By Brent Hartman Sherwin ’15

The word “transition” brings up many memories. For example, I think of my transition from college to medical school, medical school to residency, and residency to practice. Each one has helped me grow. Some have felt quite natural, while others have been difficult. In 2023, I experienced yet another transition, one of the hardest thus far.

As I write this, I have been in Malawi at Malamulo Adventist Hospital for over four years as the general surgeon working with the Pan-African Academy of Christian Surgeons (PAACS) training program at the hospital. This experience has been rewarding. I enjoy training others to be excellent surgeons and to meet patients’ spiritual needs.

In September 2023, the former program director, and my esteemed colleague, left Malamulo for further training. I had just become the assistant program director a few months prior, and now I would become the interim program director. I would also be taking on the administrative duties of chief of surgery. I felt overwhelmed. I had no other permanent surgical partner at the hospital. How would I make it through? These thoughts and many others went through my head as I started the transition of taking on this new role. I felt like Joshua must have felt when he took over the leadership of the children of Israel. I took comfort in God’s message to Joshua in Joshua 1:9, which says, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” I realized from this passage that God would be with me and that He had been preparing me for this transition.

Years prior, as a chief resident, I had taken on scheduling, lectures, and many other administrative tasks. These all helped me as I started my transition. I realized that my colleague who was leaving had been preparing me for this role for over a year by slowly having me take over more responsibilities. This preparation became so helpful during the transition.

Even with the best preparations, transitions never go as planned. I had to face new challenges almost daily to try to keep the surgical department going. I worried about whether we would have enough suture to operate with, as well as whether we would have power and water to run the operating room each day. Some days I spent coordinating hospital staff to help overcome a water shortage. These tasks took me away from my resident education tasks. Thankfully, God had already set up people to help me.

As I progressed through each month after the transition, God sent someone to help just when I needed it. After the September handover, I had two surgeons come to volunteer who helped me focus on more of the administrative duties that I was still trying to figure out. During the next six months, God kept sending people right when I needed them. Sometimes it was surgeons, and other times, it was anesthesia providers. Each time we were in dire need of supplies or equipment, the things we needed would come just in time. It was amazing how God provided.

Throughout the past year, I have realized more than ever that God works through transitions to refine our characters. I wish I could confidently say that I let God lead me each step of the way. Unfortunately, many days I failed to show a Christlike character. Many days, I got frustrated and didn’t treat the people around me well. Many days, I only relied on my own strength instead of relying on Christ. However, through these challenges, Christ has continued to help refine me. I am amazed at how He continues to use our hospital, the PAACS program, and even me to reach others for His kingdom.

For instance, one of our Muslim patients had many complications related to his poorly controlled diabetes, including several types of amputations on both legs, many wound infections, and even a renal transplant done in India. We admitted him for yet another wound infection. One day, he asked me, “Do you know why I keep coming back to Malamulo for all of my care?” I shook my head no.

He said, “I come to Malamulo because I know that Jesus is at your hospital.”

His comment reminded me once again why I came to Malawi. It wasn’t just to care for patients’ surgical needs but, more importantly, to point them to the ultimate physician—Jesus.

Transitions bring challenges, yet the promise given to Joshua is still the same promise He offers to us today: God is always with us. This promise gives me courage to face each new transition, and I hope it also gives you courage to face your transitions.