Friend of a friend ... how I decided to do this!!

You know how you just run across those people in life and you have no idea why they feel so "comfortable" to you...as if you've known them forever...there's just something that draws you near them and want to be life long friends forever even though you just met???? Well, that is exactly what happened to me and that is how I am here today, leaving for Africa in 40 days for a trip that will change my life...all because of an encounter with one of those people -- that instant friend for life! 

Kim & I hiking Ecola in Oregon

Her name is Kim and the little that I've learned and gotten to know about her is amazing! We met last December, 2012 when she was out here in Maui visiting a friend of ours from a previous medical mission trip! Eric met her first and told me that when I met her, I would just love her && that is exactly how it happened! We met and chatted about all kinds of things and I felt like she was a friend from back home that I have had for years and being all the way out here, that feeling is quite special and when it happens you don't want them to leave! But we managed to hang out again while she was visiting and got to talking. I found out she is a Physician Assistant and she has been going on medical mission trips since 2011. AND it was then & there, she put that spark and that interest back in me to join onto a trip and travel to a third world country for the better good!  She has been to Bolivia THREE times, twice to the Philippines, once to Peru and is coming with me to Kenya this year along with the Dominican Republic in 2014 and another trip back to Peru.  HOW inspiring and amazing she is! From what I have learned and from what I can tell, she loves to selflessly help others.  Kim has a huge heart that I don't even know the half of yet I am sure.  We have since spent another vacation of hers here to Maui together and when Eric & I traveled to Portland this past fall, the two of them surprisingly set up a surprise dinner together! We got to talk more about what the trips are like, what to expect and how it will change you.  She came all the way from Eugene with her dog to Cannon Beach and got herself a condo for the night just to have dinner and a hike in the morning with us....instantly friends forever & we haven't even ventured on this journey yet! 

Hiking with Kim & Beau her awesome dog in Oregon

Because of Kim I decided to check out the Project Helping Hands Organization that she spoke so highly of and signed up for my very first trip! I had been begging her and asking her to come with me to Kenya (especially since she had never been either) but she ensured me that there was no way she could swing it with all her trips she had committed to.  And so, I decided regardless of her going or not, Kenya was where I wanted to go and so I set out and applied thinking it would be me and 16 strangers.  Little did I know, she was surprising me and had signed up for this trip as well! Eric & Kim knew a week before I even knew that I was accepted...THOSE two little liars!!! And the day I found out that I was chosen for Kenya I immediately texted her all of my excitement about being accepted and yet I wished she was going.  Her reply back was "Yeah, I knew you were going last week because I AM GOING WITH YOU!!!!" I was literally jumping up and down when she broke this amazing news to me!!! It will be like traveling with a forever life long friend yet, we hardly know anything life long about one another! But it's one of those connections...one of those "weird ways a person becomes a part of your life" and I cannot wait to experience this trip together!!

She has been my GO-TO person these days when talking about what to pack, what to expect.  I have been texting her non-stop with so many questions and she is so awesome with all he answers and advice.  ME: how much travel toilet paper do I need, what is a solar shower, do you really need a bug net......At one point I said "I am so sorry if I am being annoying with all my questions you don't have to talk to me right now" and her heart felt reply was how eager and excited she is to have a "newbie" to be excited for and she can't wait for me to experience this! I mean, talk about someone truly being excited for someone else...it must feel like christmas morning for her! I cannot thank that one encounter that brought me Kim & put that spark in me to do good for others and put our gift of caring and loving strangers to some serious use!  
This is one of those "People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime.
When you figure out which one it is, you will know what to do for each person." 

I look forward to catching up with her on our 60 some hours of travels and our time in Portland together and invading each others personal space at an ultimate personal level and have our lives changed together! And for all of this I thank her and for our paths crossing! A true showing of people come into your life for some sort of reason!

HOW MY FUNDRAISING is going!!!!!!!!!!

Well, I can say as of today December 8th I received my last and my largest check in the mail along with a beautiful Christmas card from a very dear family friend to reach my goal of $3500!! I have teared up with pretty much every donation and loving letter that I have received. Today, what I thought was going to be a Christmas card from a dear family friend ended up being my largest donation to date and hit my goal! I started this fundraising back the end of August and have been overwhelmed with the generosity and excitement that I get to share with you generous friends & family.  YOU guys have payed it forward and taken the first step in helping these people. I know you all have faith in me and believe that I am going to do amazing things....those are some BIG shoes to fill and I'm beginning to get EXCITED inside!! Excitement to do this & excitement to have you all behind me & I hope you all are as eager as I am to learn about all we did.

I can't tell you how humbled inside I was from the day I received my first donation to the support and interest many of you have shared with me.

There is still SO MUCH you can help us do.  Please keep donating to the Project Helping Hands website just the way the link describes:  CLICK HERE TO DONATE    You are also welcome to send me the checks.  You will still receive a tax deductible receipt if needed let me know.  The money that I raise above what is required goes to our CONTINGENCY FUND which is crucial to us for the trip.  There are medications and supplies that we cannot buy in the United States that we must purchase when we get to Kenya.  The extra funds will allow us to get certain medications and supplies to exceed our expectations!! So please continue to donate but if you could shoot me an email/message and let me know when you donated online so I can keep track and keep you updated on everything we did!
 


YOU may also purchase me a gift card for Walmart/Costco/Walgreens or send me a check to purchase stuff myself....in which I will buy supplies listed in another blog entry BELOW.  We have 2 checked bags that we must fill with a list of supplies to bring and share with everyone there.  You can also send me boxes of listed items in the entry below or I can get them from you ( my mom can help in Illinois and I can meet you out here in Maui )!!!






I have TONS of stuff to collect and I am looking forward to filling my bags with as much as I possibly can and would love to share this with you!

CLICK HERE FOR THE LIST OF SUPPLIES I NEED TO COLLECT!!!!

An eye opening message

I received an email from my team leader to include some much needed supplies to pack! They just returned from Turkana with an update on how they are since the last trip out there and what is more specifically needed come February.  She also included some information to begin our mental preparation for the experience.  While I do think everyday about the people I will meet and what I will learn about them and their culture and I cannot wait to earn their respect and share with you all what these people have taught us...I have these thoughts in my head and pictures I see online while doing my own research about Turkana but this tidbit in our email makes it more real! And makes me get butterflies thinking about being there and experiencing their lives. 

Section of the email entitled "FISHBOWL EFFECT"

~You WILL feel like you are in a fishbowl, being watched all the time, because, well, you are! The Turkana are very curious, a lot never having seen a white person before, and will watch your every move.  Expect to hear “How are yo?” at least 50 times a day being yelled at you while you walk. They do however respect our personal space in the past, as long as we set that expectation.  The children will crowd around and will walk with us and watch us eat and set up clinic. We need to be very conspicuous when we eat. Most of the people do not have much food or any, and it is very hard to have them ask for food. If you start handing out food, they will swarm and it is overwhelming.  It is good to know and prepare for before you leave that your personal space will not be what you are used to for the duration of our trip. We will be in close quarters with each other for a long time, and with the people in the villages we visit.

Crazy to imagine that we will be the center of interest for them! Seems unfathomable to me.  Not only do I want to learn about them and learn from them, but respectfully back, I look forward to them wanting to learn about us <3 

YOU can donate more than just money!!! SUPPLIES are KEY!

Aside from money….there are other ways you can help!!!!

Medicines and supplies are the backbone of this trip to Kenya.  On previous trips, teams have treated approximately 3000 people/team and 99% of the medicines and all of the supplies were collected and brought to Kenya by the teams.  To ensure that we have the appropriate amount and type of supplies for the trip, it is imperative that every team member keep their commitment and help collect and pack medicines and supplies as identified through the orientation manual and emails from the Medical Team Leaders. 

Each team member is mandated to bring  a certain amount of supplies. I have to fill one large storage bin and another checked bag full of supplies:

                                                                                                                                         

If you would like to help donate I would take anything, 1 bottle the next time you stop at the grocery store, a gift card to Walmart/Walgreens. If you live in Chicagoland area suburbs, my mother can meet you somewhere and she will be sending me a box with stuff as things become collected. If you are here in Maui I can come pick up at any location!! Otherwise, the flat rate boxes are pretty cheap to ship here to Maui and they get here in a few short days! I’m planning on my guest room to soon be looking like my very own Walgreens!! Message me for my address or with any questions on how to get stuff to Kenya for us!

Some simple things they desperately needed like sunglasses or reading glasses will mean the world to them! Then, we would like to bring some gifts for them to enjoy like any type of BEADS for the women, small simple toys for the kids, baby/kid clothes....you will be amazed just going thru your house to find some things listed below or not listed! They will find a use for anything! 

I recently learned that they use a certain type of tree branch with some ends they use to brush their teeth so the simplest things will bring much joy and help their health! 

Vitamins (adult & children) NO IRON

Pain Relievers (tylenol, ibuprofen, - adult & children)

Antibiotics (ampillicin, erythromycin, amoxicillin)

Ointments (bacitracin, triple antibiotic, Neosporin, polysporin)

Ear/Eye antibiotics

Scabies/lice lotion/shampoo

Skin ointment/creams (antifungals, anti-itch with and without steroid)

Reading glasses (I can take used ones or even pairs from the DOLLAR store!!)

SUNGLASSES THEY NEED BADLY!!!

Pens/Pencils/Sharpies

            Thermometers

            Blood Pressure Cuffs

            Disposable Otoscopes

            Calculators

            Pill Cutters/crushers

            Baby wash

            Baby bottles/Nipples

            Toothbrushes

            Toothpaste

            Soap

            Laundry Soap

            Maxi Pads

            Hand Sanitizer

            Cotton Diapers

            Baby diapers

            Oral Rehydration powder packs

            Baby formula, powdered

            Urine dip-sticks

            Urine pregnancy tests

            Plastic Vaginal Speculums

            Duct Tape

            Tarps

            Rope

            Penlights

            Multiuse tool

            Baby booger getters AKA BBG’s (yup-that’s what they’re called)

            Baby Bulb Suction

            Aerochambers for albuterol

            Stethescope

            Blank sticky white labels

            Clipboards

            Snack/sandwich size baggies

            Medication reference books

            Dermatology Book

            Batteries

Small toys and gifts are also much appreciated both for individuals and for local schools and orphanages. We will talk more about how these gifts are distributed.

                        Sewing kits                                         Extra Material

     Thread/Needles                                 Bandanas

                        Soccer Balls                                       Calculators

                        Ball pumps                                         Inflatable balls

                        Jewelry (necklaces, bracelets)         Coloring books

                        Balloons                                            Crayons                                                                       

                       Hacky sacs                                       Beads and fishing line

                        Glow Bracelets                               Harmonicas

                        Stickers                                             Matchbox cars

                        Flying Discs/Frisbees                      Small Puzzles

                        Eyeglasses/Sunglasses                  Small Footballs

                        Pencil Boxes                                    Cards

                        Carrying Bags                                  Small Zipper bags

     Pocket Knives                                  Duct Tape                       

     Scissors                                            Lighters

                        Flip Flops                                          Nail Clippers/files

                        Bubbles                                            Hats

                        Water bottles                                   Jump Ropes

                        T-shirts              

                        School Supplies (pencils, pens, paper, educational material etc)

                        Baby/children’s clothes 

Also, I am planning to bring something easily packable to give to the people and children I meet.  Small things like, bracelets, balloons TOOTHBRUSHES, toothpaste, mini nailpolishes, bubbles…anything that I can bring in quantity and that is small to pack in my bag would be awesome! If you would like to help donate I promise to bring back pictures of the people with our gifts!!!

These are actual pictures of some people and children of the Turkana Region where we will be staying and doing our work. I cannot wait to meet and learn so much about these people. The stories I will have to share when I return will be possible because of my generous friends & family that have helped me get there and reach my goals!