Be Still and Know...

Ice House Canyon

2009-05-17T13:17:00.000-07:00

HIKING ICE HOUSE CANYON AND TIMBER MOUNTAIN
9 MILES ROUND TRIP
ADVENT HOPE CHURCH CREW!

At Ice House Saddle...after gaining a couple thousand feet in elevation. Anybody else sore?

A steep climb up...calls for a dip in the river!

Brrr...defiantly coming from snow-melt!

On the way up they were all awake...them being the lady bugs that have turned this tree red....they were in our hair, our clothes, and up your nose! On they way down we were glad to see they had all picked the same tree to fall asleep! Shhh...don't you dare wake them up!

Top of Timber Mt. the crew thinned out a bit...but the view was defiantly worth the extra mile!

Sister Time

2009-05-10T13:03:00.000-07:00

Ahh....the joys of Mt.Bbiking California's deserts can only be enjoyed with a good biking buddy!

Chaco with his momma...his favorite past time is Mt. Biking as well...or at least we enjoy the fact that it's the only thing that gets all his puppy energy out!

Sage brush in bloom...you couldn't get a better back drop :)

A perfect day with a perfect ending at the river that winds through the desert. Chaco especially enjoyed the cool off!

Home Sweet Home

2009-05-01T12:50:00.000-07:00

The First week in May found me in WA for Alumni weekend, the fields are alive with vibrant greens, violets, and yellows...nothing beats the good ole' northwest!

Mom and I took walks every mornings enjoying the cool morning air and the antics of our dogs, Faith and Ginger.

The Quest for Joshua Trees and Boulders

2009-03-30T20:46:00.000-07:00

Saturdays outings are always a great way to get to know new people. This last Saturday I piled into a care with some newly found friends from the church we go to here, Advent Hope. This saturday adventure found us headed towards the desert...Joshua Tree National Park to be exact. It was a beautiful sun-shiny day with a little bit of a breeze. Soon it felt like we'd known one another for ages...funny how hiking in the desert can do that to you. We hiked up to an old abandoned Gold Mine and then headed back down to do some bouldering. There we couldn't resist playing with the shadows on the rocks and proving our ability to be conquers of the boulders. We ended the day sitting on the pavement and on some gallon buckets singing and basking in the glory of Gods creations.

Claudio and Elizabeth posing with the Joshua Trees

Anybody want a warm BP+J?

Elizabeth climbin' high

Larysa and I finding shade in the Joshua Trees

African Safari

2009-03-14T13:25:00.000-07:00

Okay let's be realistic, it was an African Safari in San Diego but we still had a wonderful time. Mom and Dad came down to visit at the end of January for a good friends wedding and in the mean time we headed off to the Wild Animal Park. It was a little cool for Africa but we managed to stay warm walking the paths that connected all the different animal exhibits together. We spent time having competitions with the giraffes and just a general time enjoying being together. At the end of the day we headed off to see where daddy had grown up in Ramona CA...a picture of his childhood home is below!

Bikin' n' Campin'

2009-02-24T21:01:00.000-08:00

Brrrr...never thought I'd end up camping in January...but it's possible in California. While WA is burried in 2 feet of snow, we're campin'. Mind you it's cold...but still it's camping :) God has brought some great outdoorsy (is that a word) people into our lives...and as an added bonus they only live a block away! Tristan and Jessica Stone are alway's up for an outdoor adventure and this one was a 9 mile mountain biking trail close to Mt. San Jacinto. Tristan is in Kyle's dental class and Jessica teaches PE at Loma Linda Elementary their only child is their dog Oreo who's 11 months old...him and Chaco are wrestling, playing, and mt biking buddies! This weekend found us setting up camp Friday night, trying to keep the dogs happy tied to trees, cuddling up close to the fire, and trying to figure out how to serve the potatoe soup with only teaspoons! Why do you always forget something camping...I've got to make a list!

Saturday morning dawned sunny and cold, we took off on our bike with snacks for the morning ride. The single track trail starts out with a lot of uphill and some technical rocky pathes. Then you hit one flat field area, a couple more killer uphills and then it's down hill bolder dodgin' fun from there on out! Riding with two dogs can set up for some interesting times...such as if you get to close to Chaco you'll get a mouth full of sand from his little claws. Oreo will just plain cut you off and send you flying...but they both are learning and run most of the 9 miles with the boys! At the end of the trip, Kyle was carrying Chaco in one arm and steering his bike with the other after we hit the pavement...his little paws just wouldn't go anymore. But he recovers quickly and is soon chewing on either your biking shoes, Oreo, or any available stick!

Whiteout on Mt. San Jacinto

2009-02-17T22:27:00.000-08:00

Presidents day dawned raining and foggy but our enthusiasm wasn't dampened. It just meant more snow on the peaks! Little did we know it meant snow and wind. Loaded up with our snowshoes and base layers we drove to Palm Springs...how backwards does that sound? Since there's probably never been snow in Palm Springs before :) Fortunately within 10 minutes we were in a complete whiteout surrounded by whipping snow...the tram ride straight up the jagged mountain peaks fixed our "no where to snowshoe in Cali problem". We exited the lodge heads down and noses buried in our coats. The snow pelted our faces stinging you noes causing you to burrow in deeper and almost run into the person in front of you. They said after we got down into the valley the wind would be better and then we could head off into the woods and begin our snowshoe exploration! (The Peak of Mt. San Jacinto is at 10,800 feet) But you must remember we just left Palm Springs and it's still very apparent as we are surrounded by Hispanics and Caucasians wearing only jeans, sweatshirts, rain boots, cotton gloves and ponchos...it becomes obvious that most of them have never been in snow before. We checked in at the Ranger Station and received a permit for snowshoeing into the back country. The wind had slowed a bit, but the snow was still falling they were expecting a good foot of snow that day. We hiked under the snow laden trees following the rapidly fading tracks of those who have gone before us...we weren't going to be able to stay out long until our tracks were covered as well so we found a big bolder burrowed out the snow under the cliff hanging edge and settled in for a quick lunch of burgers and sun chips mixed with snow. Have you ever tried eating sun chips with Mittened Gloves...don't! Just crush and pour! After only a couple hours of hiking our tracks were almost completely gone but enough was left to get us back to the station from there we stayed nearby but found boulders to jump off of into the snow. Maybe we'll end up on Warren Miller next year :)

A Thought from a Quiet Friday Evening

2008-10-31T21:28:00.000-07:00

It's incredible to me how the lesson's in life don't end, I thougt that they might get easier upon returning from Africa...but basically you're just in a more comfortable place to experience this time of learning. I am thankfull to God for this time, but that doesn't alway's mean it's easy!

After returning home from Africa I felt this numbness spiritually but I find that often when you are hurting from something in your life is when God can finally seep in through the cracks. Even when you've been trying to make it work all along.

I suppose what He is teaching me now and now that I think about it the whole time in Africa is that IT (meaning everything) is IMPOSSIBLE WITHOUT CHRIST! For so long like I said I've felt numb, and recently I have felt this desire to become a better person, to have my life filled with ministry, to start up a minisitry to the homeless, to be a blessing to all those around me, to change...and it finally caught up to me tonight...I was feeling like I was failing! Tonight I listened to a sermon (from the His Robe or Mine book) and felt an answer from God. None of those things are going to make me a better person, those things are working from the outside of my life which is completely backwards from the way it should be, Christ wants to work from the inside out. From my heart out. I loved a thought that Frank Phillips shared...Christ doesn't work on an improved you...when He has your heart He transforms you into a new creature. Oh how badly I want that, but I think that Satan often gets us off track so easy...we see the outside of the end result and try to work towards it and end up getting it all backwards. Mom reminded me tonight of an experience that I had in Africa and of something that I had told her. It was after two babies had died and I was feeling helpless..."If God needs to use me to save someone He will" in this I must trust. It is Chrsit who does the saving not me!

Let me share with you one of my mother and I's favortie quotes that we often quote to eachother.

Isaiah 30:15
"For thus saith the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved: in quietness and in confidence shal be your strength:..."

Bon Sabbat

Loma Linda: A cold trip backpacking!

2008-10-16T22:51:00.001-07:00

So my main suggestion would be not to camp at 9200 ft. in the month of October with a 4mth old puppy and no fires. Brrrr! Yes, it really was as cold as my toes told me it was...the Ranger's confirmed it on the way out; "Did you guys get the 3 inches of snow expected?" Cali isn't as warm as it used to be :) It's been awhile since I've posted anything...so a quick update...I've moved to Loma Linda I'm living with Rachel and Kyle, we now own a puppy named Chaco...who has become the crazy wildness in our life! You can be sure you'll here more about him later. I'm working on an MICU floor and on another learning curve...but God has blessed with wonderful peope to work with!

Home

2008-05-21T11:36:00.001-07:00

Snow capped mountain peaks poked up through the clouds as Kevin and I flew across the cascades. We were in route from Paris to Seattle, in route home. It was May 12; the day that I had dreamed about for 9 months. Was this day really happening to me?

The last three weeks had been filled with so many changes that I felt almost in recovery mode as I sat on the plush seats of the jet, using scented warm washcloth’s, and eating off my own plate. I found it hard not to stare at all the white people that surrounded me. After speaking to the stewardess on the Air France flight in French…I decided that I had not learned French I had learned African French. It was hard not to respond to their question’s that they ask in French because I understand what they are saying, but when I respond they grimace and look extremely confused. Oh well…I’ll just mark it down as another humbling experience 

Kevin and I had left Ndjamena on the evening of the 11th after returning from a 3 day trip to Zakouma National Park. We had flown up there with Wendy, Gary and their two children Kaleb and Cherice. We slept in little thatch bungalows, with hot water and flushing toilets. At night we could here the lions roaring in the distance, one night around midnight I heard noises outside our window. I got up and opened the door to find two dark forms of elephants on the lawn outside our bungalow…having a grassy midnight snack. We saw the Giraffes that I had always dreamed of seeing, many Elephants, different African deer, Warthogs, Ostrich’s, Lions, Water Buffalo, Storks, Monkeys and Baboons. Within the first couple hours of being at the park Kevin and Gary managed to get charged by a momma Lion, we’re thankful that they are still with us ;)

Leaving Béré was hard and filled with many tearful goodbyes, but I was at the point were I had to get away…I wasn’t sure how much more I could handle, especially since for the last week we had been without a doctor. Maybe it was because I could see the end in sight. Even though I was dying to get home, it was still hard to leave. Before leaving I had a party with my family. We all crowded in my empty hut, a couple evenings before I left, there I’d set up a slideshow of the year on my computer with the up-beat music that they love. Kevin had also made a treat of cherry and orange jello for them to try. They would get so excited when one of their faces would appear on the screen, laughing and pointing. Kevin and I got more laughs out of watching their faces as they tried the slippery jello that we spooned onto two big plates for them to eat. Then I handed out all the stuff from my hut and clothes for the girls.

A couple mornings later we ate our last breakfast of beullile in Africa. I hugged the girls goodbye as they left for school, they ran out the gate crying and Howaa ran behind the grass fence that surrounds the cooking area sobbing. I went back there with her and we held each other. I never thought that I would become so close to my family, and now here I am leaving a part of my heart in Africa. Dorcus did not understand what was happening as I hugged her goodbye and walked out the gate…Howaa says she will when I don’t come home. How blessed I am to be so loved by a family in Africa and in America…to be brought into their home, into their lives, to become one of them, to work, sleep, and eat along side them. It is an experience and a love that I shall never forget.

We boarded the little puddle jumper of a plane from Seattle to Spokane…I was getting giddy, unable to keep from smiling. This is it…Rachel, Mom and Dad were only 45 minutes away. The planes wheels touched Washington ground and we walked down the stairs and into the crisp 60˚air…from 115˚ it’s a big change. Once inside the airport, I ran through the gate into the arms of my family. Finally I was home! Mrs. Ekvall, Vanessa, and Kevin’s Grandpa and Grandma were also at the airport to welcome us home. Upon arriving home mom had set up a feast of Tamales, refried beans, chips, and salsa. It was beautiful…I wanted to take a picture.

Re-adjustment has not been too bad. I was slightly overwhelmed by the vast array of color’s in Target, a little nervous about driving for the first time in 9 months (especially merging on the high-way), and tried to find the matches to light our stove for cooking. I called Howaa and Pierre a couple days ago and hope to keep in contact with them.

I want to thank you all for you prayers, support, and encouraging e-mail’s/cards/packages, I can’t imagine what this year would’ve been like without knowing that you all were rooting for me. May God bless you abundantly for all that you have done.

Love and Prayers,
Liz

Sand, Urinary Stones and Babies

2008-05-06T08:46:00.000-07:00

5-3-08

The wind whips up whirlwinds of sand that pelt your face and find you waking up in the morning covered in sand. Mmmm, gotta embrace the grit, mixed with sweat it makes for quite the natural skin exfoliate! That Friday morning found me in just that situation. It had been a windy night, the rooster crowed and I pulled my head from out of under the sheet shaking the sand from it and looked over to see Kevin still sound asleep under the eave of his hut. A few stars still twinkled in the sky, but in Africa as soon as 5:30 am hits, you have no choice but to awake with the goats and chickens or otherwise you take the risk of getting trampled. Sleeping outside on your grass mat has its positive and negative sides!

Kev and I joined Pierre, Brennon, and Washike for a beullile sharing session at breakfast. Kev's new favorite food is the beignets that Howaa makes every morning which we tear up in our beullile. She's determined to have him fattened up before he leaves!

I locked up my hut and lived my dream of walking down the sandy path to the hospital with Kev. It was the start of a beautiful day which was just about ready to get insane. You see we are once again without a doctor. The hospital administrator was gone, and the African surgeon who sometimes does surgeries here at the hospital (Dr. Ongram) was in Kelo. I had just finished doing all the dressing changes on patients, starting a urinary catheter on a lady with a vagina fistula who'd pulled her last one out during the night, and doing rounds with the head nurse Jacob, when the chaos began.

We called Samedi (the janitor turned surgeon) in for a hernia on an old Arab lady. He approached me on the floor and asked if I could assist. I told him I could, but the other nurse would be leaving at 1:00PM so I needed to be back on the floor before that. So in we went. Hans was circulating and giving IV meds, I did the spinal anesthesia, scrubbed and soon we had one patient done. With another lined up, a Dilation and Curettage (D & C), on a mother who had her baby 1 month ago and had been bleeding ever since. After doing the spinal on her, we found that her uterus was full of fluid. Samedi called an end to this D & C and said we'd have to wait for a Doctor. By this time sweat had soaked all of our scrubs. It was running from under our hats and down into our eyes and filling our mouths with its salty taste. We thought we were done, but that's when a nurse popped his head in the door and told us he thought there was a possible C-section sitting outside. A quick examination showed almost 48 hours of labor and presentation of the baby mouth first, yep she was headed into the OR. In between starting a catheter on her along with antibiotics a little boy arrived who a week ago had an operation performed on him to remove a urinary calculi (stone) and now he lay here on the stretcher pee squirting out of his incision right above his pelvis bone. I started a catheter on him. We were all out of pediatric urinary catheters so I had to use a 12fr on him. We then transferred him to a mat outside to wait until after the C-section for further evaluation.

We were running low on help, so Kev came in to take the baby. I did the 3rd spinal for the day (thanks to the teaching of Dr. Bond) and soon we had out the baby with the biggest head and lips I'd ever seen. After having his head compressed on the pelvic bone for such a long time his whole head had become edematous. I did a quick suction, Samedi cut the cord and I handed him to Kev. Shouting out instruction's for resuscitation. Kev was doing compressions with the help of Hans bagging and suctioning, but still no cry. I un-scrubbed and joined in the efforts. Soon he took a gasping breath and a faint heart rate could be heard. I began suctioning with the mouth suction piece removing a couple ml. of phlegm from his throat. After about 10 minutes we finally had a cry. I re-scrubbed and rejoined Samedi who had already sewed up the uterus. I finished by sewing up the skin and soon we had her transferred to the floor. Yes to the floor, it was 3:00 PM time for change of shift and the nurse who had been working with me had left early and left all the 1:00 PM meds un-done. Frustration central. I finally headed home with Kev at 4:00 PM and upon arrival at my courtyard collapsed on one of the mats. We lay there talking about Africa, its frustration's and its beauty and starring up at the vast clear blue sky above us.

That evening found us at the hospital house singing to bring in the Sabbath. We headed to bed at 9:00 PM laying our grass mats once again out on the sand. At 3:00 AM pounding awoke me on the locked tin door of our courtyard and to the question, "Is Liz here". It was the guard from the hospital. The nurse at the hospital wanted me to come, there was a four year old boy with urinary retention and he was at a lost of what to do. I donned by scrubs and walked down the dark path to the hospital. Half-way there I could here the scream's of the little boy. A urinary stone had made it's way all the way to the tip of his penis where it was stuck. I tired pushing it out with tweezers, and pushing it back in hoping to be able to relieve his urinary retention with a Pediatric Naso-gastric tube (the smallest size of urinary catheters left was 18fr). Nothing budged. I worked for about a half an hour with him and that's when a very large momma arrived in labor, making for two momma's in labor. I joined the night nurse in the delivery room just as baby #1 made its entrance into the world. He wasn't breathing so I began resuscitation as the other nurse changed gloves and delivered the next baby whose head was already cresting. Finally the baby I was working on let out a loud cry as baby #2 also let out a cry to let the world know she'd arrived. Two new lives squawked out their protest as we stood on the cement floor covered in fluid and blood. Now back to the little boy!

I was looking over books on anatomy in James office trying to see if the urethra narrows and if it was possible for the stone to come out, when a sleepy Kev arrived at the hospital. We agreed that if it had made it that far it had to be able to come out the rest of the way. After another ½ hour of screaming and kicking I sent the guard to get Samedi. Samedi arrived we immediately gave an IM dose of Ketamine and he began to work with the tweezers. Soon a little piece of the stone broke off allowing us to pull it out with a sigh of relief. I inserted the pediatric NG tube into his bladder and taped it to his leg since there's no balloon to blow up in the bladder.

Kev and I walked back to the hospital house it was an early 5:00 AM Sabbath morning. The sky was beginning to brighten as we fell asleep on cots at the hospital house.

Two days left of work here at Béré Adventist hospital, is it possible? Is it possible that next week I will be sitting down on a plane next to Kev, and then set foot on American soil, hug my parents, eat homemade tamales, sleep in a bed with lots of blankets, and to talk to my sister till late in the night. But as these next days go by I ask that you will remember the hospital in prayer. Satan has quite a battle-field set up here. Without a doctor and a hospital administrator he even takes more advantage of those who come here for help. Pray for wisdom; pray that we will remember to depend on Him, the great physician, and not ourselves.

Pastries and Sensory Overload

2008-04-15T09:13:00.000-07:00

Date: 4-15-08

Today I realized for the first time to what extent I've forgotten about the civilized culture. Esther, Hans, and I are up here in Ndjamena, waiting for Kevin's plane to land. Last night we went to Anne and Richards because they are up here too and they gave us a gift to go to a pastry restaurant this morning for breakfast. The truck driver picked us up at 9:30 and we bumped along the back roads littered with trash and Arab women selling vegetables. Soon we reached the paved street. Vendor's lined the sides, little girls trying to sell you peanuts, moto's whizzing by you, open sewer, and men sticking watches and cards in front of you. All of these things now so normal to me. Then we opened the door to the pastry shop none of us were prepared for the effect it would have on us.

It was like stepping into a little America. It was clean with air-conditioning, little black tables and chair's, glass show cases with an array of pastries displayed, and more white people all in one place than I've seen combined in the last 8 months. We were seated at a table and a waiter came to take our orders. We had invited the driver Levi to come in with us. For some reason his presence was very reassuring. As the waiter brought us fresh pressed juice on a tray with straws and ice, Esther's eyes started to look on the verge of tears. Finally I understood why the African's stared at us so much. I was having a hard time not staring myself. We sat in silence overwhelmed by absolutely everything. I suppose that I've never really stopped to think about how living in a hut has changed me until I'm in a situation that brings out everything that Africa has changed. Can it really even be put into words? I haven't forgotten what it's like to live at home in the USA, in fact many a day I've daydreamed about it. But why now,when given the opportunity to experience a little bit of those dreams all we wanted to do was leave. Was it sensory overload, or was it the fact that I couldn't stop thinking about how Howaa would react in being in a place like this?

"Hallas Fame, Hallas"

2008-04-09T20:43:00.000-07:00

Date: 4-1-08

She lay as stiff as a board, toes pointed straight, jaw locked, and stomach muscles tightened. Her eyes blinked with fear as Tetanus took over her little 4 year old body. Her Arab father lifted her from their mat outside and carried her into the pediatric ward where I could start her IV perfusion. As he picked her up not a single limb moved on her body, he could've held her only at her stomach and she would have stayed completely stiff.

Esther and I were giving round the clock medication to her because Dr. Bond didn't trust the nurses to give the correct dosages of the medication he was prescribing. Tonight was my shift on the midnight dose. I pushed the diazepam, Peni. G and gave her an IM injection. "Hallas, Fame, Hallas". I whispered in the darkness of the ward "It's finished, Fame, it's finished". Her whimpers quieted and I patted her rock hard stomach and smoothed her little Arab dress. After 5 days of treatment her feet had started to relax a little bit and this evening her mother had stuck a little pair of Arab shoes on her feet.

The next morning at 6 O'clock I arrived for the next dose but this time armed with just more than medication. Her little brother stood by her bed and a smile broke across his face as I pulled out two balloon's one for him and one for his sister. Soon shouts of gleeful laughter echoed through the ward as he chased the bouncing balloon. Fame held onto her balloon with a little fist that had finally loosened up and looked up at me with wide eyes. Would she ever be able to walk again? Would she ever live a normal life? I suppose that's why I yearn for God to come more than I ever have before.

Ketchup Craving

2008-04-01T16:13:00.000-07:00

Tonight the Ketchup craving hit the SMs. Esther walked in and sat down next to me, looking at the little bottles of Ketchup that someone had sent Hans. "Those look so good. If I opened a can of hot dogs would you eat them with me?" I looked at her and smiled that's all she needed and she was up to find the recently sent can of Big Franks. Yes, there was rejoicing at the SM house tonight as Esther, Hans, and I sat around of bowl of ketchup and a can of Big Franks.

The funny thing is that this isn't the first time. I wonder if there is some ingredient in Ketchup that we don't get here in Africa. A month ago I came in from work and upon seeing the bottle of Ketchup sitting on the table I just knew I had to have some or else I might go crazy. I searched the house for anything I could have it with. Nothing. That's when it hit me. The chicken coup. I headed out there still in scrubs and with my stethoscope around my neck praying that an egg, just one egg would be there. Nope. Just my luck,just chicken's..and fried chicken wasn't an option. Coming back I almost gave up and then it hit me. Patties. So just for ketchup I made up a whole batch of patties. Mmmmm boy was that ketchup amazing!

Is anybody a little bit warm??

2008-04-01T16:09:00.000-07:00

Date: 3-18-08

It was 9:00 at night and I did a double take at the thermometer. Did it really say 95 degrees. Is it possible to find sleep in this temperature?? I looked down at my hands. They were glistening with sweat. Stan and I immediately decided to go wet down our shirts.

I sit in a chair doing consultations across from me an African man has beads of sweat all over his nose. Drip, drip, drip and it's not a runny nose or fever.

I pulled the grass mat out of my hut, put it under the little mango tree, under a full moon, and laid down with my pillow. I had to fall asleep out here it was too hot in there!!! But with a full moon you get one thing and one thing only: a neighborhood party who turned on the lights. For them it's like having electricity all night! And of course my family would have to choose this night to begin pounding rice and having a family meeting.

When you can take off you underclothing and wring them out with sweat..IT'S TOO HOT!!!!

Out in the middle of...

2008-03-29T21:56:00.001-07:00

Stan, are you okay??

2008-03-15T10:11:00.001-07:00

Date: 3-12-08

Let me bring you up to date. On the 23rd of February I ran across a dusty field with tears in my eyes and met Stan Wheeler outside of the church here in Béré. It was like having part of my family here. Stan is here fixing everything planes, generators, screens, hospital beds, gate locks, etc. You name he can fix it! In between the fix it job's he's visited my hut and had some boulle and spit sauce, Mmmm ;)

Today the 12th of March the 4 of us SM's, Stan, and Andre (the hospital administrator) took off on an exploration of Africa. All of us Nasarah's (Nangere' for white person) climbed in the back of the truck to get the most of the trip. We were going to Andre's village 200 km away, Lere'. Supposedly we we're going to see elephant's, waterfalls, and live with his family for the weekend. We bounced along, wind blowing our hair every which way, and praying that the driver would get us to Lere' in one piece ;) Finally we stopped to have the oil-filter changed. Stan climbed out of the back of the truck and found a place to sit down leaning his head back up against the wall of a tailor's shop. School had just let out and droves of children flocked to the shops to stand and stare. Stan finally looked at me and said, "Maybe I should start that Cipro. My throat is just getting worse." He'd had a sore throat for the last 3 days but just thought it was all the dust and smoke.

We moved things around and he climbed inside to try and get some rest. We climbed in the back and we're off again. He appeared immediately to have fallen asleep. About ½ hour later the truck slowed to a stop and I saw Noelle the pastor sitting next to Stan making some motions. Esther and I climbed out and got in next to Stan, he couldn't move his hands, legs, or head. The first thing I thought was Heat Stroke. We starting pouring water into his mouth, soaking his shirt, head and fanning him. Finally he started to come to a bit, enough to start eating something. Maybe his blood sugar was low. We tried giving him some fruit leather but he couldn't chew it. Thankfully Wendy had sent some Pumpkin Bread along that he was able to get down. The truck was beginning to overheat so we had to keep going. I climbed inside with Stan continuing to feed him, fan him, and keep the water going down. We arrived in Lere' about 45 minute's later stopping at the pastor's house there. We moved Stan to a carpet in their courtyard where he started to feel worse even with all the food and water we'd got down him. Yep, it was time to call Gary.

About 30 minutes later we were back in the truck on the way to the local hospital to get some Serum Glucose, Ringer's and an IV Catheter before meeting Gary at the airstrip that was only 7km away. We spread a mat out next to the airstrip and there with Hans squeezing Stan's arm and using the alcohol wipes from his first Aid Kit I started an IV and a Serum Glucose perfusion. Natives began to accumulate in a large group around us and heads tipped upward as the airplane emerged through the dusty clouds above us.

Holding Stan's perfusion in one hand and my backpack in the other we climbed into the back of the plane and took off without barely a chance to wave goodbye. We had 45 minutes till sundown and we were pushing it to be able to land back in Béré before sundown. Stan collapsed inside the plane head against the window, arms flopped to the side. I hung his perfusion from the seat belt holder near the roof and doused him again with water. My stomach was a little tipsy but I'd never thrown up in a plane before. But about 10 minutes from landing everything that had gone down that day came right back up.

Wendy met us at the airstrip, on the four-wheeler, shining light's so that Gary would know where to land. Gary went and got a truck from Anne and Rich's and soon we were on our way to the hospital.

We helped Stan into the ER room and immediately did a Glycemia test which was 116 and took his Blood Pressure, everything was normal. Gary suggested doing a sputum test. The hospital was abuzz since Dr. Bond was finishing off his 5th surgery for the day so we helped Stan over to the hospital house and to the shower where he could get cleaned up and cooled off. Finally we had him in bed where he fell exhausted. I put up his mosquito net for him and then went back over to check on his test. It was positive for Strep. The Cipro he'd starting taking that morning should take care of that. After talking with Gary we decided that he'd probably experienced Heat Stroke, and the Step had just hit hard core. The next morning he looked much better, and is now up getting around and eating good. Still it was quite a scare and we're thankful that he's healthy again.

Lapia

2008-03-12T16:12:00.001-07:00

Ants!

2008-02-29T21:40:00.001-08:00

Inside My Hut

2008-02-22T22:06:00.001-08:00

Here is a look inside Liz's tidy living quarters. I'm sure you will be impressed to see how she's turned a hut into a home...

A Night with the Nomads

2008-02-22T09:45:00.000-08:00

Email is still not working out of Bere. This blog post was received via an email from Camilla (a Danish Medical Student)when she arrived at home in Denmark. Thank you Camilla for forwarding the blog.

Date: 2-2-08

Sarah and Hans galloped past leaving Sonya, Esther, Camilla (the Danish Medical Student) and I in a cloud of dust. The sun beat down hard as the 4 of us walked the sandy path slowly leaving behind the huts and animal noises of Béré. At the edge of town we stopped at a large compound, stuck our heads in the big blue gate and waved to three fellow hospital workers eating their lunch. They responded vigorously waving back and wishing us the best of time at the Nomad/Arab village this weekend. And so we continued on, dust puffing up under our feet as we past woman carrying pots on their heads returning from the market. The hot season has finally arrived! Sweat trickles down our back as Soya, Esther, and I sing silly camp songs to past the time and entertain Camilla.

The trees in the distance signal that we are approaching the outskirts of the Nangere village. Children stream from huts shouting Nasarah, Nasarah. Soon we find ourselves mobbed by chanting, yelling children all who want to touch you. They followed us the rest of the way to the Nomad village, stopping right outside the makeshift thorn fence set up around the huts of the Nomad's whom we would be visiting and spending the night with. We entered and began the long Arab greeting shaking all adult and children's hands. Hans and Sarah had already arrived and made themselves comfortable on the carpets and pillows that had been laid out for us. We took off our shoes and joined them. One of the boys prepared tea in a little golden tea pot on coals, while the rest of the children stood wide-eyed staring at us A few brave ones approached and touched my hair when I took off my head wrap.

The shyness immediately disappeared when Sonya took out her balloons. Soon colorful balloons where bouncing up and down and children were shrieking with delight. A bowl of water was brought out and we washed out feet and hands; preparing for the evening meal. We had been warned they would probably serve us meat, being honored guest and all, but boulle and a dip appeared. Half-way through the boulle we heard Sonya say, "Are they dragging something over there?" We all turned and saw a group of 3 boys pulling something in the dark to the edge of the camp..yep; it looked like we might have a little meat to eat after all.

A flurry of action began near the cooking pots, fire danced, and Arabic music chants filled the star filled night sky. Soon we all found ourselves asleep on the carpets covered by heavy Arabic fleeces. A couples hours later we were jolted awake, coals glowed where the flames had once leaped, children had gone to bed, and the sheep had been prepared! The Man of the house stood with a huge platter of rice and the choicest part of the sheep (the innards) and called our names. Now it was time for dinner, the boulle was just an appetizer. We all shook our heads, crawled out from under the covers, and squinted at the food that lay in front of us. There was no choice we were honored guests we had to eat it! Esther and I looked at each other. Neither of us had ever eaten meat before, and this looked just plain scary. Esther being braver than I ate some big chunks of meat. I had a little piece here and there with the rice. Everyone else dug in, nobody seemed to want the little pieces of liver that kept appearing. Sonya would toss them to Hans' side and Hans would push it over to Camilla. Finally it appeared that we'd made a tiny dint in the meal and we indicated that we were done by washing our hands.

They removed the platter and then signaled that we were to move into the kitchen hut to sleep for the rest of the night. We pushed past the grass curtain dragging the carpets in the incense filled hut. We coughed and sputtered trying to decide if we would be able to breathe during the night. Finally we all bedded down and were almost asleep when something began to rustle in the plastic next to Sonya's head. We all sat up, feeling for our head lamps. The click of a head lamp revealed beady little eyes of a white kitten staring back at us, hmmm, would we ever get to sleep, would there be another course to eat around mid-night?

Sunlight steamed through the slits in the grass curtain, donkey's brayed loudly outside the door, and children's voices broke through the cold morning air. I pushed my way out from under the heavy covering and put on my head wrap and chacos. Morning breakfast preparations were under way as I took of down a little path that led towards a huge heard of cows. The path veered to the right and I soon found myself sitting under a huge African tree, praising God for the beauty, magnificence, and peace that can be found in his creations.

The rest of the innards were served for breakfast except this time with pasta. Before leaving we put colorful hair ties in all of the girl's hair and gave little toy trucks to the boys. The grandpa of the family seemed to get more entertainment out of the trucks then the children. He soon had has little bag of sugar placed on the dump truck pushing it back and forth across his mat a huge smile spreading across his face.

Sarah and Hans mounted the horse and us girls took of down the sandy path once again, this time shouting, "Affa, affa, affa." and waving good-bye to our new found friends, friends who would always welcome us into their home even though we could not speak their language. It was the fellowship that mattered, the smiles, and the play time with the kids. It was a time that will not be quickly forgotten by them or by us.

Saturday Morning

2008-02-15T21:14:00.001-08:00

James is here for rounds, so I gota go

2008-02-12T22:19:00.000-08:00

Posted by Liz's Dad.....

Lisa and I talked to Liz, Esther and Sonya on Esther’s cell phone on their Monday morning the 11th of February. Because of the Rebel attack on the capital, the government shut off most of the cell phone towers and also the internet. As a result, the emails that have been sent to Liz are still sitting there waiting for the equipment to start working again. Esther had Malaria and was getting IV Quinine at the Hospital. Liz was working at the Hospital with a baby that had 2nd degree burns on his legs and lower body. His 18 year old mother did not check the water temperature prior to putting him in for a bath. The baby is doing much better, but does a lot of crying. Liz told us that life is not much affected by the attacks at the capital. They have noticed that some of the food prices are higher at the market. Some of the medicines are also harder to get a hold of. The daily temperatures are starting to rise. She said that they have been around 95 degrees during the day. It’s headed for 120 degrees in the next several weeks! Liz sends her love to all of you. She says that she has some blogs and large emails written to send out when the internet is back working. After a good visit with Liz on the phone, she said, “Got to go, James is here for rounds”. Please continue to remember Liz and the Hospital staff at Bere in your prayers. They are safe right now, but things can change so fast.

Liz's Medical Dictionary

2008-02-01T09:25:00.000-08:00

Date: 1-30-08

Giardia: A pear shaped bacteria that causes you to leave your place of employment at lightning speed, racing across the sidewalk, dodging incoming patients, to make it to the nearest toilet/hole. Most cases result in sever toilet paper deprivation and bring on a frantic search through the recently sent packages for little packets of Kleenex. In the case of electricity failure you should keep a couple gallon buckets of water next to the toilet at all times. Use of native toilets is advised as the ceramic type with waiting water in them tend to have the splash and spray affect. The native hole method will allow you to go through a ½ roll of toilet paper in 4 hours instead of a whole one. Consult with fellow SM's for support and Gatorade drinking parties. Using filtered water at all times is advised.

WARNING: Wearing more clothes will not muffle the loud noises coming from inside of your stomach during staff worship!

Caught Red-Handed

2008-02-01T09:23:00.000-08:00

Date: 1-29-08

Today found me sitting on my cot, curtain pulled to cover my door, and two Nalgenes and water pump sitting at my feet. Pumping water from the "dirty water nalgene" to the clean one. I was going as fast as I could, hoping my family wouldn't bring diner to my hut just yet and catch me cleaning the water they drink so freely. That's when the curtain parted and a plate of fried sweet potatoes entered followed by a little black head. Caught red-handed; she kinda-of cocked her head like what in the world are you doing, placed the food on my mat and retreated as I sat with filter in hand. Oh well maybe they'll come to me asking to use the filter since Berthe had to stay home from school with diarrhea' today. Personally I refuse to live up to the name, Giardiaella, which was so kindly bestowed on me by Sonya. This last week brought the 2nd and I hope now with the filter (sent by the Carter's) the last. I must say though in refute to Sonya's lead in Malaria I have her 2:1 in Giardia. Today we sang her our dubbed Giardia initiation song as we handed her the lab results with a big fat red Giardia written next to her stool test. Hans, Esther , and I (all veteran's) sang her a rousing version of "When your drivin' in your Chevy and your feelin' somethin' heavy, diarrhea, diarrhea."

Mat Time

2008-01-30T09:11:00.000-08:00

Date: 1-28-08

Have you ever taken the time to lay down under the vast expanse of sky above you just as the sun is going down and stay there long enough to watch the stars appear as the transformation from day to night occur. I realized that I never had as I took mat time tonight. I was feeling sick to my stomach so I curled up with my hoody and watched as God scattered his gift of twinkling glitter across the sky. It made me feel so very far apart from all of you but so close to God. As a satellite streaked its way across my expanse of African sky I whispered, "Take me with you." as I imagined it circling the earth and flying across the sky that covers Mom, Dad, Kev, Rae, Kyle, and all those I love so dearly. But then I thought of the time that is only 3 1/2 months away when I will sit under an American night sky and long for the beautiful simplicity of African life. Of time to watch my families faces as the sound of popping popcorn fills our courtyard, to laugh together as Dorcus attempts to do a Nangere dance little feet pounding, and arms flapping to the beat of the scratchy radio, for the family prayer said by the light of a lantern as drums beat somewhere in the night, yes someday I will miss this mat time!

Qualified, Licensed, Degree...what's that? Know what you're doing...hmmmm maybe :)

2008-01-30T09:09:00.000-08:00

Date: 1-26-08

After delivering two newborns last night, prescribing Quinine perfusion drips, performing a cesarean, amputating a gangrene leg, suturing a head wound...okay so maybe the cesarean, amputation, and head wound part isn't true. But you never know the day when it might become true because you don't have a choice. All the deliveries I've ever done were as the baby was falling to the ground...but last night brought a new experience....a 22 yr. old woman in labor at 2:30 AM and with her previous delivery only made possible by a symphysitomy (cutting the pelvis bone). When I first checked her I could feel the hair on his head as he started the decent into what I hoped was now a big enough space for him to get through. It was just Sonya and I there to help her through her labor...good thing she didn't know I'd only caught falling babies...never helped deliver a difficult one. She never once screamed...just held onto her legs and moaned...as a headful of hair made a difficult entrance into a lantern lit room. Blood and meconium gushed out onto the table over the baby's head and off onto the floor. his shoulder's where stuck. I grabbed the bulb syringe to try and get as much poo as possible out of his mouth before he aspirated it and told Sonya to go get James. By the time he had arrived...I'd somehow figured out the way to turn him and out he popped screaming. That made for the 2nd birth of the night...aided by a social worker and a nurse who'd only caught falling babies.

"God does not call the equipped but equips the called."

God, Please help it not to kill her

2008-01-22T22:01:00.000-08:00

It was almost midnight so I headed over to give midnight meds and that's when I found her. She was 22 year's old, a mother of a 4 day old baby, and she was now struggling for her life. As I approached her bed in the corner the light from my headlamp illuminated what I'd heard when I had entered the room. She sat upright leaning forward, breathing rapidly, exhausted, and with the look of panic in her eye. I couldn't find a blood pressure on her at all and couldn't feel her pulses in her extremities. Her jugular veins were pounding at 180/min and her respiration’s were 40. The confusing part was all the edema in her feet, abdomen, and the crackles in her lungs. Why all this fluid overload and zero blood pressure? And why were her conjunctiva completely white and her hemoglobin 12.9. I didn't understand! The family crowded around the bed as I finished examining her. I grabbed her papers and headed to wake up James.

He told me to run Ringers until I could find a Blood Pressure. I went back started a new catheter on her and ran 3 flacons of Ringer in. Her struggle for life pulled at my heart, she was the same age as me! I stood by her bedside watching the Ringers and rubbing her back. Before trying for a Blood Pressure again I asked her brother if I could pray with her. He nodded in agreement. The room became quiet and I pleaded with God. I know they didn't understand exactly what I said but I hope that they felt the peace and comfort that comes when the Holy Spirit fills a room. I checked her blood pressure, nothing, and her pulse was up to 200/min. Meanwhile the concerned husband pulls me to the side and shows me their 4-day-old baby. In the light of their lantern he peered up at me, his mouth smacking away searching for milk.

"He hasn't eaten for a day, she's stopped giving milk, what do I do?"

The only thing I could think of was the Oral Re-hydration Salts we had, other nursing women here don't like to take other people babies in. We put the ORS in a little bowl with water and sucked up some with a syringe. He latched onto the syringe with force sucking and sucking, syringe after syringe full. I told him this would suffice for tonight, but tomorrow he had to find someone to nurse him.

After giving him a couple of syringe fulls I headed over to wake up James again it was 2:00 AM and I was dreading it. I walked to the gate by the light of a large half-moon praying that God would give James the wisdom to know what to do. I told him her vitals and what I had done He was quiet and then I heard him say, "Well it sounds like we've got a cardiac problem on our hands Unfortunately it's hard to know what kind without an EKG."

He'd already tried Furosemide when she came in thinking it was fluid overload and now we'd tried giving her fluids and nothing was working. No way to test Cardiac output, no way to have an EKG, and even if we could, we did not have the medication to treat whatever it might be.

"Well, looks like there's one last option that I can think of. There are 2 flacons of Beta Blockers (Propanolol) in the OR. Take my keys and go ahead and give her 1 ml. at a time slowly waiting 15 minutes in-between watching her pulse. Hopefully it'll slow her heart down enough to allow it to actually fill up and push blood out to her body."

I grimaced, if NCLEX got a hold of this I'd be fired! "What about not knowing her Blood Pressure?"

"Liz, it's the last option, it might help, it might not, but it's the last possibility that I can think of that might help her. Just push it slow!"

"I hope I don't kill her," I said, as he handed his keys over to me.

"You wouldn't be killing her, she's going to die and there's the small possibility that this might work, if not she'll just die sooner."

I closed my eyes, squeezed back the tears, took a deep breath and took the keys. As I walked back to the hospital beneath the flowering mango trees that scattered moonlight on the path, I lifted my hearts cry to God. "Please, she's my age, help it not to kill her."

Back at the hospital, I woke up Sonya and asked her if she'd come with me, I couldn't do it on my own. With medication in hand we walked toward the flickering light of the lantern at her bedside. Sonya touched her feet, found them cold, and began to rub them while I mixed and pushed her 1st dose. Within 15 minutes her pulse was at 124/min. I gave her another ml. (5mg.) and then had to leave to start on giving 5:00 AM Quinine perfusions. As light begin to push its way through the windows and illuminated the bed of a little boy with Meningitis, a family member arrived at his bedside where I was giving meds and motioned for me to come. I knew in my heart what had happened.

I arrived at her bedside. She sat leaning up against the cushion Sonya had paced behind her, head now bowed, the struggle over. I removed her IV and turned to her husband, put my hand on his shoulder and squeezed. He stood stoic, stunned by what we all knew was coming.

Sonya and I went back to the consultation room and I finally sat down. Looking out the window we saw him sitting on a brick bench under a Mango Tree head in his hands.

As I walked home I passed him holding a donkey and waiting at the crossroads for the 4 approaching women in the distance. As I passed them the moans that came from deep inside brought on the tears that had been held in al night. I turned to look back as he pointed them in the direction they had taken his wife. The sandy path blurred in front of me. I went immediately to my cot and finally fell asleep not waking up till 1:30. The sun was now high in the sky and one of the girls had placed a bowl of beuille on my mat while I was sleeping. Before eating I closed my eyes and thanked God for giving me the strength to make it through the night. I thanked Him for never leaving me. I thanked Him for the opportunity to pray with the family and laid all them in his hands.

As I ate my beuille, I was reminded of a thought from Medical Ministries that I hand underlined and had thought about during the night as I longed to be able to speak of Jesus to them.

"Living and working under the constant impression, "Lo, God is here," brings hallowed influence which the Spirit is ever impressing on heart and mind."

It's my prayer that through our touch and the presence of God she felt this. It's my prayer that someday we'll meet in heaven.

"We shall sing on that beautiful shore, the melodious song of the blest, and our Spirits shall sorrow no more not a sigh for the blessings of rest. In the sweet by and by, we shall meet on that beautiful shore. In the sweet by and by, we shall meet on that beautiful shore.

Toilet Paper....What's That?

2008-01-19T20:44:00.000-08:00

1-18-08

So it's that early morning time...I grab a peice of kleenex and head to the place I have fondly come to call "the hole". After 5 months of doing the squat it has finally become a comfortable position...unfortunately this morning found me in a quandary. One peice of kleenex just wasn't going to do the trick. So it was time to learn to do things African style. The cardboard box that someone had thoughtfully paced next to the hole...had slowly been diminishing and now it was my turn to help in the tearing down process. Let's just say...a cardboard box wipe isn't the best thing for your skin...but it works. Hopefully somebody makes it to Kelo soon!!! (They've got toilet paper there!)

Home is Where Your Hut Is

2008-01-15T09:46:00.000-08:00

As the sights along the road became familiar a feeling of excitement began to fill me. I wonder if my "family" was waiting for me. The Béré sign came into view my moto driver pointed at it and I nodded. We curved to the right and took off on the sandy path that leads to the hospital. We past Sonya's courtyard - her family coming out jumping up and down, waving, and shouting. We waved back. We were coming home! We pulled up to the hospital compound, drank a couple huge glasses of water and began with our second Christmas Celebration. Yes, each of us had a huge stack of packages to open. We sat there for a couple hours savoring each package and exclaiming over each other's discoveries of what was inside them. With Christmas over it was time to head home. Each of us packed up our bags and things from our packages to give to our families. When I opened the hospital door I found the 3 youngest girls in my family all smiles. I picked us Dorcus swung her around and gave the other two hugs. They each grabbed something I was carrying and the constant chatter began as we headed home. They told me about the New Years celebration and what each of them had gotten. They told me that Berthe was going to scream when she saw me. I told them we should try and surprise them. So we took off on a path that came out at the back of our courtyard. I told them to be quiet. They started shhhhinng all the neighbor kids as we approached the courtyard wall on our tiptoes. That's when Washike, and Howaa spotted me. Lee, lee, lee and heads began to pop up over the wall. Then Berthe came flying around the corner at the end of the path running at top speed with her arms out shouting lee, lee, lee. I wanted to cry but instead ran to her shouting "Berthe." She hugged me tightly for a long time. When we entered the courtyard greetings were being shouted everywhere. Howaa came running to me and hugged me in only a way that a mom can. Yep, I was Home, home to my hut. I immediately sat down on the mat and told them about my trip as I handed out dried fruit, lotion, lip gloss, flashlights, and other things from the packages. I've never seen people get so excited over such little things. They were absolutely radiate. That night I slept so well after drinking a cup of hot milk and eating beignets. How did I ever think I would be better off at the hospital house. God knew what He was doing all along. He was giving me a home and a family who loved me.

The Sacrifice

2008-01-15T09:43:00.000-08:00

After sitting 8 hours in Maroua waiting for a bus to arrive to take us to the Cameroon border we finally arrived at our first police check before crossing the frontier. Hans sat in the front of the taxi that we had found with the driver and us three girls in the back. Military men surrounded the car talking to Hans, checking his passport, and peering in the window at us. One approached my side of the car and started talking to me. I played the dumb, I don't speak French part. We could tell that Hans was starting to do some bargaining. Finally we pulled away. Hans turned back to talk to us with a smirk on his face. "Do you know what they wanted?" He asked. We all just raised our eyebrows. We had our ideas but weren't sure. "They wanted me to leave one of you with them, but I told them it would be too much of a sacrifice." They argued saying that didn't make sense he had three of the white women. Our driver stated that everyone wants a white woman. And Sonya commenced to say that "It's not easy being this beautiful and white." We like to think it's as Sonya stated but really the hardcore reality truth is that it's not the beauty, its not the white skin, it's the pass to America that they want!

Don't wear chap-stick on a moto ride!!!!

2008-01-11T07:37:00.000-08:00

Date: 1-3-08

As the trees whipped by and my head wrap flapped in the wind behind me I licked my lips and got a mouth full of dirt. Ohhh, that was nice. Yep, we were on our way to Nigeria from Cameroon and I just learned a very important lesson: don't ever put on chap-stick before a moto ride especially in the dry season. It's a recipe for how to get a gritty mouth for the rest of the day. Over mounds of dirt we flew, through herds of cows, by groups of waving children, and through 3 inch deep sand causing us to almost wreck a couple times. Finally we arrived at the Nigerian border and entered the market without any problems. The market was huge, we pushed back sheets and sheets of brightly colored fabrics, stopped to admire all the brightly colored peppers, and eggplant, bought some avocadoes for guacamole, held our breath as we walked through the meat market trying to keep the flies from flying up our noses, bargained for pink, green, and purple scarves that we hoped would disguise our whiteness, and paused to smell the pink and red Arab perfumes put into old medicine bottles. Our senses were on overload as we headed back to the border, one more country in Africa down and a very long moto ride ahead of us; a very long moto ride that would leave us all with very sore backsides, and raccoon eyes from the dust and sun glasses.

A Nalgene Smile

2008-01-09T09:14:00.000-08:00

Date: 12-25-08

The morning sun filtered through the crack in my tin door. I opened my eyes to my first Christmas Day away from home. I bundled up in my sweatshirt and pants and opened the door to let in the first rays of morning light. Curled up with a fleece blanket on my mat and I opened up my bible for a Christmas morning time with God. Soon I heard the familiar, "Lee, lee, lee" letting me know that breakfast was served. "Je viene" I called out, as I slipped on my Chaco's. I sat down for a meal of white rice and tomato sauce. It didn't sit quite right on my stomach so I headed back to my hut after eating a little bit. There on my mat sat the gifts for my family. Now would be a good time to give them their gifts I thought and headed outside with the pile. As soon as Pierre caught sight of the new purple Nalgene (Vanessa had sent in her package) that I was holding towards him his hands shot out to grasp it and his face lit up like a Christmas tree. "Como, como, como" he kept repeating over and over again as he turned the Nalgene over and over again in his hands. He said thank you over and over again so many times. You see beside us Americans, only one other person has a Nalgene at the hospital and he's basically American (at least wants to be). Usually they drink out of old oil cans, or medicine containers. Next I handed out scarves to all the girls who immediately put them on their heads and wore them all day very proudly!! The picture book of landscapes in America that mom found at a second-hand store kept not only the attention of my whole family but also all the neighborhood kids for quite some time! It was a great Christmas. Couldn't be better after all those SMILES!!!

Making Peanut Butter

2008-01-07T22:21:00.001-08:00

Does it take 9 months for a white person too???

2008-01-04T22:22:00.000-08:00

Date: 12-22-07

Friday found us heading to the market. Us being Sonya, Esther, Wendy, Cherice (1 yr. old), Caleb (2 yr. old), and myself. As soon as we stepped foot outside of the Toyota we were mobbed!!! Fifty kids surrounded us, touching Caleb, and shouting until he started to ball. We walked the 1/8th of a mile to the market barely being able to move because the kids pressed in so close, bumping us in all the places we might have money hidden. It's never been like this going to the market - what makes it so different today?? Yep, it was defiantly Wendy carrying Cherice on her front and a crying Caleb in the other hand. It's like they'd never realized that white babies exist. We surrounded Caleb and tried to keep them from touching him but somehow a hand would always manage to squeeze its way through trying to find out if the this little white moving creature was real or not. Finally we arrived at the Arab market where we get phone minutes. The Arab owner decided to take things into his own hands. He soon had out a rope swinging it widely and the group dispersed for a couple minutes and then regrouped again surrounding the shops in even larger numbers. Finally we finished with the phones and decided to take the back path to place where the lady sells tomatoes. We didn't lose any of them. As we walked back to the Toyota another man appeared with a green stick, walking in circles around us, whipping it at the kids. It kept them at about 5 feet away, creating us as the nucleus of some strange happening in the little village of Béré.

Last night Hans enlightened us as to maybe one of the reasons the white babies are such an attraction. Upon arriving at his hut one of the boys in his family asked him if it took 9 months for a white person too?? They also where amazed when Esther was able to have her surgery here. They thought white people always had to go to Europe because they were different than black people on the inside and couldn't be operated on here. And yes the reason all the babies cry when they see us is because the Arabs have spread the news for the past couple centuries that we white people (Nasarahs) like to eat little black kids. I don't ever think we will become a normal sight. Sonya and I are considering trying the Charcoal trick someday and seeing how that goes over but I'll save that for another blog!!!

Bonjour from the girls

2007-12-24T09:01:00.001-08:00

Manure: The New Way to Get to Know Your Neighbors

2007-12-20T15:30:00.000-08:00

Date: 12-20-07

So the pigs got into our courtyard a couple nights ago and ate the flowers off my plants and ate the remaining remnants of two green bushedsby my door!!!! That's it. I'm planting a Cactus Garden!!! Take that you nasty pigs!!! So yesterday I went on a Cactus hunt. Now the front of my hut has 5-6 different types of Cactus growing and on the other side the only flowering bush that goats and chickens don't eat. I'm planting tons of those. Today George Veal (an Agriculturist from Loma Linda) helped me transplant a bunch of Banana Trees to make myself a little haven on the side of my hut. We needed Manure so off I went searching my neighbors property for any good looking manure. Boy were the natives getting a kick out of that. Finally I'd run out of places and headed up the path next to my hut. Then our closest neighbor that I haven't met yet came walking out holding a huge nugget asking if I would like more this size. Of course being in the Manure Search mood that I was I got very excited and we went running back to the back area of his hut where there was tons of Manure. Soon there were kids everywhere helping me pick up manure, and digging around in the straw. The dad and I had a great time getting to know each other over this amazing manure discovering. He told me I could come back anytime I want to. I think I will. Now that I've been in his compound once and digging around looking for manure we've broken down any barriers that there ever could have been. I love how God uses silly things like searching for Manure to open up opportunities for ministry.

Inside My Courtyard

2007-12-17T10:30:00.000-08:00

Date: 12-16-07

Puffs of dust rose from the path as I walked past huts surrounded by grass and brick walls on my way to the market to buy petrol. An occasional hole and leaning grass mat allowed me to get a glimpse of the happenings inside. It was Friday the day that I was heading back home to my hut after being away for a week and to tell you the truth I was excited. As I past the huts, I heard the pounding of millet somewhere inside, saw the brightly covered clothes hanging up after laundry day, and smelt boulle being cooked over the coals. I realized how fortunate I was I didn't have to wonder what was going on inside that courtyard. I knew and I was part of it just a couple huts down. I was one of them in a way.

So what exactly does go on in my courtyard. Push past the piece of tin that lies on it's side and enter into my courtyard with me...the tin "gate" creaks, cracks, and tries to fold in half as we squeeze through. Guess it's kinda like a doorbell - everybody knows you're home. Dorcus comes running with her baby doll tied to her back, I pick her up and play airplane with her ending with a quick dip in a bucket of water. Everyone is now laughing as Dorcus runs off barefoot to find her friends singing a song from church yesterday. Ruth and Esther are pounding Millet together, lifting high in the air their big pounding sticks. One after the other hits the Millet, a rhythm that shows when you are really a woman. Their shirtless little frames glisten in the sunshine. Howaa sits on the mat with her feet off in the dirt. Besille sits propped up with his little butt in the middle of her feet, a perfect toilet seat and yes it's been successful ;) He's throwing his hands up in the air and attempting to talk Mundung. Berthe is sitting on a small bench next to the fire. She has found a old pair off flipflops and is using them to prop the big boiling pot of Boulle up with her feet as she stirs the thick Boulle inside with a 3 foot long wooden spatula. Three chicks are balancing on an old pot from this morning's breakfast and trying to get the remnants of rice without falling into the black hole. Brennon is drawing up water from the well and carrying it to the garden beginning the evening water process. Washike sits on a log next to the first hut I slept in and is intensely copying page after page of writing from school. I lay down on the mat next to Howaa and look up at the bright blue sky and moving clouds above me. As I gnaw on a piece of sugar cane I know that I'm surrounded by a family that loves me. I'm refreshed by coming here. Life Is Good!!!

I know what the evening will bring; the huge giant 25 ft. by 10 ft. mat appears. We all stretch out on it under the stars. A lantern sits on the edge of the wall illuminating the case that holds the goods my family sells to their neighbors: sugar, salt, tomato paste, onions, garlic, sesame seeds, beignets, petrol, and hibiscus leaf tea. The radio is perched precariously on the grass awning above our heads. It gets its fuzzy reception best up there and even if it's only fuzz we are listening to it's still blared for the whole neighborhood to hear. If a good song does come on someone grabs on the pounding sticks and begins a native dance leaving us all in fits of laughter especially when Dorcus starts singing and trying to imitate what she sees. Anne is playing with my hair, a constant fascination here. A couple have drifted off to sleep, and the chickens have finally entered their little hut for the night. The night becomes quiet in a sense as the neighbors are having their nightly party, drums, yelling "ieieieieieiei", and singing will be heard until somewhere around 11:00. An occasional mangy dog adds it's high pitched howl to the chaos somewhere down the path. Slowly one by one we head off to our huts, a slight breeze blows the bright green curtain in my door way letting a little moonlight stream in as I crawl into my blue cave of mosquito netting. I blow out the lantern and am immersed in a darkness that you'll only find in an African Courtyard...scurry scurry scurry. That would be Mr. Mouse who has decided it's safe to come out. I make sure my mosquito net is tucked in. As long as he doesn't sleep with me I'm Okay.

Overalls, Snow pants, and Dolls at Church

2007-12-10T09:51:00.000-08:00

Sonya and I found a pair of overalls and a Black Baby Doll in the back closet and decided to take them to my family. Dorcus embraced the doll with a hug, smile, and wide open arms saying "Bebe" over and over again. We presented the doll face to face with Besille (1 year old) his eyes got wide as he stared at the those eyes lookin back at him and then got the scared I'm gonna cry look. We then presented him with the little overalls. Howaa said he'd wear them to church the next day. I couldn't help remembering last week at church. Besille sat bear butt in the sand and in front of him his siter Esther outfitted in a complete snowsuit with the hood on (What I wanted to know is who sent a snowsuit to Africa?)

This Sabbath found Besille sporting his new blue jean overalls and Dorcus being a very good mommy with the doll half her size strapped to her back.

Video of My Courtyard

2007-12-07T08:09:00.001-08:00

How to bathe a chicken 4 year old style

2007-11-29T07:57:00.000-08:00

Date: 11-25-07

First of all a disclaimer for my lack of communication and very bad up keep of blog posting..Generator went capoot, phone not sending e-mail's for the last 2 weeks, and crazy days at the hospital. I will however try to get my priorities straight and keep you all informed. Quick update before the following story...I've been fondly renamed Giardiaella by my fellow SM's, my family has stopped feeding me boulle, my carrots have sprouted, the goat found it's way into my garden this morning, French is coming along nicely, and I love working at the hospital...praise God for the Joy and Strength He is so willing to give to us all. Thank you for your prayers, the strength of them is greatly felt.

Howaa "my mom" left this morning for Ndjamena, leaving a bawling 4 year old Dorcus behind. She stood at the gate and bawled alligator tears, the rest of the family just kept on eating breakfast. I decided this would just not do. Soon she was sitting on my knee and still bawling for the whole neighborhood to hear. A different approach had to be taken. This is when I remembered the little hand puppets Kevin had sent. Now would be the time to break them out. I carried her into my hut and there we found a very white chicken with red feather's. The crying began to cease as I talked chicken to her. Bauck, bauck. Soon a little smile came to her face and she reached out to take hold of the chicken. Her hand found it's way up inside and Mr. Chicken became her best friend.

When I arrived home from work I found her warming up water on the coals to give Mr. Chicken (fondly renamed "baby") a bath. You see white chickens, or should I say babies, get dirty very fast in Africa. Berthe the older sister told me that she'd held it up today before giving "baby" it's first bath today and kissed it 4 times. I'm glad to know that Mr. chicken has found a good mom. But how long he's going to last with a couple washing's a day I'm not sure ;)

Morphine, Malaria, Tyhpoid, and Appendicitis (Esther had it all!!!!)

2007-11-13T21:49:00.000-08:00

11-11-07

Well on the 2nd of November (Friday) I took a trip to Kelo, Tchad that will not be soon forgotten. Short version goes something like this...Sonya, Esther, and I donned our head wraps and skirts and headed out to find motorcycles that would take us to Kelo. You see we had heard a rumor that there were packages waiting for us there. Now that's a hard rumor to resist checking out. We found two unfortunately we are a little novice and didn't think past the fact that one was putting the wheel back on his motorcycle and the other one was pumping up the tire with a bike tire pump. I'll blame it on the fact that we were just so excited about our upcoming "ADVENTURE!!!"

After we crossed the river in canoes with the motorcycles we started on the 1 hour stretch to Kelo that turned into 2 for Sonya and I and 4 for Esther. You see the Moto Sonya and I were on blew a tire, so we sat under a Mango tree for an hour and entertained natives who had never seen white people before. Have you ever seen a white person make a fish face? In the mean time, the tire on Esther's Moto came off. After much prayer, almost tears, making friends with the postal man, praying with the postal man, and sitting under a tree for 2 hours outside the post office we were all re-united. The only problem with our reunion was that Esther was in quite a bit of pain. She was having strange stomach pain that we thought was just aggravated from riding the bumping moto.

We arrived back in Béré without any complications except multiple marriage proposals from my Moto Chauffer. I told him I was already taken and that he'd have to talk to Kevin about that. Esther took some pain meds and seemed to be o.k. but after about 2 hours of being back, she collapsed in the hallway and didn't come to for about 20 minutes. In the meantime Dr. Greg and Dr. Audrey (the visiting doctors from Cameroon who switched hospital's with Sarah and James) went into action. I started an IV on her and gave IM pain med's. We hung Glucose and Ringer's and began to pray.

Soon the color started to come back to her face. She felt good enough to get up so she laid on the couch while we sang songs around her to open Sabbath. Sonya and I made a bed up for her in the back room of the hospital house and stayed the night with her keeping the fluids going she hadn't drank much all day. About 1:00 AM Saturday she woke up in terrible pain. I went to Dr. Greg, he came over, he found re-bound pain all over her abdomen. He increased the amount of Morphine she could have and started her on Antibiotics thinking it might be Thyphoid Fever. At 7:00 he did a Ultra-sound and didn't find anything of much significance, but the Thyphoid results did come back positive. The only question now was the stomach pain from the peritonitis that Thyphoid fever can cause or was this something like appendicitis, ruptured intestines, etc. I watched him pace outside the window Sabbath morning with his cell-phone as he made the decision to call in Gary Robert's the mission pilot here. Better to be safe then sorry. Along with Gary came Sarah and James. All day long Sabbath I gave Esther Morphine every two hours. Finally Sarah and James arrived. The three doctors conferred together and decided to give Esther two options. To be operated on here or to be flown out to Europe. You could feel the tension in the house as everyone realized what a huge decision she had to make.

Never before have I realized what a perfect group of SM's God has brought together here. The thought of Esther leaving seemed to leave a huge gap that couldn't be filled for the rest of the year. But we wanted to best for her, Sonya and I sat hugging and praying with her after she'd finished talking with her parents. Then the decision was made. She wanted to be operated on here. The decision to leave was risky because something could go wrong in the air and she wanted to be with people she knew.

Hans, Christina (The Portuguese volunteer nurse), and I headed over to the OR to bleach everything like it had never been bleached before!!!!!! Esther arrived and we had a group prayer...Esther was having Dr. Greg (A Surgeon) do the surgery, Dr. James assisting, and Dr. Audrey as backup, while Sarah did Anesthesia and I circulated. The incision was made and in no time one huge unhappy appendix appeared. It was at the point of bursting!

Sonya and I spent the next 3 nights sleeping by her side, keeping the perfusions going, feeding her fruit slushies made from dehydrated blueberries, nectarines, and fresh bananas, and trying to ease some of her pain. That girl is amazing, she not only has a lot of physical stamina but definitely found strength to make it through from God.

She is now eating pizza, has Malaria, and is up walking around some. The evangelical missionaries here who live about 15 minutes away have taken her in as their daughter and are nursing her back to health. They also have constant power and fans. Life is so delicate but praise God He designed our bodies and is the best one to know how to fix them.

How to Find a Moto for Your Trip to Kelo that will Double Your Travel Time

2007-11-13T21:45:00.000-08:00

11-11-07

1. Pick the first shack you come to!

2. Speak as little French as possible.

3. Notice that the tire is off the bike they are offering you but figure that they know what they're doing.

4. Pay the guy half-of his sum before you start on your trip.

5. Watch as the other moto arrives, the driver whip off his handy dandy bike-tire pump and start a pumpin'. Looks can be deceiving!

6. Hike up your skirts, tie on the head wrap, put on your sun-glasses, and climb on the flat tire moto with three people.

7. Hit every bump in the road (there are a lot of them) without slowing down

8. AND POP...go swerving off the road and stop for a break under a Mango Tree. It's all good. It was getting a little hot in-between Sonya and our "driver" anyways!

Nasarah

2007-10-30T15:19:00.000-07:00

Date: 10-21-07

Have I told you what a beautiful place this is? I'm realizing more and more everyday...God is opening my eyes to the beautiful faces, the beautiful smiles, the beautiful tiny black hands reaching up to me. Boy it sure does take time to feel comfortable in a place, to feel like you belong. I've almost forgotten at times that I look any different then them, walking through the market place bargaining for a piece of sugar cane feels so normal....that is until I look behind me and see 15 kids watching me...then you make a quick move towards them and poof they scatter with screams of laughter and giggles...or until I hear "Nasarah" being called out as I walk by...oh ya...I'm "Nasarah"...the white person. It used to annoy me hearing "Nasarah" like an echo in the Grand Canyon all day long...that is until I was informed of how we got that name. The first white people that the Nagerene tribe here saw were missionaries telling them of Jesus the Nasarene...thus "Nasarah"...now every time I hear it I reminded of why I'm here. Instead of irritating me it causes me turn by the Grace of God and grab both of the hands up stretched to me and spin them round and round and round.

Directions...How to Eat Sugar Cane

2007-10-30T15:14:00.000-07:00

Date: 10-17-07

First of all if your jaw is sore at all don't even try...especially if your piece of sugar cane is a good couple inches around. After you've accumulated an audience for your debut in sugar cane eating you can begin. Sonya and I sat on a bench surrounded by my family. We'd just finished doing my laundry and were taking a break. A sugar cane break! Turn the sugar cane side way's...grab the outer peeling you don't eat with your teeth and pull as hard as you can, leaving slivers of green peelings in your teeth. You go at it again. The whole family is now laughing at Sonya and I as spit drips down the sugar cane and it still looks the same as when we started. Finally Berthe has pity on us and takes the sugar cane from our hands and grrrrhhh...whips that peeling right off with her teeth...and there you have it - mmmm. Yummy sugar cane that Berthe has just peeled for you with her mouth. Sonya and I bit in with gusto. Ok so it doesn't matter that it has Berthe saliva all over it as I chew and suck and chew and suck until all the cool sugar liquid is out. And then the FINALE...SPIT!!!! Encore!!!!

My Chicken Roomate

2007-10-30T15:09:00.000-07:00

Date: 10-14-07

I sat having my devotion's when I heard a peculiar sound coming from Berthe's corner of the hut. It wasn't Berthe - she was already up preparing breakfast and it was still dark enough outside that I couldn't tell what was making the sound. Berthe's mosquito net started to move as something was trying to fight its way out. I peered into the dark intently waiting for something to appear and wondering if I should be prepared to fight or kill! That's when a little white head and yellow beak popped around the corner of the door. The hen did a quick assessment of her surroundings and made a quick run for the door. I figured that she'd just gotten locked in during the night but after a quick breakfast of bugs from under the banana tree she was back again to fight the mosquito net. This time the light flickered into the hut and as she pushed past the mosquito net back into her corner I saw 5 little white eggs nestled into the far corner of my hut. Yep, she had set up housekeeping. Now I'm just waiting for the devotional time when I will hear little peeps and the cracking of eggs and see a family emerge from the corner of my hut.

Thoughts of Home

2007-10-23T12:56:00.000-07:00

Date: 10-13-07

What is it that makes my stomach do a little flip-flop as I stand at the sink at the hospital house washing dishes? I think it's because I miss the running water, the kitchen sink, and the atmosphere of the kitchen at home. In the early morning when all I can hear is some bird chirping I close my eyes as tight as possible and try to imagine myself in my front yard. As I sat on the edge of the well this morning while the stars sill twinkled in the sky and my family slept in their huts around me I thought of home. How much do you let your mind run in its memories and cravings for home when reality is here...when there is so much joy to be found surrounding you? Joy in the creations of God, joy in His strength, joy in His comfort, joy at the people He brings into your life, joy in the packages that arrived yesterday. How truly blessed I am. Although it does not deny the feelings I feel when I hear the birds that sound like the ding of a microwave, when I eat the beans and chips my family has sent me, when I see the picture of Kevin, when I smell the burning of sandalwood that reminds me of camping, when James plays guitar Fri. night. All bring a longing for home and friends and family, which cannot be denied. It is something I must embrace, give to God, and then find joy in the new baby goat that bounces like a spring at my feet, throwing his little legs up into the air. Maybe I should get up and do same?

Legs, Eyes, and Wings = Bon Appetite

2007-10-23T12:52:00.000-07:00

Date: 10-10-07

It was pitch black inside my hut. I moved forward slowly trying to find my head lamp on the table I knew it was in front of me. I'd arrived home late and was hoping that my family wouldn't try to get me to eat anything. But once I found my headlamp, and had filled my hut with light I found out how wrong I was. There was Berthe at the door a bowl outstretched to me. I gave her a questioning look and peered over the side. Beedy black eyes that had been cooked to a crisp staired unblinkingly back at me. Yep, is was grasshopper season! "Mange" Berthe said and grabbed on of the tasty critters to demonstrate how. Before I knew 3 other siblings had packed themselves into the tiny hut wondering what all the commotion was. So I took a deep breath told them all to take one and on the count of 3 we'd all eat them together. CRUNCH! CRUNCH! I'd tell you it tasted like chicken but I've never had chicken. I will tell you I did have seconds though!

Covered in Mosquito's and Poopy Parasites :)

2007-10-18T12:27:00.000-07:00

Date: 10-9-07

I have two new friends - one has visited before and the second I'm still getting acquainted with. I've decided that they're probably going to become very close friends. You know the ones that visit often. Unfortunately they love me and I do not return the feeling ;) You see the name of the first visitor is Malaria and the second is Giardia. Yes, I have the poopy parasite and the mosquito covered sickness all at the same time. I thought it was very considerate of them to visit at the same time!! Misery loves company!! Despite these little bugs having a hay day inside of me. I've really only been sick one day and it was only with a fever. Praise God. The fun part about Giardia is that you must be outfitted with toilet paper at all times!!! Thankfully in Africa you don't have to be near a bathroom to "use the bathroom". I defiantly wouldn't want to have Giardia in the states. Here you can just pop off the path and squat, I say bonjour to many people doing the squat as I walk by. As soon as my French gets better I might inquire which parasite friend is spending the day with them?

Night Shift

2007-10-18T12:11:00.000-07:00

Date: 10-6-07

The first patient was held by his Nangerene mother, eyes closed and head flopped to one side. I checked his conjunctiva and found it completely pale. Another Malaria patient that the parents had waited too long to bring in. After hospitalizing him, starting an IV and finally finding a blood type match for the infant we hung the blood..then the IV went bad. It was dark by this time so we took him into the nurse's station to start another IV and there in his mother's arms his little heart stopped beating. We covered his face with the cloth his little body was wrapped in. The mother dropped her head near his face but did not cry a tear or utter a sound. I put my arm around her shoulder everything inside of me wanted to wrap her in one big hug. I looked around at the faces of the other nurses with me. Completely stoic. "God, I prayed please help me never to get calloused to the death of these little ones."

I returned to the pediatric ward to check on the other babies that we had just hospitalized and had placed two to a bed because of the overwhelming amount of patients coming in. Three blood transfusion's were running, all the Quinine perfusion's were dripping slowly, everything was pretty quiet except for the raspy breathes of the baby at the end of the ward. The father was sitting on the floor looking up at the IV with his lantern, making sure that it was dripping as I approached. This one didn't look like it was gonna make it through the night. I listened to his lungs and heard the typical malaria crackles and rales. The nurse on the Med/Surg. side told me to give Dexamethasone and Ampicillin. I did this and then there was nothing else to do but wait. I returned to the back of the building where a mat had been place for me to sleep over there and laid down. But I couldn't go to sleep because all I could hear was the gasping of the infant. "God," I prayed "Is there anything else that I can do?" The moon shown in through the window above me head and filtered down through the mosquito net as I waited for a reply. "Pray with them," came the reply. I struggled with getting up out of bed since it was already 1:00 and I new because of all the blood transfusion's going and Quinine perfusions due again at 5:00 I wouldn't get much sleep but the impression wouldn't leave me. I rolled over and fought my way out of the mosquito net, fished for my flip-flops, head-lamp, and made my way to the end of the ward again. I found the father in the same position..worry written all over his face, holding the lantern and watching the drip. He jumped up as I approached. I asked him if it is would be o.k. if I prayed with him and his wife for their baby. He nodded his head immediately, there in the flickering light of his lantern I held that tiny sweaty hand and asked that God intervene, I prayed that this little girls life would be spared so that she would have the opportunity to know a relationship with God. It was all in English, but the peace of God was there.

After finishing praying I found my way over to the med/surg. side to see if everything was o.k. over there. The generator had been turned on for a C-section and as I entered the building the nurse there grabbed me by the hand and we ran toward the patient latrines. There on the ground we found a new hospitalized mom holding her new baby in her lap, the cord still pulsating with blood from the placenta. Taking the cloth from the father I wrapped the baby and beginning rubbing her to get her to cry. As a small cry came from her mouth Job clamped the cord and cut it. And then we took off running to the labor and delivery room to suction and make sure that the infant was o.k. In the light given by the generator we found a perfectly healthy newborn. I returned for the mother and found a bed for her. The baby immediately began to nurse and in no time we had the placenta out and had given some oxytocin.

So tonight is another night shift. You never know what it'll bring but God does and He can handle any situation better than I could ever have been trained to handle a situation. He is the Great Physician after all isn't He?

Don't Try This in America

2007-10-03T07:26:00.000-07:00

1.. Wash the bowl out with sand, rinse with water, and serve.
2.. Re-cap you needles.
3.. Do all dressing changes without gloves.
4.. Go barefoot in the OR
5.. Tell the nurse you're working with to wash out that Foley Catheter bag
you'll use it for the next patient.
6.. Take a shower in your back yard.
7.. Suck on your fingers to clean off you hand after dinner.
8.. Rinse of the suction tubing using your hands and then suck on the
other end with your mouth to continue suctioning the tracheal tube.
9.. Wear the same dress all day after your baby peed all over you.
10.. Throw all the flip-flops in your yard at the pigs that won't leave.
11.. Pile 26 people in a mini-van.
12.. Walk outside your door and pee, why go all 10 feet to the hole?
13.. Use the same IV catheter over and over again for trying to start an
IV on a patient until it gets a hole in it.
14.. Hang blood to gravity.
15.. As a nurse prescribe medication and dosages.
16.. Pile 3 people on one little motorcycle.
17.. Put your arm around a stranger and tell them that you're going to
walk home with them.
18.. Eat the huge locust on your corn plants...raw!!!

A Bottle Cap and a Pressure Canner

2007-09-24T19:49:00.000-07:00

Date: 9-24-07

I sit her in Africa in the middle of trying to can pumpkin. My family gave me a huge pumpkin, I made pumpkin muffins yesterday with some of the prized Raisin's mom sent with me, but there was still a ton left. I decided to give canning it a try so that we could have pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving. Pray that none of us die of botulism though ;) Mom told me that it needs to be canned in a pressure cooker under 15 lb.'s of pressure for 50 minutes. Well I've got them in a pressure cooker and they will be there for a little longer than 50 minutes to be safe. But as far as the 15lb's of pressure goes that would be a coke bottle cap. Hmmm..guess it's part of embracing Africa ;)

Wilderness Experience

2007-09-24T19:45:00.000-07:00

Date: 9-22-07

It's a dark night outside, the crickets are humming, and the coal fire the pressure cooker is over is glowing orange out on the porch. It is here I sit overwhelmed by what an amazing opportunity God has presented me with here. It is a discovery that I can't help but share with you.

I walked into Sabbath School and joined our newly formed group of English speaker's, the sounds of the Mundo, Nagerene, and French language Sabbath School's mixed together in the brick building. We opened up to the weeks Sabbath school lesson and saw that it was on Hosea and Gomar. I strained to hear the conversation as the Quinine makes my ears feel like they are filled with cotton, I caught pieces here and there. It came my turn to read the next verse..and this is what I read.

"Therefore, behold, I will allure her and bring her into the wilderness, and I will speak tenderly and to her heart. And I will betroth you to Me forever, yes, I will betroth you to me in righteousness and justice, in steadfast love, and in mercy. I will even betroth you to Me in stability and in faithfulness, and you shall know, recognize, be acquainted with, appreciate, give heed to, and cherish the Lord.and in that day I will respond, says the Lord." Hosea 2: 14, 19, 20

Tears filled my eyes as I read this, I looked out the tall rectangular windows that lined the church wall, rice filled rolled in the breeze, a couple children ran by laughing, dragon flies hovered in the air that was beginning to get heavy with heat. I thought of my hut, my cot, my mat, my hole, my new family.

This was it! Tchad, this was my wilderness experience, I'm so sure of it now. God has brought me here to betroth me to Him forever in righteousness, justice, love, mercy, stability, and faithfulness! The incredible part is even if I don't do something incredible here in Chad He still wants to have a relationship with me, in fact it might be the very reason why He has brought me here. He always takes the initiative, all I have to do is be willing to be loved and that love relationship will cause the changes in my life. I can mess-up here, spend too much time at the hospital house, not learn French, and maybe not even do something amazing for God here..those are all earthly thing/accomplishments that gives us a sense of righteousness. God could care less, He wants us to focus on what is not seen what is eternal, He just wants to take us to the wilderness and for us to experience with Him true love.

I continued to read this morning and found this verse:

"Come and let us return to the Lord, for He has torn us so that He may heal us. He has stricken so that He may bind us up..then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord: His going forth is prepared as the morning: and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth." Hosea 6:3

I know that the changes aren't going to be easy, but as I read the description of the love relationship that He offers if you embrace those trials in the wilderness experiences that He brings into our lives.I can't help but be excited about the possibilities

An Answered Prayer

2007-09-24T19:34:00.000-07:00

Date: 9-21-07

I stood giving the 4th dose of Quinine to another fever soaked infant lying wrapped in a bright piece of African fabric. As I was checking to make sure the drip was slow enough I heard the gurgling gasps from the last bed in the room. The same gurgling gasps that had caused James to insert a tracheal tube the night before. The same gasps that lead us to suction her trachea out with a tube and our mouths and bag her to get her 02 sat up. This was the first patient that I'd been able to prayer with her family for her, she was a little 8 year old girl that had been through it all, the day before a truck had fell on her and brok her Tibia in one leg and her Femur in the other. And now this struggle for life. I ran to the bedside and began to suction, sucking so hard my chest hurt. Bust still I got nothing. I turned to call for help and that's when I realized I was in this alone. Sarah had gone for a bit to eat and Augustine (the other nurse) had disappeared quite some time ago. I turned on the 02 sat monitor and watched as she started to drop 83, 82, 81. Please God send somebody I prayed and went to try and suction again. No luck. I glanced over my shoulder and there stood a nurse from the other side who never ventures over to this side. Praise God. I handed the suction to him to try because he might have more suction power than me. I was going to get James.

James arrived and we suctioned, bagged, and gave albuterol liquid straight down her tracheal tube to loosen up the secretions. He 02 sat reached 98% being bagged. We taught the family how to bag her so that they could through the night. Last I checked on her before going to bed she was waking up blinking her eyes and moving some fingers. Praise God!

Fake Out

2007-09-24T19:27:00.000-07:00

Date: 9-19-07

As I walked home from work I prayed with everything inside me that the meal wouldn't be spit-sauce and boulle'. I'd loved it last week but now this week and Quinine for Malaria has left me wanting to barph at the site of it. I surveyed the cooking pots on the coal in the courtyard and tried to say a happy "Bonjour, ca va?" as I spotted the creamy peanut butter being prepared to be poured in with the boiling okra. Oh boy..I thought as my stomach turned inside out. Am I gonna make it another 8 months? I ate 3 bites and had to quit, telling them it was my Quinine. For the 3rd time since being here I stayed the whole day with my family without returning to the hospital to e-mail/eat American food. Little baby steps. But unfortunately that meant dinner with my family!

As I watched them roast the feathers off the chicken I wondered what might be in store for me. I immediately knew it was leftovers when one of the girls headed for the food-hut which I have fondly named the cockroach hut. I watched as they washed off whatever might haven let by those nasty critters off the boulle throw it in some water to boil for 5 minutes and "voila" leftover's of cold peanut spit sauce and boulle on a dirty plate appeared in front of me. Two of the girls dug in, I tried one bite and the stomach said uhhhh, no. So I faked. I stuck my head in the light of the moon and acted like I grabbed some boulle, acted like I dipped and then sucked on my fingers for a llittle while and chewed. Boy what nutrition. I knew eating with my fingers would come in handy.my family never knew, and you never could've accomplished that with a spoon and eating from a bowl by yourself!!!!

The Challenge

2007-09-24T19:21:00.000-07:00

Date: 9-17-07

And..it's on Liz is down 1:2. Sonya's in the lead only because she didn't have enough Garlic in he blood when she arrived. The mosquitos are buzzing with the most recent malaria score gossip as Sonya confronts Liz at the hospital steps. "So I hear you've got Malaria?" Liz display's the 0.05% p. paludisma on the "Bulletin Examen Labo." Welcome to the club James says when he finds Liz lying on the couch with a cool washcloth that Sonya so lovingly placed there. The next day arrives and the mosquito's have gone wild in the stands. "Did you see Sonya go to the Lab this morning - I hear we've infected another one!!!!!" Sonya, is searching the hospital looking in every room to tell the world the new score...or is it just Liz that she's looking for. She finds her getting over one of the hot flashes that have taken over her new Malaria filled body.

"So it looks like I'm winning 2 to your 1." Sonya, states holding up her newest Bulletin Trophy.

"Don't challenge me!" Liz replies.leaving both Sonya and Liz with the image of lying outside on their mats at night, arms exposed, saying " Her squito, squito, squito."

Questions for God

2007-09-11T14:45:00.000-07:00

Date: 09-11-07

So to tell you the truth I don't know what I'm feeling right now! One things for certain you defiantly know that you're alive when you live in a place like this. Your emotion's won't let you forget it. One moment I find myself surrounded by little kids as I walk to the hospital - almost every finger has a little black hand attached to it. The next one of the nurses is frustrated with me because I can't understand what she's saying. Later I find myself wiping up bloody vomit from an old woman's mouth and she tosses and turns in and out of consciousness. The nurses from last night's shift have done something wrong, it gets blamed on me and because of my language barrier I have no way to stand up for myself. I guess that's one way to teach me to be humble and not open my mouth. Sometimes it feels like I'm a child playing nurse. Will I ever be trusted that I know what I'm doing? Will I ever feel useful? It's times like these when these question's haunt my mind that I'm reminded that maybe God didn't bring me here to do anything great, maybe He brought me here to change me, to develop a relationship with me. It's a wonderful thought but at the same time the hardest thing I've ever done. When you aren't doing something you begin to wonder why you're here away from those you love and care about, away from everything familiar. These are the questions that caused me to blink back tears as I sat on an old commode inside the nurses station. These are the question's I have to give to God and ask Him to give me the Joy for living life. For true joy cannot be found in what you do, what you have, or who your friends are. It must be found in Christ!

Clapping: it's the New Vogue

2007-09-11T14:41:00.000-07:00

Date: 09-10-07

I walked into the pediatric unit yesterday morning and greeted two of my favorite boys with our signature handshakes and clapping rituals. We're attempting to get faster and faster but their coordination is somewhat lacking. I won both rounds by them messing up and was bugging them about it, what I didn't realize is that all the Arab mother's with their babies behind me had been watching. They were all laughing when one of the boys messed up. When I turned around I found 4-5 mothers all wanting to give "the clap" a try. Arab hands are very BIG!!! I'd never realized this. So we gave it ago the whole ward was in hysteric's as one after another mother almost hit me in the face because she forgot which hand was next! One mother couldn't get off the bed because she was holding her infant but was clapping her hands and motioning for me to come to her bedside. Today as I walked by beds and families sitting outside woman were clapping their hands and wanting to try again. Hey, laughter, its good medicine right?

Tchad Technology: Goat Dishwasher, Organic Trashcan, and Chicken Guard

2007-09-04T12:39:00.000-07:00

Date: 8-29-07

So there I sat. Another amazing meal of spit sauce. You would think that there might be a large amount of clean up work to do after preparing a meal like that but you're defiantly wrong. Just set the pot on the ground and let the goat loose. As I sat there with my finger's covered in millet and okra I tried to decide whether to swallow or not. Good ole' momma goat was licking out that pot as fast as she could go. The family didn't appear to concerned; obviously it was just a part of Tchadian technology that I would have to adjust to. Or else take over washing dishes in the morning (which I have successfully accomplished).

Don't let yourself get to caught up in the goat dishwasher though - you haven't even heard about the organic trashcan. So there I sat. Two corn cobs downed and a pleasantly filled stomach. I sat holding the cobs in my hand and that's when my Mere' (the mother in my family) demonstrated the disposal of any and all trash items at their house for me. She finished the last kernel on the cob and lobbed it over her head in the direction of the banana tree. She motioned for me to do the same. O.k. here it goes I thought...so I tossed my trash into the tree. I felt like looking around to see if I was going to get a ticket for littering. Nope. The cob just joined all the other trash that has accumulated at the side of the courtyard. Yesterday I finished cleaning a wound of one of the girls and she motioned for me to throw the bandage under the tree too. Hmmm...not quite there yet. I promise to continue to stick all paper objects in my trusty Wal-mart bag hanging on my wall.

Last but not least is the ever trusty chicken guard. Forget owning a bull-dog. This momma hen has got an attitude. You see there are these 5 ragamuffin, up-to-no-good piglets that regularly find there way through the opening in the brick wall. They enter our courtyard and wreak havoc. That's when momma hen kicks in. She's had enough of their attitude and just knows that one of them is going to eat one of her babies. Head lowered and wings back she goes running full force at the little black and white piglet. When in close proximity she opens her wings, screams a cluck, and jumps onto the piglet beating him with her wings. Squeals could be heard for miles. They run squealing and clucking through the corn and okra until the little piglet finds that precious outlet. Now that's a "watch-chicken" for ya!

Two-Lives

2007-09-04T11:52:00.000-07:00

Date: 8-27-07

It's a night I'm sure not to forget. Life, it can be gone so fast. It was my first evening shift by myself at the hospital. Sarah and James were gone, Sonya and I were holding down the fort. I was standing next to Enoch a nurse who speaks a little English and who I would be working with that evening. When in walked a mother holding a baby wrapped up in the traditional African bright colors. Jabel, another nurse, opened up the babies Carnet ("medical records") and over his shoulder I saw a referral written from another clinic for convulsion's and seizures. I lifted up the blanket covering the baby. I tried to find a pulse on his feverish little arm. I couldn't find it so I went to listen to his heart - still nothing. I turned to Jabel and told him "no pulse". He didn't believe me and went to listen for himself. Then another nurse wanted to listen. I knew what I'd heard and wanted to grab the baby from the mother's arms and run to start CPR. But all the other nurses were just standing there. I was suppose to be the one in training. I started motioning to do CPR. They looked at me with a blank look and covered the baby's face with a blanket. I wanted to scream, my arms kept reaching towards the baby but the nurses were shaking their heads. The mother began to cry, her head close to the baby. That's when one of the African medical students came rushing in. He lifted up the blanket checked his eyes listened to his heart and grabbed the baby and ran. I went with him. He started compression and I started bagging. Thirty compression's, two breaths over and over again. Every time I gave a breath to the baby I could hear the fluid in his lungs. He was gone. We wrapped him up, covered his face and brought him back to his mother. I then and there vowed that if that ever happened I would grab that baby and immediately start CPR no matter what the others around me were saying.

The opportunity came too soon. I wasn't prepared. We went running over to the pediatric building when we heard the screams of a mother. I had assessed her baby that morning and had noticed her respirations were very labored. I told Enoch but he didn't seem too concerned but told me she was HIV and that's just how it was going to be. I was sure there was something we could do, but couldn't convey that to him. Now it was to late. Another nurse Tya was already by the bedside taking out the IV, the mother was rocking back and forth on her bed, screaming, hands against her forehead. I look around at the 5 nurses standing around the bed and that's when I got angry. "Pourqoi, Pourqoi, No.." (Why No ) and I motioned for CPR. They all just shook their heads no. I put my hands under the baby's lifeless body and went to lift her. The nurses put their hands on my arms and shook their heads. "Pourqoi" I shouted. Enoch took my arm and led me from the building. I stood on the side-walk outside so frustrated. Why weren't they doing anything!!! I didn't understand and they didn't understand me. That's when Enoch got through to me that she was HIV. Still I had to leave. I told Enoch, "Promenade, je retourne du bien tot" (I was going for a walk and would return). Tears streaming down my face I took a walk to cry, scream, and talk to God. Out into the fields I stood surrounded my miles and miles of rice fields and screamed. "Why God? What do you want me to do? How can I communicate with these people? How can I know what to do? Life goes so quickly.

I found my way to Sonya's hut. She was in the middle of getting her hair braided by her family but got up and came with me when she saw me. We stood out in a field for a hour crying, praying, and looking up at the storm clouds that were beginning to billow on the gray horizon. There in that field underneath those white billows, I felt God's reassurance. He wasn't going to let me down, I'm just a tool. I never have to feel alone or that my knowledge and language skills are all that I have to depend on. If God wants to act through me He will, if He wants to save a life through me He will, if He wants to heal someone through me He will. God showed me that in time I will know the language, but that right now I needed to pray for the families of the babies and right now I needed to put a smile back on my face and go back to the hospital so that He can demonstrate His love and care through me. I can not give this in and of myself it is only by His strength and praising Him for the opportunity to be used by Him that I can go on.

That night I walked home under a full moon, the clouds and rain had rolled onto another place. It was a reminder to me that God is always there like the sun and moon though sometimes the clouds and rain cloud your mind. But it is times like that you must remember that God is right beside you, guiding your hands, your feet, your words. Soon the moon will break through the clouds, so that you can see the path home. The times when you can't see the path you must trust that Christ is beside you and leading.

The White Girl is Showering!!!

2007-08-27T14:25:00.000-07:00

Date: 8-23-07

So the whole neighborhood knew!! It was raining that morning when I got up so I skipped the shower and decided to be like everyone else and take my cold shower later in the day when it actually feels good. Unfortunately I forgot that there's also more people awake at this time of day. Take it from me 3:00 in the afternoon is not the best time to take a shower if you're in Africa and you're white!!

So I stepped into the round circle, which consisted of mats held up by sticks and up onto a couple of rocks placed for a shower floor. I began with the normal routine of throwing water on myself with a bowl. It was normal until I stood up from my crouched position. That's when I heard the giggles. Yep, the neighbor kids had spotted me. Five little heads stared back at my head and shoulders from their place in the court-yard. I probably should've waved and did a little dance but their mom saw them all staring at me and they got a good yelling. No matter how good the yelling, though, every time I'd stand up they would still be staring..and their mom yelling. The yelling I think encouraged the little piglet's from next door to see what all the commotion was about. I bet the kids sent him as a spy. The little black piglet and his 2 brothers came squealing around the mat wall. They gave a few grunts and decided that maybe they had the wrong shower circle. Personally I thought they could've used a good bath!!!

The 101 on Spit Sauce

2007-08-27T14:20:00.000-07:00

Date: 8-20-07

1.) Wash your hands from the green tea pot with the rocks in it! VERY IMPORTANT

2.) Sit by yourself. Remember you're a guest and it's an honor to eat alone.

3.) Say Prayer

4.) Take your 3 middle fingers and dig into the boulle (a big ball of millet that has the consistency of oatmeal put in the refrigerator and taken out the next day, except scalding hot!!

5.) Place small amount in palm of hand a squish together to make a small patty. Stick it at the end of your fingers.

6.) And in you go to the spit sauce.

7.) Try not to sling spit (okra slime) on everything and everyone as your three fingers go from the bowl to your mouth.

8.) Remember you've been watched this whole time so prepare yourself for laughter as they watch you try and catch the stray okra slime that is still connected to the stew and your mouth.

9.) Remind yourself you're in Africa, it's okay to have food all over your hands, it's okay to bite down on rocks every once and awhile. Swallow and give it another go.

Not your typical Africa

2007-08-23T10:06:00.000-07:00

8-18-07

I expected to be surrounded by dry grass-land, but we have gotten more rain here in the last week than I've seen in quite awhile. That would be why they call it the rainy season! One night I walked home and the water on the path was up to my knees in places. Everything is green here, Sarah says that will all change in a few months. Trees surround the hospital, Mango's, Guavas, and Banana trees are the ones that I can identify. But just a short distance from the hospital is a green plain on which you can see for miles, short squatty trees (typical of Africa) pop up here and there, surround by brown termite hills some standing 5 feet tall, and fields of rice. There are no Lions, Giraffes, and Gazelles, although I did see a couple camels on the way here. The sun goes down here at 6:30 so I usually walk home in the dark. Not having any animal's to worry about is a plus. You only have to be careful to dodge all the frogs that hop out onto the path. They act like a deer in headlights when my headlamp light hits them J It feels more like the jungle right now and is actually getting chilly in the evening and morning's, it was too cold to take my cold splash bath this morning so thankfully I was able to communicate my need of warm water to my family. I'm not sure I should've taken a warm shower, it brought the cravings of home on the run. Kinda like using the toilet at the hospital compound. But like Sonya and I have been discussing; where else and when else could we ever have gotten this experience? You don't exactly come by it every day.

Migration of the Flying Termites

2007-08-23T10:02:00.000-07:00

Date: 8-13-07  One memorable occasion thus far was when I came back from the hospital after dark last night. I went to brush my teeth next to a tree with my head lamp turned on. and got attacked by a migration of flying termites!!!! AHHHHH.. The head lamp came off very fast, and I moved away from that area very rapidly especially since they where trying to crawl up my scrubs. What totally threw me was the way all 6 kids came running when the saw the bugs. They started saying mange mange..which means to eat they started grabbing termites and stuffing them in their closed fists. They were yelling, screaming, and dancing up and down. This afternoon at dinner they brought them out still moving in a bowl. Thankfully they know I'm vegetarian so they didn't offer me any of them! Bon Appetite!

Songs of Home

2007-08-23T10:00:00.000-07:00

Date: 8-12-07  I'm truly am thankful to be living with my new family in their hut, because I will learn French much faster and I will develop a relationship with the people that I never could've done otherwise. That is why Sarah and James put us with them, although there is room in the house at the hospital compound. I sat in the hospital office Friday night and cried for quite a while after seeing the couches, and toilet in the house. My desire for comfort and something familiar was almost overwhelming.it takes effort and the willingness to change to live with the Pierre and his family. That's when God reminded me that I wanted to grow, He reminded me that His strength is made perfect in weakness, He reminded me that He came to this earth for 30 years from Heaven.and I'm only here 10 months. It turned dark while I sat in the empty office of the hospital.during this time God gave me strength to smile, to get up and walk to my hutte. When I got there his family was all sitting around the lantern I joined them, we laughed and laughed as they tried to teach me words, and than they sang. Songs that I knew the tune to, and that's when I cried with them. They understood in their own way, the motioned to their faces about my tears, and all I could say was mon familia and hold Esthe who was sitting closest to me. The next morning all the kids left with me for Church. If they weren't holding my hands then one was holding me water bottle and the other my bible. During the sermon Ann one of the youngest crawled up on my lap and snuggled in.that's when I realized it was all gonna be OK.

Outdoor Showers, Little Holes, and Nalgene Traps

2007-08-23T09:31:00.001-07:00

Date: 8-11-07

The interesting part of arriving at the hospital is that nothing ended up being like expected.. Sonya and I found out that we were going to be immersed into the African culture in a very real way. One of the Loma Linda Medical Students, Joe, who speaks French helped me carry my boxes to the Hospital's Cashier's Mud Hut home.there I met his family of 6 children and deposited my boxes in my new home. A Mud Hut which I share with two of the oldest girls. I'm afraid that I had envisioned something different than this, my shower, toilet, bed, concrete floor, American food, and English had disappeared. I crawled onto my cot after sitting around a lantern with my new family and tried to decide what emotion's I was feeling. Before I could decide though I received of gift of Cockroaches, thankfully I was surround by a mosquito net so I felt safe until I heard a buzzing and one hit my stomach.he'd gotten caught in my net. I grabbed my flashlight.and found him sitting at the top of my net. Should I grab him and throw him out? Nope, that would be disgusting! The next option my Nalgene, so his demise came to be a water death! I did not sleep at all that first night.I held onto my flashlight tightly all night, and every time I heard on crawling on the wall next to me or one flying by I turned on the light. The next night I realized it was ridicules and asked God to protect me.sound kinda silly.but I'm not to big on those little critters.maybe they'll grow on me, just like the hole I use for a bathroom and the large basket I take shower's in.

The Unknown

2007-08-23T09:21:00.000-07:00

Date: 8-8-07

Well I'm here in Africa, we got in at 9:00 last night. Sonya's luggage didn't come in, so we spent the night here in Ndjamena at a house owned by the evangelicals. It is beautiful and so are the people. We went to the market this morning and got food, the cell phone for the internet, and beds.which we carried on our heads J It has been raining here so the roads are very muddy, the house we are in is surrounded by cement walls, wire fencing, and glass shards. There is a guard at the gate that lets us in and out. We will leave for Bere' tomorrow morning, Sarah told Sonya and I that where we are staying has changed. Because of all the people who are coming to the hospital there are not permanent rooms for us there. One of us will be staying with the Cashier's family who works at the hospital and the other one of us will be staying with another employee from the hospital and his family. They both have an extra mud hut they we can stay in. We will pay $50.00 a month that will cover the use of the mud hut and the family will also cook our food. Sarah said that it won't take us long to learn French that way! I'm not sure about the food but hopefully it'll all turn out O.K.

There are many unknowns but I know that God will give me the strength, wisdom, and courage to face them.

In the Clear

2007-07-17T17:55:00.000-07:00

The departure date is set for Aug. 6, exactly 21 days away. After much e-mailing and prayer NAD cleared both Sonya and I to spend next year in Chad. We are waiting on our Visa's from the Government then everything will be set. Now for the packing part of things, 100 lb's for 10 months goes fast :) One new and exciting development is that Martha Ordonez a close nursing friend from Southern will be graduating at Christmas and has decided to join me at the end of January after she passes her board's. We are both thrilled. There are three other student's who will be in Bere' for the next year, Sonya Reaves, Hans Fly, and an accountant. Sonya will be meeting me in Paris and is a social work major she will be working on grants for the hospital, continuity of care, and I'm sure many other things. Hans is a translator who was at UCA for the last couple months teaching, he was attending Walla Walla College and speaks Spanish and French. I know absolutely nothing about the accountant, but it will truly be a blessing to have them to spend time with when the homesickness kicks in. Thank you all for your prayer's and support. I'm excited to be able to share with you the blessing's and experiences that God has in store. Love and Prayer's, Liz

Travel Warning

2007-05-20T15:10:00.000-07:00

I'm suppose to be leaving for Chad the 1st week in August, but as of yesterday I got a travel warning stating the the government was in a state of turmoil, and the the North American Division (NAD) will not send volunteers somewhere where there is a travel warning. Southern is checking into the warning, so I will know soon whether or not my call will be cancelled. Please keep the Bere' hospital and where I am supposed to go next year in your prayers.