Legacy and Multiplication: Meeting Dr. Clarisse again after a long time

 (from Eric)

This weekend, I was taking a walk around our housing area with Toby. Standing near where the Harlings live, I saw a Burundian family that I didn't recognize. As I got closer, the dad greeted me in good English with a smile. While wondering who he was, I saw the mom come up behind him, holding an infant in her arms:

"Dr. Eric. It's been a long time. Do you remember me?"

My mind struggled for a moment to put together the different threads when you see a familiar face in an unexpected context. Then the lights came on.

"Dr. Clarisse?"

She smiled.

"Wow. It has been a long time. I thought you were far away."

"Yes, but we are visiting a few months in Burundi, and we wanted to visit Kibuye, because we haven't been here since I was a medical student. It's amazing the work that you have done. It's so transformed. You should be very proud."

"Thank you, Dr. Clarisse. You graduated when? Almost ten years ago?" She nods. "And then you started PAACS surgical training at Galmi Hospital in Niger. You have finished now?" She nods again.

I had heard that Dr. Clarisse had graduated as a general surgeon this past year, and that she and her husband, with a desire to continue to testify to the love of Jesus in a Muslim context, had signed up to be missionaries with SIM and were moving to the north of Togo.

"Dr. Clarisse, I heard that you were moving to Togo now that you are done?"

Her husband nods with a smile. Clarisse says "Yes. You know, for so many in my class, our time at Kibuye with you was so influential in terms of understanding mission, and helping us think differently about medicine."

"Well doctor, I can't tell you how encouraging it is to see you. It encourages us, after so many years, to see how Kibuye has helped people like you to develop a vision of serving the Lord as a doctor."

***

Click here for a great story from Dr. Clarisse via MedSend.

Click here to support Dr. Clarisse and Audace in Togo via SIM-USA.

Dr. Clarisse (center) and classmates at the end of their Kibuye time in 2014

Dr. Clarisse and Audace with their family