We are not what we dream.
We are what we do with the dream when life doesn’t go as planned. Cause, life doesn’t always go as planned. Purpose is never lost.
Read on to glimpse how my dream detoured, but led back to healing. Just in a different uniform.
Twenty years ago, I had one mission: to become a medical doctor. A neurosurgeon, to be specific.
A dream seeded in my teenage years. Nurtured by stories of Dr. Ben Carson. Strengthened by the conviction to Think Big. That one day I would heal with Gifted Hands.
From Scalpel Dreams to Smile Logistics: The Beautiful Detour of Purpose
Then KCSE results came in. I missed the cut off to join medical school by one point.
One. Singular. Painful point.
Self-sponsored training (aka parallel program) wasn’t an option. And just like that, the dream was lowered into the ground. No white coat. No scrubs. No stethoscope. My Ben Carson moment was dead, on arrival.
Proverbs 19:21 reminds us. “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”
I had my plan. God had His purpose. And He wasn’t done yet.
I moved on, as life demanded. Studied BSc. Biomedical Science and worked at Chiromo mortuary for six months. Hoping that I wasn’t deviating too far off from Medicine.
Somewhere deep inside, the longing to be part of healing and transformation never quite left me.
Fast forward two decades later…
June 2025, I found myself, ironically inside the busy corridors of Thika Level 5 Hospital. Not as a surgeon, but as a logistics volunteer with Operation Smile Kenya.
I coordinated ground movements for 70+ volunteers and 60+ patients. Ensuring smooth shuttle runs between Thika Level 5 and St. Mulumba Hospitals.
No scalpel. No sutures. Just transport rosters, call sheets, and the occasional minor panic when the bus driver was unreachable. Or a patient needed to be rerouted. Glamorous? No. Meaningful? Absolutely!
“Life is what happens to us while we are making other plans.” Allen Saunders (popularized by John Lennon)
I watched children and young adults roll into surgery and emerge with new, radiant smiles. Free from the cleft lip stigma. I felt something powerful.
Purpose didn’t bypass me by. It simply took a different route.
Dreams Recalibrated, Not Cancelled
We often speak of dreams in absolute terms: fulfilled or failed. But the truth is more complex. Sometimes, dreams are re-routed. Not denied.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said,
“We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.”
Missing medical school was a finite disappointment. But the desire to serve, to contribute to healing, remained infinite.
That hope led me back. Not to the operating table. But to the space just beside it. Helping those who hold the scalpel get to where they’re needed most.
Growth is What Happens When You Adjust
There’s a quiet maturity that comes from acknowledging that we aren’t fully in charge of how life unfolds. But we are absolutely in charge of how we respond. And response is everything.
We can choose bitterness or usefulness.
We can mourn the death of one path or rise to discover new ones. Sometimes, the detour isn’t a failure. It’s just a different version of the same dream. Wrapped in unexpected packaging.
It echoes Paul’s wisdom in Philippians 3:13–14. “But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal…”
Have you ever seen a Somali cycling?
It’s because they moved on. Cycling was a child- and teenage-hood passion. For whatever reason, it’s no longer desired by adults. Simply, they moved on.
In life and faith, it’s not about where you thought you’d be, but whether you’re still moving ahead with purpose.
Final Thought: Purpose Isn’t Always Loud
This experience reminded me that purpose doesn’t always come with a spotlight or title.
Sometimes, it shows up as a simple bus schedule. It can also be a list of names. It brings the quiet joy of knowing that you helped deliver something beautiful, a smile.
If life has thrown you a curve-ball lately, don’t panic. Don’t quit. Recalibrate. Reposition. Respond.
We may not always live the dreams we once had. However, we can always live lives that are deeply meaningful. These lives can be profoundly fulfilling.
💛 Get Involved: Be Part of the Smile Movement
You don’t need a scalpel to save lives. Sometimes, all it takes is your time, your presence, or your support.
👉 Volunteer your skills. Whether you’re a medical professional, logistics guru, photographer, or just someone with a heart to serve.
👉 Donate what you can. Every coin, connection, or contribution helps make surgeries and support possible for children in need.
👉 Share the mission. Amplify the work of organizations like Operation Smile Kenya by spreading the word.
“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” Mahatma Gandhi
As Romans 8:28 reminds us. “And we know that in all things. God works for the good of those who love him. They have been called according to his purpose.”
Even when your journey feels off-course, trust that God is still crafting something good with your obedience.
Join the journey. Help bring hope and healing to someone waiting for a reason to smile again. You can re-purpose your Dream!
Life doesn’t give what you deserve. It gives what you negotiate for!
#VolunteerForImpact #SmilesThatMatter #GiveBack #PurposeInAction #OperationSmileKenya
Joseph Ngaara is inspired by people’s life experiences. Do you have an intriguing life story and need to share your triumph or tragedy? Email: j.mungai@hotmail.co.uk
Excellent exhortation – Dreams Recalibrated, Not Cancelled – deep!