Tuesday, February 9, 2010

In Kenya for two weeks

Hey, sorry. I forgot to share that we are in Kenya now. Yep, back in East Africa, but only for two weeks for the Christian Medical and Dental Association (CMDA) Conference. This gives us opportunity to be together with about 250 medical missionaries from around Africa and Middle East. It’s an action packed conference that allows me to get much of the required Continuing Medical Education credits that are essential for maintaining my US medical license. And of course, it allows Sally and I time for fellowship, to share ideas and challenges we are facing, to encourage one another, and to have a break from the daily medical tasks.

Sally and I are particularly grateful to Baptist Medical Dental Fellowship (BMDF) who graciously funds our entire time here. We would not be able to come here without their help. And they really encourage spouses to attend, having a non-medical program for them for spiritual growth and renewal.

If you’ve never heard of CMDA or BMDF check them out at

www.cmda.org and www.bmdf.org

The CMDA Commission does an amazing job of getting a superb group of experts to come and teach us – asking them to do it voluntarily! The CMDA team has dedicated huge amounts of time, personal expenses, love, and prayers for this conference. The result is to provide us with a quality program. We’ve been so blessed. This is our 6th CMDA conference since we came to Africa.

Tonight as we met together as a big group to sing a bit and then get through some of the announcements, they asked how many were first timers to the conference. About 1/3 were new! Sally and I noticed how many young people are here. It is really encouraging to know that God is still in the business of calling out people with medical skills to use them for His glory and for advancing the kingdom of God through medical missions with a variety of mission organizations.

Please remember us this week and next as we spend time here getting medically and spiritually renewed. Pray for me as I do a small presentation as part of a Medicine and Spirituality Symposium (Weds 10th). on “Avoiding the sin of doing medicine apart from ministry” Pray for the faculty too. Their desire is to do all of this with excellence for the glory of Jesus Christ.

And if you feel led, visit the CMDA and BMDF web sites and consider supporting their ministries.

Daily by His grace…