A week ago, all McCropders save John came together, along with a number of other Post-Residents in Bristol, TN, at the CMDA Medical Mission Conference. It was a great time, and there was a lot of food for thoughts, which we'll try to share over the next few weeks.
It was also a great chance to see each other in action, and I'd like to point out a couple of quintessential missions personality traits, exhibited by my friends. As far as I can tell, Adventurousness and Thriftiness may be considered less "spiritual" quailities, but still among the most important in the missionary life.
The medal for Adenturousness goes to my lovely wife Rachel, who (with me) weighed the pros and cons of a 9-hour van ride to Tennessee at 38 weeks gestation, and decided it was still worth it. So we packed a car seat and some baby clothes, and just to be ready for anything, she also brought a pair of sterile gloves and a pair of cord clamps. Thankfully, this all went unheeded, and we unpacked it all back in Michigan at the close of the weekend.
The Thriftiness award went to Jason. After an initial admonition to save our disposable cups, to help cost-savings at CMDA, Jason showed up the next morning with the styrofoam cup from his hotel coffee-maker. As impressive as this was, I learned an older story this past weekend that makes Jason's thrift certainly subordinate to Heather's. Apparently, Heather trained for a marathon several years ago in Chicago, but in order to avoid the somewhat hefty fee, she went out one Saturday by herself, and ran her own self-designed 26-mile course. Where does one get the will-power to finish that kind of race with no external expectations and no one cheering you on? I don't know. You had better ask Heather.
28.4.09
Man Bites Snake - Kenyan Cultural Moment
The story is one of the most amazing incidents I've heard recorded in years. I thought of just posting the link, but decided in favor of reproducing the whole story, because of its certainty not to disappoint. A few thoughts:
1. I hope these snakes prefer the coastal lowlands, and I'd be fine never meeting one in the wild.
2. I hear they subsequently found the snake again, but that reassures me only a little.
3. I love how this primal epic struggle in Africa features the use of a mobile phone.
4. Quote of the day: "I had to bite it." Awesome.
Man bites snake in epic struggle
A Kenyan man bit a python which wrapped him in its coils and dragged him up a tree during a fierce three-hour struggle, police have told the BBC. The serpent seized farm worker Ben Nyaumbe in the Malindi area of Kenya's Indian Ocean coast at the weekend. Mr Nyaumbe bit the snake on the tip of the tail during the exhausting battle in the village of Sabaki. Police rescued Mr Nyaumbe and captured the 13ft (4m) reptile, before taking it to a sanctuary, but it later escaped.
The victim told police he managed to reach his mobile phone from his pocket to raise the alarm when the python momentarily eased its grip after hauling him up a tree on Saturday evening.
"We want to arrest the snake because any one of us could fall a victim" - Peter Katam Police superintendent
Mr Nyaumbe used his shirt to smother the snake's head and prevent it from swallowing him. His employer arrived with police and villagers, who tied the python with a rope and pulled them both down from the tree with a thud.
Peter Katam, superintendent of police in Malindi district, told the BBC News website: "Two officers on patrol were called and they found this man was struggling with a snake on a tree.
"The snake had coiled his hands and was trying to swallow him but he struggled very hard. The officers and villagers managed to rescue him and he was freed. He himself was injured on the lower lip of the mouth - it was bleeding a little bit - as the tip of the snake's tail was sharp when he said he bit it."
Mr Nyaumbe told the Daily Nation newspaper how he resorted to desperate measures after the python, which had apparently been hunting livestock, encircled his upper body in its coils. "I stepped on a spongy thing on the ground and suddenly my leg was entangled with the body of a huge python," he said. "I had to bite it."
Supt Katam told the BBC the officers had wanted to shoot the snake but could not do so for fearing of injuring Mr Nyaumbe. "If it wasn't for the villagers and officers who helped him, he would have been swallowed by the snake over the Easter holiday," said Supt Katam. He added: "It's very mysterious, this ability to lift the man onto the tree. I've never heard of this before."
The police officer said they took the snake to a sanctuary in Malindi town but it escaped overnight, probably from a gap under the door in the room where it was kept.
"We are still seriously looking for the snake," said Supt Katam. "We want to arrest the snake because any one of us could fall a victim."
1. I hope these snakes prefer the coastal lowlands, and I'd be fine never meeting one in the wild.
2. I hear they subsequently found the snake again, but that reassures me only a little.
3. I love how this primal epic struggle in Africa features the use of a mobile phone.
4. Quote of the day: "I had to bite it." Awesome.
Man bites snake in epic struggle
A Kenyan man bit a python which wrapped him in its coils and dragged him up a tree during a fierce three-hour struggle, police have told the BBC. The serpent seized farm worker Ben Nyaumbe in the Malindi area of Kenya's Indian Ocean coast at the weekend. Mr Nyaumbe bit the snake on the tip of the tail during the exhausting battle in the village of Sabaki. Police rescued Mr Nyaumbe and captured the 13ft (4m) reptile, before taking it to a sanctuary, but it later escaped.
The victim told police he managed to reach his mobile phone from his pocket to raise the alarm when the python momentarily eased its grip after hauling him up a tree on Saturday evening.
"We want to arrest the snake because any one of us could fall a victim" - Peter Katam Police superintendent
Mr Nyaumbe used his shirt to smother the snake's head and prevent it from swallowing him. His employer arrived with police and villagers, who tied the python with a rope and pulled them both down from the tree with a thud.
Peter Katam, superintendent of police in Malindi district, told the BBC News website: "Two officers on patrol were called and they found this man was struggling with a snake on a tree.
"The snake had coiled his hands and was trying to swallow him but he struggled very hard. The officers and villagers managed to rescue him and he was freed. He himself was injured on the lower lip of the mouth - it was bleeding a little bit - as the tip of the snake's tail was sharp when he said he bit it."
Mr Nyaumbe told the Daily Nation newspaper how he resorted to desperate measures after the python, which had apparently been hunting livestock, encircled his upper body in its coils. "I stepped on a spongy thing on the ground and suddenly my leg was entangled with the body of a huge python," he said. "I had to bite it."
Supt Katam told the BBC the officers had wanted to shoot the snake but could not do so for fearing of injuring Mr Nyaumbe. "If it wasn't for the villagers and officers who helped him, he would have been swallowed by the snake over the Easter holiday," said Supt Katam. He added: "It's very mysterious, this ability to lift the man onto the tree. I've never heard of this before."
The police officer said they took the snake to a sanctuary in Malindi town but it escaped overnight, probably from a gap under the door in the room where it was kept.
"We are still seriously looking for the snake," said Supt Katam. "We want to arrest the snake because any one of us could fall a victim."
22.4.09
A New Lens For The World
Some of you may have previously seen a map of the world with the south pole at the top, and can appreciate how a restructured map can contribute to a paradigm shift. This first map gives the size of the country based not on its square mileage, but rather its population. Note the size of Australia or Greenland, compared to Bangladesh. (click on either map to see enlarged image)
This second map scales the size of the country to their share of the physicians of the world. This one kind of speaks for itself in the context of this blog.
Worldmapper and Strange Maps are the origins of these images, for any cartography love among you.
27.3.09
Hitting the Big Time
We McLaughlins and Faders were of course excited for John when he was featured in the Philadelphia Inquirer for his international medicine interests several months ago, but secretly jealous as well. Angling for some fancy publicity of our own, we finally landed a magazine deal and photoshoot just this past week.Seriously, Jason and I (Rachel) were surprised to find out last week that St. Joe's recommended us to a Detroit area magazine called the Ambassador for a medical doctor "human interest" feature the magazine was doing. Basically, every year they feature area doctors who have a unique story to tell. Last year two of my OB-GYN attendings, who happen to be married to each other, were featured and interviewed about family life and their son, who they had recently adopted from Vietnam. This year, we were invited to talk about our plans to head to Kenya after residency.
So, two nights ago a reporter and photographer came by our place and spent a few hours with us, getting our story and then doing a fairly professional-looking photo shoot in our kitchen. I know, sounds like a weird place for a photo shoot, but I think it worked. We even got Anna to participate in the fun as the pictures demonstrate (she gathered up some props from around the house). The magazine article should be coming out in early summer, before we leave, so stay tuned and we'll provide a link when it's available.
13.3.09
Where Moth and Rust Destroy
March has come, and two McCropder homes are for sale. With this come thoughts of moving, and with this comes rising excitement. And with this move comes a process of shedding a large portion of our "things".
I may be somewhat sentimental when it comes to keepsakes, but overall (with the help of my wife) I think we have done well to minimize our focus on things. Saturday morning, we were laying in bed pondering what will find a place in the seven pieces of luggage that we're allotted to bring to Kenya for two years... Well, there are the obvious things... but the food processor will be incredibly handy... and maybe our down mattress pad... whoa, my guitar takes up a lot of space. And then there's our baby. She'll be small, but man does she take up a lot of luggage...
Let's obtain a little perspective. We heard about a Peace Corps volunteer who brought 90 pounds of toiletries. That is not us. I can get by with less clothing than any other American I've met (possibly excepting fellow McCropders), and Rachel and I together will take a single small backpack for an enire weekend.
And yet I'm forced to admit my attachment to "things". My piano, my CS Lewis books, the pottery I made in college, my awesome antique copy of The Book of Common Prayer. They will likely all stay behind. This thought broadens my horizon, and I remember that this life itself is finite, and all things will be left behind. The music I've recorded, our family photos, our wedding rings.
Paul says that he counts it all as rubbish compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Jesus. There is no clenched fist, but a joyful casting aside, like a river rejoicing to fling itself over a waterfall, to crash on the rocks below. Jesus tells us to store up treasure in heaven, for here on earth moth and rust destroy; thieves break in and steal. He says to put our treasures in a safe place, away from these destructive elements, and our hearts will then be safe as well.
This is true, universally, but I earnestly need the reminder, for the rubber is meeting the road. I wish I could say that it is easy. I wish I could say that my treasure is not on earth, for that has serious implications for the place of my heart. But honest acknowledgement is a necessary beginning, and so I know I need help. Thanks be to God, my ever-present help.
I may be somewhat sentimental when it comes to keepsakes, but overall (with the help of my wife) I think we have done well to minimize our focus on things. Saturday morning, we were laying in bed pondering what will find a place in the seven pieces of luggage that we're allotted to bring to Kenya for two years... Well, there are the obvious things... but the food processor will be incredibly handy... and maybe our down mattress pad... whoa, my guitar takes up a lot of space. And then there's our baby. She'll be small, but man does she take up a lot of luggage...
Let's obtain a little perspective. We heard about a Peace Corps volunteer who brought 90 pounds of toiletries. That is not us. I can get by with less clothing than any other American I've met (possibly excepting fellow McCropders), and Rachel and I together will take a single small backpack for an enire weekend.
And yet I'm forced to admit my attachment to "things". My piano, my CS Lewis books, the pottery I made in college, my awesome antique copy of The Book of Common Prayer. They will likely all stay behind. This thought broadens my horizon, and I remember that this life itself is finite, and all things will be left behind. The music I've recorded, our family photos, our wedding rings.
Paul says that he counts it all as rubbish compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Jesus. There is no clenched fist, but a joyful casting aside, like a river rejoicing to fling itself over a waterfall, to crash on the rocks below. Jesus tells us to store up treasure in heaven, for here on earth moth and rust destroy; thieves break in and steal. He says to put our treasures in a safe place, away from these destructive elements, and our hearts will then be safe as well.
This is true, universally, but I earnestly need the reminder, for the rubber is meeting the road. I wish I could say that it is easy. I wish I could say that my treasure is not on earth, for that has serious implications for the place of my heart. But honest acknowledgement is a necessary beginning, and so I know I need help. Thanks be to God, my ever-present help.
12.3.09
Aid and Accountability
More and more, I'm learning that international aid and its ramifications are quite complicated issues, and I'm far from a nihilist on the issue. Nonetheless, I think the following comments from Ugandan journalist Andrew Mwenda are very interesting, and bear close scrutiny. The context of this video was found here, and the comments to the original post provide some necessary feedback.
Andrew Mwenda on Taxation and Accountability in International Aid from DRI on Vimeo.
Andrew Mwenda on Taxation and Accountability in International Aid from DRI on Vimeo.
11.3.09
What about the kids?
One of the more frequent questions I am asked when people find out I am moving to Kenya concerns raising my children there. Far from being a reason to stay here in the U.S., raising my kids in Africa is one of the more compelling reasons for me to live there.
Having spent much of my childhood in Kenya, I experienced many things of which I would hate to deprive my children. I attended school at Rift Valley Academy, which is attended by children from over 20 different nationalities. This environment provided a wonderful perspective of the diverse world we live in. Family vacations consisted of driving to game parks and watching lions play, or climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro, or scuba diving in the Indian Ocean. I had a dirt bike (see picture), and my friends and I used to ride down to the Great Rift Valley, which I could see from my bedroom window. I was able to spend a lot of time in the operating room starting in 5th grade when I watched cardiac surgery. Being in the hospital gave me the opportunity to see many desperately sick patients and certainly had an impact on my desire to spend my career back in Africa.
Sure I missed out on some things… We rarely watched movies. I did not always have the newest toys. There was no McDonald’s for thousands of miles. And my sense of fashion was always several years behind (though my sister tells me I still have a lot of work to do on this one).
Although no place is perfect, I feel very blessed to have grown up in Africa, and I hope to provide my children the same opportunity.
- Jason
Having spent much of my childhood in Kenya, I experienced many things of which I would hate to deprive my children. I attended school at Rift Valley Academy, which is attended by children from over 20 different nationalities. This environment provided a wonderful perspective of the diverse world we live in. Family vacations consisted of driving to game parks and watching lions play, or climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro, or scuba diving in the Indian Ocean. I had a dirt bike (see picture), and my friends and I used to ride down to the Great Rift Valley, which I could see from my bedroom window. I was able to spend a lot of time in the operating room starting in 5th grade when I watched cardiac surgery. Being in the hospital gave me the opportunity to see many desperately sick patients and certainly had an impact on my desire to spend my career back in Africa.Sure I missed out on some things… We rarely watched movies. I did not always have the newest toys. There was no McDonald’s for thousands of miles. And my sense of fashion was always several years behind (though my sister tells me I still have a lot of work to do on this one).
Although no place is perfect, I feel very blessed to have grown up in Africa, and I hope to provide my children the same opportunity.
- Jason
29.1.09
Signs of Africa
This series of photographs of "Signs of Africa" posted on the BBC is awesome. Who wouldn't want to move there?27.1.09
Rick Donlan and Training in the 'Hood
Rick Donlan, an innovative doc among the Memphis indigent, has a talk that he titles "From the 'Hood to the Hindu Kush", which is all about why serving in the American inner city is the perfect training ground for international medical work. One of the facets of his clinics in Memphis is that they take young docs from around the country, bring them to Memphis where they work (and live) among the inner city, get their loans paid off, and (in his words) then send them off to some place real scary.
My family medicine clinic is in Ypsilanti, MI, which is a relatively small outlying area of the greater Detroit area, that has an uncanny inner-city feel, given its size. Thus, some of the points Donlan made were already apparent, but some generated further thought. Overall, I heartily agree that the inner city is a great training ground for international service. Reasons why:
1. Immigrants pool in urban areas: my patients are quite often only speak Spanish, French (West African), Thai, Somali, Arabic, etc.
2. Plenty of experience working in limited-resource scenarios.
3. Both the inner city and communities abroad are very tight-knit and often very large families.
4. Both environments may have quite a bit of mistrust towards outsiders professing to want to help (and often times for historically good reasons).
5. Often the simple answer (hygeine, money for food, education, neglect) trumps the more complicated answers you learn in med school.
6. You have to stretch your mindset to see things from a very different point-of-view.
7. Lastly, there are some people in both places who will defy your categories. Are they wanting help? Do they want to help others? Or are they after something else? Sometimes you just will never know.
My family medicine clinic is in Ypsilanti, MI, which is a relatively small outlying area of the greater Detroit area, that has an uncanny inner-city feel, given its size. Thus, some of the points Donlan made were already apparent, but some generated further thought. Overall, I heartily agree that the inner city is a great training ground for international service. Reasons why:
1. Immigrants pool in urban areas: my patients are quite often only speak Spanish, French (West African), Thai, Somali, Arabic, etc.
2. Plenty of experience working in limited-resource scenarios.
3. Both the inner city and communities abroad are very tight-knit and often very large families.
4. Both environments may have quite a bit of mistrust towards outsiders professing to want to help (and often times for historically good reasons).
5. Often the simple answer (hygeine, money for food, education, neglect) trumps the more complicated answers you learn in med school.
6. You have to stretch your mindset to see things from a very different point-of-view.
7. Lastly, there are some people in both places who will defy your categories. Are they wanting help? Do they want to help others? Or are they after something else? Sometimes you just will never know.
10.1.09
Atheists, Priests, and Dependency in Africa
I don't think that I'll try to provide a direct answer to the questions from Paul Theroux, as posted below. Instead just a couple stories and thoughts that seem to bear upon the issue. The most significant is an amazing article sent to me by the good James Paternoster from The Times, by Matthew Parris, entitled "As an Atheist, I Truly Believe Africa Needs God." I recommend it in it's entirety. It's subtitle reads: "Missionaries, not aid money, are the solution to Africa's biggest problem - the crushing passivity of the people's mindset." He then goes on to make claims that even I, as a Christian, might not be so bold as to make. The main supposition is that Africa needs a new worldview, one that encourages initiative and ingenuity, and does not bow to thuggish pseudo-dictators. He (almost reluctantly) admits that he finds this change taking place in the areas where missionaries have been the most active within Africa. Of course, this falls into the category of "faith in God as a means to an end", which is a camp in which I cannot put myself, but nonetheless, it gives me great optimism about our goal of Word and Deed.
The second story that has seemed relevant to me is that of Abbe Pierre, a French priest that Paul Brand (long-time leprosy doctor/hand surgeon/missionary in India) met years ago. His story is that he started a mission to help the homeless of Paris, and found the greatest effect in having the homeless serve someone more needy than themselves. This apparently turned out to be enormously successful, to the end that they were in the danger of not having enough need to serve. This, in turn, brought Abbe Pierre to Dr. Brand in India, and he found in Indian pariah lepers someone for the homeless of France to serve. He expressed his great concern to Dr. Brand that a lack of service would turn their focus inward and thus be their own destruction. Service as simply a means to your own fulfillment is fraught with difficulty, but I do agree with basic ideas here, and thus remember that turning a blind eye or a hard heart to the suffering in the world is just as likely to be our own end as theirs.
The second story that has seemed relevant to me is that of Abbe Pierre, a French priest that Paul Brand (long-time leprosy doctor/hand surgeon/missionary in India) met years ago. His story is that he started a mission to help the homeless of Paris, and found the greatest effect in having the homeless serve someone more needy than themselves. This apparently turned out to be enormously successful, to the end that they were in the danger of not having enough need to serve. This, in turn, brought Abbe Pierre to Dr. Brand in India, and he found in Indian pariah lepers someone for the homeless of France to serve. He expressed his great concern to Dr. Brand that a lack of service would turn their focus inward and thus be their own destruction. Service as simply a means to your own fulfillment is fraught with difficulty, but I do agree with basic ideas here, and thus remember that turning a blind eye or a hard heart to the suffering in the world is just as likely to be our own end as theirs.
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