World travel can be scary for those left behind
Published 8/9/05
I received an ominous e-mail message last Wednesday from the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya. Under the subject line, “Public Announcement: Worldwide Caution,” the message read, “The U.S. Government continues to receive indications of terrorist threats in Kenya and elsewhere in eastern Africa aimed at U.S. and Western interests. Terrorist actions may include suicide operations, bombings, kidnappings or attacks on civil aviation.”
The unexpected warning made Thursday’s e-mail from my wife, who, ironically, happened to be traveling to Kenya, all the more welcome. “We arrived at 12 noon today at Tenwek,” Karen said. “We are all safe and sound but very tired.”
By “we” she meant our son, Jesse, and her mother, Betty. “Tenwek” would be the hospital that sits in the highlands of southwestern Kenya. And “tired” is what they got after spending two days in the air—Indianapolis to Chicago to Brussels to Nairobi—and several more hours on the ground, in search of Tenwek.
The reason for the inter-continental expedition, at least for Karen, was to arrange a missions experience for volunteers. For Jesse and his grandmother, it was a chance to see the world.
According to Tenwek’s Web site, the hospital, located 150 miles north of Nairobi, is accessible by paved roads. But the paved road Karen, Jesse and Betty traveled from Nairobi was a pot-holed dirt path winding through the mountains, if my wife’s memory served her correctly. But then again her memory might have been altered by their hired driver who reached speeds of 70 miles per hour, dodged oncoming cars from time to time, and occasionally had them hanging them off the side of a cliff. The trip left them a little queasy but fortunately their destination was a hospital.
Tenwek is one of the largest mission hospitals on the continent of Africa. With 308 beds, it serves 600,000 Kipsigis, the most dominant ethnic group in the Tenwek region. The hospital also operates a nursing school and a hospital chaplaincy training school.
Karen mentioned the dangers of this trip before she left but it wasn’t until the U.S. Embassy e-mailed me on Wednesday, which, ironically, was one day after my “delegation” left, that I fully realized the risks.
I think the paragraph that opened my sinus passages was the one that began, “Supporters of Al-Qaeda and other extremists are active in East Africa. American citizens in Kenya should remain vigilant, particularly in public places frequented by foreigners…”
My curiosity piqued, I went upstairs to the Web and clicked my way into the secret files of the State Department where I found a briefing, known as a “Consular Information Sheet,” on the stability of Kenya.
Okay, I can only wish the files were secret. The Info Sheet reminded readers of the 1998 bombing of the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi, which killed 213, an attempt to shoot down an Israeli charter plane in 2002, and recent car bomb attacks.
The Info Sheet also warned Americans of activities they should avoid, like the country’s frequent political demonstrations which apparently tend to turn violent quickly. I knew my wife and mother in law weren’t exactly agitators, but my son had been an outspoken political activist since kindergarten. Could he put a muzzle on it in the interest of life and limb?
The document also warned of highway travel at night in remote areas. Well, my wife knew that, which is precisely why our crew spent the first night in Nairobi and hired a driver to scare the wits out of them the next day.
Then there was the Bureau of Consular Affairs alert over the increase in “armed banditry” in national parks and game reserves and the danger of going on safaris. Which reminded me of Karen’s second e-mail, which read, “On Sunday we go to church and then we leave for the safari. They say the animals you see are incredible!”
Linger in the sanctuary, hon. We have animals at home. At least that’s what I would have said had our cell phones been connecting.
I suppose it’s only natural for a husband, father and son in law to wish his loved ones the security of a big civilized city. That’s what they’ll find later this week when, before heading home, they spend three days in the safety (gulp!) of London.
Be vigilant, dear. I’ll leave the light on.
I received an ominous e-mail message last Wednesday from the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya. Under the subject line, “Public Announcement: Worldwide Caution,” the message read, “The U.S. Government continues to receive indications of terrorist threats in Kenya and elsewhere in eastern Africa aimed at U.S. and Western interests. Terrorist actions may include suicide operations, bombings, kidnappings or attacks on civil aviation.”
The unexpected warning made Thursday’s e-mail from my wife, who, ironically, happened to be traveling to Kenya, all the more welcome. “We arrived at 12 noon today at Tenwek,” Karen said. “We are all safe and sound but very tired.”
By “we” she meant our son, Jesse, and her mother, Betty. “Tenwek” would be the hospital that sits in the highlands of southwestern Kenya. And “tired” is what they got after spending two days in the air—Indianapolis to Chicago to Brussels to Nairobi—and several more hours on the ground, in search of Tenwek.
The reason for the inter-continental expedition, at least for Karen, was to arrange a missions experience for volunteers. For Jesse and his grandmother, it was a chance to see the world.
According to Tenwek’s Web site, the hospital, located 150 miles north of Nairobi, is accessible by paved roads. But the paved road Karen, Jesse and Betty traveled from Nairobi was a pot-holed dirt path winding through the mountains, if my wife’s memory served her correctly. But then again her memory might have been altered by their hired driver who reached speeds of 70 miles per hour, dodged oncoming cars from time to time, and occasionally had them hanging them off the side of a cliff. The trip left them a little queasy but fortunately their destination was a hospital.
Tenwek is one of the largest mission hospitals on the continent of Africa. With 308 beds, it serves 600,000 Kipsigis, the most dominant ethnic group in the Tenwek region. The hospital also operates a nursing school and a hospital chaplaincy training school.
Karen mentioned the dangers of this trip before she left but it wasn’t until the U.S. Embassy e-mailed me on Wednesday, which, ironically, was one day after my “delegation” left, that I fully realized the risks.
I think the paragraph that opened my sinus passages was the one that began, “Supporters of Al-Qaeda and other extremists are active in East Africa. American citizens in Kenya should remain vigilant, particularly in public places frequented by foreigners…”
My curiosity piqued, I went upstairs to the Web and clicked my way into the secret files of the State Department where I found a briefing, known as a “Consular Information Sheet,” on the stability of Kenya.
Okay, I can only wish the files were secret. The Info Sheet reminded readers of the 1998 bombing of the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi, which killed 213, an attempt to shoot down an Israeli charter plane in 2002, and recent car bomb attacks.
The Info Sheet also warned Americans of activities they should avoid, like the country’s frequent political demonstrations which apparently tend to turn violent quickly. I knew my wife and mother in law weren’t exactly agitators, but my son had been an outspoken political activist since kindergarten. Could he put a muzzle on it in the interest of life and limb?
The document also warned of highway travel at night in remote areas. Well, my wife knew that, which is precisely why our crew spent the first night in Nairobi and hired a driver to scare the wits out of them the next day.
Then there was the Bureau of Consular Affairs alert over the increase in “armed banditry” in national parks and game reserves and the danger of going on safaris. Which reminded me of Karen’s second e-mail, which read, “On Sunday we go to church and then we leave for the safari. They say the animals you see are incredible!”
Linger in the sanctuary, hon. We have animals at home. At least that’s what I would have said had our cell phones been connecting.
I suppose it’s only natural for a husband, father and son in law to wish his loved ones the security of a big civilized city. That’s what they’ll find later this week when, before heading home, they spend three days in the safety (gulp!) of London.
Be vigilant, dear. I’ll leave the light on.
posted by Jack W. Williams | 3:46 PM
1 Comments:
That's a spam comment if I ever saw one!
Post a Comment
<< Home