The Next Generation

Expansion of PAACS

Last weekend, I attended the annual Pan-African Academy of Christian Surgeons (PAACS) annual meeting in Chicago in my role as the Regional Director for PAACS Orthopaedics. Biggest news is that two additional programs will be joining the PAACS ortho family: (1) Kijabe/CURE (where we currently serve) and (2) Soddo/CURE in Ethiopia. In January 2019, the total number of residents will increase to over 20!

The PAACS Orthopaedic Council sub-meeting...13 US-based surgeons committed to the training and discipleship of national orthopaedic residents in Africa. 

The main PAACS commission meeting had more than 100 people in attendance. 

Tenwek

Tenwek will graduate our first two residents, Dr. Victor Sowayi, and Dr. Fasto Yugusuk in January 2019.  After graduation, Victor will be serving at Litein Hospital, joining three other PAACS General Surgery graduates at this mission hospital about 50 kilometers from Tenwek.  Fasto, who is from South Sudan, will God-willing return to his home after a few years of work or additional training.  Dr. Amada McCoy, who recently completed a pediatric orthopaedic fellowship at Baylor, joined the consultant team at Tenwek last month.

Dr. Amanda McCoy recently joined Tenwek as a long-term, orthopaedic consultant.

Kijabe 

The Kijabe/CURE program was approved to come under the umbrella of PAACS.  Although the residency was started in 2008, the consultants all agreed that PAACS would add tremendous value in terms of spiritual ministry, discipleship and training.  We recently held our residency interviews and have accepted three quality trainees into the program bringing our total number of residents to 10.  Dr. John Weston and his wife Ali, along with their two children, Gabe and Grace, will join Kijabe in late 2019. John is currently a chief resident at Mayo Clinic and has been accepted into Samaritan’s Purse Post-Residency Program.  

Dr. John and Ali Weston, Gabe and Grace will join the Kijabe team in 2019.  

John and I operated on this young man who received a total hip replacement for severe hip dysplasia. 

Kijabe CURE residents at our weekly PAACS spiritual curriculum bible study. 

Ethiopia

The new PAACS orthopaedic training program beginning in Ethiopia in January 2019 will involve two sites: (1) CURE Ethiopia in Addis Ababa and (2) Soddo Christian Hospital in Southern Ethiopia.  Recently, in my role as Regional Director, I visited both hospitals in Ethiopia, and was struck by the complexity of cases, and incredible talent of the surgeons at both sites.

The extreme work of the surgeons at CURE Ethiopia to correct neglected clubfoot.

The drive to Soddo was beautiful, roads flanked by red fields of teff, the grain used to make the Ethiopian staple food injera.

Dr. Duane Anderson (middle), a very gifted orthopaedic surgeon, has been at Soddo since 2005.  Dr. Brian Hodges (back row right) joined Soddo two years ago.  The three guys in the front are orthopaedic residents from Ethiopia and Kenya.

Global Missions Health Conference 2018

On the tail end of my quick trip back to the states, I attended the annual Global Missions Health Conference in Louisville, KY, where I taught a workshop on casting and splinting, and gave a presentation on PAACS orthopaedics to an enthusiastic crowd.  The conference was attended by more than 2500 medical professionals and students and was a impactful time of networking, and encouraging this next generation of young men and women called to serve in medical missions.

Instructing on the application of an RJ splint.

Great hands-on workshop.

Demonstrating how to reduce and splint an ankle fracture with Dr. Dylan Nugent as the "test subject."

A+ splints.

Psalms 71:14-16

As for me, I will always have hope;

I will praise you more and more. 

My mouth will tell of your righteous deeds, 

of your saving acts all day long - 

though I know not how to relate them all. 

I will come and proclaim your mighty acts, Sovereign Lord;

I will proclaim your righteous deeds, yours alone.