Window (Part II)

   

The Window Part II-

     Our family came to Kenya again this summer to serve and to be on mission with what God is already doing in the world.  Specifically where our strengths and gifting meet together with what God is doing amidst the needs of the world.  We have been working with Tenwek Mission Hospital like this more or less over the past 12 years.  The opportunity this year is to meet a huge need for Rheumatic Heart Disease early detection through a screening program for RHD that is boldly pushing back against the Darkness of this disease that affects 40 million people world wide. 

      Most folks in the US won't know what RHD is unless they've talked with me lately and then they definitely have heard about it.  RHD is a very preventable disease of the heart valves that is caused by an auto-immune response to recurrent Strep-A bacterial infections.  These can be infections like strep throat or minor skin infections, which are both common in childhood. Those who get recurrent infections with no treatment of antibiotics become susceptible to Rheumatic  [Scarlet] Fever.  We don't often hear of this in the US because we have access to advanced health care providers and penicillin and even more primary prevention like basic hand hygiene.  In many low and middle income countries however, many children will not have adequate access to care, or even the primordial prevention of disease like basic water supply for hand washing and adequately clean and safe housing.  Not all will get RHD, but 300,000 people die every year from it needlessly. As with almost all infectious diseases, the social drivers of health disproportionately push the burden of disease in Africa.  

   This summer we are not just pushing back against this disease, but also we are bringing 2 communities together across 3 cultures- ours, the Kipsigis people at Tenwek, and the Masai people at Talek.  The Masai group of Community Health Partners has a fantastic little hospital out at the edge of Masai Mara.  They specialize in Maternal and Child Health as that is a major concern for that community's needs.  Many people in this community live with very traditional worldviews and practices that result in poor health outcomes.  Maternal mortality and infant mortality or traumatic birth outcomes are not uncommon.  This little hospital is an outpost of the Kingdom of God where they bring hope, healing, life and light in the Name of Jesus where there was none previously.  

This is the progress chart of the hospital at Talek, a window into lives saved through the provision of maternal health services in this remote corner of Kenya.

 

This is the amazing Dr. Angel Meipuki beside me (I'm in green)

This is our amazing son volunteering his heart for training purposes.  A pediatric cardiologist came 3 hours out here to teach the local clinic staff about RHD screening.

Dr. Angela will be able to continue heart screenings by looking at the valves for stenosis (meaning the door does not close tightly)  Thankful for this guy's good, strong heart!  The ultrasound makes a pie shaped black and white window into the heart.  The inner workings of the heart valve can go unseen and unknown until it is too late for a child or a young pregnant woman.  This little window of seeing inside the valves will provide hope for treatment. When they add color to the image, they can even watch the blood flow in and out to know it is working properly or not. This window in the ultrasound image gives a new point of view.  It is like a little outpost of the Kingdom of God bringing life where death wanted to reign.  

This is the 2 teams together, one Tenwek, the other Talek.  Praise God for bringing all things together under Christ, even different tribes and people groups for His glory and our good! Again, I am thankful for this little window on heaven!

Would you consider encouraging this project through making a World Gospel Mission RHD screening? 

https://wgm.org/project/tenwek-rheumatic-heart-disease

Lastly,

I remember what my dear friend, Effie recently told me about how some portions of Scripture are told from the point of view from Heaven.  In particular, Revelation 5 was what she referred to.  We can get a tiny glimpse of reality down here as if a window from the heavens is rolling open and we see it from a new angle.

What would heaven's point of view be on our life?  What if there were a window or skylight looking down from Heaven on our life where we could get a new POV on our daily situations?

For instance, when Jesus rebuked his good friend Peter for trying to prevent his suffering in the "Get the behind me, Satan" incident,  was he actually fighting for a heavenly POV while the earthly view was so tempting, the way of avoiding the cross?  

We are tempted in so many ways to avoid carrying our cross or doing what the Lord asked us to do.  But when we ask Jesus to meet us there in the midst of the difficulty, walk us down the road, we find that he does meet us right there so faithfully.  He even lets us "take his easy yoke" and thereby Christ bears the burden of the weight from our shoulders onto His own.

  I wonder how I can keep the Kingdom of God outpost mentality?  We may not see into heart valves, but we can see others as beloved of God.  The POV from heaven on this person, particular to your sphere of influence, opens a window for light to shine and the Kingdom of God to be seen right there among you.

     

Window part 1

     Daktari life is back online in Kenya at Tenwek Mission Hospital for a limited time only.

    Have you ever watched a sunrise from inside a window? Have you ever seen a sky tear open the dawn like a Christmas present?  At 7,000 feet it seems so close the heart inside me longs for its nearness.  Here it comes, not like the Beatles song "doo da doo doo"- not that at all.  This is a majestic triumph sun that starts in the dark with a cold wind blowing the tree branches like clapping hands and banana leaves bobbing and bowing their heads.  Then comes the first blush of rose gold, then the shining golden moment with the sun climbs up above the far away mountain and takes off to fly above the clouds suddenly like a jet plane, or a champion running his course as the psalmist says.  It leaves a trail of light all along the path of the sky.  It is a Truth Teller, lighting the day.

    From here looking out my thin glass window pane, the metal frame and wishbone shaped handle, I feel so limited and wishful to experience more of this beauty.  The sense of sight is so awesome and such a valued gift, but there is more to experience than to simply seeing.  My whole self wants to be immersed in the sunrise- to get outside beyond this veil, this barrier, this tiny window pane.  I want to get out of my pjs and go plant my feet in the soft grass to actually feel it warming, to open my ears to the sounds of sunrise, before little songbirds defer to cawing crows. There is surely even a smell and taste to sunrise here.  It may be wood fire and a little grass hint of rosemary, fresh life.  The 5 senses give us but a sample of the significance of life.

    Oh it's a cold 50 degrees though and the pjs are a sluggish force to the furniture of cozy indoor complacency.  So I watch from here as the banana leaves reduce their jubilee to mild finger snaps or maybe spirit fingers. The wind dies down and the show today has begun. Here I sit seeing through a glass dimly.  One day we will know in full what it means to be out there in the fully alive, realized and actualized life above the top of Maslow's pyramid- when faith becomes sight. Have you too felt like Life to the Fullest is so much more than what we settle for day in and out? Lord, haste the day and let it be well in my soul.