For fifteen years I have participated in profound ethical, spiritual and clinical challenges while
serving at Tenwek Hospital. As a medical volunteer serving in a resource-poor setting, these
difficulties are softened by the acute awareness of God’s presence. He was there as I tried to
balance those realities with the financial limitations of patients. This year I experienced a new
personal struggle to remain ‘useful’ in new ways as aging and diminishing physical capacities
and skills started to wane. The years of minimally active practice opportunities using my skills
stateside became more apparent. However, I found myself leaning more and more on my
Christian perspective and had the time to embrace inherent individual dignity of patients in a
new way. I was able to dig deeper into myself and Christ’s compassion instead of my bag of
medical tools. An intern actually described me as ‘tenaciously’ fighting for my patients in many
different ways. Medical volunteers are often faced with heart-wrenching scenarios where it leads
to calls of a different kind of truth and grace. Even hospital compassionate funds can not always
meet the needs of financial demands. That leads to a different type of help to be provided to the
patient(s) (in pregnancy there are TWO patients). It promotes a deeper spiritual, emotional and
social interaction. One REALLY gets to KNOW the patient in a NEW way. It validates the biblical
model of healing reflected in Tenwek’s motto of “We Treat, Jesus Heals”. The acceptance of
limitations and the hope of trusting in Jesus’ ULTIMATE outcome--whatever that may be.
There were three pregnant patients that were in health crises that I believe were insurmountable
even in First-World medical environments. One patient had a baby with a heart defect known as
Epstein’s Anomaly. It was felt that the only true hope was a heart transplant for the baby after
birth which does NOT exist in Kenya. Another patient had a placental anomaly that was causing
heart failure in the co-habitating baby at a pre-viable age (by Kenyan standards). The third
patient had a probable malignant intra-abdominal process that led to the demise of a 20 week
fetus. The stoicism of the Kenyan women was surely tested, and I attempted to encourage and
remind them of God’s comforting presence for us all (me included).
The Apostle Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians that God’s power is made perfect in weakness. As
an aging volunteer, I felt His strength thru these humbling experiences more every day during
this trip. I found myself wanting to pour into the patients, interns, and residents to expand both
clinical experience’s wisdom AND ultimate dependence on accepting God’s will.
With all of the actualities becoming more apparent, I can now humbly accept that after the 15
years of gratefully serving the Kenyan Tenwek community, I am now closing that chapter of my
life and the need to adapt to my future mission plans. I will continue to participate in the
stateside guidance of the Tenwek ObGyn Residency program. It is a joy to see the residents
mature and flourish in their goal of that awesome calling to be an ObGyn specialist. I pray to
continue partnering where I can use my knowledge, gifts and abilities, but it will look and feel
different.
I am grateful to all the “Vanover Blog-Watchers” who have prayerfully accompanied me/us on
this blessed life adventure. May you continue to pray for the blessings of Jesus on the Tenwek
ministries, patients, staff and long-term missionaries.
Amen, Marilyn
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| 2025 OB/GYN team |
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| Visiting MS4's - Eric, Benjamin, Ashley, Marilyn (MS 44), Claire, and Mary |
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| The "Goodbye Cake" |
