Last Friday we had the joy of escaping Kisumu for a day trip. We traveled to a part of Kenya we had never seen before and thus experienced a new climate and a new people. We drove up the grade twisting back and forth into the highlands of Rift Valley province.
The gorgeous green landscape was evidence of the rainy season which has been nearly nonexistent in so many other parts of the country and the cool air boasted a high in the mid 70s (a delightful change from the heat of Kisumu). Tea fields exquisitely and uniformly carpeted the country side as we wandered our way into Bomet District and just a few kilometers from Bomet town we found Tenwek Mission Hospital.
The purpose of our visit was mostly to try it on like a new pair of basketball shoes that would hopefully give me the extra advantage to win the big game. Tenwek is one of six mission hospitals that are qualified to train Clinical Officer interns and there for may be a great place for me to spend a year learning the hands-on aspect of medicine (a crucial part of my training as you might suspect). Rachel and I wanted to put our feet on the ground and discern if this might be a place for us, because a year is a long time to spend in the wrong place.
It really is a beautiful hospital in a rural setting. The pictures you see were a bit hard to take as it was raining at the time, hence no body in the picture because they didn't want to get wet. Despite the rain we took a tour of the hospital and grounds with the Medical Superintendent who was a very gracious and hospitable man. After the tour and grilling him with endless questions he invited us to his house for lunch.(unfortunately not pictured either) We met his lovely wife and discussed more of our background and testimony.
This is Rachel holding a little Kenyan baby in the home of another doctor on staff. Eliza is just enjoying life as you can see with other bodies her size in the room. Rachel was chatting with the wife and I was outside discussing intern options with the intern director. He also was a very kind man but left me hanging as was the only option. Though a lot was discussed and we were all excited about the prospects of me being an intern at Tenwek (the only non-Kenyan clinical officer to ever apply of course) it still came down to me filling out an application going through the process.
Ultimately Rachel and I feel like it will be a great fit for us. We have previously visited another mission hospital and have experienced several government hospitals and this one seems to be more for us. So we ask everyone to pray that as the interview process ensues we would have favor and find ourselves at Tenwek for a year starting in January 2012. The usually receive about 100 applications and take only 8 for interns, but we'll trust Jesus to place us where we should be.
I like this sign.
No comments:
Post a Comment