The medical team worked with the children at New Life Center in Bomani today. This day was especially fun because they have a baby class in addition to KG 1 through Class 8. These littles ones are 3-4 years old, and what a great way to start the day!
In addition, we saw teachers and staff at the school and provided reading glasses to some of them as well.
Jeremy, a doctor on Crossroads Fellowship Church's medical mission team, joined us today. He was a wealth of knowledge for us.
One common medical concern in this village is jiggers (Tunga penetrans, also known as chigoe flea). These are tiny parasitic arthropods found in tropical areas. They live in sand and soil and feed on blood by burrowing into exposed skin (most often feet and fingers). They lay eggs under the skin and cause intense irritation called tungiasis. Tungiasis causes secondary infection, toe deformation and nail loss. When the eggs are ready to hatch they fall off and the jigger dies. The eggs then hatch in the area they have fallen. For this reason, it can be difficult to get rid of them from treating one person. Instead the whole family needs to be treated and the home needs to be cleared of them. For some families this is a difficult and on-going issue. The best prevention is good hygiene and wearing socks and shoes.
To remove the jiggers, we soak their feet in a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and water for 20 minutes which kills the jigger. Visible egg sacks can be excised.
Our tean enjoyed reconnecting with old friends...
Roger and Risper
Jodie and Dorothy
And spending more time with our Kenyan friends...
Another great day of teaching today. Here is Sue in the prenatal class.
This was our last day of medical clinics. Tomorrow is Bomani's graduation and some health promotion teaching at Vipingo and Bomani. We look forward to another great day in Kenya and feel very privileged to be here, serving these beautiful people.