame Val helped to make the new cushions have been of great help because at times they are all occupied by mothers in labour. We have seen the community changing its attitude towards the hospital hence we have great hope that we shall make it as a hospital. May God bless your pockets and the good work you did for the hospital. Your coming actually motivated some of us to remain in the hospital. It made us know that God hears prayers for it was long since people were touched to support the hospital .... From your loving sister in Christ. Maureen.

Val Nibbs reports that the children's ward was so busy she could not get in - it was so full of beds, patients and relatives. She thinks the next real need is to expand the maternity section into the children's ward and to renovate the old ward which we called the "committee room" - the dilapidated building down the slope - see picture At. Near the building we painted beds in. It can easily be linked to the main building.

Val and Brian had arrived in Mombasa on Sunday 28th. Simeon and his wife Grace (away in America when we were there) joined them for lunch. Simeon- the Chairman of the hospital - arranged for them to visit Kaloleni on the Wednesday via the Voyager Resort to meet Richard O'Mara who had helped so much with the painting. At the hospital they met the doctor, Mama Safari, Vincent and Lehna (now concentrating on her previous job of the nurse training, whilst the doctor also acts as administrator). The ambulance was absent at that stage as it had collided with a goat and had been arrested - the doctor had to go and arrange for its release!

On the way back to Mombasa they visited Rabbai. They were greeted by the vicar, Sammy and 40 members of the Mother's Union plus about 30 children. Val presented the money Prisca and Gouray Church had raised for the youth band keyboard.

They were taken to the site of the new nursery school, pictured left on the base. Thanks to the £1800 raised by the St. Clement Harvest Appeal the walls and roof can now be added to the concrete base ( which was partly funded by the Mother Union making curtains for the hospital as part of the project ). By the end of their second week Simeon arrived at the hotel with a photograph showing that three feet of blocks had already been laid. Sammy insists I go and lay a foundation stone - no idea when but it would be super to see full of children. Not surprisingly this was not the last time they visited Kaloleni. They stayed on Saturday night at Grace's house. On Sunday Val took our greetings and some gifts she had made to English and Swahili services at St. John's Church in Kaloleni. Peter the vicar was delighted to introduce them. On their last night in Mombasa it was Val's birthday and Reverend Peter and Judah - a student at Bishop Hannington who had worked on the project - joined them. Meg, the principal at Bishop Hannington college, which many visited sends greetings from the students who worked with us. Also Peter the vicar sent a letter

"I wish all of you fabulous x-mas and a prosperous happy New Year 2008 with all God's blessing on behalf of ACK Church Kaloleni and St. Luke's Hospital. We really love and feel glad to have a friend like you. God bless you abundantly."

Val also took a gift of money from the project funds to give to Dr Gilchrist - the elderly retired doctor. His pension is very small as he spent most of his life working in Africa but he saves up each year to fly out and work as a volunteer for several months and lives on very little. He was delighted with the assistance. Another link with the past has been the discovery of the whereabouts of Dr Milton Thompson who ran the hospital in the 60s and 70s before Dr Gilchrist. His son found Martin's web site link and photographs and got in touch just in time for his fathers 90th. birthday celebrations - they were delighted with the good news. Also encouraged has been Canon Bobby Miles who set up the Bury Trust which helped with our costs. He used to visit the hospital and the Milton Thompson family every month when he was Provost of Mombasa Cathedral. They had lost touch for many years.