The last few weeks have literally flown by. I have been very busy at the hospital. Several surgeons have either been on well deserved vacation or have been back in the States on furlough. That said, just a couple of us have been taking care of the busy surgical service here at Tenwek. My usual week starts at 7 a.m. with morning rounds with one of the resident physicians or interns. I have responsibility for the male and female surgical wards where we usually have between 50 and 75 patients. Several mornings each week we have conferences with the rest of the medical and surgical staff. On Wednesday mornings we have devotions. Surgery usually starts around 9 a.m. except on Fridays when we try to start at 8 a.m. I help run a clinic on Tuesdays that has between 50 -100 patients. Call is usually a couple of nights a week and I take call every third weekend. That said, there are a tremendous number of emergencies that need to be taken care of each day. Needless to say, the last few weeks have been incredibly busy but it has been such a joy being able to do what I feel like God has called me to do. I love that line in the movie Chariots of Fire… “I feel God’s pleasure when I run”. That is much the way I feel when I am ministering to the sick here in this remote part of
Jenn and the children are doing well. Jenn is up early for an hour long walk with a friend. She starts the children with their school work by 8 a.m. and we try to have our big meal of the day around 1 p.m. I make it to this meal about half of the time. The kids are having a great time with their old friends and their new friends here at the mission compound [but trust me they miss their family and friends back home!]. From our apartment balcony, most of the time we can hear them running around, swinging on the tree swing or playing soccer or kick ball with a whole group of children. We try to take walks together as a family. Last weekend we took a family trip to Kericho (hour and a half away) where we were able to tour a tea factory and a flower factory. It was such a beautiful sight to see the rolling hills of western
I’ll close with just a simple thought. Before every operation we pray for our patient—for God’s safety and protection, for full recovery, for wisdom and guidance for those of us providing care. Most of the time I pray, but occasionally I will ask one of the nurses to pray. One nurse has a prayer he always prays: “Father, we commit this patient into your able and mighty hands.” Isn’t it a reassuring thought to rest in the fact that we are in the able and mighty hands of an awesome God?
Thanks for all the prayers and e-mails. We love you all.
Paul