People have been asking me all sorts of questions about Jana and my life plans. Have I retired? No, too young and healthy. Have I left missions? No, I still feel my calling to serve but in a different role. Have I left CURE International? No, I am a CURE missionary. Do I have a terminal disease bringing us back? No, I don’t think so.

Life changes as time moves on. God’s vision remains true, but your plans will change. Here follows my ‘best guess’—my plans for the near future. The Mead saga, phase two: “New Doctors for a new world.”

In 1998, we were called by God to go and serve. We joined CURE International, a medical-spiritual ministry to the physically disabled child living in the developing world. CURE International was in its infancy with CURE’s first hospital in Kijabe, Kenya. The years flew by as the Mead children grew up in Kenya. Thousands of children and their families were given hope and healing. Thousands became new believers in Christ. An orthopedic residency training young national doctors was finally established, the first in Kenya. CURE grew to a medical-spiritual mission of 10 hospitals and numerous country programs across the globe. God has truly blessed the work of CURE International.

In 2011 Jana and I realized a dream; we worked ourselves out of a job. The kids had grown and left home for university and beyond. Jana had talented young women to assume leadership of her ministries. Tim had fully trained, talented Kenyan partners to take his place and a stable residency for training future orthopedic surgeons. We rejoice in all God has done and is doing at CURE Kijabe.

We left Kenya to go spend a year in the desert, serving at CURE Oasis Hospital in the United Arab Emirates. Desert time is a time of trial and growth. We were exposed to a vastly different culture, cared for many people from around the globe, and spent extra time listening to God.

During this time, CURE International was undergoing many changes as well. The founders, Scott and Sally Harrison, retired, and Dale Brantner now leads CURE International. Many of the originally serving missionaries have moved on to other callings. But God’s vision persists — CURE International is still a spiritual-medical mission to the physically disabled child.

After a season of rapid growth and expansion, now is the time for CURE to go deeper. Experience and success call you to stop and look closer at your work. What is working well? Where do we fall short? What efforts are critical to the vision? What efforts are merely good works diluting our best efforts? Is CURE’s marriage of the spiritual and medical ministries functioning as equal partners healthy? How are we going to mentor our young doctors so we maximize our experience and minimize our mistakes? What adjustments are needed to maintain our path toward excellence?

New doctors for a new world — we are no longer infants in the spiritual/medical care of the physically disabled. CURE has knowledge and experience to share. New doctors are coming to replace the pioneers, leading CURE to new levels of excellence. But these new doctors must be equipped with supplies and knowledge to perform their work wisely. Mentors are needed. Donors must step out in faith to assist with their time, money, and resources. God must be glorified.

The Meads are called to serve in this effort. Jana and Tim will serve as mentors to young missionaries entering the field of developing world medicine. We will travel to the various CURE hospitals to fill in during transition times and assist as needed when a new doctor and family arrive to serve. We will share our experiences in both medicine and life in the field. Tim will work with the CURE medical directors, compiling outcomes of surgery and programs across the globe. Although there will be country mandated differences, a pattern of excellence should emerge. Funds and equipment are necessary to provide care and educate national doctors in the developing world. We will share the vision and seek out support for CURE International. You can easily join us here.

We are excited to watch God at work in our lives. Next week we leave for Kenya. We will work at CURE Kijabe for a month. Then it is off to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Tim will join his recently graduated certified orthopedic surgeon Ethiopian doctors as their assistant. The transition from resident physician to attending physician can be a trial as the stress levels rise. Young Ethiopian orthopedic residents serve in the CURE Ethiopia Hospital and will be taught CURE’s holistic approach to the care of the physically disabled. In September, a young orthopedist from the UK and his family move to Addis to start their adventure as orthopedic medical missionaries. We will remain and spend a few months aiding in their transition. Outcome projects are scheduled to be initiated during this time period. Letters to potential donors and grants will be formulated and sent with prayers. Support needs to be raised.

New doctors for a new world—our new mission. As always, the vision is beyond our human capabilities; it is a God vision. We are excited adventurers traveling in His grip.

“What should I do with the cow?” he asked me.

“What should you do with the cow,” I repeated with a confused look.

“Yes – what should I do with the cow that is tied up out back?”

“What should you do with the cow that is tied up out back?”

“Yes – the cow for the celebration that is tied up out back.”

“… the cow for the celebration that is tied up out back …?”

This was the very beginning of June 1998; ten months previously my family had arrived in Kijabe for what we thought was the immediate opening of the CURE hospital. The opening was delayed from August to October to November to January to March, and then in April we occupied the building and received most of the equipment. In May we began to see outpatients, and now in early June we were poised for our opening celebration that coincided with the use of our surgical theatres.

Coinciding with the constructing of the hospital, our hospital leadership team and other staff was built and assembled. Beside myself, a number of expatriates filled certain roles: medical director & surgeon (Dick Bransford), orthopedic surgeon/mentor (Tim Mead), physical therapist (Bill Jackson), nurse coordinator (Rachel Keith), and chief engineer (Stephen Miller); the rest of the leadership team were Kenyans: finance director (Peter Kyalo), spiritual care directors (Jeremiah & Christine Kithome), surgeon-in-training (Joseph Theuri), nurse matron (Beatrice Omuthe). Throughout the incremental process of occupying our facility, activities and surgeries were being performed at the big hospital next door – Kijabe Hospital – and our team learned to work together and how to formulate processes needed for us to function as a pediatric specialty hospital once our building was ready.

For our upcoming celebration Jeremiah and Christine were delegated to oversee the planning and preparation because of their capacity and experience. They addressed everything: getting & setting up chairs, tables, stage, & tents, getting out the invitations, creating the order for the program, having a place to feed everyone, and arranging for the food necessary to feed everyone. They also helped me overcome my high level of unfamiliarity for such a protocol-rich event. There would be expectations of African Inland Church (AIC) leaders, AIC Health Ministries leaders, local government officials, and many others of import that would be in attendance and that we wanted to feel welcome and honored.

Our celebration was to occur in a matter of days when I was asked about the cow.  After I inquired further, it was suggested that I ask Jeremiah and Christine about the cow. The very logical answer was that for the number of people we were planning to feed, it was more efficient and cheaper to buy a cow and have it slaughtered. They had made all the proper arrangements for the requisite inspection, and provision for the meat preparation were all in place. They were keeping to the timeline and staying within budget

Obviously this was not a sacred cow. Most of the cows I have encountered since have been. Those cattle being driven by Masai in roads in or leading to Nairobi – I avoided coming near those because of my concern of how I would be treated by their warrior shepherd. In India, cows roam freely anywhere I have visited; I assume because of Hindu beliefs, all life is sacred, and no one wants to kill, let alone harm an innocent bovine bystander. In any safari game park that I have visited, the cape buffalo (which seems to by appearance be part of the cattle family) is the one to be most feared – at least the lone male or small number of males. They are known to rush and destroy a vehicle to defend their territory.

Most of the sacred cows I have encountered, though, have not be a bovine or a steer but are most often either an issue or a human: something or someone not to be discussed or questioned. And often only those who are naive or ignorant can stumble into an “off the table” subject that others in-the-know do not dare to even attempt to bring up for discussion. Having been around at the beginning of CURE, I am well past the point to claim naivete or ignorance, so I will not venture at this point into discussing any “sacred cows” related to CURE International or anyone within CURE International… no, my point for this blog is to reminisce a bit and congratulate my former facility mates on the 15^th anniversary (June 2013) of the AIC CURE hospital in Kijabe – Dr. Tim Mead (now based in Michigan, mentoring medical directors & surgeons within CURE International), Kyalo (the Executive Director of AIC CURE hospital in Kijabe), Dr. Joseph Theuri (the Medical Director of AIC CURE hospital in Kijabe), Christine Kithome (the Director of Spiritual Care of AIC CURE hospital in Kijabe), and Stephen Miller (the CURE VP of International Operations, based in the US).

I am thankful none of my former colleagues acted like a sacred cow along the way – Dr. Tim Mead enthusiastically groomed Dr. Joseph Theuri to take on his role as medical director, moving to the UAE to serve for a time; Kyalo moved around a lot and expertly served within the CURE International network at ED and other significant posts at CURE hospitals in the DR, Uganda, Malawi, Zambia, and Afghanistan; Christine Kithome wonderfully serves as Spiritual Care Director, honoring her commitment to the Lord and to her late husband, Jeremiah, as a spiritual leader and mentor; Stephen Miller’s physical touch – both in architectural drawings and physical construction – has been felt in every CURE International hospital construction, improving each. Any of these individuals could have acted the sacred cow and not responded to the Lord’s leading to serve in a different place or a different capacity. Instead each decided to exhibit the attitude of Jesus, who being in very nature God did not consider equality with God something to cling to, but instead went forward, following God’s lead. Because of my colleague’s individual and collective fidelity to obeying the Lord’s call, blessings have been increased through the ministry of CURE International.

I am thankful that the Lord has seen to show favor to the AIC CURE hospital in Kijabe through these 15 years and blessed all those whom have served and all those who have been served.

Revised 14 May 2013 to update the list of initial staff members.

“Govt commits to eradicate disability caused by Clubfoot” from The Morung Express

I wake up grateful everyday for the men and women (and their families) who sacrifice of themselves – both here in the West and abroad – to serve with CURE; but I also know that each of us considers it a blessing and privilege to be a part of this mission.

Have you ever considered joining our team? If so, here are two positions that are open at US headquarters.

Tell your friends. We’ve got work to do!

Web Wrangler

Do you have a passion for communicating in writing and are excited to help people connect with the stories of the kids that CURE serves via multiple channels: email newsletter, blog, print articles, press releases & social media? Do you have the technical chops to be a part of our marketing and technology team? If so, we want to talk. We have great candidates applying for this role, but we’re keeping the position open for applications for only 2 weeks more, so act now!
Apply Now

Human Resources Lead

If people are the engine that makes CURE go, then the HR lead is the engineer. Over the years, we’ve been blessed with capable, dedicated HR professionals at CURE, and we’re on the hunt for our next one. If that’s you or you know someone who is as outstanding an HR professional as they are committed to the mission of CURE, please tell them about this opportunity.
Apply Now

We have returned this week from a trip out to the CURE International headquarters in Lemoyne, Pennsylvania. CURE International has undergone many changes over the past year or so. We had meetings scheduled, donations of supplies to look over, and friendships to renew. Monday mornings CURE has a time to gather and focus the week through praise and worship. Jana and I were asked to share our story.

I love to hear people share their story. How did you get to where you are currently? What are you doing now? What are your dreams? Every day people pass you who have stories that may break your heart, amaze you, or encourage you on in life. All you need is a little face to face time and a listening ear. Our story has been told over these notes many times. Every time I think of what opportunities God has provided I am amazed and humbled. Who but God would have thought it possible?

CURE International’s story starts with Scott and Sally Harrison, CURE’s founders. We jump in late in the whole life story as Scott and Sally have a vision for a medical-spiritual ministry for the physically disabled child of the developing world. Scott and Sally had many US successes in their past; why enter a risky world for a little cared about people group?

When God calls, the lordship issue is in the forefront. My friend Russ explained it this way in a sermon many years ago: “If God is not Lord of all, He is not Lord at all.” CURE International birthed in Kijabe, Kenya, opening in 1998. Over the years, CURE International has grown and entered many locations over the globe. Hospitals were built in Uganda, Malawi, Ethiopia, Zambia, Dominican Republic, Honduras, Afghanistan, UAE, Niger, and soon the Philippines. Programs for cleft lip, hydrocephalus and clubfoot were added to the CURE hospital care system. The growth has been phenomenal.

After many years of service, Scott and Sally Harrison retired from CURE to pursue the next challenges in their life journey. CURE now is making the transition from founder to leaders onward. Dale Brantner has been given the responsibility of continuing the CURE vision to provide emotional, spiritual, and physical care for the physically disabled in the developing world. No organization remains the same after the founders leave, and there are many challenges as you transition onward. We celebrate the Harrisons’ faithfulness to the vision given. We need to share their story in the founding of CURE International to all who follow.

Stories have a deeper level as well. For the Harrisons, the Meads, and so many others, the story is not about what we have done but what God has done through us. Without God’s guidance, nothing of lasting value would ever come to pass. Without God’s strength, obstacles and opposition may have overcome our good intentions. Without God’s resources of talented people, money, health, and energy, the vision would be limited to our own abilities. Without His call we would miss the adventure.

Going forward, CURE International has a new focus of attention. The vision remains the same as a medical-spiritual ministry; the vision should not change. For many years CURE has been in a growth mode with new hospitals continually being planned. Now we will “go deeper.” I am excited!

Others have outlined the cycle of growth as a four step process—Plan, Do, Check, and Adjust. Often I find myself planning and doing (Some would say at times doing then planning) but stopping there. Grand conclusions are made based on experience of doing but often not proceeding with actually checking the facts. “We always do it this way” drives our activities way too often. Do we really get the results we claim? Could we change our methods and do better? If we find success, should we invest more in this area? Given the facts, should we continue this area of work? Outcomes are the big topic in medicine. What can be proven to work, not just thought to be better?

CURE International has a huge responsibility to care for the physically disabled. By God’s grace we have grown in number in fantastic ways. Many children have been helped through the ESP care. No question there. Going deeper we explore the possibility of caring for the kids even better. We look to see what our outcomes are and adjust to make the impact even better. Going deeper can be unnerving stress as our assumptions are challenged. Some people mistakenly look at assessment as an attack on them personally; this should not be the purpose. God calls for our best.

No matter how well you perform, you can always improve. A great chef may prepare what you think is the best meal possible, yet as you enjoy his creation the chef is assessing the outcome to plan what he would do differently next time. Does that make his current efforts bad? No, of course not! He continually strives for improvement and refuses to drift downward into mediocrity. A surgeon, a writer, a builder, a teacher–you name the profession–must always assess and adjust. Without constant change you will simply fall into a state of decline.

Life stories are filled with challenges, joy, sorrow, successes and failures. In life we too need to follow the plan-do-check-and adjust cycles. As I travel my story, I have learned three steps necessary within the plan phase. I must settle the lordship issue. I must align my life to God’s commands. I must step out in faith and obedience. If lordship, alignment, and obedience are present, then I am ready to do, check, and adjust. First things first. If He is not lord of all, He is not lord at all. The adventure continues as we travel securely in His grip.

Nedi and her father

Nedi is a 5 year old little girl at CURE Ethiopia. She was born with severe club feet. Shortly after her birth, her father collected all of his money and headed towards Addis Ababa in order to have her feet repaired. On the way, they had a serious car accident. Her father was hospitalized for six months. All of the money Nedi’s father collected had to be used for his medical care. Her father was devastated in more ways than one. He could no longer pay for corrective surgery for his daughter.

When Nedi was 5 years old, her father heard about a hospital that specializes in helping children with surgically correctable disabilities. The care is free for these children. He brought her to CURE with hope beginning to flicker again in his heart.

Nedi’s club feet were particularly severe. Also, the older a child is, the more stiff and unpliable the feet become. Correction is more difficult. Her surgery took longer than expected. Her father feared she passed away during surgery. When he was brought to her bedside in the recovery room, he would not leave her side. He stayed by her bedside, staring into her face for the next hour in recovery, until he could bring her back himself to their place on the ward. He has not left her side. The love on his face for his daughter is apparent. She means the world to him.

Nedi, on the left, the day before surgery

The process of correcting these deformed feet reminds me of how our heavenly Father deals with us. We are all deformed in some way. There is something in all of us that could use some correction. Sometimes, if we don’t resist or are not too set in our ways, the process is relatively easy and painless. It takes only some gentle manipulation and molding. If we are unyielding, the process can be more painful, even excruciating at times. Sometimes we can take long detours, like Nedi did, before being set again on the path that our Father wants for us. But if we remain open to Him, and soften our hearts towards Him, we can become all that He intends for us to be.

Nedi’s left foot, just prior to surgery.

No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful.  Later on, however, it produced a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.  Hebrews 12:11

Originally posted at: http://ethiopia.thebernards.org/2013/03/29/transformation/.

The last two days have been dry and we are thankful that no further damage has been caused by the landslide. We are thankful that patients are coming to the hospital and continuing to receive care.

We are in urgent need of water as works to repair the damaged pipes is still on going. The government delivered water two days ago and we are still waiting for more. If we are not able to have water re connected by the end of the week we will need to evaluate our admissions for next week as we will not be able to continue with regular operations.

The road is still very unstable and risky at the moment. We pray that no further damage is done and that we can continue to transport patients back and forth. Unfortunately we are not able to bring any major supplies to the station. We are only allowing small passenger cars on the road as heavy vehicle will compromise the road further.

Keep us in prayers that we can soon have running water and have the road fixed.

Kyalo

Shortly after Kyalo’s first email, we received word that a generous CURE donor and partner had provided a gift to obtain two water tanks to begin to help to alleviate the water storage issues at our hospital.

Please pray that we continue to find favor with government officials and private donors, continue to pray for our staff in Kijabe, and pray for the patients trying to reach CURE for their life-changing surgeries.

See additional impacts of the storms and landslide on the road system in the photos below.

But there is a balance in motherhood. A time when your child falls and bumps her leg. She screams, but you know she’s ok. This is the time when your mothering instinct kicks in and you console her and encourage your precious daughter to be strong but continue on. You watch other mothers, your mother, your aunts, cousins and friends. You learn from them. You lean on them for support and confirmation that you are doing it right.

Yuberkis learned from her mother. She leaned on her for support and help while beginning to raise her own daughter, Brisnely, after her husband left.

Brisnely and her mother, Yuberkis

If an absent husband wasn’t enough, more tragedy struck. Yuberkis’ mother passed away. She depended on her mother for help with her two children. Now, she needed to find care for them since they were too young for school as she tried to earn enough to put food on the table each day. Some days there just wasn’t enough. But Yuberkis loved her children and would do anything for them.

Just when things seemed that they couldn’t get any worse, Yuberkis’ eldest child, Brisnely (only 4 at the time), fell and badly injured her elbow. As Yuberkis’ mothering instinct kicked in, she lifted Brisnely up by her elbow to comfort her. She didn’t realize how badly she was hurt.

Brisnely Before surgery at CURE

Her husband had left, her mother had died, she could barely provide for her children’s daily needs, and now she had brought pain to her precious daughter. Something had to change. With all her energy, Yuberkis sought healing for Brisnely, first being told that nothing could be done and then finding a doctor who damaged Brisnely’s broken arm even further with his treatment. But then she found CURE.

Brisnely after surgery at CURE

Throughout all of this, a mother’s love and her determination to provide the best for her children never ends. Yuberkis is also sharing CURE with others. She sent two more mother’s in her community to the hospital. She wants them and their children to receive the same healing that she and Brisnely experienced.

The road was opened and cars begun to pass today. The government officials came this morning for a meeting and a tour to see the damage. They were very supportive and promised government support.

A few of our staff members and their families were affected by the flooding. One house was completely flattened but they managed to get out before the damage (non-CURE housing). There are no reported casualties in Kijabe and everyone is safe. However some people did not sleep at home because their houses were flooded and could not be accessed due to the mud. It is still raining and therefore difficult to clear all the mud, but work is still on going.

The biggest problem at the moment is water. Most of the pipes bringing water from the mountain were washed away. At the hospital we still have some reservoir, and we are closely monitoring the situation.

Continue to pray for Kijabe as we go through this.

Regards,
Kyalo

We’ve uploaded new pictures from Kijabe of the impact of the landslide.

Kijabe is now completely cut off and one cannot access it from the upper road. The railway tunnel has been buried and the railway tracks washed away. The RVA gate was completely washed away and the petrol station flooded. Trees were uprooted from the forest by the rain and washed to Kijabe.

News is still coming in regarding any structural impacts to the mission station or the CURE hospital. Early reports are that the CURE hospital appears to be structurally unharmed.

We are thankful to report that CURE patients and staff are safe.

CURE Kenya (AIC-CURE International Children’s Hospital of Kenya) is part of the larger Kijabe Mission Station. The station is located on the edge of the Great Rift Valley, down the slope from the town of Kijabe.

Kenyan media is reporting that there were fatalities further up the hill where the landslide was more devastating. CURE Kenya as well as the rest of the mission station have been cut off from transportation due to effects of the landslide on the primary road leading in an out of Kijabe. There is also serious concern regarding the rail lines that run through Kijabe.

We will report back with more information as it becomes available.

Please pray for the people of Kijabe and the response efforts underway.

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