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

Jesus Weeps

My heart is really heavy because there is a critically ill baby in the nursery now.  She is about a month old and is from a city about 2 hours from here.  She became ill very suddenly with a temperature and her mom brought her to the local hospital.  From there she was transferred to Tenwek and was diagnosed with meningitis.  She is now on a ventilator and very very sick.  Her mother and I have become friends while she sits in the hallway outside the nursery.  It is so painful for her to be in nursery while all the other mothers are breastfeeding their babies and she can not even hold her child.  Words are so inadequate even though Mom does speak English.  What do you say?  We have prayed many times together and implored Jesus to heal her baby.  She believes this with all of her heart and is waiting for a miracle. I, too, want to believe this and yet in my head I question whether it is possible and if possible what damage will have been done to this child's brain.  Oh, that I had this mother's hope.  So we keep praying and weeping together.

Mosop

It has been awhile since I have written and so I will try and fill you in on what I have been doing.  This visit has again been different from those in the past.  I find that I am spending a lot of time renewing and deepening relationships that have formed over the years.  This is the beauty of returning to the same place year after year.  Yesterday I returned to the orphanage that is called Mosop.  As you can see there was an eager group of youngsters waiting for Bible quizzing to begin.  This year they are studying parts of the book of Matthew. Kenyan children can memorize like nothing I have ever seen before!   For Bible quizzing the children are divided into teams with coaches who meet with them weekly.  During their time together they learn about the story for the week as well as reciting the verses they have memorized each week. The goal is to memorize 60 verses to receive a prize. Each month there is also a contest between the teams complete with buzzers to determine  which team wins the final prize.  If any of you did Bible sword drills when you were young this is very similar to it.  Yesterday was a team competition; buzzers and all!  Teams of four participated while the others patiently watched and clapped for their team.  Excitement reigned!

I think I wrote about Mosop last year but let me fill you in. It is an orphanage where 157 children are currently living.  Another 100 or so come to the Mosop school each day from the community.  Mosop also now houses a "college" to train pre school teachers who will teach in the baby schools.  I really feel like it is well run.  The children call this home until they are 18 and off into the world. However, they reassured me that if they have no extended family they are always welcome to come back and call Mosop home.  

While I was there I met the nurse, Diana, who runs the dispensary. She lives next door to the dispensary and is on call 24/7 for 257 kids, the college, and the surrounding community!  She is even equipped to deliver babies!  What a devoted soul!