What was I thinking....

Did I actually think that it would take less than 2 hours to make 80 copies for my training today? 

Did I actually think a note on the school's wall and door (to tell them to go to the church) would be ABLE to be read by half the people attending the training?

Did I actually think that Nelly would be able to stop injecting babies and seeing patients to go and train 37 Nuru Health Representatives?

The answer is....well, I was hoping! But somehow in the back of my mind I expected a little chaos. Ok, a lot of chaos. 

Today I started Nuru Health Representatives training; Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday of this week from 2pm to 5pm in a church down the dirt road from Nyametaburo Health Center. The topics are Malaria and Respiratory Tract Infections (2 of the BIGGEST causes of morbidity in Nyametaburo Sub-Location). Thursday will be general health info, and logistics about how THEY will train. 

See the Nuru Health Reps are selected for each Nuru group to go and learn, and then come back to the group and teach. Also, to represent the concerns and ideas of their group. Really, we're doing this! THIS is the work that for YEARS I have wanted to do. Train the trainers, empower, teach, etc. I'm stoked. But I have to be honest....Satan was being a total turd today, and was trying desperately to steal my joy and give me anger and lack of trust. And why wouldn't he? I've been sent on a journey - to do work for God. To love the poor. To help the people in Kuria, Kenya. And why would Satan want God's love lived out like this? Not that I'm anything - I'm not. But God in me...Well that's a force to be reckoned with. And to be honest, I SAW his power show up today. 

For real?! a) 2 hours at the printers when I was supposed to be planning with Nelly, b) trying to go to lunch before our "uninterrupted" planning time, and there being no food, c) sitting in a room to talk and locking the door and having a family member come to the window 3 times and a breast feeding daughter brought in, 4) getting to the changed venue and there being NO one in sight to unlock the door. Really?! You'd think there was a lack of planning...there wasn't. It was planned. This just all "came up." Sneaky, really sneaky. But I wasn't gonna let the anger, that so desperately wanted to take over,  get the best of me. I called Doug to pray with me on the phone. 

I CLAIMED a verse that was written in a card months ago, and sent we me before I left, for me to open on THIS day - from my friend Paul - "In the same way, the spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the spirit, because the spirit intercedes for God's people in accordance with the will of God." Romans 8:26-27  -- Man I was weak! and I had NO idea what to pray. So I asked for the spirit to intercede on my behalf. I prayed everything I could think of, mainly asking God to take it. It's for his glory anyway, not mine. And I trust him that he LOVES the heck out of these people and wants to see them healthier. 

Not to be "verse happy" but there's another spectacular verse that I claimed for myself and my heart today - all that means is that I Trusted that it is truth and I asked in faith to receive it's promise- Philippians 4:6-7 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  

No lie! That is exactly what happened! God's peace washed over me! In a chaotic moment, prayer WORKED! I knew it did, I'm thankful I have a job and a life where I have to rely on God and on my team to get thru it. THAT'S what's important, not the result, but the process. Not the destination, but the journey. How did you fight? What happened when you got slammed to the ground? Who did you run to? 

My training, was not mine. It was incredible, and I'm not that good. I serve a Big God who is though! Nelly knocked it out of the park - and how, I don't know. She's a mom of 3, an aunt who has welcomed her niece to live with her, a wife to Bonaface (sweet name huh), and a nurse who has been the ONLY person to work at the Nyametaburo Health Center for the last 8 days - the 8 days before training, she lives on less than 3000 Ksh a month ($40 a month,  $1.33 a day), and 20 minutes AFTER she finished training and was debriefing with me she got called back to the health center to see the 10+ patients that had been waiting since 1:30pm to be seen! She rocked it! And I know it was the spirit inside her, and a God that loves the heck out of his people!

37 people showed up. They had some interesting comments and questions - and I'm PROUD they felt comfortable to ask and share things like: Malaria is caused by eating bad Mangos, and you can treat it with Avacado leaves, and Pneumonia is a type of Malaria. Those are all the random ones, but people also asked - does the insecticide on the net harm people, what should I do if I sleep outside so my cattle won't get stolen, can you pass immunity to someone else, are injections best to treat malaria, and more. 

Tomorrow I will have them teach me at the beginning of class as a review. We will treat a net, teach about Respiratory Tract Infections (RTI), and again, rely on God to show up! I love my job!!!

Pictures: I took these while 5 groups of 7 discussed: types and signs/symptoms of Malaria, causes, treatment, prevention for Pregnant mothers, and prevention for everyone. Yes, that tambourine is our paperweight. And Nelly is in the yellow with the group of mostly women in the 2nd pic. Nelly = rock star!

Random truths: I am coming to you from a dirt floored kerosene lit room (how do we have internet) and I have had LITERAL ants in my pants 2 days in a row. That is all!