Yes, we're still here!

 Greetings! I just realized it's been a few months since our last post, so hope I can do some small justice to what has transpired since then. In May, we traveled to the US for a retreat for medical missionaries at Alongside in Michigan, then helped (along with others) Daniel's parents move from Philly to Pittsburgh. We are also preparing a big transition. . . moving to the States for a while: for kids' school, for Daniel to pursue a palliative care fellowship, and also be close to family. We also hope this time will let us catch our breath!

Yet we won't be completely leaving Kalukembe. Priscila will continue as director of our Maternity Health project and will help our Palliative Care team with intermittent visits, funding and communications. We have also been invited to contribute to formulating a rural medicine training program for our province, though where that goes remains unknown. We are still coordinating visitors for Kalukembe - including already planning a dental campaign for 2026. Dr. Emmanuel Ikwutah, a Nigerian general surgeon, has solid plans to come to Angola and work at Kalukembe. So the work and ministry will continue! This is a place we see filled with potential, purpose and, most importantly, with God's presence. 

Ok, let's share more through pictures below. As always, permissions granted.

At Alongside retreat in Michigan, we learned a number of things: strategies to thrive in our work, the challenges of finding and maintaining healthy boundaries in our lives, and all the fun things that dry ice can do (all thanks to Dr. Jim Ritchie! Pictured with Pri and Eliel)

Attending a Phillies game one last time before Dan's parents moved to Pittsburgh. Phillies won--they do well in the regular season. It's the post-season they need to figure out.

Amandio and Julia visiting a patient with gastrointestinal cancer on the ward. In addition to receiving surgical care from Dr. Sam Chen visiting from Canada, she also received spiritual care through encouragement, conversations and prayer from our palliative care team.

Friend and colleague Petra J. visited with other Votoka nurses in August, giving an impromptu talk on safe maternal delivery to women waiting to be seen outside Priscila's office

We also were hugely blessed and had lots of fun with Mike and Dr. Ruth Hennebery. Friends from our church in Wilmington, they came and helped in many ways: Ruth with OBGYN surgeries, consults, ultrasounds; Mike with homeschooling, games with kids, fixing shelving and other handy jobs!

Mike setting up bed nets in the maternal waiting home. More evidence of his working holiday!

Nurse Filipa sharing about maternal health with Julia and Naomi helping at Chituto clinic in September

The Mission Aviation Fellowship hospital maintenance and well-being team of  (R to L seated) Marcel, Andrew and Basilio; with Dr. Jake Pratt (standing, visiting from Samaritans Purse). They came and fixed the hospital's solar water pump and one of the steam sterilizers that had been broken for over a year. Without such a partnership from both organizations, the hospital would be with much, much less.

Dr. Jake Pratt visited from Samaritans Purse and brought together the chaplains from Kalukembe Hospital and CEML, a sister surgical hospital in Lubango, for a conference focussed on the heart of a chaplain. We were very excited to see mutual encouragement and affirmation of the importance of chaplaincy work in mission hospitals

In July, Anna Eberwein returned after her first year in medical school to do research in uterine ruptures and to help teach both neonatal resuscitation and care for preterm infants. Our staff got to refresh on their resuscitation skills and learn more ways to care for preterm infants. Thanks, Anna!

One of the all-hands-on-deck weekend crises. . . Dr. Andrew (visiting ER resident) performing USGIV for an epi infusion while looking for more blood in a woman with placenta accreta and imperceptible blood pressure at the start of the case. Transfused 7 units by the end, epi, calcium, antibiotics. Priscila and Dr Ruth did her emergency hysterectomy and she was sitting up in bed, breast-feeding the next morning.