The End of HMA but not the World...MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Mike and Pam at Cloudland Canyon near Lookout Mountain, Chattanooga, TN

WE KNOW WHEN IT'S OVER......

 

Yes sir,  Jesus told us when the end of the world would come in Matthew 24:14  "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations and THEN the end will come."  So, in a way, you have missionaries at least partially to blame for the end of the world coming!  Trouble is, it is a little hard to know exactly what end point to use in determining when the gospel gets preached in the whole world.  The Chupp family, other WGM families, and Tenwek Hospital are taking seriously our role in getting that gospel all across Kenya and even East Africa.  Our time in the US on Homeland Ministry Assignment (HMA) is quickly drawing to a close.   We are scheduled to leave in one week from Atlanta through London on to Nairobi, arriving in Nairobi New Year's Eve.  This brings to a close five wonderful and blessed months of time in the US with our families, hundreds of friends, several churches and conferences, and two months back on staff with Southwestern Medical Clinic.   Our mission has released us to return to Tenwek to resume our duties as staff general surgeon,  Assistant Country Director for WGM in Kenya,  home-school teacher,  hostess, Children's Bible quizzing co-directors, and ....lots of other great stuff!

AIR FORCE PREPARATION FOR STEVEN

Steven is really pumped after having passed his physical endurance and strength testing with Air Force recruiters in Chattanooga in mid December to qualify for Pararescue Jumper (PJ) indoctrination after basic training.  Basic training might be offered to him in January but Steven is more likely to "ship out" for March training in San Antonio, Texas.  He will be staying with Pam's parents in Chattanooga until basic training begins.  Meanwhile, he works out daily at the YMCA with another Christian recruit for the Air Force who also hopes to become a "PJ".

 

Graduation ceremony:  A Tenwek surgery department first!

 



Residents and general surgery faculty at Tenwek on our back porch

We are excited that one day after landing at Tenwek, Mike will be participating in Tenwek's first ever ceremony to honor two graduates from our five year general surgery residency under the auspices of the Pan African Academy of Christian Surgeons (PAACS).   Dr. Agneta Odera and Dr. Arega Fekadu as well as our surgery faculty and administration will be decked out in grad gowns as we honor these two hard working and accomplished young surgeons.   Both passed international examinations in Ethiopia this month and have attained the designation of "Fellows of the College of Surgeons of East, Central, and Southern Africa"  (COSECSA)  Agneta plans to pursue a pediatric surgical fellowship, possibly in South Africa, while Arega has already joined the staff of a rural mission hospital in Ethiopia, his home country.    Eight junior residents will move into years two through four of the program next month together with two new first year residents (Dr. Mark Oloo and Dr. Valentine Mitei) who get started in January.    There have been some financial challenges for our program and the PAACS organization in 2012.   Patients at Tenwek do not bear the cost of this training program as salaries and benefits to our Christian residents are provided by donors through PAACS and World Gospel Mission.  Would you consider helping support one of our two new residents at Tenwek?  Please see the WGM website (www.wgm.org) and follow links to the Tenwek Surgical Residency to donate toward their support or visit the PAACS website (www.paacs.net) to see how to contribute to the training of African surgeons for Africa .    It takes approximately $1,600 per resident per month to train and equip these men and women at Tenwek to become surgical ambassadors for Christ in East Africa. 

FINAL WEEK SUPPORT CHALLENGE:

As we reach the one week mark before our departure,  we are grateful to God for several new friends who have joined our support team and one church that has decided to increase our monthly support.   As a result, nearly half of the new ongoing monthly/regular support we have been seeking has come in.  In addition, gifts toward the purchase of a newer four wheel drive vehicle (which we hope to purchase this term) have come in and we are very close to our goal of $40,000.  We still lack about $500 a month in regular ongoing support commitments.   Would you consider helping us with this need?  To give or make a commitment you can click on the link on the right side of this blog page to go to our WGM page for donations to the Chupp ministry.  All gifts are tax deductible and WGM will send you an appropriate receipt

Thank you and have a peaceful, joyful Christmas wherever this blog finds you!

Mike and Pam Chupp