Hello Readers! My name is Eric Tom. I am
starting this blog because in a couple months I will be headed for Kenya to
spend a year doing medical mission work as a volunteer nurse. My
departure is still a ways off, but I don't like the way the empty blog page
looks without any posts. So I thought I’d
make my first entry now as an introduction.
Everyone has been asking me: WHY? Why go
to Kenya? Why volunteer? This was not something I just spontaneously signed
up for. For a few years now I’ve had
this idea in the back of my mind that I’d like to do medical mission work
someday. I’ve been fortunate to grow up
living in a land of plenty and privilege.
I’ve never wanted for food, clothing, shelter, access to education, or
medical care. Obviously I can’t provide all
these things to the whole world. But I
figure if I can share just a little part of the blessings I’ve had to help even
a few people, then I think that would be a worthwhile thing.
When I graduated from nursing school in 2010 I was ready to
start looking into volunteering. I
looked into different organizations, including the Peace Corps, Doctors Without
Borders, Mercy Ships, etc. I also
stumbled on a group called the Catholic Medical Mission Board (CMMB) which
peaked my interest. Fortunately at the
time, I had the good sense and patience not to dash off around the world
without any experience. And so, eager as
I was to volunteer one day, I tucked the idea away again and looked for a job.
 |
| Huntington Hospital, where I've worked the past couple years. Looks more like a high-end hotel than a hospital. |
For the past two and a half years I’ve been lucky to work at
Huntington Hospital in Pasadena, CA on the medical/surgical oncology unit. Working med/surg has allowed me to learn a
very wide range of skills. Working specifically
with the oncology population has been a special experience. People who live with a diagnosis of cancer
generally have a very different outlook on life. I have really loved having the opportunity to
get to know and work with these people. I’ve also had an amazing group of coworkers
who’ve taught me so much. Having worked
so closely with these wonderful people over the last couple years makes it a
lot harder to leave the hospital.
 |
| This is how I looked as I read my letter of acceptance email. Do I look excited or scared? |
When the time finally came to seriously think about
volunteering, I went back again to CMMB and researched the organization. I love the fact that the organization focuses
specifically on medical work and sends trained medical professionals to support existing local facilities. I also love the fact that the group is
Catholic. Not that faith directly
affects the volunteers’ work; care is provided to everyone regardless of their
faith. Still, being a devout Catholic
myself, I am thrilled to be working closely with a Catholic group. It is my faith in Jesus after all that
inspires me to reach out to help others.
After much research, CMMB emerged as my first choice to work with. I applied and shortly after was accepted!
I’m still surprised that I’m doing this mission. I don’t strike myself as a particularly
adventurous person. And yet here I am
about to leave everyone I know to spend a whole YEAR in Kenya. Fortunately for me, English is widely spoken
there (part of the reason I applied to work in Kenya rather than South
America). When I opened the email
notifying me that I’d been accepted to the volunteer program, I was filled with
a (I think) healthy mixture of excitement and anxiety. Even now I admit there’s some nervousness at
the idea of leaving home for a year, but I’m thrilled to be going and can’t
wait to start my work.
I’ve been assigned to work at Mutomo Hospital. It’s situated in a small town about five
hours outside of Nairobi (the capital city) and is under the care of the Sisters of Mercy.
The hospital has 120 beds, but only 100 employees! The main units include med/surg, maternity,
and pediatrics. I’m sure this will be a
huge learning experience, both from a cultural and a nursing standpoint. I can’t say I’ve had much experience treating
malaria or HIV in California.
I’m surprised how much work there is in preparing to leave
home for a year. Aside from leaving my
job and moving out of my apartment, there’s medical insurance to set up,
applying for a visa, getting my passport renewed, getting my nursing license
recognized in Kenya, fundraising (by the way, if you’d like to contribute to my
fundraising, you can go to support.cmmb.org/goto/etom), getting a whole host
of vaccinations, booking a flight, and a lot more that I can’t even remember right
now.
Despite all the work and preparation, I really am looking
forward to beginning my service. Look
for more blog posts as I draw closer to leaving.
And please pray for me as I prepare.
