2 years in Kenya

Surprisingly, we have been in Kenya for two years! Sometimes it still shocks us that we actually made the move, but mostly it’s hard to imagine being anywhere else. The kids are aware that we are foreigners from the US, but to them America is where their grandparents live. We compiled a list of frequently asked questions below to shed some light on our time here so far, and our plans for the future.

“What is Kijabe like?”

Kijabe is a nice town a little over an hour northwest of Nairobi. We have a few dukas (small shops) around town for food staples or hardware needs, but otherwise it’s mostly farmland. There is a gas station, but everyone knows not to get gas from it. Our house is located right between the hospital and RVA, so it’s a quick walk to the gates to get in. It takes about 5 minutes for us to walk to the forest, and we love taking hikes, exploring, and monkey watching. The climate is ideal with highs in the 70’s and lows in the 50’s almost every day of the year so we don’t need heaters or air conditioners. There is a rainy season and a dry season, this year’s rainy season was especially long and destructive. The field next to the hospital is frequently filled with soccer games. There are still many challenges of living in a developing country, but we have learned to go with the flow and accept that we aren’t in control.

“So you’ve been there two years, when are you moving back to the US?”

The answer is unclear. We are happy here, our family is doing well, and Bryce is able to help many patients who otherwise would not get the surgeries and interventions they need. We have extended our time with the Post-Residency Program (PRP) with Samaritan’s Purse until June of 2025. So the short answer is that Kijabe is home until we feel led elsewhere. We are so grateful for our faithful supporters for allowing us to continue serving here.

“What is the Post-Residency Program?”

The PRP has been such a blessing as they have provided partial funding, given us training and advice, and been just a text or email away with support. The program is not a sending agency, which is what long term missionaries need in order to stay in the field. The PRP helps doctors and their families into the field soon after training, get settled and realize that we can actually be long term missionaries in a developing country.  

“What happens when you finish with the PRP next June?”

We will join a sending agency to continue our work in Kenya. We have decided to join the Christian Health Service Corps (CHSC) and are looking forward to partnering with them. We will come to the US for a couple months next summer to do some training and orientations with CHSC. All of the missionaries on the CHSC team are medical which is unique for a sending agency.  

“What is the hospital like?”

Kijabe Hospital is a pretty nice place- for a Kenyan public hospital. The reality of healthcare delivery in Kenya is that the national hospitals -and national health insurance- are chronically underfunded. Kijabe wants to be self-sustainable, but we are the only safety net for too many disenfranchised patients. Donations are used to cover about 30% of the cost of medical care, along with all the new construction, renovations, and equipment expenses. The hospital leadership is dedicated to remaining a facility of excellence and a beacon for the Gospel, available to all-comers across Africa.

“How is Bryce’s job different in Kenya than in the US?”

Bryce frequently performs surgeries he would have previously referred to someone else in the US, due to the lack of referral options. Finances often play a role is determining patient care, like when patients cannot afford a CT scan. Bryce relies on his clinic staff to help translate- even when everyone is speaking English, there are many cultural nuances that are hard to pick up on. There are many training programs at Kijabe, so Bryce gives lectures at least once a month to various groups of students. He works closely with his American and Kenyan ENT partners, as well as visiting surgeons that come a few times per year.

“Are the boys excited for school to start?”

We are so blessed to have Rift Valley Academy (RVA) just up the hill from our house. It provides the kids with a great community of other missionary kids to learn and play with. They love school and the many after school activities that RVA has to offer. Henry is very excited to start school again and Owen can’t wait to join his brother at “big kid school”. Last week, one of the missionary moms in the community hosted a Vacation Bible School, so Henry and Owen were both able to attend. There were 70 children, a mixture of missionary and Kenyan kids. Owen’s Kindergarten teacher was his group leader for a couple days and that helped ease some of his anxiety about starting school. RVA follows a trimester schedule, and their first day is September 2nd.

“How’s the library project going?”

The Library space is starting to look really good! Beautiful shelves were installed and the paint and floors look great! Many classes and meetings are held in the space now that it is so clean and fresh. The next step is to prep the shelves now that the wood is fully dry and get them stained. We will also be building bookshelves to go down the middle of the room. Renovations paused as there has been a change in the leadership at the church. The pastor I was working with, Peter, has been replaced by someone new. It is apparently customary for pastors to move to a different church every 5 years. This came as a surprise to us and we have not had the opportunity to meet with the new pastor yet. We are excited to connect with him and share the vision of the children’s library. We know the bishops overseeing the church fully support the library, so there’s no question that they will want to proceed. The books are all in North Carolina at the Samaritan’s Purse warehouse waiting to be shipped to Kenya. Once the container is shipped, it will be a couple months before the books will arrive here. The container will have to get to Kenya, pass through customs, then will head to Chogoria (another mission hospital in Kenya). We will have a courier with a lorry (large truck) bring the boxes here to Kijabe. We are hopeful that the container will be loaded and on its way in the next month. We’ll let you know when it ships!

“What will Mary Beth be doing this next year?”

I will continue working on the renovations and setting up the library. The girls, Grace (2.5 years) and Emma (2 months), are home with me. Kindergarten is only half day, so Owen will be home by lunchtime every day. Grace isn’t quite old enough to start preschool, so I’m taking this year off teaching and will resume next school year. The Preschool Co-Op will continue this year, but will look a little different with new moms and children participating. 

“How is your funding and budget?”


We are so thankful for our financial supporters and prayer warriors who are on this journey with us. Right now we are pretty even with the amount that we are spending and the amount that we have coming into our account. That being said, Samaritan’s Purse currently pays for about half of our expenses, so we will need to fundraise to cover the bills they pay for us now (rent for our house, utilities, travel expenses for Bryce). Sending agencies do not provide any additional funding like the PRP has for the past two years.

“How can I donate?”

Donating through Samaritan’s Purse under our names and account number is the best way to get funds to us. 100% of the money donated to Samaritan’s Purse goes into our account for us to use on our family or community needs. After we switch over to CHSC, there will be a new method to donate. A small percentage of each donation through CHSC will be retained for their services. If you would like to donate, please visit our blog under the “Partnering With Us” page to see the best ways to contribute. Monthly contributions are the best for us as we can try to match the amount leaving our account each month with the donations coming in. But any and all contributions are greatly appreciated!

We are so grateful for your support, prayers and dedication to the work the Lord has called us to. Please let us know what other questions you have and we would be happy to answer them!

Much Love,

Mary Beth, Bryce, Henry, Owen, Grace and Emma