Urgent Prayer Request

About 3 days ago, Bill Rhodes, our surgeon here at Kapsowar, his wife Laura, and youngest son Jude were in a significant accident in the US that totaled their van. They were rear-ended by an 18-wheeler and from the details of the accident, it is indeed a miracle that they are alive. They are all okay and out of the hospital. Jude sustained a head injury but is okay. Please pray for their family as they continue to recover not only physically, but also emotionally. Please pray that their time together will be blessed and that they will take all the time they need and not feel pressured to return here.
Please also pray for us as we try to find coverage at the last minute. I know that the Lord will provide. Thank you for all your prayers!

My hairstylists

Part of what I love about living on the mission station here is all the kids that are around. I have to admit, sometimes the repeated knocks on the door for "sweets" can get old, but I love chatting with them on my way home from work. 3 of the girls have become regulars to my house and love to play with my "mzungu" (foreigner) hair. I reward them with 10 shillings (about 15 cents) and a piece of gum, a cookie, or a piece of candy. Today they decorated my hair with some natural embellishments - leaves from one of the trees in my backyard. They were very proud of their work, but sad later in the day when they saw me without my braids.

Me with Brenda (L) and her sister Chebet


Grace, Brenda and Chebet

Theatre Progress

It's amazing how much work was done on the new theatre while I was gone. It now has a beautiful roof, the ceiling is going in and there are even working lights. You can really start to see how great the new building is going to be. In addition to all of that, there are 3 men here from California who have given a large chunk of their time (almost 2 months) to come and help out (including one who just went home for 5 days for his son's wedding and will be coming back). They have made an unreal number of cabinets and shelving units, painted, and tiled the new floors. They have been such a blessing to Dave, our contractor, who is really feeling the pinch as he has to leave to go back to the US in just a few weeks. The neatest thing has been to see these men teaching the Kenyans new skills that they will be able to use long into the future. They have formed teams and are encouraging one another to work hard and do their best. It's amazing the reach that a building can have in this community.

Doing electrical work in the big OR

A view of OR 1 (left) and a storage room

The main hallway

The beautiful new tile floors

The staff entrances

Opportunities to Share

While I was in the States, I had the opportunity to share with some special groups of people about the work that the Lord is doing here in Kapsowar. I just wanted to give a special shout out to each one of them.
My first Sunday in the States, I was able to share with 2 groups at once. My parents' small group gathered together at my friend Dee Kotschwar's house along with the board of Orchard Medical Ministries. OMM is a not-for-profit that was started to help support both long- and short-term medical missions. The board is made up of many friends and they blessed me greatly by providing funding for my trip home. It was a great night of food, fun, and fellowship as I shared pictures and stories with them and caught up with many people I hadn't seen in a long time.
While in Evansville, I also shared with Pastor RR's class at Bethel Temple. This was a wonderful surprise, as it wasn't planned much in advance. I also found out that they have been praying for me this whole time and many people were eager to share with me that the Lord had laid me on their hearts. What a blessing they are!
I was also able to share with my church in Indianapolis, Englewood Christian Church. They have been so supportive of my work here, both through prayer and financially, including raising money at Christmas for patient bills and new toys/activities for the childrens' ward. They were excited to hear about what is going on at the hospital and at my local church here, AIC (Africa Inland Church) Rorok. The church here even made a video greeting them, which they were happy to see.
Finally, I was able to speak at morning report for my former residency program at St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis. It was so great to see my former co-residents and all of my mentors that trained me. I think they were all interested to hear the differences between medicine in the US and here in Kenya and how challenging it can be without many much needed resources. I hope that some of them will one day come here to visit and experience it first hand.
I am so thankful to all of these people for how they have contributed to the work here and how they continue to do so. Your support means more than I can say!

Nina's here!

One of the highlights of my time home was my visit to Ft. Wayne to see my best friend, Amanda Hubartt, and her family. Her kids have been like my nieces and nephew and I was present for the birth of her oldest (Violet, bottom left) and delivered her youngest (Edison). I was also at the airport when they brought Anara home from Kyrgyzstan. They are like family to me and I was really excited to see them. Even better was the fact that I would be getting there on Violet's birthday and Anara's followed 3 days later - and they had no idea.
As I was driving there, I got a call from Amanda saying that Violet had woken up in the middle of the night and told her Grandma that she had to call Nina (their name for me) in the morning to tell her she was 5. So, Amanda wanted me to know that she would be calling, but still thought I was in Kenya. So, she called and excitedly told me that she was still 5 and what her plans were for her big day. I told her that I wished I could be there for it, and she said she did too. About an hour later, I walked through their front door and the girls had the most confused looks on their faces. It lasted a few seconds, and then they screamed and ran to me. What a great reunion! Edison, 18 months old, wasn't too sure at first, but within a day, he was calling me Nina and asking for me when he would hear my voice.
Amanda and I had a great time catching up. It was great to be together again and feel like no time at all had passed. We went to the Ft. Wayne zoo, to an amazing ice cream shop (DeBrand's), shopping, out to eat - all of our normal activities. We also had good time to talk and share. It was a refreshing and encouraging time. We also benefited from her husband's new job at Vera Bradley :) I am blessed to have such great friends who I love dearly!

Practicing for a real African safari at the zoo

Playing the drums at the zoo


A yummy sundae for Vi's birthday

Me with the birthday girl

Anara rockin' out to the new Princess CD player I gave her


Super Eddie!


Amanda and I

Violet, Edison, and Anara at the girls' birthday party