Greetings from Tenwek!
I had fun this week picking out a four-week Advent Bible study to do with my interns. I found one that talked about Christmas being a cold season with short days, I stopped reading right there because that definitely doesn’t fit my context. It’s been hot and dry for weeks. We’re praying for rain for the crops and for our hydroelectric dam. We’ve had a few mornings without power, and I regretted buying whole coffee beans instead of pre-ground ones. Even with a gas stove and a French press, you still need electricity to grind the beans. Oops. I now have some pre-ground coffee ready to go for the next dark morning.
Always trying to figure out life here, but still enjoying each and every day. I pray that wherever you are, you have a Christmas filled with joy.
As I look toward 2026, I have some exciting news to share. It’s been a long time coming, and I don’t think I fully believe it yet, but in the new year I’ll be starting a small training program for Respiratory Nurses. Since moving to Tenwek in 2013, there have been all kinds of ideas about how best to train others to do what I do. This year I realized I already have a great foundation with the Critical Care Nurses (CCNs) I’ve been training.
Starting in January, I’ll be working with 5–6 CCNs. We’ll meet twice a week over lunch for lectures, and once a week they’ll do a practical rotation with me or with the two RTs at the CTC (Cardiothoracic Center). After a year of this, I’m praying we’ll have six Respiratory Nurses who can function as RTs.
Yes, you read that correctly, we now have two other RTs! When the CTC opened this year, they were able to hire two Kenyan Respiratory Therapists who trained in the US. Both had been searching for places where their unique training would be recognized. They’ve joined me in this work, and their presence means our trainees will get hands-on time both in the CTC and the main hospital, and I’ll have help carrying the training load.
The way the program is designed, costs are minimal. The biggest expense is lunch—lunch lectures go much better when lunch is provided. Would you be willing to sponsor a lunch for the students and teachers? One lunch a month for the whole group is about $30. If you’d like to cover all the lunches for a month, it’s $240 (eight lunches). If you wish to donate, click here and select my name from the list. Please pray for a good group of learners and for the energy I’ll need to teach well on top of my regular responsibilities.
I also want to say thank you. This past year, you, my community of supporters, have given so generously. The year started off hard, as the hospital was struggling with reduced reimbursement from the government insurance. To help patients, many funds were directed toward needy families and equipment. Here are some things YOUR generosity made possible:
Equipment and supplies for Pediatric High Flow and CPAP, helping countless children recover without invasive ventilation or ICU costs
Supplies to better monitor oxygen and CO₂ levels
Ventilator repairs
Y-splitters so we can have two oxygen ports in ICU rooms—crucial when patients are deteriorating and equipment changes need to happen fast
Neonatal bag-valve-masks (because when a baby stops breathing, you need a working one immediately)
Laryngoscope chargers (because putting in a breathing tube doesn’t work well when the light dies!)
Supplies for intern Bible study
Mileage funds so I can teach at other hospitals when asked
Financial help for needy patients
Looking ahead to the new year, I have a few prayer requests to share. Please pray for:
New missionaries settling in—our community is always changing, and we want to serve well and glorify God in all things
Wisdom as we look for better ways to balance our teams and care for patients without burning out our staff at a busy hospital
The learners in this new program
Wisdom for hospital leadership as they juggle so many needs
Thank you for your prayers and support,
God Bless
Annette Lievaart
