It is lovely to be here. Living a somewhat normal life. We are cooking again, doing laundry, buying groceries, etc.. As far as “working”, it was our desire to serve the community, and the Poenaru family in hope that as a result they have more time to do focus on their important ministry work. First on the to-do list…There is a conference (small one of about 30 surgeons) and at the last minute Dan was asked to host the closing dinner. Kev and I said, huh!? 30 people?… no problem! That is just a well attended summer Sunday at the Spiers!. and were happy to do at least that for them, which turned out to a be a wonderful night followed by a lovely time of worship, singing and praying together after dinner.

 Neither teachers, nor medical professionals, make us a perfect fit here, but we manage to work doing whatever we can to serve the community.  We have helped a couple families move house, and updated a hospital formulary (prescription drugs and dosages manual). Kev has done some “household to-do”  items for Dita, put in a stone walkway, and assiste the boys who created for a video for Dita’s teaching  of good hygiene practices (to avoid the spread of flu) for the hospital. We also lead a devotional for one of the boys dorms, sharing stories of our trip. Oh, and for some reason Kev has taken to baking!? Making cookies and banana breads!  (I have taken to calling him Benny Crocker and Stevie Homemaker!) The vendor ladies at the produce market howl with delight when Kev makes his daily trip to the shops. They have come to refer to him as “the Cook”, are most likely still talking about “the man who shops and cooks”.

 I have actually been doing some HR consulting at the hospital regularly spending a couple hours a day there, sitting on panel interviews for medical officers, and reviewing HR policy manuals. I am filled with joy as we start each meeting and interview with prayer, and can’t help but laugh at the contrast to that of Canada, where it is against the law to “bring God to work” with you!

One day I was sitting in on a panel interview in search of a hospital medical officer. Our first candidate was a young, good looking Kenyan doctor, with a dynamic personality, and we were all impressed by his confidence and credentials. A high potential candidate for sure. 

Next up, walks in candidate #2, who quite honestly at about 4ft nothin’, is what I would describe as a wee mouse of a woman, black as coal, maybe closing in on her late forties. With her suit jacket a bit too big, very softly spoken and barely able to keep eye contact, she is a sharp contrast to our previous candidate.   I am ashamed to admit that  I quickly began to pessimistically judge, especially in contrast to our last “bright and shiny” interviewee.

Proceeding with the interview, at some point we get around to asking about her strange breaks in her studies and career pathing choices, something we noticed prior to the interview, and identified as a red flag. She responds telling us with half a grin, and looking down at the table, that her studies and career have not gone exactly as she would have planned, perhaps because she has had “some storms in her life”.

For the next 5 minutes or so, we just listen as she speaks with the steady tempo of a slow metronome, sheepishly looking down, she admits to us she didn’t complete an earlier program she had been enrolled in. She tells us a story of how it may have been due to, the coo that ran her away from her home. For weeks people in her village were being wiped out daily. She had to look for safety, but she tried to continue her study, but it was a “bit difficult”. She noted that as medical student, her studies were  often interrupted to tend to medical emergencies in her home area, as people were being injured and killed. She finally decided to leave to safer areas, and was gone for a few weeks where she managed to complete more of her courses. However, when she returned home, many people from her village ran to greet her, she thought they were just sad she had gone. As she continued toward her home she eyed a tent beside her house with many people. Perhaps she thought, a welcome home gathering, but only to find that her father had been hacked (making the motion of karate chop to the back of the neck)  and his body lay inside the tent waiting for burial. She is very calm almost without emotion as she recants this, and continues in this manner to try and explain why she hadn’t completed her courses. Another “storm” came a few months later when her mother had difficulty swallowing bananas and mash potatoes. She was away in the city studying, but told her sister to take her Mom to the hospital however two days later she succumbed. As the eldest sister it was then her responsibility to take in her younger siblings, (while she continued to study medicine). So in summary, she acknowledges that her career has not gone as she would have planned, again, maybe because life had been a bit stormy, but as she put it, she didn’t want to make excuses.

“Excuses”?  …excuse ME!?

At this point, I am trying to think about clowns and french fries, or pretty much anything so my eyes don’t well up.  As an HR Manager, I have heard my share of stories, defenses, and general lack of responsiblity for blips on a resume, and was taken back the tragedies this woman experienced all the while insisting on not wanting to “make excuses”.  Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to stay for the debriefing of this candidate, and doubt for the right reasons that she would be hired in this role, but her story touched my heart, and I will never forget it.

Only in Africa….