Mission Safari: The Next Chapter(s)

Update on a Few Things

Sam did break his hand, but it was only a hairline fracture.  It is in a splint for another week...no cast, which makes it easier to care for.  Marti is getting stronger, but still knows she is pregnant!!  She still gets waves of nausea and fatigue that come out of "nowhere."  I think this is God's way of slowing her down during this move.  And, my skin infection around my eye is healed up.  It is all a relief and a blessing to be on the mend.

Relief

Well, we have moved out of our Kenyan home.  We packed our bags and moved into a "guesthouse" Wednesday afternoon.  It was kind of weird.  Tuesday night the house looked sort of normal.  Wednesday it did not.  Yesterday the movers came and packed up most of the stuff and today they are loading the container.  It was sort of weird sitting in the house, reading a book, watching them pack.  But it was also a relief in many ways. 

It seems sort of surreal seeing the house being packed up.  We have had such an extreme of good times/bad times there that it doesn't quite seem right to be leaving.   But on the other hand, it seems absolutely right.  And we are all excited about going.  And that pretty much describes our life right now..."on one hand, but on the other...."

I am sure it will take weeks and months to really process what it has been like packing up and saying goodbye.  For 5 years we have been praying about God's will for our lives in regards to serving here.  It all started Easter of 2002.  And now, after answering the call, preparing for the call, and serving the call, we are answering another call.  And despite our mixed emotions, we are at peace.  And I guess that is all that matters right now.

God has been good through all the different stages of this journey.  And will continue to be so as a new journey begins. 

More Goodbyes

This past weekend was full of good-byes. I had either lunch or dinner Thursday through Sunday with some colleagues or friends saying goodbye. Although it is a bit sad, it is also good to be able to bring closure properly. Although we are anxious to return to the States, we are sad to leave our friends here. Someone asked what we will miss the most..without hesitation I answered, "The people!" (except of course the matatu drivers and police!)

Figures

Ok, so we are in the midst of boxes and piles once again. The movers come this week to load the container. We began the packing process little by little several weeks ago, but waited until last week to go at it so that we could maintain a "normal" life. We knew we would be off to a slow start with Marti's procedure last week. However, we did not expect to be set back with a few other health issues.

Last Wednesday I developed a painful rash around my eye and forehead. At first I didn't think much about it. Then I started worrying it was shingles. I saw my doctor.he wasn't sure it was shingles but given its location to the eye he treated me for that. The next day it was worse and looked more like cellulitis. I improved much quicker on antibiotics. I was glad it was "only" a cellulitis.

Today, Sam hurt his hand. I think he has broken one of the bones in his hand. I have splinted it and will get xrays tomorrow when we take Marti for her post-op appointment. I think he has fractured it and the particular location sometimes requires surgery. Doesn't it just figure??! Why this week? Why not after we get back to the U.S.??

Fortunately he is a sweet patient. He likes to know all the details about the potential injury, what has to be done, etc. And he sits and holds the ice on his hand better than most adult patients I know.

Makes the packing week more memorable I guess.

Update on Marti

Marti had her minor surgical procedure done and is recovering nicely. She went to the O.R. at 9am and was out of recovery by 10 am. Unfortunately, she needed general anesthesia instead of just sedation and local pain killer and so was groggy, nauseated, and light headed all day. She slept most of yesterday which was ok because she needed it! Today she is a little uncomfortable but feels better. And, it seems the baby is ok as well. Post-op the fetal heart tones where good.

More information than most of you probably wanted, but I know some of you wanted an update.

Saying Goodbye

The past 48 hours have been full of mixed emotions as I said my good-byes at the hospital and to the medical students. Sometimes I have wanted to cry, sometimes to sigh a breathe of relief; sometimes I have felt proud, others disappointed. But I have learned a few things about the short and long term views on the work we have been doing.

Friday was my last day at the hospital. I of course had some official business to take care to close out my tenure there. Some of the time was spent dealing with "last minute" issues that needed decision making. And of course, it was a time to say good-bye. But the overall sense that day was a bit confusing for me. I was leaving a large institution. People were coming and going. Many of the young physician staff I had spent the past year working with have already moved on to their Residency training programs (which is a good thing). I looked around and saw so many things left "undone." I was relieved to be out from under the administrative load. But I was sad that I hadn't accomplished more. It was hard to "measure" the impact. And so Friday night I was struggling with feelings of discouragement and failure (and if you are reading this and are tired of my commenting on "failure" - Sorry.it is still a struggle!)

Saturday was a bit different. The medical students I have worked with the past 2.5 years were all in town (3 of the guys are now Interns are were able to travel into Nairobi). We went to an African Children's Choir concert. Then we went out to a great Italian Restaurant here. (They were funny.none of them had eaten Italian before so I had to explain most of the selections!!) Afterwards we went to the house to drop Marti and the kids. Of course, the whole afternoon and evening was filled with talking about their new experiences as Interns as well as reflecting and remembering our times of adventure up Mt. Longonat and Mt. Kenya. It was such a blessing to see them once more as a group before we leave. They are the reason we have been here. And it was easier to "measure" the impact of our work in their lives.

And maybe that is the lesson in all of this. The disappointments I feel about leaving here pertain to the temporal impact on an Emergency Department and staff at a teaching hospital. I have done a lot of "good" in teaching them how to manage medical and surgical emergencies. But that will only last a short while. With the students however, the impact was relational.and that almost always has a long term effect. And sometimes even an eternal impact. And so I have been encouraged. I do know that what we have been doing here has been "successful" - in the sense of pouring ourselves into these young students and docs. And I am hopeful for their futures. As the last of the guys were getting out of the van last night as I dropped them off, I exhorted them to continue the mentoring and discipleship that has occurred. I told them, "The work that I have done the past two and half years can be multiplied to twenty and thirty years IF you guys in turn discipleship those coming behind you!" And I really believed myself! More importantly, I think they believed me too!

The Rains and Other Thoughts

Well, it may be that the rains have finally started.  This is a good thing...we need it.  It is also a bad thing.  The roads are just crazy in the morning when it is wet.  It is a good thing it doesn't snow here, life would be too crazy.  What makes the roads dangerous in the rain are the followingly: poorly lit roads, poorly drained roads, and drivers who forget to be cautious because of the slicker roads. 

This morning, I was almost hit by a matatu because 1) it was dark and 2) the driver didn't have any headlights on.  How crazy is that?  Fortunately, I have been here long enough to be VERY DEFENSIVE in my driving.  Fortunately, I only have one more trip over to the hospital early in the morning...this is my last week here.  And that is both sad and happy news.

I will miss the people here.  I will miss the opportunity to see what happens long term because of my stay here.  I will miss the other faculty. 

But, I will NOT miss the morning commute.  I will NOT miss the administrative nightmares and frustrations here.  I will NOT miss be stressed out because of too much admin work.  And I will NOT miss the evening commute.

I will spend most of the day going through emails, files, and books to pack up.  I am sure I have other tasks to do.  Today and Friday will go quickly.  Too quickly.  But that is ok.  It is time to move on.

Facing Our Giants

Dear Friends and Family,

We had the opportunity to watch the movie Facing the Giants this past Sunday night. This movie was released in the U.S. 6 months ago, but we just now had the chance to see it (about right as we are usually 6 months behind the curve!). It was a great story about a young football coach at a Christian High School who is facing the "twin" evils of Fear and Failure. In his 6 years of coaching he has never had a winning season. And as he starts his 7th year, the team loses its first 3 games. On top of that, he and his wife have been unable to concieve children, his finances are a mess, and his car is breaking down all the time. Driven by the despair he recommits his life to God. He begins asking the question, "what is the purpose for this team?" This of course has wide ramifications for his own life..what is the purpose of his life. The movie then shows the transformation that occurs in his life as well as the transformation of his team. It is an incredibly good movie that has moved all 5 of us to tears.twice this week as we watched it again last night!

As I was reflecting on this movie, I realized that during our transition, we too are facing giants of fear and failure. We can't help but fight the feelings that we have failed in our mission here. We can't seem to help fear of the future.will we feel connected in our new home, how will the kids do back in the U.S., how will I do working in the ER full-time, will Marti's pregnancy go to term, will the baby be ok, will our adoption ever be finalized????? Lots of questions and lots of fears. And yet, as we are reminded in the movie, God is able to do the impossible. When we are weak, He is strong. We can not defeat the enemies of fear and failure by our own abilities.only God working in us can do so.

And so, as we finalize the arrangements for leaving our Kenyan home, we are reminded to focus on our big God. We are facing our giants and trusting God to slay them.for our good, and His Glory!

Thanks so much for your continued encouragement and prayer! We are blessed because of you.

Tim for all of us.

Petitions

1. Continue praying for Marti and the baby.she is now 16 weeks pregnant. She will undergo some testing next week and then surgery. 2. Pray for us as we continue to fight the Giant of Failure! We know we have been faithful and God is moving us home at this time, but our flesh wants to see this as a defeat sometimes. 3. Pray for continued details for our move back. 4. Pray opportunities to bring glory to God as we say "good-bye" to many friends this coming month.