Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Crazy day... crazy life...

So if some of you have facebook, and you seen my status.... I had quite the day... or okay quite the week....



A tramatic birth... which turned into a crazy stressed out baby check as well. However I still don't have any news about my patient... praying she comes in at 10am for baby check up and a note from the doctor. (sat-birth and baby check monday swing)




I finally got to sleep Monday at 1 am, then woke up at 4:30 and couldn't get back to sleep : ( ... however I soon feel asleep again at 6 and woke up at 10 ... later then I would of like but oh well...



So I started my day by riding a motor to kanga a local coffee shop... BLT, Mango smoothie, and a cinaroo... lami (yummy cinabun with apples and yummy carmel)... then a skype date with my dad, and facebook/skype chats with a few friends.... All awhile reasearching online some sources for my assignment.... So around noon Ashton joined me at Kanaga and we worked on out assignment, the sun was out, nice air con inside kanga ( almost chilly cold like 84) couldn't be better having coffee, working on my assignment... glad to be inside away from the 90+ (105 with humidity) weather outside.




At 3 i get a text asking if I could switch shift and work night shift... sure I love night shifts... I really do I had 4 last week. : ) However I was working day shift... so I spent an hour or 2 trying to find people to switch shift... finally I got it to work... I would work night tonight and thursday and then swing sun, and the other two girls would take day and then sat swing... okay everything seemed peachy...



Around 6 it started to get cloudy and humid...then rain... nothing new.... Ashton and I would get our regular fried fish special that was served from 6-8 and then go home... I could even get 3 hour nap in yay!! I was wrong... it instead turned into another crazy Davao Adventure.... However we finish out dinner by 6:30 the road outside of kanga was a lake....we tried texting a taxi but no reply.... thunder lightening.... cats and dogs rain.... what to do???



So I decided to walk outside and get a taxi... roll up my pants and head out the door... The overhang outside kanga didn't help because of the wind.... so.... i was dripping wet... Put I still tried to flag down a taxi..... all full... since it was raining cats and dogs... the streets were flooded and all the taxis were full or had hazard lights and they were waiting out the rain and not taking passangers.





6:45pm...still outside, soaking wet... I'm mid-calf deep in water and still rising... the lighten is getting louder... closer together, I am standing under a small patio porch set up trying to keep out of the rain... I really didn't mind the rain...However that was the least of my worries...Then all I see is this white huge flash/spark and I jump back... the car not 2 feet in front just gets hit by lightening... its gleaming silver and random sparks bursting all around it... and at the same time the car alarm goes off, (then the huge Crack...BOOM I jump back again reliezing what just happened.) I take a few steps back, and looks across the street the building next door then the cell phone tower gets hit by a bult of lightening... the owner of the car turns off the alarm but then.... the car alarm continues to go off with each boom and flash lighten... (which I found quite interesting..) ....


Oh what am I doing...

I just want to be home... Why can't I just be on the balcony at the orange house watching this storm in the comfort of my house.... ( I normally watch each rain storm and or thunder storm while sitting on the railing of the orange house.... unless I have shift... its my time to spend with the Lord, enjoy the soft rain, the wind, the humidity is gome for just awhile..yay... perfect amazing Jesus time... listen to music, or just stand in awe of each thunder bult that roams across the sky) At this point still no taxi... nothing...


Finally around 7pm a taxi comes... I go back inside and get my computer, and Ashton. So we are on our way home...I can do this go home, sleep for an hour... yay... ummm.... maybe not.... The roads are flooded... the water starts coming closer and higher... the taxi driver kept repeating "mam I don't think I get you home" "I can't get you home".... maybe another way... maybe"... see he turns around still heavy rain is coming down... the water get higher... again he turns around... " mam I only know one more road" ... then its change of subject....mam " can I take you sa yellow house (another coffee shop) Bos?" Okay yellow house, its close, sure.... so we drive some more... um... the water is rising and so yellow house is out of the question..... So back to Kanga..... What else could we do... we were stuck...


So Finally we texted a few people and nothing...we had to wait it out.... So we got a coffee and tried to figure out a route home that didn't involve the main roads that were flooded... We facebooked a Philipina midwife and got another route home.. at about 8:30... so we decided to start trying to find a taxi... nothin..... At this time it almost 9pm and we had been trying to get home since 6:30pm, and I had shift in an hour... (keep in ming kanga is maybe a mile to walk or little more... but flooded streets pouring rain, its dark, we have our computer and few books) , during the day its a nice walk to kanga...


At 9pm Heather a supervisor at Mercy sent a text... that she would try and get us.... since I had night shift and all the 2nd years were gone for the evening, so I couldn't find coverage to just sit and wait out the rain....yay the Boswells to the rescue.... At 9:30pm Manny and Heather picked us up in the VW van and we were off though the flooded street.... finally 15 min later.... home sweet home... 9:47 perfect timing... I could grab a quick shower rinse off the nasty muddy water off my legs, my pant and change for shift... 9:53 I made it ...yay no sleep I can handle that.... and a crazy story to in the end... not a bad day!




However the story doesn't end here... its quiet at least right now ... but you never know... 12:30 in the morning a lot can happen before 6am....

Sunday, April 3, 2011

symbol of prayer... maps


The two countries that are close to my heart.... Niger and the Fulani... my time in Niger changed me forever, it has made me who I am today, I am in the Philippines because of my time in Niger.


Pakistan... a country that God continues to put on my heart... may I go someday maybe.... I just be a prayer warrior for this place... On the Lord know... I pray that I could one day go to Pakistan (northern portion)

Saturday, April 2, 2011

crazy night shift

So I've been trying to finish my postpartum assignment, however I am having trouble making the last final touches on it.


Last night I had a traumatic birth. We had two crazy births last night. Plus a couple transports to the hospital...

I spent the last two week being first up on my birthroom shift and no labors... not even early labors that i could send home... So I spent most of my time ready the Word, working on my assignment, sleeping a little since it was quiet.... I haven't had baby checks for a couple weeks since my last baby was the 15th...


So... I came to night shift last night, and my roomate had a labor that she endorsed to herself and I spent the night listening to music, waiting for a labor to come in... Around 11 a labor came in however she was really tiny, first baby, ultrasound stated the baby was 4 kg, ruptured membranes, so we transported due to lack of progress and bow rupture....

My hospital experience.... this is where my night became crazy!!! I spent some time praying with the patient I was transporting, the other labor at the clinic was being super vocal, so my patient was getting really nervous, so we transport an guess what a labor at the hospital is about ready to give birh right in the Ob ER... no doctor around, patient is screaming, she can't breathe though contracts... all she can do is push... a male nurse is standing by her unsure of what to do standing behind the wheelchair with this crazy freak out look on his face.. (priceless)..( It was just me and him in the room... I quickly put my hands in my pockets ready to see if I had gloves... for the doctor wasn't around... my patient is getting even more freaked out. She sits down I am still waiting to give the papers to the doctor. finally the doctor comes out takes my papers asks me why I was transporting... So I give her the paper, she puts the papers it on the table and takes two steps to the patient pushing but just stand there.... The patient by this time is screaming and cupping the babies head with her hand (with the oh my the baby is coming look on her face... scared unsure what to do... do I go with the urge that is in my body to push?...) I've seen this lots of times however not at DMC, and normally at MMC we rush the patients to an open bed and check to see how many cm visible try and get vitals... However the doctor was now in the room...So I didn't want to interfere, but I didn't want to leave the patient alone until I knew someone could delivery the baby... So I made my way back to the van to go back to MMC... trying to reflect on the fact I almost caught a baby at DMC...


I get back my roommate askes me to assist her with her labor... So I check heart tones, she is pushing, but nothing visible... wait sl opening...oh no... cervix... not good.... swollen lip on the cervix keep the baby from coming... hour of trying to coach her to breathe, checking heart tones... trying to figure out if we should transport, would she make it to the hospital or deliver in out ambulance... Oh Lord what do we do? .... we decide to give her until 1 am....well 1am on the dot baby girl... However at birth cervix visible... check for tear, check vitals, clean up after the birth.... monitior the mother and baby.... an hour later.....


A labor... yay.... I could catch a baby I have four hours until day shift.... my patient put some of the herbal oil on her stomach so I asked her to wash it off, and then continued with vitals....

My patient was super cute...everything she owned had some type of cartoon charcter on it.... tiger... powerpuff girls... so so so cute!! She reminded me of my mom, short, short crazy hair, cute voice : ) I was super excited to catch a baby :) ...

2 am checked her in, contraction were stong... she came back to the bed and started getting really active, randomly push... oh I better finish vitals quick, get the birth cart....2:45 baby out baby boy born "cual birth" head still completely covered in membranes.(4th baby to catch in a caul).... anyways baby comes out double cord coil around the neck, nuchal hand.... and the baby is blue, floppy, lifeless... the baby just folds over my hands.. no cry, no tone... cord pulsing, but nothing... recusitation begins... still nothing O2 given.... PPV again....slight cry high heart rate, chest retractions... suction machine... 10 minutes finally baby is skin to skin with the mom, still with O2 but semi stable.... mother is stable...every few minitues I'm checking the baby... refer the baby or not.... we decided to just monitor..RR 80-90... baby finally started to breatfeed and chest retractions were gone by endorsements...

So I finally got home tried to sleep, debrief a little.. slept for three hours got up went to a coffee shop to work on my assignment.... 3 question done ... spent some time debriefing the births with my roommate via text though skype... praying for each other, encouraging each other....I ended up leaving the coffee shop early and slept another 2 hours.... then around 9pm started working again... well its 2 am and I am finished exept to edit and put in pics...3 am another talk wtih my roommate, gmail phone call home and a blog post later I am ready for sleep... okay another nap... 4-5 hour nap until church :)... then finish my assignment and get it printed... quiz on Monday... oh the life of a midwife... oh the life at MMC... life at newlife... oh how I love it.... Thank you Jesus for your grace, the hope you give, your love, .... mi wala sembe... I am weak... ama...but I can do all things in Christ... a great reminder.... ( my time in Africa, the dream God has given me, to be a midwife, to share the message of his love, hope...to bring hope.... )

life and death.... an amazing thing to see life, a newborns cry.... every time I have to praise the one who created me for giving life, for the life I hold in my hands, the little feet and hands.... to pray over them... as they grow in the womb, as I feel them kick during prenatals... as they come out.... to pray over the family, the baby, the mother....

How can I stop from shouting his name...

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

A happy ending...

As I went to night shift last night I couldn't seem to shake off the weird feeling that something was going on back home.... The night before I had a rough night with my mom. I woke her up and well it didn't turn out very well...

Yet I thank the Lord for placing it on my heart to call her. Praise the Lord for his wisdom as well. As I called her I could tell something wasn't right. She didn't understand me, she didn't really even know who was calling.

Within a few minutes I knew her blood sugar was low and in the end she hung up the phone because she was so mad at me. For once I noticed the signs I just kept saying "Check your blood".

Of course her answer was no... the very stubborn childish No ... However what can you do? Its not a 10 min drive anymore...

Again I felt God's hand upon me and his grace as he just quietly replied. You did what you could... Let it go... let your burdens down...

I grew up taking care of my mom. 6 years old reviving my mom as she lay on the floor unable to move because her sugar levels had dropped to dangerous lows again. It was normal for me, even though it was really abnormal. yet again I find that its was a gracious gift that God gave me, the wisdom and discernment, and I praise him for giving that gift.

As evening came and I was preparing for night shift, I again found myself wondering back to my mom. Was she alright, did her boyfriend relieze the state she was in... I didn't know... I could come back from shift and find an e-mail saying she was gone... I could call home and no one answer... Yet again I felt God calling me to just sit in his grace...

So here I am, after night shift, a world away from my mom (but yet so close with skype :)... Yet Gods hand of protection was over her. For once she hung up the phone her boyfriend decided to check her blood for her... 35 ... I can only say Praise the Lord she wasn't in a coma. Praise the Lord she woke up... So as I finish my breakfast and have a morning converation with my mom, I ever so thankful to hear her voice, I can't help but praise the name of Jesus.

Saturday, March 26, 2011

life outside MMC... outreaches.... (life outside the city)




Warning... the smell .... warning.... the taste.... warning these things may fall on your Head!!

Durian... King of the fruits... lami (yummy) or at least I think so... If your in Davao you have to try Durian.... the reason why they are so good around Davao is there is a colony of bats just off the bay on Samal Island...












Outland Adventure... the zipline.....











The farm... Baptist Rural Life Center... helping engage rural farmers with organic farming and livestock center






















The goat above was super friendly... however by the end of the day his head was on the fire roasting... yes ended up butchering him : (
Milking goats so much fun : )





Goat kisses... at least I have the barrier mask on ; )





















more to come later.... enjoy!

Friday, March 25, 2011

pictures of life at MCC







Welcome to MMC... lets go....
















Babies... oh Babies... lots and lots... : ) Above Jaylce and Below little Akiesha Hope















Baby Akiesha Foot prints... little purple feet!












Happy 15th to MMC (Feb) .... 17,000 babies and counting...








My badjao baby Nathan... (badjao patients are from Isa Verde outreach. )












Muhhamad... my very first handle delivery... Nov 2nd 2010!!




The faces of the kids at the outreach in Isla Verde (2x month thursdays prenatal outreach)


Assignments... oh assignments its a hate/love relationship... I love the stuff I'm learning, yet I feel so overwhelmed sometimes... Praise the Lord for his grace and strength to get though!






mix mix.... aka Halo-Halo.... the amazing food of the Phils... its condensted milk, jellies, ube (ice cream and jam), jackfruit, beans, rice cripys, candied black beans, chickpeas... and lots of other things... get the hint... its a pile of mix-mix!






#10 Opal St... my home... aka Orange house... Orange balay!





















A story line of pictures


The name that I was give at Birth.... Heidi.... Leann... McCully...


8lbs 9oz at 33 weeks... Yes I was a premature... but a macrosomic newborn... (large baby... just think if I was full term... wow!! )

Welcome Baby Heidi @ 2:02 am March 9, 1989




For you formed my inward parts;
you knitted me together in my mother's womb.




I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works;
my soul knows it very well.
My frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
in your book were written, every one of them,
the days that were formed for me,
when as yet there was none of them.
How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
If I would count them, they are more than the sand.
I awake, and I am still with you.
(Psalm 139:13-18 ESV)

Pic- prenatal waiting room psalm 139:14






NorthWest... Washington... Where I was born and it will always be in my heart as home.... Mt. St Helens...

Summers learning to drive.... winters walking around in the snow... always living in the shadow of God's creation






Summers with TFBC.... Basin City mission trips... VBS... Kids Camp.... (Josie getting baptized at Kids Camp 10') : )






Every year God continued to open my eyes to his calling for the Gospel to be preached.... calling to go...

Here I am Lord.... Send me...




Foma Hope .... Hello Hope



..... First Time overseas!!






My time in Niger Aug-Dec 2008 Ly On Kara Niger...


Niger


has of the highest maternal/infant mortality rates in the world



One of the hottest places in the world
















I struggled with God with the calling to Muslim while in Niger... However again I found myself saying.... Lord Here I am... Send Me.... Give me a heart that beats for yours...

At first I was scared unsure it was God... yet God kept giving me the vision of working with Muslim women. Every place I looked I was running into someone who worked with Muslims...

So the vision of Foma Hope began... (Hello Hope)







May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
(Romans 15:13 ESV)








Hello- Foma (fulani word for hello)

Hope... To be able to share the Hope of Christ and also bring Hope by training (nationals) and providing for the Physical needs as well.





Meet little Nathan... He came into the world Feb 8th, 2011... My 13th delivery at MMC. Super sweet little boy.




Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good!
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
(Psalm 34:8 ESV)










Outreach... to the mountains... the Bukid. To provide health care teachings, and do prenatals.







Your hands have made and fashioned me;
give me understanding that I may learn your commandments.
Those who fear you shall see me and rejoice,
because I have hoped in your word.
(Psalm 119:73-74 ESV)






God created this world... it seems so big.... yet so small... An viewpoint on Samal Island (small Island off Davao bay)















Meet Leah... and Akiesha Hope.... My first contunity patient at MMC to deliver at MMC... born Feb 10, 2011







My 2nd baby I delivered in Nov 2010...











So you may ask why did I put a picture of a goat on my page. I'm a farm girl at heart. : ) My desire is to work among Muslim women. Rural Muslim women.
In Niger I learned how to take goats milk and make infant formula. So you never know what God will do....( MRBLC farm train center... march 9 2011)...
Fredrick my little rubby ducky that travels with me... thanks to victoria : )
Where does my Help come from.... My Help comes from the Lord maker of heaven and earth!!


I'll leave end the story with these two verses... I know God will continue to write this story and may be for his Glory...


“Look among the nations, and see;
wonder and be astounded.
For I am doing a work in your days
that you would not believe if told.
(Habakkuk 1:5 ESV)

I will take my stand at my watchpost
and station myself on the tower,
and look out to see what he will say to me,
and what I will answer concerning my complaint.
(Habakkuk 2:1 ESV)



Monday, March 21, 2011

In his grace... I find the strength to move

What were you doing at this time last year? Are you at the place you wanted to be?

What has the Lord said to you? Have you listened? Are you even willing to listen?

Its been a year since I found out I was packing up my bags and moving across the Pacific... a new place... new people...

The one thing I've learned is words give so much life to people... it can be + or - ...

" Is she crazy? Can she make it? Will she come back alive? What is she fails? What is she doesn't like being a midwife? " .... WHAT IF?? ...

Oh the responses I got from people... am I crazy??... (don't get me wrong I have amazing people praying for me and encouraging me, however I came across a lot of - responses to my vision of being a midwife and wanting to working among Muslim Women)

Yet God remains faithful...

I can't say the last year has been easy or even the last 8 month (Its been the hardest)... learning new things, coming to terms with my past, understanding more and more of myself as I let go of my fears and allow the grace of the Lord break though the walls of my heart.

I've seen 60+ births and delivered 15+ babies...I've seen life and I've seen death... Yet when God created man from the dust He breathed his life...

I've had nights were all I could was cry on my knees for the grace to endure... and then I've had days where the thought of leaving was not even an own option...

What keeps me going....

  • Prayers- of everyone supporting me back home
  • Desire to see lives changed
  • obedience to the Lord
  • the idea of Foma- Hope... Hello Hope- saying hello to the spiritual and physical needs of muslim women
  • getting to serve women here
  • to be one of the ones to open my arms to the Muslim women here in Davao
  • desire to use midwifery and one day (Lord willing) in an unengaged muslim area
  • to have a skill that I may work among people that have never heard of Christ
  • and the list could go on and on and on....

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

reckless love

I AM HIS... I AM a Disciple of Christ...

I've been redeemed, I can see that my present makes sense... I can see that I must move forward.

T be content in who Jesus is, to live a life where Jesus is the center... Always aware of the cross and the picture of LOVE it shows.

His words comfort me, show grace, love neverending, I'm secure... it comples me...
His promise give life, gives freedom

I'm Done Lord...
with living my own life... I'm ready Lord...

I'm ready to live a life of prayer.... I'm done living life standing unaware of who you are, I'm ready to be uncomfortable by living on my knees

Take my dreams oh God... You gave them to me... and I give my heart and theses plans back to you...Change them daily as you change and mold me...

I can stand on your promise that you are in Control oh God! I'm done with doubting your love, doubting your plans Jesus.

I'm ready to surrender the lies of manipulation, I don't need to compromise, Lord protect me, give me wisdom that I may not be lured away. I'm done with putting you in box... I'm done with the rules, that are based on worldly foolishness where everything need to be explained.


THE ROAD is Rough

It may look foolish, it may be rough, it may be hard, sufferings may lurk ahead... yet Jesus your grace, Lord your strength give me life.

Only two choices... take your word and let it flow within me... changing me... or reject the message... The truth is the truth it can't change!

The message lives in the shadow of the cross... Reckless love... That God came down to earth, lived and died to give life... He took the shame, he paid the price.... You can't have grace without the cross...

whole hearted devotion

While I was on the farm I started reading " The signature of Jesus" by Brennan Manning... I didn't get but three chapter in during the week, but I wanted to share a little about what God was teaching me...

To begin I've decided i would read though the Bible in one year using my ESV study bible online resource... which has about 10 devotions that I can use online ( thanks Pete and Nita for getting me the study Bible!).

I've used it a lot when I'm on shift on night shift when the lights are off and I can just sign in and listen or read my bible and use the different devotions... (so I don't have to disturb anyone its a quite shift and I don't want to sleep.)

So I started about two weeks ago... I'm all most though Genesis and the first chapter in the book was discussing the road from "Haran to Canaan" The sacrife, that Abraham made, the leap of faith he took as he followed God... To pick up and leave everything, to believe in God's promises even when they seem crazy... impossible...

Lets jump to Matt... 4 " you will be fishers of men..." "come and follow me"... What does that mean... I don't think the disciples or Abraham knew what was going to be next... yet they walked in faith... Did they have doubts... yes... do we have doubts.... How many times has the church or lets take it to a personal level...how many times have you doubted God? How many times have you heart the voice of the Lord and didn't respond...? Did it seem impossible, unrealistic, stupid, foolish?

I can't lie and that I haven't doubted God... I've wrestled with God, I've had to stop and just think... really God u want me to do this... your saying that to me...I don't understand...Yet he also takes back to the cross... He shows me the condition of my heart, his grace flows, his cleaning blood falls upon me...

* Why did u call me the Philippines... will you come though Oh God
*Will you provide
*Pakistian?
* Africa?
* I'm a single and you want to work among Muslims?? What...?

I'm the God that takes the things that look impossible and make them possible!!

"Lord increase my Faith" the end of chapter 1...

The cry of my heart is for your glory to fall... there is a yearning again a thirst for discipline...

It all comes back to Jesus... The cross...

Chapter 3..
1. The courage to take up the cross
2. the willingness to forgive
3. The discovery of where true wisdom lies
4The surrender of the heart of reckless love

Sunday, March 13, 2011

scars of life....I am the Vine... remain in Me

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
(John 15:1-11 ESV)

Since I was on the farm last week, I got a lot of time to just relax and just reflect... It doesn't happen much here in Davao... I try to set time aside but that doesn't always happen when the schedules doesn't stay the same.

It was an amazing week, to not be in the city, but also hard because I could finally be alone and just breathe and sometimes things just pile up and trying to debrief everything can be a struggle.

Yet Praise the Lord for his grace. Since being in the Philippines God has shattered everything that I once held dear... I find myself singing "the wonderful Cross" and I see now what it mean to count it all loss...

Last Sunday was the first Sunday where I could attend church without having a conflict with my work schedule. A huge blessing, it has been six weeks! I went a few times to prayer meeting during the week, but I hadn't gone to a sunday service in a while. So I attended morning service at Davao Fourquare Gospel church and then the SBC- Davao baptist church with a couple of the Philipina midwives from Mercy...

In the evening service they talked about the persucuted church... (pray for the leadership at the church, a couple people have gotten death threats!) They also talked about the scars of life... suffering, poverty, loss of life... How God uses our scars for his glory... Though the trials and scars... they rise up in the Power of Christ... yet ever so humble... meek....

Looking back at my scars... from life... the hardships...trials... It call comes back the Jesus...back to the Cross...

In the end... all that matters is what I do for Christ... if I give to the poor, deliver babies, if I'm an advocate for better health care, if I go to the unreached people in the world... YET IF I DON'T proclaim Christ or live a life in which he could uses me.... its useless, worthless, foolish junk...

Sunday, March 6, 2011

a new adventure!!

So I am off on a new adventure.... a week out on the baptist rural center in Davao der south...

I'm not sure what all is going to be going on... so please pray for safe travel, the relationships we will build ( as a group and with the staff)

Saturday, February 26, 2011

update

So its been a crazy month, and I am sorry I haven't updated lately on what has happened.

I delivered two babies since I updated last. My cont Lhea Mae delivered on Feb 8th :)...

From the 14th to the 19th I was sick in bed with a fever and a headache. I ended up with an IV line because I couldn't drink or keep anything down :(

I finally got out of the house on the 21st and back to the clinic on the 23rd.

At 5:09 I got to catch a baby girl on the 24th. :)

Saturday, February 5, 2011

little nathan











Little Nathan born 5:03 am yesterday... His momma was a badjao patient.... from Isla Verde... (we do prenatal outreach every other thursday at Isla Verde)...








Thursday, February 3, 2011

Walking by grace

I am weak, but I can do all things though Christ who gives me Strength...

mi wala sembe ama, mi waawi wadugo komi he sembe Isa Alamasiihu...

Luya ako pero makabuhat sa tanang butang pinaagi, kang Kristo nga naghatog ug kusog sa ako...

English... fulfulde... bisayan...

mi tokki Isa Alamasii der deftere Isa... I will follow Jesus and the ways of the Bible...

How can I keep from singing... Thanks be to God for He is Faithful... He is the God of hope...

To walk daily in his presence, to listen and take time to just be and sit with Him... such a precious thing it is...

Today during Bisayan class (language) I ended up being the last one out of class because I needed to go over the Bisayan prayer that I wrote up last week. So after I went over the translation, my teacher ate BE BE, started asking me about what I planned to do after my time here in the Philippines and wanted to encourage me in my progress and how I tried to go out 'go out and about the city to just talk with the people' even though I still only know 'gamay' small amount of Bisyan.

Most of you know that I want to work with Muslim women within the health care system once I finish. Over the last month I've come to see a huge barrier between the Christian and Muslim people here in Davao. In response to that and spending time with Jesus in Prayer I've come to point where I would like to step out in that area.

Its amazing how God has answered my prayer. I have a couple Muslim conts (patients) and so I've gotten to go visit and walk around some of the muslim areas in Davao. Just walking though, prayer walking... Anyways back to my language class. After class was finished I asked to get the fulfulde tatoo on my foot of Phil 4:13 translated into Bisaya. As she translated it for me we discussed arabic/urdu languages and my desire to work with muslims.

prayer request....

After my conversation with my langauge teacher, she is going to set up a time to meet with an couple from the states that work in the medical field here with Muslims... How cool is that? At first she wasn't sure how I would feel about that since they are older... However that also answers my prayer because I've been wanting fellowship with other believers working with muslims and are older.

However that not all... The couple also have a heart for Pakistan... They are currently in Pakistan right now... An older couple that works among muslims in Pakistan and the Philippines... amazing... I can't wait to meet them!!


I know some of you know, but I've been interested in learning Urdu and going to Pakistan for some time... Since being in the Philippines that desire has grown and God has given many opportunity to talk about, pray, and meet people from northern India and Pakistan... God's leading... maybe, I know Pakistan is a place in which God has asked me to keep in prayer, and I don't know if I will every go... but I will continue to prayer...

Monday, January 31, 2011

mi wala sembe ama....

But...(ama)....

I am weak but I can do all things though Christ who gives me strength... mi wala sembe...( I am weak) the first line of my tatoo that is on my foot. A reminder that Its in the strength of Christ that I stand...

How can I keep from singing his praise... How could I ever say enough... His love is so deep, so wide... unconditional... oh we don't even have the words to say it... even with all the langauges in the world... nothing compares... nothing can describe... Its one of the reasons why I love languages. In Creation we see God's love and amazing


May everything I do and say give glory to the Lamb... the Lamb that was slain...


Promises of a lifetime.... kutless


I have fallen to my knees
As I sing a lullaby of pain
I'm feeling broken in my melody
As I sing to help the tears go away

Then I remember the pledge you made to me

[CHORUS:]
I know you're always there
To hear my every prayer inside
I'm clinging to the promise of a lifetime
I hear the words you say
To never walk away from me and leave behind
The promise of a lifetime

Will you help me fall apart
Pick me up, take me in your arms
Find my way back from the storm
And you show me how to grow
Through the change

I still remember the pledge you made to me

[BRIDGE:]
I am holding on to the hope I have inside
With you I will stay through every day
Putting my understanding aside

And I am comforted

Looking back at me I know that you can see my heart is open to the promise of a lifetime.










I can say that I've asked God so many times may this song be my prayer... each situation is diffrent, yet his truth remains... I can cling to his promises... His word is true... and I can trust in His Word!

the good and the bad... in the life of a midwife

I've come to find that in my desire to work among women, and be a midwife, its a lifestyle. A lifestyle that is so diffrent, it stands alone in so many areas.



To serve women as a midwife is so amazing, yet its not easy. Its can be wonderful, a miracle, and the next moment it can shatter, the hope of life gone.

Yesterday on shift within a half hour I saw how sudden life change, how fast it can change. Sadly we lost a baby yesterday. The mother had lost her last two babies at about 20 weeks, and this was her first baby that she carried to term... we were transporting anyways due to lack of progress, however just as final vital were being done before transport, the heart tones disappeared. The baby was gone... a baby girl... stillborn via c-section at the local hospital.

This morning I had clinic and did prenatals... Interview Monday... 'welcome to mmc' ... yet we sent at least three patients to get ultrasounds, and or to the doctor... because of no heart tones, no movement or signs of miscarriage...

In the midst of a crazy week, I wasn't sure how to deal with another event like this, yet God is faithful. Yesterday After shift I spent the afternoon finishing up my assignment to keep my mind busy, for I didn't want to deal with the last couple events.

It had been three weeks since I was last at the church. With night/ day shifts on sat/sun I wasn't able to make it to any of the services. I was looking forward to it all week. Yet after day shift I wasn't so sure. However God is the one who restores... the message was on being a leader... being a servent.... on how God is Good and He is faithful...

How is God good... How is he faithful..... premature delivery ....a mother carries a baby to term, only to lose the baby in labor... having prenatal patient come in to find no heart tones... to see young teens 13/14 pregnant... rape...incest... the list could go on...

To sit upon my knees and lay my life before my King... Its all I could do... to cry and sit and wait upon the Lord... To be in his presence, to sing his praises... in midst of the trials in the midst of hardship. To seek is understanding and wisdom...

I've learned so much, seen so much, I'm learning to live in his presense, to give my heart daily to Jesus. I am weak, but He is Strong..... I can't do it alone...I've cried... I've thought of giving up... A few nights ago I couldn't see myself going though another hardship, yet Jesus took my hand... Don't be afraid... I am here... I am with you... serve these women my child... let me live in you dear Heidi...

In Him I walk, In Him...do I live. I've learned to seek the Lord, to keep my eyes focused on Jesus... He is good, He is the one who provides... He is the one who gives strength... He is our hope. He is our God!

Saturday, January 29, 2011

Hello Hope...




May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
(Romans 15:13 ESV)



Foma Hope....


Hello Hope...


Where does my help come from... It comes from the King of Kings, the Lord of Lord, the Lord who made heaven and earth....


Foma- (hello) new life, a life in Christ...







Romans
8:1-2 message

The Solution Is Life on God's Terms

With the arrival of Jesus, the Messiah, that fateful dilemma is resolved. Those who enter into Christ's being-here-for-us no longer have to live under a continuous, low-lying black cloud. A new power is in operation. The Spirit of life in Christ, like a strong wind, has magnificently cleared the air, freeing you from a fated lifetime of brutal tyranny at the hands of sin and death.





I don't read the message very often, however this translation of 8:1-2 has had such an impact on my life. For so much of my life I was living in the low-lying black cloud. I love the picture that this verse gives of the freeing power of Christ!






(Colossians 1:11-14 ESV)


[11 ] May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, [12 ] giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. [13 ] He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, [14 ] in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.


When you look at the picture above.. what do you think, does the baby stand out, is it her little hand?, the feet and the markings, or even maybe the cup?



For most of you who know me, you know this picture is dear to my heart, its a picture that has changed my life. The little girl in the photo changed my world. This baby girl is the reason why I am in Davao, why I wanted to be a midwife.



Her name is Hope (the english name in which we gave her.) I don't even know if she is alive today. In the picture she is maybe 1.5kg, and 6-8 weeks old. Her mother died of infection/ PPH - postpartum hemorrhage weeks (3-4 weeks before the picture) before this picture was taken. The last update was the last time I saw her and she was 5 months old. That was right before I got on the plane to fly home in Dec, 2008.

Its a story that happens all the time and yet isn't talked about. It doesn't just happen in Niger. It happens all over the world. Niger has one of the highest infant and maternal mortality rates of any nation. Yet it isn't talked about. It was not until I got back home and I did my own research, and noticed that Hope wasn't a random story, its repeated over and over again.


Will I got back to Niger after my time in Philippines, I don't know, I would love to go visit and maybe deliver a baby in Ly On Kara and spend a few days with my African Family. Lord willing.





As of right now I don't think I will in Niger full time but I pray that I could go to visit or maybe teach or train national health care workers for a while. I will always fill like Ly On Kara is my home away from home.

When i think of the vision that God gave of training nationals in women health care, I will think of Niger, of Hope.... Foma-Hope... the desire to see lives changed, to see a new out pouring of God's Spirit.