10:00pm      Today was a good day full of interesting conversation and good times.  My students at school drew pictures for me and I am going to bind them all together in a small book.  They were so excited to learn that their artwork was going to America! 

At lunch, Mama Day wanted her hair braided like mine.  Almost every day I braid my hair in 2 french braids (because it easy to do and no one can tell that I haven’t showered in 3 days).  She could have her hair braided in so many ways much better than I can do, but she wanted it to look just like mine.  I’ve fallen in love with the mamas, they are probably the sweetest people on the planet.

At the clinic I worked with Paul, the lab tech, again.  I was able to see the malaria parasites under the microscope and he had me look at urine sample of a woman with failing kidneys (probably something only a medical student would find intriguing).  Every adult, child, baby that came in; malaria test: positive, malaria test: positive, malaria test: positive.  This is his daily routine.  It baffled me because malaria can be prevented and it seemed that this was just an insane number of people testing positive.  So I talked with Paul about prevention methods: mosquito nets, staying away from puddles and other still water sources (breeding grounds), and staying away from tall grasses.  The government supplied treated mosquito nets to the clinic to sell (but this happens only every once and awhile and they are praying to get some this year).  These can be sold for 50 Kenyan Shillings.  But when these are not available, to buy them from a store in Kisii (3 hours away) they cost about 600 Shillings, not affordable to anyone here!  So that’s why many people don’t have them. 

As I looked around the clinic, there are posters about different things but all in English, and Paul also told me that probably 15 out of 50 patients can’t speak/read English.  So I took on a new project.  I’m going to put together brochures/pamphlets about signs and symptoms, treatment, prevention of Malaria, Tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS.  I’m going to write them in English and Paul will translate them into Luo.  I will type them up at home (America) and make copies and send them back. 

65 Kenyan Shillings = 1 US dollar. 

I also found out that one fish costs 80-100 shillings, (a person, n average, makes 50-200 shillings a day).  HIV is extremely widespread in a fishing town like this partially because prostitution is very high.  Women will go to buy fish, and fishermen have them sleep with them before they are allowed to buy fish.  What a trade.

I was told by one of the boys at the compound that he won’t be there the morning when Chris and I leave.  I asked why, because I really wanted him to be there to say goodbye.  He said that is not allowed in his culture for men to cry.