Nyeri, Kenya 2010 - The final day
Our thanks to Phil Green for his inspiring blogs from the Wheels trip to Kenya - Here's 'Day 9 - packing up and flying home.'.
Day started about 6:30 for me... Couldn't sleep so I got up.
Glenda, Chris and I headed down to the hospice to sort out the last chairs whilst the rest of the team headed off to Nairobi. We had two people turning up even today today wanting chairs and crutches. We did manage to provide for both of them.
We sorted out the rest of the chairs which were destined for various hospitals and the hospice. The children's chairs were also headed off to the place Glenda had visited on Monday.
We said our goodbyes and headed off to Nairobi to meet up with the rest of the team. A spot of lunch later and a visit to the place where they make Kuzuri beads. Apparently they sell them in Harrods for exorbitant prices. I got a few for some loved ones. All the beads are made by single mothers and we got a tour of how they are made.
Then we headed off to the airport where I am currently writing this. We have a 6 hour wait or so till we fly.
So it's time to reflect I guess and I have mixed emotions really, well more confused really.
Combination of sadness, nervousness, elation and probably mixed with other stuff as well.
Personally it's been a rough ride but worth while. I lost a loved one at home and so going home is going to be a challenge. Glenda has been such a blessing to me.
I have lots of things I need to work on with Gods help, some self confidence issues and learning to believe that my sins are and have been forgiven. I tend to struggle with guilt.
Even seeing the people coming for chairs has made me feel guilty sometimes. I am so blessed with what I have in life and seeing the things I have seen leaves a lasting impression. It should make me more grateful to God but I sometimes end up with feelings of guilt, the 'why me' question pops up now and again.
Glenda reminded me that while we have been here that about 50 people were born again making a commitment to God. At that point I realised why we were here. To share the gospel and God's love through wheelchairs. Being a techie or an OT you don't see that bit, we leave that to Pam ( well God really). It's great to be able to help and show love in such a way, in fact I feel privileged to be here. It's a strange feeling for me, I guess I never thought I was helping doing God's will, I just wanted to help where I could but again Glenda reminded me what we were here for. The side effect of hopefully improving someone's day to day life is also great but if I'll see them in heaven well that's much better !
I have a special place in my heart for Pip though. I hope she doesn't mind me writing about her here. I think she openly says she is an atheist and that surprised me. I am not saying Christians are somehow more compassionate or anything like that but coming out on the trips and the compassion she shows and coming to church with us etc. Well it just surprised me.
Anyway ....
I was upset the other night and both Glenda and Pip had their arms around me ( what a lucky guy you may think). That said, Pip was upset that I was upset. That made me even more upset ....catch 22.
But she has made a big impression on me.
Pip if you read this you would make a great (amazing if we use team speak see below) Christian and I'll be praying for you. I'll be really sad if you're not in heaven.
Every night Glenda or Chris would say the team have done an amazing job or may be it was awesome, I'd have to agree. It's been a tough trip with some long days and yet no one stopped.
God's been so good to us and often people would say God bless you and I know we have been. Maureen was good to go the next day after she had been ill so our prayers were answered there. We have been able to do some more creative things with the chairs also with Roy's woodworking skills, Brian's clamps and rasp and a little help from my cordless drill, all came together in the technical department. The way the OTs would bounce ideas of each other. The way Glenda and Chris organised things and Glenda would multiple task fitting crutches and chairs. The way Jane made sandwiches for lunch (as well as other things of course). The way Ian, Christine, Naymbura, Warui, Wakani (sorry if I spelt these wrong), Tess, and those others would help translate and of course the way Pam would preach the Gospel. That's what makes a team.
There are a lot more helpers behind the scene of course - those at the hospice for example. Those at home praying for us etc. All I can say is thank you to them from me and thank God for all of them.
It's been a interesting and as mentioned an emotional time for me being able to write the blog for the trip and sharing some of my experiences of a wheels trip.
I will hopefully be doing some more trips (if I am allowed and haven't caused too much trouble this time) in the future and I'd encourage others to do at least one.
So I'll end my story here. I hope I have managed to share some of the experience of a wheels trip with those reading and not sent you all to sleep.
By the time you read this we should be home and going back to our normal jobs etc. Those praying for us please don't stop as I know for me at least it can be tough trying to fit back in to the UK way of life. I'll have to remember what day it is for starters...
Till next time, thanks for supporting us.
PS Thanks God ... You're a great God.