This last month and a half I’ve been
working part-time in a hospital in Cadillac, Michigan, while they look for a
full-time Ob/Gyn doctor. Right now
I’m sitting in the hospital on call, waiting for a few people to deliver, as a
snowstorm squalls. If it’s not a
white Christmas in northern Michigan, I would be surprised.
And
while it’s been good to work, learning more and earning some money for my
student loans, it’s been a blessing to have my weekends free to visit friends
and family. This last weekend I
watched my cousin Lizzy perform in the Nutcracker and my cousin Wyatt sing in
his Christmas performance. I also
was able to sneak in some time with friends from college and medical school. It’s strange to realize I won’t be
seeing most of you for the next 2-3 years, so I appreciate even a few hours to
talk and visit.
At this point, most of the details for
my January departure have been taken care of: I have a one-way plane ticket to
Zurich, Switzerland, from where I’ll then take the train to Neuchatel for my French
language study. I’m hoping to be
back in the U.S. the last week in April to take the verbal portion of my board
exam, but I haven’t yet received approval. If I’m able to take my boards, where I go from there will
depend on how proficient I am in French.
If I need more time in language study, then I’ll return to Switzerland
until June. If not, then I will be
headed to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for 2 years.
But before Switzerland, I’ll take
the next few weeks to spend time with family, eating great food and singing
carols in a key that no one else would want to hear. It’s fun to spend time together and experience our
traditions, and one of my favorite things is on Christmas Eve when my brother
reads from the Bible about Jesus’ birth.
It’s an amazing story about how God chose to become a baby. The purpose wasn’t to show us how to
live a blameless life like he did, but to love us and save us from death, the
consequence of our sin. Seems like
a pretty extreme punishment for people who don’t really do things that are too
bad, but God’s standard is perfection, and the only one to have met it was
Jesus. And even though he was
perfect, he chose to literally die in our place, demonstrating his power to
save us by coming back from the dead.
I think this hit home for me a
little more these last few years.
Trying
circumstances often bring out the worst in people, and after being tested the
last 3 years in a difficult residency with some difficult people, I discovered
the extent of my sinfulness.
But it’s
given me a greater appreciation for Jesus’ deliberate decision to become human,
to live on this earth, die, live again, and still offer his love to me, to all
of us.
And, even though it can be hard,
all I have to do is believe it
.
It’s a true gift, offered, ironically, to people who don’t
deserve it.
I don’t have to earn
it, pay for it, or be good enough to get it.
So on that note of hope, and in
case I don’t see you before I leave, Merry Christmas!
Prayer requests:
1.
Discipline and ability to learn French quickly
2.
Approval to take the verbal portion of my board
exams and wisdom to know when I should take it.
Timeline:
January
8th: Leave for French
language study in Switzerland
April
12th: Tentatively done with language school (longer if
needed)
May
1st: Possibly take board exams in Chicago
Contact info
1. The best way to reach me will be e-mail: medoran82@aol.com
2. I also plan to update my blog monthly: michelledoran82.blogspot.com.
3. Switzerland is 6 hours ahead and I have access to
Skype: doranmi1
4. My address in Switzerland:
Chemin des Vignes
Perdues 6
2022 Bevaix
Switzerland
5. Packages when I’m in the DRC should be sent to my home
address:
4614
Claudia Dr
Waterford,
MI 48328
Giving
Thank you for the financial support
so many of you have already generously given. I am receiving a stipend from Samaritan’s Purse, but I am
raising money in order to stay long-term in the DRC. I don’t have a set amount that I need to raise yet as I
don’t have a lot of the details about cost of living, but the typical amount is
about $3,000/month.
Checks can be sent with my account
number (004864) in the memo line:
Samaritan’s Purse
P.O. Box 3000
Boone, NC 28607
Alternately, donate online at www.samaritanspurse.org.
