The Malek Diaries - 4/27/2011

Nairobi.


Yesterday, we started the morning off by going to MEDS (Mission for Essential Medications and Supplies). Their office is a little fast from Ngong Road, where we are based here in Nairobi, but we used the missionary car to get there early so we could confirm our order. Our list of items is long, and we wanted to make sure we got everything!
When we got there we realized it was going to take longer than expected. Inexplicably despite three months of correspondence as well as having prepaid for our meds, the folks at MEDS were not expecting us! Over the next few hours we counted and recounted meds, made sure we had everything on our list, got some extra ranitidine and omeprazole for good measure (it seems like everyone had gastritis or ulcers, Kenyan as well as Sudanese!) and packed and labeled the boxes to our satisfaction. The delay notwithstanding, the people at MEDS were kind, good natured and helpful and we got it all sorted out.
We set off from the office in a matatu to go to lunch before visiting a local kenyan bank to open an account. Back when UU was working only in Kenya, we had little need for trans East African country banking. Now that we are in Uganda and Sudan, we need a bank account with a presence in all those countries. KCB fit the bill, so we took our business there.
Meanwhile, we finally got in contact with Garang. We were eager to speak to him after receiving his cost analysis to see whether traveling to Uganda for our purchases was a wise idea. His recommendation was to make the trip to Kampala since prices and availability were more assured there. He also told us some sobering news: his uncle was killed two days ago by a Murlee. His communication was delayed because he was attending the funeral. Our prayers are with his family.
On the bus ride home I saw two gentlemen dying on the street. Initially I was ready to yell to let me off the bus to do something to help, but I realized quickly how powerless I am, in so many ways. It also made me realize how much Kenyans themselves struggle to piece together a living. Over 50% of them are unemployed. This in arguably the most stable country in the region. How can we excite Kenyan med students and health professionals to work at our clinic when they themselves need a hand up? It's not the bleeding heart, champion of the poor mentality we have in our developed countries. Those ideals are a luxury here.
Over breakfast at Mayfield, I met a sweet Caucasian girl who I assumed to be American. It turned out she was born in Kenya, has lived here all her life, and is actually a junior in high school at a very well established school for missionary children in Kijabe, a small town with a prominent hospital staffed year round by foreigners. I wish our clinic can end up like that. Kijabe Hospital and Rift Valley Academy are deeply entrenched in the missionary community and culture, which keep it funded and running. In fact, I was surprised to read that Theodore Roosevelt himself commissioned the building of the academy back in 1906!
But UU work is not missionary work. Our work is health and education: sound minds and sound bodies. While we don't subscribe to the missionary culture, one thing we would do well to adopt from them is the idea of really getting to know the community before proposing a change, even if we think we know better than they do about things like disease and hygiene. We need to observe and listen first instead of talk first. That requires humility and patience in just the right dose.
Deng arrived safely last night with his wife and is staying at Mayfield as well. Today, the plan is to make our travel arrangements to Uganda. Mayen will be going straight to Sudan with the 90 kg of medicines and supplies. In Uganda, Deng, Mario, Mom and myself will make all our purchases and hopefully make it to Sudan early next week, where we will finally meet up with Garang and Kuai, two other vital members of Team UU.