stephen leimgruber

Word Update

2010-04-04T11:35:00.003-04:00

Proverbs 19v21

Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails.

If your reading this that means even after such a long time of no post you've still come to check this blog. And for that I thank you.

Below is an update on some important changes for me. I've sent this out to a number of people but in effort to cover my bases i'm posting it on here as well.

The short version is that the doctor whom I work with here at Tenwek hospital is going to be coming back to the U.S.A. earlier than expected and as a result I will be also.

Here below is the more detailed version for those with a tolerance for text. It's directed at those who've been financially supporting me but contains worthwhile information.

Many thanks, God bless and happy Easter!

Stephen Leimgruber

One significant aspect this past year and a half has been observing God's blessing in my life time and time again. Whether it is the incredibly short time it took to actually get on the ground here in Kenya, adapting to the culture or learning a new area of medicine (orthopedics) – God's faithfulness has been shown to me over and over again.

The purpose of this letter is to inform you of my new, earlier return date to the states and to request a discontinuing of your financial support in light of this new change. These changes are happening because of positive developments, as detailed below.

A key factor in my ability to enter the mission field directly after passing my nursing boards was the element of instruction and team work with Dr. Galat. My role here is largely as an orthopedic Physician Extender. With the Galat family beginning their furlough year earlier than expected this means that my leave time is also earlier then expected. This will be be June 2010.

Additionally, there are also important responsibilities awaiting in the U.S.. As I've worked and served here in Africa I've realized the value/need for higher education and training. These opportunities are only available in the U.S. and will be pursued upon my return.

Presently, I am now looking at departing Tenwek early June and residing in Columbus, Ohio shortly thereafter. My burden for the developing world is strong and I intend to be a part of it. Regarding when and where I return to 'the field' is yet to be determined.

In light of this change, I have presently received enough financial support to see me through the rest of my time here at Tenwek Hospital. This means I am requesting you to discontinue your financial support. Any excess funds in my ministry account when I leave the field will remain for a set time and/or be transferred elsewhere in WGM's ministry at my discretion. For example, I may transfer some funds to various ministry needs which I have become aware of during my work here at Tenwek Hospital.

God's faithfulness through the generosity of others has been incredible!

With many thanks - God Bless,

Stephen

South Sudan - health care, lepers, and life...

2010-02-11T01:34:00.011-05:00

"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy." Proverbs 31v8-9

I've just returned from over a month in South Sudan. Tenwek Hospital is beginning to explore a partnership with another hospital - Memorial Christian Hospital - located in Werkok in the Jonglei state of Sudan. Although my role became one vastly different than what I was prepared for I was no less fortunate to be able to partake positively in a hands on way in the life some.

I've God to thank for that and the generosity of others who work hard in the west to support this work which I'm so grateful to be a part of.

Below are some pictures and descriptions of life in south Sudan.

The Cessna Caravan which carried us and supplies to Memorial Christian Hospital (MCH) in Werkok, South Sudan.

The north side of the hospital compound - where life happens when one is not in the hospital itself.

A picture of MCH. In the morning there were patients gathered under the overhang awaiting evaluation and treatment. You can just see the corner of the white shipping container where I spent many long and hot hours working with Aret to create an Inventory and organizational system for the hospital supply of medications.

The inside of "the yellow container" - full of hospital supplies in unmarked boxes on top of unmarked boxes. We worked long and hard sorting, recording, organizing and labeling boxes and creating an inventory. Not to mention that if it was in the afternoon the ambient temperature was somewhere around 130 with no air movement! It was worth it. :)

South Sudan is composed of many different tribes. Cattle are significant to virtually all as a source of wealth, security, and livelihood in general. Presently the Dinka are experiencing attacks from the Murle who are making raids - killing Dinka and stealing cattle and children due to high infertility rates among the Murle. The un-official observation among locals is that the north Sudan government is indirectly supplying the Murle and capitalizing on tribal unrest to create instability during the coming elections. Such tactics are not uncommon of the extreme Arab-Muslim north (ever heard of Darfur?). As the Dinka represent the largest tribe in south Sudan it is not far fetched for them to hold this perspective.

On a visit to a nearby "tuckul" (house/hut) this lady initiated posing next to her cooking with pride. How does your kitchen compare?

Likely younger than she appears, the hard life is evident on this mama's face. In South Sudan each tribe has it's own decorative facial scarring which indicates their tribe. The v-shaped scars on her forehead represent the Dinka tribe.

An empty can left over from food-aid from the US.

This is how the laundry gets done. The nice part is that with the high heat, sun and wind everything is dry in about 5 minutes!

This animal was caught in the bush by some nationals and surrounded, cornered and beaten to death. Without a Giant-Eagle supermarket people here do what they can to survive and take what happens to come along. The odd thing about this one is NO ONE had ever seen this animal before - ever. If anyone can tell definitively what it is, you will be the first.

The more usual fare - Antelope - shot that morning.

All kinds of things are found in the bush, including this baby Antelope(?). Mary, one of the cooks at MCH is helping it out with a little breakfast.

A leper colony in Malek. Ajak, the Dr. at MCH has been advocating to the UN about the need to care for these people. The disease is completely curable and affordable to do so - yet they are overlooked and uncared for by local authorities because of corruption and lack of "value". I was incredibly touched by the children, whose laughter and smiles beguile the hardship, poverty and neglect that has defined their life. The following are some pictures of just some of them.

A mothers love is just as strong in Malek as in Ohio.

With the help of others Dr. Ajak of MCH is initiating a partnership with the Murle in developing health care at an old abandoned hospital site in Murle territory. Given that the Murle are currently attacking, killing, and abducting Dinka children this peaceful gesture speaks volumes toward the desire for peace and unity.

This is one of the buildings - Pibor (home to the Murle tribe) - sits one of several buildings that may be used as a center for health care. Currently it is used as a church. As I took this picture 3 young boys raced out of nowhere and without warning struck the coolest martial arts poses ever - as seen below.

An up-close shot of a wall of the church. Hundreds of bullet holes are visual reminders of all the conflict that has characterized south Sudan.

Drawn with chalk, Jesus' name is inscripted on a rusting and peeling metal door.

Apparently a martial arts pose is the popular thing among Murle Kids. Note all the bullet holes in the wall behind them.

Murle children

In the market at Pibor a sharp dressed man poses for a picture.

The genuine caring and hospitality of the southern Sudanese was incredibly humbling. One example was the staff buying a goat and preparing it as a feast to say thank you to those of us about to leave. A completely unnecessary and loving gesture. The generosity of the poor never ceases to amaze me.

From left to right: Glen, Me, Mike, and Jon. These 3 guys were there filming a documentary. I had my suspicions of a "media presence" but was able to observe them debunk every bad reputation normally associated with professional media. Becoming friends with them was one of the highlights of my trip!

I've just returned...

2010-02-09T17:13:00.003-05:00

It's past 1 am here in Nairobi and I've just returned after a little over a month from volunteering work at Memorial Christian Hospital in Werkok South Sudan. Werkok is just north of Bor.

The people there were incredible and I was humbled by them. Lots of good pictures and stories to tell. I won't have a chance to update this for another week but soon there should be pictures up.

God bless!

Stephen

2010-01-08T20:51:00.005-05:00

Hi everyone! In about 30 minutes i'm off to south Sudan. There is a small hospital there which needs some nursing help and I am privilaged enough to be a part of that. So long as all goes according to plan I'll be there until Feb 19th when I return back to my (not so) old life at Tenwek Hospital.

Please pray for the following.

- that I would be strong in the lord
- that I would be able to help in significant ways
- for quality communication and learning of the Dinka language
- safety

I was able to quickly write down some short descriptions of the pictures I posted the other day. This was all done very quick so please pardon all the spelling errors and whatever else.

I'll unable to do any online updates until I come back from S. Sudan so, until then, God bless!

Stephen

In this national forest which was decimated during the post election upheaval beehives are built and put in the few remaining trees to protect them from being cut down.

Kids get shy and laugh when their picture is taken. They always want to see the image on the back of the camera. This invariably results in more laughter and more pictures.
Highschool Kids from around Tenwek who compose the teen bible study. They wanted to do something for someone during their school break so we ended up planting a field full of corn and beans. The field is owned by an orphanage and will end up feeding the kids.
Kenya is the worlds 3rd largest tea producer. Kericho is the area where it all comes from and this is a tea field there. Specifically a Unilever (read: Lipton) owned field. So this is where your lipton tea is coming from.

My sister Mary's last night in Kenya saying good bye to our cousins whom she lived with and the kids she taught. Having her here was a wonderful time. I'll miss her!

One of the highschool kids who was posing for a photo during a football (soccer) match. The ball had just gone between us and he was stuck between getting his picture and trying to score. Hence his apprehensive smile.

The World Gospel Mission (WGM) staff group photo. I'm in there somewhere...
Sitting next to Reuben I'm holding a Mursik gourd. To make mursik one fills the gourd with fresh milk, adds a specific charcol and sets it in a corner to fermet for at least a week or so. The grey, clotted fermented drink is thought to be quite refreshing. I'm sort of getting used to it...
One of many precious kids. Her hair is blond from malnutrition.

A special needs child from Maureen's special school looking good in some star sunglasses!
The ostrich is a better runner than mother. As evidenced by her eggs laying on the ground besider her.
Feeling frazzled but having fun during a hectic day of ortho surgery...
Myself, Dr. Dan Galat (ortho) and a surgery resident and friend named Angira whose wedding I was in later this last year, as seen below.
Some of the wedding party. The tailor blocked up the top of my orange shirt with brown so that the orange would clash so bad with my white skin! We all had a great time.
Another machete injury caused by farming dispute. I wish I had the post op picture which would show a normal looking hand with an incredible suture line.
Shamba (farm) foot. The dirt is hard to scrub off and causes infections in the open wounds. A challenge in any working environment.
An upper arm bone fracture which was reduced back into normal position and held together with a metal plate and screws. The pre operative x ray is shown below.

2009-12-13T09:38:00.002-05:00

I am going to be in the U.S. for a few weeks beginning Dec. 17th! I'll be back and forth between Cleveland and Columbus.

During that time I plan to post many pictures and such as I haven't had the time or connection recently.

I plan to put together pictures with stories to share about what is going on here in Kenya. Should be good. Let me know if your interested and I'll post the date it will happen in Columbus and Cleveland.

Much appreciation and thanks to all for still looking into this blog. Praise God!

Stephen

Birthday, Mathare and the Sunrise...

2009-11-22T10:00:00.005-05:00

Had the opportunity to spend a week in Nairobi with my sister Mary at Robyn Moore's house. Robyn is a PNP and oversees the medical care of around 1000 children in and around the city. We were able to accompany and help out where possible in various orphanages and had a great time. The picture above is of Mary, me and the cake Robyn made for my birthday (27 years now).

Twice now I have been humbled by this girl in pink. Her name is Esther and she lives in an orphanage in Mathare (muh-thar-ee), a Nairobi slum with a reputation for its harshness even when compared to other slums in the area. Esther's history is unclear even by those who know her best. What is known is she was neglected and abandoned by her mother. Some time later she went to live with her uncle(s) who abused her severely . She also suffers from epilepsy. As a consequence of her life so far she does not or can not talk, acts out inappropriately and generally is in a world of her own. Inaccessible. Here is an excerpt from my journal from that day...

"...was all this morning in the Mathare slum with kids who have real problems (I still eat every day, right?). Glad to be there holding the kid with the soggy pants (pictured above) in one arm. He was maybe 1 or 2 years old and starved for just some loving touch. Any loving touch. The slums are so bad to the human spirit, to the human life. Poor little Esther was still there. Oddly dressed even for a slum girl. Her stare still semi-blank and drooling on herself - she had a seizure recently and hit her head. What kinds of things has she experienced, seen, had done to her? Stories she can never tell. She (in this world) will never get to enjoy loving parents, a good steak dinner at "home", a Christmas tree with presents all neatly wrapped beneath. I can barely comprehend the difference between my world and Esther's..."

What's the point? Why blog about her instead of anything else?
Because she should motivate us. Not towards feeling bad or guilty about how good we do have it. That helps no one. Rather, she motivates towards using what we do have for the benefit of others.

We have significant material wealth. Praise God. But how are we using it to practically love others? Girls like Esther remind me of the need to make the most of every opportunity to use what we have toward loving others. The poor of the world need tangible love.

Ephesians 5v1-2 "Be imitators of god, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us..."

Beautiful sunrise on top of Mt. Motigo

Sunburn, Shamba foot and what matters and what doesn't...

2009-10-29T06:48:00.016-04:00

One of the ladies who works around the hospital is a refugee from when a genocide was happening in Rwanda. While she was here she met another Rwandan man whom she married and they started a family. Some time ago he went back to Rwanda to look into moving their family back. He was murdered and she was left with 6 children here in Kenya. With no land of her own she rents a small farming plot (shamba) and works as house help for one of the missionary families here.

She needed a fence to keep the neighboring cows from eating her garden as it grows. A visitor bought the supplies and some of us joined up with her kids and a few other locals to put in a fence for her. The many hands made light work as we dug fence post holes, put in the posts and put up the barb wire around her whole property in just one day! The only picture I got, though, was one of my sunburn afterwards...

Working in orthopedics in the developing world can be especially rewarding. Often people have long standing pain or difficulties than can be alleviated with surgery. In ortho we get to see our results right away and, in general, the patients are otherwise healthy. Patients often feel good and really comprehend that they have been helped. We all work hard and put in significant hours living for God by serving other people in orthopedic ways. It's not unusual, though, to see and evaluate cases for which we can provide limited or no help at all.

Yesterday was clinic day and there seemed to be quite a few of the more difficult cases. At clinic we see all those whom we've treated and are returning for follow up care. We also see those who come for independent check up's as well. Here are a few which stuck with me. The first one case was of a woman who returned with her foot biopsy result which was positive for cancer. She needs an amputation to stop it from spreading. But amputations cost money and she has none. Traveling from far she had to leave her baby with her husband (who doesn't work and is a drunkard) only to find out she has cancer and can't afford the less than ideal treatment. All this and she is only 23 yrs. old! We went ahead and scheduled her anyways and told her to come back regardless of whether or not she could pay....we'll work it out we said.

Often we see problems that would have been prevented or treated far earlier in the developed west. One such case was of a young boy with scoliosis which was progressively getting worse and worse. Dresses in worn out clothes that hung off his thin frame he stood there while his dad was told of the potential for surgery. "There is a spine surgeon coming back in some time...evaluated for the possibility...can't do anything for you at this time..."

Another was of a women who has progressive problems with her pelvis. Barely able to walk she explains that she recently had a baby (yes, through that pelvis) and must also walk long distances to get water, carrying up to 20 litres at a time. She's having a lot of pain. Her pelvis isn't going to get better and her options for treatment are limited.

One of the challenges working in health care is infection. We do our best to prevent it but some patients are more challenging than others (by no fault of their own). Here is a picture of classic "shamba foot" as we like to call it in the O.R. A shamba is a small personal farm and those who don't own shoes have feet with callous and dirt permanently ingrained. Almost like a dirt tattoo on the bottom of the foot. Difficult to clean, shamba foot is an excellent vector for infection in distal leg wounds. Pictured here is a middle aged woman with a dirty open tib/fib fracture and classic shamba foot.

I hope that, after reading this blog, your impression isn't that everything is sad, hard, or heartbreaking. Some things are but there is a lot which isn't. The cases I included are just ones that have been on my mind recently. There are others which I could have written about, such as the guy who had a horrible leg fracture that walked in, healed, without a limp. The child with a painful bone infection who is now healed. Another kid who had a fractured femur which is now healed smiles and giggles when I shake his hand every day as I walk past him in his wheelchair...

The hardship and suffering observed reminds me of what matters and what doesn't. It makes me incredibly grateful for the unnecessary but nice things I have in this life. It questions my priorities and reminds me of how self-focused I can be. It makes me look forward to a day when all suffering will be gone and done away with.

Revelation 21v4 "He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."

The challenge is to live for that day. To love God first and other people at an expense to ourselves.

Finally!

2009-10-11T13:38:00.006-04:00

Greetings to everyone from the west rift, Kenya. Finally, I'm able to get some pictures up to show exactly what I've been writing about.

I still consider myself blessed to be where I am and am so grateful and thankful for those who make it possible for me to be here financially and for those who spend time in prayer for me. Neither is an easy thing to do.

Without further ado, here are some pictures with descriptions below them. Thanks!

The monacle man and his one (not so) good lens.

The finished product after an eye consult, new prescription, new ground lenses and a fresh pair of real Ray-Ban frames. Total cost: about 4-5 u.s.$!

Here is a close up of the wound-vac dressing. The tubing is IV tubing and the dressing cover was sterile Ioban generously donated by MedWish International. The tubing went to a glass IV jar where the suction was connected. It worked great!

My super cool sister Mary and I standing in front of a White Rhinoceros at the Mara. She is here to help teach some kids schooling and will stay until Dec. 17th. Having her here has been and is wonderful.

Isiah 40v5 "And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it."

The whole chapter of Isiah 40 was a good read for me recently, reminding me of how great God is. Given God's greatness and my incredibly human un-greatness, that chapter really served to remind me of the significance of God's grace in my life and the astonishing fact that he continues to use me to care about other peoples well-being.

Monacle man, my sister Mary and 3rd world wound vac's...

2009-09-27T10:27:00.007-04:00

Pictures will come when the interenet is good enough to load them.

Monacle man...

People here are used to having to make due with what they have. Monacle man was no exception and every morning during rounds he would hold up his one eyeglass lens to look through at the world around him. He didn't mind posing for a photograph, either. After seeing his picture my awesome parents decided he had to have a good pair of glasses.

2 days and one eye consult later this guy was fitted with a prescription pair of brand new ray-ban glasses for the whopping price of $3 u.s.! He loved the new frames and could see great.

3rd world wound vac's...

We've had a large number of dirty open Tib/Fib fractures (shin-bone) lately. Some of these patients have had a terrible time healing with slow or no tissue growth over the exposed bone at the fracture site. What we needed was continuous wound suction.

Using a large glass IV bottle, large tubing cut from a urinary leg bag, IV tubes, Ioban drape and some donated sterile wound sponges I was able to create a continuous wound vac set-up that actually worked great!

There were 3 patients with 4 wounds that the new wound vac set-up was used on and it really did the trick to encourage the drainage and tissue granulation that the wet-to-dry dressings just weren't accomplishing. With one wall suction available on the surgical ward we had to find 2 more suction devices. The ones we found were very old but still worked. It was great to see the little machines still working each morning.

My sister Mary is now here and will remain until December. She is going to be teaching some of the Galat kids their school studies. I'm really glad that she is here and that we'll be able to spend time hanging out. What a blessing to have family so close all the way here in Kenya!

I'm so thankful to God for the time I have here in the beautiful country and glad to be able to report on just some of the amazing things that I am privilaged to get to be a part of here at Tenwek. Thanks for your prayers and that you keep checking these updates.

More to come... -S

2009-09-16T14:23:00.000-04:00

I've been without internet for a while but now it's back. Update coming very soon.

Thanks for checking in!

A little long but, hey, it's been a while...

2009-08-23T14:55:00.015-04:00

What do these three pictures have in common?

A broken jaw,

...a fractured hand,

...and a dirty open tib/fib fracture.

They are all the same patient! A 90 y/o “mama” who was hit by a boda-boda (motorcycle) and eventually ended up in our care at Tenwek. She spoke a language that NOBODY understood and would consistently end up shouting and cursing everyone with a loud “OOOOOOOH-EE !!!!” Despite concerned care all around her consistent cursing of everyone across specialties earned her the affectionate name, “the oooooh-ee lady”.

Spent most of the afternoon today(Sunday) up in “theatre” after rounds with Dan working on a 4 year old child with a neck of femur fracture. In the developed world this gets taken care of right away as increased length of time after fracture increases the likelihood of a poor outcome. We received this child with the fracture already 4 days old. For a 4 year old with the rest of his life in front of him we wasted no more time. The small body in traction was at odds with the adult sized fracture table. 2 screws, a solid reduction and an hour and a half later Kipkemoi now has a chance for functioning hip in his future.

Fixing the body is good, but healing the spirit is better. For our bodies pass away but our spirits live on after. So I am excited to be part of a group of people starting a bible study on Wednesday nights for spiritually interested teenagers. This Wednesday is the first night and I have no idea what to expect. Pray that God blesses it and his spirit is at work.

Recently I have been praying about possibilities of becoming part of the work that World Gospel Mission (WGM) is starting in south Sudan. There are 2 medical centers now with only a few staff at each. Both are in need of trained nurses to come and teach, instruct and give care. WGMs goal is to form teams made up of current staff in Africa, to recruit new staff, and empower and mentor the Sudanese. The approach is community-based, participatory and wholistic. Although there is still a lot to learn here at Tenwek I am gladly looking into possibilities in Sudan as well.

Lastly, in this long, catch-up blog (thank you for reading!) I wanted to quote a worthwhile verse.

Hebrews 12v1-3 “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross…consider him…so you will not grow weary and lose heart.”

What is the race God has marked out for you? Are you running it? Are you even on track? I have to ask myself those questions often, as it is possible to be “following God” and be completely sedentary or willfully wandering off track. Let’s remember our example, Jesus. Let’s spur one another on toward love and good deeds, even to a sacrifice of our personal comfort. It’s what only makes sense!

Thanks so much for your prayers, God knows I need them.

Until (hopefully not much) later,

Stephen

Bad at chronology...

2009-08-21T09:32:00.006-04:00

This is supposed to be a picture of me looking sorry for not updating the blog with anything about Tenwek lately...I hadn't realized it has already been so long since the last real post.

I intend to get one up tomorrow or Sunday with more pictures, thoughts and developments of late.

Hope your weekend is a good one!

Happy Friday - Stephen

Climb for Captives

2009-08-07T05:27:00.010-04:00

My goal is to motivate you towards helping practically those who need it.

An old friend of mine, Jeremy Vallerand, started a project called Climb for Captives to raise support for people in captivity around the world. All the money raised goes strait to the International Justice Mission ( http://www.ijm.org/ ). An organization that works hard on behalf of those who need the help. Visit both websites to see specifically how what you give will be used.

I support this project and you should too. They are not just being creative and raising awareness. Every cent given is going to the International Justice Mission. Nothing is kept by the Climb for Captives team.

Check out the Climb for Captives site for more information and to donate your money.

http://climbforcaptives.com/

Thanks!

-Stephen

Still learning where it's at...

2009-08-02T12:01:00.012-04:00

I happened upon this guy who was shot with an arrow waiting for a pre-operative x-ray...

"Hey, is it ok if I take your picture?"

"It's ok, go ahead."

OUCH! Coming back from lunch I rounded the corner and found this guy. He had a femur fracture and was awaiting surgery. He received an IM nail and is recovering well.

I had the opportunity, while in Nairobi to renew my Visa, to visit an old room mate. Joel Muende and I shared a residence in Columbus, Ohio some years ago and to meet up on the other side of the world was a real privilege. I know there are many in Columbus who would have loved to be in my place as Joel brought me to his family's house, showed me his town (Thika) and took me to class with him at the University of Nairobi. It was wonderful to catch up and to encourage one another as brothers in Christ. Joel's mother is a primary school teacher and the picture above was taken in her class room. That's Joel and his mother standing in the background. So many kids crammed in one room!

"...but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perserverance, perserverance character, and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by his holy spirit, whom he has given us."

Romans 5v3-5

Suffering is definitely a relative thing.

I could write about how I don't get to grill out with my brother and his wife anymore. How I'm not able to see my family as I'd like to. There is no coffee house around the corner anymore. I'm not....insert whatever you can think of.

But then there are the people who live down the hill from me who don't have enough to eat (I eat everyday). Those who come into the hospital after dealing with painful injuries still unhealed after months of mis-management elsewhere (my health is pretty good). Those who live in abject poverty with a will to do better but not the means because the economy here is terrible.

Suffering, at any level, isn't inherently good. It's suffering, and suffering hurts. But there is nothing like suffering to so clearly expose to me the false belief that the things of this world can provide satisfaction.

It turns me back to God, it drives me closer to god, who suffered for me and calls me to give up my comforts for others. I'm learning more and more that knowing God is the base of true, stable and real joy. Nothing else can be that joy. That's why, as Paul says in Romans, we can rejoice in our sufferings.

Knowing God. It's where it's at.

The daily grind, Conviction and Hells Gate

2009-07-14T12:09:00.009-04:00

This x-ray is of a Massai child who was shot with an arrow in the head. Initial treatment (given at a non-tenwek outlying clinic) caused more harm than good. The child eventually ended up at Tenwek and was treated by a visiting neurosurgeon. Despite advanced efforts, the child did not live and the case was presented at a mortality and morbidity report. Afterwards I went up to take a picture and the Neurosurgeon proceded to pull the actual arrow out of his pocket with skull and pocket lint still attached! He said he had kept it as criminal evidence for the police.

you just doesn't see this kind of thing in the west...

One might think that life in the medical mission field is always interesting, stimulating, and a place where your average day isn't ever "average". Although things are much different than where I came from it is all too easy to slip into the daily routine of things. Another old fracture, another surgery case, another wednesday clinic day, another early morning...and suddenly I find myself starting to "punch the clock". Putting the time in without thinking of how to make the most of it.

In the book of Romans, Paul uses his final words to greet and commend various people and I noticed a trend. These women and men (listed by name in ch. 16) "risked their lives...worked very hard...have been in prison...fellow worker...fidelity to Christ stood the test...who work hard...worked very hard".

I realize that as a follower of Christ, I'm called to the same level of commitment. That's hard, especially when my natural human tendency is to be mediocre and just "punch the clock". So I rely on God to come through where I can't (which is everywhere) and to live for something more than myself. I want to make the most of the time and opportunities that God has for me here. Our call as christians to make the most of every opportunity and love others is the same in Africa as it is in North America and so is, I think, our tendency to slip into mediocrity and just do what we do without being intentional. It is a myth that if we could just change our circumstances that we would be better christians.

Would you pray that as we follow Christ we would have the same level of commitment? That we would be sensitive to the Spirit and quick to respond to Gods leading. I know I need that prayer.

Thanks to those of you who read this. I'm incredibly grateful and built up knowing there are people who are out there and support me being here. What a privilege!

Also, last weekend I was able to make a quick sat-sun trip to Hells Gate Nat. Park. Here you can, as Lonely Planet put it, "re-enter the food chain", and walk through experiencing the land up close and personal. It was beautiful. Due to low tourist season Thompson (a visiting guest) and I pretty much had the place to ourselves. Many animals were seen, none too dangerous.

Arrested in a Foreign Country...or...All's well that ends well

2009-06-28T08:12:00.007-04:00

Important: This story, although true, does not represent the normal experience here in Kenya, a country characterized by its warm and welcoming people. Additionally, Tenwek hospital works hard and successfully to provide a safe and hospitable environment for those who visit. I would like to think that the following was just a miscommunication blown out of proportion.

So my current room mate Paul and I went into Bomet to go grocery shopping. Paul needed an electrical device that no place seemed to have so we found ourselves on a side street per instructions of the last store we visited. Quite suddenly my arm was grabbed by a man saying “come with me!” I initially thought he was an aggressive Matatu driver and wrenched my arm away, giving him a sour look. The aggressive man persisted, eventually claiming that he was the police. Yet this man was in plain clothes as were the 2-3 others who were with him. Paul was already involving himself on my behalf and strongly asking for I.D. I too was now demanding identification. They had no identification and their only response was more aggressive action to detain Paul and me. Things quickly escalated and Paul and I were now separated from each other by about 30 ft. We both also had our groceries with us, a box each, so we only had one free arm to resist.

I began shouting, trying to involve the now growing number of spectators. “This man is aggressing me without giving reason! He has no identification! Please help!” As I continued to resist a second man grabbed me from behind by the belt (which coincidentally included my pants and boxers, giving me such a weggie I found myself wondering, in spite of all the excitement, whether or not I would have some stains on my underwear when this was all over.) The two men overpowered me and my groceries (why I hadn’t dropped them yet, I don’t know) and I was now with Paul again behind a plain white mini pick-up with an army cloth ragtop covering and private plates. True police vehicles are to have GK printed their license plates and represent a Government of Kenya vehicle. The men were trying to shove me in the back of their truck and I kicked my foot up on the tail gait obstructing them. By this point we were now surrounded by a wall of people watching the spectacle. Paul made the call for us to get into the back of the truck. Later, he told me it was because he heard people from the crowd saying/asking, “Who do they think they are resisting arrest?!” After an old man said we should be burned Paul decided we were safer in the truck with a few than with the crowd. The crowd was shouting in Kiswahili so I was unaware of their words until Paul told me afterwards. So we were put in the back and guarded and driven away.

We called Dan Galat to say, “We’ve been arrested/taken away by men in plain clothes with no I.D. They claim to be police but won’t tell us anything.” Lo and behold we arrived at the Bomet Police/C.I.D. station. They had been real officers! There was a woman with us now who had also been detained. The C.I.D. officer in his frustration hit her very hard across the face with his hand. She was put somewhere else and we were taken together to be interrogated. The man whom I physically resisted and fought back was the C.I.D. (Central Investigation Dept.) officer himself and we were now in his office.

The short version of the time was about ½ hr. of him yelling and talking, mostly at Paul.
He soon found out who we were and that we were with Tenwek Hospital – something we hadn’t been asked yet. His tone began to change and I think he realized that he had wrongly arrested the wrong people. He demanded apologies and belittled us. We were on his turf and told him what he wanted to restore his damaged ego. Around here, nobody resists arrest, especially in public. After all this, we were driven back to the Matatu park in the same vehicle, but this time only our groceries rode in the back..

According to Paul, officers must have I.D. to show and talk to you before touching you. This man and his cronies touched me first, were plain clothed, had no I.D., gave no reason for our abduction (until later in his office, the C.I.D. officer claimed he only wanted to check my I.D.), and then took us away in a private, non-gov. vehicle. I believe our response to aggressively resist was quite reasonable, given the circumstances.

All's well that ends well. Dan made it just in time, after trying to mobilize support and finding everyone gone, to pick us up in town and take us back.

Post Scrip: When I asked the officer to “teach” me how to respond, given a future situation, to discern real officers from imposters – His answer? “Ask for I.D.”

THIS AND THAT PART 2

2009-06-14T09:49:00.012-04:00

Scrubbed and waiting to start a surgery. The turnover time here is slower than what people from the U.S. are used to but still faster than most any other place in Kenya. Presently I have been spending a lot of time in the O.R. but soon will split my time between O.R. and helping to manage/maintain/improve the ongoing care of our ortho patients. A needed role that I can fill.

Sunset through the trees...

This rainbow continued to get stronger and stronger, stretching all the way across the sky. Eventually a second appeared, less strong above it. A double rainbow. I didn't know that could happen.

Finishing up a tendon reconstruction on a lady who was accused by her neighbor of harvesting in the wrong garden. To underscore the accusation her neighbor tried to cut off her hand with a panga (machete). The unsuccessful attempt severed almost all the tendons at the inside of her wrist. In this picture we are putting the finishing touches on a splint post tendon repair.

Motorcycles are becoming a popular mode of transportation. Unfortunately, most aren't accustomed to the high speeds and don't take adequate safety precautions. Then they come to see us. About everyday we see at least one new patient admitted with This poor guy fractured his femur and tibia/fibula in a motorcycle accident. His free floating knee was stabilized with a retrograde SIGN nail to the femur and an antegrade SIGN nail to the tibia through a large incision at the knee which you see here.

What's so great about SIGN? SIGN stands for Surgical Implant Generation Network and is the work of Lou Zerkle. The SIGN nail is a U.S./F.D.A. approved intermedullary nail that fixates a broken femur or tibia. What is so great about it is that it was designed with the developing world in mind. Using SIGN the nail can be placed without any fluoroscopy (X-ray via a C-Arm) and that it is available to participating hospitals very affordably. What does this mean? This means that if the x-ray above was your leg you now have an affordable option where wasn't one before. Instead of having to choose between weeks in the hospital and casting or a surgery you can't afford - both of which will ruin you and your family financially - SIGN offers a viable and quality third option. Now you can get back to walking, back to work, back to your life. The impact of this is far reaching.

In the following weeks I'll put up some post op x-rays with SIGN nails.

Thanks for checking in and reading this. I think of people back home and people I know elsewhere more than most of you expect, I'm sure.

This and That...part 1

2009-06-09T11:26:00.005-04:00

Night is coming on soon and more cool weather is blowing in. It's Tuesday and after what felt like a long day in the O.R. I'm able to sit down and catch up on the blog. Much has happened, some of it routine, some of it not. I've been waiting for a "oh yes, this is what I want to write about!" type of moment. After an increase and time and a decrease in memory I figured I'd put up some of the recent pictures with a short something about each one.

Well... last night I had no Internet and tonight the connection isn't good enough to upload pictures. Sorry! More to come sooner than later.

Stephen

2009-05-24T11:31:00.011-04:00

The view out my back door

Where I am sitting writing this blog in the Guesthouse

My room mate Kisorio, an orthopedic resident and easygoing guy cooking on a char-col get-up that functions like a grill...except when it gets up to heat, it can be brought inside as you see here. I was kind of shocked at the perceived fire hazard (it was pretty safe, I guess) and I said, "This is crazy!" a few times. My neighbor, Mercy, looked at me through the doorway and said matter of factly, "This is Kenya."

Looking west out over the rift valley on the drive from Nairobi to Tenwek hospital

Praise the Lord. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him! Psalm 147 v 1

While the weekdays already seem to fly by the weekends go a bit slower. Right now seems to be a lull in the short term volunteers. This means that unless you have kids to take care of or your peer group is the 40-50 somethings, your kind of on your own. Yesterday I came down with a sore throat and read The Hobbit (yes, all of it) instead of going for a hike. Today ended up being low key as well.

This has given me time to reflect, re-read some letters from home and spend time reading God's word and thanking him for his goodness. It's easy to get caught up in the daily demands of hospital life and cultural adjustments plus whatever else I have yet to learn. Today's slow pace allowed me to hear the the holy spirit's quiet voice and was reminded of a few things I would like to share...

What a wonderful privilege it is to have so many loving people who care about me and how I am doing. I was struck again today at the amazing fact that I am in Kenya. This would not at all be so without so many people generously and lovingly supporting me in prayer and financially. I can only praise God for those who were his provision for me to go where he calls.

Everyday, all my needs are met and I am able to walk up the hill to the hospital knowing that I am where I am supposed to be and have the support of so many spiritually and emotionally. Not that I actually think that clearly at 6:30 am...but it is part of the big picture that affects who I am and how I feel here.

What I mean to communicate through this blog is how grateful I am for God's blessing in my life. Specifically, the people who have shown interest, support, excitement, and concern for me.

Some other things I'm thankful for...

I've already heard from a couple of people that my being here is making a positive difference and has been a help to them.

My overall state of well being is positive.

The ratio of observing and learning to practically applying what I know is already starting to shift. ( what I mean is that I'm watching less and doing more than I was a week ago)

I'd appreciate prayer for...

Wisdom in my work relationships. Actually, for wisdom and tact in all my relationships with people here.

That those who receive care from me would perceive God's love in it.

Also, a guy I work with named Solomon asked me to come and speak at his church in a couple of weeks. I'm told it's not that uncommon to be invited out to area churches but this is my first time!

It is interesting to think that all the support and love from others so evident in these last months really has been there all the time. It is only all the more apparent in my current situation and how I got where I am. Thanks so much.

Goodnight!

2009-05-16T03:55:00.003-04:00

I recommend reading Dan Galat's blog from this week. It echos my own perspective on things and is a good read.

http://dangalatkenya.blogspot.com/2009/05/six-months-at-tenwek-highs-and-lows.html

...AND THEN, I TAKE YOUR SNAP

2009-05-13T15:00:00.003-04:00

I take your snap was what the lady who is preparing my picture ID badge for working in the hospital said to me yesterday. Things here have quickly gotten underway for working at Tenwek Hospital. Although the last few months have been dry these days the weather seems to be playing catch up and everyday there is some period of down pouring rains. The days are beautiful though and also have some time of sunshine, too.

One major update is that my Kenyan Nursing license has been approved. Robyn, who helped facilitate all of the Kenyan Nursing Council stuff said that my license approval was easier and faster than any other time she has had to do this. Praise God. I know that many of you who read this blog were praying and I believe that God answered those prayers. Thanks so much.

Today was a pretty busy day in that on Wednesdays there is an outpatient clinic and today we (the orthopedic team) saw 86 patients on top of everything else orthopedic in the rest of the hospital. I think the average patient load for Wednesdays is somewhere around 50.

One in-patient that I have been involved in caring for is a guy whom I'll call Mike. Mike had compound fractures to both of his femurs and a fracture to his left elbow. The amount of force it takes to sustain these incredibly painful injuries merits rapid intervention and stabilization of his injuries. This guy needed surgery to attain any kind of adequate stabilization of his bilateral leg fractures. Unfortunately, Mike's regional hospital did not take him to surgery, they put him on bed rest and his legs in skin traction. For a month! When he tried to leave they made him sign out against medical advise. When we received him at Tenwek his leg traction bandages had not been changed since last April and there was no evidence of healing or any kind of reduction of either femoral bone. Within hours Mike was in surgery having his legs properly fixated and treated.

pictures to come later!

Some things I'm grateful for...

The people here are warm and welcoming
My Nursing license to work went through very fast
The pretty country side I get to see when I walk up the hill to the hospital
I'm learning a lot
All my needs being met, which I attribute to God's grace

Some prayer request things

I would continue to develop quality relationships with others
That I would quickly learn my roles and responsibilities
Learning Swahili
Quality friendships with the nationals

2009-05-08T11:05:00.000-04:00

2009-05-08T11:03:00.001-04:00

2009-05-07T10:29:00.002-04:00

The connection is not good enough here to publish pictures. I tried a number of times. Sorry.

If you could see them you would see me with kids, me with a nurse named robyn and more kids, some more kids, and some kids. They all look super cute, some look dirty, and about half are smiling. All are adorable.

see ya!

Mayryne's Special School

2009-05-07T09:46:00.003-04:00

Rather than wait longer to condense this into a better and more direct post I'm just putting it up as is so that I don't neglect it altogether!

Innocent (yes, that's his name) Muende, father of a girl named Mauryne who was born with Cerebral Palsy (C.P.), began a school called Mauryne’s Special School. In this region special needs kids are a major social stigma. Not unusual to be left in a room to be avoided. Rather than follow suit, this involved father started a school for his daughter and similar children to begin addressing the need in his community. Mauryne’s Special School started this last January and quickly grew to 23 children. Tuition was initially 8000 Kenyan Shillings (KS) but no one could pay. It was reduced to 4000 KS, yet no one could pay, tuition was again reduced this time to 2000 KS a month (about 24 dollars U.S.) and still, none could afford. Rather than turn children away Innocent Muende, his wife, and the other few workers that make up staff are still serving these kids and relying on the lord to meet their very real needs. Here, instead of being neglected and hidden in a back room, these children receive treatment, therapy, nutrition, and tender loving care from a compassionate staff. Most of the children are from the slum section of Ngong. These already poor workers invest much of their time in caring and loving these kids at their own expense because what little the parents can pay simply is not enough to provide the support they need for the amount of time they work. We were there today to see the place in action and hopefully for (Robyn Moore and Kay Johnson) to be able to hook them up with the support and supplies the Mauryne Special School so desperately needs. Presently, they have virtually nothing. They do have knowledge, a wiling spirit, love, and an overwhelming burden to do something about an overwhelming need.

In the region this school is located there are 3 C.P. births for every 1000. The immediate area had a population of about 120,000. This is just C.P. add Autism, mental retardation, and the developmentally disabled and all the challenges such conditions bring. Now take out every support you know - no Americans with disabilities act, no county children and family services, no public school programs, no education to say exactly what it going wrong with your baby/child. Many believe that they have had a special needs child because they are being punished for something they’ve done wrong. Welcome to Ngong. Innocent Muende and his wife are giving everything they have to change that. And they are making a difference in their community. When complimented they give all the credit to God for every good that happens in their struggle. Their humility, positive attitude, extreme love for others, and their willingness to move forward in spite of opposition is both humbling and incredible. Innocent stated that the motivation behind their actions was the words of Jesus who said whatever you do for the least of these, you do for me.

Thanks everyone for checking this out and thanks for your prayers. On saturday I leave Nairobi for Bomet where Tenwek Hospital is located.

Sorry, but no pictures yet. soon, though, hopefully.

2009-05-04T13:46:00.003-04:00

Here's what's new....

The flights went easy as could be and everything made it through just fine. I had no problems at customs either. Robyn Moore was waiting for me at the exit and as we were walking out we both saw a middle-aged British/Kenyan lady fall off the curb and hit the ground. Hard. We made our way over to help her and she was stunned and presenting with a severely broken wrist. Robyn and I took over and in short order had an quality improvised/padded splint and sling. (made from cardboard, the lady's scarf, shirt and light dress the lady had in her carry-on.) We saw her off to a ride to a hospital. Robyn gave the lady her contact information and she contacted us today to let us know she ended up going to surgery to have her wrist internally fixated.

So I had my first kenyan orthopedic experience before I even got out of the airport!

Also noteworthy - Robyn has been a huge help for me getting things rolling here and I was able to visit the kenyan nursing council today and drop of paperwork and secure an interview for tomorrow. This is a big answer to prayer.

Would you pray for the meeting with them tomorrow?

Additionally, we make a trip a little ways into Kibira, one of Africa's largest slums. It holds about a million people in roughly the space of a square mile. shanty houses pretty much on top of each other. We went there so Robyn could check up on a clinic that deals with providing aid to children with HIV/Aids.

I will likely be able to catch a ride up to Tenwek Hospital this coming Sunday.

Thanks all for all your prayers! Things here really are going very well.

More to come later...

Dad's chicken bones and Tears in your cake...

2009-05-02T10:23:00.002-04:00

Well, everything is all packed and ready to go. After adding all the donated medical supplies and requested items from people, my one bag grew to 4 big bags to check at the airport. hopefully all goes well during transfers between flights and clearing customs!

Last night was the final dinner with my family. Grilled chicken that, once you cut off what you want with your knife, my dad will take your leftovers for the "good part" you left behind. Also, we decided to celebrate mothers day early. Up until this point i had not yet been crying but after handing my mom the cake the fact that I'm leaving my family for 2 years caught up with me. Crying while you have cake to eat is quite an experience....

Now in a few hours I'll board a plane and travel from Cleveland to Detroit to Amsterdam to Nairobi. With the time change I'll get into Nairobi at 7pm Sunday. Monday I drop off paperwork and forms to the Kenyan Nursing Council and then Tuesday I'll sit before a board to interview for my Kenyan license.

Would you pray for...
1. uneventful traveling
2. for none of the boxes to be lost or have items taken out in transit
3. that everything I'm taking would pass through customs
4. that the I would get my Kenyan nursing license with out problem

I'm super thankful for all the support from so many. It really has been an incredible experience preparing to leave and i have really been overwhelmed by the support from so many!

Pictures to come later...

2009-04-16T15:01:00.006-04:00

GREETINGS EVERYBODY!

There are a few noteworthy developments of late...

There is now a defined leave date - May 2nd. This will put me in Nairobi on May 3rd. Hopefully plenty of time to prepare for the may 5th meeting with the Kenyan Nursing Council. One of two things will happen. The nursing council may meet with me and approve me right away (in which case I'll hit the ground running at Tenwek hospital) or they may say come back to meet on June 5th (in that case I'll still go to Tenwek hospital but find other uses for my time until the later mtg.)

Also, MedWish International was able to pull together a nice amount of medical supplies that Dan Galat requested. Five large boxes filled with everything from casting supplies, bandages, cervical collars, various suture supplies to anti-microbial surgical drapes. Although these materials aren't super heavy they do take up space and figuring out the most inexpensive way to transport them with me is the next hurdle. This is, hopefully, only the beginning of a mutually beneficial and ongoing relationship between MedWish International and Tenwek hospital.

Due to many peoples extreme generosity I have already surpassed the budget for the first year! This is really incredible for several reasons. (1) The quickness with which support came in. (2) This is a time of economic hardship for many. (3) It is a direct answer to prayers that I would be able to make this May 2nd leave date.

As my time in the United States is winding down the reality of what is actually happening is starting to sink in. Often I am experiencing time with friends, good food or music and I am hit with the thought, "I am really going to miss this!" That said, I am also super excited for what awaits.

I'll be in Columbus until around the 23rd then to Cleveland for family and then to Kenya.

Updates and Answers to Prayer...

2009-03-31T14:45:00.007-04:00

Hey everybody! Sorry for the lag in updates. My goal is to post relevant info on here about once a week.

Frequent questions I often hear are (1) "How's stuff going with Kenya? Do you know you know when you're leaving yet?" and (2) "How's the support coming in?"

Here is the latest info:

(1) Stuff with Kenya is going well. I am going to be able to sit before the Kenyan Gov. Nursing Council either on May 5th or on June 5th. Those are the dates available to meet with them and work on getting all the paperwork through. This meeting will consist of appearing before a board and being reviewed and questioned. The subjects being reviewed will be myself and medical knowledge.

Would you pray that this process goes smoothly and without any problems?

Whether I sit before the Nursing Council depends on how soon the support comes in. If all the support is in order in time to leave for the May 5th council date, then that is what will happen, Lord willing.

Would you pray that the rest of my support comes in in time to make the May 5th date?

(2) Support is going well, too! There have been many people who've expressed a desire to financially support this work, but not much was showing up on the giving reports from World Gospel Mission (WGM). Today's report saw a major change! A number of donors appeared with amounts much larger than I expected. Additionally, several people have actually sought me out to find out how they can support this mission work. Incredible.

I am deeply grateful and thankful for this! Fundraising is a new, unique, and humbling experience. I praise and thank my God for how this is going.

Would you pray that support continues to go well?

MedWish International updates still pending...

Success with MedWish International!

2009-03-19T11:49:00.009-04:00

Everyday, countless usable medical supplies are discarded by hospitals, health-care facilities, and medical supply distributors in the U.S. This occurs while developing countries throughout the world are in desperate need of these items.

Their primary goal is to recover, recycle, and redistribute donated medical supplies and equipment as humanitarian aid.

This last Wednesday, I had the opportunity to visit MedWish
International, based in Cleveland, Ohio. The main purpose
was to initiate an ongoing dialog about how to merge their
goals with the ongoing needs of Tenwek hospital. The result
of this meeting was very positive. I may be able to take supplies
with me upon my departure as well as help facilitate meeting some of the larger equipment needs of Tenwek hospital.

Will you pray that the Lord opens up equipment and supplies through MedWish that meet the specific needs of Tenwek hospital?

For additional information about MedWish International, please feel free to visit their website at www.medwish-international.org

Karaoke for Kenya...

2009-03-15T13:17:00.004-04:00

Last night I had the privilege of being served by my roommate Vince.

He threw a karaoke fundraiser party and it was a hit! Not only were funds raised right there, but I connected with 2 other individuals who expressed interest in supporting the work. Praise the Lord. Raising funds is humbling work and requires faith in areas I've not regularly put it in the past.

This week is also significant because I have the opportunity to meet with individuals at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation who supervise the distribution of usable decommissioned medical equipment and surplus medical supplies. Please pray that the Lord would open up the door for many supplies to go with me to Kenya.

The time of my departure depends entirely upon when the funds arrive. Since I cannot leave before that, I am striving to make best use of the time that is left here.

I very much appreciate all the prayers and interest shown by so many people. It is far beyond what I expected when I first began. Thank you!

Job Description...

2009-03-14T01:52:00.001-04:00

Here is Dan's response when I asked him what I can expect to do and what to share with those supporting the work I will be doing. His response is as follows.

Hi Stephen –

Hope you are well, and getting ready to come.

You will be working with the orthopedic surgery team at Tenwek full-time. The team consists of: (1) myself as a consultant, (2) often another visiting orthopedic surgeon from the US, (3) a Kenyan orthopedic surgery resident, (4) a Kenyan surgical resident, (5) Kenyan medical and clinical interns, (6) often visiting medical students from the US, and (7) the physical therapy department which consists of 4 Kenyans. You will be trained in all aspects of clinical orthopedics and your time will be split between managing both outpatients and inpatients. Because you will be constant and the Kenyan residents and interns will be “rotating” through orthopedics in varying blocks of time, you will help direct and train these Kenyans. For inpatients, you will round daily with the team, manage patient care, direct patient follow-up, serve as a liaison with patients’ family members, perform minor orthopedic procedures, and, of course, participate in the spiritual care of patients and staff as God provides. You will also be assisting with our outpatient clinic on a daily basis, seeing new patients, performing orthopedic procedures such as closed reductions, casting, splinting, physical therapy, and helping manage established patients that return for follow-up. I also may have you really help me to organize the orthopedic supply/storeroom which currently is in disarray. I hope that you will also become involved in the spiritual life here at Tenwek, participating in bible studies, men’s groups, outreaches to the local orphanages and communities and churches. Overall, there is so much to do, and not enough people to do it! This should be a good start (hopefully not too overwhelming)…of course, you will have a lot to learn and we will see what kind of niche you settle into.

Serving with you in Kenya,

Dan

Test run...

2009-02-23T23:16:00.000-05:00

An effort to begin updates on the life and times of living for God and serving others in Kenya.