U.B.O.'s

Really. Unidentified Biting Objects. Our kids are covered in bumps. When we first got here, our girls both got chicken pox. Not a big deal--they were mild cases since they had been vaccinated in the States. Then Isaiah got them. Then we managed a few months with only a few mosquito bites. 


Then, they started. Bumps. Everywhere. Itchy, red, some bleeding, some big, some small. Two weeks ago we finally determined that maybe we had bedbugs. We've researched mosquitoes, fleas, and other bugs and rashes here, but bedbugs are the only thing that is consistent with the symptoms. Other students and people here were experiencing the same types of bites in the same places. 


Getting rid of bedbugs in the States is a bummer. Getting rid of them in Africa seems next to impossible. We tore apart all 24 beds on the compound and sprayed all the wooden bed frames with a chemical that required us to be out of the house for several hours. We were told that we didn't need to treat the mattresses. We also washed all the sheets. By hand. Then we ironed everything. EVERYTHING. When I say "we", I mostly mean Mama Deena our house helper, Leila, our amazing Kenyan "everything" friend, and a few other helpers. I was not alone, but still, it was a big job. It was also a job that appears we need to repeat. 


The kids (and others) are still turning up with new bites almost everyday. Mya is up every night itching and crying. We've gone through 2 tubes of hydrocortizone cream and counting. Make it stop!!! Please pray that we can get rid of these little bugs quickly, and that our children's skin will recover. And if anyone has any real experience fighting bedbugs, your tactical knowledge would be greatly appreciated. 

Kenya's poor little tummy