Hugh's blog

We took a plane to Africa. I slept on the plane and I ate on the plane. It was fun. I met Levi. He is my friend. We play in forts and we look for loquats. We climb in trees. I help Peter make swords. It rains here. We play in the mud. We jump on the trampoline and we go on hikes. I sleep on a bunkbed. Glenn is on the top. It has a net on it. We are going to see animals . It is a safari. We will ride in a jeep. We are going to sleep in a tent. I love Africa. Bye Bye. From Hugh

Glenn's blog

I got to ride on a plane for the first time. The clouds were beautiful! We were so high up and everything down low looked so small. I've been sleeping on the top bunkbed and Hugh is on the bottom. We have met friends and we love to make forts under the palm trees and banana trees. I like to climb trees and I have found a bunch of chameleons. They sleep in my room on the window screen. The people here are really nice. It is beautiful and warm here even though it is winter. I have loved meeting other people, especially Miss Janet and Miss Cicilia. They help us at our house. The people are always happy here. There are alot of sick people here too. There are poor people and children without parents. This is one reason I am so fortunate. Another reason is because we can get food whenever we want when we are at home. Over here they have to grow their food and there aren't any stores or restaurants. It is still fun here but I know that I am very lucky. We have more than we need at home because people here have all that they need. God gives them what they need and gives us too much. I want to come back and visit and I will miss my friends here. Love, Glenn

Wallace's blog

Today in church, we sang some songs that we know from back home. We sang, "Lord I Lift Your Name on High," "How Great is Our God," "The Presence of the Lord is in This Place," and we listened to "Amazing Grace" during the offering. I liked it because it was like Second Mile. Speaking of our church, last year at the end of Bible School, I was able to tell the church what the week meant to me. I told about going out into the mission field and helping at different places in the community. What I remember saying was that I learned about compassion and putting your feet in another person's shoes. Tenwek hospital, here in Africa, is a lot like that only this time I've learned about humility. Being humble means we are thankful for what we have and who we are and we don't take it for granted. We don't brag about it either. The people don't have much but they do have God's love. The things I take for granted everyday, people here don't know or care about. They make a small living from selling the things they make, and they have to depend on God everyday for what they have. Even though they don't have very much, they are happy people. They read their Bibles alot and sing to God. The most important thing I've learned is that it doesn't take much to be happy. Love, Wallace

The Nyangores River, flows out of the Mau escarpment & converges with the Mara river: the source of the hydroelectric dam.

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

The dusty road to Silibwet - Hospital water tanks: Tenwek Hospital - We Treat Jesus Heals

Glenn with her first chameleon.

"Hangin' Out..."

Along the side of the road!

Hugh was fascinated with the lamb at the orphanage in Umoja.

We love you all!

...And So Is the Western World

It's probably a good time to explain how blessed and appreciative we are to have Janet and Cicilia helping us. Before leaving the states, we had signed up for "house help." We didn't think we really needed it, but because we were advised to, we signed up for it anyway. Again, God was looking out for us. I can't imagine what it would have been like for us without Janet and Cicilia. They have been our saving graces. Janet does most of the cooking and Cicilia does most of the cleaning. Not because I want a break (though that's nice), but because it would be nearly physically impossible to do what we're here to do, while maintaining an almost "pioneerlike" lifestyle.

At home, in our busy lives, we become reliant on automation for our daily living. We rush, rush, go, go, and yes, have family dinners together as much as we can. However, it's not without the help of a microwave, dishwasher, washing machine and dryer. Some of us can certainly remember the days without many (or all) of these modernized inventions, but the days before grocery stores seem foreign. Here, something as simple as making a ham sandwich would require going to the butcher for meat, growing, picking and washing the lettuce, baking the bread and making the condiment from scratch. A task that alone requires several hours to prepare. Though many of us, on occasion, enjoy doing the "from scracth thing," it's not out of neccessity and not for every single meal that we consume. Consequently, we have Janet:) She's not here on the weekends, so we have to brainstorm throughout the week to prepare for the weekend, (the first week we neglected to do this, so we all lost a pound or two, but quickly gained it back once we got "into the groove"). Even if we had the transportation, the nearest grocery store is 4 hours away, back in Nairobi, so it's not possible to divert from the plan much by saying, "What do we feel like eating tonight?". While Janet prepares lunch and dinner, and any snacks that are to be had, Cicilia, meanwhile, is hand laundering our clothes, hanging them to dry and serves as Janet's "prep cook." Their help enables me to run things somewhat like we do back home - picking up after the kids, straightening up and implementing the day's activities. Weekends are also much like home. We often find ourselves picking up from the week and trying to take things in slower stride.

We have willingly put ourselves in this new situation and environment for a "spiritual rennovation" of sorts. At home, we start our days with noise, (and if you havn't seen the Rob Bell video, "Noise," it's totally worth watching!); the alarm clock ringing, music or television playing, the sounds of voices urging us to hurry. Added to this mix is an endless monologue swirling through my head - things I need to accomplish today along with snippets of conversation from yesterday. My day is a sea of endless noise and motion, a sense of "hurry up, time's a-wastin." It's not just the noise either that disrupts our peace. Our society promotes this lifestyle. In such a fast-paced culture, we have to be intentional about slowing down...being still and listening.

Although I don't miss the "hurry sickness," I (selfishly) appreciate our modern technologies and our ability for near instant gratification back home. and ahh-how I can almost taste a Starbuck's Decaf., Skinny, Vanilla Latte'! ...And so is the Western World. All Our Love, Ave & co.

NICU

Wow! 1/5 the space of our NICU at home with the same number of babies (~40)...1/7 the nurses for the unit with the same severity of illness (birth asphyxia, seizures, respiratory distress, cardiac and other anomalies, extreme prematurity, HIV...) no ventilators, only CPAP...no IV nutrition, only sugar and salt water...limited medications. There are many things the Tenwek NICU needs but compassion and love of Christ are not on that list. They make due with the limited space. ALL the mothers come to the bedside of their infant EVERY 3 hours around the clock to express breast milk by hand and feed their baby. The chaplains make rounds daily, and the mothers are very attentive to God's Word. Here, the NICU is no different than any other place in or out of the hospital, that is, when you are concerned with daily survival...you become completely dependent on God for your daily provisions. As one of the long term mission doctors has said, "Living is a marathon not a sprint."

The people we have met along the way have rich stories. The driver from Nairobi, our host mission family, the NICU charge nurse, our house help... They are almost impossible to comprehend. How can this be? Their living arrangements, their wages... By American standards, the struggles seem insurmountable. Abject poverty, illness...the suffering? They should be...I don't know, complaining? Yet, they are objectively happier. Always smiling, always helping, always talking about God's mercy and grace. A Kenyan resident doctor offered this at Grand Rounds this am, "A happy person does not have time to wonder whether or not he is happy because he is too busy serving other people." Rob Bell says, "Jesus wants to save Christians". A play on words. A lot of "Christians" are not living within God's Word. These folks are for real. They know their heavenly Father, literally chapter and verse.

Our family is extremely blessed to experience this. Thank you for all the prayer support. Please continue to pray for Tenwek Hospital, the NICU babies, the caregivers.

The Camerons

FYI

It's Monday, June 22, and though none of you back home have woken up yet, it is lunchtime for us here. So far, I've "blogged" all of our entries, (except "Still at Home"), so I think since Scottie's work experience has been very involved, he should "blog" our next entry. I'm heading off to lunch (rice & beans, again, I'm sure) and hopefully he'll be able to blog later today or tomorrow. Meanwhile, I'm going to try to figure out how to "upload" (hee hee!) some pictures. Have a great day! We love you, Ave & crew

And on the Seventh Day, We Rest

Sunday, June 21, 7 days into our trip - Father's Day. What a heavy day this was for us. A week of reflection on our experiences thus far & a day that by title pains me for the first time in my life. I understand that my family back home is honoring the memory of my father in church with the alter flowers. Meanwhile, I sit in a third world country's open air chapel honoring our heavenly Father. Again, my heart breaks. We are so blessed. On the sabbath, the community does rest. Of course, the hospital continues on, but we don't wake to the sounds of the slaughtering of animals, nor do we hear rudimentary machines off in the distance. Instead, we awoke to the sounds of voices from the childrens' boarding school behind us. They were singing songs of praise at 7:30 in the morning. I felt like it was "Whoville!" Often, folks gather for the sharing of breakfast before Sunday worship. We were invited to eat at Barbara's house, along with the Brauns, (a family from Arizona whom we've come to enjoy here - They were the family in the second van following us in from Nairobi. Jereld was their driver, and Keith Braun is an ortho. doc. here for another week). Barbara is a full term missionary here at Tenwek and has been here for 28 years! Anyway, she prepared a lovely breakfast and while eating asked each of us to tell something that they've learned from our fathers. Everyone enjoyed the conversation, and after Scottie told of his father's common sense and ability to work with his hands, he went on to tell of my dad's sense of humor. It was still too fresh for me, but the way Barbara engaged everyone on Father's Day was very special. After breakfast, we all went to church and the most reassuring part was that it was much like our Second Mile Service! There was a praise band with acoustic guitars, beautiful voices and a big screen for the lyrics. Two of the songs we sang were songs we had learned at Pilgrimage! At one point, I closed my eyes and felt like I was at HPC in our fellowship Hall. Wallace, Glenn and Hugh even sang along to "As the Deer.." and "Shout to the Lord." The spirit of the Lord was certainly in that place. "Thou will keep him in perfect place whose mind is set on Thee."

As for how we are getting along, my sore throat developed into the horrible head cold that Scottie had when we arrived, but he and Glenn are both better now. Today, Monday, I am feeling like I am on the mend, and so far, Wallace and Hugh have been fine. Scottie's Gluten Free diet is a challenge, and he may never want to eat rice again once we return, but the food is good. Glenn accidently closed her bedroom window screen on her camelion's tail last night, but she said she won't let it go until she finds another one. Of Mice or Men?! Anyway, all is well in Bomet, Kenya, for the Cameron Crew. We trust everyone back home is doing well and that you're staying cool. Who knew we'd have to come to Africa to beat NC's summer heat!?
All Our Love, As Always, Ave, Scottie & co.

Perspective

On Saturday, June 20, we walked up that same dusty road, only this time we went to Cicilia's home. Again, she (along with Janet, the cook) is our house help. At the point where we turned towards Silibwet yesterday, we instead trecked foward down a muddy, winding path to finally reach Cicilia's humble home. She makes this journey daily, to reach us by 9:00 am. For the last two years, Cicilia has raised her 6 children alone. In 1994, she and her husband and 3 daughters fled from Ruwanda. All of her husband's family were killed, along with her sister, brother and mother. Along their way to what was ultimately Bomet, Kenya, she had 3 more children, all boys. She ended up at Tenwek Hospital because her 3rd boy was born at 30 weeks. She carried him in her arms for miles and after he turned blue, she was advised to go to Tenwek. She made it there and was amazed at what she calls "God's goodness." The doctors called her in to see her baby, whom she thought was dead. He was sucking his fingers, his eyes were opened and his color was back. After witnessing the brutal killings of her family in Ruwanda, becoming a refugee and living among the brush (through 2 countries, while birthing children along the way), and then carrying a near dead baby for miles for help...to later witnessing the death of her husband to throat cancer (2 years ago) and hearing of the death of her father back in Ruwanda...and be sitting in front of 11 privledged Americans in her mud hut that she calls "a dream come true," and to cry and smile to us saying, "God is good," was the defining moment that every piece of our journey was put into perspective. Wallace's eyes were filled with tears, Glenn's hands were clasped tightly together as she watched Cicilia in awe, and even Hugh was as still as a church mouse. The view from her newspaper lined hut was breathtaking, overlooking pastures & the valley, but the story she told was one that will forever be etched in all of our minds.

Later on that same Saturday, we visited an orphanage in Amoja. If our hearts weren't bleeding by then, they were at the orphanage. The conditions seemed very primitave and the children were mezmerized by us. They wanted to constantly touch our skin, hair and nails, (especially since it is so pale! At least it was, until I managed to get a sunburn - a mere 100 miles from the equator!). Wallace, Glenn and Hugh were equally as excited about the chickens, dogs and goats there. Glenn caught a fresh chicken egg and ran to us saying, "Look! It fell right out of the chicken's butt!" Hugh spent most of his time chasing the goats, at least until he felt the jealous need to mark his territory by occasionally running over to sit in my lap. I was most impressed by a 12 yr. old girl named Mercy, whose dad was the orphanage manager. She seemed very smart & interested in hearing all about America. She wants to be a doctor at Tenwek or in America. When asked why, she said, "because I want to give back because so many people have given to me." A 2 yr. old boy named Rehema stole all of our hearts. He's the one Hugh was jealous of! The needs are great, yet the children of the orphanage sang songs of happiness to us while serving us Chai (tea), smiling and praising God. One of the songs they sang was, "Father Abraham had 7 sons...and we are all one of them." Perspective; God's grace & mercy.
All Our Love, Ave, Scottie, Wallace, Glenn & Hugh

It Takes A Village

We now truly understand the meaning of this expression. On our first morning here, we woke to the sounds of chickens & cows. A little later, we realized that the sounds of what we thought was someone beating out a carpet was actually the slaughtering of a cow, 50 yards from our bedroom window. This happens every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Saturday is goat day, which to me is even worse. The expression "It sounds like a dying cow" is one that has taken on a whole new meaning for me. A sound I can go the rest of my life and never want to hear again. The locals grow their own produce, raise & sell animals for meat and dairy and market their wares for very small profit. They are codependent and the children are embraced by all. On Tenwek's grounds, there are folks that serve as house help and they are blessed and thankful for the jobs. The fields of crops, including much tea, are beautiful and the store (Dukas) is stocked with small wares made by locals. On Friday, June 19, the kids and I joined a group of friends we've met here and walked to a nearby town called Silibwet. It was Market Day there. The chosen route to Silibwet was a hot, uphill 2 mile hike along a dusty, rocky road. Along the way, cars and motorcycles whizzed by at unbelievable speeds, slinging pebbles and dirt behind and leaving us feeling battered. We passed boarding schools and farms, and we even stopped to watch a football (soccer) tournament that was going on in the valley. The players were girls, though their hair was shaved like boys, and they were playing barefooted! The crowd was cheering and everyone seemed so happy, even in the blistering heat. On the way home, however, we opted to take a nature hike down a dirt path through the brush. It was a much more scenic and pleasant option. The market itself was overwhelming. There was stuff to be sold everywhere, just thrown along the dirt and people were plundering all through it. It worried me, so we didn't stay but a few minutes. All that time hiking, and we only bought one kiko (sarong) and 3 sodas. In reflection, I wonder how the things that we as Americans would put in a yardsale, are the very things that the folks here would walk for miles to get. With everyone here working towards the same goal...survival, it truly does take a village. All Our Love, A,S,W,G, & H

The Sudan Connection...And, Which Shoes Do I Wear Today?

God has opened our eyes and broken our hearts. We started feeling this way along the road from Nairobi to Bomet. While witnessing God's beautiful creation of the Rift Valley, we often passed herds of cows, led for miles on foot, by members of the Maasii tribe. They follow their cows, and the tribe members are not afraid of lions. (Talk about the road less travelled!). Our drivers, John and Jereld, were some of the first connections we made. (We rode with John, as Jereld drove the second van of guests). John is 30 years old and works for Samaritan's Purse. He has lived in Niarobi his whole life, with exception of the year and 4 months when he lived in Sudan. He said he thought his friend was joking when he told him he could apply for a job with Samaritan's Purse. Shortly thereafter, John got his CV to Samaritan's Purse and said he was told that they would contact him in a week or so. The next day, John received a call from S.P. asking him if he would consider going to Sudan and working in Bible Distribution! He gladly accepted, though he was worried. Not because of the political unrest, but because he has Sickle Cell Anemia. To get to Sudan from Nairobi (because of the bad roads), it would take 2-3 days by car, even though the two countries share a border. He was sent quickly by plane, and said he stayed in a tent for 2-3 weeks at a time because there was nothing there. It had all been destroyed. Ironically (or not?!) he witnessed the rebuilding of churches there, noting that the work was intense but so worth it! He said it took 2500 hand made (on location) bricks per church. (He actually has a blogsite from his experience there and we hope to share it back home, as our church continues to raise support for this mission). Our eyes were opened even further with the grace of God's people in Bomet. Cicilia, our house help, is the most amazing woman. She and her late husband (and 3 girls at the time) are refugees from Rowanda. They have been embraced by the Kenyans, and I will speak of her in more detail in blogs to come. She is kind and humble and grateful for her job. Another person we've connected with is a man named Peter. He is a very tall man and seems to be the "go-to-guy" for everything at Tenwek Hospital. He's not even employed by Samaritan's Purse. He rides his bicycle to the grounds, 4 miles (often in the mud), everyday. He has a wife and 3 children, and a work ethic like none I've ever witnessed. His smile lights up his whole face, is genuine and understood in a universal language. He's the fix-it guy, the "gopher," the gardener and the kids' playmate. He even whittled a sword for Hugh! The amazing thing is his humility. After about two days, I saw him carrying the medical supplies that Scottie had brought up to the hospital. I noticed that he's always barefooted. I asked him why and if he had any shoes and he said (with a smile) that he did but that they were size 10s. He thought he needed an 11, 12 or 13! He apparently starts each day in the size 10 shoes and by the middle of the day, they are off. When I told him I wanted to get him a pair, he humbly hung his head and nodded with a smile. The needs here are great and simple, and their dreams are big. Our second driver, Jereld, summed it up by saying he was on the "1,2,3,4 Plan ... One wife, two kids, three bedrooms and 4 wheels." To whom much is given, much is expected. We are so blessed. May He continue to bless us all. All Our Love, Ave, Scottie, Wallace, Glenn, & Hugh

On "Cameron" Time

Well, on Scottie's first day "on the job," we proved ourselves as the good time managers that we are. We have no clocks, phones, etc. (much like our Pilgrimage, Camp Thunderbird & Outward Bound experiences)... What's great though, is this email/Blog thing! (When Mariah and I backpacked across Europe, our families only heard from us twice, via very expensive phone conversations!). Anyway, we borrowed a digital clock from a closet, (that we later figured out why it was in the closet to begin with). We set it and all through the night I kept looking at it, (nearly every hour b/c I couldn't sleep anyway) and thinking, "Man, we've got 4 more hours to sleep, and the sun seems to be coming up!". At what we thought was 6:45 in the morning, Scottie received a phone call wondering where he was. It was almost 9:00! Apparently, anything on an American digital timer does not keep 60 second time. It's like 50 second time?! So, it gives all new meaning to our sense of time...or lack there of! Scottie does, however, enjoy the work. The NICU has as many beds as CFV (~40) but in a space a quarter the size with only 2 nurses. It is run by Family Practice & Pediatrics folks, so his training is coming in nicely! The resources ar limited, but the caregivers are very compassionate. He gives teaching rounds and has brought 5 containers of much needed donated supplies. The patients travel mostly by foot and often for miles to receive medical care. Their level of tolerance for pain and true gratitude are immeasurable. Meanwhile, I am helping children write with pens & paper. They seem to be fascinated by the colors of markers, a resource which they lack. I've become particularly fond of sisters, Falinda (8) and Betsy (4). Wallacespends time watching after small children, swinging on the tree swing and scheming with Emma, a missionary friend she has met here. Wallace has also taught the children to play Tic-Tac-Toe using sticks and she enjoys carrying the young children around for Piggy-Back rides. Glenn passes the time with Emma's little sister, Claire (8, like Glenn). They climb trees searching for loquats and avacados to sell to the locals, and she is always on the hunt for camelions. She finally found one that she has names "Cami," (short for Camerons' Camelion). It actually sleeps in her room on the INSIDE of the window screen. Hugh is Hugh, even in Africa. I never thought I'd see the day that he'd meet his match, but he has found a soul mate in Levi, Emma and Claire's little brother, his exact age by a week. I pray for the Kindergarten teacher who has to tame Hugh after his African summer. He has befriended a big turtle named Kobi, who sounds just like "Darth Vadar." Anyhow, as Maryt often reminds me, "The days are long but the years are short." We love you all! You're in our prayers daily. Please keep us in yours:) Ave, Scottie, Wallace, Glenn & Hugh

"Jambo!" ("Hello!")

This has been the most spiritually inspiring, emotionally challenging, culturally shocking, perspective getting week of our lives, thus far. Hopefully, this "Blogging" thing will help us track our trip. Perhaps we can print it out as a journal when we return, as a way to not lose the precious details of our adventure:) Last Sunday, Mimi, Stuart & Sally took us to RDU, where after wondering why our info. was "lost" in the computer & waiting for nearly an hour in line to figure it out, it was then Wallace noted that Tyler Hansborough (UNC Center) was beside us the whole time. This crew managed to jam up both computers! Once we finally headed out, Hugh was in awe of everything pertaining to flight. He referred to our plane as the "Millenium Falcon." We took a 2 hr. flight to Detroit, switched planes & headed for Amsterdam, Holland. Along the way, we lost a day, arriving in time for a $50 breakfast at the airport (midnight, our time). Then, it was another 7 hour flight to Nairobi, Kenya, with a night arrival to the airport there. We got our Visas & waited for our luggage for nearly an hour before meeting our drivers, John & Jered,(Awesome guys I'll tell you about in the next "Blog" or two). Next, immediate culture shock: Dollars to shillings; Steering wheels & drivers on the opposite sides of the roads (opposite to us); African music on the radio; A 45 minute van ride down a bumpy road, and 5 bone-tired family members to boot. We arrived at the Menenite Guest House (like a hotel) all disoriented and within 5 minutes, thought we'd lost Hugh, (he was getting his suitcase...). Needless to say, our nerves were shot. We collapsed but were not able to sleep! At 7:30 Kenyan time (at this point, who knew what time it was "our time"), we ate breakfast & John & Jered had us on our way to Bomet, Kenya, the location of Tenwek Hospital(4 hours away). Along the way, we stopped at a produce & a meat store to pick up groceries for the month! (I couldn't even think straight!). While Scottie & I were trying to figure out how many shillings we'd just spent, Glenn proceeded to throw up, twice. Shortly afterwards, Scottie developed a horrible head cold. The road to Bomet was long, dusty and bumpy (like riding down a Dirt-Bike trail), yet somehow, both Glenn & Hugh managed to sleep through most of it. We, however, got an amazing view of Rift Valley, not to mention the sitings of random herds of cattle & the occasional chicken or donkey. Once we finally got here, we were greeted graciously, welcomed to our apartment & entertained by missionary families. Needless to say, we were wiped out & overwhelmed. Within 2 days, Glenn & Scottie were better, and aside of my sore throat, we're all healthy at this point. The topography here is much like that of Valley Crucis, NC. It is lush & green and because it's "winter" here, the temps. are 70s and low 80s during the day and 50s at night. Our apartment reminds us of the house some of you may remember Scottie living in while working at the Duke Marine Lab in Beaufort:) A bit more industialized,though. I've rearranged, cleaned & organized it - imagine that! No, no Modular Mates or Label Makers, but "nested," just the same. While doing so, I managed to get "busted!" Now that I've been "found out" I've been asked to help organize & itemize the lists for new incomers. Hot water is touch and go, water must be boiled before drinking, we sleep in mosquito nets & hang our clothes to dry. We have 2 "house helpers" named Cicilia and Janet. Both are amazing women and are completely necessary. The people here are good people who live simple, happy lives and we are slowly emersing ourselves in the culture to get a true flavor of it. This "Blog" entry is entirely too lengthy, so I'll end for now. We're trying each & every day to savor the memories & learn from them. At any rate, we are breathing in and breathing out; we're broken-hearted & gratified, disillusioned & energized; stunned & hopeful. Please continue to pray for us - That Scottie's hands will heal; that my teaching is helpful and that the children are empowered spiritually. "Like cold water to a weary soul is good news from a distant land." (Proverbs:25:25) Until next time - All our love, Ave, Scottie, Wallace, Glenn & Hugh :)

We Made It!

Though it was like watching Planes, Trains and Automobiles, we finally made it safely. Keep praying for safe adventures and travels. It's amazing and when we aren't so bone tired, we'll sit down and update our blog. Email us and we'll keep up with you when we can. All our love:)

Almost Ready...

All packed and ready for takeoff...We're so excited that Stuart & Sally will be living in our house & holding down the fort. Remind Stu to cut the grass so that it doesn't look like the Serengeti when we get back:)

Still at home

Test page...see if it works.