Hurray!

Morokeni!

How are all of you doing?  I have some exciting news to share with you!  I have a job!  HURRAY!  After interviewing with the Piedmont Mountainside Hospital last week, I have been offered a night position on their medical-surgical floor!  The hospital is in Jasper, which is about 30-40 minutes north of Woodstock.  The hospital is really small, it's only 42 beds which includes the 6 ICU beds and the maternity ward!  The Med-Surg unit is only 29 beds.  In contrast, the pediatric ward in Rundu was 52 beds and the entire hospital was 250 beds!  Ha! Ha!  I think that transitioning back into American medicine in this small setting will be good for me.  Even though it's a small country hospital, it's owned by Piedmont which is a really BIG hospital system in downtown Atlanta.  This is great because I will be working in a small hospital but have the benefits of working in a big system.  I haven't told Teresa yet, but I know she'll be excited because one of the perks of Piedmont is really cheap Braves tickets!  (Piedmont is the system that provides for the Braves)  :-)  In other great news, my nursing license has finally been reinstated!  I have to wait for it to come in the mail, but it will get here in time for me to start work on July 7th!

AIM news

You may remember when I came home that I wrote to you that AIM's policy is to support me for eight months after my return home.  You may also remember that I had asked them to only support me for four months.  Well, dear family and friends, my time is up!  This month, June, is the last month that AIM will be accepting monies on my behalf.  If you have automatic payments set up I believe that you must call and have them stopped.  Thank you to all of you who have financially supported me throughout these last three years.  You have been an amazing blessing to me and words can't describe how grateful I am for your support!  Thank you also to those of you who have been my prayer warriors.  I couldn't have made it through my time in Africa without you and your loving prayers.  

Updates

I will still occasionally be sending out updates on what is happening in my life, but they will by no means be sent out on a regular basis.  If you choose not to receive any further updates then please let me know and I will remove you from the list.  

I love you all and wish I could give you bug hugs for all the love and support you have given me!

God bless each of you!

kapande 

prayer need

Dear Loved Ones,

I am writing to you with a sad heart asking for prayer for my family.
My Uncle Thomas died Saturday morning of a heart attack at age 51.
Though not in prime health it is still a shock to all of us. Please
pray for his wife, Lydia, his children and step-children, his brothers
and sisters and his church family and community that have been
affected by this tragic loss of life.

My step-mom was discharged on Wednesday of last week but went back
into the ER on Friday with vomiting. They are hoping to get it sorted
out and get her sent back home again this week. Please be in prayer
for my dad, Dan, as he deals with all of these stressful events in his
life. Thanks in advance for your prayers.

my love to you all,
kimmie

pics & good news (mostly)

Hi Everyone!  

I wasn't great at taking photos while I was traveling around, but here is a sample of he ones I took.  Several people that I got to see aren't included... sorry!  The pictures are in my heart! 

I have a praise report on my step-mom!  Robin was moved to the rehabilitation hospital yesterday!  YAY!  However, she is still having bouts of paranoia, hallucinations and severe confusion.  Please continue to pray for her healing.  She had a rough time with the transfer because she thought she was going home.  Please pray that she will settle into the new hospital and get all the drugs out of her system that are most likely causing these episodes.  Please pray for the staff caring for her to have compassion on her and help her through this time.  My dad is still worn out from trying to spend as much time as possible with her after work and still keep the house in order.  I appreciate your prayers for him too.

love to all,

kimmie

New Mexico Pics

Texas Pics

Oklahoma Pics

back in Atlanta again...

Hi Dear Family and Friends!

How are you? I hope that this spring is finding you doing well and
not suffering from too many allergies!

After many weeks of travel and enjoying everyone's company, I wanted
to let you all know that I have safely made it back into Atlanta
again. I am soooo excited to be able to be back at my home church,
CrossRoads Community Church for Easter celebration! I can't think of
a better way to celebrate the resurrection of my Savior! I was able
to show up Wednesday night at church for the women's Bible study and
surprise everyone. It was great to see the reactions of Ms Rosie and
Margaret when they realized who it was who walked through the door! :-)

Thank you to everyone who has been praying for my step-mom. She is
doing much better finally! YAY! They moved her out of the ICU into a
sub-acute care for surgical patients this week. She is up and walking
several times a day, and they have even started letting her eat some
pureed foods! If she keeps doing well in the next few days they even
hope to take out the tracheostomy tube! Please continue to pray for
her healing.

Thank you also to everyone who was praying for my safe travels. My
friend in Birmingham is sick so we both decided that it was best if I
didn't go and stay with her. Instead, I thought I could make it all
the way from Tulsa, OK to Woodstock, GA on Tuesday... I got too late
of a start and that didn't happen. Oh well... I found a nice Ramada
Inn to stay at and had a lovely night of sleep even though it was
freezing outside. I made it into GA yesterday (Wednesday) and have
been having fun trying to unpack and get settled. The pile in the
middle of the floor is getting smaller so I think that it's
working! :-)

I love you all!
kapande

hello from windy Oklahoma

Greetings dear friends from Oklahoma where the wind comes sweeping down the plain!  

 

And boy is it windy these days!  I have been in different parts of Oklahoma for a week now and have enjoyed the warm glow of friendships that started back in college.  I have enjoyed meeting husbands and babies (and one boyfriend) for the first time.  :-)  It was also nice to drive through and see OBU and Shawnee again, though I was sad that the house I lived in my junior year has been moved and the church parking lot expanded.... further proof that life moves on I guess!  On the other hand, the old deli that was across from the campus has a new face... Hammy Hortons.... and wow!  It was amazing!  I liked it so much that we ate there two days in a row!

my step-mom

Dad has been really good about keeping me informed about what's going on with Robin, which I really appreciate.  They have decided that she is not bleeding now and that they don't really know where the blood that they saw on the CT scan came from though they speculate that it is old blood from the surgery.  They have a hematologist on the team now trying to figure out why she isn't able to keep her blood count up on her own.  I hope they will soon find the reason!  Robin is having more good days than bad at this point.  They were even able to take her off the ventilator!  Wahoo!  Please continue to pray for her and my dad.  

continued travel

Since Robin is doing so well I have decided not to head back to Albuquerque right now.  If things take a turn for the serious again I might rethink that decision, but for now I am going to continue to head back to Atlanta.  Currently I am in Owasso which is just north of Tulsa.  From here I will head to Birmingham for a few nights then head to Atlanta.  I will be back in Atlanta before the end of the week.  Though it has been great to travel it will also be nice to be able to settle into Teresa's apartment.

job hunt

I still don't have any leads for any jobs, though I haven't been able to spend as much time as I probably should on it.  I am wondering if God has a different direction for me than I have thought.  Maybe I am not supposed to be in the hospital setting....  My sister keeps pointing me in the direction of home health care but I am not sure about that either.  Please pray that I will be open to what God has for me.

much love to all,

kapande

p.s. We are having trouble transferring the money from the sale of my car from Africa to America.  Please pray with me that it will get sorted sooner rather than later so that I actually have some money to live off of!  Thanks!

another update

Hi Everybody!

I just wanted to let you know that my step-mom Robin is still doing
very poorly. She's still bleeding internally. They did another test
yesterday and the results came back today. The same artery that was
bleeding the first time that they sewed up. There aren't a lot of
options to stop the bleeding because her condition is still so weak.
Please continue to pray for her as she fights though this terrible
time. My dad is still going to the hospital every day after work and
he's tired of hearing so much bad news.

I got a lovely email from the Children's hospital that I was not
chosen to advance in the application process. Since I don't have a
job to return to Atlanta for there is a chance that I will return to
NM to help support my dad. Please pray for wisdom for me as I am
making this decision (and as I continue to look for a job).

I love you all,
kapande

updates, updates and more updates

Hi Everyone!

I hope this finds you all doing well.  It's hard to believe that I have already been with my family for almost a month!  Spending my days in the ICU waiting room has really made the time fly!  I wanted to give you a few updates since I have been such a slacker lately.  

My step-mom

Robin is still in the ICU.  They finally decided that she wasn't at risk for more bleeding and that the swelling had gone down enough to suture her abdomen yesterday.  They  were hoping to be able to take her off the ventilator today but since they had to increase her sedation for the surgery yesterday they say she isn't ready yet.  She has definitely turned the corner though and Dad was finally able to get a full night of sleep last night (the first time since her first surgery a month ago!).  Overall she is still ill but she is improving.  It will be hard to leave Saturday with her still being in the ICU.  Please continue to pray for her healing and for my dad as he deals with the stress of caring for her.  

Travel plans

As my time here in New Mexico comes to a close, I thought it would be good to remind everyone of where I will be heading to.  Below is my itinerary.  Please contact me or the person I will be staying with to see what the plans are for my time in each place!  There is a chance that I will switch the Tulsa/Shawnee dates, but I still need to discuss that with Heather and Paige.  

3/21- drive to Carlsbad Caverns and enjoy one of God's beautiful creations, stay the night in a TX Motel 6 :-)  (Pecos or Fort Stockton)

3/22- drive to Austin- stay with my Momma

3/29- drive to OKC- stay with Jenny

3/31- drive to drive to Tulsa- stay with Heather

4/3- drive to Shawnee- stay with Paige

4/6- drive to Birmingham- stay with Meredith

4/8- back to Atlanta- settle with Teresa

Financial Support

I'm sorry that I have been focused on other things and have been a total slacker in writing to you about what you should do regarding financial donations.  According to AIM, they will continue to support me for 8 months so that I can get on my feet and get settled.  However, I have asked them to limit that to only 4 months, March-June.  So, if it is possible for those of you that support me financially to continue making payments through June, that would be a huge help to me!  I have already had a few people say that they can't continue the payments, which I totally understand and respect!  However, this puts me in a shortage.  If there are any of you who do not support me financially that would be willing to make a one time gift or a monthly payment for the next 4 months, that would be wonderful.  Remember all donations are tax-deductible.  If you have questions about making donations please email or call me.  Thanks!

A hunting I will go

I have already submitted an application to the Children's hospital that I was working at before I left and have heard back from them.  They are eager to work with me to find me a position.  There are no positions available in the Neonatal ICU, which would be my first desire, but there is one in the Pediatric ICU.  When they called me they said there is only one position and that they might want to go with someone who has had more recent ICU experience.  There are other positions available in the hospital though so it sounds like they will work with me in finding me something!  :-)  

Car hunting

Two Saturdays ago I asked my dad to take me to look at some cars.  I told him I was only interesting in looking.  However, at the anniversary sale at Rich Ford, they made me a deal that I couldn't refuse (and would have been an idiot if I had!)... so, that night I drove home in a barely used 2009 moss green Ford Fusion.  It's a lot bigger than what I am used to driving and I still have problems parking it straight, but I love it.  It's got lots of fancy features that I am still trying to figure out.... I think the car might be smarter than me!  God really blessed me with a great car!

I hope this finds you all healthy and happy. I can't wait to see you guys!

love,

kapande

update on my step-mom

Hi all...
I would like to say that thing are going well, but so far they haven't
turned out that way. The bleeding started again yesterday morning so
they took her back into surgery for almost 5 hours to find the spot.
They said they found it but still left the abdomen open just in case.
This morning we just got a call that she is bleeding again (more
slowly this time) and they are going to try to find it through an
angiogram (putting dye into the arteries to see where the blood is
traveling). We are headed back up to the hospital now. Please
continue to pray. Thank you.
love to you all,
kimmie

My step-mom

Hi Everyone...
I haven't been keeping up with emails lately because I have been
spending time with my family and helping to watch over my step-mom who
you have been praying for because of her recent surgery. I wanted to
give you an update on her. This morning (Sunday) she started vomiting
blood and telling us that her heart hurt. My dad called the ambulance
and they whisked her off to the ER. My dad and I spent the whole day
in one waiting area or another as they stabilized and cared for her.
To make the long story short, they found that she had some bleeding in
her small intestines so they took her back to surgery tonight. They
thought they had found exactly where with the endoscopy, but once they
got got her on the operating table they couldn't find the spot. They
are left the surgical site open for easy access in case it starts
bleeding again. I imagine that they will keep her sedated over the
next few days. If there is no more bleeding in the next few days they
said they would take her back to the OR and close the surgical site.
Please pray for her healing, wisdom for the doctors, and stamina for
my dad. We'll both be spending a lot of time at the hospital this
week I am sure. Thanks in advance for your prayers.
much love,
kimmie

Surprise!

Dear Family and Friends....

I am writing to you from the comfort of my dad's couch.  What you say?  That's right... Surprise!  I am back in the US!  I arrived last week into New York to stop at the AIM HQ, then proceeded on to Atlanta so I could do things like get a cell phone and get my driver's license renewed.  Then, I flew into Albuquerque to surprise both my sister and my dad for my sister's birthday!  My uncle has been in cohorts with me and helped me set up a birthday party for my sister at his house.  Then he picked me up at the airport and we made the plan for the reveal.  My dad was early and my sister was late, but it was still a surprise to both of them!  :-)  They both told me that they were never going to trust me again and that they were both going to kick my bum... but I think that they have forgiven me!  My sister's eyes teared up a little when I was hugging her.  It was really special and I am glad that it worked out, even with all the stuff I had to go through to get here.

Flying in

I flew from Namibia on February 16th.  My box gave us all a headache since it was 2.4kg (5.2 lbs) over the overweight limit.  It was also huge, which gave the airline guy more than a little concern.  Finally though he said he would take the blame if there was any trouble for it being over the weight limit and he sent it through.  My layover in London was fine and I arrived in NY without any problems.  I was concerned though that my luggage didn't show up.  Finally I heard an announcement that oversized luggage had to be picked up in a special place so when I went to the other end of where I was I found it.  I was so relieved!  I am sure that I looked a little more than comical as I approached customs.  I had a luggage cart with the box and basket on it and I had balanced my carry-on on top.  Then I was pulling my big suitcase behind me.  It was difficult, but I was determined!  When I got up to the front of the line at customs the guy looked at me and actually snorted!  I said 'Ya, I know."  He asked me what everything was and what was in it and I told him.  I was fully expecting to have to open everything up.  I was very surprised when he just waved me through!  So, the box and basket are now safely at the AIM HQ in Pearl River!  YIPPEE!!!!  It was going to cost way too much to try to get it onto the flight to Atlanta with me, so AIM is shipping them to Teresa's in Atlanta.  I told him it could take a slow boat past China if it would make it cheaper!  :-)  

Culture shock

WOW!  Being in the States has been good but difficult!  Sometimes it's the little things.  In Namibia it's illegal to put light switches inside the bathroom, so I keep feeling the wall outside the bathroom whenever I try to go in.  It always takes me a moment to figure out what I am doing.  The handle for flushing is on the right in Namibia so I keep reaching for the right side instead of the left to flush.  When I opened the fridge to make myself an omelet for breakfast Tuesday morning I was in shock that the eggs were white!  :-)  And sometimes it's the big things....  Driving on the right side of the road has been difficult.  I have actually driven three times now, all without incident!  YAY!  But it's very odd.  Being in the driver's seat actually helps a lot.  Sitting in the passenger side is the driver's side in Namibia so it just perpetuates the feeling of being wrong.  Being on the driver's side is a lot better.  Teresa (my future roommate in GA) and I walked into a CVS (like a Walgreens) and I almost had a breakdown!  I actually felt tears well up in my eyes.  Thankfully she saw my face and knew what was happening and pushed me through the store.  She was amazing during those first few days!  I am sure that there will continue to be many things that I will struggle with, but those are just a few of the highlights!

New contact info

I have a cell phone with Verizon Wireless.  I have unlimited texting and I love to text... so I would love to hear from you!  My number is 770-712-0523.  My email will continue to be ktibbetts@aimint.net for a few more months, but if you want to switch to using my hotmail account (fooferdawn@hotmail.com) now, then it's ok.  For mail, I will be here in NM until March 20th, so you can send anything to 970 Lomax Avenue, Bosque Farms, NM 87068.  After March 20th my mailing address will be 4202 Towne Lake Hts, Woodstock, GA 30189.  It would be great if you could send me your phone numbers so I can get them into my address book and phone.  Thanks!

I hope this finds you all well and not too mad at me for my many lies over the last few weeks!  :-)

love and hugs!

kapande

   

RE: update on Robin, my birthday, the new girls, Dophelia and my travel plans/countdown

Safe Travels, Kimmie! Wish I could be at the airport to welcome you home, but since I can’t, just imagine me waiting, holding a big sign that says “WELCOME HOME, KIMMIE!!!”. I’ll start smiling really big and jumping up and down when we see each other! J I k now you will be happy to be back on American soil.

 

Sheila

 

 

From: Kimmie Tibbetts [mailto:ktibbetts@aimint.net]
Sent: Saturday, February 21, 2009 8:07 AM
To: kimmieconnection blog
Subject: update on Robin, my birthday, the new girls, Dophelia and my travel plans/countdown

 

Hi Dear Family and Friends!

 

First I want to say thank you to my family who has helped keep me updated on my step-mom.  She is still in the hospital as of Friday but they are thinking she might go home today (Saturday).  That's about all the details I know at this point.  Dad tried to call me Thursday for my birthday but the call didn't go through (I can't wait to be finished with TIA!!!) so I haven't been able to actually talk to him about what's going on with her.  Please continue to pray for full recovery.

 

My Birthday

Thank you to everyone who sent me cards, emails and notes on facebook for my birthday!  I had a wonderful day!  :-)  The evening was definitely the best part.  Monica and Hansie, the South African doctor/dentist-wife/husband duo, had us over for a braii (SA word for BBQ) and it was so nice!  We even had fireworks!  Ok, it wasn't really fireworks, but that's what I am choosing to believe!  The menu was chicken and gem squash, which are these lovely little round squash that you cook then scoop out the middle and enjoy.  It wasn't the first time that Monica and Hansie had cooked these and all other attempts had been normal and without incident.  Until now.  As we were sitting around the fire pit talking, Hansie was turning the chicken when suddenly there was an explosion!  All of us just about jumped out of our skin, and Minnie had brought Ndahafa so she started crying (poor thing!).  We all stood around in confusion for a moment until we figured out what had happened.  One of the squash exploded!  We don't know if there weren't enough holes poked in it or if the holes that had been made weren't deep enough.....  We just know that I had fireworks for my birthday!  :-)  When we went inside we all had little yellow bits of squash covering our clothes and Minnie had it in her hair!  Hansie suffered a minor burn on his neck where a piece of the hot squash landed and he didn't get it off fast enough!  (He'll be fine and he was quite embarrassed that all of us girls were fussing over him to make sure he was ok)  I thought it was great to have my last birthday bash end with a bang!  Ha! Ha! Ha!

 

 

The New Girls

Nicole and Tricia are so wonderful!  I did get fully packed before they came and I think they are settling into the house well.  I am not saying that it wasn't a rush to get everything packed, but I am very glad that I did!  The girls are both from Kentucky so it's fun to listen to them talk.  I think I am going to pick up a southern accent again before I even make it home!  Tricia is a NICU nurse so it's been really nice to connect with her on that level and talk to someone with the same nursing background.  She's been very interested in how things are done at the hospital but I haven't been able to give her a tour yet.  I hope this coming week we can get that done.  Nicole has her Master's degree in conflict resolution.  I believe that God's timing for bringing her here is perfect!  What's the first thing we did with her?  Throw her into the situation with Dophelia and her grandma/auntie!  Yup, we sure did.... or rather... Sabrina did since I haven't been going out to project much.  :-)  That's right.... I am pointing the finger in anyone else's direction but mine!  Though she'll only be able to work with them for a few months, please pray with us that Nicole can make some good progress with both Dophelia and the family.

 

Dophelia

Speaking of Dophelia, the situation is getting worse.  The auntie that agreed to let us build the hut on her property has been getting drunk more often and beating both Dophelia and her brother Jacob more.  There have been several meetings with the social worker and police in the last two weeks and the auntie hasn't even attended several of them because she has already been at the bar drunk.  Rightfully so, the social worker made the decision that the auntie could no longer have custody of the kids.  Of course that's a good thing because they need a better caregiver.... but it's also a bad thing because there really isn't any place for her and Jacob to go.  Please continue to pray for Dophelia and for Sabrina, Nicole and the social worker as they try to find a good solution for where to put Dophelia and her brother.

 

Windhoek

My plans for when I travel to Windhoek have changed.  The original plan was that I would travel with Daryl & Sabrina to Windhoek when they were going to South Africa.  However, due to several circumstances (the timing of the arrival of the new girls, the change in flights that they had to make for leaving Namibia, etc) they are no longer going to South Africa right now.  So, that means that I have to make my own way to Windhoek before I fly out.  Since I really don't like the overnight bus ride, I will be going with the public combi (minivan packed with people and things) sometime next week.  I think they'll have a fit when they see the size and amount of my luggage and I'll probably have to really pay for it... that's ok.  It's worth it to get the box and that basket home!!!  So, all of this to say that I don't know when I am actually headed to Windhoek.  What I do know is that I have only 9 more days left!  YIKES!  It still doesn't feel real.  I don't know if it will... it seems like I am living in a cloud.

 

I hope this finds you doing well and surviving the cold.  I have looked at the weather several times this last week and think that I am going to die when I get there due to the cold!!  :-)  

 

I love you all and can't wait to see you!

kapande

 

 

update on Robin, my birthday, the new girls, Dophelia and my travel plans/countdown

Hi Dear Family and Friends!

First I want to say thank you to my family who has helped keep me updated on my step-mom.  She is still in the hospital as of Friday but they are thinking she might go home today (Saturday).  That's about all the details I know at this point.  Dad tried to call me Thursday for my birthday but the call didn't go through (I can't wait to be finished with TIA!!!) so I haven't been able to actually talk to him about what's going on with her.  Please continue to pray for full recovery.

My Birthday

Thank you to everyone who sent me cards, emails and notes on facebook for my birthday!  I had a wonderful day!  :-)  The evening was definitely the best part.  Monica and Hansie, the South African doctor/dentist-wife/husband duo, had us over for a braii (SA word for BBQ) and it was so nice!  We even had fireworks!  Ok, it wasn't really fireworks, but that's what I am choosing to believe!  The menu was chicken and gem squash, which are these lovely little round squash that you cook then scoop out the middle and enjoy.  It wasn't the first time that Monica and Hansie had cooked these and all other attempts had been normal and without incident.  Until now.  As we were sitting around the fire pit talking, Hansie was turning the chicken when suddenly there was an explosion!  All of us just about jumped out of our skin, and Minnie had brought Ndahafa so she started crying (poor thing!).  We all stood around in confusion for a moment until we figured out what had happened.  One of the squash exploded!  We don't know if there weren't enough holes poked in it or if the holes that had been made weren't deep enough.....  We just know that I had fireworks for my birthday!  :-)  When we went inside we all had little yellow bits of squash covering our clothes and Minnie had it in her hair!  Hansie suffered a minor burn on his neck where a piece of the hot squash landed and he didn't get it off fast enough!  (He'll be fine and he was quite embarrassed that all of us girls were fussing over him to make sure he was ok)  I thought it was great to have my last birthday bash end with a bang!  Ha! Ha! Ha!

The New Girls

Nicole and Tricia are so wonderful!  I did get fully packed before they came and I think they are settling into the house well.  I am not saying that it wasn't a rush to get everything packed, but I am very glad that I did!  The girls are both from Kentucky so it's fun to listen to them talk.  I think I am going to pick up a southern accent again before I even make it home!  Tricia is a NICU nurse so it's been really nice to connect with her on that level and talk to someone with the same nursing background.  She's been very interested in how things are done at the hospital but I haven't been able to give her a tour yet.  I hope this coming week we can get that done.  Nicole has her Master's degree in conflict resolution.  I believe that God's timing for bringing her here is perfect!  What's the first thing we did with her?  Throw her into the situation with Dophelia and her grandma/auntie!  Yup, we sure did.... or rather... Sabrina did since I haven't been going out to project much.  :-)  That's right.... I am pointing the finger in anyone else's direction but mine!  Though she'll only be able to work with them for a few months, please pray with us that Nicole can make some good progress with both Dophelia and the family.

Dophelia

Speaking of Dophelia, the situation is getting worse.  The auntie that agreed to let us build the hut on her property has been getting drunk more often and beating both Dophelia and her brother Jacob more.  There have been several meetings with the social worker and police in the last two weeks and the auntie hasn't even attended several of them because she has already been at the bar drunk.  Rightfully so, the social worker made the decision that the auntie could no longer have custody of the kids.  Of course that's a good thing because they need a better caregiver.... but it's also a bad thing because there really isn't any place for her and Jacob to go.  Please continue to pray for Dophelia and for Sabrina, Nicole and the social worker as they try to find a good solution for where to put Dophelia and her brother.

Windhoek

My plans for when I travel to Windhoek have changed.  The original plan was that I would travel with Daryl & Sabrina to Windhoek when they were going to South Africa.  However, due to several circumstances (the timing of the arrival of the new girls, the change in flights that they had to make for leaving Namibia, etc) they are no longer going to South Africa right now.  So, that means that I have to make my own way to Windhoek before I fly out.  Since I really don't like the overnight bus ride, I will be going with the public combi (minivan packed with people and things) sometime next week.  I think they'll have a fit when they see the size and amount of my luggage and I'll probably have to really pay for it... that's ok.  It's worth it to get the box and that basket home!!!  So, all of this to say that I don't know when I am actually headed to Windhoek.  What I do know is that I have only 9 more days left!  YIKES!  It still doesn't feel real.  I don't know if it will... it seems like I am living in a cloud.

I hope this finds you doing well and surviving the cold.  I have looked at the weather several times this last week and think that I am going to die when I get there due to the cold!!  :-)  

I love you all and can't wait to see you!

kapande

coming home V: right side? left side? wrong side?

Hi everyone!

Today's edition of coming home has to deal with driving. The more
that I am researching cars online the more nervous I am getting about
having to drive once I get home. As in much of europe, the driver's
side is the right side of the car and we drive on the left side of the
road. I looked at a picture of the interior of the Ford Fusion (which
is so cute) and thought how wrong it looked for the steering wheel to
be on the left side! Having been in a left side of the road driving
pattern for the last three years, I don't think it will be wise for me
to drive for several weeks. And when I do start driving I refuse to
have it be in Atlanta with it's crazy traffic! That means that
Teresa, my dear, lovely friend who helped me and drove me around when
I left Atlanta, will have to help me and drive me around when I come
back into Atlanta. (Thanks Teresa!!!!! You're the best ever!!!!!)

I know what some of you are thinking.... How am I planning on buying
a car if I can't even test drive it? Ok, that's the thought that I
keep having anyways.... The answer is that I don't know exactly how
it will go. I might have to buy it more towards the end of my time in
Albuquerque so that I will be more comfortable behind the wheel. That
or I will just buy it and have someone in my family drive it to the
house and park it until I have enough confidence to drive! :-)

So, how can you help me? Stay off the sidewalks when I'm driving!
Oh, wait, that's not what I was supposed to say... I meant don't
laugh at me when you're driving me and I try to tell you that you're
driving in the wrong lane. And... if you have the misfortune of being
my passenger in those first few weeks, maybe give me gentle reminders
of which lanes I am actually supposed to be in and don't scream when I
start to pull out on the left side of the street.

I love you all!
kapande

my stepmom Robin

Hi Everyone!

I had to re-word some of this because email hasn't been working...
this was supposed to go out Sunday.

My stepmom Robin has been battling with chronic pancreas problems for
a long time. She is frequently in and out of the emergency room and
hospital because of it. Last year she even went to see a specialist
in Seattle because the doctors in NM didn't think they were qualified
to deal with her problems! Up to now she hasn't had much relief from
the different treatments that they have put her on. A few weeks ago
she was referred to a specialty surgeon there in Albuquerque. After
seeing her he decided that she needed a special surgery to help her
condition. The surgery was yesterday, Monday. I haven't heard from
my dad yet to know how it went. This was a very difficult procedure
and will take a long time to recover from. Please pray for her as she
recovers. She is supposed to be in the intensive care for a day or
two after the procedure then they will transfer her to a step down
unit. Please also pray for my dad as he tries to balance work and
taking care of her. I will let you know as soon as I know how she is
doing. Thanks in advance for your prayers!

love,
k

coming home IV: Rock Star Status

Dear Family and Friends,
How are you doing? Things here are going well. It still feels unreal
that I am leaving! I have two weeks left in Namibia. I am not sure
when I am heading to Windhoek, so I'll keep you informed. Today's
edition of coming home has to deal with what I refer to as the "Rock
Star Status". Here in Rundu I am a superstar! Honestly! Ok, so no
one wants my picture or my autograph, but I am CONSTANTLY stared at
with people frequently pointing their fingers at me. It doesn't
matter where I go. Grocery store, church, post office.... everywhere
I go I get stared at, sometimes (like at church) for hours at a time!
And, especially when I enter the hospital compound, EVERYONE waves at
me and gives me greetings. Greetings are very important in this
society so it's not any wonder that they all greet me, but I wave
constantly from the moment I drive through the gate to the moment I
park the car!

I am honestly going to be thankful that I won't be stared at so much
once I come home! However, it will be a little weird to no longer be
recognized... to be just another person and not having the masses
interested in my every move.... There is absolutely nothing that any
of you can do to help me adjust to blending in with society... (I
don't want you to stare at me to make me feel better!!!) I just wanted
to share with you guys something that I might struggle with. :-)

I hope this finds you all doing well!
love,
kapande

coming home III: politically incorrect & socially unacceptable

A typical conversation for me:

Kimmie: "What is that nurse's name?"
Sister Haikera: "Which nurse?"
Kimmie: "The fat one from Surgical Ward."

This absolutely doesn't sound like something that an American would
say... But you would be surprised what has come out of my mouth in my
time here in Africa! To say that there is no politically correct
speech is the understatement of the year! If anything is offensive to
us as Americans, they the locals here say it... and, after three
years... so do I! Weight is not a taboo topic here. Sometimes they
mean being fat as being healthy and rich enough to buy good food to
eat, and sometimes they mean that it's bad because one is just fat...
I have been called both on many occasions! I have gotten used to it
and now I just joke about it... I think it will be hard for me to
come back into a society where weight is a constant issue. The other
day a girl saw a picture of my dad and told me "No wonder you are
fat." Honestly, she said it just like that! At home I would have
wanted to punch who ever said that, but to her all I said was "yes...
looking at my father I don't have a choice do I?" She thought it was
hilarious and giggled at it. When I told my dad he wasn't quite so
tickled by it. Sorry Daddy! :-)

Another example: When needing to go to the bathroom, in America a
woman might say "I need to powder my nose" or "I am just going to the
ladies' room, I'll be right back." Here, you just say "I have to pee,
I'm going to the toilet." or, "Oh, I am having running stomach, I
must go to the toilet.' Yup, no pretense at all of nicety involved!
You just say what you mean!

Want another? I pick my nose in public! Yup, I sure do.... and it's
perfectly acceptable here! Everyone does it! I used to joke about it
when I first came, and now I do it too. :-( Yikes!

Another: If you are trying to describe someone and they are darker
than most people then it is perfectly acceptable to say 'The very
black one'. The color of the skin is just another way of identifying
someone... there is no negative connotation to the darkness or
lightness of the color of brown that their skin is. If they are dark
skinned then they are called black and if someone is very light then
they are called colored. (FYI: Our new president is placed in that
category) I have a feeling that I am going to make the mistake of
talking about 'black people' or 'colored people' in a public place and
get beaten up!

So how can you help me? Don't freak out too much when I say something
that I am not supposed to... maybe we can come up with a code word
that you can say when I am inappropriate! :-) And if you see my
picking my nose... don't laugh too much... just hand me a tissue and
tell me I'm not in Rundu anymore! :-)

I would love to write more but I have to go to the toilet to go pee
now... ha ha ha ha
love you all!
k

'luggage' pics

Hi again!

So it turns out I can't sleep... so thought I would be productive and load the pics of my new luggage... :-)

love you all!

k

click here

the new girls

Hi Everyone!
I can't believe that I forgot to tell you that we're getting two new
people to serve here in Rundu! Ok, so I can believe it... and I know
you can too... it's just the way I am. Glad you all love me anyways!
So, Tricia and Nicole are both from Kentucky and will be joining us
here in Rundu for 3 months. They arrived in Windhoek over the weekend
and will be having orientation this week. They will arrive here in
Rundu on Monday the 16th. I have decided that it would be nice for
them to be able to settle into the house without me and my junk in the
way. What does that mean? It means that I am going to try to
completely pack the house before the end of the weekend so that they
can make this their home when they arrive. :-) I am going to move
out of the master bedroom into the small room so that they can move
into where they are going to be for their time here. That means that
I have a lot of work to do this week! I have already gone through my
room and bathroom and sorted everything, so the biggest job is done.
Now I just have to go through the rest of the house. Thankfully I
have already started pulling things off the walls, taking small
nicknacks and putting them aside so that a lot is already done. :-)
It will still be hectic though! Minnie and Sabrina have agreed to
help me actually pack my suitcases, which will be a huge help! I just
have to gather everything together!

Speaking of suitcases, I have some unusual ones. My pastor is also a
carpenter and I had him make me a beautiful wooden box. It has
carvings of elephants on it and it is gorgeous! I just brought it
home today so I will take pictures and get them on facebook tomorrow.
On Saturday he called me and said there was a problem with it. Since
there have been problems with it along the way I rushed right over.
Turns out the stinker was playing a joke on me. When I arrived it was
sitting there beautiful and completely finished! My second piece is a
basket that I had Sabrina buy for me in Katima, a town near the
Zambian border that is known for their baskets. Other than that I
just have a boring suitcase. Three years.... three pieces.... I think
it's fair don't you?

My first day of not waking up to an alarm clock...oops.. I mean, my
first day not at work was really nice. I loved waking up slowly and
then taking my time getting things done. The rains even held today so
I was able to do some laundry! YAY! That really helps with the
packing process. :-)

lots of love,
k

praise:
- no alarm clocks for 3 whole weeks! YAY!
- my box is beautiful!

Prayer:
- the box might be too big to be a checked piece, I will be calling BA
this week to see what can be done
- for the new girls as they go through orientation in Windhoek with
Suzanne (who's flying solo with 5 kids since Mick is in Florida
getting Stephen settled in preparation for college)
- that I will stay on task this week and get everything done that
needs to be accomplished. I really, really don't want to pull my
usual stunt which is waiting until the very last minute to do things.
If I am diligent this week then I can spend my last weeks here just
spending time with people.

last week of work

Dear Family and Friends,

Since I have a few weeks after stopping work I didn't think that this
week would be very hard for me. Boy was I wrong! This morning I have
almost found myself in tears several times and I haven't even really
done anything yet! Please pray for me to have strength in this week
and that I will make the time to start saying goodbye to people. It's
dawning on me that I am actually leaving and it's an emotional roller
coaster! Thank you in advance for your prayers.
love,
kimmie

It's dry!

Wahoo! Yippee! YAY!!! God is so GOOD! The rains held off again
today and the hut is dry enough that even if it rains now it will be
fine! Thank you so much for your prayers!
much love,
kimmie

hurray!

Hi Everyone!!!

Here in Rundu today we are praising God for answering your prayers!  Last night as I was praying I prayed the first part of Psalm 143:8 "Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love (for Dophelia) for I have put my trust in You".  What a mighty God we have!  We had a little spittle of rain in the early part of the morning, but it was while we were making the structure for the walls so it didn't hurt anything and it didn't even last for 5 minutes!  Hurray!!  After that the sky was cloudy but it served to keep the sun from beating down on our poor white skin so we were quite happy!

Our day started at 5:20 as we were told we had to be at Zeca's house at 6.  Most of you know I don't do mornings well so I tried to stay quiet until I actually woke up!  Once all the men who were helping us arrived, we left for Kaisosi.  All of the men who helped us were from the Ndama church that I attend.  It was incredible to see them working so hard for a little girl that they didn't even know!

When we arrived we had to go and collect the posts and sticks that had been purchased.  Then the men got to work making the roof and placing the corner beams.  From there us Shirumbus only did what we could, which wasn't all that much.  They use old tire tread to tie the sticks to the corner posts to create the wall structure, so I got to work on tearing them into small enough pieces to be able to use.  They even let me have a knife!  :-)  While I was doing that we decided that since we didn't have a truck to haul the clay for the walls, that we would turn my back seat into a dirt hauling machine!  With the use of a few tarps we secured the back as best we could, and Sabrina and Daryl with Zeca and some of the other guys went to load the clay.  It was really funny to see my car full of dirt!!!  Sabrina was disappointed that she couldn't work harder... she shoveled for a while but she ended up with blisters on every finger....  Her poor massage therapist hands are strong but have very soft skin!

Though we helped where we could, all the actual mudding was done by our African friends.  They were absolutely experts at it!  They were fast and absolutely amazing!  I have loaded pictures onto facebook already.  The internet is slow today so I have only added a few pics... more will come!   Click here to see the day's events. (then click again tomorrow to see more! :))

After everything was finished we were invited to Zeca's house where he was cooking a traditional mean of pap with relish (that's what they call the soup/sauce that they eat it with, it's anything from actual soup to vegetables to chicken or mean).  We enjoyed eating traditional style where they put the food in the middle of the circle and everyone just eats with their hands from the bowls until the food is finished.  It was really great to spend time thanking these men for all of their hard work. 

Please pray that the rain will hold out tonight and tomorrow as well so that the mud can dry.  Also, they said Dophelia can't sleep in it for two nights so she has two more nights of sleeping outdoors...  Please pray for her protection.  Today was the first time I have seen her since the last time the Auntie beat her... though the scratch marks and wounds are healing, the scars will always be there.  Please pray for her protection.  For more information on her situation you can visit Daryl & Sabrina's blog.  Sabrina changed Dophelia's name in the blog but you'll know the one when you look through them.... (it's the last one as I write this at the moment) (www.neufeldsinnamibia.blogspot.com) 

Thank you for your prayers and all of your letters of encouragement.... Today was a truly blessed day!!!

with all our thanks and love,

Kimmie (and Daryl, Sabrina and Dophelia)

Dophelia

Hi Family and Friends!
Remember a while back I wrote to you about an orphan who was only 12
but already sexually active with multiple partners? Well... I never
did give you an update on her. The good news is that the test came
back negative. :-)

Dophelia is now 13... and like any typical 13 year old she's got a
mouth and an attitude and she uses both!!! Her caregivers are her
grandmother, her uncle's wife and her aunt (who likes to get drunk and
beat her and her little brother that stays with her as well). Though
the grandmother's should be a haven for Dophelia, it's anything but.
The grandmother, a few weeks ago, kicked Dophelia out of the house.
She finally agreed to feed her, but said that she couldn't sleep in
the house. We are in the middle of the rainy season and have been
getting daily/nightly rains for almost 5 days straight.... and
Dophelia has been sleeping under a tree outside in all of this. So,
Daryl & Sabrina were determined to figure out a plan for her.

Through a several hour discussion involving a lot of yelling, a lot of
tears, and our good friend Zeca being patient enough to translate the
whole thing... It was finally decided that the Auntie was the best
choice for Dophelia to live with. However, there is currently no
space in her hut for Dophelia to sleep.... so, the Auntie agreed to
let us build a mud hut on her property for Dophelia. Praise God with
us that she has agreed to this!

So where does that put us? It looks like us crazy Shirumbus (white
people) are going to build a hut tomorrow!!! (Thursday) I don't know
how far we will get because it will have to be constructed from
scratch. The other times I have been involved the structure itself
was already up and all we had to do was mud it. Tomorrow we will have
to start by digging the wholes for the corner posts and the bind the
sticks that make up the structure of the walls.... then hopefully
start mudding it. Don't worry too much, we have several of our
African friends helping us so that the hut actually lasts through more
than one day! :-)

What I would like from all of you is simple.... please join me in
praying that the rain holds off for two days for us to build/mud the
hut and for it to dry properly.... :-) My God is a big God and he can
even stop the rains of Africa from coming! :-)

Thanks in advance for your prayers.... I will write tomorrow night
(assuming I can actually move) and let you know how it went....
love to you all,
kapande

snail mail

Hi Family and Friends!
Though I love getting snail mail... I fear that if you send anything
from this point on that I won't get it. I know I still have 5 weeks,
but you just never know... so, if you were planning on sending me
anything for my birthday... we can just have a belated birthday party
when I come home in March and you can give it to me then. (hint hint)
Thank you to everyone who has been faithful about sending me
encouraging notes and cards!
love to you all,
kapande

coming home II: purpose

Dear Family and Friends,
The last eight years of my life have been consumed with Africa. I
came to Africa the first time in October 2000 and tried to come back
since that point. It took me three years to work out the contract
that I had with the first hospital I worked at, then it took me over
two years of applying and raising funds to actually make it here, and
now I have been here for three years. When I come back, I suddenly
will have no purpose or direction. I will suddenly become 'the girl
who lived in Africa'... but doesn't know what she really wants to be
when she grows up. This is going to be very difficult for me until I
have a renewed vision for my future. Obviously I have already made
the choice to settle back in ATL, but there are so may other decisions
that must be made. Do I want to work in a hospital, big or small, do
I want to take a non-nursing job until I get readjusted to American
life, do I want to go back to school immediately and get my
masters... So many choices! I refuse to make the decision now as I
need all of my attention to help me finish well. But when I come home
I will have some difficult decisions to make. So, how can you help?
Please pray that God will reveal to me the next steps in my life,
where I should go from here... I love you all and can't wait to see you!

Only 5 weeks left in Namibia!

Hugs to all!
kapande

coming home I: Communication

Dear Family and Friends,

I told you that I would write some emails about things that I will find difficult when I come back and ways that you can help me.  Here is the first installment.  Each email will be titled 'coming home' and will have the subject following it.  This first email is about communication.

"English was founded in England, spoiled somewhere in India, and misunderstood right here on the continent of Africa" 

Sounds funny doesn't it?  I can't even begin to tell you how true it is!  I have a confession.  I no longer speak English.  I speak Namblish!  Namibia was settled by England and Germany, so the English that is spoken has the British vocabulary.  Since English isn't the Africans' first language, it has been changed into something that is their own language and English combined.  In order to speak and be understood here, one must learn the same way of speaking.  This means that my ability to speak good English has deteriorated since I came here!  My vocabulary has been infused with British words like rubbish instead of trash, holiday instead of vacation and boot instead of trunk.  It also means that there are many words that I haven't used in a long time that I have probably forgotten!  (The saying 'If you don't use it you lose it' is definitely true!)  My pattern of speech has also changed.  I speak much slower now and the way I form my sentences is even different.  

There are a lot of verbal and non-verbal communications that are now a part of my every day life that might confuse you guys at first.  Here are some examples:

Greetings: When shaking hands, I often clap three times first as a sign of respect.  When greeting someone who is older than me or has a higher position of authority I place my right hand on my forearm and do a little curtsy dip as a sign of respect.  Greetings for close friends that get hugs also includes kisses on both cheeks (like they do in Europe) and I feel awkward hugging on only one side now, like the greeting is incomplete.  When passing someone in the corridor or at the store or where ever, it is customary to greet, then say "ok" as a leave taking.  This can be said in English, but is mostly said in Rukwangali - "ewah" (eh-waaaah).  This is also considered an acceptable way to signify the end of a conversation, whether in person or on the phone.  I say it so often at this point that I say it without even thinking about it, it is just habit!  (Ewah can also be used as an acceptable greeting/acknowledgment of presence if you are passing the person more than once in the same day)

Asking questions:  In the Kwangali culture, a whole conversation can be had without words!  If I want something that is visible, I must only clap my hands and point at the object.  The person that I am asking has a few possible ways of answering me.  There is the eyebrow raise which indicates yes, the chin jut that indicated yes, or the eyes looking to the side which means no.  If it's a raise of the eyebrows or the jut of the chin, I may pick the item up and clap a thanks with a little curtsy dip or if handed the item take it with my left hand resting on my right arm along with the little curtsy dip.  Or, if I ask for something that isn't visible, the answer of no can be indicated by the twisting of the hand to make it look like you are holding a small ball. This is a perfectly acceptable way of saying no.  :-)  

Getting someone's attention: Here in Rundu one must be very careful about how they wave hello.  The hand must be showed palm forward and shaken in a side to side manner.  If you try to say hello by holding your hand still and moving your fingers up and down it doesn't mean hello, it means come here!  So, if you are trying to get someone's attention, that's how you wave, by holding your hand still and moving your fingers up and down.  :-)  Here, it is customary to get someone's attention verbally by calling them nane (nah-neh)(mother) or tate (tah-teh)(father).  This applies to everyone who is older than you.  If they are younger than you, you can call them kado (kah-doe)(girl) or boyi (boy-ee)(boy).

I'm coming now now: When one is going somewhere and will be right back, we say "I'll be right back".  Here, you say "I'm coming now now".  It means that I am coming back, but they only say 'I'm coming".  The 'now now' means I am coming back within fifteen minutes to a half hour.  'I'm coming now' gives the person about an hours time frame, and 'I'm coming' could mean they will come back after one hour or five!  Have I picked this up?  Absolutely!

Neh?: A good sentence in Namblish isn't complete without a 'neh' at the end.  It is used to qualify or verify information or to make sure that the listener understood the speaker's intention.  So if I leave my office I might say to my colleague "I am taking these to the Matron.  I'm coming now now.  I don't have my keys neh."  This signifies to my colleague that she can't lock the door while I am gone because I won't be able to get back in.  If I am talking to my colleague and I want to make sure that I understood her plans then I will say "You are going to the Regional office then to lunch neh?"  Then she can answer yes or no to verify that I have heard her correctly or maybe she changed her plans since she told them to me.  It can also be used just to add emphasis to the end of a sentence.  

Is it?: In Afrikaans, which also heavily influences Namblish, it is very common to verify a statement with 'is it'.  I think that in the US we would say 'is that true', 'really, I didn't know that', or 'I've never heard that before'.  In Namblish, that would use too many words.  After all, 'is it' is so much easier to say!

I am sure that there are many more aspects of Namibian communication that I have adopted and not even realized it!  So how can you help me with communication?  You can be patient with me as I adjust to 'normal' speech again and not laugh at me too much when I speak Namblish.  

More to come...

with love,

kapande

Kimmie Tibbetts

Serving the people of Namibia at the Rundu State Hospital
http://thekimmieconnection.blogspot.com
http://s207.photobucket.com/albums/bb136/thekimmieconnection/

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year Family and Friends!  

My Christmas and New Years were both spent with Daryl and Sabrina.  Both days were lovely celebrations.  For New Years (we are such party animals) that we watched movies and didn't even notice when the time had changed!  OOPS!  Daryl made lasagna, fresh Caesar salad and garlic bread for dinner.  It was amazing!!!  In between movies I did my first ever attempt at making English muffins.  For my first time they weren't bad.  Why did I make them?  For New Year's morning, Daryl made eggs benedict with an absolutely amazing hollandaise sauce that he slaved over.  YUM!  Definitely not a bad way to start the new year!  :-)

8 weeks is gonna fly by!!!

It's hard to imagine that in 8 weeks I will be on US soil.  YIKES!  Time is definitely flying.  I have already started sorting through my things and it's weird to see a pile of things in my suitcase that I plan on bringing home with me.  My room, which I am sorting through first looks like a tornado has gone through it.  I am hoping to finish it up by this weekend so that I can actually find my floor to clean it!  

Where are you going to be?

To answer this question, I have come up with a basic itinerary for my time at home.  I haven't heard back from all the people that I have asked about staying with, but I am used to things changing at the last minute.  So, here is what I am thinking things will look like.  As soon as I get a cell phone I will give you my number so that we can make plans to meet up when I am in each of these places.  There are lots of people that I want to see in each place but I was afraid of forgetting someone so I only wrote who I am staying with.  :-)   

March 2nd: leave Windhoek, fly through Jo'burg, London

March 3rd: arrive in NY (I left on March 3rd 2006, I arrive back on March 3rd 2009- I find it a little humorous!)

March 5th: fly to ATL (stay with Teresa) (get a cell phone, renew driver's license, go to church, meet Addison for the first time, eat lots of Mexican food)

March 14th: fly to NM (eat more Mexican food, spend time with family, meet Kaiden for the first time, buy a car- I'm thinking another Jetta?)

April 10th: Weekend getaway to Carlsbad Caverns, Carlsbad, NM

April 12th: Drive to Austin, TX (staying with my momma!!!)

April 19th: Drive to OKC, OK (stay with Jenny)

April 21st: Drive to Tulsa, OK (stay with Heather)

April 24th: Drive to Shawnee, OK (stay with Paige)

April 27th: Drive to Birmingham, AL (stay with Meredith)

April 29th: Drive to Atlanta (settle with Teresa)

Though I am excited about coming home, there is still a lot that needs to be done here.  Please pray that God will give me the strength and grace to finish well.  

I love you all and can't wait to see you soon!

kapande

prayer needs:

- please keep my friend Heather in your prayers, due to some complicated health problems she has to have a minor surgery on January 6th and pre-testing today, January 2nd.

- please pray that I will finish well

praises: 

- The time with Sabrina's mom, Susan, went really well.  We got her safely on the plane this last weekend.

- Our trip to Windhoek was wonderful!  We saw 2 movies!  2!!! (Madagascar 2 and Australia for the curious) I always feel like the hick going to the big city when we go... but we enjoyed the conveniences of shopping and great restaurants!

P.S. I have also added some pictures from December when Rundu hosted the 14th Annual Nation Cultural Dance Festival.  It was amazing and I was excited to get so many pictures!  I have only included a few here...

Click here to see faces of Namibia

Click here to see artsy photos of baskets