Does that phrase bring back memories of laying out on the beach/poolside or even skiing down the powdery slopes? In Texas it was always a little too chilly for sunbathing at spring break, be we gave it the old college try!
This week is the first of three weeks with university teams working with us. Last night we welcomed the team from Pepperdine University from Malibu, California. We thank them for giving up their time at the beach or with family during their time off to come here and work. Our week is packed with good lineup of clinics in the surrounding communities and activities with their kids.
We'll post some pictures later this week.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Getting Some Work Done
While I love working mobile clinic, there is something very soothing and refreshing in having Admin Day. Today I was able to organize some of my thoughts for our education days for our volunteers and regular staff. It is so easy to let yourself get behind in lesson planning and reviewing materials--before you know it, there is a class looming ahead. So, today I buckled down and did the deed. Now I have some direction for the coming months' classes.
Yesterday we had a class on preventive health with good participation from everyone. We learned about which diseases can be prevented and how, and ways to prevent complications once someone has contracted an illness. We also had one of the ABC communities in for their dental check-up. Here's some good pictures. And Sheri got some more on her site http://www.sheriinguate.blogspot.com/.
"Brush your teeth.....round and round..."
"....circle small.....gums and all......"
Ready for their seatwork.
Sheri's not too sure about some of those answers!
Hmmmm..... "Secondary Prevention".......Hmmmmmm.......
The great thing about bringing all of our volunteers together is how they get to share ideas and news. We have some special discipling books we have to give to newly baptized christians and were asking if anyone needed any. From the 10 churches represented yesterday (only half of our communities) there was a need for 27 books for new christians. And that is jus for 2010! We chatted with one of the brothers from Mactzul Sexto who said last year they only had 14 added to the church, but this year they gave themselves a goal of 25. So far they have 5. They have two personal evangelism teams who are dedicated to sharing the gospel in home studies. Sounds like a good start.This weekend we welcome the first of three Spring Break Teams (Pepperdine, Harding and Abilene Christian Universities) to come work with us in the clinics. It will be fast and furious, but also uplifting to be around energetic young Christians interested in foreign missions.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Happy Birthday Valentine!
Kemmel doesn't like having his picture taken, but every now and then I sneak one in. As you can see, Everybody Loves Kemmel! Happy Birthday and Valentine's Day to my favorite person!
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Salute!
I just want to take a few lines to recognize my nephew Zach who has started basic training this week in the Army. We are so proud of him for making such a commitment to serve our country. Please pray for his safety, for our family as we miss him, and that God will guide him and use him in His kingdom wherever he serves.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
While most of the U.S.A. was being pounded by winter storms, we endured hot steamy weather down at Clinica Ezell, only relieved at night when the rain came pouring down. We went down to visit with some friends on the visiting surgical team and pick up supplies for our clinic. Sheri went down with a van full of babies and their families who were scheduled for cleft lip or palate surgery; she has some great pictures of the week. www.sheriinguate.blogspot.com
We got up early Wednesday and headed back to Chichi for clinic. We were sure glad to get back to the dry "heat" of the mountains--a balmy 75 degrees. Today was busy but good. I saw a 4 year old with previously-undiagnosed congenital heart disease who is beginning to get symptomatic. Thankfully the parents seemed concerned and agreed to take him to the capital.
Tomorrow we hit the trails again for clinic in Choacaman. Should be a good day!
We got up early Wednesday and headed back to Chichi for clinic. We were sure glad to get back to the dry "heat" of the mountains--a balmy 75 degrees. Today was busy but good. I saw a 4 year old with previously-undiagnosed congenital heart disease who is beginning to get symptomatic. Thankfully the parents seemed concerned and agreed to take him to the capital.
Tomorrow we hit the trails again for clinic in Choacaman. Should be a good day!
Friday, February 5, 2010
Looks like our brief stint of winter-like weather is over. We are enjoying cool but not cold nights and very warm dry days. The night skies are brilliantly clear with so many stars. Very nice!
Work is going well, with clinics picking up. School is back in session and it seems like the number of students has increased this year. The kids getting scholarships through Health Talents are all excited and ready to start the year. One of our co-workers is starting her acounting degree at the University in nearby Santa Cruz through their weekend program. One of our other coworkers is also attending weekend adult education classes to finish her junior high and then high school diploma. We are so proud of them and pray that God guides them in their studies.
As a team we enjoyed a day of education on Monday from Mikal Frasier and Linda Henry who presented counseling approaches with people who have suffered various forms of abuse and relationship failures. We have so many encounters with patients every day and recognize a lot of these problems in our patients. So we were all greatful to receive such good advice.
Tomorrow is pap smear day--good times! Then we get ready to go down to Clinica Ezell to enjoy visiting with the surgical team. Be praying for all of our patients but especially our babies going down for cleft lip and palate surgery.
Work is going well, with clinics picking up. School is back in session and it seems like the number of students has increased this year. The kids getting scholarships through Health Talents are all excited and ready to start the year. One of our co-workers is starting her acounting degree at the University in nearby Santa Cruz through their weekend program. One of our other coworkers is also attending weekend adult education classes to finish her junior high and then high school diploma. We are so proud of them and pray that God guides them in their studies.
As a team we enjoyed a day of education on Monday from Mikal Frasier and Linda Henry who presented counseling approaches with people who have suffered various forms of abuse and relationship failures. We have so many encounters with patients every day and recognize a lot of these problems in our patients. So we were all greatful to receive such good advice.
Tomorrow is pap smear day--good times! Then we get ready to go down to Clinica Ezell to enjoy visiting with the surgical team. Be praying for all of our patients but especially our babies going down for cleft lip and palate surgery.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Local News
One of the great perks of this job is you get to hear about all the local happenings--the good the bad and the ugly. As you can imagine, a lot of the stories are spiced up through the rumor mill before they get to us, but it's quite entertaining. We start out our day with a 30-60 minute car ride every morning and catch everyone up on the latest scoop. Then at lunch we compare stories with the volunteer promoters at clinics. It's kind of like reading the Nocona News complete with social columns, police blotter and special segments on small town achievements.
Here's a sampling of last week's news.
Sting-y Church Member Gets Taste of God's Wrath
In Mactzul V during a church meeting to discuss the upcoming construction of their new church building, the members began pledge their personal funding committments to the work. As they went around the room, each family would anounce how much they planned to give over the next year. They came to one brother (quite wealthy in livestock) who said he felt like nobody should be compelled to give, and that he was not going to do it. The church elders said that was fine, and that it was a free-will offering outside of normal giving. A few days later, a call for help came from the man and his family after they and their livestock had been severely attacked by a colmena--a swarm of honey bees! Two of their bulls had been killed and the whole family was suffering from the stings. Several of the church leaders ran over to help them and took up a collection of Q500 to help pay for their medicine. They family was humbled and ashamed of their prior behavior and immediately asked for forgiveness and offered money to the building fund.
Police (or rather, Posse) Blotter
A teenaged girl from the town of Chijtinnimit was kidnapped and left in one of the area garbage dumps one night, arousing fear in that town and surrounding communities. Shortly after midnight, townspeople gathered to decide what to do. The girl was found alive and after further questioning, it was discovered that she had been running around with a man--who was already married. It is hypothesized that the spurned wife ordered the kidnapping. Plans are being made to sort out the trouble between the two families.
Plans for Teachers' Protest Rally Strike Out
Friday morning was kicked off by an early-morning call from our physician Dr. Lux who was planning to travel to Clinica Ezell that day. There were reports of a teachers' strike on the first day of school--all of the main crossroads in the country were to be blocked in an effort to get their concerns addressed by the government. Among the complaints are the job cuts for thousand of teachers despite growing school censuses and lack of teachers in many communities. As the morning progressed no signs of traffic blockade were seen. Rumors of late-morning initiation began to fly--citing first-day-of-school duties to attend to. The day's activites went smoothly with no stops in traffic, or rioting. Local papers the following day showed photos of a few lonely maninfesters on the palace steps. Maybe they are afraid to loose their jobs too.
Here's a sampling of last week's news.
Sting-y Church Member Gets Taste of God's Wrath
In Mactzul V during a church meeting to discuss the upcoming construction of their new church building, the members began pledge their personal funding committments to the work. As they went around the room, each family would anounce how much they planned to give over the next year. They came to one brother (quite wealthy in livestock) who said he felt like nobody should be compelled to give, and that he was not going to do it. The church elders said that was fine, and that it was a free-will offering outside of normal giving. A few days later, a call for help came from the man and his family after they and their livestock had been severely attacked by a colmena--a swarm of honey bees! Two of their bulls had been killed and the whole family was suffering from the stings. Several of the church leaders ran over to help them and took up a collection of Q500 to help pay for their medicine. They family was humbled and ashamed of their prior behavior and immediately asked for forgiveness and offered money to the building fund.
Police (or rather, Posse) Blotter
A teenaged girl from the town of Chijtinnimit was kidnapped and left in one of the area garbage dumps one night, arousing fear in that town and surrounding communities. Shortly after midnight, townspeople gathered to decide what to do. The girl was found alive and after further questioning, it was discovered that she had been running around with a man--who was already married. It is hypothesized that the spurned wife ordered the kidnapping. Plans are being made to sort out the trouble between the two families.
Plans for Teachers' Protest Rally Strike Out
Friday morning was kicked off by an early-morning call from our physician Dr. Lux who was planning to travel to Clinica Ezell that day. There were reports of a teachers' strike on the first day of school--all of the main crossroads in the country were to be blocked in an effort to get their concerns addressed by the government. Among the complaints are the job cuts for thousand of teachers despite growing school censuses and lack of teachers in many communities. As the morning progressed no signs of traffic blockade were seen. Rumors of late-morning initiation began to fly--citing first-day-of-school duties to attend to. The day's activites went smoothly with no stops in traffic, or rioting. Local papers the following day showed photos of a few lonely maninfesters on the palace steps. Maybe they are afraid to loose their jobs too.
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