Uninvited guest

So, it's late by my standards and I really should be in bed. I really would like to be in bed, except I was greeted by an uninvited guest when I walked into the room.

The picture does not do it justice.... really!

I remember my first night here when this arthropod's twin decided to make an appearance. I almost freaked out, but I had just met these nice people so I had to keep it together. Tonight the little critter comes back and I'm not so sure about keeping it together. I want to go to bed, really I do, but I'm sitting here keeping vigil over this HUGE spider on my ceiling. The spider's body and legs are the size of the palm of my hand. There are tarantulas in the DR, but I've been reassured that this is not a tarantula. Something tells me he is going to win and I'm just going to have to get some shut eye before the rooster starts crowing.  (yes, there is a rooster and a hen right outside my door, but that's an entirely different post!)

Mosquito net, picture is from another day but it gives you an idea of how close
the above arthropod is to my bed.  Critter is to the right of the window. Not good. 

So, I'm glad I have my handy dandy mosquito net. One of my last purchases the night before I left, but boy, oh boy, this thing has been a HUGE help. I have the ritual down packed now. Tuck all of the edges under the mattress. Turn on the flashlight and inspect bed for uninvited critters. Ease in through the narrow gap and close the gap with a clothespin. Turn flashlight back on for a repeat inspection. Do some self talk... if there are no critters inside now, and all of the ends are tucked in, there is no way for a new critter to join you in the bed. Close one eye, peek around the bed one more time with the one eye that's open, then close it shut, real quick, fall asleep, quick, quick, quick!

I've been missing you.....

I have a weird confession to make..... I had a little internal leap of joy when I saw the medicines at the mobile clinic. Weird, I know. After 3 weeks of being away from LCHC and not doing anything healthcare related, I think I missed it. I didn't realize it, but as I was helping Dr Tony to unpack the meds for the mobile clinic, I found myself holding each box of Ranitidina and Nifedipina just a little too long. It was like my long lost toys had been found. I told you it was weird.....

Now, that I've confessed let's move on to the serious stuff.  One of my big prayer requests is figuring out how to get integrated into the mobile clinic. The role of Nurse Practitioner is not widely understood outside of the US, so I probably will not be doing direct patient care, at least not right away. I think my initial role will be in some education projects as patients are waiting to be seen. I need fun, interactive ways to get people involved and to cross the French-Spanish-Creole language barrier. I'm thinking that some of my activities from Centering Pregnancy can be modified to work for other educational topics. Please pray for innovative ideas that will work in this setting and an extra dose of creativity!!

Another idea is to integrate community health projects with the students in our school. I observed one day that the kids were washing their hands BEFORE going to the bathroom and not afterwards. Interesting I thought... so I inquired a little more about this practice.  I learned that many of our kids have parents who work in the landfills all day sifting through trash looking for anything that can be recycled, reused or sold for a few pesos. I really can't even imagine as my own brief peek into our trash barrell was frightening enough, let alone working in a landfill. Anyway, after being in the landfill all day the parents usually wash their hands before touching their body or going to the bathroom. Now that I understand the practice, it's figuring out how to tactfully work with our kids on this area of hand hygiene and to teach in a way that is practical and appropriate for kids going home to houses that don't have running water.

Albanico Fantastico

Machete did a pretty clean job, other than those wires sticking out it looks A-OK!

I learned a new word since arriving in the DR. Actually, I’ve learned a LOT of new words.... but one that has been on my mind a lot is albanico! Que es eso?? It’s a fan! I have a new fan and it is absolutely, wonderful! I’m a little sad that I missed the installation, but from what I’m told it involved a machete! Yes, a machete to rip out part of the ceiling to install the albanico. Yikes! It has not fallen down yet, so I guess the installation went well.  A little handiwork with a machete is a small price to pay to have air circulating in 90 degree weather!  Add another praise report ... I have a fan and I’m so looking forward to bedtime!! Maybe I will go take a midday nap! 

9/29 - I finally got some pictures of the infamous albanico! An all purpose machete may be the thing to give for Christmas presents this year!! LOL

Lights, Camera, Action!

Praise God for safe arrivals to Santiago, Dominican Republic! The last 5-6 months of prayer and planning has culminated in my hitting the ground last week and now it's 'showtime'!! The last 9 days have been filled with getting acclimated to a new language and a new culture. There are so many praise reports that I can't list them all, but I would like to share a handful with you!

1. Safe travels and passage of luggage - all 3 suitcases arrived with no problems, including the school supplies and $250 worth of medications and supplies that I was bringing with me for the mobile clinic.  Today I met Dr. Tony and passed on some things to him. He was exceptionally happy about the otoscope! It's a very basic one that I found on amazon.com, but will at least allow him to do a better assessment of the many ear complaints and prevent unnecessary prescribing of antibiotics! The mobile clinic was started in the last 6 months and has grown from visiting 6-10 sites monthly to over 35 locations. We are praising God that Worldvision has come on as a partner with us in the mobile clinic expanding the number of communities that we are able to serve. Today we started strategizing about how to incorporate community education into the current mobile clinic services, as we really believe an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure.

2. La profe nueva habla Chino??? - I spend the mornings teaching English to 4/5 yr olds and then to 6-8yr olds. The kids are adorable even though I hear PROFEEEEEE (short for profesora) yelled 50 times a day. On day 2, one of the kids asked the director if I was speaking Chinese?? I'm not sure if he was referring to my English that was foreign to him or to my Spanish that was so mixed up that he thought it was Chinese!! I confirmed that NO, la profe nueva is NOT speaking Chinese!! We still laugh at this comment and I'm thankful that the kids are so welcoming and are good at making me laugh! This week the focus was on colors red and blue.  Next week we add the color green and begin work on introductions in English..... hello, my name is Jewel y no hablo Chino!

3. Weekly Chapel started this week. What a blessing to sing and worship with 70 children and to watch them listen attentively as the word of God was shared. Our kids come from homes and families of all make up an design. Some are 2 parent homes, others are being raised by grandparents, some leave school to go 'work' in the landfill with their parents, others have felt loss that is beyond their years.  Juan arrived to school this week 2 weeks after school started because the family had been grieving the sudden death of the 14 month old brother and the family was too distraught to bring him and the other brother to school. Every day Juan asks me at least 10 times in the day can he go to the preschool class to check on his 3yr old brother. How can I deny him, knowing the unexplainable loss that he is feeling for his 14 month old brother. So we worked out an arrangement so that his desk is by the door.... and when he feels the need he can look down the hall into the preschool classroom to assure himself that the 3yr old brother is ok. Our kids have tough stories, but it brings joy to the soul to hear them proclaim the Word of God at the top of their lungs....Their memory verse for this week comes from Psalms 139:14... Te alabo porque soy una creaccion admirable!

Just a few highlights and praises from this first week and a half. Please keep the work and ministry in CienFuegos, Santiago, in prayer. A few prayer needs are listed below.

• Lights -- our power lines have been stolen twice in the last 9 days
• Behavior issues - many of the students have never been in class before!! There are lots of learning challenges that turn into behavior problems out of the student's frustration. 
• Adjustment -- Language acquisition is a challenge, plus understanding "Kid Spanish" is tough! Also some of the words are different than Mexican Spanish, for example the word for bag is fundo instead of bolsa. 
• Internet - Internet is expensive... but would help with the adjustment such as Skype access, etc. Pray for a less costly internet option. 
• Mobile Clinic - many medications are needed as well as educational opportunities. Pray for wisdom as the clinic has grown rapidly, but there are many needs to keep up with the growth. 

Effectual, Fervent Prayers!

You know, if you have ‘grown up’ in the church you probably have heard such church language as I can feel people praying for me. Or I know it was the prayers of the righteous that carried me through. Or folks commenting that I felt your prayers, thanks for praying, etc.  Have you ever thought about what does that feel like to know people are praying for you? How do you know? Is that some spooky deep spiritual talk or is it possible that there are moments, seconds, hours and days that you are only moving forward because of the prayers of the Body of Christ?

I have to say that over the last 4 weeks, it has been an amazing feeling to know that people were and are praying for me. I have no doubt in my mind that it was the prayers of many Believers that have carried me through the last four weeks of wrapping up time in Chicago and preparing to journey to the Dominican Republic. It dawned on me one day while driving to work that I felt a supernatural lift carrying me that morning. My energy was gone. My drive to get stuff done was way past “E”. I just didn’t think I could go one day more. Late nights and early mornings were taking their toll on me. But on that day, driving that familiar route to work, I felt that something had shifted. I was still fatigued, but there was a palpable power source infusing strength and power into my energy tank and it definitely was not of my own doing. It hit me... the prayers of other Believers were joining with mine to reach heaven on my behalf! 

This may sound like crazy talk to some of you, but there are others out there that get it! The persistent, fervent prayer of the righteous will accomplish mighty things! I am blessed, beyond blessed to have been on the receiving end of so many prayers!  I have felt your prayers..... Thank You!