The Mendonsa Family Story
Bob and Julie met at Baylor University in 1987 and they married in 1991. After finishing medical school and orthopedic surgery residency in Galveston, they moved to Lewisville in 1997, where Bob took a position with Orthopedic Associates. Their first child, Emily, arrived in 1997 followed by their son, Will, in 1999. That same year, God guided them to their first church home, Grace Community Church in Arlington. While at Grace, Bob went on his first mission trip to the jungles of the Philippines in 2001 and served as the boat doctor on an Amazon trip in Brazil one year later.
Meanwhile, Julie would often voice the common refrain, "You go, I'll pray for you." She avoided expressing interest in missions, fearing Bob would "sell everything and make her live in a tent in Africa". Interestingly, Africa was not even on their radar then. In late 2002, the hospital director in Kijabe, Kenya called, given their name by a colleague, he called to invite them to serve as a family for one month. With more fear than bravado, they survived their first family mission trip to Africa in 2003, and even returned in 2004 to serve as a family for 2 months.
Their family has returned to Kenya yearly (4 trips total) and are now making a move to Kenya on Aug. 28th for 1-2 years, for a long-term assignment. Bob has accepted a position with CURE International to work at a children's hospital in Kijabe operating on children with orthopedic needs, and assisting with the adult orthopedic service at nearby Kijabe Hospital. It has also been Julie's passion to see an orphanage built in a village in the nearby Rift Valley. They have procured a 5-acre plot of land with existing water well and are awaiting government assistance to get electrical service there. They have also partnered with Ichthus Ministries in Frisco, TX, and are setting a goal to raise $50K to build the orphanage.
Emily and Will will attend nearby Rift Valley Academy (RVA); a missionary kids school overlooking the Great Rift Valley. Since they have been on 4 prior trips to Kijabe, they already know many of their future classmates. RVA contacted Julie recently regarding a high school math teaching position – more details to come.
As you can see, the need is great, but CURE is making a major impact. Read about the CURE Hospital-Kijabe and visit the Mendonsa Family's site to learn more about their mission and help them along their journey.
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