Render unto Caesar...

Dear friends,

After 25 hours of travel time we have safely arrived at Tenwek Hospital in Bomet, Kenya.  Our travel was pretty uneventful, though never have we encountered more obstacles along the way.  The flights out of the U. S. were on Delta airlines, and they were still blocking the middle seats to allow for more distancing between travellers.  This was a nice benefit to the new world of travel in the time of COVID 19…perhaps one of the only benefits!  Our flights all left on time, and we had basically smooth air travel along the way.  With all that is happening in Europe, and the emergence of a new strain of COVID 19, they have implemented some new requirements and protocols for travellers to their airports.  Amsterdam, (our intermediate destination in Europe before flying on to Nairobi) has begun to require proof of a neg. PCR COVID test taken within 72 hours of arrival (even for those in transit to another destination).  Fortunately, Nairobi had already instituted such a policy months ago. Consequently, we were already prepared, and had scheduled our COVID PCR testing the day before we left San Antonio.  We were able to get our results back that same day, so much of the anxiety about flying toward our destination without knowing our COVID results was alleviated.  There were numerous checks on our test results before leaving SA, before allowing us to board our flight in Amsterdam, and on arrival in Nairobi.  Along the way, we were required to wear our masks at all times while in the airports and aboard the planes…this had been one of my major worries about travel this year…how was I going to survive the uninterrupted sense of suffocation associated with masking, and was it going to produce recurrent problems with claustrophobia and flight anxiety?  Fortunately, I had tried out some neck gators which could be pulled up and used as a face covering, and found these to be much more tolerable.  The masking went well, and I had no unhinged psychiatric episodes…thanks be to God!  

“Render unto Caesar…”

The airline “COVID meals” were another story…prepackaged, plastic wrapped, and handed out by masked, gloved, and sometimes gowned flight attendants?...truly other worldly, but surprisingly “not bad”!  In Amsterdam, we encountered some “over the top”, mostly Asian? (hard to tell under all that gear), travellers in full Hazmat gear…Hazmat suits covering head to toe, goggles, masks, and gloves.  Again, other worldly!  We felt relatively “naked” with our simple face coverings.  In spite of all the COVID insanity, I was shocked (and relieved) to find that my Amsterdam “rent-a-shower” was operational and open for business!...30 minutes later I was a new man, and ready to face the next leg of our journey.  After another long line to check our COVID documents, our E-visas, our health questionnaires (both written and  online!), our passports and boarding passes, we made it onto our last aircraft headed for Nairobi!  Again we found that the flight was relatively empty… over 100 seats in economy class were unoccupied, allowing Marilyn to locate an entire 4 seat row which she claimed as her “bed” for the next 8 hours.  I had 2 seats to myself, so I was quite comfortable as well.

“Render unto Caesar…”

Our flight arrived on time, and all of our bags arrived with us…great news!...at least until I saw the large green “X” on 2 of our five bags…the 2 bags that I knew to contain medical supplies for Tenwek.  On each of our prior trips to Kenya, we had been warned to make an inventory list of all supplies being brought into the country, and an estimated value of each item, in case of questions by customs.  Consequently, we had again compiled a list as requested, even though we had never been stopped or questioned by customs…even when bringing in 8 - 50# bags on one occasion!!   This time, we were not to be so lucky…I suspect that with the volume of travellers and tourists being so low, the customs officials had very little to do, and the Kenyan government coffers were probably getting a bit low.  Whatever the reason, we were pulled aside and our marked bags were opened and searched.  Unfortunately, these 2 bags contained some high dollar medical equipment which was being donated, and/or returned after repairs in the U.S. – 2 ultrasound machines, a colposcope, some vacuum devices for OB, some costly pharmaceuticals for OB, etc, etc… Real value probably in excess of $15,000.  The Kenyan government, never wanting to let good deeds go unpunished, has decided that a 16% tax on donated goods for charitable use is appropriate…this on top of the ever –expanding list of licenses, and permits that are required to donate one’s time to work in their faith based charitable institutions!!  We were able to convince the customs officials that all the goods were used, and significantly depreciated, so we were able to finally  gain access to the country for a mere $450 more…

“ Render unto Caesar…”

This whole process added another hour to our already exhausting “day” of travel, and we were able to get to our hotel at around midnight.  Needless to say, we were angry, disheartened, and not a little cynical…not a good way to start our time of service to the Kenyan people.  It was difficult to fall asleep after all of this, but we were able to distract ourselves a bit by watching some live coverage of the Rose Bowl being played in ….DALLAS??!  Again, other worldly.   Sometime later, in the early hours of the morning, I was awakened from sleep with the above-mentioned scripture repeatedly running through my mind.  So persist was the thought, that I pulled out my phone in the dark and looked up the rest of the passage:

Matthew 22: 19-22 ESV  “”Show me the coin for the tax”.  And they brought him a denarius.  And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?”  They said, “Caesar’s”  Then he said to them, “ Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s”  When they heard it, they marveled.  And they left him and went away.”

So, I marveled…what are the things that are God’s?...only our entire selves… our very lives and our health, our talents, skills, gifts, time, and resources…. So next morning with renewed commitment, we boarded our bus for the next 4 hour drive to Tenwek…and began again to move forward.  I pray that we will be able to maintain this focus…to give to God that which is already His, and to be open to what God has in store for us this time around…

With love,

Randy and Marilyn

Who knew a neck gator had so many uses?!