Assignment made - Hospital Roosevelt

Well, Lisa did get her assignment today for the next 6 months. It is not what we were hoping for but we think we can manage the situation. Of course with God we can manage anything. At first we were more in shock and a little more on the negative side. We are now weighing the situation and seeing both positive and negatives. The issue is not necessarily living in the city but more living farther away from the work in Chichicastenango, separating with one of us in the City and one not from time to time, and the workload / conditions of working in Hospital Roosevelt.

So the positives are:
1. God is leading us here for a reason.
2. Lisa will come to understand more of the healthcare system in Guatemala.
3. The ministry in Chichi will continue to learn how to operate without our direct presence full-time.
4. Down deep we are city people, so the conveniences of a city are always a positive for us.
5. Lisa can say she has been through the process like any other physician when questioned.


The negatives:
1. Will have to keep 2 places to live. We have been graciously notified that an anonymous friend will assist with extra living expenses during this time, so that is a blessing we cannot even weigh.
2. Working in a less than ideal working environment for Lisa.
3. Kemmel being more removed from the local ministry which will place some things on hold.
4. Traveling back and forth to Chichi once a week for for Kemmel.
5. Logistical issues for TSI and local staff with groups or interns.

Sometimes it seems a little trivial that we worry about living apart since I traveled 50% of my time while in the US, many weeks 3-4 nights a week; however, it is just not the same here and that is hard to get used to. I grew up in Guatemala City and feel very confident there and have never really felt insecure or anything like that, but it is not the Guatemala I grew up in and there are situations that make me feel uncomfortable about leaving Lisa in the city having to travel at odd hours to the craziest hospital in Guatemala. :)

These types of situations always make us think about one thing we miss about the US. One nice thing about living in US cities is you can blend in, no matter who you are or what nationality you are, everyone can usually blend in somewhere; however, here it is hard to do so. No matter where you go, you are the odd person out. So traveling to the hospital at odd hours really makes you stand out. We remember last time we were in the Dallas airport having lunch and we looked at each other and said - look, no one is looking at us eat. :)

We trust that God will care for us and use us in His service. Please continue to pray that God will grant us peace and use us during our time in the city.