State of the {Webber} Union: Past, Present, & Future- PART 3

(Note: if you are reading Part 3, but haven't yet read Part 1 or Part 2, you need to go back and read the previous posts so that this one will make sense in context...)

PART 3

While in discussion about acquiring further training in Tropical Medicine, we also began searching for sites in East Africa that had internship/residency-type training for mid-level practitioners. Surprisingly, this was really a challenge! It seems like there are plenty of opportunities for MD's or RN's to fit within the scope of the African healthcare system, but not a lot of room for the Western mid-level practitioner. The closest equivalency to a PA within the African system is a Clinical Officer, but even that position has differences in how they function. We even discovered (through much hassle this past year) that it is nearly impossible for a PA to receive a CO license in East Africa, although it is much easier for an MD or an RN to get licensed (since their is equivalency in the degrees).

So, the fact that an internship actually did work out, is more of a miracle itself than what we originally realized! How did it come about? you ask. Well, while talking with our leadership team, our Area Directors (physicians working in Kenya) mentioned that Serge was collaborating with a new Family Residency Program opening up in Chogoria, Kenya in late-2015/early 2016. There presently was one missionary family on the ground, with 2 more recruited to join the team this Fall. The program was still at the grassroots level of development, but was hoping to take in 2-3 newly graduated Kenyan physicians for these American missionary doctors to train/equip during the 2016 year (Jan-Dec). Since we already had to travel to Kenya for our East Africa Regional Conference in May, we decided to go a bit early and visit Chogoria to find out more about the program. After talking with the missionary family presently there, (who is helping to coordinate the Family Medicine Program), they were very encouraging and welcoming of Derek joining the program as a trainee in the residency program. In other words, they are creating sort of a "hybrid" role for him. We will be a part of the mission team that is helping to train, evangelize, and equip Kenyan physicians. But, instead of being on the teaching end of things, Derek will be on the training end of things (ie: function somewhat as a peer to the Kenyan physicians going through the program). We will be equal teammates with the other missionary families with regards to outreach and sharing the Gospel within the Chogoria community, but then he will also be a professional equal (sort of...) to the Kenyan physicians who are receiving training through the program. Kind of cool, huh?

So, that is how Kenya came about. It's really only been in the works for the last several months, and if you asked us at the beginning of this year if that is what we thought we would be doing a year from now, it would not have even been on our radar! One thing Uganda has taught us though is the need for open-mindedness, flexibility, and a spirit that is willing to be molded and shaped by the Lord, even through hard times (and to be honest, we have found those times to be His primary means of growing us in grace...)

Do we plan to return to Bundibugyo after we complete 
our 2016 internship year? 

YES. 

 When we recently packed up our house there, we left most of our belongings with the intent of returning home (ie to Bundibugyo) in 18 months- Dec 2016/Jan2017. Though taking a leave of physical absence from the Bundibugyo field, we will still remain both a part of that team as well as a part of the team we will be working with in Kenya. We are planning to return to Uganda at least once during our 12 months in Kenya in order to help stay connected with our team and community there.  We are hoping that the next 18 months will afford our new team physician (and his family) time to get settled, to adjust to life, and to begin working in the health center, so that when we return both he and Derek will be at a stronger place of being able to collaborate together in bringing the Gospel to the needy and suffering of our community.

Will you pray for those things to happen? 

We want to be open and moldable for whatever the Lord has (and we have seen Him do some things we did NOT expect during our first season in Bundibugyo). But, we would certainly love it if this family had an easier landing and transition than we did. We would love to have a healthy pregnancy and delivery of this baby set to arrive in September. We would love to have good, solid communication touchpoints with our friends, family, and supporters while we are back home. We would love it if the Lord would bless our year ahead in Kenya. And we would love it if he "parted the Red Sea" and granted Derek a Clinical Officer license when we return to Uganda! It would be naive of us to think that all those things will happen without stress and hardship... :) So, will you also pray that when the sea billows roll, we can say, "It is well with our soul..."

Thank you, friends! 

I hope these little extended updates (though void of the usual pictures I try to include) have helped fill in some question marks. Please let us know where we can clarify some more. And please just drop us a line and let us know what is going on in your life! We love hearing from all of you!