Steve & Alene are requesting prayers for their new jobs
Steve and Alene have been
given expanded roles...and we need your prayers!
We
missionaries often use the term "being stretched" as we describe our
service on the mission field taking us beyond our prior experiences and
expectations. This is definitely the case for both of us now! Steve has been
appointed to serve as the Tenwek Hospital Medical Superintendent as of July 1st
and Alene is already working on her new administrative assignments
for the Kenya Field of World Gospel Mission.
All of us at Tenwek Hospital are very proud that
our current Medical Superintendent, Dr. Mike Chupp, will be moving from Tenwek
after 20 years here to become the Senior Vice President for the Christian
Medical and Dental Association in Bristol, TN. Mike and Pam Chupp will be
greatly missed. ... and most acutely by Steve as he assumes Mike's duties of
Medical Superintendent for this 300-bed hospital, as well as more
administrative roles for World Gospel Mission Kenya.
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| Mike congratulates Steve on his appointment to follow him as Medical Superintendent |
The WGM Kenya Field includes nearly 100
missionary adults and children. Coordinating all of the necessary
services for the field has grown over the years and starting this year is being
managed by a team of missionaries. With the Chupps' departure and two others
leaving for Home Ministry Assignment (furlough), the administrative
responsibilities are expanded for Alene to serve as the Director of Partner
Relations and Acting Director of Member Health, and for Steve to serve as the
Director of Human Resources. We sincerely request your prayers for God to
provide strength and wisdom to serve well for our team and for His kingdom.
"If
anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all
things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the
power for ever and ever. Amen."
1 Peter 4:11
Endoscopy Research and Training
Progresses
We are pleased to have Endoscopy Research
Coordinator, Betsy, and Endoscopy Research Assistant, Winnie, now serving on
our research team. They have been vital for our expanded esophageal cancer
research work this year.
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| Winnie (L) and Betsy (R) prepare the Lugol's iodine solution to detect pre-cancer changes in the esophagus |
We are also delighted to welcome Dr. Emmanuel
Kiniga as our 2-year Endoscopy/Research Fellow. He is quickly learning to do
our procedures and looks forward to research opportunities as well.
 |
| Steve guides Emmanuel to perform the endoscopy procedure |
Endoscopy Doctors Are Urgently
Needed
With Steve now doing more administrative duties
there is a great opportunity for short-term or long-term service by
Gastroenterology Endoscopists at Tenwek Hospital. We are grateful to have a
commitment for coverage of endoscopy services in December, but we still await
coverage for the other months. Please feel free to pass along this request to
appropriately-trained physicians and lift up prayers regarding this urgent
need. Of course, contact Steve by email via wgm@wgm.org and he will gladly provide more information.
Numbers of Staff members and Trainees continue to grow at Tenwek
Hospital
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| Many of the consulting staff, interns, and residents at Tenwek Hospital |
 |
| Loaves of bread distributed at the women’s prison for Christmas |
Correctional Ministry Continues to
Bless Many!
The Kenya Correctional Ministry team of 11
chaplains gave inspiring reports at their annual meeting this month regarding
the scope of their work sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ inside the prisons,
as well as their ongoing efforts to reconcile released offenders back to their
families and home communities.
We are eager to
share the full Correctional Ministry newsletter and allow you to better enjoy
the stories of lives transformed by faith. If you are interested please
drop an email to wgm@wgm.org with subject line
"Burgert CXM newsletter," and we will promptly send it to you.
Refreshment
and Renewal at our Kenya Field Retreat - "THRIVE"
Each day at our field
retreat we celebrated our theme song "Thrive" by Casting Crowns.
Please enjoy it with us: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3fNhCDvLNfqeF9jTzk3blRrTWc/view
Part of the lyrics are:
"We
know we were made for so much more than ordinary lives.
It's
time for us to more than just survive.
We were made
to thrive."
Alene
had the privilege to perform 2 youth and 2 adult baptisms in the Indian Ocean
during retreat.
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| Chuck assists Alene to baptize Peggy |
Please thank the Lord with us:
• For Alene's recovery from a dogbite
and well-being after the series of rabies shots
• For educational and
spiritual growth at the international missionary doctors CMDA conference
in April
• For renewal and encouragement for
us members of the WGM Kenya Field at the annual retreat last month
• For physicians from many
specialties already committed to start at Tenwek Hospital later this
year, serving for 6 - 24 months
Please pray with us:
• For the Lord's guidance, wisdom,
and strength as Steve and Alene assume added responsibilities
• For Endoscopy physicians to come to
serve at Tenwek Hospital
• For additional financial support to
cover travel expenses for extra meetings for Steve and Alene in their new roles
• For peace and encouragement for the
entire Tenwek Hospital team with many missionary families in transition from
the field or returning to the field
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT -
