Final Thoughts

Please  accept my apologies for being so delinquent! Time just flew by after our family arrived at Tenwek and I was often busy at night typing blogs for my grandchildren to send to their schools.  So much happened that I really do not know where to begin.  Each year is a different experience and this one proved to be no exception.  I did not have as much to do in nursery as in years past but my relationships with the nurses continued to grow and thrive. They love hearing about life in the U.S. and they help me understand their lives as well. We lost 4 babies and had several very sick ones in the NICU. I bonded with the mothers of two of the babies, Poline and Susan, who both lost their little girls.  The shock of an illness, the journey towards reality, and finally the acceptance of death is so difficult. This is especially true when you are far from family and facing it alone.  I am so thankful that I was able to befriend these sisters in Christ and perhaps help their journey a bit. I know that they enriched my life.

Mudding a house was truly fun! It was also so wonderful to share this experience with Penny, Mimi and Preston.  Those little ones were very brave and open to being a minority among a sea of black faces, many of whom had never seen a blonde child before. During that experience   I believe that my grandchildren learned that we are all God's children. I relearned how big and inclusive our God is.   What joy we felt to be able to build a strong home of mud for a woman who had lost her home in a fire.

The cow blessing was so powerful. I hope that you saw the pictures on the blog. The Forum class at First Presbyterian, Wilmington presented this black and white cow to a widow with seven children. It is a beautiful cow, part Friesian(Dutch like the Hages!) which made it extra special.  The class donated two other cows as well but we were only able to actually see one.  I know that that two others will also find good homes.

Penny , our daughter in law, is an occupational therapist and worked very hard in the clinic for disabled children. These kids are often the forgotten little ones in third world countries.  She was thrilled to be able to have a special chair built for little Enoch who had never been able to sit up before!  There were lots of tears when we all saw that life changing event for him and his family.

Our son, Bill, an orthopedic surgeon, was challenged with many surgeries unlike those he has seen in the US.

Mimi and Preston loved meeting the children of missionaries and formed fast friendships! They also loved visiting the orphanage and seeing their school as well as their dormitory.  Each day was a learning and growing experience for them.  In fact, Mimi thinks that she wants to be a missionary now!

At the end of our Tenwek stay we went on Safari as a family. Seeing the beauty of God's creation through the eyes of our children and grandchildren was a memory we will always cherish.

Now we have spent a few days in the Netherlands finding our roots! It has been fun but we are ready to come home to our family and friends.  Thanks for sharing this journey with us!

Miriam, until next year, Lord willing

Memorable Kenyan Moments

Mudding Power

Cow Blessing

Finish Strong

Mudding Hands

“Finish Strong”  has been a mantra in our family since the days of competitive swimming, soccer, lacrosse, tennis, etc.  The idea seems appropriate as we approach the end of our time this year at Tenwek.  We still have another orphanage to visit, cows to bless and patients to see.  What can we say about this short time we have spent here?

First, it has been a bigger experience…more patients seen, more friendships rekindled, more prayers, more support, more educational  challenges, more graduates, more new interns and more vision for Tenwek and its mission here in Kenya.

Second, I have been blessed to see the world through new and younger eyes.  These eyes include at least two younger generations,  They have shown me again the transformative power of this time at Tenwek.  The youngest have already had an impact in their school and with their friends. 

Third, the realization, (again), that whether in North Carolina or Kenya that God is at work building his Kingdom and he is not finished!

Thanks for sharing this experience with us,

Marvin 

But God’s not finished. He’s waiting around to be gracious to you. 

He’s gathering strength to show mercy to you. 

God takes the time to do everything right—everything. 

Those who wait around for him are the lucky ones.  

Isaiah 30:18 (MSG)

A Worthy Adventure

….so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God.

Colossians 1:10 (NIV)

“…that without courage, compassion falters, 

and that without compassion, courage has no direction.”

Eric Greitens

This trip to Kenya has felt more adventurous than my memory of prior trips with the exception of my first trip in 1997.  More specifically, this year the “stakes” seem higher.  The reality is that it involves so many more of my family…Miriam, William, Penny, Mimi and Preston.  Our son and his family arrived yesterday.  The perceptions of the risks, as reported by others, seems bigger than in previous years. 

The idea of adventure is a “young” one…uncertainty, risk-taking, thrills, and bungie jumping do not translate to our “older” ideas of something we desire.  But maybe they have it right as we think more about our Christian lives. God call us to “reach out” instead of just “being safe”. 

On further reflection, I think Stanley Hauerwas is right…We as Christians whether “old” or “young” need to pray for and act like our lives can be characterized as a worthy adventure.   What I do know is that your prayers have been like Paul for the Colossians.

Thanks for our young grandchildren and their lives of faith and their worthy adventure,

Poppy & Nana

References

https://www.pcusa.org/news/2015/12/10/christmas-story-kicks-2016-presbyterian-youth-trie/

http://miriam1943.blogspot.co.ke/2016/01/are-you-going.html

Greitens, Eric (2011-04-11). The Heart and the Fist: The education of a humanitarian, the making of a Navy SEAL (p. 2). Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Kindle Edition.

Frank's Cane

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us,

Hebrews 12:1 (NRSV)

Rev. Frank Mayes had a vision for our church as a place where healing could be found.  He started a project where medical equipment could be donated or borrowed by members of the congregation.  Our family has made use of this program; most recently by borrowing a cane.  There are many canes in Frank’s closet, but the one I chose had his name clearly attached.  I wanted to borrow that special cane.

A few months later, we decided to take Frank’s cane to Kenya because Micki thought she might need it given her new knee.  Walking in Kenya is different then most of you have experienced. Kenyans here generally walk to all of their daily duties as motorized vehicles are very expensive.  They have less difficulty than we do with the uneven paths, the roads filled with potholes and the 6600 foot altitude.  The cane was a good idea!  We soon acclimated and the cane was put in the corner of our Tenwek apartment.

We don’t normally use canes during obstetrical care, but Tenwek is different.  We see cases of severe pain or weakness with walking as complications of pregnancy..  That happened again and so Frank’s cane found its way to the Edna Boroff Maternity Center!   On that day, I was surrounded by a cloud of witnesses who ran with perseverance.  

Thanks be to God for Frank & Edna and the healing they continue to bring,

Marvin & Miriam

Sorrows and Joys

Mary's Baby

It is a beautiful day at Tenwek, 77 degrees and sunny but my heart is heavy. Another baby has died.  The mother, Susan, was very difficult to reach at first but we have become close over the past week.  Her baby girl, named “Blessing”, was born with a cardiac congenital defect.  The cardiac team was here last week and if anything could have been done the timing would have been perfect.   Sadly, the anomaly  was inoperable.   As I write she is waiting for her husband to arrive.. She is from some distance away so she has been here bearing this tragedy alone.  This is often the case for women at the hospital.   Again words are so inadequate especially with language and cultural differences.   I love the name “Blessing”, for children indeed are a gift from the Lord and a blessing.  This  little “Blessing”, was not with us long but will forever be in our hearts.

On a joyful note, I will tell you the story of Mary.  Mary came into the hospital with malaria and was showing signs of psychosis.  She was hospitalized in the ICU where she delivered a premature girl.  For days after being well enough to leave the ICU she showed no emotion and refused to see her beautiful baby girl. This is where I enter the picture as someone needed to take care of the baby.  Happily, I can tell you that Mary began showing interest in her baby yesterday when I brought her to the bedside.  Yesterday her mother arrived to help.  Today Mary  came to Nursery,  expressed breast milk, and showed an interest in feeding and caring for her baby.  She smiled and showed appropriate emotions.  What a wonderful moment!   When I look at her baby I wonder what the future holds for her but I remember that the Lord knows us all by name and loves each of us.   Please pray for Mary and her family and all the children of the world who face unspeakable hardships.

It was interesting that in Bible quizzing this Sunday we studied the parable of “The Laborers in the Vineyard” where the last shall be first.  It was very difficult for me as a rich white woman to explain the  "hidden meaning” to these young children many of whom are orphans or children without much earthly means.  There is great joy here and such trust in the Lord for everything.  We can learn so many lessons from them.  These experiences challenge my faith!

Love to you all,

Miriam

First and Last

Mission and Vision

Knitted cap from knitting ministry

First Presbyterian Church

Wilmington, North Carolina

Organizations have a mission statement and Tenwek Hospital has a clear one, "We treat, Jesus heals".  What has impressed me this year is the increasing clarity and reality of visions that will bring another dimension to this place.  The one vision that is clearest for me is that of a residency program in Obstetrics  and Gynecology.  

In previous years, I noted how my vision changes after being here.  It is a blessing to have that experience.  This year, the new visions are here with the leadership at Tenwek and it is a wonderful reality.  

If you were here with us at Tenwek Hospital, you can hear many prayers!  The majority you cannot understand as the prayers are in the primary language of the patient.  It is a wonderful and awe-filled experience.  We are blessed that we can be physically present at this place and can be part of this community.

So what I can do is encourage and support the vision of those here at Tenwek!  What we all can do is pray with Tenwek for the fulfillment of God’s plans for this place.  The request is that you pray with Tenwek.  For those in our church, family and extended faith community; you are present here with your gifts of cows, houses, blankets, knitted baby caps and medical supplies but most of all your prayers.

May God continue to bless Tenwek Hospital,

Miriam & Marvin

http://healingagents.blogspot.co.ke/2015/03/going-far-together.html