"Pray with Africa"

“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).  Matthew 1:23

“For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations”..Luke 2:30-31

That simple word “with” is what I have come to appreciate this Christmas season and particularly as we plan for Kenya.

It started this last week while learning about an organization, “Pray with Africa”, that believes that there is a great deal of difference in “praying for” and “praying with”.   Their idea is crystallized in the word Immanuel and in the witness of Simeon and Anna.  Their joy was seeing the Messiah and being with Him.

So in this season, may God be with us all in the Joy of this season.

Check out the video if you have a facebook account.  Just put in your search box: "Pray with Africa"
If you are not on facebook, here is another way to see it:  http://vimeo.com/5062299

Marvin

Healthcare Leadership

The most important educational task maybe the development of teachers and educational leadership. This is a universal challenge within and across cultures and resources. Kenya has two relatively new medical schools and here is the good news; there is a desire by Kenyan medical students to care for their own and be educated in their country: http://www.faimer.org/research/migration.html.

From the U.S. perspective, educational leadership development is a critical ingredient as well. There is no lack of books and articles on leadership (a testimony of the need). A unique and new one is the book by Tony Dungy, The Mentor Leader. His coaching and Christian perspectives are the guidance we all need! Kijabe Hospital and PAACS have a good start on creating the environment for mentoring educational partnerships and a response to international medical education that addresses knowledge, skills and the development of Kenyan teachers and leaders.

Marvin

Christian Surgical Mentoring

So if you speak in a way no one can understand, what's the point of opening your mouth? There are many languages in the world and they all mean something to someone. But if I don't understand the language, it's not going to do me much good. It's no different with you. Since you're so eager to participate in what God is doing, why don't you concentrate on doing what helps everyone in the church?
1 Corinthians 14: 9-12 (The Message)

It is no accident that in his epic novel, Cutting for Stone, Abraham Verghese, starts the story of the making of a surgeon in a Christian mission hospital in Ethiopia. The realities and the context of training make all the difference in the world. We learn not only about surgical education but we experience the rigors of surgical training. There are holy moments in relationships with patients and teachers.

I never had an identified Christian education outside of the church. My wife’s family and her education were closely tied to Christian elementary, secondary and college education. I have been trying to figure out what I missed and particularly how that impacts our time in Kenya where part of the task is to promote Christian surgical education.

One important understanding is the difference between education and training. I think we both had good educations, but I have come to believe that she had better training! What I mean is that training requires examples, repetitions and a community that is living out what it learns. In her case, the Christian community was the infrastructure of her education. That community of faithful teachers had another agenda of training their students; to become faithful Christians in whatever vocation.

What is usually addressed in the education literature is the concept of mentoring. In a recent overview of a model of resident mentoring, Davis and Nakamura, outline the components of successful mentoring. The goals are to impact the knowledge, skills and attitudes of the resident. More specifically they want residents to develop into competent, reflective and creative physicians. This analysis is helpful but misses the point of the narrative truth uncovered by Abraham Verghese. It is about those holy moments and relationships that have their basis in a common faith in Jesus Christ. This is Christian surgical mentoring.

This Christian surgical mentoring maybe the best way to think about what we will be doing when we get to Kenya. This idea is more of a partnership than the master/apprentice paradigm and is based on the reality of the Christian community and the mission of Christian surgery at Kijabe Hosptial.

Marvin

Preparations

There are continued realities in preparing for this trip. Most recently it was immunization updates and prescriptions for anti-malarials and antibiotics.

More important is how we prepare spiritually for the unknowns. The good news is that many communities of faith are part of the response. Specifically, Samaritan's Purse continues to do the hard work of logistics and paperwork that makes the mission possible. What has been impressive is how it all finally works. Another example is "The Knitting Ministry" at First Presbyterian Church in Wilmington. This ministry will send baby caps and blankets to be distributed to the nursery and children at Kijabe Hospital.

We give thanks for all of your prayers and service.

Marvin & Miriam

PAACS

Kijabe Hospital is a teaching hospital that is one hospital in a larger group of African teaching hospitals focused on educating Christian surgeons. Many of you know of the educational migration of physicians, surgeons and nurses to the United Kingdom and the United States. This migration left many Africans, particularly those in rural areas, no or very limited surgical care.

PAACS is organized response to provide quality surgical education within a Christian community of hospitals like Kijabe. Check out the video on the PAACS web page: http://www.paacs.net

So as I prepare to be part of the PAACS effort, please pray for wisdom on on how best to provide obstetric surgical education.

Marvin

Kijabe, Kenya

The plans are in process for Marvin & Micki Hage to work/serve during the month of January 2011 at Kijabe Hospital in Kenya Africa. Here is an introduction to that mission hospital:
http://www.kijabehospital.org/

Your prays, questions and support are an important part of sharing this experience.

Marvin