“To love someone means to see them as God intended.”                                                                                               Fyodor Dostoyevsky My mama about age 11 Ten years ago, I sat by my mother’s bedside as she was recovering from surgery. I don’t remember the exact context of our conversation but I was prompted to ask, “Mama, what is your greatest fear?” Her reply […]

Mercy in its essence is simple. It is Christ. Mercy comes in many forms—in a caring touch, in a kind word, in a smile.  It may come in the form of medicines, money to pay for hospital bills, food and the basics of life.  This trip, mercy most tangibly comes in providing clean water to […]

One year ago, on October 4, 2023, Rehema Hospice and Clinic was officially dedicated as a place of mercy for those suffering from chronic, serious and terminal illnesses. And what a day of joy it was! But this blog post takes us back to January 2022, when, after the two-year COVID hiatus from international travel, […]

For those of you who travel with me through the words on this blog, you’re probably aware of my longing to open a hospice house in rural western Kenya. Longing creates a sense of anticipation and hope. Longing also involves a sense of loss as what was once imagined morphs into something new.  Longing also […]

I’ve had some time off these past few weeks and have filled it with resting, reading, walking and more often than I’d like, catching the ever shifting news. Tucked in amongst the tirades of presidential candidates, the gold medals of Olympiads, (some tarnished by bad behavior) appear heart-stopping images of victims of war and bloodshed […]

Please be sure to watch our new video at the end! Way back in time (2006) Pamela and Deaconess Mary building a mud wall. Back in the day when I first traveled to Kenya in 2006, cell phones with the capability to make cheap calls home were not an option. The iPhone had yet to […]

They came to me with smiling faces, eager to share something with me. The oldest girl, Olivia, was clutching a clear glass jar filled with coins and a few bills. “This is the money we earned from our lemonade stand. And I want to give it to you for the kids in Kenya,” she said […]

Jesus, His mother, Mary and Disciple, John The sun has hidden her face today. Metal gray clouds mute the sky with a dreariness that seems appropriate for this Friday the Church calls Good. This is the day we contemplate the suffering and death of our Lord, Jesus Christ. The day when time stood still, and […]

Traveling is stressful and requires loads of patience.  Any seasoned traveler will attest to this.  Even the most detailed plans can go awry. Learning to accept that something will not go as expected, then adapting accordingly is the key to keeping one’s sanity. Maybe there are a few folks who actually like sitting in an […]