{"id":3069,"date":"2023-05-14T22:48:25","date_gmt":"2023-05-14T22:48:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/missiontoheal.org\/?p=3069"},"modified":"2024-09-03T17:12:59","modified_gmt":"2024-09-03T17:12:59","slug":"volunteer-reflection-dan-olsen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/missiontoheal.org\/volunteer-reflection-dan-olsen\/","title":{"rendered":"Volunteer Reflection: Dan Olsen and the Next Right Thing. Kenya III, 2023"},"content":{"rendered":"

Dan Olsen, DO, is a retired General and Hand surgeon. Having grown up in Kenya as the child of American missionaries, he was thrilled to volunteer with Mission to Heal on our Kenya III mission in April 2023. Here is Dan’s reflection on the 2 weeks he spent in Marsabit County with our team.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

For me personally this was a heartwarming return to \u201cmagical \u201c Kenya with M2H, land of my <\/span>formative childhood, now joining the team as a surgeon to care for the most underserved and <\/span>\u201cfurthest people\u201d amongst the Samburu and Rendille tribes in the Northern Frontier desert <\/span>region. I had followed Dr. Geelhoed, Sam Jangala, and M2H online for sometime, drawn by <\/span>many common connection factors with both, believing in their mission purpose, and <\/span>intrigued by their Mobile Surgical Units (MSU\u2019s). I was unable to connect and launch before the <\/span>pandemic, but here I finally was!<\/span><\/p>\n

It was exciting to realize I could still converse in Swahili, and it felt right to be even a small part <\/span>of caring for and teaching Kenyan peoples following the impact on my childhood by dedicated <\/span>missionary surgeon role models. Dr. Geelhoed\u2019s exceptional experience and knowledge of Africa, tropical medicine\/surgical problems etc. contributed to a \u201cmini fellowship\u201d learning experience for the local providers and our team.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

Volunteer Dan Olsen teaching a Kenyan trainee in the M2H Mobile Surgical Units.<\/p><\/div>\n

Even though I have been a part of multiple mission trips, including India and Haiti, my \u201ctransformational learning \u201c during this M2H Kenya III experience helped me realize the <\/span>importance and value of not just \u201cdoing the cases,\u201d but <\/span>mentoring the local providers to leave <\/b>them an on-going enhancement of their own skills and methods<\/b>. This included not just basic \u201ccut & sew\u201d surgical skills but tooth extraction techniques also.<\/span><\/p>\n

Dr. Geelhoed\u2019s mission statement seems to be \u201c…teach a man to fish and he…\u201d This important distinction of approach, as opposed to just doing a flurry of cases, has on-going value by placing an emphasis on the local providers. This will be incorporated in my future mission trips, and hopefully as I join M2H on future missions.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

Dan Olsen (left) with local trainee (center) and fellow volunteer, Christian Falgian (right)<\/p><\/div>\n

M2H Africa trips require a lot of patience with their logistical challenges and constant adjustment to changing circumstances. Director of Operations, Sam Jangala, has this skill set and makes it happen. Our team was safe, well fed, and cared for at every turn. His India missionary kid experiences and many Africa trips experience with Dr. Geelhoed make them an effective duo. I had a great time and enjoyed them both!<\/span><\/p>\n

Finally, what a great and rewarding experience this was being a part of M2H, offering care and <\/span>mentoring providers among the furthest people north in Kenya\u2019s poorest, most underserved <\/span>region. We took the operating theater (and the \u201cdental chair\u201d) to remote patients unable to <\/span>access care otherwise and left behind new provider skills. <\/span>It was also humbling, being <\/b>confronted again with extreme poverty and lack of health care, but rewarding to be doing the \u201cthe next right thing\u201d with M2H<\/b> as I try to serve in my \u201cretirement\u201d….What\u2019s next?<\/span><\/p>\n

Volunteer with Mission to Heal! We’re going to Uganda in August 2023 and have a few spots available. Apply here today.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Dan Olsen, DO, is a retired General and Hand surgeon. Having grown up in Kenya…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":3071,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3069","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nVolunteer Reflection: Dan Olsen and the Next Right Thing. Kenya III, 2023 - Mission to Heal<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Dan Olsen, DO, is a retired General and Hand surgeon. Having grown up in Kenya as the child of American missionaries, he was thrilled to volunteer with Mission to Heal on our Kenya III mission in April 2023. 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