Jimmy and Chase Miller- Serving Kenya since 2011

You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. Genesis 50:20 The thief had been planning as soon as he heard the news that the American physicians were coming to Kijabe. He knew they would bring money and wealth.  At the first moment of distraction he would strike.  We were busy setting up supplies in the play room that would become our center of activity for the next 7 days.  A crowd of patients and family members gathered outside the room in line to be seen by the American doctors. Our backs were turned as some stacked suture and supplies along the benches.  Others were down in clinic screening patients for surgery.  The thief struck quickly and boldly as he grabbed what he knew would contain money.  Only moments passed when we realized the enemy had struck.  In all, money, credit cards, computer, 2 passports and the key to our house were lost.  Guards were c...

At Tenwek news travels polepole (slowly).  It seems to take several weeks for everyone to figure out I have arrived.  It was very busy my last 24 hours.  We had one last emergency the night before we left.  I was called to the outpatient clinic to evaluate a man who had hoarseness for 4 months.  Yes he had some breathing issues too.  He "snorts" tobacco.  this was a new one for me.  they apply water to tobacco to make it moist and then place it in their nostrils and snort it!  Upon my arrival he was in obvious distress with difficulty speaking.  he was thin with evident weight loss.  Evaluation of his vocal cords revealed that there was virtually no airway.  He was rushed urgently to the operating theatre.  God had gone before us and the OR team had just completed a case. We were able to slip in and perform an emergency tracheostomy.  laryngoscopy at the same time revealed a large tumor.  I brought about 10 trach...

My time at Tenwek is winding down.  We will be leaving tomorrow afternoon.  Jimmy will be returning to the states and I will travel to Kijabe to join a cleft lip and palate team.  I will be operating one last time before I go.  I don't know how to summarize my time hear as it has been a whirl wind of  activity.  I have seen answered prayer and I am so grateful to the Lord. The photo above is Enoch who is the young boy with meningitis secondary to an ear infection.  I found him sitting in the sun with his mother yesterday.  He is making a remarkable recovery.  I would ask for continued prayers for his hearing.  Although the infection is getting under control his hearing is very poor.  We presently have no access to hearing tests or hearing aids.  I brought an audiometer this year and this should be up and running in the next couple of weeks. I spent the morning at the construction site for the new Eye and Dental building...

This past Friday (10/14/16), I was invited to the Korara School for Visually-Impaired Children by the Tenwek Eye Clinic to help with water filtration.  They have 107 children at this particular boarding school with 12 Albino children.  Upon entering the school grounds, I stopped at the front entrance to read their sign and was caught by the fine print, "Disability is not inability, we can make it".   I like that motto!  These kids were studying hard in class, they have chores like all the other boarding school children do, and they are thriving.  Like many African countries, anyone with a disability are shunned to a point, especially the albino kids.  But here, they are loved by special teachers, staff, and the other students. They get their water from a well on campus, but it is very, very dirty (see below).  We purchased (2) 25-gallon tanks and (10) 5-gallon pails for clean water.  We got the containers drilled and put together and the kids be...

Today we had the joy of visiting Kitoben Children's Home.  This is the orphanage we have been visiting and supporting consistently since 2011.  The children all remain healthy and free of water borne illness thanks to the water filters.  They continue to grow.  The school now has day students from the community and the school has grown to 5 teachers and classes nursery through 8.  In Kenya the children attend secondary school only if they pass comprehensive exams after grade 4 and 8.  They have 9 students about to take their class 8 tests.  The greatest news is that they have completed the first stage of their school building that houses classes 1-3.  This was a project we supported last summer and has now come to completion except for a few details. New school building Alice, Benard and Samwel praising God for new school building Farm where they are teaching children how to farm for their food. Growing tomatoes, bananas, passion f...

    Tenwek hasn't changed much.  It is a busy hub with most of my work coming through the casualty area.  Infections seem to be the theme this year.  Patients present in this area with late manifestations of infections.  I know that the full time missionaries are trying to change the culture and educate patients about presenting early but there is still a major problem here.  A typical scenario is family members carrying a patient into the casualty area unconscious and literally barely alive.  Last night I was called to casualty during dinner for a patient with "Ludwigs angina".  This is an infection stemming usually from a dental infection which causes swelling in the front of the neck and pushes the tongue up blocking the airway.  When I arrived on the hospital compound they were pushing the stretcher as fast as they could over the uneven pavement towards the operating theatre.  the patient was drowning in blood and pus from his m...

Jimmy & Rose Wambua - Japmor Enterprises I arrived into Nairobi late Friday night with no ride in sight!  Thankfully, I was able to locate a nice taxi driver and he got me to the Guesthouse safely with all my luggage.  I met up with Jimmy and Rose Wambua from Japmor Enterprises (Nairobi) who supplied me with the Sawyer water filters.  I purchased 200 filters and 75 spigots from them.  We exchanged many ideas back and forth and I believe that we will have a good and long relationship together. I met up with Chase on Sunday at Tenwek and got right at it on Monday.  I heard familiar words - "Ndo Muto" (Bucket Man) is back!!  I didn't get more than 100 yards towards the hospital and I was spotted!  The great thing are the stories from people who have the filters; "I feel better and my children are healthier!" - "We haven't been sick at all from the water!"  It is such a blessing to hear the stories and they say "thank you" to everyo...

Migori Kenya Update I completed my first segment of the trip in Migori and have arrived at Tenwek.   There was virtually no internet in Migori so I have been unable to update.   We were incredibly busy in Migori but the Lord was in control of all the details.   We arrived after 3 full days of travel.   The last leg was a 10 hour drive to the remote town of Migori.   The main tribe is Luo.   They are farmers and practice polygamy and wife inheritance.   I found the people as God fearing, stoic, and thankful for all we could do.   We arrived Friday night and were received by almost 100 orphans.   I got the biggest hug from Faith, a darling 8 year old girl.   I think she thought I was an angel with my blonde hair.    Saturday was recovery day, seeing the compound, orphanage and visiting a home in the community.  We also set up the clinic in the afternoon.  Work started Sunday and we had long, full days....

I received a brief phone call from Chase after the first OR day (Monday).  A few surgeries in the morning went well and then some more difficult cases came in the afternoon.  Chase asked for continued prayer for her upper neck and the muscles in that area.  She needs strength and stamina for these cases.  Her spirits were good and her resident, Pyria has been a big help! I did not hear from Chase today (Tuesday), so I'm thinking they've been pretty busy.  I leave this Thursday and start my trek over to Kenya, and I also ask for travel mercies and safety while I spend a couple of days in Nairobi with a potential water filter source. Thank you for your prayers and I hope to get some more updates and photos up on the blog soon. Jimmy

Chase, Pyria (her Resident), and the rest of the Kenya Relief team arrived safely to Migori, Kenya!  It was long travel days and nights, but they arrived intact with all of their luggage.  Prayers were answered as they walked right through customs with no issues - thank you Lord! I spoke with Chase this morning on a local Kenyan phone, it appears that they will not have any cell service and internet this week.  Chase sounded good and up-beat, but she heard that they have lined up many, many patients with major Thyroid issues.  They would like prayer for wisdom and discernment concerning the patients and that the Lord would guide them to the most needy cases.  The surgical days will be long and Chase asked for specific prayers for her neck, that she would be able to withstand the long, bent over periods of time in the OR. Please join me in praying for the entire team, medical and non-medical, as they bring the healing and life-giving name of Jesus to the leas...