At Journey's end?

"Are you ok?" A few people have asked us this question. Looking back, we dealt with international travel, a terrorist attack, pediatric morbidity and death, cultural adjustment, sleep depravation, sickness, but also glorious healing, amazing fellowship, new medical knowledge, birth, life saving, Gods creation, closeness of the Holy Spirit, fruit of marriage, and vision building. There is no good answer to that question. We are damaged permanently, but in a really good way.  Our hearts are softened, our eyes are opened, and we are humbled.  Truthfully, I think this is exactly where we are supposed to be.

Returning to the US has been a challenge.  I see soccer moms in their mini vans and SUVs, paved roads, buildings with insulation, windows and roofs, and a notable absence of the trash-burning smell that seems to permeate every developing country I've been in.  I feel like the guy in the movie "Avatar," having difficulty distinguishing between realities.  Kenya feels like an alternate universe, but it was so real.

Gods Word tells me that I'm an alien and foreigner.  In fact, we all are.  I don't fit into the US. I don't fit into Kenya.  I don't fit in anywhere on this earth.  That's because I'm a citizen of heaven.  Why am I still here then? Kenya taught me that it has much more than just evangelizing.  I am an ambassador to this world - to not only testify to the saving grace of Christ's death and resurrection, but also to love people and fight back the darkness.  That's God's story for humanity, also called the gospel.  It's what Jesus did while he was here, and it's what I've been called to do also, whether in Kenya or the US.

One last thing: the Needy Children's fund is needy.  For those who may not know about it, this fund is to provide assistance to families who have a hard time affording the cost of the care at Kijabe (which is already 5-10% the cost of other hospitals).  Even a few dollars can be overwhelming to these folks. Sometimes, their medical bills are really steep.  A single dose of surfactant necessary to save a preterm infant costs 13,500 KES($150 USD- costs several thousand in the US, btw), more than a years wages for some.  This fund helps these families that are over-burdened with theses costs.  Right now, the fund is dwindling a bit.  If you feel compelled by our story, please consider giving.  A few dollars even can go a long way.  You can give through one of the missionaries' church:

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.  Write a check to "Bay Leaf Baptist Church" with "Kijabe Needy Children's Fund" on the memo line.

2.  Mail it to Bay Leaf Baptist Church/12200 Bay Leaf Church Road/Raleigh NC 27614 (USA)

3.  It helps if you email me to know to look for the transfer (drs.myhre@gmail.com)

4.  The church will send you a receipt by mail within a month.  100% of donated money goes to the Kijabe fund, so the church donates the administrative costs.

A couple of blogs to follow for more info.  These are some of the sweet and amazing pediatricians we met while there:

http://paradoxuganda.blogspot.com (Jennifer and Scott Myrhe)

http://journeybeyondtheboat.blogspot.com (Rick and Sarah Gessner)

http://steeres.com/ (Andy and Mardi Steere)

Until next time....

Bryan