(continued from page 23)
Francesca plays games with the local children after Sunday
church service. The welcoming nature of the Kalenjin tribe is
undoubtedly their best of many great qualities.
major cities, the houses are typically mud huts. Villages are centered on farming, particularly corn. There is still no water in many
places, and no electricity. Roads are beginning to be paved but the
remoteness makes it a slow process.
“I thought going into global health that I had a good perspective
on what it means to be privileged, and what it means to be from
America. But, going abroad to other cultures and other countries
you see just how privileged you are, exponentially, and what you
should do about that. Should you challenge yourself to use that
privilege to help others - to change policies because you see people
who want to go to school so badly?” asked Francesca.
and them empowering me to go on and do something good in the
world. Global health is really the stories of the kids that no one hears
about. If we lay all the cards on the table: does the medical care
help? Yes. Does the water help? Yes. But the real issue is that we’re
gaining as much from them as they are from us. I don’t think you
can be good in global health until you realize that you’re gaining as
much from other people as they are from you,” he said.
One of the most striking stories came from the Kingerys’ translator, Timothy, who quickly became close friends with the visiting
couple. From a self-described “rough” tribe in Kenya, Timothy
was taken in by the Korir family and sent to school with their help.
“Timothy is the definition of a global health inspiration story,”
said Justin, who talks with him on the phone every day. “He has
become the most multi-talented person you’ll ever meet in your life.
Every time a group goes with water or engineering or medicine,
Timothy is the new expert on that field.”
One of Timothy’s primary interests was American professions.
Accounting, managing, the requirements of being a doctor, nothing was off limits. In May, Timothy passed his SAT. Now, with the
help of Justin and Francesca, he is planning to attend the University of Charleston in West Virginia where he received a near full
scholarship thanks to his SAT scores and natural abilities as a long
distance runner.
“Justin and Francesca have done a lot of things,” said Timothy,
speaking from Kenya via e-mail. “In their first trip last year, though
short, they managed to see over 500 patients and treat all of them.
This year at the end of February, Justin came and he did a brilliant
job. We rode on an ambulance and we were able to save more than
20 lives delivering mothers and unborn kids.”
On his latest visit, Justin also visited the Kenyan Ministry of
Health to discuss forward thinking ways of preventing different
diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure. “Justin is the first
American doctor to be given a license to work in Kenya,” Timothy
said. “A week later, Francesca came accompanied with two medical
students from Louisville. They were able to carry out clinics in Geta,
Motosiet, Wiyeta and Benon dispensaries and Cherangany Health
Centre. They treated over 1,000 patients. All people love Justin and
Francesca in Kenya, and they wish them to come back.”
There is still much work to be done. Kenya has 2,000 public
physicians in a nation of more than 40 million people. Outside of
24
LOUISVILLE MEDICINE
As Francesca continues a five-year program in medicine and
bioethics, Justin is entering his third year as an internal medicine
resident at U of L. Still, they plan on continuing their education
and using Louisville as a base of operations for their goals in Kenya.
“We love that Louisville understands the world better than a
lot of places,” said Justin. “We think the med school here and the
departments are really primed to do great things in global health.
If we can be on board and help out, that’s what we’ll do. But we
want to continue to develop the Kenyan relationship because the
number one goal for us is the relationship. It’s not a bounce around
the globe and have fun issue.”
It was this relationship that encouraged Timothy to pursue a college education and come to America. “I want to be known as a great
learner and athlete in the world,” Timothy said. “I will transform
my ‘everything’ to help less fortunate people because I believe my
purpose being on Earth is to help those, orphans and other people
in the society.”
By happenstance, the region in which Justin and Francesca visit is
responsible for 60-80 percent of the world’s long distance running
gold medals since the mid-1980s. Each morning around 6 or 7 a.m.,
some of the best runners in the world take to the dirt roads near
Mount Elgon. Because he’s part of the tribe now, Justin has had
the opportunity to run with some of the best runners in the world.
“The term ‘run’ for me is used very lightly,” laughed Justin. “Because you’re running while the kids are going to school, you may be
surrounded by 50 children trying to talk to you. People are waving
and cheering because they know you’re a horrible runner compared
to the others. But what they tell me is that it’s the attitude, not the
legs. Just to be out there with them, the sun coming up over the
hills, the kids behind you, you’ll never do that again in your life.”
(The will to run appears to have a lot in common with the will to
help others. The atti