Free At Last!

It all started with a sweet little boy who loved animals. Big, small, you name it, he loved it. His name was Cooper.  The problem was, this little boy had a mother who did NOT love animals. Big ones, small ones, the only way they were getting into her house was in a book. Fast forward to Labor Day weekend, camping with church friends at Camp Mishawana. Mama and sweet little Cooper are swimming in the lake, when Mama makes her first mistake. "Look, Cooper, a tiny turtle!!" This began a love affair, a boy and his turtle. He scooped it up and put it in a bucket. 

Within moments he was a celebrity among the throngs of children. "Can I see your turtle?" "Can I hold him?" "What's his name?" Poisy. Don't ask me. First thing out of his mouth. So Cooper and Poisy spent the weekend together. It is a miracle that he made it through all of the "love" he received those first days. When it was time to pack up, Cooper turned those big blue eyes to daddy (he knew better than to come to Mama) and asked if he could take him home. Overcome by a moment of weakness (didn't we have a no pet policy in place??), sleep-deprived and ready to go, Cooper hit the jackpot. "Yes". And off he went. Mind you, who held that turtle in a tupperware all the way home? Mama. In the midst of unpacking and getting ready to start the FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL in the morning, we had to make a trip to Meijer for turtle food. 

Poisy survived, though I would hardly say, thrived in his tupperware (later turned fishbowl- thanks Katie).

 We fed him and changed his water. We looked at him and talked to him. But Poisy was lonely. :( He looked sad all of the time, despite the three ring circus all around him, just outside his bowl. He was a prisoner in our house, when he longed to be in the wild. We started leaving hints to Cooper that maybe we should set Poisy free. Honestly, we were waiting for him just to die of boredom. But he hung on. We even left him for a week and went on vacation without him. (I know, we didn't take him?! Don't report us to PETA!) We came back, Mama and Dad hoping Poisy had bit the dust, but there he was to greet us. Finally, we had enough of his sad stares. We told Cooper it was time. So last evening, Cooper made a hard choice. He chose to love Poisy enough to set him free in the creek by our house. So Dad took all 4 boys on a life lesson journey. They set Poisy free. I think from my house I could hear an echo of Poisy's song as he crawled into the water, "Free at Last! Free at Last! Thank God Almighty, I'm free at last!". And then a fish swam by and ate him. Just kidding. 

We're just hoping the old adage doesn't ring true, "If you love something, set it free, and if it comes back to you, it's yours to keep." I'm not too worried, by the time little Poisy made it back to 4730 Millhaven Dr., we'll probably be in Kenya. :) 

Road to Kenya part III - PACS

Before I describe World Medical Mission I will first write a little about another amazing organization that is doing great things.  In this blog post I will give some information on the PAACS program that is responsible for the organization of surgical resident education at Tenwek.  I'll post on World Medical Missions in the next episode.  

PAACS stands for the Pan African Academy of Christian surgeons, and was birthed in the late 90s after exhausted missionary surgeons realized that their mission hospitals were going to die a slow death after they retired and return to the states.  (Mission hospitals are similar to all other businesses in that your company's future depends on the leadership and if they train their successor.) The surgeons concluded that the only solution was to train and disciple African surgeons within the continent of Africa.  Their hope and desire was to start a training program for African surgeons that would eventually become self-sufficient and provide for the immense surgical need in Africa. More than 15 years after its inception, PAACS now trains and disciples 40 national physicians at eight hospitals across Africa and teaches them not only surgical concepts and techniques, but also teaches them God's word and gives them a vision to serve and proclaim Christ among the poor.  One of these training programs is at Tenwek hospital, where Erin and I will be spending the next two years.  It will be my privilege to assist in training ten future surgeons who will eventually meet the needs of their own people.  These future surgeons will have a huge impact on an entire continent, and change the face of surgical care in Africa forever.

The surgery residency program at Tenwek is structured very similarly to surgery residency in the states.  Much like surgical residencies in the United States, the residents will complete five years of training under the direction of experienced board-certified surgeons.  They take yearly examinations as well as fellowship (board) examinations during both their second and fifth years. However, a few differences are that candidates for PAACS training must be African graduates of recognize medical schools, and be open and unashamed followers of Jesus Christ.  These prerequisites go along with the desire to train up Christian surgeons to both treat patient's spiritual needs as well as physicial needs. PAACS programs have an affiliation with Loma Linda University in California and are also endorsed by the governing bodies of surgery in East, Central and Southern Africa.  The parent organization here in the states is the CMDA, which is very involved in organization and fund raising to support these residents.  

The PAACS program remains dedicated to fulfilling its mission: "PAACS exists to train and disciple 
African surgeons to glorify God and to provide excellent, compassionate care to those most in
need.". 

If you want more information about PAACS, their website is www.PAACS.net 

Comfy in My own Skin

Disclaimer: This is full disclosure. Don't judge. 

So 33 has been a big year for me. I had my 4th baby. Eric graduated residency. I had a near-death experience. But what I want to write about is how it has taken me 33 years to finally come to the point where I am learning who I really am and am becoming confidant in that. I wouldn't say that I was necessarily an insecure person, but there were a lot of things in life that other people thought or did differently than I, and it always made me want to rethink my position. I just wasn't confident in being different. I felt that if other people felt strongly about something, then I should consider thinking the way they do. That is fine, to an extent. But I am learning that there is no "right way" in most cases. (Unless we are talking about sin, there there is a right and a wrong) My opinion can be different than my friends, my peers, my family, even than people I respect. I have felt pressure (self-imposed for the most part) to be a certain way. But God has created me uniquely, with different likes, abilities, desires, goals and gifts than anyone else. I have seriously struggled with guilt over some of these things for a long time. But God is giving me freedom from that. So here are some things I have learned, first what I used to believe, and now what I have realized is true for me: (some are big things, some are not so important) 

I should read more of the classics--> I've tried. I just don't like them. I have a hard time understanding old language. So what? I can read what I want!

I should buy/feed my family organic food---> I would love to. I think it is great, I really do. But I can't afford it. So we'll just eat a balanced diet of pesticide laden food and pray for mercy. 

I shouldn't drink pop.---> It's not the best thing for ya, but a Diet Coke every other day just makes me happy. And keeps me from falling asleep while reading Wild Animal Babies for the 18th time.

I should not buy anything processed, but make all my own bread, can all my own food and avoid all 

preservatives---> Again, I love to homemake things, but at this point in life, I am thankful for Meijer Unsweetened Applesauce. 

I should be on the ground playing with my kids all the time ----> I am more of a boardgames, books, puzzles, baking kind of girl. I am no WWF wrestler. I hate getting my hair pulled and elbows in my eye. And I have a husband for that! 

I should have my baby on a schedule----> In most areas of life, I am super organized, scheduled and together. But this baby #4 seems to like to go with the flow, and that works for us this time, with carpooling, grocery shopping and 3 other kids. 

I should like (and use) the cloth diapers I have---> Okay people, I've tried. And I hate them. I am NOT the pioneer woman after all.  I will have to use them in Africa (Lord have mercy), so I am going to take a little hiatus from them until then. Don't judge. Who really likes scraping poop?

I should stay home more days and not go out so much---> I am who I am. I am an out and about kind of girl. I have passed that on to my kids. So we LIKE to go out most days. And that's okay.

 

I should be able to clean the house, make dinner, play with my kids, do the grocery shopping, write thank-you notes, and sew curtains----> I can't do it all. (and I don't even know how to sew a button, let alone curtains!)

After 4 years of running, I should be able to go faster and farther than I can---->I know this is shocking, but I do not have a runners body. I pant, gasp for breath, do my absolute best, and still snails pass me. So I will just go my own speed and be thankful that my body works. After all, just 6 months ago I couldn't walk up the stairs!

For my height, I should weigh a certain amount-->So what girl do you know that doesn't struggle with this on some level? Thanks a lot, American culture! Still working on this one, but trying to love the body God gave me. (scars and all!)

I should decorate my house--->I love all of your beautiful homes ( I really do!) but I've been called to a simpler life. And I am super cheap. And nice stuff is expensive. 

I should be a deep thinker---> I wish I were, I really do, but for Heaven's sake, I occasionly get lost in my Sunday school class. (Heidi Vriesman, back me up here)

I should have strong opinions about everything--->I just don't. I am middle of the road about most things and that's okay. 

So there you have it. What is God teaching you??

Beans, anyone?

Eric and I recently had a discussion while driving to Ohio about how we would like to take some steps to practice self-discipline in certain areas of our life.  So we came up with a preliminary plan, a way to practice self-discipline. We decided that from Aug-Dec. we as a family would give something up or add something to our diet in regards to food. So, we decided to go meat-less in August. 

We would eat meat if it is served to us at someone's house, or if we go out (so we're not SUPER strict), but at home we were eating no meat. We were not doing it to save money, or to be healthy, but simply to recognize that there are people in the world who cannot afford to eat meat, and though we can afford it, we want to give up that right for a while. The most interesting parts has been our kids reactions. One day at lunch Cooper asked for pepperoni with his cheese and crackers. When Cole reminded him, "Coop, we aren't eating meat!" Cooper said, "Pepperoni isn't meat!" Me: Well, Cooper, what is it? Cooper: A vegetable! Oh, doesn't he wish! I have had to get a little creative in my menu planning, but nothing too crazy. There are a lot of meals you can just take meat out of (Chicken pot pie) or substitute beans in (tacos). 

The month is now over and we survived, and without too much trouble. We did learn a few things though. First, kids adapt. When I started this I thought I'd be fighting my way through most meals. And some we did. But I learned to give an encouragement (read:lecture) before the meal started about how they would eat it, and why we were doing this, we aren't going to complain, etc. Only one meal did one child have to leave the table for saying it was "gross". They ended up liking most meals (many were things we eat anyway) and even had them for lunch the next day sometimes. This gives me hope for our time in Kenya, since we will not be able to get a lot of the foods that they are used to eating (CHEESE!)

Another thing that we learned is that we like variety. The hardest part for me was that I only had about 8 choices and I made them over and over. I know I could have researched more recipes, but I wanted to make it simple and do things I thought my kids would eat. But man, I realized I don't often repeat a meal more than once or maybe twice in a normal month. There was no "throw some chicken on the grill" if I hadn't prepared for dinner. In Kenya, we will probably eat a lot of the same things over and over, so this was good practice. 

The last thing that we learned is that we really enjoy eating. :) Sometimes we really look forward to a meal, even the kids occasionally ask "what's for dinner?" and then get excited if it is something they really like. But I realized that when you have the same things over and over, or you aren't super excited about what's for dinner, you just eat and move on. Probably more the way it should be :).
Overall, a good experience for our family and hopefully we will learn something from the other disciplines we choose to inflict upon ourselves. 

If you are looking for a good read that goes a little bit along these lines, I highly recommend the book Seven: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess by Jen Hatmaker. It was very convicting and funny too! 

Road to Kenya Part II

It is interesting how people refer to "Africa" as a place.  Yes, it is a place, but only slightly more descriptive than saying planet Earth is a place.  Africa is an entire continent with many counties, people groups and climates.  I rarely hear someone say they are going to "Asia", "North America", or "South America."  Usually the traveler refers to somewhere more specific, like the country of China, Canada, Peru, etc.  I mean, Canada and Mexico are pretty much the same right?  Vietnam and Kazakhstan?  Perhaps it is because the continent of Africa and her nebulous countries are relatively unknown to us across the pond in "North America".  With this in mind, the Mitchell's indeed are traveling to "Africa" next year to serve as a missionary surgeon and family.  Hopefully in this blog post we can share some insight into exactly where we are going, and who we will be serving.

In August of 2013 the Mitchell tribe is going to Kenya, which is a country in East Africa, just south of Ethiopia and west of Somalia.  Kenya was a British colony until they gained their independence in the 1963.  Since then, it has been one of the more politically stable countries in East Africa.  However, there is an election coming up in January 2013 that may lead to some unrest.  (Pray for a stable election!!)


Tenwek Hospital is located in Bomet, Kenya, which is about a 3 hour drive west of Nairobi.  If you look at the map above (or look up Bomet in google maps), Tenwek is just north of the Masai Mara Reserve.  The weather is quite nice year round as the location is near the equator and Bomet is at an elevation of about seven thousand feet. 

Tenwek Hospital began in the 1930's as a medical dispensary and maternity ward.  Through the years it grew into a hospital, and surgical work began in 1959 with the arrival of Dr. Ernie Steury.  (Dr. Steury's biography "Miracle at Tenwek" is a great read and is inspirational for all those interested in missionary surgery.)  Currently Tenwek is a 300 bed hospital and also includes a nursing school, chaplain school, and has community health outreach.  One of the reasons Erin and I chose to go to Tenwek is because it is known throughout the world as being one of the best run missionary hospitals.  In order to be the best, you have to train with the best.  Plus, I will get the chance to teach and mentor Kenyan surgery residents that are training to alleviate the paucity of surgical care in Eastern Africa.  Our goal is to spend two years there serving, teaching AND training under those who know how to provide good care in an impoverished area.  I will be one of three general surgeons and will provide surgical care to a population of about 750,000.  To put this in perspective, this number is similar to all of Grand Rapids plus the rest of West Michigan.  (In this area of Michigan we have close to 75 general surgeons.) The largest group of people served by Tenwek Hospital is the Kipsigis, who are mainly rural farmers.  However, Tenwek is a referral center for a much larger area with many other people groups.

So now you know a little more about Tenwek Hospital, located in the Rift Valley Provence of Kenya, which is a country in "Africa."  If you catch me telling someone we are going to Africa next year...you can correct me!!

I found this map on another missionary surgeon's blog and thought I'd re-blog it.  It is a great representation of the disparity of health care throughout the world.

This map scales the regions of the world to show the proportion of physicians working in that area.  Southern Africa is arguable the neediest part of the world.  Rwanda, for example, has 1.9 physicians for 100,000 people.  The USA, by comparison has 549 physicians per 100,000 people.  The surgical workforce is even smaller.  In the East/Central/Southern African region, there are 400 trained surgeons for 400 million people.  Compare this to 1 surgeon for every 2,000 people in the USA.  The need to train physicians, including surgeons is Sub Saharan Africa is desperate. 

Next episode:  Some background on the organization we are going with: World Medical Mission, a division of Samaritan's purse.

And I would walk 500 miles...

And I would walk 500 miles…

     ….to not have to drive 5 hours in the car with my kids for a very long time. Eric had a busy week at work, so I decided to take the 4 kids and go visit my parents for a few days before Cole starts back to school. Now, I have taken the kids on trips by myself before, but never with four….the day after we get home from camping. We got home Sunday evening, unpacked, did laundry, went to bed and got up Monday to leave. Oh yeah, but first I may or may not have had to take all 4 to the dentist. Oh wait, I did. The beginning of the visit was okay, but by the end, they were probably only flossing every other of our teeth just to speed up the process of getting us OUT OF THERE.

     Then I embarked on our 5 hour drive….well, only 30 minutes of it, because then I had to stop and feed Tucker. And since we were stopped we got everything out and set up to have a little picnic lunch at a picnic table at a rest stop…only to have multiple children have to go #2 all of a sudden. And what can you do in that scenario, but abandon your picnic lunch, hope no one steals it, and head off to the rest room. We came back and finished and headed off to our first pit stop, visiting friends in Toledo. That was a great little stop, then off to my brother’s, where we had to stop again on the side of the road (there were no rest areas to be found), to feed the baby, who by the way, screams whenever he is not sleeping in the car. The irony of this is that it bothers Cole the most, who, if you remember, screamed the entire first 3 months of his life.

     We were able to have a nice 3 day visit in Ohio without much drama except sleepless nights, my mom vomiting all night the second night we were there, Cooper getting a HUGE splinter deep in his leg that Eric by phone tried to talk us through doing surgery on him with a razor blade to get out, myself getting a stiff neck that made switching lanes very tricky, a side trip to a friends house with 40 min of detours, and forgetting pj’s for the baby. Then we headed for home around 4 p.m. on Thursday, stopping at my least favorite/children’s most favorite (I’ll let you figure out where) dining establishment, trying to feed/change the baby, make my kids eat, take all four of them to the bathroom 3 times, (why do they ALWAYS have to go right after we get all their shoes off to play in the play area?) and burn off some energy. Then it was on the road again for the last leg home. Praise the Lord we made it home by 9:30 and were all able to sleep in our own beds last night!
Good thing we really love our Ohio friends and family! But I think it will be a little while before I attempt that again! 

The only pictures I took (I wonder why). The boys with my nephew Kael. 

Chocolate Tornado Boy. 

Eight is GREAT!

Tomorrow (8/7) Eric and I will celebrate 8 years of marriage. Crazy, crazy, crazy all that has happened in the past 8 years! We have survived 3 out of 4 years of medical school, 5 years of residency, gained 4 little boys (never thought I'd write that!), moved to a new city, bought our first house, and survived a near death experience and made preparations to move across the world. There's no one I'd rather do it with! If you don't know, I was in love with Eric long before he ever saw me as anything but his crazy friend. (I won't let him forget that) God blessed me more than I could have asked for by giving me my dream come true. I used to tell Eric all the time when we first got married, "I can't believe you actually married me!?!" Who knows what is in store for the next 50 + years, but I am so excited to do them with my hard-working, generous, loving, sacrificial, brilliant husband! Sorry ladies, he doesn't have a brother! 
Here's a little walk down memory lane....the pictures aren't very good quality b/c I scanned them, but you get the idea! Our wedding was by far our favoritest day, it was SO, SO fun. We both wish we could do it again, but our parents aren't willing to help pay for another one, can you believe that?! So we'll just talk about it and relieve the memories as much as we can! 

 My bridesmaids, (top) Crista, Amy, Tina, Sandy, (bottom) Leah and Susie

The groomsmen, (top) John, Joel, Joel, Doug, (bottom) Jason, ringbearer Trey,and Dan

Me! Wasn't I cute?!

We like 'em crazy!

Our candle would NOT light, no matter what we did!

Our picture in a tombstone

Was there really any doubt we'd be cake smashers?!

Me and my sweetie

Can't wait for the future with you, my love!!