Learning
Mike and I are at our last day of tropical medicine training at the University of MN. When we signed up for this course it seemed so far away, but we're here and that means that it's almost time for us to leave MN in preparation for Malawi.
Our first day of medicine training was about malaria and it scared us silly. A disease that affects so much of the world and kills so many people, but we are so sheltered. Of course we thought of our kids and the increased threat of malaria in kids less than 5 years of age and we wished the kids were older. And we wonder what will happen when they have to get up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom and leave the protection of their mosquito nets. =)
The next day we studied tuberculosis. A much better picture as there is great treatment available.
And today we learned more about HIV--the infection we will be treating at Partners in Hope. I had very mixed feelings. In the setting of all of these experts teaching us who have been treating and caring for HIV patients since its discovery in the early 80's and who have had an abundance of experience in overseas countries, I felt very unqualified to be part of the HIV treatment in Africa. But I suppose we have to start somewhere.
On the positive side, as we talked more and more about HIV in Africa we heard more about the great need and the great hope that comes in treatment that is now available. I found myself falling in love even more with Africa, with a burden in my heart for helping in this overwhelming tragedy. And feeling a confirmation in God's calling to Malawi for our family. I wish I had been learning about HIV more in depth over the last few years, but God will provide the strength and patience to learn what we need to in order to better serve our patients.
Our first day of medicine training was about malaria and it scared us silly. A disease that affects so much of the world and kills so many people, but we are so sheltered. Of course we thought of our kids and the increased threat of malaria in kids less than 5 years of age and we wished the kids were older. And we wonder what will happen when they have to get up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom and leave the protection of their mosquito nets. =)
The next day we studied tuberculosis. A much better picture as there is great treatment available.
And today we learned more about HIV--the infection we will be treating at Partners in Hope. I had very mixed feelings. In the setting of all of these experts teaching us who have been treating and caring for HIV patients since its discovery in the early 80's and who have had an abundance of experience in overseas countries, I felt very unqualified to be part of the HIV treatment in Africa. But I suppose we have to start somewhere.
On the positive side, as we talked more and more about HIV in Africa we heard more about the great need and the great hope that comes in treatment that is now available. I found myself falling in love even more with Africa, with a burden in my heart for helping in this overwhelming tragedy. And feeling a confirmation in God's calling to Malawi for our family. I wish I had been learning about HIV more in depth over the last few years, but God will provide the strength and patience to learn what we need to in order to better serve our patients.
posted by Mike and Heather Tacheny at
11:56 AM
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