Settling In

Trust in the Lord, and do good;

dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.

Psalm 37.3

We’re in our first week back at Kijabe. We served here in 2009-10, so it feels like we’re back home, but it also still feels far from home. It will take some time to settle in.

Seeing familiar faces is a great joy. Walking 15 minutes up the hill, above the post office, we greeted Jean and other ladies in the little produce market. 

Close by, our friend Sarah is the shopkeeper in the Super Duka, our tiny local grocery store.

Next to the Super Duka is Mama Chiku’s Hotel, a tiny restaurant (in Kenya, "hotel" means restaurant) serving samosas and Kenyan food. We found the kitchen staff outside making small paper bags for carry-out, since Kenya has banned the use of plastic bags nationwide – it’s a good thing!

Coming down the hill past the hospital, we met Ann, an excellent medical student who worked with me in 2009, and became an intern here in 2010. She’s gone on to finish her Pæds residency and is now a staff Pædiatrician here at Kijabe Hospital. I’m proud of her!

Our friend John Njane

John came by yesterday. We met John in 2009. He is a remarkable fellow with a heart for God and for the poor and disadvantaged of this area. Kathy joined him today for a visit to a seamstress program that he started in a nearby village, called Thread of Hope. 

Florence, 9 years later

In 2009, we were able to sponsor Florence, a 14 year old AIDS orphan, to be the first apprentice seamstress, thus saving her from a life of prostitution. A friend from Snohomish sent money to purchase her a foot-powered sewing machine. Now several women work alongside Florence in the shop. We'll share more about John and his work later.

Today I began my work as a “consultant” in the Outpatient Department, alongside Dr. Peter Mwaka, a Kenyan family physician. I’m working with 8 Clinical Officers (similar to Physician Assistants) who see most of the patients, and I help with the more challenging cases. It’s a busy place, and patients come from all over East Africa with complex medical problems.

Next door is Casualty (we would call it the ER), which has expanded from a handful of beds in 2009 to over 16 beds today. Dr. Patrick Asaava is the consultant in Casualty today. Along with Dr. Mwaka, he was trained in the Kenyan Family Medicine Residency which started a number of years ago at Kijabe and two other mission hospitals. Having helped train several of the residents in 2009-10, I enjoy seeing them serving now as staff physicians.

This morning was our weekly Chapel service for the hospital staff. A young radiology tech gave a short message from Romans 5. He reminded us that no matter who we are, no matter where or what we have come from, we can rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, who saved us and reconciled us to God by dying for us on the cross. That’s the message we bring and share with those who come for the excellent care provided at Kijabe Hospital.

- Doug