Seasons. Seasons in life. Seasons in nature. Seasons equal change.

We have now experienced two natural seasons here in Burlington, summer and fall. In that time we have experienced a change in temperature, a change in surroundings, and a change in recreational activities. Work stays the same, church stay the same, friends stay the same, but the surroundings change, our clothes change, and we have an added factor to consider when we go anywhere, the cold.

We are currently experiencing a couple of new seasons of life. One, home ownership. As I write this Josh is unhooking a thermostat from the wall to start a project to build me a pantry. He's awesome. We have made decisions about tearing down walls, replacing windows, and tiling our bathroom floor. We have never had to make decisions like this before.

The other season that we are embarking upon is parenthood. As I type this, a 12 week little baby is growing inside my belly. That is also awesome. We are excited about growing our family. We are making decisions about what will be best for the baby both while I carry him or her and also after we are able to meet our child. We have never had to think about many of these things before either, and we know that there will be many more factors that we will have to consider each time we leave the house. The prospect of parenthood is overwhelming but there is definitely a peace that comes with knowing that this is the Lord's child more than it is ours, and He loves it more than we ever could. We pray that the Lord is already working in its little heart and that we would be well equipped and ready to show our child Jesus.

Several times we've been asked, "Why Vermont?" and though we could always give them some canned answers (that it's beautiful, that we wanted to see a different part of the country, that Josh really liked the residency program, or simply - why not?), the true answer was always, we don't know, but we have a feeling that God is going to use this place to shape us for use in His Kingdom. Well, the Lord has definitely been blessing us with our time here, and we have the distinct comfort that He has sovereignly placed us here. Prior to coming to Vermont we asked many of you to pray for three specific things: a good church, a good home, and good friends. We'd like to share of how the Lord has displayed his goodness to us.

Request #1: Good church. Have you ever browsed the web looking for churches to attend? Quite interesting. You try to look at their doctrine and theology, the different ministries they have, a sense of their overall direction, and whether they seem to have free coffee in the foyer. Well, Josh was doing a web search prior to our first Sunday, and suddenly I heard an excited call come from the study. I went to the computer monitor to see what he was so pumped about, and I saw two words that always thrill Josh's heart. "Ulitmate Frisbee". Yes, the church had an ultimate frisbee ministry. So, with that said, we had no choice but to try Christ Memorial Church first. We also knew that is was one of the only reformed doctrine churches in the area. We attended the church and were amazed by the true feeling of the Body, the delivery of the Word, and evidence of active praise and repentence through their sharing time. We were immediately invited to dinner by a couple our own age, which have become fast friends. We have attended other churches in the area, but it has been incredible how we feel like part of the body of Christ Memorial Church after such limited contact. We have continued to attend CMC and are starting to get involved with their young adults ministry, women's ministry, and hope to be in a home group this fall.

Request #2: Good home. After being here 3 months we are starting to get the feeling of being settled in. It was a bit of a wake up call to see the prices on housing here, but the Lord provided in a way that we did not expect. We purchased a condo very similar to our Lexington townhouse, but one that could use a few home improvements. We are situated in a great location, in a crux between the busyness of Burlington, access to the "box stores" of Walmart, Home Depot, etc., and still on the the border of the open country. The Lord provided the home, the funds, and the relationships in our neighbors which we have been able to form so quickly. It is not the cute little single family home that I dreamed of, but it is perfect for us at this time, stage of life, and resources.

Our new address is:

4 Hayes Avenue

South Burlington,VT 05403

Request #3: Good friends. The Church has been amazing in its provision of friendships. It continues to astound me at how the bond of Christ enables you to form relationships so quickly. We have met an incredible group of people who are teaching us a lot about what it means to serve and strive after holiness. We also have made friends with our neighbors and people at work. Josh really enjoys his other Orthopedic colleagues. Our social life has not been boring and that is a great thing.

Josh and I are both enjoying the jobs that the Lord has provided also. Josh's residency demands a lot of him, but he truly has been able to enjoy it. He's more tired than usual, but he has continued to be the man of God that you all know him to be and an incredible husband to me during this transition. I am working part-time at an orthopedic outpatient clinic and per diem with a home health agency. The combination is suiting me well, giving me a great mix of job and time to get our house in working order.

We have also had a blast enjoying the beauty of Vermont. We have done lots of hiking, biking, and a little sailing! We are looking forward to the beauty of the fall and the new sports of the winter. I have my eyes on some snowshoes :). We are trying to mentally prepare ourselves for the cold of the winter, since I am freezing in the mornings right now, but we know thar it will be fine.

It's cold, but nice!

So, here we are in Vermont. Wow, there have been a lot of changes in the last three weeks. Josh and I feel like we have been on a "highs" and "lows" rollercoaster with lots of excitements and a few disappointments. This rollercoaster is easily explained by the necessity of the ride we have been taking.

Getting on the ride- We had a great move here with only one major hiccup. We accidentally left our laptop in the hotel at Lexington and it was stolen. But otherwise we really enjoyed the drive up here with my parents and getting to do a few Burlingtony things with them. We were definitely geared up for what was ahead of us.

Hill #1- Finding a place to live. Well, things are a lot more expensive up here than in KY. That combined with not having an income over the last 3 months can tend to complicate things. But, in the end after lots of looking, making offers, experiencing competing offers, and praying we are very excited about the little townhouse that we signed a contract on and hope to close on by the end of July. If you were wondering what it looks like, well, just imagine where we lived in Lexington and change the number by one and paint the outside brown (Josh's description). Our new address will be 4-Hayes Ave, South Burlington, VT. It will be close enough for Josh to bike to work (in the summer) and far away enough to escape the busyness of downtown Burlington. The lake is about 5 minutes from our house and the mountains are about 25. Beautiful views abound.

Downhill #1- The blast of exploring Burlington and the surrounding areas. I have posted many of our pictures on Facebook, I will try to figure out how to post an album on here. Simply said, it is gorgeous. I am already looking forward to the beauty of the fall colors. We have hiked the highest and 3rd highest mountains in Vermont. We have seen waterfalls, we have been on bikepaths, we have ran the neighborhood hiking trails, we have ridden the ferry, we have savored the Ben & Jerry's Factory Tour, and enjoyed a delightful B&B, we even splurged and got the 99 cent upgrade of Pure VT Maple Syrup at Denny's.


Hill #2- Logistical transitions (aka Headaches): Getting my PT license transferred, registering our cars, joining a bank, getting new licenses, figuring out how all this home buying stuff works. Its hard to get a lot of things done because we do not have a permanent address and will not have one until the end of July (we hope). For example the DMV wants a signed lease or a bank statement sent to our VT address before issuing a license. The bank wants proof of permanent residence before opening an account. We finally got it all figured out but it was a headache.

Downhill #2- Church hunting. The first Sunday that we were here we went to a church that we both got very excited about. Withing the first 15 minutes of being there we were already invited for dinner by a couple our own age. We enjoyed the praise, the message, the fellowship, and the vision of the church. We have had our new friends Jonathan and Heather over for a good game of Settlers since then and feel very blessed that the Lord has placed them in our lives.

Well, my imaginary rollercoaster is only going to have 2 hills. Partly because that encompasses a lot of what we have done and also because I need to figure out dinner. Josh started his residency on Wednesday and I have a PRN job with a home health agency and am also investigating some other part-time options. The reality that- this is it, we are here, what is the next 5 years going to look like- is hitting. We continue to strive to rest in the Sovereignty and Salvation of our Lord and pray for patience and perseverance.

Packing madness.

Our house looks downright chaotic right now. I mean, it's really impressive. We have stuff strewn everywhere. Bombshells, twisters, and freshmen college students could be described as neat and orderly in comparison with our upstairs hallway. I'm not joking. For me to make it to the bathroom, for example, I have to dodge the precarious stack of sweatshirts, maneuver around my barricaded closet door, pick my way past the imposing pile for Goodwill, and squeeze through two enormous boxes brimming over with clothes. All this without slipping on the growing mountain of trash.

It's really interesting the things you throw away when its time to move. Yesterday I chucked a massive folder that had housed my elementary school awards for the last 2 decades. Somehow, you just don't quite feel right throwing out such an archive of ancient commemorative stuff, you know? Now granted, no one is ever going to care that I was student of the month in October of my fourth grade, or that I received a certificate for most original poem in Mr. Frank's writing class, but still, my hand hesitated to throw that pile of fading papers away. Lots of fun memories came rushing back to mind, and it was good. Yet just as I was admiring myself for how accomplished and mature I was for ditching all of these petty, insignificant, outdated relics, I broke down when I saw my middle school basketball team picture. I just couldn't part with that photo of the impressively tiny, skinny kid with the comb-over and braces who had a vague resemblance to a beardless me. That portrait got tucked into the trunk right next to my 5th grade report on the Apache indians, which was fully illustrated, I will have you know. Everyone has their weakness, I guess.

The other thing about packing is that you realize you've been keeping some pretty crazy stuff for who knows how long. This can be eye-opening and mind-boggling. I'm giving a stack of clothes to Goodwill that is two feet high. Why the heck do I have two feet of extra clothes? Where in the heck did they come from? Why do I still have a stack of receipts from 2005? And why is that expensive silk tie hiding underneath my muddy workboots? What do I do with a Discman CD player these days? Since when did I think that a fourth pair of jean shorts would be a good idea - like I just couldn't stand having only three to sit unworn in my closet? Why do I literally have nine different types of socks that have no match? Nine! It is baffling to see the bizarre items that are hiding in the cracks and corners of your home.

The most ironic thing about it is that we are going to box up all of these items, cram them into a 16 foot long truck, haul them over 17 hours of interstate, and eventually pull them all out in a reverse sort of mayhem where instead of too much excess, we will be unable to find this or that, we go buy more items, and wish we hadn't sold that extra George Foreman grill. Mayhem. Madness. For the moment, however, these cramped passageways that we used to call "halls" are still mocking us. There is more packing to be done, more package tape to fight with, more trips out to the dumpster, more bubble wrap, more dust bunnies...

...and less time remaining in this good home.

So much to tell...

So we are back in Lexington now but there is still so much to write about with the closing of our trip. So this is my attempt to not let the last two weeks disappear without letting you know some of the things that went on. There were definitely some very exciting things at the end of our trip.

Exciting event #1- The most adventurous weekend of my life! Josh and I and 5 other friends travelled to Jinja, Uganda to white water raft the Nile. This trip came about because of our good friend Joe Stone very excitedly told me before we left that we "had to do it." The combination of my own love for adventure, Joe's excitement, and the chance to have a lifetime experience were pretty much irresistible. So, the planning began. Two goals of the trip were- to do it as cheaply as possible and have a blast. This combination is what made it an adventure. We used the busing route from Kenya to Uganda, which involved a 7 hour bus ride, in a huge bus, on a little road. To say the least I was very tense about 80% of those 7 hours. The place that we rafted was definitely a hippie/ place for young people to hang out while they figure out what they want to do with our lives. Don't get me wrong it was a good establishment, just interesting. Then rafting.... WOW, crazy, huge, large, rapids that were very powerful. Josh and I felt that power first hand. On the first rapid Josh was thrown out of the boat (along with the rest of us) but then proceeded to be pushed to the bottom, scraping and bruising his back and ankle on some very mean rocks. He came up dazed, shaken up, and hurting /bleeding a bit... but he was ok. The last rapid was my turn to feel the power. We were all thrown out of the boat again as it flipped, but this time the rapids wanted to hang on to me a little longer than I and my lungs were comfortable with. I got stuck in a "washing machine" of sorts where I got sucked back into the rapid 3x before by the grace of God it finally spit me out and let me see the light of day. I came out very shaken up, coughing, and scared.... but ok. Oh yeah, my helmet and pants got ripped off too, I hope my pants are of good use to some Ugandan out there right now. After our rafting and another "exciting" bus ride we finally returned safely with quite a story to tell.


Exciting event #2- So way back in my first or second blog I told you about how my "project" for the trip was to build the rehab dept a standing frame. In the first two weeks I brainstormed, planned and tried to recall what I had worked with at Cardinal Hill. A standing frame is used by people who have difficulty standing on their own- whether they are completely paralyzed from a spinal cord injury, partially paralyzed from a stroke or brain injury, or just have other medical conditions that make standing difficult. So the plans were turned in and on the day before we were to leave the standing frame was completed and started to be put into use. It was so exciting to see plans come together and a tool be created that will greatly benefit the rehab team. The plans were definitely from the Lord.

I had been working with a patient who had been attacked in his home and almost beaten to death. He had a brain injury and we had been working with him gradually from initiating range of motion, to holding his head up, to sitting up in a wheelchair. The entire time I was working with him I knew that the standing frame would be perfect for his condition and was hoping that it would be done in time for me to demonstrate to the team the benefits behind this therapy. The Lord fulfilled that desire. I brought David to the PT room and he stood up in the frame wonderfully! We had to help him of course, but in the time that he stood we saw him become more responsive to commands, more intentional with his actions, and even got a smile out of him.

Exciting event #3- Kijabe hospital. On Wed of our last week we packed up all our things and travelled to Kijabe hospital to meet Dr. Bransford and his wife Millie. Kijabe hospital is where many of Josh's aunt's and uncles have served as missionaries. There is a long heritage of Schuits (Josh's mom's family) there and Josh's grandparents were very good friends with Dr. and Mrs. Bransford. Rift Valley Academy- a 6-12 grade private school for missionary kids, was also on our list of things to see there. We were very impressed by facility and were able to see where Josh's mom and several of his cousins went to school. Josh had visited Kijabe hospital in '94 with his family so he had lots of reminiscing and fun memories. Dr. and Mrs. Bransford were incredible hosts and it was great to see their ministry there and the joy of the Lord in them as they continued to expand his kingdom. Dr. Bransford has been an inspiration and role model for Josh for some time now as we have been able to follow his ministry through his email updates. Josh spent one day with Dr. Bransford on the ward and OR and I spent the day with one of the therapists in the hospital and then with another one at Rift Valley Academy. It was a great time to see a different setting for a mission hospital, gain some new friends, and for Josh and I to debrief and reflect on our time in Africa as a whole before we returned to all the decisions that now need to be made.


So now we are home. We had a wonderful greeting from our great friends the Lindemann's that has been just one of the many, many, things that we have been able to praise God for and marvel at the blessings he has placed in our lives. It has been incredible to have our eyes opened to how much the Lord has given us and how he has poured so much grace on us as we have appreciated his blessings so little.
I just finished running with my good friend Leslie, and I have a day ahead of me of preparation for our big move to Vermont. The next adventure. We will be moving on May 31st. The Lord's faithfulness will continue, we are so grateful for that promise, and we plan on attempting to continue to blog about all that He is doing in our lives. So, stay tuned!

Isabellah

For the past three weeks I have been seeing a patient named Isabellah. Isabellah came into the hospital after being treated by another hospital following a car accident. She had a broken femur and deep lacerations down her right leg. At the other hospital she had been sown up and then she transferred to Tenwek. Dr. Galat and Josh performed her surgery repairing her broken femur and also opening up her laceration to get it clean. Under the sutures they found that her tissue was barely alive. She had to go back to the operating room 2 additional times for cleaning and skin grafts before she as released for rehab. I met her on rounds and she immediately took to me. When ever I would walk past her room she would yell out "Jesska." Then I would go in, say hello, pray with her, and let her know that I was looking forward to working with her. She has been a patient that expects me to pray with her and definitely keeps me accountable to that.
Isabellah is a confessed believer. She attends an African Gospel Church- the predominant denomination here. She speaks of the Lord freely. She also comes from a family that seems to be well off. She has given me gifts often of bananas and sugar cane. She has pedicured toe nails and has been well fed.
In a previous post I mentioned that Isabellah has been the source of some of my greatest joys and frustrations on this trip. She has brought me joy in the fellowship I have with her as a sister in Christ. It is a blessing to pray with her and to be able to encourage her in her faith throughout her recovery.
Unfortunately though, Isabellah is spoiled. Her pain tolerance is incredibly low. She does not take ownership of her own body but rather expects others to do everything for her, including make her better. I feel like I have been trying to instill work ethic and determination into her for the entire time I have treated her. I have become very frustrated with her because she just will not move her leg. Trust me, she can. I have nicknamed her Drama Queen. Frequently when we first started to get her out of bed she would act like she was fainting so that we would let her sit down. Her screams can be heard in the next building when I even start to move her leg. She is afraid of pain- she is not actually hurting (because I am not actually moving it) she is just afraid of it hurting. I do believe there is a Biblical principle here. Isabellah is paralyzed because of fear. She continually tells me that "this isn't my fault." My reply is "the fact that you won't be able to walk later will be your fault." Isabellah believes that she didn't deserve what happened to her so therefore she shouldn't have to endure the pain of recovery.
So often I feel like my sinful nature isn't my fault- I can't help that I sin, I'm a victim. Therefore it should just be taken away supernaturally. The reality is that I must endure sanctification and be grateful that the Lord wants to make me better. But I must trust in the Lord that the pain of sanctification is making me better- even though it hurts.
"Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. Hebrews 12: 10-11
My time with Isabellah has also tested my ability to truly love her. Loving Isabellah doesn't mean that I am always nice to her. Often I have been stern, real, and called her out on her laziness and excuses. It is amazing to see how the bond of Christ remains strong and we can always laugh and "be friends again" at the end of a session. Often she has said she misses the "old Jesska," meaning the nice one that spent 2 hours with her just to convince her to get out of bed. The great thing is that she understands that I have changed strategies to cultivate independence in her. In the course of our three weeks together she has cried, her father has cried because of her screaming, her roommate has cried because she thought I was torturing the poor girl, she has threatened to sue me, and her mother has realized how spoiled her daughter really is. Her mom greets me each day outside the ortho ward with cheek to cheek kisses (which we have head butted several times b/c of my unfamiliarity with the custom) and a smile, she understands that I am truly there to help no matter how much it may look otherwise.

Currently Isabellah is on the upswing. Her skin grafts are healing and she is slowly starting to achieve some muscle contractions. She still has one skin graft remaining to be completed then she will be discharged to go home. She is walking on her own for about 50 ft. She continues to want to lay in bed all day and complains the entire time she is sitting up, but she is making progress. She has taught me a new kind of patience and love. With her progress I have seen glimpses of a new strength in her, my prayer is that the source of that strength grows in the power of Christ.

Therapy

My work here at Tenwek has mainly been acute care inpatient rehab. My typical day has matured to now I see the patients in the wards of the hospital while the other therapists handle the outpatient visits and any casting needs there are in the hospital. This can be a lot of work. My days are generally longer than what I would put in at the US and they are definitely more varied. I've mentioned some aspects of care in my previous posts, but I thought an 'end of our time here' reflection is now appropriate.
Differences between therapy in the US and Kenya:
1.) Casting- Here therapists are expected to be expert casters. I have only applied one cast by myself but I have helped the other therapists apply on average 2 casts each day. I have gotten a lot of experience with the cast saw.

2.) Prescriptions- The therapists can prescribe pain medicine and anti-inflammatories. I have been handing those responsibilities over to the other therapists.
3.)Traction Pins- Therapists play a big role in inserting traction pins into the limbs of children and adults for setting up traction to heal their fractures.
4.)Spica casts- They are everywhere. These casts position the patient with their leg out to their side and externally rotated. The casts typically go up the leg around the waist and part way down the other leg. Many are modified here to only include one leg to allow the patient to walk. Sitting is very difficult for these patients.
5.) Exercise- The majority of people I work with have no concept of exercise. Which makes sense, because they perform manual labor as their exercise. But the concept of continuing to bend your leg to make it be able to bend like normal seems to be a foreign strategy. They just say "it won't bend" and then don't work on it the rest of the day, despite my instruction. Then they get pretty aggravated at me at times when I make it bend, yes it hurts, but it is always the young men who get the most mad, I think it is a control issue. A huge issue with non-compliancy with exercise is my inability to speak their language. Most of the time I can get my point across with motions, broken Swahili and their broken English. Then I ask the nurse to translate the frequency of exercises, but often I wonder if the nurse understands how they really do need to do it as many times as I am telling them. The national therapist's default for frequency here is "do it 100 times a day." I'm not sure that strategy works either.
6.) Families- The families here seek me out to work with their beloved ones. After I do my initial evaluation the caregivers keep an eye out for me all day and are sure to remind me when I walk by that their child or mother or father needs to be seen. Another difference is the gratfulness the families display. It is definitely apparent. I seem to be able to bond quickly with patients and their families here. Whether it is from the guys on ortho giving me a hard time because I don't speak their language or the children beaming when I poke my head into the room, there are definitely relationships being built. I plan on blogging about Isabellah soon- she has been one of my biggest frustrations and joys on this trip.
7.) Assistive devices- They have to pay for them before they can get them. This creates a huge dilemma for me. I will train someone on crutches (which are used a lot more here than in the US) then I have to take them away until they can pay for them. Then I see my patient either laying in bed all the time when they could be walking, or walking on the limb that they are not supposed to be letting touch the ground. This is a frustration with the system.
8.) Diseases- There have been many times when the diagnosis for a patient reads malaria vs. typhoid or cva vs seizure or just plain unknown origin. Often you have to assume the patient has the worst to protect yourself from contamination. They do not have a CT scan or MRI here which makes definitive diagnoses very difficult in many cases. It doesn't effect my treatment much, just how carefully I wash my hands afterwards.
8.) The freedom to pray- There is such a joy and comfort brought to the patients by speaking the Lord's name and praying with them as they recover. Both the freedom and how comfortable it is to pray with the patients is different from the US. It has also shown me how many opportunities to pray with my patients in the US I have let pass by.

Despite the many differences between the US and here I am amazed at how God continually shows me evidence of the fact that we are all created in his image. People seem to be the same here versus America. We are all either sinners living in sin or saved by grace. There are strong, weak, tough, whiny, joyful, sad, excuse makers, and overcomers on my case load. Personalities seem to be evenly distributed, very similar to the personalities that I see in the US. I am able to bond quickly to fellow believers and have barriers to overcome with angry or resentful patients, but they all appreciate and seem to recognize genuine care.

Only skin deep

Kenyan Bible studies require a few simple ingredients - the Word, some good chai, and a group of bundled-up Kenyans complaining about how cold the evening is (as I sit with them sweating). I just got home from our weekly Bible study a few minutes ago. It is such a remarkable time to experience the Church Universal with all of its colors and backgrounds and accents.

Some things are unmistakably unique to this group. One of the Kenyan residents hails from a village renown for its witchcraft, and his comments on the impact of spiritual warfare sound strange to my American ears. Another has such a familiarity of scripture that I feel ignorant as he rattles off reference after reference and one obscure Biblical character after another. The third speaks lazily with such a thick Kenyan accent that I never quite understand what he says.

Other things are strikingly the same. I am still amazed to find that the struggles that we encounter are only "what is common to man." Despite traveling thousands of miles to a people of different skin and language and temperature-preference, we engage the same battlefields. Much of our discussion tonight centered on pride and obedience and believing the Gospel fully. They struggle in the same ways that I struggle. We fight against wanting to make a name for ourselves instead of the Lord. We grapple with living in true repentance. We wrangle the same sins of unbelief. While our skin may look different, at heart we are all the same.

*******************
When we begin a procedure in the OR, we start with a simple incision. The knife slices through a thin layer of pigmented epidermis. This shallow black layer is less than a millimeter thick. The tiny distance is actually quite baffling. Once we pass through this infinitesimal barrier, all of the rest of the tissues are absolutely identical to an American's or an Eskimo's or a politician's or an atheist's. We are made from the same "lump of clay" and face the common effects of a sinful flesh. Thanks be to God for the grace that makes all things new and unites worshipers from all tribes, tongues, and nations to sing His praise.

Hakuna Matata in the Mara

So, it has been a childhood dream of mine to go on safari. I have always been an animal lover. My favorite movie is Lion King. I think Land Rovers are very cool. So, when time came this past weekend to make that dream a reality, I was pretty excited to say the least.
On Friday we loaded up the "mini bus" also known as a mutatu with nine other people from the guesthouse. It was truly a blessing to be able to go with this group of people. It has been amazing to see how quickly we have been able to bond with them, and we consider them great friends. Our time at Tenwek would be a very different place if they were not here. Each one of them seem to be at a transition in life similar to us, whether it be going into residency, finishing residency, or graduating from graduate programs, we all are very excited to be here, but also have big things right around the corner when we return home.

So Josh and I and our nine new friends headed down the bumpy road, amazed by how many herds of cows that we had to wait for to get out of our way, on our way to Masai Mara. About 2.5 hrs into our 3 hr drive the other van travelling with us pulled over, not because they had hit a cow, but because their tire was no longer attatched to their vehicle. So, after the tire being secured by a rope (!?) we continued on our way 30 minutes later to the reserve.
We had been told that we would be sleeping in tents at the resort. Well, these are 5 star tents. We were very pleased with our accommodations in the little oasis in the middle of no where. Yes, it was a tent, but it also had all the amenities of a hotel room. We were woken up each morning with a man saying Jambo outside our tent with our fresh personal pot of coffee. That is, he woke us up if the hippos, which were in the river below our tent didn't wake us up first (they like to migrate in around 4 am).
In total we went on 4 safaris. They were great. We drove around for 2 or 3 hrs at a time and were on the hunt for the "big 5." We saw lots of animals but the big 5 that we were looking for (the ones most dangerous to man) were the lion, leopard, rhino, elephant, and cape buffallo. We saw all but the leopard (but we saw a cheetah instead, so that counts in my book) and got lots of great pictures (thanks mom for letting us use your mega zoom camera, it worked great!). My personal goal was to see all the animals that were in the movie The Lion King, I saw them all except Timon (the Meerkat), they only have mongeese (mongooses?) in the Mara.


After Josh getting out and pushing the mutatu a couple of times through some muddy roads on Sunday, we finally made it back safe and sound. We were very tired, but ever so grateful for this amazing experience.

Smashed wasps and other dying things...

Kenya has a lot of death. A lot. When we want to brush our teeth, for instance, we boil water to kill the parasites. They all die. When Jess sees an unwelcome six-legged critter flying around our apartment, she animatedly tracks it down with wide eyes and flailing hands to kill it. When a patient's injured toes have begun to share a pungent odor of gangrene, we know that the appendage has died. When our Tenwek pediatrician has a rough day, it marks that the nasty GI plague has just claimed another baby. The count was up to eight dead babies the other week.

Death is a paradoxical thing for the Christian. Looking at it from one angle, death is the most unnatural state imaginable. After all, Adam began in the Garden as an immortal being, where death was not known. After all, we are children of the One whose very breath creates life, the Life Giver himself, who knows not decay. After all, our eternal destination is to shed these temporary bodies and live in Real Life for all time.

From the other angle, however, death is entirely natural for the Christian. In fact, it is paramount and essential. Jesus modeled it that way. To follow the path of Jesus is to follow him to the cross. He invites us - no, commands us - to join him in the shame and pain of Calvary. It seems that an inescapable feature of love is death. It dies to its own desires, it is long suffering, it does not demand its rights, it humbles itself even to death. I John 3:16 tells us how to know love - "By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers." The mark of pure love involves death.

I don't know how to do that very well. The Lord has been bombarding Jessica and I with examples and teaching from people here who die well. We heard this message recently in our Bible study and in the Sunday morning sermon. Yet when I swing out of bed in the morning, my first thought is not to crucify myself with Jesus. That would just hurt too much.

Graciously, the Lord continues to hone us. He desires that we die to ourselves and is much less concerned about our worldly comfort than we think he should be. But that is good, because comforts can distract and numb us when God would call for our full attention and complete sensation to the needs around us. It's a paradox - that we have to die in order that we might live and feel and truly be.

Easter in Africa

  What a blessing this holiday has been. The remembrance and celebration of our Lord's death and resurrection has truly been a rich time here at Tenwek. Amidst the busyness of working at the hospital, spending more time with tasks than anticipated, it has been such a glorious reminder of what we are living for. 

     On Friday we attended a Good Friday service where we were struck by the forgotten intensity and magnitude of Christ's sacrifice. The service was wonderful, placing us in a time of reflection and sorrow for the beautiful sacrifice that was committed for our sakes. Following the service we watched the Passion of Christ. This film struck  me in a new way. I literally felt nauseated and cried during much of the film, as the reality of scripture came to life. The amount of power that Jesus was withholding while he was being tortured from the time of his arrest to his death is astonishing. That is the same power that he gives to us to truly live. Josh and I returned to our apartment sorrowful but so grateful that we were being struck by the realness of the the crucifixion. I am saddened by how often I say with my actions or complaints that Christ's sacrifice is "not enough." I am so often   not joyful, not content, and striving to accomplish my own salvation. I praise God for the abundant grace that he shows despite my ungratefulness.  

   

      Saturday morning we awakened extra, extra early to hike up to the top of a mountain here called Motigo to see the sunrise. It was gorgeous. We were blessed by the beauty of creation and the promise of new mercies each morning. After taking many pictures of the incredible landscape and scenery we returned. Josh headed up to the hospital to see patients and perform procedures while I did laundry and cleaned. Around 11 am we headed to the high school field to play ultimate frisbee. We were sort of short on players for the big field, so we counted Josh as 2.5 people and continued to play (Josh's team won each time despite being always down at least one man- is ultimate frisbee a spiritual gift? If so, my husband is definitely blessed with it. ) After frisbee came lunch and a short nap, followed by Josh going to the hospital again and me performing additional homemaking tasks. Me and an friend made snickerdoodle cookies to share with the guest house then walked to an unclaimed garden to pick lettuce and zucchini to make a salad to go along with our pizza night. All the fresh vegetables (which are very difficult to find) have to be washed in either bleach or chlorine before eating, so far there have been no reports of illness from the salad last night :)  ). We enjoyed a night of fellowship with about 15 other guesthouse members and pizza, salad, and Boggle. 

      This morning Josh and I attended our first ever sunrise service. We gathered in the yard of one of the missionaries while it was still dark and welcomed the new day as we read scripture and sang praises to our God, remembering the hope found with the resurrection. It was a beautiful service which concluded with each person placing a flower on the cross as the sun rose over the mountain in front of us. Wonderful. Josh then went to the hospital to round and then we attended the regular service at nine. During the service I was very excited to look down the aisle and see a wheelchair. It was Gideon. He was sitting there among the Muzungus with a huge smile on his face. I am even more convinced that the Lord is working in his life. I doubt that he could understand much of the service, as it was in English, but he seemed very grateful to be there. His father was not with him, which makes me realize that I need to be in prayer for him during this time, especially with his illness looming. 

    The Galat's have graciously invited us into their home for Easter lunch. We are very excited about this opportunity to fellowship with them and have a unique lunch. We were instructed to come at 1:00 because the goat would not be done until then... I think we are having lamb also. Yes, it will be different, but I'm sure we are going to enjoy ourselves. Josh is currently trying to get tasks done at the hospital before lunch so that he will have a free afternoon. We are having company for dinner, a couple in the same position as us- 4th yr med student going into Ortho, we are looking forward to that fellowship as well. The Lord has blessed us this weekend and we hope that each of you have had or are having a wonderful Easter, savoring the magnificence of our Lord's resurrection. Happy Easter!!! 

 

Lessons learned

So we have been here in Bomet, Kenya for one month. Time has passed very quickly and we suspect that the following month will pass by even more rapidly.

There are so many little tid bits here and there that have been discovered. Here are a few of the lessons learned after one month in Kenya:
1.) Beans take a long time to cook.
2.) "Sakuma wiki" (kale... we think) can be quite tasty and is our main source of vitamins.
3.) You have to have really strong teeth to eat sugar cane.... not I.
4.) Sunrises on hilltops in Kenya are beautiful.

5.) Even though English is spoken it can still be very hard to communicate.

6.) "Communication is key" even here.
7.) Air dried laundry can be stiff.
8.) Toyota Corollas can be sold as off road vehicles.
9.) Mosquitoes like showers and sinks, when they can't get to people.
10.) Mosquito nets are not that bad.
11.) There are different grades of tea, BP1 is the best, it is grown in Kenya but exported to more wealthy nations.
12.) Many Kenyans think that the US has population control- only 2 children per family.
13.) Saying you have "no children" means that you are barren (so I have lots of children, but just not born yet....)
14.) Our refrigerator here works better than the one in Lexington (thanks to the Lindemann's for taking care of our broken fridge mess last week!)

15.) Chai does not mean spiced tea, it means tea boiled with milk and lots of sugar.
16.) Do not get injured at 10:30 AM, as all of the hospital workers will be observing Chai time.
17.) People everywhere appreciate care.
18.) People can threaten lawsuits even in Kenya.. (I had an unhappy wealthy teenager as a patient).
19.) Prayer is powerful.
20.) Everyone wants you to come to their home, no matter if it is 4 hrs away.
21.) The US really is odd with not using metric units.
22.) Medicine is such an easy field to love on people.
23.) You can definitely serve with a bad attitude.
24.) It is much more fun to serve for the sake of others instead of for your own purposes.
25.) We are dependent on our computers.

26.) Pictures fascinate children.

27.) Wealth is often determined by the number of cows you own.
28.) Areas are characterized by what they grow, Kentucky's tobacco is not that impressive of a crop to the Kenyans, and they don't understand the concept of "growing horses."
29.) We live on a lot more than we "need."
30.) You really can appreciate each day being beautiful.
31.) Chameleons make great pets.
32.) Faith is displayed in various fashions, but it is awesome to see the signature of God on it all.
33.) Education goes a long way.

34.) Napkins work as coffee filters.
35.) You can make tea in the coffee maker.
36.) Coffee and tea mixed together does not taste very good.
37.) Saying, "Praise God," after accomplishments goes a long way with sharing God's love with people.
38.) Easter is much more of a holiday here, most workers get Friday and Monday off.
39.) Pangas (machetes) are used for much more destructive things than clearing the bush.
40.) You can't tell people to "put ice on it." Refrigeration is not common.
41.) Many of the hospital workers do not have electricity in their homes.
42.) There are several people named Barack Obama. Baraka means "blessing."
43.) Most of the residents here have never been outside of their region.
44.) Running in a skirt is doable.

45.) The connection of Christ despite nationality is so apparent and amazing.
46.) No matter how "spiritual" the setting, the disciplines of prayer and being in the Word have to be made priority and intentional. Even without as many distractions these things can easily be put on the back burner.
47.) No matter how "spiritual" the setting, my selfishness can rule, causing me to serve myself rather than having the desire to serve others.
48.) Having the title of being a "missionary" can be dangerous, we still have to show people that we need a Savior, not that we are one.
49.) I am even more aware of how blessed I am to have Josh as my husband.
50.) I need Thee every hour.

The Lord has continued to grow Josh and I in so many ways. We are getting more and more excited about the story that the Lord is writing for us. Our time here continues to expand our worlds, which also makes our God bigger, greater, more loving, and gracious. Praise God.

Days of surgery

"Make the incision and find your starting point," instructed Dr. Galat before handing me the scalpel. I hesitated for a second, as I had never before slid a blade through a patient's skin. Then with a quick prayer I glided the scalpel across the imaginary line he had drawn and watched the skin part beneath its stroke. My first incision....  

I have grown tremendously in my Orthopedic experience since being here at Tenwek Hospital. The medical experience for me has been beyond what I could ever have imagined. Some of the procedures that Dr. Galat leads me through would not be taught until several years into residency. More than that, I am growing in my understanding of the principles of orthopedics.

Some very interesting cases come to Tenwek. I will offer you just a taste. About a week ago, a man arrived unconscious after being attacked by Maasai warriors. He had a splintered arrow lodged in his neck (see the xray), a panga (machete) wound that severed his extensor tendons on his left hand, an open elbow, and another deep head wound that showing that the blade had cleaved an inch deep into his brain. By the Lord's abundant grace, and several trips to the "theatre", that man is now doing quite well. Another case - a woman came into clinic with a large, oozing, smelly, black mass on the side of her heel. Feeling a baseball sized lymph node in her groin made malignant melanoma the most likely diagnosis. Her prognosis is very poor. Another case - a man arrived after falling and hurting his elbow. The X-rays we obtained showed an old fracture / dislocation of his right elbow with a new fracture of his ulna. Inquiring about his past history, we found that he had injured his elbow badly 3 years ago and never sought treatment. It is remarkable how long people will go without seeking medical care. He was only able to bend his elbow about 10 degrees for the past three years. Tomorrow we are forced to fuse his elbow at 90 degrees, the most functional position.

But the greatest privilege of working at Tenwek has been seeing the spiritual concerns of each patient as the highest priority. Before every incision, for example, the whole OR staff stops and prays over the patient, acknowledging our helplessness and dependence on the Lord for any real healing to occur. When patients face terminal diagnoses (like the woman with melanoma), the conversation always turns toward their eternal destination. Prayer for patients is a frequent treatment that halts rounds even on the busiest of mornings. We rejoice over patient's progress as the Lord's work, and we mourn with their families when the effects of this sinful world overwhelm our medical care. Without question, the motto posted outside Tenwek Hospital is being lived out every day - "We treat, Jesus heals." I am learning a ton and loving every minute of it.

Time flies when you're having firsts....

Where did the week go?  That was the question that I was asking myself starting Thursday. This past week was full of more learning, new experiences, and demonstrations of how the Lord is at work. 

 The majority of the week I worked at the hospital, where it seemed that each day I was doing something new. Monday, I helped the team apply three hip spica casts to children. Wednesday, I cut off my first cast and trimmed another. Thursday, I helped place traction pins into a patient. Friday, I took out my first set of sutures, turned in my plans for the standing frame to be built for the hospital, and introduced plastic wrap to their wound care technique to enable a form of moist dressing. Another first that has been a huge blessing is being able to work so closely with Josh. When he is not in the operating room, he is on the ortho ward, where a large percentage of my day is spent. It is great that we have been able to work as a team in this capacity and encourage each other.

On Tuesday I met the 7^th place finisher in the ’97 Boston Marathon, made a lot of babies cry, and rode a passenger van over dune buggy trails for 2 hours. All of these things were accomplished on my Community Health outing. I have been interested in public health and figured that this would be a good way to investigate that interest a bit further. So, on Tuesday morning a group of about seven of us (5 Kenyan, 2 American) headed out in the Land Rover….. until it broke down about a tenth of a mile up the road. So we came back to Tenwek and waited about an hour until we could get the Tenwek passenger van. We eventually left and headed toward the villages that were expecting us that day.

I am very impressed by the organization and effectiveness of the Community Health team. They visit a different set of villages each day and then return one month later on the same day of the week. The clinics administer vaccinations to babies and expectant mothers, Depo shots, free HIV testing to expectant mothers, education on how to not spread HIV through delivery, antenatal/perinatal examinations,  and post delivery check ups.  The mothers are educated on when to come back to receive the needed treatment for themselves and their children. Many mothers walk for several hours to make it to these clinics.

So, if you haven’t guessed it already, my “firsts” experience for Tuesday was giving immunizations! After watching a few times, Edward, the nurse who was with me at this clinic handed me the needle and bottle and said “you try.” I tried to play it as cool as possible and then successfully gave my first shot. I learned the difference in subcutaneous vs. intramuscular and got the approval from Edward on my shot skills. I gave several babies vaccinations and of course they started wailing.

As we were leaving the clinic I noticed  a large group of school children standing near the entrance waiting for us to come out. Edward said they were purely trying to catch a glimpse of the muzungu (white person). In fact a group of about 20 of them walked a quarter mile with us down the road  just out of curiosity. On the drive home I was sitting in the front with the window down and I would here “Muzu…..” followed by several screams and little children turning to look at our van. Edward explained that it might have been the first time several of them had ever seen a white person. Yes, I felt like a celebrity.

  Each day this past week I have been greeted with Gideon’s beautiful smile and excited eyes.  He now tries to race me in his wheelchair every time I pass him in the hospital. He will reach for my hand for the traditional shake as a greeting, but then he holds on, feeling of each finger and not wanting to let go.  He definitely has  a new light in his eyes and I only wonder what the Lord is doing in his life. His father asked me for a Bible for him this past week. I was thrilled to be able to get him one in Kipsigis, his own language. I have seen him in the chapel several times watching the Jesus Film with some other children. Even though a language barrier exists I can still see that the Lord is working in him in some way. This urges me to pray all the more for him and his unknown future. He continues to have disabilities and a father who will eventually die of HIV/AIDS, leaving him an orphan. I take great peace in the knowledge that our Lord is sovereign over everything, especially things such as these. Gideon was discharged last week but remains at the hospital because his father has been unable to pay the bill (much different than the U.S.). His father explained that relatives would come soon with money so they would be able to return home, but in the meantime he was sure to tell me to “come see your child.”

 

 

The land of maple syrup and ski slopes

Vermont. I've heard many rumors about the place. Some say to avoid it like the plague, that that the mosquitoes are worse than in a Florida swamp, and the people are so liberal that no Christian could emerge unscathed. Others say that it is a paradise, that the maple syrup drips from the trees, that it's the birthplace of Ben & Jerry's, and that snowshoeing is the preferred work commute. Of all of the places on our list for residency, this one was the most controversial, the most unusual, the most adventurous, and probably the most faith-building.

Regardless of what we think we thought, the Lord is taking us up North for the next five years. Wowzers. I already am feeling a bit chilly just thinking about it. And Jessica and I are pumped. Now to be honest, the initial shock of hearing that news landed heavily, like the weight of an unexpected glacier just dropped into our lives. This was compounded by the fact that Jessica and I were separated and could not discuss things together except in small phone chats. But now the Lord has thawed that temporary burden and we greatly anticipate this new chapter of our lives.

We would ask for your prayer. There are specific things that we are lifting before the Lord's throne before our move to Vermont:
1) For a good church.
2) For good friends.
3) For a good house.
Thanks so much to all of our family and friends for your love and support for us.

Past the potholes

I think my joints are still sore after spending the last four days bumping and rattling along the potholed roads of western Kenya.  And I can't imagine how our poor van must feel.

I had joined a couple of the missionary doctors from Tenwek, Dr. Dan Galat and Dr. Dan Hayward, and didn't really know what I was getting into.  About five hours down the road we reached our first destination - the 3rd annual national conference of the Kenyan Orthopedics Association in Eldoret.  Eldoret is the third biggest city in Kenya with, oh, I don't know, around 500,000 people.  When a mzungu (white person) stops their car in a public street, they are sure to be swarmed with little children or poor tea salesmen or bugs.  I thoroughly enjoyed the Ortho conference, and learned a lot about infantile system of orthopedic training in Kenya.   The first year of graduating orthopedic surgeons have not yet completed residency.  Dr. Galat, the orthopod that I'm learning from at Tenwek, took an active role in this conference by giving a lecture and by helping critique the outline of the conference.  

We stopped by the Nakumatt (one of two 24 hr Walmartish stores in all of Kenya) and among other things bought 120 liters of hyperpasteurized milk (it does not spoil even in really hot vans after 3 days of bumpy roads).  The missionaries go through that stuff pretty fast with their families.   After stocking up, we trekked on toward our second goal.

The potholes finally ended at the village of Kapsowar, another 2 hours beyond Eldoret.  Perched up on top of a 7500 foot ridge, Kapsowar is home to another small missions hospital run by AIM (Africa Inland Mission).  We had planned to visit in hopes of encouraging the missionaries there, to learn from their system, and to strengthen ties between it and Tenwek.  Surprisingly, only one American family lived at Kapsowar (as opposed to Tenwek, where there are dozens of families and frequent visitors) and they were awesome people.  My first impression of Dr. Bill Rhodes came from walking into the "Theatre" (the British way to say Operating Room) and seeing his backward Colorado University surgical cap and surgical loupes whip around from the table to stare at us.  His impressive graying handlebar mustache puffed a bit as he hollered "Hey guys!" and then spun back to suturing his patient's severed ear.  That pretty much typified this man - completely eccentric, entirely genuine, totally focused, and passionately in love with Jesus.  

The time we spent with the Rhodes family was the highlight of this first week out here in Kenya.  They graciously shared their long story with us (it took over two hours) which catalogued how God brought a delinquent high school boy (Bill) and a straight-laced mormon girl (Laura) together on a path to the hills of highland Kenya.  It was a great story that ended a bit after midnight (at which point we went to bed - and he went up to his weight room and lifted).  The unique nature of their story entranced me; the intimacy of their family unit struck me;  the sovereignty of our God baffled me.  Two phrases that Bill mentioned became the themes of our chat.  "Shed the excess," he said, and "I just want to alleviate a little bit of suffering in some corner of the world in the name of Jesus".  Bill and Laura are remarkable people that the Lord has uniquely equipped to be out on a spiritual island having died to all that the world can offer him.  And I think they were two of the most content people I have ever met.  

After enjoying a great breakfast on Saturday morning with the Rhodes family, the two Dans and I bounced our way down the 6.5 hours back to our waiting wives.  

The transition to Tenwek is going very well. This is the end of our first full week and each day has gotten better concerning communication with the staff, learning cultural norms, and not being so concerned by the way others view me- but rather being more concerned by how well I am loving the people around me.

 We are on the meal schedule here which means one or two meals a day are prepared for us at different homes of missionaries or at the guesthouse. This has been a great opportunity for fellowship and learning the ins and outs of Tenwek. When speaking to one of the nationals who works at the hospital she was telling me how important it is for me to share my faith with  my patients because they know we are missionaries. This made me realize what a unique place we are in, one in which people come here knowing that we believe “We treat, Jesus heals” and they are banking on that. Prayer is greatly encouraged even if they do not understand a word of it.

I have had a full week at Tenwek, where Josh, on the other hand, was invited to go to an Orthopedic Conference in El Doret  on our second day here. So we have not seen each other since Wednesday morning. They should be returning at any moment, but I have heard that they are having to take another route home which will delay them.  As soon as he gets back and settles in I am sure that he will blog about his first week and the match.

I have officially been given my homework for my time here. I will be designing and having the hospital build a standing frame for the rehab dept.  My time at Cardinal Hill gave me the experience to be able to accomplish this task and I am very glad I get to share the knowledge with Tenwek. On Monday I will turn in the plans to the workers and they will start welding. We will problem solve as we go!

I have always wondered if I would like to work with pediatrics in physical therapy. I have known that it is very useful in the mission field. Well, now I know that yes, I do like pediatrics. The pediatric ward here at Tenwek is a room with beds with about 1.5 ft between them and the child and their parent sleeping on a single size mattress. These children need to play and physical therapy is an avenue for that.

 I would like to introduce you to Gideon. Gideon was hit by a truck, got caught in the truck, and was drug for half a mile 3 weeks ago. He suffered a crushed ankle and a minor brain injury resulting in R hemiparesis.  His mother has passed away from HIV/AIDS and his father is currently HIV +. Gideon does not have HIV. When I first saw him on rounds he kept the cover over his head and drew away as the physician tried to examine him. He was very, very scared, and traumatized- rightly so. I asked Solomon the next day if I could start working with him. He said sure! We started with some simple exercises and then started walking in the parallel bars. He was very scared at first but soon we finally saw a smile come across his face for the first time since his accident his father said. I visit Gideon several times a day to work on him with gait (he advanced quickly to a walker), balance, strengthening, and coordination. He continues to have R sided weakness but it is continually improving. His gait has dramatically been improved by the help of an orthotic. Gideon is a child who, in the states, would go to intense rehab for several weeks to continue to progress his functional ability, but here in Kenya, he goes home early next week. Families cannot afford to spend weeks upon weeks in the hospital. Although I could work with him a lot longer and see great results, I can also see that this young man is determined and will get plenty of exercise at home, as there is no X-box or even play area, he will get more exercise living the normal life of a Kenyan than most of us do in the states with our gym memberships. He will come back in a couple weeks for us to check his progress and give him any equipment needed (if available). Everyone has watched him progress over the past week not only physically but emotionally as well. He now wears a smile full of hope. 

We are here!

So we are here! I don't know how many times I have said to myself, we're here, we are really here...wow!
So we have already figured out that so much is going to happen and we are going to learn so much each day that our hope with this blog is to give you just a glimpse of what we are experiencing here.
So, here's a quick recap:
-Flights were great, luggage arrived, no complaints.
-Patrick and Daniel picked us up at the airport where we were immediately pulled over by the airport police for having a cracked windscreen. Then we had to pull off the road and wait at the airport gate and wait for a receipt. Then we had to pull over at the gas station to change a flat tire. Then we finally arrived at Mayfield guest house and slept very soundly that night.
-The next morning we ate breakfast with a group of missionaries where we definitely realized that this guesthouse is a launchpad for amazing things that the Lord does in Africa. We also met Marilyn Newman, wife of deceased Arnie Newman, good friends of Josh's grandparents and parents. They even stayed in Josh's house in PA at one point! We also realized that the mission community is a small world, but a very exciting one.
-Patrick drove us to Tenwek and it has felt non-stop up to this point. We moved into our guesthouse, took a tour of the hospital, learned cooking tricks, like how to strain the worms out of the drinking water, and how to pastuerize fresh cows milk for the best chai ever. Then we went to Dr. Carol Spears' home for dinner where we dined with several other missionaries and had a wonderful evening and meal. Then we checked our email....
- Josh matched!!! We don't know where but we know it is ortho!
-So we dove in today. We rounded on ortho this morning then Josh headed to the operating room with Dr. Dan Galat and I headed to start PT with Solomon. It has definitely been a learning experience. One lesson being- diving in may have been the wrong speed for me. I probably should have just waded in very slowly, or just stood in the shallow end and gotten used to the water for a while. I only say that because, combined with being tired from not getting much sleep last night because of our messed up circadian rhythms, it made adjustment difficult. But hey, Josh keeps reminding me, it has only been one day! We are learning how much we have to rely on the Lord for our value, not trying to prove ourselves here. I am also learning how praying for humility is much easier than actually receiving it. The Lord is going to teach us so much while we are here and we are so excited because we know that means we will draw closer to him. Continue to pray for our adjustment here and truly serve and love well!

Runway clear for takeoff...

Our toothbrushes are packed, our camera batteries are charged, our tax forms are in the mailbox, and we are ready to head off on our two-month venture. In roughly three hours, Jessica and I will be departing Lexington on our way to Tenwek Hospital in western Kenya.

The route looks like this - Lexington - Detroit - Amsterdam - Nairobi - Tenwek. If all goes swimmingly, we should be rolling up to Tenwek a few hours before your alarm clock rings Monday morning. We would request your prayer for a safe trip.

The anticipation has been building now for a long time, and the Lord has overcome many hurdles for us to be leaving today. After all, this trip has been in the planning stages for over 14 months. Just this past week, I floundered through my last med school exam (it's finished!) and Jess discharged her last therapy patient.

The great testimony that we share is of your unfathomable love and support for us during this time. Jess and I have been struck with the amazing depth of friendships that God has given us. We have been completely humbled by friends such as you. Thank you already for loaning suitcases, for watering our (struggling) plants, for lending good books, for gathering medical supplies, for collecting our mail, for offering hundreds of words of encouragement, for generously giving, and for earnestly praying. The blessings are too many to count - everything from extra meals to extra hugs. Thank you so much for making the Body of Christ so beautiful.