Welcoming World Med

by Rachel

January has been a month full of visitors.  Last week, we were privileged and excited to welcome a group of six from World Medical Mission.  WMM is a branch of Samaritan's Purse (SP), and we McCropders have enjoyed a long relationship with them these past years.  World Med is committed to supporting missions hospitals around the world by sending short term doctors for coverage and assistance and, recently, by sending recent residency grads for a two year stint through the Post Residency Program (PRP).  Even before our two year tenure as Post Residents, World Med has been important in our paths to get to the missions field. Jason Fader remembers WMM calling his (physician) father in Kenya years ago, offering a short term doc so his family could take a needed vacation.  World Med helped arrange a short term trip for Eric and me to Bangladesh in 2007 so I could learn vesicovaginal fistula surgery.  I have never been anything but impressed working with SP and WMM.

And now, several years later, World Med contacted us to see if they could evaluate us as a potential site to send docs in the future (through the PRP or short term help).  We have been overwhelmed by the support shown to us through SP and were thrilled to welcome them for a week.  The team consisted of Dick Furman (World Med's founder), his granddaughter Ebby, Ed Morrow (head of WMM for 15 yrs), Paul Osteen (surgeon and friend of ours from Tenwek), Allan Sawyer (an OB-GYN who has served on many short term trips), and Roy Graham, one of Franklin's sons.

Dick and Ebby getting ready to watch John do surgery

They jumped right in, going on rounds, sitting through morning staff reports (in French of course), observing surgeries, touring the area, providing advice and wisdom from their many collective years working with missions hospitals.

Paul checking out the eye equipment

Allan helping out on rounds

We really enjoyed getting a chance to socialize and visit with old friends.  They also got a chance to go and visit some local attractions like Kayero Falls.

Roy and Ed at the Cropsey house

Trip to Kayero Falls along with Nathan ad Michelle Rose, friends of Carlan

It was great to see everyone and we hope to continue our relationship with World Med for many years to come.  Thanks for the visit!