Did you say overseas medical missions?

Yes, we did say overseas medical missions.  It was almost 17 years ago when I first arrived at Tenwek Hospital in Bomet, Kenya to design and build a Community Development Center (aka the Greenhouse Building).  Over the past 3 years, Kristie and I have been dancing around the idea of going overseas and being part of medical missions.  A little over a month ago Kristie and I volunteered and attended the Global Missions Health Conference (GMHC) in Louisville, KY.  During this incredible time, we met up with Joy Philips, whom I worked for/with almost 17 years ago at Tenwek.

Kristie and I were incredibly humbled by how many doctors, nurses, clinicians and others in the medical profession who are or will be part of medical missions.  We had some incredible conversations with so many people with so many organizations.  There were a total of 171 organizations that attended the conference!  Some of my favorites included: World Gospel Mission (Tenwek Hospital), Serge, Samaritans Purse/World Medical Mission, ABWE, SIM, Toyota Gibraltar, CURE, African Inland Mission, Mercy Ships, and Missions Doctors Association.

One of the biggest highlights was hearing a session from Benjamin Anderson on Healthcare Administration Overseas.  Benjamin talked about how so many hospitals are utilizing their doctors and surgeons for healthcare administration when they should be really providing clinical care.  He discussed how there are a lot of inefficiencies in mission hospitals that are not run by skilled and well trained Healthcare Administrators.   He pulled up the below slide that clarified how overseas missions hospitals should approach administrative leadership in the same way that they approach recruiting physicians.

After GMHC, Kristie and I have been talking with several organizations about their needs and to see if those needs match with what we believed what God might be calling us to do.  As we have been praying and listening to what is next for our lives, to my surprise, Kristie says, “Why not us?”.

As we have been thinking about all of the different opportunities for our lives right now, nothing seems more rewarding than to go overseas to a mission hospital and be part of the healing ministry of Jesus.  At this point in time, we are still talking with several organizations and hope to make a decision to visit the mission hospitals sometime early next year.  Until then, we are praying and seeking advice from so many of our trusted friends and family.  Please join us in praying for clear direction as to the organization and hospital that we should be a part.