Vanovers' Travels: Thanksgiving at Tenwek

We usually travel to Tenwek in September. COVID altered that schedule, and we are experiencing the benefits of this trip at a different season.

This Thanksgiving is coupled with the start of Advent. Thanksgiving at Tenwek is not a recognized event. The long-term missionaries here had a Thanksgiving prayer time Thursday evening after a ‘business as usual’ busy day at the hospital. I (Marilyn) was on-call but was able to participate in the shared prayers of thankfulness before I was called away to an emergency cesarean section (he is a beautiful, healthy, baby boy). One of the thanks lifted up was for the progressive availability of technologies here to keep us in closer contact with our families at home: facetime, ZOOM, texting, etc. These were not available to us so readily when we started coming here 10 years ago. These allow us to communicate on those special family times when we are separated by many miles and time zones.

The first day of Advent is symbolized by the lighting of the candle of Hope. Tenwek Hospital is fueled by the Hope that as “We Treat…”, we know and believe, that it is “…Jesus (that) Heals”.

Thanksgiving gratitude leads to hope for the future.

This visit has allowed us to witness a new expression of community. In the long-term missionary population here, community is defined by the “common characteristics or interests, especially professional interests, living together within, or scattered through, a larger society”. So Tenwek Hospital is a multi-national (English, German, American, Kenyan) group of physicians caring for and participating in the local Kenyan population (or even international populations) who come here for care. A general surgeon/missionary and his wife from Guinea have been staying with us at the guesthouse as he underwent neurosurgery for a large pituitary tumor, and then postoperatively convalesced here.

The Tenwek Missionary community celebrated Thanksgiving on Saturday (rather than Thursday). It was a unique blend between American traditions and their own. There was a 5 K run at 7 AM, then a Turkey Trot for the four and under age group at 8 AM. Randy and I served as cheerleaders as they navigated the course. At noon, a Feast was served in an outdoor community space. Approximately fifty people attended. We were hosted at the table of a German family (he is an ophthalmologist, she is a generalist MD, and their three children). There were four baked turkeys, many styles of dressing, gravy, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, green beans, creamed corn, carrots, home-made rolls, various jellos, devilled eggs, cranberry dishes, etc. It looked just like home! An Australian construction contractor described it as “all weird food, but all delicious”. At 3:30, a football game was ‘played’…. Team pink vs Team yellow. Participants wore “pink bubble gum” or “yellow sweet potato” jerseys. The ages ranged from 18 mos- 60+years. Who cares who won or lost? ..It was a hoot! Have you ever seen a football player carrying his 18-month-old daughter during play? God protected them all from injury! Then at 5:30 came pie-time!...pumpkin pies, apple pies, rhubarb pies, ice cream---oh my! At 8:00 PM we gathered for the UofM vs Ohio State football game---the winner of that game DID matter a little bit more! (There were a few who chose to watch International Rugby or the World Cup soccer…imagine!!). Throughout these 17 hours I saw scores of children- none of whom were ever looking at a cell phone or other digital device…what a blessing to witness!

When we visited Israel in 2011, we learned about the concept of community called “Insula”. It was a style of living that involved a collection of units (homes, tents, apartments) around an open courtyard. In this community, one would share meals, childrearing, and various other aspects of daily life. In a broader sense, “insula” can be extended to mean families that live, work, and interact with each other on a daily basis. Young people learn from the stories and actions of the older members and all the “aunts” and “uncles” participate in the lives of all the youngsters. Life at Tenwek is very much like this… it provides a living example of “insula” and is, I believe, a picture of heaven (God’s housing complex).

Today, on the Sabbath and the first day of Advent, my heart is filled with hope. I have so many expectations for the ‘tomorrows’ of our lives. Sometimes the road ahead is filled with loss and stress that weighs one down- we all need HOPE. I was blessed with re-connecting with a former patient, Beatrice, that I had cared for back in 2015. She is employed at Tenwek Hospital. She approached me one day and asked me if I had been at Tenwek in September of 2015 and if I was Dr Vanover. She then proceeded to remind me that I had delivered her stillborn daughter. We discussed how the years since then had been for her. She has great peace about that time and now has two other children. I pray that she remembered me as a compassionate doctor who helped her through that trial. We both recognized that God was in the midst of it all then, and still is today. We need Jesus… the Jesus of Christmas. He is the ‘anchor of our souls’ that secures us all through the storms of life.

I would like to summarize a devotion that I read for Day 1 of Advent:

Hope for Help: To find grace in times of need.

Hope to Overcome: To overcome great obstacles and to have faith in Jesus who gives us hope. This is the victory that overcomes the world (1 John 5:4).

Hope for Power: To help us when we feel overwhelmed. Our weakness is the entry point for God’s strength.

Hope of Eternity: He gives us help, strength and power for today, but more importantly, hope for life after death: the ultimate tomorrow.

May this advent season be especially blessed for you all,

Marilyn