July 2, 2014

Wednesday, July 02, 2014

 

Where did June go?!?  We have been enjoying getting to meet, and sometimes host in our home, all of the different visitors here at Kibogora.  The kids have been playing in the tree fort, swinging on the swing, visiting children at pediatrics, successfully losing our last chameleon, and caring for a baby kitten.  Joel has been busy at the hospital operating on many, many patients, trying to carry on the electronic medical record that Dr. Albertson set up and working with Dr. Tim on tough cases.  I have been sewing away on a little project that Julie gave me – making NICU baby gowns, as well as learning to cook beans & rice and trying to make pizza like home!  Levi has learned to crochet & is totally addicted right now!  Anna and Lauren have both had sewing machine lessons with Julie; Anna made herself a skirt and both girls made little blankets for their stuffed animals!  Julie has amazing patience with them – especially when they press the sewing machine peddle, get distracted & look away without stopping the peddle!

 

This past weekend we took a fun adventure!  Our family and Julie drove (our friend & driver, Innocent, actually drove) to Burundi for 5 days.  The drive down & back was grueling – there aren’t straight roads in this part of the world…. So all of the kids were throwing up into ziplock bags and everyone was ecstatic to get out of the car!  We have some friends who have moved to Burundi to work at Kibuye Hospital.  Jason is a general surgeon and his wife, Heather, is mom to 2 sweet girls and she is a teacher in their home school program.  Kibuye Hospital is very rural, much like Kibogora.  However, we estimate that they are 5 – 10 years behind Kibogora in technology, education, and general resources.  Joel was able to spend a couple days working alongside Jason in the OR.  He says it made him appreciate all we have at Kibogora, and understand the needs – urgent as well as long-term – at Kibuye.  Speaking French is necessary in Burundi; Joel was hugely handicapped by that in the OR.  We are so thankful for the English speakers here in Rwanda… though learning Kinyarwanda would be immensely helpful! 

The American team that has moved to Burundi is very unique!  They are called “The McCropders.”  They include 6 doctors and their families.  (Emergency, Surgery, OBGYN, Ophthalmology, Family Practice and Pediatrics/Internal Medicine).  It was unbelievable to see in person what they are doing there – they have long-term plans & goals for that hospital and for Burundi.  God is so faithful and has done so much already.  We had fun exploring the mission, visiting their church as well as touring the hospital and their school house.  We were able to join in on taking a trip to see some beautiful waterfalls & have a picnic on Saturday; we also stopped to see a “Source of the Nile.”  We loved visiting with our friends, the Faders and the kids all got along so well – there were tears when it was time to leave.  Sometimes God blesses with friendships that are easy and deep almost immediately – that’s really special.

 

Our overall impression of Kibuye was that it was overwhelming and amazing at the same time.  There are some giant needs, such as another full time surgeon, that are obvious.  But after 8 hours of traveling back, we fell out of the car & felt such relief to be home.  And that is what it truly felt like:  home.  That was nice.  Really, really nice.  As you may imagine, we have lots to process & pray through – and we so appreciate any prayers on our behalf as we seek what God is asking us to do in the next several years.  Over & over & over & over it is so evident at how unbalanced the world’s wealth is… and what better way to spend your life than to share.

 

Back at Kibogora they have been busy, busy down at the hospital!  The pediatric building is being taken down (as of last Saturday!) and they are going to begin building a new one!  Currently they have moved the internal medicine men’s ward outside into white UNICEF tents (canvas/plastic walls & no floors…. Pretty hot inside!).  The internal medicine women’s ward was moved to the old men’s ward.  The pediatrics have moved into the woman’s old internal med ward and the dentist ward. (no idea where the dentist moved!) I’ll have to take a photo – there are walls that have been put up & doors that have appeared…. All in the 5 days we were gone! 

 

We are scheduled to leave next week on Wednesday.  It feels too soon for this trip to end.

 

“Look at the nations and watch – and be utterly amazed.  For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told.” – God

Habakkuk 1:5