Monday, November 19, 2012

Community Work

 I thought I might share some pictures and stories from some of the community work we have been doing.  We praise God for the opportunities He has given us to serve in the villages surrounding Kapsowar and in the valley among the Pokot people.  It has been a lot of fun and we hope that through it all the Lord is using this work to spread the gospel. 

This is Hudson and I in front of the new Pokot Clinic that we constructing.  It will be the first Health Center in that area and we hope it will greatly serve the physical and spiritual needs of that community. 
Hudson and Jude came with me to help out at one of our mobile clinics that we are doing there until we can get it fully operational hopefully sometime early next year. 
This was our pre-clinic message where I shared the gospel.  Still a lot of Pokot that are not believers and in many ways they are still quite resistant to the gospel.  Tribalism and rituals predominate.  The men have multiple wives and the women undergo female circumcision and start getting married very early sometimes as early as age 12. 
This old grandma was blind from Trachoma.  She is the mother of Philip a recent convert to Christianity and my Chairman for the Pokot Clinic Building Committee. 
Hudson, Jude and a visitor named Carla helped to bathe all the children that came to our clinic.  Many of them were quite dirty so I'm sure it was a treat and some were also not so happy about it:) 
The boys also helped out in our pharmacy and overall did an incredible job as my little helpers.
Here are some Pokot women getting some of the free food that we were able to bring to them.
The patients all went through a triage area and then came to see me to get treatment.  Clara is a Pokot Nursing Student that we are helping and she would like to come work at the clinic when she is finished. 
After the clinic we all relaxed and had a good time.  The boys had some Peanut Butter sandwiches since I couldn't get them to eat much of the goat that was served to us at each meal. 
We had fun playing a little "football"
This is how we/they cook our meals, over an open fire.  That is a big pot of boiled goat meat.  No I was not in charge.   They can pick up those hot pots with their bare hands no problem.  Not me. 
This is the site for the new staff house that we are going to start building this week.
Hudson did a great job teaching the kids at Sunday School.
He taught them on the wise man that built his house upon the rock.
They gave out suckers to kids that answered questions correctly... and then to everyone.
They were a big hit with all the kids except some of them need a little extra help getting off the wrappers.

I got to preach at the church that was planted there by the Kenyan Missionary that I work with.  It is a simple church with iron sheet walls.  I love the Pokot believers.  Many of them have incredible testimonies.  Mostly, they are first generation Christians and facing a lot of stress from their tribe.  We need to be praying for them and for the growth of the church. 

Next to our work in villages around Kapsowar.  We started a Community Health Program where we are going twice a week into nearby villages and teaching the children in the schools and then doing talks among the community members and a medical clinic for them.  My big topics for them are about the dangers of teenage pregnancy and alcohol.  We include the good news of the gospel in our talks and have great hopes to see God transform our communities. 

Talking to students at a local school.

We have probably had the opportunity to talk to over 2000 students at this point and we want to keep it going so we reach most of the schools around us and return every year.  What a tremendous opportunity I feel this will be to impact the next generation. 
This is a group of High School girls that we spoke to at a school and during this picture they were all praying a prayer to commit their lives to Christ and to sexual purity.  It was great!
This was a community meeting and the man on the left was giving a testimony of how God freed him from the grips of alcohol and had given him new life.  Praise the Lord!
This was our first community trip held at our local church that we attend, Ngongoroi.  They have a small "nursery" school there.  It was a lot of fun and we got to preach to the community members that came as well. 
Thanks for your prayers and support for our ministry.  We really appreciate each one of you!
Happy Holidays!

Friday, September 7, 2012

In a land far, far away!


Once upon a time, in a Kingdom far, far away there lived a King.  He was busy fashioning together a boy and a girl.  He had many big dreams for them.  He proudly sent them off to a new land. His heart was filled with many hopes for the pair.  The girl and the boy grew.  They grew in their love for their Creator and grew in their love for the people that surrounded them. The boy was faithful and hard working.  He was given many wonderful gifts from the Creator that he determined to use to bring Him honor.  The girl was tender and felt a stirring in her heart that went beyond the country that surrounded her.  The King crossed their paths, they fell in love and were married.  He gave them a vision for a territory unseen by their eyes.  He only asked that they trust Him each step of the way.  In the 3rd year of their marriage, the King gave them their first knight.  He proved to be loyal and obedient.  He was always willing to stand firmly for justice and mercy.  2 years later, the 2nd knight joined their family.  He was passionate and full of love and life.  He fiercely fought for what he believed in.  His heart was set on the battles he felt worthy to fight.  Soon after the 3rd knight entered their family.  He brought joy and laughter like they had never known.  He was faithful and pure.  He loved, and sang and danced with great abandon.  The King gave them their assignment and told them it was time to "go".  They set off into a territory He had prepared in advance for them. It proved to be all they had been dreaming of.  A life filled with sharing the Hope and Truth they clung to with everything in them.  It was a life spent serving a people that the King desperately loved.  It was apparent that the Creator had prepared each one with special gifts to give this people.  Just when they thought life couldn't get any better-a daughter entered their family.  Her family diligently prayed for her to be as strong as a lioness but filled with grace as she made her place in this world.  They prayed her life would bring 2 cultures together in unity.  They prayed that she would bring new beauty into their world.  The prayers were answered.  Those from home were longing to meet this copper haired treasure. So they set off to their homeland.  Families were joyfully reunited and memories were made.  But the family could not quench the longing in their hearts to return to the land that the King had prepared for them.  So they set off once again on their long, long journey.  The people received them warmly with great love and generosity.  It was if they were coming home again.  So their story continues.  The year began with fantastic birthday celebrations.






Treacherous journeys were made to visit friends they had missed dearly.  Only to tell of the King's faithfulness to protect them.  The story continued after 30 of the strongest men in the village came to display all of their strength to pull the family's vehicle to safety.  The family were awestruck by the kindness and love that was so generously given.


The days of the knights are filled with conquering the world one villain at a time.

But not without injury.










The knights all faithfully study reading, writing and arithmetic oh and history, geography, science and Bible.  They know this will help them to lead the next generation into many great new territories.







When the copper haired girl grows weary of battling with the knights she often retreats to the pink abyss as she thinks upon all things lovely, like flowers and butterflies and beautiful birds.


There have been rainstorms and power outages that have created memories to last a lifetime.

The family have encountered beasts that have become our friends as well.



 Days are filled with the fervent and faithful prayers for clinics and wells.  Intercessions for children that have been tragically injured by swarms of bees and blazing fires.  All have been answered.  Some have brought the family tears of joy.  Others have brought them heartache unfathomable.


























The family is happy to be back in this precious land they call home.  Each day brings new adventure and hope as they follow the King who has faithfully provided for them every step of the way.


Sunday, August 19, 2012

Praise the Lord!  We made it to our first Pokot clinic since coming back to Kenya.  We had a wonderful time and the Lord was so good to us by giving us traveling mercies and a blessed time with the people there.  We started our journey on Saturday morning and made the 4 hour drive to Lodengo where we have been going to work among the Pokot for over the past 1 year now.  It was my first clinic since returning from our furlough.  I was very interested to see how the work was going on in the clinic/health center that we are constructing.  When I left them last December they had only completed the foundation.  So I was very happy to see that they had already almost completed the building.  The community has really all been working so hard.  The women have been bringing all the water they need for the project often walking long distances to find it.  As you may know we are in the process of digging a well, but it had to be put on hold until another bigger drilling rig can come and finish the job.  We found the ground was very rocky there so we are praying to get water soon.  So before we started our clinic we took time to really appreciate all the work they had done.  We held the mobile clinic in the new clinic building even though it was not all the way done.  It was still so great to use even 3 of the rooms and everyone was so happy.  Before the clinic we had a time for sharing the gospel.  I shared the story of the tower of Babel and how the people at that time were building it to bring glory to themselves, but that we wanted to build this clinic to bring glory to God.  I asked how many of them were followers of Jesus and less than half of them raised their hands.  I wish I could tell you that at the time of the invitation they all decided to accept Jesus in their lives, but that did not happen.  There is still much darkness in that place and that is why we want to have a steady presence among them with the clinic.  God is beginning to break through among them and every time we go we get to see the new believers and fellowship with them.  On Sunday morning we spent several hours with them, worshiping together and praying for their people.  We heard one testimony of a woman that had come to know the Lord the week before.  She said she had been making home alcohol brews before, but she was no longer going to do that.  She now wanted to follow Christ.  All the believers are first generation Christians.  It is fun to see their excitement for learning new things about the Lord.  We are praying for God to fully reach their people and that they would follow Him for generations to come.  It felt very good to be ministering to them again in their physical and spiritual needs.  That is our goal each time we come.  We make sure that they know we love them and we are there because of Jesus.  We take time to pray with each patient when they come to the clinic which has been such a joy.  It seems like I always get my sickest patients coming on Sunday mornings.  The last 2 visits I have had to start IVs on sick patients before church.  The woman that came this time had recently miscarried and had lost a lot of blood.  We gave her IV fluids and medicine to help her blood levels increase.  She came to us dizzy and bearly able to stand.  When she left I saw her smiling at me and with her strength back, which is one of the reasons why I will keep going back again and again.  I look forward to opening the Health Center Lord willing by early next year.  We hope to complete the clinic and start working on building a staff house within the next month.  Thank you to so many of you that have helped contribute to this project.  We feel it is worthwhile and something the Lord desires for these people.  We pray that it will produce much fruit in every way for many years to come.  Enjoy some pictures below of our trip.  

AIC Lodengo Health Center under Construction

Meeting with Pokot woman before the clinic

Post-partum ward and matenity under construction

Evans and I.  He is my contractor for the building.

Before the clinic

Pre-clinic message

Praying with a mom and her sick baby

The children singing at church

Saturday, August 11, 2012

1st Month Back in Kenya

We are happy to report that our family is back in Kapsowar Kenya and we are doing well!  This first month back has been a very busy and exciting one.  We really enjoyed having Vanessa's mom here as she came back with us to stay for a couple of weeks and get a taste of what our life is like here in Kenya.  Her time with us was full of fun times as a family, sweet times introducing her to our Kenyan friends, a few adventure moments and some times of just our typical daily lives.  I'm sure she could tell you more of her stories and favorite moments.  The kids really enjoyed having her around and it was sad to see her go.  I will say I'm sure she is glad to get back to the nice American roads...during her time here we had a scary "minor" accident that could have been much worse if God had not provided a perfectly placed tree that kept our car from rolling off the hillside when the muddy roads pushed us off the road.  It was a reminder to us all at how we are so daily dependent on the Lord for His protection over our family.  We certainly are thankful for all those who have been lifting us up in prayer.

Vanessa will be writing more updates soon about family life, but I thought I might share a few stories from how it has been for me back at the hospital.  I have enjoyed being back to work at our hospital and am excited about the things going on here.  We have a great new Nursing Officer that I have enjoyed working with.   We are currently working through expanding the amount of community outreach that we are doing which has always been an interest of mine.  We are still training nursing school students and last week the senior students took their exams to graduate.  We are trying to recruit some of them to work in our Pokot clinic when it opens, probably early next year.  I will be taking a team down to do a mobile clinic this next weekend so more updates to come soon on that with pictures.  

There have been a few patient encounters that have encouraged me since being back.  One was a lady that I mentioned on a facebook update.  She was admitted to our hospital with a new diagnosis of HIV and TB.  I asked for people to pray because she was not accepting her diagnosis and was threatening to take her life.  After several long talks with her over her time here I began to see her attitude change.  We gave her the best care we could for her physical body and we saw the Lord bring her into much better health.  We also addressed her spiritual needs with her by counseling and prayer.  She reaffirmed her faith in Christ and began to accept the hope that He provides.  Emotionally she became more encouraged and joyful as I saw her each day.  My hope was that each time I saw her I could bring a smile to her face.  We also got her accustomed to prayer at each visit so much that the last time I saw her before I could finish she said, "doctor don't forget to pray."  We truly saw God do a mighty work in her and I really appreciate everyone who prayed for her. 

That patient really summarizes what my hope is to do during our time here.  I have heard other missionaries say, "I am here to do for them what they cannot do for themselves."  I agree with this and have thought about what I have to offer them.  I have seen how medicine here is very focused on the physical only.  It is my heart to practice and teach whole person care that addresses the physical, spiritual and emotional needs of patients.  Many of you probably heard me tell the story during our furlough about the poisoning patient that we "treated" but did not "heal."  The one who was sent home after he physically improved but returned the next month with the same thing because we had not yet addressed his spiritual and emotional needs.  Well, very quick in my time here we had another patient just like that.  Fortunately, this time before she was sent home we picked up on the fact that she was still depressed and was planning to attempt suicide again after discharge.  We were able to work together as a team with myself and the chaplains to counsel her and encourage her mind and spirit.  She admitted that she had been living with several men and when we tested her for HIV she was positive.  I spent a long time talking to her about the choices that she has made in her life, the consequences of sin, but how there is hope and forgiveness found in Christ.  She responded very well and decided to give her life to the Lord.  l couldn't help but think of the woman at the well and I pray she continues on for the Lord. 

Her case reminded me again of our need for discipleship.  This is one of my biggest goals for this term.  I am planning to meet with our chaplains this week to decide on how we want to proceed in discipling those patients that come to know the Lord.  I hope to send them with materials, a Bible and a letter to their local pastor to encourage them to continue the discipleship process when they go home.  I would also like to work in follow-ups in the community with these people when we get our community health program going.  Good health is more than just physical!

We hope to keep the updates coming with more pictures in the next ones. 

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Making House Calls


Here is the article and link to the video from Samaritan's Purse about our ministry in Kenya

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfKNbir5sVw

A physician’s visit to an ailing child opens the door to a new remote medical clinic in Kenya


“This is Kyle. Where is she? Now? I’ll be right there!” Dr. Kyle Jones dropped his cell phone into his pocket and sprinted into the darkness along the rutted, muddy road that led to Kapsowar Hospital, a remote mission hospital in the hills of northwestern Kenya.

In less than five minutes, he delivered healthy twin boys to a woman lying on a gurney in the entryway. It was another typical evening at the hospital.

“You’re always on call,” said the young physician from Tulsa, Oklahoma. “You never know what to expect.”

When Kyle completed his medical residency, he and his wife, Vanessa, packed up their three young sons and headed for Kenya, following in the footsteps of missionary pioneers who had served at Kapsowar Hospital since it started as a small dispensary in 1933.

Last August, Vanessa gave birth to a daughter, Ariella. The local Marakwet people gave her the name Jepchemoi, which means, “born in the middle of the night.”

The move to Kenya fulfilled a call to missions that Kyle first experienced when he was 12 years old. He didn’t know then that he would become a physician serving in Kenya through World Medical Mission’s Post-Residency Program. The program helps Christian physicians pursue careers in medical missions by supporting them for their first two years on the field.

Dr. Jones faced all of the unique challenges of practicing medicine in the developing world, from treating unusual tropical diseases to managing life-threatening complications of preventable illnesses that are rarely seen in the United States.

One of Dr. Jones’ patients was a little boy named Musa who had a severe case of meningitis. Musa was from the Pokot tribe that lived down in Kerio Valley, several hours away.

Dr. Jones treated Musa and prayed earnestly for his recovery. “It was really a miracle that he survived,” he said.

After Musa returned to his village, Dr. Jones wanted to see him for a follow-up exam. He decided to make a house call that had a far-reaching effect on the Pokot people.

News that Dr. Jones was coming to Lodengo quickly spread beyond Musa’s family. Dozens of people were waiting to see the doctari when he arrived.

The need for medical care was overwhelming. Dr. Jones did what he could and promised to return with more supplies and medical personnel to set up a mobile clinic. Before long, teams of doctors, nurses, and interns from Kapsowar Hospital were making regular trips down treacherous mountain roads to minister to Pokot families.

Sick and injured people came from miles around. Expectant mothers received prenatal care and children were immunized. Emergency cases were often transported to the hospital at the end of the day.

A woman named Mercy walked nine miles to bring her 1-year-old daughter, Chebet, to the clinic.

“My baby is sick,” she said. “There is nowhere else as good as this to go to. We all wait until we know the doctors are coming.”

The mobile clinics also included spiritual care. A Kenyan missionary, Stephen Olimaouma, had moved to Lodengo from Lake Victoria to plant a church among the Pokot. The local church family and the Christian medical workers made a powerful team.

“Sharing the Gospel at the clinic is the first thing we do,” Pastor Olimaouma said. “They need to know Jesus.”

Members of the medical team always pray with their patients and find opportunities to share the Gospel.

Dr. Jones was pleased when he asked one woman if she knew Jesus Christ as her Savior and she said yes.

“I was happy when she said yes and I asked her when she got saved,” he said. “She said, ‘The first time you all came.’ What a joy it was to me to see some of the fruits of the ministry!”

The medical pioneers also became unexpected ambassadors of peace. For generations, disputes over cattle and land led to deadly conflicts between the Pokot in the valley and the Marakwet, whose territory extends into the hills surrounding Kapsowar Hospital.

One eerie stretch of the boulder-strewn road that winds down into the valley passes by a Marakwet village that was burned to the ground by a group of Pokot cattle raiders. More than 30 people were killed.

Fear of entering “enemy” territory often prevented Pokot families from seeking medical care at the hospital. The Pokot were at first surprised and then grateful to receive compassionate care from Marakwet medical workers that came their village.

“The medical clinic has brought healing to the community and peace between the Pokot and Marakwet people,” Pastor Olimaouma said.

Visits by the mobile medical teams also emphasized the need for a permanent clinic in the area. Dr. Jones and others dug into their own pockets to create a building fund. The clinic is now under construction. A well is also being drilled to provide clean water for the entire community.

Dr. Jones recently completed his two-year commitment with the Post-Residency Program. He and his family are back in Tulsa, preparing to return to Kapsowar Hospital in July to continue sharing the Gospel as medical missionaries.

“When God gives the vision, we should not be discouraged," Dr. Jones said. "It is only God who receives all the glory. God cares about our physical and spiritual needs, and as a physician, I need to provide that same care for my patients. My prayer is that they will know Jesus.”


Website to donate to Kyle and Vanessa Jones' Ministry is:
http://www.inhisimage.org/international/give.html

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Kapsowar Video and Newsletter

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8Ru8yoIxqw

Here is a link to a slide show that we put together summarizing our past year in Kenya. We are currently back in Tulsa, Oklahoma, but plan to go back to Kapsowar, Kenya in July 2012. We are trusting the Lord to help us raise a financial and prayer support team. I will also put our latest newsletter on the blog as well in case there are people that would like to see it that didn't get one. We can also add names to the list if people want to get our letters in the mail, just contact us by email at kvhjones@sbcglobal.net We have really enjoyed our time back in the States so far and are looking forward to seeing as many of you as possible. We appreciate our financial donors so much. If you desire to partner with us in our ministry gifts may be sent to:
In His Image International
Attn: Stewardship Department
PO Box 1191
Tulsa, OK 74101
or
You can now donate Online at:
http://www.inhisimage.org/international/give.html

December Newsletter:
Keepin' Up with the Jones'

Wow, the Lord has really been faithful to us as we have served Him here in Kenya these past 2 years through Samaritan's Purse. Now we are coming home to raise support and come back again next July. Many of you know we were given the opportunity to serve here through a special program for doctors who have just finished their residency. Samaritan's Purse helped us with some funds during this time, but during this next phase of our ministry we will have the opportunity to trust the Lord for our salary through friends, family and churches. So if you would like to start partnering with us, now is the time! We have included a response card for you to give either one time or monthly gifts. While we are at home we would like to meet with each of our supporters to say thank you and share with you more about our ministry. We will be staying in Tulsa, but are looking at other possible trips. We are really looking forward to seeing everyone!

As far as our last few weeks in Kenya, we had a lot going on. Our last weekend here we went on our last Pokot mobile clinic weekend. This trip was our biggest ever with 26 people, 3 cars, 4 times stuck in the mud and other fun surprises. We also took along a camera crew from Samaritan's Purse so they could see the progress of the clinic we are building. It will be fun to see the video and photos soon on their website, www.samaritanspurse.org The clinic foun-dation is done, praise the Lord! And we have already purchased the 10,000 bricks for the walls. We are just waiting on the rains to stop so the roads can get better. We have made arrangements for the work to continue even while we are in the States so that is very good.

Pokot Clinic Under Construction

The well is still underway, but they have been having many problems with break-downs, hard rock, etc. So please keep praying for that. We had a great time looking at the progress and praying at the site. The clinic went very smooth and the people said again how thankful they are to have doctors coming who not only treat them with medicines, but also pray with them.

Hudson Teaching in Pokot Sunday School

Our Local Church

My last week at the hospital was also very fruitful with taking care of patients. November was one of our most busy months for delivering babies and the majority of my time is spent doing the c-section deliveries. I am so thankful to Dr. Nicoll and others at In His Image that trained me to do that surgery in my residency. It has been one of the favorite parts of my job here and a real need in our community. Many moms fail to deliver at home and then are brought to our hospital for surgery. I am always happy to see healthy babies and moms knowing that without the surgery many of them would likely not survive.

C-section in New OR

For those that it is too late and their babies have passed we have the opportunity to minister to them in the name of Christ and bring hope that if they know the Lord Jesus as their Savior they will see their babies again in heaven. Ultimately, the gospel is the reason why we are here in Kenya and the reason why we want to come back for another term.

On the home front, we had a fun time at Hudson's graduation from Kindergarten. We have been homeschooling him in the mornings and for a couple of hours in the afternoon he gets to go to the local Kenyan church school. It has been good for him to socialize with the Kenyan kids. They had a special ceremony and we were so proud of him. Pretty cute kid!

Hudson at Kindergarten Graduation

Ariella is still a big hit with the Kenyans especially some of the women that work in our home. Isaac continues to melt hearts with his big bear hugs. You'll often find him telling his friends and family "I love you too!" And Jude's daydreams have finally come true when he got to pack his backpack to actually take to America. The other day we had all the mission station workers in our home to say thank you. We have been so blessed in this place.

Mission Station Friends

We hope all of you had a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

God bless you,
The Jones Family
Kyle, Vanessa, Hudson, Jude, Isaac and Ariella

U.S. Address: 22129 E. 62nd Street Broken Arrow, OK 74014
Kenyan Address: Kapsowar Hospital PO Box 68 Kapsowar 30705 Kenya, East Africa
Email: kvhjones@sbcglobal.net
Keep up with the Jones' at: www.joneshousehappenings.blogspot.com
"Declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous deeds among all peoples."
- 1 Chronicles 16:24