Oficina nueva

Buenos dias!!

Hope this Saturday is finding everone well.  What do you think of my new blog lay out???  Too "professional" looking?  Just thought my blog should reflect how much everything has changed in my life.  :)

This past week was one of my favorites here so far.  God has blessed me in many ways....

Numero uno:  Spanish has finally clicked.  Now, what does that mean?  Clearly I am not fluent after only two months of language training.  BUT at last I felt that "A-Ha!" moment.  That moment that anyone who has tried to learn another language experiences when everything comes together and you are actually able to communicate and understand more than 50% of what is being said to you.  So exciting!!  And answered prayers.  I'm still not ready to jump into the community alone and try to give good health care, but this was definitely the encouragement I needed to realize that I will conquer the Spanish language.  I expect to be ready to start my medical site in January.  I know at that point I will still have a lot to learn but I should be good enough to see patients and communicate in an understandable fashion.

PS...I can speak in the 4 past tenses, future and sunbjunctive....proper Spanish here I come!

PPS  I actually LOVE speaking in Spanish....I feel like a new world has opened to me.....

Numero dos:   I spent 3 afternoons (after Spanish tutoring with Catalina) organizing my future office space!!  So fun!!  I am sharing space with Vanesa who is a Dominican dentist that is a native missionary with SI...female power, just kidding...I'm not a feminist.....I promise.....

BUT!!  In November, Hans (American missionary with SI who runs the construction site) will be building my shelves, desk and patient examining room.  So I should be good to go in January.  As I see it now, my office space will truly only be for me to work, plan, keep medicines and patient records.  But, I will have the capability to see missionaries, students or any Dominican if need be.  Recuerdes (remember), my primary role is community outreach....getting down and dirty in this Dominican dirt...

Numero Tres:  I have been practicing a lot of medicine.  Thank goodness.  I felt like I was going dry a bit....between treating "gripe" (Dominican slang for the common cold), infected insect bites and taking care of missionary kids....wellness check-ups, reflux issues, etc.  my skills are being utilized and I am once again feeling like a productive part of society.

Numero Cuatro:  We had two adult teams visiting SI this week.  And what a blessing they were to us.  I spent time with three nurses, a cardiologist and orthopedist.  They were such an incredible source of encouragement to our ministry...and where I feel God is leading my site.  AND!!!  They donated numerous medical supplies.  I basically have a pharmacy at my disposal....from diabetic and anti-hypertensive meds to suture material.  My site is starting off in good shape!

Looks like a lot, but after a couple clinics in the community
they will be gone, donations are always needed!!

I may be a bit type-A

GI meds on the top, diabetic meds in the middle
wound care on the bottom

Shelves are courtesy of our construction site!
Gracias!!

As you can see this week has been a lot of fun and filled with encouragement.  The adventures continue as I move to my new house on Tuesday.  I promise to post pics once I'm all moved in.

Please keep me updated on any prayer requests you have so I may serve you as you are so faithfully serving me and my ministry  :) 

Martyrs and Doubt

"Anyone who holds onto life just as it is destroys that life. But, if you let it go, reckless in your love, you will have it forever, real and eternal. If any of you want to serve me, then follow me."

Jesus Christ, John 12:25, 26   The Message

Currently, I am reading a book called Jesus Freaks: Martyrs by DC Talk. It is an incredible testament to those who have been placed in the most ruthless situations humanly imaginable. Believers who are so strong in their faith that even when faced with death they would rather die and be tortured than renounce their Christianity.

I can't help but place myself in those situations. At this point, as a missionary God has not called me to testify in a country where I could face a shortened life by believing.  I often feel blessed that I am in a relatively safe place, but then are we truly always called to be "safe?"

I pray that if I am ever in a martyr situation I would without a doubt shout for all to hear that Christ is indeed my Lord and Saviour.   But, I wonder, is my mustard seed like faith truly enough?  The logical-medical-science thinker that I am, the faith God shaped within me.

Shamefully I admit, there are days when I arise and question, is all this stuff truly real?  But then, time after time God reveals himself to me and I breathe easier, "ah, it is You."

And He so graciously reminds me that I am not the only one who has doubts.  Perhaps doubt is a natural part of faith, a tool we may use to strengthen our trust.  Even the disciples had their doubts.  This to me is craaaazy.  After the resurrection, the eleven disciples were in Galilee on the mountain Jesus had instructed them to go.  "When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted. (Matthew 28:17)."  Jesus was standing there in front of them, in the flesh, and some doubted.

And yet, these same Christ followers were commissioned to "go and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19)."  These same incredible men who doubted our Saviour but continued to follow despite their moments of doubt founded the first church, arguably converted the most believers to Christianity of all time and many became martyrs.

And they were missionaries.  Clothed in the grace of our Lord, they were given His words to speak, His words to share.

So, perhaps I have not yet been placed in a martyr situation because I question and doubt. Or perhaps I am called to support those who are persecuted.   The underground church.   Or Christ desires to work through me in a "safe place," at least in this moment.  Either way, I look forward to my faith continuing to grow.  To rest assured that occasional doubt does not negate who I am- His.  I continue to pray and desire the day I arise every morning, never once questioning but always knowing without a doubt in my mind that contrary to what the secular world teaches, God is very real and more tangible than the palm of my hand.

I pray we each come before our Lord with child-like and martyr-like faith.  Trusting that any of our human failures in faith will be interceded by the Holy Spirit.  I pray that we never lose site of our purpose and boldly proclaiming whose we are, despite those whispers from the evil one trying to lead us astray.  These intrinsic attacks to our Spirit are some of the greatest sins.  Father, I lift these to you.

Dengue and the Dominican

Well, it's happened.  I have diagnosed my first case of Dengue.  I'm not excited to say my dear missionary friend is now in the hospital fighting this dreaded tropical disease, but to say it has been exhilarating walking through the process with him and his wife is an understatement.

Dengue is a vector born virus that requires a mosquito to transmit the disease from one infected person to another.  This happens most commonly during the rainy season...and guess what season we're in?  It produces a severe fever (the most prolonged I have ever seen...like 104ish, lasting for days), a rash, muscle and joint aches (severe), laboratory abnormalities, among others.  It typically runs its course in 5-7 days.  There is no treatment except supportive management and very rarely is fatal.  The biggest complication tends to be dehydration.  Have I lost you yet??  I am a medical provider  :)  Thankfully for my friend, tomorrow is day 5 so hopefully he will start to improve.

On Saturday we have our first short term missionary team of the fall serving with us, to be followed by three more consecutively.  October looks to be a full month.  We may be starting this with challenges as Dengue has already caused 4 times as many reported cases in the DR as this time last year.  I have the job of warning and protecting our short term missionaries without completely freaking them out!

If you could please pray for my friend and another staff member who was also diagnosed with this virus.  We are grateful that we have access to a basic hospital with the necessary supportive management, but there are so many in this country who are in compos (remote villages) with no access to facilities.  I would be grateful that you remember us during this hurricane-dengue season!

Guess it's back to smelling like Off....I had a Dominican friend tell me that I finally didn't smell like one of those Americans....I didn't understand until I realized we all smell like insect repellent...yup another thing that causes us gringos to stick out...that and our incessant need to carry water bottles.

Dios Bendiga....