Hearing Aids

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 Isaiah here! 

 At the end of this first week at Tenwek, I've had the chance to look back and reflect on the experience thus far. And it's been amazing. My time has been split between two main paths. First, I have been shadowing some doctors in the operating room and am truly experiencing first-hand the ins and outs of surgery. I have witnessed parotid tumor resections, tonsillectomies, pituitary gland tumors resected through the sinuses, cataract surgery, and more! A great part of watching these surgeries is the preparation I can do pre-operation. I have read about the surgeries beforehand and grasp, to some degree, what is going on and the anatomy involved. The doctors have been great resources and have helped me learn a large amount in just a span of one week.

 The second focal point of my time at Tenwek, which I would like to highlight, are clinic days. Here, I have been assisting my mom in her ENT clinic performing various tasks. Most importantly, I have had the opportunity to head up the hearing aid distribution, under the jurisdiction of Dr. Miller, of course. My responsibilities span from first administering a hearing test to a patient to actually fitting them with a hearing aid. This ministry has been a great blessing. The Kenyans are extremely grateful and nothing beats the smiles that come when a son or daughter speak softly to their parent and they hear clearly for the first time in many years. 



The man shown above is 60 years old with bilateral hearing loss. He was fitted with a hearing aid for moderate hearing loss in his left ear. While the language barrier does present some issues when explaining how the hearing aid works or how to take good care of it, nothing hindered the gratitude this man showed when the aid was turned on and he could hear someone talking from across the room. A large smile broke out on his face and his hands were clasped together as he repeatedly exclaimed, "Yes! Asante! Thank you!"

Everyone who comes through the ENT clinic receives prayer over them. We have such an opportunity to spread the Word here and give the glory to God for how He works in our lives and the Kenyans. While the hearing aids we supply grant physical hearing, we pray that each who receives will also proceed to hear the Lord. We pray that each individual will hear the calling of Jesus and become one after His heart and goodness. I am constantly amazed by the Kenyans' faith, perseverance, and gratitude. I hope to model this as I grow as a person and in my relationship with the Lord. Thank you to all who have made this ministry possible and I cannot wait to share more in the upcoming week!



All the best,

Isaiah 

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