African FHE

Last night, we went over to our good friends home, The Jenkins, for a FHE about their Africa trip.  Dr. Chet Jenkins is the dentist who works with Hope Arising (hope arising  click here to read about the organization)  to organize dental care over in Ethiopia.  Hope Arising is the organization that helped to bring water to the village of Dera.  They have raised over $250,000 (two LDS moms!) to help build the pipeline that brought water to their village.  Incredible!  They also organized the service opportunities, along with LDS Charities, for Kohler to help build the gardens and build watering systems for several families.  
     For Family Night, we started out playing a game of Jeopardy.  It was really fun!  They have a huge movie screen and the questions would flash up on the screen for everyone to see.  They were fun and factual questions about their trip---stuff that I hadn't heard about.  Everyone was laughing and re-living their experience there.  After the game, Jennette (Chet's wife) put together a very touching movie about the trip and put it to some beautiful African music.  It really was inspiring for me to see my husband and son in action through video and to hear them talking about what they learned the most through this experience. 

One of the dental assistants who went on this trip emailed this photo to me this morning.  Isn't it great to see Kohler working beside his father?  I love it!

Here is Tom with Dr. Dave Poelman, another dentist who came.  Unfortunatly, Dave is wearing the wrong shirt!!!!  

Here is Tom, in a pose I see quite often.  He will take kids by the chin and ask them to "open" ---then he takes a good look inside!


There are more photos to come.  I think Tom is still filtering through them to find the best ones he wants to keep (he took over 200 or so!).  This is an experience that will be ever present in our lives as Tom and Kohler continue to remember and reflect on what they were able to do over there.  To see the joy in everyone faces last night truly was a testimony to me that they each found happiness in serving others and doing for them, that which they cannot do for themselves.

T.I.A.

 Let's start with the most important news of the weekend . . . Tom and Kohler returned home safely from Africa!  Yeah!!!!  We made these signs and drove through the airport.  People would look at our car and just smile - then when we pulled up to Tom's terminal, we saw Jennette, one of the women in their group.  She said, "We all saw your posters and started cheering so I had to run out and get a picture of it!"  It really made Tom and Kohler happy to see us- and it was SO good to see them!

 Yep - just as promised, the "welcome home dinner" was pizza and bbq wings.  I decided not to make our famous wings for this dinner because I had too many questions and wanted to see all of their pictures and not be stuck doing dishes!  We all sat and talked for a long time.  Both Kohler and Tom said it was one of the most incredible experiences they've ever had.  When I would ask about the bathrooms or food there, they would just say, "Well, it was so run down and dirty and the food was not good--- but we just kept saying T.I.A."  I asked them what that meant and they said, "This Is Africa!"   That would help them get through the tough parts.

I am just one happy mom to have my son back home and my husband here by my side. I will post more pictures of their trip as I download them from Tom's camera.


On to the pumpkin patch!!!

 We met my sister Mary Kay and her kids at Schnepf Farms in Queen Creek.  They have such a great set up with the farm animals, carnival rides, hay and train rides, great treats and of course, pumpkins.  We dressed way to warmly though and got so hot!  It was 99 degrees on my car when we got back in.  That's just too hot for October---but T.I.A. - "This Is Arizona!"  ha ha!!!

 We even got to watch a BMX bike show.  Spencer and Nate loved that!

 This is Mary Kay's youngest son, Will.  He still is the most photogenic kid I've ever seen.  You say "smile" and he stops what he is doing and tilts his head to the side and SMILES!

 Hailey especially loved the goats at the farm but we all agreed it was super STINKY!!

Here's most of the gang - Eden, Maya, Hailey, Spencer and Nate.  It's so much fun to be able to hang out with cousins!

Last Email from Africa

Hey Family -

I finally heard from Tom this morning.  It's been over a day now without any news so I was super happy to see the text and photos on my phone!  They leave for the U.S. in one hour (9 a.m. AZ time), then will make a short 2 hour stop in Dubai, then change planes in Houston, then back home to AZ.  

These are some of my most favorite photos yet.  My absolute favorite one is Kohler holding hand with two little boys.  Tom called them "his new little friends."  Every picture so far that has been sent home of Kohler has him smiling!  That just warms my heart.  The other one of Tom and Kohler (wearing their "got braces" shirt) was in front of the dental clinic where they saw over 400 patients total and pulled over 1,100 teeth!  Tom said even little children were able to have some infected teeth pulled.  What an difference that will make in their lives.

The other pictures are of the town marketplace and the school in Dera.  Some of the money that they all raised went to purchase a computer for their school.  Pretty awesome----

The only other thing I heard is that Tom and Kohler are requesting BBQ wings for their "welcome home" dinner!  ha ha  (just as I thought!)  We have missed them terribly but are so happy for the life-changing experiences they are having!

Love you all-----

Tamara

Eat up kids - it's GOAT for dinner!

I just received two texts from Tom.  This first one was from Tuesday morning:

"We are heading out to Dera on the bus.  I'm going to give away a bunch of candy and t-shirts and waterbottles today.  This bus is a bit uncomfortable . . . no legroom.  I wish I could send some video but it doesn't work on the computer.  Apparently photos don't work on the phone either.  So I'm going to try to send some via email tonight.  I love you like crazy--Wish you were here with me.  You would love/hate it (know what I mean)." 

The second text was from Tuesday night:  

"I finished my first day at work.  Pulled lots of teeth.  Took an hour or so before it started coming back to me again.  Hard work and a lot of sweat and blood.  Fun and fulfilling though.  Love ya!" 

Here is the latest email last night from Tom.  I did some research about his Ethiopian Celebration dinner (goat and angerra) and found out that it should be spelled, "injera" and it is a type of bread that they use as a utensil for eating.  However you spell it, the food doesn't look all that appetizing.  I'm sure they had to muscle through it with a smile.  :) 

Hi love and kids!   I miss you guys so much.  Thanks for sending the photos of your painting and telling me about the walk.  It sounds like you guys are having a great time.  That makes me so happy.  We are doing well too.  I just woke up and raced down to use the computer, skipping breakfast cause there is only one computer for the whole hotel and it's hard to get.  I'll try to download more pix today. It's a slow computer and so it's slow to download pix.  I start doing dentistry today.  Kohler is either going to be helping build a kitchen for a 14 and 10 year old who's parents both died of aids and the kids are living in their little house (one room, no bathroom, no kitchen) all alone.  there are no orphanages there.  Really sad story so we are helping them to at least have a kitchen so they can cook inside (right now they have to cook over a fire outside).  He will also be helping with some irrigation in a community garden with the new water that is in the town.  Either one sounds like it will be awesome.

One photo was of kohler at the ceremony where they fed us traditional ethiopian fare...goat and angerra.  I gagged a little but did it with a smile.  It was really gross!  The other is of a typical girl on the road going to get water.  The third is a part of the new pipeline at a runoff higher up in the mountains.  go ahead a put these on facebook under Chamberlain orthodontics if you can.  Thanks love.

Talk soon.  They are loading the bus.  Gotta go!

Tom

Updates from Africa

Here is the latest email from Tom:


Hi Love!

Ok,  my cell phone coverage is nill in Nazret...but they have a computer for us to use with internet!  I'm now looking for a usb cord (should've brought it, we have dozens at home) so I can download you lots more pics.  I only have a second right now cause I left Kohler in the room and he is going to freak out when he doesn't find me in the lobby.  It's been a real culture shock for him today.  Yesterday it was all rolls royces, mazerati's and bentleys.  Today it's donkeys and cows in the street and a lot of people honking and bad road skills on an old broken down bus.  At least the weather is nice...about 75. 
I've downloaded some pix. Will you put on the ones from Africa today?  I'll send more pix in a bit.  I love you so much.  We are safe and are going to eat a late dinner.  I'll write more again tonight.  Tell Kelsey I love her and thanks again for the note.  I read it a lot.  Also tell Spencer and Hailey I love them and miss you all so much.  Have a good Sunday morning. 


Tom 

This is some of their group boarding a bus in Ethiopia.

Make it . . . Blue! and more pics of Tom and Kohler

This morning Kelsey and I woke up and decided today was the day to paint her bathroom.   She has wanted to paint it a pretty teal/blue color for a long time.  So, we got up and headed to the store to get the paint.  It took us about an hour to tape it off.  I am actually having a great time with Tom and Kohler gone---just spending time with the kids.  Last night we went shopping for Halloween Costumes then went to the movie, "Dolphin Tale."  It has been so much fun!

Kelsey is seriously so much stinkin' fun to hang out with!

 Spencer really helped us a lot.  He especially made us laugh!

Hailey was such a great "helper."  Really, what would we have done without her?  (not had so much to clean up!)  Look at her brush!   Ha ha!

Here is the finished product.  (sorry the pics are all from my I phone.  Tom has my nice camera on his trip).  I think it turned out really pretty.  Kelsey is super happy!

As for Kohler and Tom - they are having a really fun time in Dubai. 

Here they are skiing in the Dubai Snow Dome in the shopping mall of the Emirates.  How cool is that?  They look like they are having so much fun!

It's about 8:45 p.m. and Tom just barely sent this to me.  It's almost 7 a.m. there and they are getting ready to get on the plane to Ethiopia.   I can't stop thinking about them and what they are doing.  They are about 10 hours ahead of us so pretty much when it's night here, it's morning there.  I miss them so much but am really excited for all they are getting to do.  

Well, they're OFF!

Yes - this morning at 2:45 a.m. we headed to the airport to send Tom and Kohler off to their first stop - Houston, Texas.  

Kohler is looking a bit annoyed at Tom for taking yet another picture of him.  (I told Tom to take a TON of pictures!)  Yet, he also looks like he is about to crack up!  I think he likes the attention - ha!


Anyway, at 7:27 a.m. I got a text from Tom that said they had landed in Houston.  Then, around 8:15 a.m. I got this photo from Tom:

Tom wrote:  "We're still in America but . . ."  Whoa---
Then, they began to board the plane.  They are flying on Emirates Airlines.      

Here is one of their flight attendants.  

Tom said the plane was totally decked out!  Each seat was complete with its own TV with a touch screen, Internet, a USB, an electric outlet and lots of movies.  Kohler was lovin' it!

 What TV station is that??  Who said marriage is not essential for love?? Oh- that's right---they are headed to a place where arranged marriages take place all the time.  Yikes!!!  But check out all of the cool tech stuff.  


They also have access to cameras to view outside the plane during flight.  This photo was taken from under the plane.  

Settle in for a nice 16 hour flight over the Atlantic then Africa.  They are scheduled to arrive in Dubai sometime around noon tomorrow.  They will stay overnight in Dubai then leave for Ethiopia (Dera) in the morning.  

Dubai Marina

Map of where Dubai is located.

So, my communication with them is over for at least the next 20 or so hours.  Tom did not purchase a phone call package for overseas - he can only send and receive a minimum number of texts.  I will post anything and everything I get from them in the next few days.  Tom told me not to worry - that they are both ok and having fun.  I am so glad they are together (but I will still worry until they are back home safe and sound.)