How this came to be.....

Welcome to my BLOG about my upcoming Medical Mission to Nakuru Kenya Africa.  I have never been a "blogger" so this is new to me but friends have said they wanted to know what goes on on as I prepare & when I'm gone so here goes.

A few of you have asked how this all started so I thought I'd answer that here. Some of you know that in 2005 when Hurricane Katrina hit I felt an overwelming neeed to go & help so I contacted the Red Cross, boarded a plane for Houston (I had friends there) & basically "showed up" at the Astrodome/Reliant Arena & ended up working/volunteering in the Pediatric Pavillion there for 12-16 hour days for a week - it was a great experience & opportuntiy to serve...I truly felt the reality of the bible verses in Matt 25:34-40...inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least of these my brethren ye have done it unto me.

After that I wanted to do more & was aware of & checked into Op Smile but the "application process" was cumbersome & I was busy with 4 kids at home. Fast forward to 2009 - I was contacted by the LDS Church Humanitarian Services to be in their Volunteer data base & happily sent in all the required documentation. Early in 2010 the Earthquake hit in Haiti & I was asked to go & help but a week before we were to leave the volunteer need for Haiti missions was canceled & the church was asked to provide other aid. In the Summer of 2010 thru LDS Humanitarian Services & the Navy I was going to volunteer on the USNS Mercy or Comfort Ships & go to Vietnam/Cambodia but the minimum "rotations" were a month & that wouldn't work for me with my son returning home from his 2 year mission. I started to think this just wasn't the "season" for this type of service & maybe I'd go in 3 years after Sarah graduated from high school. 

Then....Nov. 2010 I was contacted by LDS Humanitarian Services & asked if I was interested in co-sponsored medical missions w/ Op Smile - this seemed perfect & I did what I needed to for the simpler application process.  I was told it would be a year before I was likely contacted for a mission but I should look at the Op Smile site to see where/when they went.  It was the holidays so I forgot about it other than once looking at all the places Op Smile was going this summer & wondering where I'd want to go if I could.

January 21st at 7:30 in the morning I checked my email & had one that said are you interested in a Op Smile Mission trip to Kenya Africa in April - I checked the dates, talked to my family & emailed back "yes I am interested".  Less than 30 min later I got an email that said "I am happy to confirm you on Team Nakuru as a Recovery Room Nurse".  I was a little surprised that it all happened so fast!  I hadn't planned on going to Africa or anywhere in particular yet - I thought I had a longer "waiting period" but that wasn't the case.

So in 10 days I am off to Africa to help give 125 new smiles to kids with Cleft Lips & Palates.  It's a completely new experience for me.  I have talked to a few Op Smile Nurses I know from CHOC & still I am a little nervous but I know with certainty that I am supposed to go on this specific mission - I'm not sure why but I know its the right place for me at this time & so FAITH propels me to go & serve.  I am taking the "Healers Art" I learned from Nursing School at BYU & 30 years of being a pediatric ICU Nurse at CHOC an amazing Childrens Hospital with me & hoping I can make a difference, & bring help & hope to the people of Nakuru Kenya.

Sorry this was such a long post but I neded to get the background out there...I am starting to pack & will update again later this week!  THANKS for being interested!  Nancy