Arrived home

 We arrived back home safely for Easter!  Thank you for all your prayers.  This trip was a tough one but God proved Himself faithful as always.  God answered prayers in so many ways.

1. He poured forth rain from heaven.  The drought has ended and the people are rejoicing in the plentiful rains on the country.

Compare this to week one photo of the waterfall at Tenwek.  The rains have allowed the hydroelectric plant to run again.  The fields are green again!

2. He healed His people physically!  This patient has TB of the spine.  She was paralyzed from the waist down and unable to sit up in bed.  Her arms were weak.  She underwent incision and drainage of a soft tissue abscess and spine stabilization.  I helped with the access in the neck for the neurosurgery team.

She is now able to sit up in a wheel chair and strength is returning to her arms.  This is beyond what we could have hoped.  God is working His miracles.

3. He is healing His people spiritually.  This patient came in through casualty for airway obstruction.  He had significant swelling in his oral cavity and nasal blockage.  CT scan was suggestive of infection.  He went to the operating room for incision and drainage of an abscess.  We found a large tumor in his nasopharynx, behind the nose.  Biopsies were performed. He was also treated with antibiotics and medications for swelling.

We are awaiting results of his biopsies which will take 3 week.  His swelling and infection have resolved and he is feeling much better.  During his stay at Tenwek we were able to pray with him.  He confessed that he had fallen away from God.  He recommitted his life to Christ.  The chaplains visited him and also will be following up with him.  Although he has a rough treatment process ahead of him, he is assured of eternal life.  Despite his medical diagnosis, he was filled with the joy of the Lord!

4. He gave me an increased measure of faith to believe He is continuing to heal those I have left behind.  there are many patients I did not have time to operate on this trip.  I am believing He will meet their needs.  There were some I left behind in the hospital.  I am believing he will complete the work he has begun.

This patient with subglottic stenosis remains in the hospital. She has a tracheostomy and it is very difficult to provide a safe environment in the homes for these children.  We are working on manual equipment for suctioning and teaching the family how to safely care for a tracheostomy.  We hope to eventually reconstruct her but this will require another trip and further planning.  Please pray for her!

Thank you for rejoicing with me in all that God did.  Your prayers carried me and I look forward to my next trip in September.

Chase