Significance by Association

Time for an update. We have been so busy it has been hard to find the time to update the blog. My last note was almost three weeks ago! First for the basics - no our household belongings have not yet arrived, still living out of suite cases. Our second car did arrive and it was in much better shape than the first, so that is an answer to prayer. Amy gets the newer car - it is more reliable and a bit of a tank (Prado Land Cruiser) so safer on these treacherous roads.

One of the main reasons we have been so busy is that Zambia was chosen as the country to launch a new initiative - Pink Ribbon Red Ribbon (PRRR). This is a public private partnership attempting to address both breast cancer and cervical cancer, building on the incredible success of the Pink Ribbon campaign in the states. We were asked to write a proposal during my first few weeks here in August. We did not hear much until a few weeks ago when it was announced that we would be the lead country and George W. Bush, Laura, and their daughters Barbara and Jenna would be coming to make the announcement. In addition, the president of Merck Vaccines, Julie Gerberding (formerly Director of CDC) and a host of other industry leaders were present. The visit just ended this morning. As you can see from the photo we did get to meet the president (that is John and GWB). I found the President to be quite a personable guy, funny, folksy, and actually humble. He seems really passionate about making sure we (USA) don't neglect our responsibility to care for people with less resources. He made many references to scripture in his brief remarks - we need to be good stewards, to whom much is given much is expected, we are all made in the image of God...

Perhaps the funniest moment for me was Friday evening, at the ambassador's reception, I was standing to the side of the podium in the crowd listening as the ambassador was making opening remarks when I turned to the guy standing next to me and it was President Bush! He leaned over and asked how I was doing, what my job was, etc. I was a little at a loss for words but managed to tell him what I did, and that I have never been more proud of being an American than I was when he announced PEPFAR in 2003 (see below).

The Zambians were absolutely delighted that he visited. They pointed out that his program - PEPFAR (Presidents Emergency Program for AIDS Relief, $15 billion) which started in 2003 has probably saved some 7 million African lives through provision of anti-retroviral therapy, as well as other care and support.

My role was to develop the actual work plans for PRRR with the Ministry of Health and the cooperating partners at a meeting Saturday (as well as try to squeeze as much free vaccine for HPV out of Merck as possible), it went very well and I am pretty optimistic going forward.

I was amused at how much all of us, myself included, were so excited about meeting a former president. It seemed to me that we all were gaining a sense of being significant because we met the president, "Did you shake his hand? Did he talk to you? What did he say?". It made me realise, again, how important it is for each of us to feel significant. I try to remind myself as we celebrate the birth of Jesus that I already have my significance as a beloved child of God, someone who Jesus lived and died for! That's pretty significant indeed!

Next weekend we will be hosting and leading the monthly youth group at our house. It is a large group of high school kids from a variety of the churches that serve the expatriate community. I am hoping our Nooma videos arrive so we can use one of them, if not we will figure out something. My work at the seminary is at a slight stand-still as we are between terms. Many of my colleagues at the CDC have expressed an interest in a Bible study so I am hoping to get that together soon.

I'll close with a brief Christmas greeting....