When Jim White asked me in church one day if I'd be interested in going to Kenya with them, I didn't hesitate to say "yes" on the spot. What Jim didn't know is that I had been praying about going to Kijabe, Kenya with them for some time. I had even asked my pen-pal friend, Eunice Mawia, in Kenya to join me in this prayer. God is good.
Many of you already know Jim and Kathy White, but for those who don't, I'm excited to introduce them to you. Jim, or as we call him, Dr. Jim, is a retired ENT surgeon who specializes in repairing cleft palates and cleft lips. Kathy is a nurse by trade, so they make a great pairing (for more reasons than that, too.) Here is some information from Jim and Kathy giving us all a little history behind this trip to Kenya-
Dr. Jim and Kathy White
"We first went to Kenya in 1998 with a surgical team led by Dr. Jim Wade of Abingdon, Va. We went for the sole purpose of repairing congenital defects of the lip and palate. (Cleft lip and/or palate.) Because of the large number of children with this remarkable defect, it was decided to establish a second team, which we have led annually, beginning in 1999. A third team was established three years ago, each of the teams going for a two week period, working in a small mission hospital in Kijabe, right on the edge of the mountain overlooking the Rift Valley. Over 1000 surgeries have been done by our surgeons, approximately 85-95 operations per trip. The hospital in which we work is a children's orthopedic rehabilitation hospital that oversees about 13 out-lying clinics throughout Kenya. During each of our team visits the hospital is turned over to us, as most of the orthopedic patients have been discharged. Patients' families learn about the cleft team's coming by radio announcements, posters, word of mouth and the clinics. They come to the clinic where they are screened by the skilled orthopedic staff who then make appointments for the patient to be brought to the hospital for surgery. All of our post-op patients are seen in the out-lying clinics for follow-up, and scheduled for further surgery if needed, especially in the case where the cleft palate must be repaired after the previously repaired cleft lip has healed adequately.
Initially almost all of our patients (not all young children) were Kenyan, but as wars and persecution brought great migration from neighboring countries into refugee camps in Kenya, our patient population took on a new look. Muslims, Christians, and those of other faiths, having fled from their native lands of Somalia and Sudan have now given us an even greater opportunity for us to minister and openly proclaim the Gospel of Christ to the nations."
"You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing to you and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever."
Psalm 30:10-12
I love these people. How they show His love through their servants heart is so encouraging.
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful trip! And take plenty of picts to share with us all.
Please send them my love and a pat on the fanny from me.