From 2011 until now...
Hello all,
For those who don't know, I am serving at Kibuye Hope Hospital in Burundi from June 1 - July 28 2018!
My journey to these two months started long ago in 2011. When I was a medical student a surgeon who trained at St. Joe's in Ann Arbor who was back from a two year period working in Kenya. His name was Dr. Jason Fader. We had dinner at his house, talked, and he eventually helped to coordinate three days at Tenwek Mission Hospital during the summer of 2012. These three days paved the way for a month spent there during 2015.
In my search for a residency St. Joe's was put on the map by Jason having trained there, as well as by Dr. Bob Cropsey, who was the leader of a small group I was a member of during medical school. The program was close by family and friends as well as a lovely woman who eventually I was able to convince to marry me.
At St. Joe's there is an opportunity for elective rotations during the 3rd and 4th year. At the end of my 2nd year I sent an email to Luke Pesonen, the scheduling chief, to see if the two elective months could be put together so that I could have an opportunity to serve overseas once again. Once this was confirmed I sent an email and Jason said that it would be good for me to come and work with him.
I will spare all of the details, but planning for two months overseas can be quite the ordeal. Getting a visa back ~7 days prior to departure, updating my immunizations, findings airline tickets, coordinating schedules, packing two large shipping containers are but a few of the items needed to coordinate for a two month rotation overseas.
After all of these "to-do's" the time go to Burundi arrived. And it was an abrupt arrival. This has been my experience of time recently: nonlinear. In retrospect the months leading up to the arrival flew by and all of a sudden Darci was dropping me off at the airport. So it goes.
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This space will be used to share stories and photos from the hospital as well as my experiences working in Burundi. I am very excited to share them with all of you.
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I am deeply grateful to a number of people who helped to make these two months possible:
- God, for his continued blessings and protecting leading up to and during residency
- Jason, for letting me be his shadow for two months
- Cathy Greene of Samaritan's Purse who has put up with me for coordination of logistics
- Luke Pesonen for lining up the schedule so that I can have two consecutive elective months
- the SJMHS residency staff who have invested 3 years into my surgical training so that I am able to serve
- Dr. Robert Mazzeo and Dr. Verne Hoshal for saving mesh for me to bring along
- My parents and extended family for their continued prayers and support
- My dear wife Darci, who has been my biggest support and best friend during the planning process...who I shall be missing dearly during my time away from Michigan
If you would like to and think of it, I would appreciate your thoughts/prayers during my time away. Specifically:
- that I would be able to integrate quickly with the staff at the hospital as well as the community at Kibuye as I start to serve
- for Darci and I as we are spending two months away from each other
- and most importantly, that God will be glorified.
Currently I am writing from large lounging chairs in the Addis airport and am waiting to get on the plane for Bujumbura. The weekend will be spent there as I will be car-pooling to Kibuye with someone who is getting into town on Sunday night.
Hopefully everyone is having a good day.
Blessings,
John
For those who don't know, I am serving at Kibuye Hope Hospital in Burundi from June 1 - July 28 2018!
My journey to these two months started long ago in 2011. When I was a medical student a surgeon who trained at St. Joe's in Ann Arbor who was back from a two year period working in Kenya. His name was Dr. Jason Fader. We had dinner at his house, talked, and he eventually helped to coordinate three days at Tenwek Mission Hospital during the summer of 2012. These three days paved the way for a month spent there during 2015.
In my search for a residency St. Joe's was put on the map by Jason having trained there, as well as by Dr. Bob Cropsey, who was the leader of a small group I was a member of during medical school. The program was close by family and friends as well as a lovely woman who eventually I was able to convince to marry me.
At St. Joe's there is an opportunity for elective rotations during the 3rd and 4th year. At the end of my 2nd year I sent an email to Luke Pesonen, the scheduling chief, to see if the two elective months could be put together so that I could have an opportunity to serve overseas once again. Once this was confirmed I sent an email and Jason said that it would be good for me to come and work with him.
I will spare all of the details, but planning for two months overseas can be quite the ordeal. Getting a visa back ~7 days prior to departure, updating my immunizations, findings airline tickets, coordinating schedules, packing two large shipping containers are but a few of the items needed to coordinate for a two month rotation overseas.
After all of these "to-do's" the time go to Burundi arrived. And it was an abrupt arrival. This has been my experience of time recently: nonlinear. In retrospect the months leading up to the arrival flew by and all of a sudden Darci was dropping me off at the airport. So it goes.
--------------
This space will be used to share stories and photos from the hospital as well as my experiences working in Burundi. I am very excited to share them with all of you.
--------------
I am deeply grateful to a number of people who helped to make these two months possible:
- God, for his continued blessings and protecting leading up to and during residency
- Jason, for letting me be his shadow for two months
- Cathy Greene of Samaritan's Purse who has put up with me for coordination of logistics
- Luke Pesonen for lining up the schedule so that I can have two consecutive elective months
- the SJMHS residency staff who have invested 3 years into my surgical training so that I am able to serve
- Dr. Robert Mazzeo and Dr. Verne Hoshal for saving mesh for me to bring along
- My parents and extended family for their continued prayers and support
- My dear wife Darci, who has been my biggest support and best friend during the planning process...who I shall be missing dearly during my time away from Michigan
If you would like to and think of it, I would appreciate your thoughts/prayers during my time away. Specifically:
- that I would be able to integrate quickly with the staff at the hospital as well as the community at Kibuye as I start to serve
- for Darci and I as we are spending two months away from each other
- and most importantly, that God will be glorified.
Currently I am writing from large lounging chairs in the Addis airport and am waiting to get on the plane for Bujumbura. The weekend will be spent there as I will be car-pooling to Kibuye with someone who is getting into town on Sunday night.
Hopefully everyone is having a good day.
Blessings,
John
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