I've Arrived!

I had probably the smoothest trip I've ever had getting here. Praise the Lord! It started with a very nice woman at the airport in Indy letting a few pounds for each of my 9 bags slide without overage charges. Then, my plane landed slightly early in Amsterdam, turning my nearly impossible 45 minutes between flights to a very easy hour and a half. Both long flights were smooth - especially the 2nd because I had an empty seat next to me. Then, when I arrived in Nairobi, to my amazement, all 9 bags had arrived safely. So, thank you for all your prayers!
I am in Nairobi now at a guesthouse and will be leaving for Kapsowar in the morning. It will be a 7-8 hr drive, but I am looking forward to seeing more of the country. And, I've heard there's a chance of seeing a lot of wildlife along the way (I'll be sure to take pictures).
I was so happy to see Bill and Laura Rhodes when I arrived in Nairobi. Bill is a general surgeon who has been at Kapsowar for almost 11 years now. He and his wife are amazing and I know that they will serve as fountains of knowledge and support for me over the next 2 years. Although they are currently on their way to the states for 2 1/2 months, I was able to talk with them for a long time today and ask them a lot of questions. I feel much better after doing this and am really looking forward to heading to Kapsowar. I am told that many people are awaiting my arrival. Bill also told me to take as much time as I need to get settled before I even think about going to the hospital. While I will likely just take a few days, it was a comfort knowing that that was an option. He also told me his expectation for me was to just focus on OB/GYN. I'm sure at some point I will need to do something outside my comfort realm, it was nice knowing that that wasn't an expectation. Laura also gave me lots of advice on cooking, shopping, etc.
Today I also got my cell phone and internet access and splurged on a microwave. While I could have gotten by without it, I thought that it might be nice during the next 2 years to be able to heat something up without scorching it on the stove.
So, it's off to Kapsowar. Please continue to pray. I feel that the Lord is already directing my steps and providing in so many ways. I look forward to sharing more and will post pictures as soon as I have some. Please feel free to leave comments as well - I love them!