Lucy and BBQ

Lucy standing on her own!

As I sit to type this with Lucy in my lap, the emotions begin to swell up in me of what I'm going to update on. (and I only have 15 min because I need to make dinner!) This past weekend has been quite the emotional one, one with tears, laughter, praises, fun, and puking. Yes, puking. Friday we planned a barbecue for Bud's birthday. I had gotten everything done for the week on Thursday so that I could stay home all day Friday to bake, clean and prepare. I popped in some sermons from Bethel church, slapped on an apron and baked away. While I did that Hollie and Nickole took Eric and Lucy to the Doctor. (Bud was running around super busy doing Mattaw stuff) The day before I went with them all to try and get Lucy and Eric tested for Tuberculosis but the chest and skin doctor was not in so Hollie and Nickole went back Friday. Our friend Jeff from Instep ministry that runs a baby house of over 50 kids helped us out. He took them through the process for getting them checked for TB since they've done it many many times with most of their babies. It is a common thing around here but it's not very acknowledged. Eric had signs, coughing and sweating at night badly. Lucy didn't have signs but Jeff said where she comes from its very possible. They got their x-rays, the Dr said Lucy definitely had it but not sure on Eric. They got a second and third opinion and both said he had it. The process to test them was around 5 U.S dollars, and the medicine to treat it is free. They gave Lucy medicine and gave Eric antibiotics and said for him to come back in two weeks to see if that cleared up an infection or if he really does have TB. Hollie was keeping me posted on each step of the way through phone. At one point it dawned on me that she should go ahead and get them HIV tested since they were already at the hospital and the place to get it done for free is there. They got the results and called, good news- Eric is negative, bad news- our sweet baby girl Lucy is positive. I got off the phone and sat and wept for awhile. My heart ached and asked why a million times. This little girl, already abandoned, mal-nourished, possibly abused, and sweet as can be is now labeled with a disease that is incurable. BUT then God just loved on me and reminded me that He is sovereign and Jesus has the power to heal. So regardless of the outcome of her life, she is now safe and loved. We ask her where Jesus is and although she can't talk she'll point up as high as she can and then she pats her chest and smiles. We also realize that its an absolute miracle that Lucy is still alive! Her mom abandoned her at birth so who knows how she stayed alive in the bush with no momma to nurse her and she was severely mal nourished with TB. The little girl that died a few months after the first time I came to Kenya, passed away from HIV and TB. Of course fear tried to take over from that experience but I took it to Jesus and refused to be ruled by fear. Resist the devil and he will flee! Please pray for sweet Lucy "Lulu".

I finished up baking three pies and hamburger buns made from scratch. I made apple, toll house chocolate chip, and pecan pie. That night we had all our friends over from around. It was a great time of fellowship, celebrating Bud's birthday, and worshiping. Daniel, Meredith and Sean gave Bud an awesome wallet (hook 'em horns!) with great pictures of them in it! Joylyn presented Bud with this amazing book that she made called Nertz for dummies. The dedication was to the worst nertz players: Hollie, Rich and Bud. If you've never played it's a ton of fun and a good big group game. At the end three of our friends busted out guitars and we all sang. Unfortunately Hollie and I woke up sick the next morning. My tummy just wasn't prepared for that much food I guess... or it was the meat. We were both puking and well, I'll spare you the details. Here's some pictures of this past weekend...

A box we received from my sister in law, she's INCREDIBLE! She did perfect on sending us the best goodies and stuff.... Starbucks, beef jerky, cliff bars, trail mix, a lot of goodies for Elisha, and a sweet t-shirt for Elisha. (in case you can't read it, it says: be patient, God is not finished with me yet! haha, its good he wore that today after he dug into the charcoal left over from the bbq) Also on the far left of this picture is a shoe box of goodies my sweet momma sent. Thanks mom!

Elisha really wanting more yummy snack from the box and me trying to take a cute picture of him, didn't happen, oh well, he's still cute when wearing his fuss pants (he really needs a haircut!)


Bud, Sean (Meredith's husband), Daniel (head of Transformed International), Ryan (head of LoveMercy and Majitech, guy who drilled our bore hole)

Bud grillin the hamburgers
My pies! And Hollie's yummy brownies, she loves brownies

Ok I wasn't going to tell this story because I feel so horrible but I'll just tell it. Argh. Today I was helping Lucy stand, doing our daily practice. She gets better everyday and a few days ago she took two steps on her own! We were so excited. So today I scooted back from her while she was standing to take a picture. She wasn't within arms reach and when I looked away for a moment she face planted into the floor and her teeth busted through her lip! It was so sad!!! I rushed to get a rag, feeling around to make sure her teeth were ok, not realizing they had cut a huge slit in her lip. I rushed over to Nurse Hollie and on the way discovered where all the blood was coming from. I made it to Hollie just in time to hand Lulu over and sit down so I didn't pass out. I sat on the guesthouse front porch to puke while Hollie walked around to calm Lulu down. I gained composure then we called Jeff (baby house guy) to see if he knew where we could get stitched done on a Sunday. He said he'd call his doctor and call us back. Amazingly he had his doctor come to their home. We drove out there and the Dr. had Lucy stitched up in no time. Three stitches that will dissolve in 10 days. It was so painful to watch. As if she needed something else to take medicine for and have pain from.... gosh....

More pictures to come from this past weekend. Much love,

Kimberly