Sunday, April 29, 2012

Operation Smile Kenya

Welcome to Nairobi!
Had the chance to shadow miss Anna (speech-language pathologist) on an Operation Smile mission in Meru, Kenya for the past ten days. Amazing amazing amazing.
Operation Smile is a non-profit organization that repairs cleft lip and cleft palate facial deformities for children from third world countries.  They also provide a variety of other surgical corrections to those who come for screening.
Screening.



Kenyan food- not so great. This is basically what we had for lunch and dinner every day. Pass the salt?
View from the hotel.
Found this gem of a pamphlet at the hospital we were stationed at. 
Enjoyed a lot of fun evenings of food and conversation with the international and local volunteers.
From 7 a.m. til about 5 p.m. there were five tables running nonstop. So great to see people with different talents come together to give these children a chance at a normal life.
Recovery. 

Hands down my favorite child.  She was blind, yet unquestionably the happiest baby I met on the mission.











Visiting a local restaurant. Goat and rice. Again.
A little dance festivities to celebrate the 99 surgeries completed within 5 days!
Crossing the equator on our way back to Nairobi . . .
And getting absolutely heckled with the street vendors.  So thankful for yet another amazing experience.

(Goodbye to Kenya and hello to Tanzania!)

5 comments:

Sister Kamille Amy Clifford said...

so great.

Cherise L. C. said...

Brooke, it looks like you're getting to travel EVERYWHERE! India, Kenya, now Tanzania! I feel like I'm out of the loop because I only recently started following your journey. How are you able to do this? Is it through some program?

. said...

this is all so incredible. I love you dearly. You inspire me.

Melanie Rossiter said...

You are absolutely amazing!! I would love to hear about all of your adventures when you get home. You truly are an inspiration to me!! Good luck with the rest of your travels and be safe!

Brooke Shoko said...

Cherise- It has been quite the trip indeed! I basically saved my pennies and put together a trip of mostly volunteering (and a little bit of tourism). Has been the experience of a life time.

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