I just finished a prayer letter, which will be coming your way via post if you're on my mailing list. If not, I copy it below.
The title to this post = 2 things I forgot to put in the letter:
Magnets. I am slight chagrined that I sent out lovely frig magnets this past Christmas as reminders for prayers for LAMB and Bangladesh, since I am not actually in Bangladesh at the moment....
Mom. She continues to feel well enough to be out and about fairly regularly. Steroids are a wonderful thing: the powerful doses she takes before and after chemo give her lots of pep! She has mostly good day, a cause for joy. Please pray for continuing to manage the pain reasonably well.
Mega-family. The above photo is my youngest cousin's wedding. About 2/3 of my cousins were there! (31 out of 45, I am just over the shoulder of the groom.)
Thanks--Kris
[NOT] Being in Bangladesh
Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
This group includes most of my closest colleagues at LAMB during the visit of our former medical director, Dr. D, and his daughters—which I was sad to miss! So when you pray for LAMB, it is for this group!
Missing (and Helping) My Friends At LAMB
My plans have developed quite a bit in the last few weeks: first, NOT going to LAMB for a short visit this Spring. One part of that plan included meeting my niece Lydia in India at the end of March, but the place she’s visiting discouraged her/me from an additional visitor, so I decided not to go.
Within a day or 2 of making the disappointing decision to not visit Bangladesh, I was encouraged by my Interserve International Director to pursue seminary study, with a view to future responsibilities in leadership. That helped me think of how I could maintain my sense of missionary identity while remaining here with family at this time.
LAMB wasn’t very successful in 2013 in funding proposals, so I am currently helping rework one to the US gov’t for a new building. As part of it we are talking about an ‘Institute of Integrated Rural Health and Development.’ We want to creatively defend the proposal toward our non-medical training capacity—my CHDP work helps me articulate that.
I might have an opportunity as a volunteer instructor for part of an OSU global health short course, which I think would be fun. And a former colleague has asked me to co-write a series of articles about LAMB, to capture ‘lessons learned’.
Future: Pre-Med, Medical Schools
During the last month or so, I have spoken to pre-med groups and Christian Medical Assoc. medical student groups at several Midwestern universities. These times are always hugely encouraging, in meeting those God continues to call to future careers in medical/health mission.
I’ve explored with them questions of finances (eg Indian Health Service), specialties (family med vs Ob/surgery), impact as single/ married. At my last talk, several good questions related to what I have learned about prayer, how do I find friends when I am so different as a Westerner, and how did I get where I am today (being obedient one step at a time as God revealed the path).
Theological Study When my Interserve International Director heard I would be remaining in the States for some time, he recommended I think about seminary study in 2 areas of interest: Leadership and Intercultural Studies. Since I had considered that when I first came home, it wasn’t too big a leap.
One school I am aware of from colleagues’ previous study: Fuller Theological Seminary, with campuses in California and Colorado. But I would do most of the work online, as is common these days. That would allow me to remain available at home, to work, and I would be able to continue the total 2 to 3 year course when I return to LAMB.
I have been nervous in the past about leadership, feeling myself temperamentally unsuited as well as unqualified. But my pastor reminded me that when strategic vision is part of a leader’s charge, it makes sense to study God and His kingdom first. He said one of his professors had once told him ‘If you are clear about what you want to say, you’ll find a way to say it!’ So I hope to gain some practical skills of leadership (eg team-building, finances) and complement those with clarity of Jesus’ enduring Great Commission purpose in this time in my region of South Asia. I pray for many years of fruitful service there!
Working...Oh My!
In my Christmas letter I wrote of employment options if I stayed home for longer. I am in the process of credentialing for home visit work doing risk assessments for Medicare. I can only work in Ohio with my current license, but depending on how this goes, I might pursue other licenses.
It gives me a chance to visit elderly folk with one or more high-risk diagnoses. The orientation information included the types of problems I would be assessing, including the ‘empty frig sign’ of neglect, too little money to buy food, or both. That feels like ministry; it basically means doing physical exams for medical complications.
The bottom line is I will need to pay for the theology studies I talk about above. I have not been great at self-directed learning in the past, so I pray modern methods of online instruction will keep my accountable. PLEASE PRAY for wisdom so I can manage time between work, study, and home!
Book Recommendation: The Locust Effect by Gary Haugen, International Justice Mission
“...It is possible to transform broken public justice systems in the developing world so they effectively protect the poor from violence.”
So if I stay home, what happens with Interserve?
I so appreciate all your support, sustained throughout the past 17 years! In this extended leave, I am able to stay on with Interserve. My health insurance and such can continue through them (the job I hope to begin soon has no benefits associated with it).
So if you want to through my leave, you can continue to forward support to Interserve as usual, to pay for such logistic support. You’ll remember, it was similar when I did my MPH studies: I paid the tuition on my own, and continued a living allowance via Interserve thanks to you.
However, if it seems right to you, you can inactivate your ongoing contributions. Then when I am ready to return to Bangladesh, I’ll let people know, to choose to re-activate at that time. I can appreciate that plan!
It has been such a joy to be able to continue relationships forged in various places and times—and now continued through visits (including to 11,000 ft. in the Rockies with a Colorado friend). If home longer, I’ll maybe see some of you more than once!
