quicky, but goody!

tomorrow marks the one week mark from my departure, i am rooting myself in every moment, somewhat preparing for my return, but part of me doesn't even want to go to the realities of life that greet me when i return. so far i have lived the kenyan way, going about my day unsure of what is to come, living in the moment. responsibility awaits when i return, along with friends and family i can't wait to love on, but the ones i love here i will surely miss...but, we don't have to think about that quite yet, because there is still work and fun yet to be had!
this past weekend i went snorkeling in the indian ocean. it was unbelievable! the boat we went out on was two levels tall and as i climbed to the top i thought this is the good life. when we arrived to our snorkeling destination i jumped in and fish swarmed around me. i had never experienced such unhindered attention from these little guys! i placed a piece of bread in my hand and they all came towards me, i yelled underwater and laughed as i was caught up in their trek for food! one of the guys got a little sea sick so we had to go back a little early which was a good thing because a storm was a-brewing and the rain lasted the rest of the day. boo! but i finished some reading, learned a new game from friends called "kemps" and then watched a movie on my computer with the rest of the volunteers! sunday we went to malindi for a short bit and then came back to have lunch and put on our bathing suits to head to the beach right outside our house. a couple of friends and i swam in the water and then walked to the "curios" (shopping shacks) on the beach and then my friend daniella and i rode a camel back. yea, you heard me right, a camel. the best but scariest part was getting on and off it literally felt like i was riding a bull...a once in a lifetime thing that i had to do!

yesterday we went to an outreach on karibwe island with the dispensary where we educated, counseled, and tested residents on HIV and prevention and then did health assessments and administered vaccinations to children. we were only prepared to do these few things listed above but the residents were told that doctors were coming from the mainland to treat them. there were no doctors with us, and when the others heard this, knowing i was a nurse, looked at me to be able to fill in for this duty. i helped with some dressing wounds and gave out the few pain medications that i had but i felt so unprepared and sorry for the people that showed up seeking care, only to be told they needed to be referred since we didn't have the resources. i started to tear up looking into the eyes of an elderly woman who could not afford to cross the island and pay for the services. my prayer is that she stays well until the clinic goes out again next month with more capabilities to treat those like her. after we were finished we were given a tour of the island and a short canoe ride before we came back to play football with the school children. 

today i helped build a house for a lady from the clinic. this is no ordinary house but a mud house where i carried dirt in tubs on my head like a local and then we poured water to make this clumpy, moist, clay and literally threw it on the current structure to wait for it to harden and build onto it more. i took pictures so i can't wait to upload them! it was dirty but mostly awesome!

that is all for now rafikis, i wish i could type more but i am drained from the day! much love from me to you!