Happy New Year 2018!

Merry Christmas!

They did a Christmas play in church Sunday morning as part of the special program. The service lasted three hours instead of two, complete with lots of enthusiastic and joyful singing. 

They had communion during the service for those who had been baptized, and then afterwards they served juice and bread to anyone who wanted it.

Some of the children did the Christmas play, complete with costumes. It went off smoothly without a hitch - except for a few small variations. 

Mary entered the scene and had to call the angel Gabriel in. He was loitering outside the chapel and didn’t hear his cue. 

The three wisemen made their entrance too early, before Mary and Joseph had even made it to Bethlehem, and the whole scene with Herod had to be repeated. 

The second time the third wiseman was missing his long grey beard and they were threatened harshly for trying to avoid an audience with Herod.

When the decree went out from Caesar Augustus for the census there was a long line of people being interrogated. “What’s your name? Where are you from?”  Mary and Joseph were somewhere at the back of the line. 

Finally they squeezed into a little stable and I think the birth of Jesus caused the whole flimsy structure to shake.

The shepherds came in a large group from the back of the church, with loudly bleating sheep. 

The angel fumbled with his lines and the sheep were told to wait while the shepherds went to see. 

The shepherds all tried to crowd into the stable at once, which was unsuccessful. Baby Jesus was waved in the air so all could see.

The wisemen arrived and presented their gifts, nearly knocking the stable down. When Mary and Joseph were warned in a dream, they fled bringing the manger with them. 

And thus ended the Christmas play.

Pictures!

Merry Christmas from the PCH chapel!

Christmas morning food distribution to patients in the hospital. 

This little girl wanted to know where this Christmas was that everyone kept talking about.

 Dr. Latha with one of her patients

 Adonai ready to hand out some bananas

Stopping by Pediatrics

We went around to each ward and the pastors preached a short message, then we prayed with the patients, and sang while we handed out the food and gifts for the children. It was a fun morning for everyone!

Labor of Love

Many of the girls I see each week for prenatal care are teenagers. When they come in to deliver  they are often scared and overwhelmed. Especially if they have not received any prenatal care of education about childbirth, it’s even more of a challenge. 

I do my best to stay with them as much as possible, help them stay calm and encourage them through labor.

Every time I help with a delivery I am amazed at God’s creation. It never gets old. 

At Christmas time, I think about Mary. Her pregnancy seemingly ruined her normal life. She delivered her first baby without familiar people around to help - only a man she probably didn’t even know very well.

This is the way God chose to do it. He didn’t bring His son into the world into an already established, happy family. Mary was a young unmarried girl.

And contrary to a lot of our popular Christmas songs - Jesus’ birth was not cozy or picturesque. 

After coming home from helping another teenage girl push out her first baby, I take a few minutes to quietly sit by myself and listen to this song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQZmni-oeg4 

It is probably my favorite Christmas song ever. I think about Mary’s willing heart, and her pain, and Joseph’s obedience…and God’s grace to the world.

Change of Plans

Thursdays are supposed to be my “day off.” That means I clean the house, do laundry, wash dishes, run errands, visit patients in town and occasionally watch a movie by myself. Today the emergency room nurse, Leonard, who had worked the night shift, came to my door at 7:30 asking for me to come translate for morning report. The translator had failed to show up. Again. 

Trying to have a good attitude, I went and translated…and then there was rounds in the Emergency wards. And then there was a C-section. And then….well the day just got used up much too quickly. And I didn’t have time for any of my regular things. And tomorrow I’m supposed to work a 12-hour shift because the Maternity nurse didn’t get a seat on the plane to make it back to Impfondo on time to work her shift. I guess God has other ideas about how I spend my time. 

Last Mundele Left

For the past week I have been the only white person at the hospital, and will be for at least the next few weeks - maybe longer. We are expecting another long term missionary to join in January, and another short termer to come in January as well. But for now - it’s just me!

Mama Sarah is still here - but she lives three miles down the road at the mission station. 

Although it is impossible to forget that I am a mundele (constant daily reminders are unavoidable), it actually doesn’t feel that strange. I am progressing toward becoming "adapted" to life here and for the most part, I am thankful and content. Of course there are always those days... but usually I go about my work, rarely speak English, occasionally lock myself in the house for privacy, and continue to “do the next thing.” 

I do dozens of prenatal checkups each week, which includes counseling, education, giving out Bibles and occasional arguments with difficult husbands. I like to think that I'm getting quite good at starting IVs, putting NG tubes in and of course placing urinary catheters. This week I learned infant intubation. And no they did not teach that to us in nursing school. 

Introducing Dr. Paul and Dr. Cyriaque 

Dr. Paul is an OB-GYN from India. He is saving the day, our moms and our babies. He will be here until February which is such a blessing. He likes cucumbers, ranch dressing, and riding his bike. He wakes up quickly at night and arrives on the scene in good time. Thank you, Dr. Paul Emmanuel!

Dr. Cyriaque is a general practice doctor from Central African Republic. He does a lot of the care for our hospitalized HIV and TB patients and sees lots of outpatients. He likes interesting clothes, sunglasses and helping refugees. Thank you Dr. Cyriaque Yamoulou!

This picture was taken on one of Dr. C’s “days.” It will probably only be funny if you know him. Hannah and Esther - y’all know what I mean. 

Happy Monday folks!  Don't forget to thank your doctor.

Thanks for coming!

Thank you, Ellen and Naomi, for coming to Congo and helping us out!

Special dinner with Mama Sarah at Tropicana

 We are missing these two doctors who did rounds every day, even on the weekends, learned our crazy system really fast and had so much love for the patients. They were fun to work with and taught me a lot. They did continuing education classes for the staff, too.

Snapshots

Photo with the chief security guard, Papa Fernand. He always takes good care of us, defends us from annoying guys and makes sure he knows when we go out of the hospital and come back. He has been known to give rides on his motorcycle when especially needed. He is cheerful, always has a smile and a heart full of joy. A good person to have around.

Ellen and Naomi, two doctors who spent three weeks here. They were a huge help, a special blessing for me, and an encouragement for the hospital in general. Definitely will be missed.

I forgot to post this photo of Esther and I the day she left:

Mama Edwige and I in morning report

Stephanie

Stephanie came to us extremely malnourished and with a serious abdominal infection. She had a two week old baby who was dehydrated and underweight. Stephanie was not really breastfeeding the baby much because of her health situation. She couldn’t find the strength or motivation to try to feed him. Also her milk supply was drying up. 

I met Stephanie in the female post-op ward and started her on post-natal vitamins and encouraged her to drink lots of water. When she was able to eat normally I came every day to make sure she was eating. At first she was completely unresponsive to any interaction. She would just sit in a wheelchair and stare blankly. Even as she started to get better it seemed like we were talking to a brick wall. She wouldn’t answer or even do what we told her. She was stubborn for sure. I felt so frustrated over the situation and prayed for a kind spirit and for God to help me know how to get through to her. I started the baby and supplemental formula for a few days to keep him going, and helped Stephanie keep nursing him until her milk came in again. 

Soon we were able to take him off formula, he gained some weight and Stephanie continued to get better. And as she improved physically, her attitude and spirit started to change. She actually talked with us, and smiled and eventually would laugh and interact and joke with us. Her persistent, sassy personality came out. Esther and I both rejoiced over the improvement and spent lots of time with her. I taught her how to knit so she could have some handcrafts to do and possibly sell. She had not given her baby boy a name, so she let Esther choose. Esther named him Thomas, after our grandfather.

After Stephanie was discharged from the hospital she still comes to see me several times a week. I told her to keep bringing Thomas back so I could see how he was doing. I am so thankful for this girl and how God has changed her and brought her back to life. She goes to church regularly but I am praying for the Holy Spirit to renew her and lead her on to truly follow Jesus in her life.

Two reasons

Two of many reasons that living here is still fun…even with Hannah and Esther gone.

Berta and Annie. 

Berta is three and Annie is nine. I love these kids so much - and even better, they really love me. And they get so excited every time they see me. Berta is such a joy and Annie has been keeping me from feeling too lonely by having sleepovers a couple of times this week. 

More pictures from the "last day..."

Saying goodbye

Esther and Hannah have been here with me since June and it has been wonderful having them here with me. I don't even have the words to express what they mean to me and how much they have encouraged me and helped me and given me grace on the worst days. 

We have all been through a lot together.

We've laughed a lot together, debriefed with each other about so many things, had "movie nights" and adventures with lizards, spiders and ants, fun times at the river, cooking experiments, bucket showers and much more. These past six months have been quite an adventure!

Esther with Koumou, one of my teenagers

With the surgery team: Boniface, Marie Rose, Urbain and Rufin

Hannah walking to church with the Kimwanga kids, Adonai, Mervedy and Benonie, on our last Sunday together.

Hannah and Mama Clotilde, the hospital secretary

Hannah and Mama Anne, our neighbor, mom and provider of great food

Esther and Belsia, another of my teenage girls. Esther helped teach them how to crochet.

 With Berta and Benonie, two of our favorite little girls

Esther and Marie Rose got to be great friends!

Hannah and Celeste, one of the nurses

Going away gathering with the staff at the hospital cafeteria

The cleaners...READY TO CLEAN!

Occasionally we have some suspicious cases so the janitors take extra precautions. Don't worry - it ended up being nothing to cause concern.

Healing

We have two doctors here from India right now, a husband and wife team. The husband is an OBGYN and the wife is an Anesthesiologist and surgeon. It is such a blessing having them here. While they are here, Dr. Latha is also doing some counseling training for our missionary team. She is going through something like the trauma/healing course we did with Lori Bryan, but it’s a slightly different variation on that. We have had two sessions so far and it’s been really good. A couple of notes I wrote down:

-If it’s sin - confess it. If it’s hurts from others - forgive.

-Hurt people hurt others.

-Forgiveness is an everyday process.

-As Christians, forgiveness has to be flowing in our blood.

-The healing process involves repentance

-Healing of the past affects our present and future.

-Always deal with the root causes.

-We should be the agents of healing for people.

-As children of God we are to bring healing to others.

This is what I found right outside the postpartum ward today. I was just going around the corner to go in and what to do you know? Someone parked their supplies right outside the door.

I decided that if I was an ant or another small creature on a tree, this might be my view:

But I am a person so I get to watch beautiful sunsets....

Kevin

Getting to see kids again that I knew when I was here before is really fun. Here are some pictures of Kevin when he was a little guy and then four years later.