dawn: adventures of a journeywoman

Dear family and friends,
It is finally starting to heat up here in Washington, DC. Temperatures are in the 90s+ and humidity causing clothes to become clingy and make a puddle immediately upon leaving your air-conditioned palace. This year, I've come up with a solution-go to Africa! I know this sounds a little crazy, but it is actually winter right now in Kenya.

I'm not actually traveling to Kenya for the weather, but it is an added bonus right about now. As a fourth-year medical student, I have the freedom of learning my
clinical material in settings outside of the DC hospitals. God has
graciously opened an opportunity for me to serve with Africa Inland
Mission in Kijabe Hospital in Kenya. For six weeks beginning August 1, I will be working alongside a team of missionary physicians, Kenyan doctors, nurses, medical students, and staff.

Kijabe Hospital is a 210-bed Christian mission hospital about an hour
northwest of Nairobi. The hospital serves patients from up to 6-8 hours
away as well as from the countries of Sudan, Uganda, and Somalia.
Kijabe is well-equipped to provide high-quality care to patients with
many physical needs including HIV, tuberculosis, typhoid fever, severe
obstetrical complications, and trauma of all kinds. In addition, they
make it a priority to care for spiritual needs of each and every patient
through prayer and evangelism.

An enormous bonus is that during my last week at Kijabe, two women from my church will join me at Kijabe and will be volunteering with a chaplain (named Mercy) witnessing, praying, and encouraging pediatric patients and their families. After our time at Kijabe, the three of us will spend a week on safari debriefing and taking in God's imagination in landscapes and animals. It is a huge blessing and answer to prayer to have these two women join me. I still remember telling God 3 years ago when I was last in Kenya that I wasn't sure I could return again without someone who could share in the joys and pain. I can admit now that didn't have two women in mind with this prayer, but God is creative and surprising in the ways He answers. After the safari, I will have an opportunity to return with one of my friends to Shikokho, a small village in western Kenya where I lived for three months in 2006. I hope to reconnect with my brothers and sisters- in-Christ there, understand current community needs, and check the progress of projects that were begun during my time there. Three years ago, I gave my host mother a Bible that she had longed for, so she could read scripture at church. I found out a few months ago that she is now taking seminary classes. I can't wait to hear more of her spiritual journey in person.


Many of you know of my passion for using medicine as a ministry tool
especially in overseas settings. During my time in Kenya, I pray that the
Lord will use my hands both in surgery and to embrace the hurting. I pray God will use my mouth to explain medical diagnoses and treatments as well as to pray and speak words of encouragement. I pray that God will help my mind recall necessary medical facts as well as enlarge my compassion for His people on the other side of the globe. I am also hoping that God will speak anew to me regarding a life of long-term missions as I serve with and learn from the lives of those who have responded to this call.


I would like to ask you to consider partnering with me on this journey through prayer support. Especially, that God would teach me how to prepare my heart for this trip to Kenya. I don't know the situations I will face, but He does. I don't know the needs of the people, but He does.
"Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God's Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don't know how or what to pray, it doesn't matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves." Romans 8:26-27, The Message
Thank you for your friendship, love, and support.
In His hands,
Dawn ;)
P.S. If you want to subscribe to my blog (which will be updated at least weekly while in Kenya), enter your e-mail address on the left under my profile information. Entries from my last trip to Kenya are also archived here.