Meningitis, malnutrition and ‘muru’ moments.

25 Feb 2012 1 Comment

by Catherine in English

‘Muru’ (pronounced moo-roo) is the Ngambai word for the local staple food, which is made with the flour of sorghum, rice or millet. I love eating it and feel thoroughly spoilt when nurses invite me to eat with them in the middle of the hectic days. We sit together and eat from a central plate with our right hands, taking a piece of ‘muru’ and dipping it in the sauce. Sharing together in God’s provision for us.

I hate meningitis. The statistics for meningitis speak of a third of people dying, a third recovering and a third being left with long-term consequences. The statistics are more harrowing when you see the families and patients affected.

I hate malnutrition. Some of the children come in so malnourished that they can’t fight against the acute infection that has brought them in to hospital. There is a fantastic feeding program run by the local Catholic sisters. So it is great to see the children who do recover from their acute infection, enrolled with people who can help.

In the middle of the stresses of dealing with meningitis and malnutrition, I am always thankful for the ‘muru’ moments.

L’orientation au Kenya

03 Aug 2011 1 Comment

by Catherine in French, Uncategorized

Salutation de la cours d’orientation a Machakos, Kenya.

Les cours sont intensifs, mais la nourriture et les divertissements avec les autres nouveaux missionnaires sont magnifiques.  Nous venons de plusieurs payes, qui incluaient le Brésil, l’Allemagne, le Canada, l’Australie et les Etats-Unis.  Nous allons aux plusieurs payes en Afrique.

J’étais à l’école de Rokocho, Kenya

J’ai fini mon voyage en Kenya.  C’était 10 jours qui sont très occupé avec beaucoup des cours de motivation que j’ai enseigné dans les écoles locales.  J’ai rendu visite à plusieurs amis, que je me suis encouragé beaucoup.

Malheureusement, âpres avoir passé 10 jours là-bas, je suis tombé malade.  Mais je suis rentrée à Nairobi, comme j’ai préparé à l’avance.  J’ai reçu l’aide de mes amis Ecossais et j’ai changé les médicaments.  Maintenant je me sens bien. 

Nous sommes à Machakos pour 3 semaines.  Priez pour ma santé, mes forces et ma concentration de toute la formation que nous faisons – plusieurs matières sont très difficiles.

Orientation in Kenya

03 Aug 2011 1 Comment

by Catherine in English, Uncategorized

Greetings from Africa Based Orientation in Machakos, Kenya.

The classes are intense, but the food and banter with all the other new missionaries are good.  We come from countries all around the world, including Brazil, Germany, Canada, Australia and the USA.

We are also going to many countries around Africa.

Me in Rokocho school, Kerio valley

I had a safe trip ‘up-country’ in the Kerio valley in Kenya for 10 days.  It was an extremely busy time, as I was expected to speak motivational lessons in many of the local schools.  I also had the opportunity to visit many friends, which was a great encouragement.

Unfortunately towards the end of the 10 days, I wasn’t so well, though managed to make the trip back to Nairobi as planned.  I had great support from some Scottish friends and managed to get onto the right medication to get treated and am now feeling a lot better.

We are in Machakos for 3 weeks.  Please pray for my health, my energy levels and my understanding of all of the training that we are being given – some of the topics are very challenging.

Packing and paperwork!

22 Jun 2011 2 Comments

by Catherine in English, Scotland

Me on the summit of Lochnagar

I have less than 2 weeks left in Scotland and life is a whirlwind of packing, paperwork and Goodbyes.  I find it especially hard to say Goodbye to the elderly and children.  I have taken lots of photos along the way, which I am hoping to print out and put up in Chad.  It has been encouraging to meet with many folk who faithfully pray for me.

The timetable of farewell services and mountains has come to an end.

Below is an idea of what the next few months will look like.  As God’s timing often looks different from mine, the reality may well be quite different – watch this space!

3rd July – late evening flight to London

4th July – Fly to Kenya

6th to 16th July – Visit Cheptebo, Kenya, where I lived from 1999-2000.

19th July to 9th August – Africa-based orientation.  There are around 25 of us from all over the world going to many different countries in Africa.  We receive teaching on culture, health, safety, language learning and many more topics.  It is quite an intensive 3 weeks.

10th August – Fly to Chad.  I will spend the first while (as long as it takes) getting a visa, work permit and driving licence sorted in the capital.  I will then go south to Bebalem, where I will have a home-stay with a Chadian family before I start work at the hospital.  The home-stay is also an opportunity to start learning the local language, as well as customs and culture.

I am looking forward to finishing the paperwork and packing and actually getting there!  I would value your prayers for my French, my Goodbyes and for the orientation – that I’ll be able to take in the information so that I can use it when it will be needed.

I will be able to update this blog in Chad, so do keep an eye on it for updates.

Thank you for your prayers.  God’s timing is perfect.

Marseille 2011

08 May 2011 2 Comments

by Catherine in English, France

Greetings from Marseille!  I am half way through my 6 weeks here.  Some days the French flows better than other days.  I am shadowing a GP in a rural medical practice around an hour away from Marseille.  The vocabulary that I am learning is mostly in the presentation of problems by the patient.  It is a fantastic learning opportunity and I am extremely grateful to Dr Houn and his wife for their help.

For the first 2 weeks, I was house-sitting and cat-sitting for a Scottish family and I am very grateful for the use of their house.  Though I am less thankful to the cat for the frequent gifts of nearly-dead lizards and mice!  I am now living in a shared flat with a girl from the Christian Union in Marseille.

Me on St. Victoire.

I am involved in my local church here and am also involved in a puppet presentation of the story of Jonah that the AIM team here are doing on Saturday 14th May.  I am managing to squeeze in some time with friends here, some Frisbee practices (for a different knowledge of vocabulary) and I finally managed to climb the local mountain, St Victoire.

Farewell services – dates for your diaries

22 Apr 2011 Leave a comment

by Catherine in English, Scotland

1st June – Belfast, Northern Ireland.   8pm at Stranmillis Evangelical Presbyterian Church.

12th June – Aberdeen, Scotland.  10.30am at Bridge of Don Baptist Church

19th June – Inverness, Scotland.  11am at Castle Street Baptist Church

If you are not able to come to one of these services, but would like to meet up before I leave, please contact me.

Return to France

31 Mar 2011 Leave a comment

by Catherine in English, France

I am returning to Marseille for 6 weeks more language study from 11th April to 27th June.

I spent 3 months last year in language school in Marseille.  In spite of the bin-men striking, I settled well into the city, finding tons of friends, a welcoming church and a friendly Frisbee team!

This time I am hoping to shadow some doctors to improve my French for working.  I would really value prayers, as the more I know, the harder it is to discipline myself to improve.

If you are in south France, do visit and I will have internet access, so keep in touch!

Flights booked for Chad

16 Mar 2011 Leave a comment

by Catherine in English, Uncategorized

This week my flights are being booked for a departure in the summer.

God’s timing is perfect!

Nomad

16 Mar 2011 Leave a comment

by Catherine in English, Uncategorized

Greetings from ‘on-the-road’, which has it’s moments of being encouraging, puzzling and exhausting.

The encouragements are mostly to do with meeting people  – groups and individuals – who pray for me.  Friends, relatives and churches have shown an interest in hearing about the work in Chad and in praying for me as I prepare.  People have fed me, given me accommodation, asked questions, helped me prepare me house for letting, kept me company and supported me.  Since my return from France in December, I’ve been very well supported and am very grateful to everyone for this.

The puzzling bits are with timing.  My timing is different from God’s but His timing is always best.  Waiting for His timing and knowing why is often puzzling.  Some answers come quicker than others.

The exhaustion is with all the travelling.  My belongings are scattered between many places and I never seem to have the things that I need where I am!  Travelling is good, but lacks routine.  I’m never the best to settle for routine, being very impromptu, but the constant lack of routine is exhausting.

I am very grateful to God for His timing in the preparation.  And very grateful to the friends and family that have supported me along the journey.  Preparation has been a long journey in itself.  But God’s timing is best.

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