Preparing for Kenya

Dear friends and family,
I've decided to make a valiant effort to keep an online journal of events during our upcoming trip to Kenya and Tenwek Hospital.  Many of you have suggested that I create a blog for this purpose, and have expressed interest in being able to follow along with our experiences while there.  So far, that has seemed like it might entail "work" rather than pleasure, so I have been resistive.  However, during past trips, our families and friends have worried when out of touch with us for long stretches of time, so this seems like it might be a good way to keep everyone "in touch" with us, as well as to journal our encounters and thoughts.  As most of you know, this will be our third trip to Kenya, and to Tenwek Hospital, so it is beginning to feel like a return to familiar ground and to some amazing friendships which we have made over the years.  While there, Marilyn will be working with the OB/GYN service, and I will be working with inpatient medicine service.  Each time that we have been there in the past, we have felt like we were stepping into an alternate universe...where patients are "sicker" than any I have encountered anywhere else in the world, and where diseases are totally unfamiliar, and more advanced than we are used to seeing in the U.S.  Marilyn has had to struggle to deal with delivering infants who would easily survive in the western world, but who have no resources to survive in the African world.  Similarly, many of the medical patients have treatable disease, but little or no access to more advanced procedures, and thus perish in their harsh environment.  This is probably the most difficult thing that we have had to learn to accept.  Despite these hardships, the Kipsigi and Maasai people that we care for are truly amazing...they are some of the most patient, stoic, and appreciative people groups that Marilyn and I have encountered.  In addition, the Kenyan nationals that we have served alongside are truly remarkable as well.  All are deeply committed Christians who worship together before beginning their work each morning, who pray for their patients and each other, and are warm and welcoming to their U.S. brothers and sisters. One of our fondest memories from past trips, has been the early morning sound of worship songs in Swahili, softly wafting out of the nurses station and the ICUs.  It is an indescribable experience of feeling so instantly connected to people from another world and culture....best described, I think, as "the Christ in others welcoming the Christ in me".  So once again, we are looking forward to serving at Tenwek Hospital, where "We treat, Jesus heals" is prominently displayed around the hospital grounds, and is so evident in the attitudes and actions of those with whom we serve.  Please pray for us....that our travels would go smoothly, that our encounters with customs would be uneventful, and that our hearts and minds would be prepared for those that we encounter over these next 3 weeks.  I don't know how often I will be able to post, but will do my best to keep all informed...hopefully at least every couple of days!
With love,
Randy and Marilyn.