The burning bush represents the impossible presence of God, and when you see that, you have to take off your shoes.
And that happens in the grief, when a teenager meets Jesus, when a mother is comforted, when we bow in desperate prayer.
It also happens in awe.
So to complete the story of the week, I spent four hours in the hospital this morning in meetings. Not the usual choice for holy ground. The first was the Neurosurgery Audit, where we discussed the last two months of admissions, deaths, infections, new procedures. The Albrights are inspiring people, working way too hard to care for ever increasing numbers of children. Kijabe sees about 250 spina bifida patients a year, ten times more than even the busiest neurosurgical services in America, with a fraction of the resources. And they are doing research on new surgical techniques, publishing scientific papers, and training Kenyan doctors. Inspiring.
From there to a meeting with the Medical Director, Executive Director, Head of Engineering, Head of OB, and me. To propose an expansion of our nursery and maternity space to meet demand. Mardi had made a proposed drawing. Only the Executive Director wanted to think bigger. To have new construction, new space, better facilities, and double the capacity. Again inspiring, because this has real potential to impact child survival.
And from there to a meeting of the BKKH (Bethany Kids) team, surgeons and nurses and administrators who care for children with birth defects and disabilities. We discussed how to not just train surgeons and send them out to Madagascar, Ethiopia, Sierra Leone, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda . . but to also support all the other services needed for kids there, to multiply what is happening at Kijabe. A lot of brainstorming and philosophy and really good stuff. Holy ground.
So in the midst of the losses, it is good to see that we are ever improving services, ever increasing hope. To be reminded of the 20 that go home cured for every one who dies. Of the amazingly dedicated and talented people I work with who are pouring their lives out for kids and for Jesus.
And that happens in the grief, when a teenager meets Jesus, when a mother is comforted, when we bow in desperate prayer.
It also happens in awe.
So to complete the story of the week, I spent four hours in the hospital this morning in meetings. Not the usual choice for holy ground. The first was the Neurosurgery Audit, where we discussed the last two months of admissions, deaths, infections, new procedures. The Albrights are inspiring people, working way too hard to care for ever increasing numbers of children. Kijabe sees about 250 spina bifida patients a year, ten times more than even the busiest neurosurgical services in America, with a fraction of the resources. And they are doing research on new surgical techniques, publishing scientific papers, and training Kenyan doctors. Inspiring.
From there to a meeting with the Medical Director, Executive Director, Head of Engineering, Head of OB, and me. To propose an expansion of our nursery and maternity space to meet demand. Mardi had made a proposed drawing. Only the Executive Director wanted to think bigger. To have new construction, new space, better facilities, and double the capacity. Again inspiring, because this has real potential to impact child survival.
And from there to a meeting of the BKKH (Bethany Kids) team, surgeons and nurses and administrators who care for children with birth defects and disabilities. We discussed how to not just train surgeons and send them out to Madagascar, Ethiopia, Sierra Leone, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda . . but to also support all the other services needed for kids there, to multiply what is happening at Kijabe. A lot of brainstorming and philosophy and really good stuff. Holy ground.
So in the midst of the losses, it is good to see that we are ever improving services, ever increasing hope. To be reminded of the 20 that go home cured for every one who dies. Of the amazingly dedicated and talented people I work with who are pouring their lives out for kids and for Jesus.
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