My First Blog Post

Being the elementary teacher on the McCrodper team I will be celebrating many firsts in the years to come…first lost tooth, first book read, first soccer goal…you get the idea.  Today I celebrate my first blog post, because it is quite a God-story that on August 23^rd I will board a plane bound for France with the rest of the McCropders. 

Application to French language school, French visa, raising support ….In my mind there just wasn’t enough time between May and August 23, but God in His goodness has had His hand on each logistic detail and in His perfect timing has paved the way. 

The McCropders and I overlapped in Kenya, but never met.  In fact I lived near another mission teaching hospital just a few hours from the McCropders.  How could our paths not cross!  God was weaving a better story so that I can only stand back and say “Look at what God did!”

I have been asked why join a team of doctors and why Burundi.  The simple answer: As a little girl I dreamed of being a medical missionary.  Instead I chose the quicker (and cheaper) route to a useable college degree and I wouldn’t trade my chalk for a stethoscope.  But, I anticipate a “take your teammate to work day” in which I get to wear scrubs and follow one of the doctors around at Kibuye Hope Hospital.  Jason has me believing that after assisting him with 10 C-sections I would be able to perform a C-section all by myself! 

The real answer: When I did meet the McCropders in March 2012 it became evident we were headed in the same direction.  Just as Hope Africa University and Kibuye Hope Hospital had a McCropder size hole, the McCropder team seemed to have a Crockett size hole.  Simply stated they needed a teacher and I needed a team.  As I have gotten to know the team, I have learned that I have only uncovered the tip of the iceberg of wonderful that the McCropders exude.  These guys are a great team and the story of how God has brought them together and led them to Burundi is incredible!  I am honored to join them!

I made a whirlwind visit to Burundi in late April 2012 to aid in making a final decision to go with the McCropders.  (Really all you need to do is meet the team and you’ll be sold.)  At dinner in Kibuye, I found myself sitting around the table with 5 other adults all of whom were medical.  Naturally the conversation involved terminology I either don’t usually discuss over dinner or I needed a dictionary to comprehend (context clues weren’t helping).  I enjoyed the humor of the situation and envisioned McCropder meals sounding similar.  My heart was gripped by stories of patients, medical students, and the doctors journey through Kibuye Hope Hospital.  I saw the great need and a better fit for me than I had envisioned – teaching missionary kids, learning to share and live the gospel with a rising generation of African doctors and nurses, and encouraging my teammates as they practice and teach medicine.  God is good! 

In honor of the fact that much of my material for this blog will generate from the McCropder kids, I will share a recent kid story that provided a small glimpse into the creative genius represented on this team.  I was sitting across the table from a McCropder kid and saw that said child (who definitely marches to the beat of their own drum) had a stuffed tiger, so I asked what the tiger says assuming I would get the typical response, “grrr”.  With a pensive brow furrowed, this child held the tiger up to their ear and listened for about 15 seconds, while I did my best to contain my laughter.  After the LONG 15 seconds was over, the tiger was lowered and I was informed that the tiger said “he doesn’t like girls!”

I am glad the tiger that doesn’t like girls didn’t have a say in whether I joined the team.