Outreach and Missions

Pasadena Presbyterian Church Kenya Mission: Update #3

Dr. Dan and I have settled into a routine here.  Mostly it involves work, work, sleep followed by work, work, sleep followed by more of the same.  We did have some time off last weekend and were able to catch up on sleep and attend 2 church services.  The first was at the local Kenyan church.  It was jam packed as all of the students from the local girl's high school were there.  The singing was the best I have ever heard from a congregation anywhere.  I was surprised to learn that much of the music includes many of the same contemporary songs that we sing in the contemporary service at PPC.  The second was at Rift Valley Academy, the school that most of the children of the missionary and medical staff attend.  This service was much like our own with a lot of youth participation.  I am told that there is a lot of exchange and cooperation between the 2 congregations.

Evangelism is everywhere at Kijabe Hospital and the Christian atmosphere is pervasive and refreshing.  Wednesday mornings the entire staff attends a chapel service before work.  In the operating room, we pray for the patients before they are anesthetized.  The surgeons often pray before operating.  There is always Christian music playing in the ORs.  I could really get used to this as it lends a new dimension to healing and to teamwork for the surgical team.

I am sorry to report that the patient I told you about who had a tumor removed from his carotid suffered a stroke during surgery. He is functional, but not really doing all that well.  Please pray for him.

The opportunity to provide inadequate medical care here is plentiful.  For example, we tried to repair a leaking abdominal aortic aneurysm in an elderly lady.  This would have been risky, but likely to have a decent outcome in the US.  Here, we had no sophisticated monitors or surgical equipment and our blood supply was limited to 10 units, 6 of which were donated by relatives.  We managed to get her to the intensive care unit, but she died only a few hours later.  We have skillful people here, but much of the equipment and supplies and many of the support services just cannot handle difficult cases.  It is heartbreaking to render inadequate medical care because of this.

I am learning that Kenya is becoming a preferred safe haven for refugees from neighboring countries.  These include Somalia, Ethiopia, Sudan and Uganda.  I was told by one of the missionaries that many Muslims are beginning to come to Kijabe both for medical care and to learn more of Jesus.  Perhaps they are tired of what Islam is doing to their countries.

That is all for now.  I need to get back to the OR as Dr. Newton is in Nairobi, again taking advantage of my presence here.  God bless you for sending me.  Please continue to pray for Dan and me, the doctors and nurses and students and missionaries here, and especially for our patients.

Mike Nahrwold