Approved! “Voyage and the Return”

Approved! We are now officially Global Worker Missionaries with WGM to Kenya!

Several weeks ago we were given the official invite from WGM to attend the “Candidate Review”.  Candidate Review took place last week at the WGM headquarters in Marion, Indiana.  It is the final step after completing the first 4 stages in the application process.  The night we arrived it began to snow!  

 Our kids were so excited the next morning to wake up to snow!  Kristie was pretty excited too.  We had arrived a day early so we had the day to enjoy the snow and have some family time as well as hang out with our good friend, Dan Bergman, who was joining us from Colorado. The review began that evening with introductions and dinner and our first assignment: to lead chapel the next morning with the other candidates!

Chapel went well and the day continued with more introductions, other activities, brief sessions on fears, cultures, fundraising and another assignment. So much information in such a short amount of time!  The next morning went smoothly as we presented our last assignment. We  ended with our photo being taken and some last questions and answers with the committee.

As we finished our last conversations we were a little bit in shock of the whirlwind of the week.  On Monday we received the call that we have been accepted and appointed as Global Worker Missionaries to Kenya.  

Our eyes were opened, doubts arose and then solutions began to emerge in this “Voyage and Return” adventure. 

I thought the story ended 17 years ago, but that was just the introduction. With my bag strapped onto my bike, I started the engine and began to ride from Uganda to a distant place called Tenwek Hospital in Kenya.  

Today, I sit in my office humbled, honored and awestruck that my family and I have been asked and accepted to join the WGM team at Tenwek once again.  

Jumping with celebration our smiles are met with trepidation because of the unknown.  Yet we beam with joy again, remembering how we have participated in the extraordinary to bring us to this place.  The joy continues when we see and hear those who have experienced this portion of this journey with us.  Their love, prayers, and support are the building blocks in which this unimaginable story continues. 

God is taking our family places that we have never imagined. As a good friend of ours says, “…you’ve already seen him move, but I think you will see his activity multiplied tenfold…”

What will our family be doing?

God has uniquely equipped David through his hospital administration background to partner with Tenwek Hospital’s leadership team. 

Our vision is to be used of God to:

  • analyze and streamline hospital operations
  • facilitate hospital equipment installation and repairs
  • training and equipping an administrative team
  • implement hospital goals and strategic plans

Kristie plans to be part of the homeschooling team at Tenwek as well as use her background in special education to be a resource in Bomet and beyond.