Looking backwards, looking forwards, looking east!

The year that was 2012 is slowly drawing to a close.  It's been a busy one.  I've been blessed with many opportunities to head east, visiting quite a few countries for the first time.  This has included: a parisian New Years celebration with old friends (plus oysters & cigars); navigating a crazy interrail route around Ukraine, Hungary, Poland, Austria and Germany (with a tour of Chernobyl powerplant enroute); enlightening medical teaching trips to Ukraine (twice); summer camps with teaching opportunities in Lithuania and Belarus; short stays in Latvia and Estonia; backpacking around Russia having chance to see St Petersburg, Moscow and Kursk (with fantastic guided tour); and giving a week long series of lectures as part of PRIME on 'Whole Person Medicine', 'Stigma in healthcare' and medical communication skills to medical students at the University of Cluj-Napoca, Transylvania (Romania).  I've been made incredibly welcome by those I've met and have some great new friends.  I'm always amazed at how despite different cultures, the gospel (aka good news and promises of Jesus) unites people all around the world.  I have been shown such love, kindness and patience by those I've met and often stayed with over the past year - I cannot be thankful enough!  It's also been the year where I've gone from medical newby panicking about taking bloods to scary SHO on-call, being given even scarier responsibilities.  I've had some really great wards, inspiring supervisors and a fantastically supportive and caring church family, who've helped me keep my perspectives in check.  Furthermore, by grace, Preston now has a Christian Medical Fellowship group.

2013 also looks to be another year of challenge and adventure, with potential trips to Czech rep, Austria, Ukraine and Romania on the horizon.  Latvia is another contender.  God willing, I'm hoping there may also be a trip/holiday to Russia in the pipeline (buh-dum-cha!).  This may even be the long awaited year when I embark on the Trans-Siberian railroad and finally reach Vladivostok, the 'Ruler of the East'.  If the pace of work continues, 2013 should additionally herald the completion of year one of the Global Health masters (PG cert - woop!) and also potentially the dreaded MRCP part 1 (medical speciality exam). Mega Слава Богу if I manage that one!

Most excitingly however... there is a likely change of scenery ahoy.  Whilst adminsitrative formalities are ongoing, I've accepted a clinical position in south-west Germany to start in September 2013 (black dot on map beneath).  I can envisage many opportunities and beneficial challenges in working there; I greatly look forward to embracing these!   

So, what have I learnt in 2012?

1. Trust in God; work hard; things happen.
2. Travel is easy, the mind provides barriers, flexible is key. (Haiku!)
3. Effective time management is never to be underestimated.
4. Necessity is the mother of invention.
5. I have the ability to teach.
6. Stereotypes are limitted in truth, isolation helps reenforce them.
7. Aspirations are not limitted to a particular culture.  Neither is self-interest.
8. The Russian language is an enigma slow to unravel.  The reward of doing so however is bountiful.
9. God is faithful, even when I am not.  Praise be purely to him.

Key
-  Yellow : Countries visited previously
- Orange: Countries visited this year
- . Red  .: Countries on the hit list for 2013
-  Green : Germany, planned new home
-  Black  : Location from Sept 2013

Corruption in healthcare

Corruption is a major problem in healthcare.

Corruption in healthcare is a major problem in the nations of the former soviet union.  There are many reasons for this, however none that are insurmountable.  My masters' tutorial group chose the topic of healthcare corruption for our presentation.  Your thoughts on the presentation are most welcome!

Corruption in healthcare

Corruption in Healthcare on Prezi

Why is there corruption?
No nation is immune to it, however some health systems are unfortunately afflicted by it more than others.  Ultimately it boils down to the problem of the human heart - putting perceived personal interests above those of others (and of God).  Christians we can be shining lights in this field, showing that corruption needn't be the only way.  Key in this is remembering:

•  Who we are:
• Romans 3:23 - all have sinned, all fall short of God's glory.

•  Personal accountability & integrity:
• Matthew 7:3-5 - pull the log out of our own eye before others

•  Jesus' sacrificial love:
• Matthew 22:37-39 - love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, love your neighbour as yourself.

•  We are accountable:
• Luke 16:10-13 - God cares about how we live.
• “One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in that which is another's, who will give you that which is your own? No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” 

România - este un loc frumos!

Hmmm, looks like I might be falling in love with another country and her people…  I’ve just had the great opportunity of teaching medical students for a week with an organisation called PRIME (Partnerships in Medical Education).  The uniting theme was that of ‘whole person medicine’ i.e. when you value the patient as a person rather than just the condition they bring with them, you dramatically improve quality of healthcare, diagnosis, treatment relevance, concordance and compliance.  The concept is drawn from the foundational biblical principle in love and service of God, we value and have compassion for our neighbour, regardless of situation.

As a result, I led a diverse range of lectures and seminars on topics such as:

• Breaking bad news to patients
• Identifying and managing depression
• Stigma in healthcare; including alcohol and homosexuality
• Evidence based medicine in practice
• Corruption and accountability in healthcare

These sessions were complemented by further teaching from a colleague specialising in Breast and Thyroid surgery from the UK.  The students were engaged and had many questions from our teaching sessions!  I am thankful for this and learnt a great deal from them too.  I even managed to get a few laughs and at one point a round of applause – something greatly unexpected.

During the afternoons  I had chance to learn from a series of sessions aimed at teachers within the medical school on methods of teaching medical students.  Again the PRIME principles of ‘whole person medicine’ were the foundation – whole student teaching?!?!  I think around 20 different teaching means and styles were covered, all applied with a mixture of theory, practice and discussion.  I again learnt a great deal from the chance to work with several wise and experienced colleagues from the UK, being privileged to share in their thoughts, preparations and actions.

And as for Romania, her culture and people…  The warmness of the welcome was pretty extreme!  We were very well looked after and supported.  I’ve made some good friends and had chance to experience a culture unlike those I’ve been to before in Eastern Europe.  The food is good and language pleasant to listen to (and sometimes even comprehensible).  As the name suggests, it’s latin-based – perhaps you can guess the meanings of: bună seara, merci, and adio?

The last thing to perhaps say, it that Transylvania is not a scary place (apart from the all-enveloping fog!).  Give it a try!

Belarus - the void between ideals?

Belarus - the void between ideals?

Belarus (aka white Russia), is a country in Eastern Europe, bordered by the EU to the west (Poland, Latvia, Lithuania) and the Russia/Ukraine to the East.  It's boundaries have fluctuated massively over the centuries with its people coming under successive empires and conquests.  It lost a quarter of its population during the Second World War, with 90% of its capital city, Minsk destroyed.  It became part of the Soviet Union until its dissolution in 1991.  Over the past 18 years it has had one leader, Alexander Lukashenko, who has ruled the country through the surrounding economic and political instability of the 1990s and the increasing international isolation of the 2000s.  To be frank, western media rarely portrays Belarus in a positive light.  The US government called Belarus, "Europe's only remaining 'outpost of tyranny' ".  The BBC was recently allowed an interview with the Belarussian leader - a summary can be found here.  When describing Belarus the BBC states:

Two decades later (after FSU collapse), the sense of national identity is weak, international isolation continues and the nature of political links with Russia remains a key issue. 

Thus the stereotypical image of Belarus, is that of a grey, centrally planned ongoing 'soviet-style' dictatorship, lacking in freedom, opportunity and fairness. However, beyond the portrayed stereotype, very little is known by those in the UK of the people of or indeed life in Belarus.  I am very grateful for the chance to have had a visa, giving me the opportunity to explore the nation of Belarus and meet the people who live there.


Learnings from Belarus

1. Lukashenko (the president) is not unpopular.

2. Belarussians view their country as a young country, that is bound to make some mistakes as it develops its own national course.

3. The country and its infrastructure are surprisingly modern.

4. The countryside is beautiful.

5. There seems to be relative freedom in expression, so long as you remain inline with the law (sometimes tricky) and don't organise activities to overtly criticise the ruling party.

6. Many Belarussians are confused by the EU's stance of isolation towards their country.  Ethnically, historically, culturally and linguistically Belarus has many ties with Russia.  It's not a case of choosing to align oneself towards one or the other. Belarus falls under both European and Russian spheres.  'Narrow-mindedness' may in fact come from the West in failing to recognise this.

7. Minsk central MacDonalds was recently demolished to build a new library for the university.  The other MacDonalds remains on Lenin Street however...!

8. The believing church is active, dynamic and growing in Belarus.

9. Don't flush toilet paper - it is for the bin next to the toilet.

10. The roads in Belarus are really good - the best I've seen in the Soviet Union.

11. They value their environment and have quite a few natural parks - 'how were we to survive, if it were not for the blueberries and mushrooms?'

12. Hyperinflation means the amount you can take out of an ATM is limited by the width of dispensing slot.

13. Belarussians are friendly, inquisitive and full of ingenuity.

From Russia with love...

So after flitting my way around Eastern Europe for several years, I've finally made it to Russia.  The process has been epic and not something I thought I'd be able to arrange myself.  However, by grace it has been achieved and by grace I managed to see some great sights, meet with some great people and learn a huge amount about the fascinating and awe inspiring nation - it makes up a ninth of the world's landmass!  Unsurprisingly, I still feel like I've only just scratched the surface.

So, here are my initial thoughts and perceptions from my trip - things I hope to build on with time!

1. Russia is huge and is to some extent its own world

2. No smile does not mean no like

3. Russian history is a very complex beast

4. People have the same fundamental yearnings and desires regardless of nationality

5. The concept of an 'ideal' government is not objective

6. Our view of the world is shaped through the lens of the media

7. Night trains are a fun, convenient and comfortable way to travel long distances and meet new people

8. The concept of milk with tea is a non-starter. Mixing Smetana with tea causes mass dismay.

9. The dress code for Moscow is black.  For St Petersburg it's a flat cap.

10. Due to depth, the escalator for the Metro can take several minutes.  If suspecting imminent nuclear war, head to the metro.

11. Always complement the Russians on their fountains

12. Saturday is wedding day.  Arrive at tourist sites early to avoid the wedding crowds.

13. Russians are very very good hosts!!!

Большое спасибо мый русский друзьями, россия очень красивый стран. мне нравится это очень. Слава богу!

Operation World - Russia

Browsing through the world section of thegospelcoalition.org blog, I discovered that operation world now has short movie clips on many countries, summarising the situation and listing a few pertinent prayer requests.  The one on Russia is quite insightful, showing some of the darkness society faces, the challenges experienced by Christians, and a humble desire for God and his plan to be glorified in their land.  Worth a watch.

To be like a Czech

According to the BBC's global fat scale, I'm most like someone from the Czech republic.

Bring on the klobása a chléb!

 

Busy times...

Another busy week at work has sadly put the active study of Russian back a little.  Shopping at the Polish supermarket is however widening my culinary knowledge.  Plans to attend and potentially teach at Christian ventures for medical students in Lithuania and Belarus are also making encouraging steps forward!  Watch this space for further updates...

In other news, travel to and fro has however given me the chance for more Russian radio!  Here is a very gifted Belarussian musician - Sergey Briksa singing Иисуса Эхо (Echoes of Jesus).

Russian Testimony

So, here it is!  I set myself the challenge of writing down how I became a Christian in Russian...  It took a while and is somewhat simplified, however the milestone is reached.  A friend has kindly corrected some of my endings for me - need to work on my grammar!

я стал христианином, когда мнe было пятнадцать лет. я должен был xoдить в церковь, потому что средняя школа былa христианскoй школoй. Нe многиe студенты верят в Бога. Пo вокресеньям я слушал БиблиЮ  в церкве. на христианскиx молодежныx группax я видел настоящиx христиан, кoтopыe верят в Бога. они знали Иисусa. я не знал Иисусa. они говорили о грехе. я yвидeл, что это правда. я Зaхотел yзнaтЬ Иисусa, однако я не верил в Бога и я не понимал многих вещeй. я молиллcя Богy, что если ты правда, пожалуста yдaли мое невериe. я не знаю как, однако oн сделал это. я не понимал многих ответов, однако я знал Oн иcтинa. с тех пор, он научил меня многих вещeй!

I recommend copying and pasting to Google translate for a rough idea of the English.

Sounds familiar...

I was listening to a Russian Christian radio station (новая жизнь - new life) this evening when a familiar tune started - words were however in Russian.  Looks like Delirious, or at least their songs, have made it to Russia!

Last letters from Stalingrad

This week I've had the pleasure/challenge of reading 'last letters from Stalingrad' (letzte Briefe aus Stalingrad). Being a true sober hearted Brit with a stiff upper lip and non-expressive manner, few things tend to impact me. This book did however, causing me to shead a couple of tears in the process. The book contains a series of letters said to be written by German soldiers towards the end of the second world war. They're writing from frozen Russia, perishing from the cold, poor equipment and lack of supplies. They're surrounded and outnumbered by the Russians. They've realised Hiltler's not going to save them, with any nazi ideology they had rapidly unravelling. They face either lifelong slavery in the Gulags of Siberia or dieing in the coming final standoff. Many prefer, for various reasons, the idea of the latter. The letters are written to families and sweethearts, showing huge outpourings of fear, hopelessness, anger and bitterness, each forming an empassioned final goodbye. The authorities kept and stored all the letters. None of them reached their intended recipients.

So, what have I taken from these harrowing accounts? Well firstly, no matter how much we make plans or how hard we work, we are ultimately not in control of our destiny. All will die, all have an appointed time. Often it takes a personal crisis to remind us we're not kings of this world, but mere mortals, flourishing only for a time.

Secondly, in our turbocharged world of individual achievement and output, personal crises are some of the few times that challenge us on what's really important; family, love, freedoms. The make us ask what is life for, is this really all there is, why did it work out like this?  This seems not to be bound by culture or time, with German soldiers, modern day Brits and ancient Hebrews all in the same boat.

God's word has something to say on this in psalm 103. Think, what does it say about man and what does it say about God?

Psalm 103:13-19
As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him. For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust. As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field; for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more. But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children's children, to those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments. The LORD has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all.

John Piper in Russia

An interesting and wise insight into the challenges facing the church in contemporary Russia and the USA, given by John Piper (translation in Russian).  The personal and pastoral advice are immensely valuable.

From Britain, contemplating east

I am British, I live in Britain, I am surrounded by a British worldview.

There are however many other countries and languages in the world.  Strange as it may seem, the members of these nations don't always share conclusions with my countrymen.  Their worldview is different, shaped by differing external influences, challenges and resources.

There is immense richness and value in metaphorically stepping into a pair of foreign shoes.  Doing so you opens the door to a whole new perspective, not necessarily the right or wrong one, however doubtlessly different.  This has huge currency when considering what's important in life.  Seeing how another language and culture perceives the gospel - the core of Christian faith - shows me ever greater the immeasurable riches that are found in being part of God's family.

The opportunities I have had (and hope to have in the future) of visiting central and eastern Europe have been incredibly valuable to me in enhancing my outlook, service, knowledge of and for Jesus.  The aim of this blog is to be a reflection on these and my contemplations east, as I continue to gain and learn from the world outside of the shores of "jolly ol' Blighty"!


So, to quote scripture:

And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God - Colossians 1:9-10  

For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge - Colossians 2:1-3