Claudia Freund

Claudia Freund was a Mission Partner in Kenya, between 2005 - 2012. She worked at the Maua Methodist Hospital as an Occupational Therapist. Claudia was sent jointly by Evangelisch-methodistische Kirche (EmK). She has since returned to Germany.

Here are some questions that we asked Claudia during her time serving as a Mission Partner:

How would you summarise the work you are doing as a Mission Partner?

I am working as a Occupational Therapist to support the Maua Methodist Hospital in developing the Rehabilitation Team (creating assessment forms, improve record keeping, searching and purchasing therapy equipments), train staff on rehabilitative issues (management of patients/clients with neurological deficits e.g. after stroke, head injuries etc), assist in improving management of burns injuries, setting up a Mobility Aid Project. My main work is Project management which requires a lot of administrative tasks.

What impact do you feel you have made?

• Practical differences for a small number of individual clients (e.g. wheel chair provision, advice on how to live with a disability)
• More awareness of a need for rehabilitation (The hospital is aware that they need more therapists as part of recovery process)
• Constructing a building for the Burns unit (extension with separate toilets and showers to reduce infections)

How do you think God is guiding you in your work?

• Through reading the Bible regularly, personal morning devotions
• The challenges I go through are mentioned in the Bible as well as advice on how to handle them (this is a challenge to me as well when I realise I have to learn a lot in my life)
• Through talks with friends here in Kenya and back home

What has surprised you most of all?

That local people can be resistant to help and new ideas