After arrival to Kijabe on Tuesday, we had dinner that evening with Rhett and Megan Shirley. Rhett, for those of you who aren't reading Amy's blog, is Amy's 2nd cousin. He is an infectious disease doc and will be here for about another year. It was great to finally meet them after communicating with them over the last few months as we prepared to come to Kijabe. After dinner, we made our way back up the hill in the dark, with our flashlights (or "torches" as they say here) to guide our steps.
I am reminded of Psalm 119:105. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and light unto my path. When you are walking along in the dark, you need to shine your light on your next few steps, not 30 yards ahead of you. Similarly, God's word will help reveal to us our daily path, but not necessarily what His will is 10 years into the future, or even a few days in the future. If you want to know where you are going in the darkness of this world, use the lamp that God has given you, His word.
On Wednesday, they have a hospital chapel service which I wanted to attend. Jet lag, however, had taken hold and I was unable to get up and ready in time. I was a little nervous about attending chapel that day, because Rhett informed me I would have to give a greeting in the service. Greetings are a big deal here, and it would go something like this: Hi, my name is (or, if you have been here awhile: Hi, my names are...) David Sprayberry. I am saved. I bring you greetings from Watkinsville First Baptist Church in Georgia. I am a visiting pediatrician, and I will be here for the next 3 weeks.
Once I finally did get ready, I made contact with the visiting coordinator, Godfrey, and was given some basic background about the hospital. As Godfrey was going to give a tour of the hospital, Paul Jaster came and found us and gave me the tour instead. Dr. Jaster is a family physician from Kansas who has spent the last 4 years here. As I would come to learn over the next week or so, he has an incredible depth and breadth of medical knowledge and was currently running the Nursery, which is more like a small NICU in the States. He informed me that I would function as a "consultant", which is roughly equivalent to an attending physician in an academic hospital, with responsibility for teaching students, interns, and residents. I was also informed that I would very likely be involved in neonatal and pediatric resuscitations while I am here.
The resuscitation stuff is when the anxiety part starts to kick in, since I have not been involved in a resuscitation since residency about 6 years ago. In a prior post, I mentioned that I would be dependent on God to provide for me the appropriate knowledge and decision-making when the time comes, and I would come to find out over the next few weeks that He is faithful to do that. More to come on that in future posts.
We then delivered the 6 suitcases full of donated supplies to the hospital, for which they were very grateful. Thanks to all who made that possible. We finished the day with an enjoyable dinner with the Jasters, during which time he assured me that he would help me settle in before I would be left on my own. That did help relieve the anxiety a bit. But I did go home and start studying.
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