Running With Kenyans: Heartfelt Stories of an American Doctor in Africa

My name is Andy Baldwin and I am a doctor in the US Navy. I have had the opportunity to travel the world for my job for Navy Medicine and have been moved by the kindness of humanity, the pain of poverty, and the hope of children worldwide, but never before have I had an experience like these last few months. Over the last seven weeks I have chronicled my journey with the Navy's Global Force for Good providing medical care at a small rural clinic in Kenya. I also trained for the Nairobi marathon and the ING New York marathon, two marathons, two continents, one week apart and a world of difference. After finishing the ING NY Marathon, I wrote to my editor about my race experience. It was the toughest, most emotionally challenging, physically exhausting, and ultimately inspiring race I'd ever run. She remarked "Andy, your description of the marathon is pretty much a summary of your time in Africa." She was right. First, I'm going to explain how much my experience in Africa reminded me of the mixed emotions and highs and lows of the 26-mile marathons I have run so many times before. Then, I will share with you more detail about my time in Africa, along with very special personal photographs from my trip.