Jena longo ni James

That's how I started off my introduction to the community health workers & teachers at our meeting with them yesterday in the village of Bware. I'd learned the phrase in our Kiswahili class during orientation.  It means "My name is James." I continued saying "Meme ni nesi & Mena toka Vancouver, WA" or I am a nurse, I am from Vancouer, WA. My intro brought please smiles, laughter, and applause from the local group. Our team received a very warm welcome from each of the 15-20 community members attending.  After touring the clinic bldg & the separate maternity dispensary (built with funds raised by the community & Ray of Hope), we were formally welcomed.  A brainstorming session followed & we decided the specific health screening & health education topics our team would provide to both the 3000 students in the 6 primary schools in the area as well as the health education topics community health workers group wants. After the meeting broke up, Kate & I met our Bware homestay host, Benson.  We'll go there on Weds 10/3 to begin our 4 week stay while the PA students & other members of our team stay in Migori. Today we have a free day so 7 of us will go by taxi to Homa Bay, Kenya, a town about 1 1/2 hrs away on the shores of Lake Victoria.  We'll have breakfast there at a guesthhouse, explore the town, and hopefully take a ferry ride on the lake.  Will share that experience in my next post.