Jambo! Everyone
I felt the adrenaline rush of all that is to happen and I could barely close my eyes and sleep. But alas my eyelids became very heavy. It is 3:59am and soon I will roust up my team mates. We'll get a little bite to eat, perhaps a little java and be on our way to the local airport and go to Eldoret and eventually to Kipkaren. Juli tells us that much has changed and it is all for the good. The wells and all the things that have changed have really brought things forward. It is not without alot of future work but things are moving along. I amm very excited to see all our friends. Hoping all of you all out there days are good as well. We will be writing now throughout our trip. Tally-HO!!!!
Doc
Thursday, January 13, 2011
No worries, no worries!!
Hello Everyone
On my very first visit to Kenya our very large plane was beginning its decent when all of a sudden the plane jerked up. Everyone was stunned and quite, after what seemed like a very long time but was really a few minutes the pilot came on and said "No worries, no worries we just have to clear the livestock off of the runway!" Well we certainly did not have to slear any of the live stock off the runway--the landing was smooth. The Jomo Kenyatta Intl Airport has done some renovation and looks very good. Getting our visas went without a hitch and then it was to retreive our baggage. It all went pretty well--all of our bags made it. Now customs--Lauren had made a connection with one of the customs officer so she lead the way. Some of the bags were damaged in flight and he began inspecting them--we quickly handed him a packing slip. We are a pretty large group and he began to address the whole group and then I stepped up and said who I was and that this was a medical mission. At first he would not make eye contact with me and I thought in that moment that I was about to lose this effort and have to try and negotiate a payment plan. "You have medicines?" "No", I replied "I am an eye doctor." "You are eye doctors?" and he immediately waved us through. He must have had a second thought as we were making our way through the doors "Wait, what is in this box?" "Handles for garden tools", I replied. By this time half of the team had met Juli McGowan one of our mission contacts. He looked at me, looked at the packing slip looked out of the door and once again waved myself and the rest of the team through. Yee-haa!! The team smiled and high fived one another as we made our way to the waiting vans to take our supplies to Kipkaren and the other waiting van to take us to Mayfield, which is a very pleasant and beautiful home that has been made into a hostel. It's only 3:30 in the afternoon in Cedar Rapids but it is 11:30PM here and we need to get up at 4am to be at the airport by 5am to catch our 6am flight to Eldoret. So I am going to sign off soon for now-- but all I can say, if I am a cat with nine lives, getting through customs, I am grateful to the "powers that be" that I have a few lives left.
Mayfield Hostel
We made it to Kenya and in good order, but what a long day. Not to often you travel with little or no issues. (knock on wood, we still have to get home) The biggest problem we had was that a lot of our action packers were open when we got them. No lost bags or totes, we won't know if anything is missing until we get to the village. (Keep your fingers crossed) One more leg of our journey tomorrow and we will be in Kipkaren. Everyone is excited to be here and ready to get to work.
Hello to everyone back home, hope all is well there.
Jennifer
Jelly Bellies over the Sahara
Hello everyone
We have arrived, at least as far as Nairobi. And yes, I got a little homesick somewhere over the Sahara Desert. Fortunately a modest handful of Jelly Bellies brought me back to the reality that I am on the most exciting adventure of my life. Okay, I may have eaten the entire bag. The flights were fine. I've seen enough movies to last me for a while. I did watch 15 minutes of one movie before realizing they were speaking French. Guess I should have been napping instead.
At this moment we have checked into Mayfield Hostel and it is so much like a camp retreat center that I feel right at home. Even a dining hall. It will be a short night, though, as we will be up and off to Kipkaren by 6am. I suppose I should try and sleep but who can sleep when there is so much excitement. Sleep is highly overated, as my friend Fitz would say. So I shall save my sleeping for sometime in March.
My love to all those who have given me the encouragement and support to step out of my comfort zone and travel so far to help other people.
More Jelly Bely tales later.
Going to sign off now.
We have arrived, at least as far as Nairobi. And yes, I got a little homesick somewhere over the Sahara Desert. Fortunately a modest handful of Jelly Bellies brought me back to the reality that I am on the most exciting adventure of my life. Okay, I may have eaten the entire bag. The flights were fine. I've seen enough movies to last me for a while. I did watch 15 minutes of one movie before realizing they were speaking French. Guess I should have been napping instead.
At this moment we have checked into Mayfield Hostel and it is so much like a camp retreat center that I feel right at home. Even a dining hall. It will be a short night, though, as we will be up and off to Kipkaren by 6am. I suppose I should try and sleep but who can sleep when there is so much excitement. Sleep is highly overated, as my friend Fitz would say. So I shall save my sleeping for sometime in March.
My love to all those who have given me the encouragement and support to step out of my comfort zone and travel so far to help other people.
More Jelly Bely tales later.
Going to sign off now.
Settling in the Mayfield Hostel
Wow, our adventure has been wonderful so far. Smooth and relaxed. I am very grateful.
Even the trek through customs and immigration was without problems here in Nairobi, Kenya. A gentleman in uniform was checking out our 28 parcels and plastic bins of supplies, wondering what we were doing with it. He watched the team piece by piece pulling more bins from the luggage belt and dropping them off in the corner. I pointed to the handsome man with the white hair: "That's my dad!" I told him. He commented: "Strong man...your mother must be even stronger!"
No worries, though. When Dr. Fitzgerald reassured him we were there with medical supplies: "We are eye doctors," she said. He waved us through. I love the instant promotion--can I start giving exams now?! Thanks, doc :)
Just took one of the best showers in my life, and settling in at the Mayfield Hostel ( aka summer camp luxury stay) in Nairobi for the next 4 hours--until we're up to hit the airport for the final leg.
The team is really an awesome group of people, each with their own special talents. I am really excited to meet the villagers and all the wonderful people I have heard about in Kipkaren tomorrow morning.
Cheers to you all!
Lauren Chalupsky-Cannon
Even the trek through customs and immigration was without problems here in Nairobi, Kenya. A gentleman in uniform was checking out our 28 parcels and plastic bins of supplies, wondering what we were doing with it. He watched the team piece by piece pulling more bins from the luggage belt and dropping them off in the corner. I pointed to the handsome man with the white hair: "That's my dad!" I told him. He commented: "Strong man...your mother must be even stronger!"
No worries, though. When Dr. Fitzgerald reassured him we were there with medical supplies: "We are eye doctors," she said. He waved us through. I love the instant promotion--can I start giving exams now?! Thanks, doc :)
Just took one of the best showers in my life, and settling in at the Mayfield Hostel ( aka summer camp luxury stay) in Nairobi for the next 4 hours--until we're up to hit the airport for the final leg.
The team is really an awesome group of people, each with their own special talents. I am really excited to meet the villagers and all the wonderful people I have heard about in Kipkaren tomorrow morning.
Cheers to you all!
Lauren Chalupsky-Cannon
In Flight Movie reviews
Whew! What an exhausting day of travel. 7 1/2 hours of flight time from Detroit to Amsterdam and then 9 hours of flight time from Amsterdam to Niarobi can sure wear on a guy.
The flights were flawless, the food was decent and the movies were ups and downs. I am really looking forward to spending the next few days with these peolpe on our team. The more I learn about them, the more I like them. They are fun, creative, and genuine people. I even like the person who didnt wake me up for the ice cream on the plane (Jennifer).
This is my first time travelling overseas so it was amazing to fly over the Sahara desert and see a sea of sand.
We had a very nice selection of movies to choose from to meet our entertainment wants and needs. This traveller will list the movies he chose to view along with his personal ratings of each
film.
Inception - 1 air sickness bag and 3 bags of peanuts -This movie, although well acted, was predictable and didn't live up to the hype. The trailers for this movie were better than the movie, even with the cliff hanger ending with the spinning top.
Toy Story 3 - all the peanuts - this movie rocked
SALT - 2 air sickness bags and 2 bags of peanuts - good story but Angelina Jolie was not the right actress for the role. Her physical skills (running and punching) have lost their luster and she is no longer believable as she once was as Tomb Raider.
Valkyre - 2 bags of peanuts - good story, not well told. Nice try Tom, better luck next time.
So, see Toy Story 3, the rest of them can wait for cable.
~Markus
The flights were flawless, the food was decent and the movies were ups and downs. I am really looking forward to spending the next few days with these peolpe on our team. The more I learn about them, the more I like them. They are fun, creative, and genuine people. I even like the person who didnt wake me up for the ice cream on the plane (Jennifer).
This is my first time travelling overseas so it was amazing to fly over the Sahara desert and see a sea of sand.
We had a very nice selection of movies to choose from to meet our entertainment wants and needs. This traveller will list the movies he chose to view along with his personal ratings of each
film.
Inception - 1 air sickness bag and 3 bags of peanuts -This movie, although well acted, was predictable and didn't live up to the hype. The trailers for this movie were better than the movie, even with the cliff hanger ending with the spinning top.
Toy Story 3 - all the peanuts - this movie rocked
SALT - 2 air sickness bags and 2 bags of peanuts - good story but Angelina Jolie was not the right actress for the role. Her physical skills (running and punching) have lost their luster and she is no longer believable as she once was as Tomb Raider.
Valkyre - 2 bags of peanuts - good story, not well told. Nice try Tom, better luck next time.
So, see Toy Story 3, the rest of them can wait for cable.
~Markus
Note from Jim
I think this is an awesome group. I feel lots of energy, and GREAT things are going to get accomplished!
Greetings to all
Wow, do I feel so blessed to be a part of this amazing team H2-Hoe 2011!
Sharon's awesome experience and words of the wonderful people we will meet, my parents' energy and knowledge, my husband's resourcefulness, Jennifer's task-driven focus, Carolyn's fabulous sense of humor, and all backed by Dr. Fitzgerald's world-moving power! ...and this is just the first few hours in.
We have made it quickly and safely to Detroit and are mentally preparing for the next few weeks of our lives...it is such a gift to be here. Thank you for your support as we take off into the beautiful world.
~ Lauren
Sharon's awesome experience and words of the wonderful people we will meet, my parents' energy and knowledge, my husband's resourcefulness, Jennifer's task-driven focus, Carolyn's fabulous sense of humor, and all backed by Dr. Fitzgerald's world-moving power! ...and this is just the first few hours in.
We have made it quickly and safely to Detroit and are mentally preparing for the next few weeks of our lives...it is such a gift to be here. Thank you for your support as we take off into the beautiful world.
~ Lauren
Hello from Detroit!
This is Markus from the 2011 team. We have just finished our first leg of our journey to KENYA!!The entire group seems to be getting along famously. We are already joking and picking on each other just like you would a sibling.
Our focus is going to be split between working with cleaning their water supply and working in the soil. As a nod to both areas of focus, we have nicknemamed oursleves "Team H2-Hoes".
I think Tom Petty said it best when he uttered the words, "The waiting is the hardest part ". Now that we are all on the path to Kenya, we all want to get there right now and get started. All of this "sit and eat and drink and watch movies, sit and eat and watch movies" on the plane waiting to get there is really quite taxing on the mind and body. Thankfully, this group is awesome to be a part of and every member brings more joy and energy to it than you would believe.
All in all, a great start to what is certain to be an awesome experience.
~ Markus
Our focus is going to be split between working with cleaning their water supply and working in the soil. As a nod to both areas of focus, we have nicknemamed oursleves "Team H2-Hoes".
I think Tom Petty said it best when he uttered the words, "The waiting is the hardest part ". Now that we are all on the path to Kenya, we all want to get there right now and get started. All of this "sit and eat and drink and watch movies, sit and eat and watch movies" on the plane waiting to get there is really quite taxing on the mind and body. Thankfully, this group is awesome to be a part of and every member brings more joy and energy to it than you would believe.
All in all, a great start to what is certain to be an awesome experience.
~ Markus
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Up, Up and Away
Hello Everyone
We left Cedar Rapids a little late but Delta connections and the whole crew were absolutely fabulous!! All 28 bags and boxes of supplies got on board with little problem. Can't say that for the team:) just kidding. Everyhing went extremely well. We have a name--because we are a water,irrigation,crop, medical team we are officially Team H-2-h(O)e--to everyone in Kenya we are Team H2O but to everyone back home it will be Team H-2-h(O)e because of the shovels,hoes, dirt picks etc that we are taking with us on this trip to help get water chlorinated and do irrigation with crop. I will be steady to blog often and keep everyone updated. Thanks to Julie Gorman and Crescent Electric for using their van and getting up early to move so many Action Packers,bags and boxes of medical, dental, water equipment. We always take everything we need to do the jobs we are sent to do. I am so grateful to an understanding supportive and loving family,staff and friends. Withoout all of you this would never be possible thank you for all your love and encouragement. Out for now--A single idea, a single action does move the world!!
We left Cedar Rapids a little late but Delta connections and the whole crew were absolutely fabulous!! All 28 bags and boxes of supplies got on board with little problem. Can't say that for the team:) just kidding. Everyhing went extremely well. We have a name--because we are a water,irrigation,crop, medical team we are officially Team H-2-h(O)e--to everyone in Kenya we are Team H2O but to everyone back home it will be Team H-2-h(O)e because of the shovels,hoes, dirt picks etc that we are taking with us on this trip to help get water chlorinated and do irrigation with crop. I will be steady to blog often and keep everyone updated. Thanks to Julie Gorman and Crescent Electric for using their van and getting up early to move so many Action Packers,bags and boxes of medical, dental, water equipment. We always take everything we need to do the jobs we are sent to do. I am so grateful to an understanding supportive and loving family,staff and friends. Withoout all of you this would never be possible thank you for all your love and encouragement. Out for now--A single idea, a single action does move the world!!
The Journey Begins!
Its 6:30am on Wednesday, January 12, 2011 and it is the coldest of the previous years of mission trips. We start off at the Cedar Rapids Eastern Iowa Airport, Delta airline arrival terminal. I pull up to see Julie Gordman standing in the back of her van, rear doors open and the team members pulling bin after bin out in such an orderly fashion that gives an assurance that we only send the best of the best over. I join the team inside and start the process of accessing the 18 action packers, 4 bags, and 2 boxes of equipment.
Now is the fun part, checking them in. How this works is the airline allows the 1st bag free, 2nd bag at a cost of $100 or less, and any additional bag for $200. So our team members only check one personal bag each and then we allot an action packer, bag, or box to each person until all are checked baggage. So this means that each member could be checking in up to 4 bags per person (Spanda Inc pays for any additional bag cost). We take equipment and supplies over in this particular manner because, it costs less than shipping, equipment is more secure and efficiently delivered.
The most amazing part of the process of packing this equipment and supplies is that we are spot on in weight. It amazes people how, considering our method of weighing is having someone stand on a scale and have them hold the container to measure its weight, thank you Jennifer Hicks Pershing for being that person.
So it is 7:15, all baggage has been checked in, tickets issued, now the next hurdle making it through security. I watched carefully while the machine was flagging our checked baggage. Each bin that was flagged was carefully opened and searched. The Delta security were friendly and even asked my help to instruct on how we put the zip ties on the action packers correctly so they could secure the items for us.
At 7:45, all baggage was cleared and tagged to Nairobi, Africa where it would meet up again with the team. As I gave my hugs and thank you’s to these wonderful and gallant people, I walked away with the sound of Mark Cannon and Jim Chalupsky coordinating a team cheerleading shout out “GO TEAM” and “GO DELTA”. Today is a good day, let’s all pray for safe travels for both the team (pic left to right: Carolyn Hamilton, Jennifer Hicks Pershing, Lauren Cannon, Jim Chalupsky, Mark Cannon, Joan Chalupsky, Sharon Dieter, Dr. DeAnn Fitzgerald) and the equipment/supplies.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Trip #4 Begins
The Spanda team is packed and ready to embark on the 4th trip to the Kenya health care clinic. The flight takes off early tomorrow morning from Cedar Rapids and will arrive in Africa 20-22 hours later.As well as the hand-knitted dolls mentioned before, the team will be bringing with them supplies to help the dental clinic expand, an industrial chlorinator for the clinic well, ideas for irrigation and hearts ready to help.
Check back often while the team is gone to learn progress and updates as Dr. DeAnn Fitzgerald blogs about their experiences.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Kenya 2011: Embarking on Trip Number 4
Spanda Inc. is excited to embark on its fourth trip to Kipkaren, Kenya. The team will leave Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on January 12th and will return January 26th.The 2011 team includes: Mark and Lauren Cannon; Jim and Joan Chalupsky; Sharon Dieter, Carolyn Hamilton; Jennifer Pershing; and Dr. DeAnn Fitzgerald.
This year’s team will focus on the following goals:
· Installation of an industrial chlorinator for use at the clinic well
· Soil testing and analysis for a possible passion fruit farm
· Irrigation strategies and methods for crop production
· And, 500 dolls hand-knitted by Cedar Rapids, Iowa, volunteers Mary Uthe and Lorie Meyer will be distributed to the village children.
“This is an exciting time for all of us at Spanda Inc. It will be gratifying to see the wells in operation as well as the new dental chair being used at the clinic! A huge thank you to everyone supporting Spanda with your time, money and positive thoughts as we embark on this awesome journey," said Spanda Inc. founder, DeAnn Fitzgerald.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Clean Water at the School
Last month's Dental Banquet was huge, we are still so greatful for all those who participated and made the fundraiser a success. However, a new dental chair at the Kipkaren Clinic wasn't the only exciting thing to happen last month. September also brought clean water to the Chebaiywa School. Check out these amazing pictures to see how excited the school children were.
Monday, September 20, 2010
KipKaren has a dental chair!
Saturday was the big banquet! We had a great turnout with over 250 people present in the ballroom of the Crowne Plaza. Local channel 9 news anchor, Beth Malicki was our Mistress of Ceremonies; and both Dr.'s DeAnn Fitzgerald and Karen Besler gave presentations. The night included a fabulous silent auction with over 60 items and a live auction with 6.
Thanks to our awesome sponsors and our many volunteers who worked to make this event a success, we were able to meet our goal and send a brand new dental chair to the KipKaren Clinic! Jeremiah is still in training, but when he gets back to the clinic he will now have a great place to treat his patients.
Friday, August 6, 2010
Downtown Farmer's Market
Spanda Inc. will be at the Cedar Rapids Downtown Farmer's Market tomorrow morning, Saturday August 7. We hope you will come see us at our booth and learn more about our fundraisers and projects to help our friends in KipKaren. Don't forget, we have the KenYa See MY Future In Your Eyes Dental Banquet coming up next month. Visit www.spandainc.com to learn more about how you can attend or donate!
Monday, June 21, 2010
Dental Services are Vital!
Won’t you help us help others? Here is the type of dental services currently received in Kipkaren, Kenya:“Today at the clinic, we saw some interesting patients. We saw a boy with an infected tooth cavity and he needed to get it removed. The extraction was intense and pretty hard to watch. There was no dental chair, spotlight or x-ray machine. Teeth must just be pulled. I watched as the dentist just climbed over behind the poor boy with one leg up and loosened, then yanked the tooth out.”
~Nursing Student at Kipkaren Clinic (8-11-09).
September 18, 2010, is the KenYa See MY Future In Your Eyes Dental Banquet at Crowne Plaza in downtown Cedar Rapids. Tickets can be purchased by going to www.spandainc.com or by contacting Dental Associates, (319) 363-0267; Dr. Fitzgerald & Associates, (319) 366-3500; or Spanda Inc., (319) 364-2311. All proceeds will benefit the Kipkaren Clinic and help them to receive those vital dental services. Tickets are $40, $25 fair market value, or $350 for a table of 10. The evening will include a live and silent auction, and feature Kenyan food. Hope to see you there!
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