this is holy week. a week that ends in Passover and Easter and is full of remembering the faithfulness of God.
this week i was in mbarara with a beautiful friend from residency. she was sharing her research findings from a study done here, to the people who live here. she is not just my friend, she's a 'big wig' - she is a research success story- big people in big places want to hear her thoughts on things- she is invited to important meetings in exotic places because she's really smart and really kind and most of all, really genuine. she does work involving the social factors that affect disease. she thinks about things that matter. i love her heart and what she does matters and when I listen, a part of me gets really excited that we're finally tackling the right things, those foundational things that affect health. things like hunger and stigma and risky behaviors.
this week i was able to be connected with my old life, while in my new life. academics and africa. it was exciting and energizing but it also made me see how different the world looks to me now. here i see how hard life is, how many barriers exist, how in research you can 'control' for one factor to see the results of another - but not in life. here on the ground, poverty looks big and heavy and hard to move. while study interventions may help for the year of funding and good data is collected and lives are impacted, what about all the years? how do you change poverty? gender roles? stigma?
and it brought up a lot of issues, and i had a lot of thoughts and i've had many conversations and i have no real answers.
except time.
except commitment.
except that it's holy week.
and that in Passover and Easter things got really ugly before God brought redemption. things seemed pretty hopeless, and over and done.
but they weren't. there was protection, freedom, and life.
so however we tackle the world- as big wigs or small, smalls; in large scale or doing for one, i will hold onto the promises of this week. i will try to live in them. i will remember that God is faithful.
this week i was in mbarara with a beautiful friend from residency. she was sharing her research findings from a study done here, to the people who live here. she is not just my friend, she's a 'big wig' - she is a research success story- big people in big places want to hear her thoughts on things- she is invited to important meetings in exotic places because she's really smart and really kind and most of all, really genuine. she does work involving the social factors that affect disease. she thinks about things that matter. i love her heart and what she does matters and when I listen, a part of me gets really excited that we're finally tackling the right things, those foundational things that affect health. things like hunger and stigma and risky behaviors.
this week i was able to be connected with my old life, while in my new life. academics and africa. it was exciting and energizing but it also made me see how different the world looks to me now. here i see how hard life is, how many barriers exist, how in research you can 'control' for one factor to see the results of another - but not in life. here on the ground, poverty looks big and heavy and hard to move. while study interventions may help for the year of funding and good data is collected and lives are impacted, what about all the years? how do you change poverty? gender roles? stigma?
and it brought up a lot of issues, and i had a lot of thoughts and i've had many conversations and i have no real answers.
except time.
except commitment.
except that it's holy week.
and that in Passover and Easter things got really ugly before God brought redemption. things seemed pretty hopeless, and over and done.
but they weren't. there was protection, freedom, and life.
so however we tackle the world- as big wigs or small, smalls; in large scale or doing for one, i will hold onto the promises of this week. i will try to live in them. i will remember that God is faithful.
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