Mission Safari: The Next Chapter(s)

God's Merciful Sovereignty

As we successfully came down off Point Lenana on Mt. Kenya on Sunday I was struck at how big the place was.  Our guide said to me, "Besides starting at 3:30am to get up to the top by sunrise, the other advantage of going in the dark, is that you can't see how intimidating the final climb will be."  Truer words were never spoken as I looked back over the terrain that we had climbed to summit the mountain.

And this reminded me of the very wise words of my colleague, Dr. Michael Johnson, "If we saw what God had for us to do in the coming weeks, months, and years, we would melt in fear and run away."  Although I do not like uncertainty and would like to see into the future, God is being merciful to NOT let us see this.  We would certainly melt and run away.  And He knows it too.  And so, even in the most difficult and disturbing circumstances, all we can really do, is put one foot in front of the other keep on moving in the journey, trusting in our Guide who knows the way.  God knows that life is intimidating.  He is being mercifully sovereign to only let us see right now.  And that should be an encouragement to us, regardless of our circumstances.

The Right Color

Only in Africa would I be asked to do something because I was the "right color."  But that is exactly what happened yesterday.  The hospital recently was announced runner-up as "most respected institution in the service sector" for East Africa.  The Marketing Department here decided to get some mileage out of this and arranged for a photographer to come to the hospital and take a picture of "key" employees with the award.  Marketing arranged for representatives from the lab, pharmacy, nursing, admin, catering, etc to be in the picture.  They also wanted a picture of two doctors.  For whatever reason, when the girl from Marketing came to ask me to participate in the picture, she blurted out, "well, we want you because you are, well, the right color."  I didn't know whether to be honored or feel used.

Of course, I felt used.  I couldn't believe that they wanted me in this promotional photo just because I was white.  It was awful.  It had nothing to do with my contribution to the hospital or to the teaching program.  It had to do with my skin color.  What a bunch of hooey!

And now, in a small way, I understand what my "black" friends back home feel like.  "Am I being asked to do this because I am the best qualified, or because I am the 'right color'?"  This must be a very common thought for my African American friends. 

Lord help us to become color-blind!

Evicted

Well, it was just a matter of time.  And today, I finally received my eviction notice.  Not from my house but from "my" office at the hospital.  Since I started at the hospital a year ago, I have not had a proper office and so have been a "squatter" in the office of the Chair of Paediatrics.  I was squatting there because for the past year there has not been a Chair and so his office was empty.  I knew my days were short as a Chair had been named but I was shocked to get an email this morning that I had until noon to "move out."  Fortunately, the secretaries were looking out for me and so arranged for me to move across the hall to the office of the Program Director of Pediatrics.  Still don't have my own place but at least I do a have spot to sit and think and write and do paperwork.

My Biggest Fear on the Mountain

Over the weekend while climbing the mountain, I had an experience that struck me with sheer terror.  It was not the fear of failure.  It was not the fear of looking over a cliff that went straight down for a 1000 feet.  It wasn't coming down the snow-capped peak at over a 60 degree decline with the possibility of slipping and plunging head over heels for who knows how long. 

So what was it that caused such fear?  On the final day, stopping for a break only a couple of hours from the end of our trek, I needed to visit the pit latrene to uh, answer the call of nature.  While this is not normally a "scary" ordeal (or pleasant one), after I got properly positioned and was taking care of business, all of a sudden, I heard a bunch of "buzzing."  Sure enough, I looked down and inches from my exposed bottom was 8 to 10 bees.  Finding myself in a compromised position and not finished with my business all I could do was sit still and hope for the best.  I can not tell you how scared I was that I was going to get stung. 

All I can say is that I have never felt such relief to  leave an outhouse before!!

Through The Valley of Darkness

As we were making our pre-dawn assault on Mt. Kenya this weekend, we were walking through some pretty rugged terrain.  It was completely dark.  I had no idea where I was going.  I could only follow the guide.  And as we trudged our way up the mountain, all I could think of was the verse from Psalm 23 - "though I walk in the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil." 

What made it truly powerful was that we have had our share of times over the past couple of years trudging through the valley of the shadow.  Even now, I am dealing with a very painful and delicate situation with one of the medical students.  And all I can think about is the fact that I need "to fear no evil."  As we walked up the mountain, I realized that if I ventured off the path of my guide I would have gotten lost and not made it to the peak.  I could have even suffered physical harm from falling down a cliff.  And yet, all that I could really see during that time was a small headlamp from the guide.  I knew that was enough.  I knew he would guide me safely and successfully up the mountain.

And so, I must put this lesson into action this week.  "Though I walk in the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil."

We Made It!

After hiking 15.6 miles and rising 6300 feet in elevation over 2.5 days of hiking, the medical students and I summited Mt. Kenya at 6:50am on Sunday morning.  The assault on the Point Lenana (the 4th highest peak in Africa) started at 3:30 am.  The joy of reaching the peak at sunrise was especially nice as peaks are covered in snow.  It was the first time that any of the Kenyan medical students had seen or walked on snow.

The whole trip was fantastic.  It could not have been better "scripted."  We arose at 5am on Friday, ate breakfast and left Nairobi at 6am.  We arrived at the small town of Chogoria at the base of the mountain to meet our guide and his crew of 9 porters and cooks.  We then travelled by Land Rover through Chogoria Forest, getting stuck in the mud just once!  After 2 hours we arrived at the gate of Mt. Kenya.  After repacking our gear for the porters to carry, we hiked an easy two hours to Chogoria Roadhead and pitched camp.  Before dinner we took a side trip to see Nithi Falls and boy was it a beautiful site - a drop of about 200 feet.  Then, as the sun set, and dinner consumed we had our first of 5 bible studies/devotionals covering 2 Timothy.  Afterwards we spent some time around the campfire and enjoyed the brilliant clear skies with thousands of stars visible!

Saturday's hike was more challenging.  We left camp around 9am and trekked our way 12 kilometers (about 7 miles) while climbing 2700 feet. For most of the hike the skies were sunny and clear.  The beautiful and varied vegetation and rock formations was a delight.  I better understood when Scripture says that the "rocks will cry out" the praises of God!  He sure had fun creating this mountain range.  As we approached our campsite for Saturday, the clouds rolled in and the temperature dropped like a rock.  We were tired and went to bed around 8pm so we could get in some sleep before attempting our summit of Lenana.

After we all reached the summit, we did the only proper Kenyan thing - we had tea at the top!!  Our guide brougth it up it his bag.  After hugs, pictures, and the like we started down the mountain.  This was just as difficult as the climb as the combination of incline and snow made it a slippery proposition.  After getting down to a more level path, there was a slight slope where the snow was thick and safe.  It was obviously from the markings that some people had purposely "slid" down the slope.  Knowing the guys had never gone "sledding" before, I asked our guide if we could and he said yes.  So, I dropped to my seat and slid down.  The guys were open-eyed in amazement.  And then they followed suit.  It was great to see them hooping and hollering acting like kids sliding down some of the mountain.

After this, things turned a little "dicey".  One of the guys had been struggling with some Altitude Sickness.  I did too.  So we tried to get down as quick as we could safely do it.  I started feeling better when I got back to camp, but I still had a bad headache.  I ate breakfast, drank coffee, and started packing.  As the other guys were returning, the weather turned bad and it started sleeting.  As it did, my headache worsened and I knew I had to get down the mountain to more oxygen.  We took off and descended about 3000 feet in 2 hours.  As my headache improved (Altitude Sickness resolving) my legs started hurting.  I found I was stronger going up than coming down (because of the different muscles used).  At the end of the day, we had hiked over 12 hours and covered 32 km (18 miles) - needless to say we were exhausted.  But, man were we overjoyed at our success of climbing the mountain!

Thanks for praying.  The trip was incredible.  The devotions were timely and well illustrated by the climb.  I think it is something that none of us will ever forget.

Mt. Kenya Preparations

This past week I have been busy getting ready for our trek/retreat up Mt. Kenya.  All of the supplies have been secured and equipment packed.  The medical students arrive at our house tonight and we will leave out tomorrow by 6am.  We will arrive at the base around 9am and start our hike.  We will hike for 3-4 hours the first day, 4-6 hours the second, and then 12 on day 3.  It will be a real challenge, but we are looking forward to it.

Diversity and Sam

One can never tell the impact living overseas can have on people, especially the young people living in your house.  In Nairobi, diversity is definitely to norm here.  On a daily basis, we are immersed in a diverse culture - African, Asian, Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Western, White, Black, Brown, Red, Yellow.  I see it, the kids see it.

As I mentioned in a post last week, we had a great conversation around the fireplace last week.  It focused on the opportunity to teach the older kids about the role we as parents could have in helping them understand themselves and help them pick good lifetime mates when the time was right.  Little did we realize that Sam picked up on this as well.

Last night at dinner, Sam looked at me and said, "Daddy, will you help me pick out my wife?" 

"Sure, Sam, I will be happy to" was my slightly surprised response.

"Daddy, who do you think I should marry?" inquired Sam, evidently thinking about someone in particular.

"Well, it is still a little early to say, but I do know a couple of little girls who come from some really good families" was my reply.

Sam pondered this for a little bit.  Then he said, "What about Josie?" 

"Josie is a sweet girl and comes from a good family."  In fact, Josie is an African girl who has been adopted by a white American missionary family here.  Josie and her brother Josh (also adopted) are Sam's best friends here.  He loves being with them - they get along great.  But, trying to keep the little guy from making a lifetime decision at the tender age of 5, I then asked, "What about Hannah?"

"Daddy, I can't marry her, she is the same color as me" was Sam's instant reply! 

Oh how I could really get inside his little head and see what he sees!!  How does he process things?  Where did that comment come from?  It would never have occurred to me that he would see color and diversity the way he does.  I love being in a heterogeneous culture, but I didn't realize how much it has already impacted the way a 5 year sees things. 

"And a child will lead them...."

More on Pessimism

I have already received a couple of comments about my post on Hopeful Pessimist.  One was from a short-term missionary another from a long term missionary in a different part of the world.  The long term missionary said "I hear ya."  The short term missionary was a little worried that I had already cemented my thoughts about short term missions.  Not wanting to be offensive and "set in my ways" I wrote him the following comments.

I didn't say that I have already made my mind up.  However, the longer I am here, the more I realize that each action/activity we do here has a ripple effect (think peeble/stone/boulder thrown in a pond).  And, it is hard to know how that single action will have a positive or negative impact.  That is why I have to remain "hopeful" - I trust that God is more Sovereign than me and will use these actions for His glory. 

However, this post has already had its intended effect - to make us THINK about what we are doing in cross-cultural ministry!  Although we can not account for all contingencies, we can be more thoughtful (and prayerful) in our approaches! 

And I really do believe this.  God is Sovereign.  Examination of Scripture shows He constantly uses the foolishness of this world to prove His wisdom.  What we think is stupid, He thinks is wise.  And so, at the end of the day, who am I to argue with Him. 

That being said, I still do think we need to be very Intentional, Prayerful, Wise, and Thoughtful in our approach to missions - whether it is short or long term.  There are some ways of doing things that are better than others.  God give us the wisdom to understand the differences.

Hopeful Pessimist??

Yesterday I met with a couple of missionary docs here.  We just started meeting a few weeks ago.  I don't know them real well, but my heart was a bit heavy as I had a confession to make.  I told them that I was really struggling with being cynical here (a very common malady I am finding among the ex-patriates living here).  I told them that I was usually annoyed hearing about the exciting exploits and victories of other missionaries - especially short-termers.  Usually for everything one positive thing that gets done, it seems to unleash two or three bad things as well.  But I wasn't just annoyed with others, I was annoyed with myself.  "Is what I am doing at the hospital and with the students having any impact for the Kingdom?"

Before commenting one way or another, this is not a "self doubting" or "depressed" line of thinking.  When you really look at all the things going on here on the missionary front, there are just as many tradegies as there are real transformations.  I know the same can be said about the church in the U.S. and around the world.  But with strained resources here, it just seems to be more complicated - there seems to be more at risk when things go wrong.  And that really stresses me out.  And it makes me cynical that much will ever improve - either temporally or eternally.

Of course, as a believer, I think God can indeed transform people and cultures.  I know He does.  And that is what makes me "hopeful."  No matter how many stupid, poorly planned, poorly executed projects are overzealously done by Americans and Africans, God is still in control.  Or at least I think this most of the time.  And so, for now, I am a "hopeful (most of the time) pessimist."

Political Violence

Yesterday I saw a patient at the hospital who says that he hurt his shoulder when he was beaten by police breaking up an "illegal" protest near the Parliment Building here in Nairobi.  Sadly, this gent was in the wrong place at the wrong time.  He ended up with a broken shoulder.

This is the second time in a week that the police here have broken up rallies by the opposition parties here.  It is a little scary to be honest.  The elections aren't for another year and yet the violence has just started.  I hope it remains calm, but in Africa, one just never knows. 

December Update

Dear Friends and Family,
I hope this finds you well and warm.  I understand there was a huge snow storm that hit the U.S. last week -  A white Christmas a few weeks early!  We don't get to see snow here, but we do get to see a lot of the warm liquid version of snow (called rain).  It is the rainy season and we are literally floating here.  Even today, Marti had to park our car in the neighborhood and walk home in the mud.  The only passable road (of 3) was blocked by a broken down truck.  But, we are enjoying the holiday season anyway.  The house is beautifully decorated, Christmas music is played continuously through the day, and scented candles burn to fill the house with the aromas of Christmas. 

November was a fairly good month.  We were able to slow down just a bit compared to September and October where I was working hard to get caught up on things.  We were able to have a small Thanksgiving Feast with Marti's mom and a couple of missionary friends.  We also had a wonderful Poetry Night where the kids were able to do recitations of works they had memorized as well as share original works.  It was great to see them do such a great job.  And, we even had a chance to see Sarah perform in a mini ballet recital.  She has really enjoyed getting back into this since our return.

Our medical student ministry is going well, but it now beginning a new chapter.  Last week, we celebrated with the senior medical students who passed final exams - we had a coat and tie dinner at a wonderful local restaurant.  It is kind of sad to realize that the past two years has gone by so quickly…my work with them will continue but not as often or intimately.  Fortunately, one of the senior students will be doing his internship at the same hospital I work at, and so we hope to have a small weekly time of prayer and devotions.  Before sending them off to Internship, we have decided to have a 4 Day "mountain retreat" December 15-18.  I will be taking them to Mount Kenya where we will tackle the challenging and difficult mountain.  We will hike and camp over a 4 day assault on the mountain.  I plan to have daily devotions and the time together will be a memory of a lifetime I am sure.  We pray that the lessons of this weekend retreat and time spent in the past couple of years will bear fruit as they move on to Internship. 

We thank you all so much for your dedicated prayer and financial support.  Christmas time is our favorite time of year.  We plan to "slow down" to enjoy it.  Besides the Mt. Kenya trip we have very little planned.  We hope that you will be able to "slow down" as well and avoid the hustle and bustle of Christmas.  Let us celebrate both here and there, the incredible fact that God became Incarnate.

God Bless.  Merry Christmas.  Happy New Year.

Graduation Party

Well...a couple of our guys are growing up.  I am not talking about Ben and Sam, but rather the medical students we have been working with here.  Last week they finished their final exams.  On this coming Monday they will have their Commencement Ceremony where they will receive their diplomas and the title of Doctor.  And, so, this week, we took them out for a special graduation dinner. 

It was a "fancy" affair - coat and tie.  We had a great time enjoying the chance to treat them this way.  I made a short speech (really, it was short) and then gave them a gift.  We bought them brand new nice stethoscopes this summer while we were at home.  It was a delight to see them so pleased with their new gift.  After that, we took pictures and then enjoyed the meal together. 

We praise God for the opportunity to have been involved in their lives to this point.  We hope to continue discipling and mentoring them even during their Internship year.  It will be a bit more difficult as two of them will be moving out of Nairobi, but we are praying that we will have opportunities at least monthly to meet with them.  Pray for them as they close out this chapter of their lives and move on to the next.