clickety clack- don't look back

There's a new group in town and it's gonna be oh-so-fun, just like my weekend.

Despite the fact that our blasted invertor was a total fail, I had an awesome weekend with Diego the dog and fun pals.   I haven't slept much but that's okay.  Friday started at 4:45, up and waving goodbye to our first group taking off.   Then the second half of the group left at 8:00 and then I drove Ramon our construction guru to pick up some more razor fence at the hardware store (I'm PSYCHED that we have razor wire atop our concrete wall fence- it's soooooo awesome!).  

Late morning I geared myself up and headed off to the track to plod around.   It would seem that while I was plodding, two helicopters landed in the middle of the track and a bunch of military and policia sprinted out to waiting black SUVs with guns and sunglasses.   I asked some other shlub at the track what was going on and he shrugged and said "it's one of the bosses".   Then I asked one of the military guys but he kept sprinting and just shook his head at me.   It could have been my jogging outfit  but I'm not sure.    Either way, I was wildly entertained as I plodded and contemplated when it was Sammy Sosa or a big drug deal or a political honcho or a military takeover or whatever.     No one seemed to care that I continued plodding around the track during the potential drug deal or military takeover so I kept on keeping on.  

Spent much of the rest of the day cleaning my room, changing curtains, scrubbing out the tub, doing mock fantasy baseball drafts, and visiting with friends.  Friday night I went out to eat with the remaining member of our last team at at Restaurant Espia after we watched Sugar.   I have now viewed this movie 64 times and it never gets old.   The interesting thing about going out to eat was that we tried to take a moto taxi and literally it ran out of gas half way to the restaurant.   We just got off, laughed, and walked the rest of the way.   Classic since we were going less than a mile to begin with.

Saturday morning I dropped off Larry at Caribe Tours at 6:30 am to catch a ride to the capital and then Diego and I chilled out for a while.   I headed out to the clinic to do some organizing in the morning trying to prep for this week's team (gyn surgery).    Of course it was IN THE DARK since the invertor doesn't work but nonetheless I worked for a while and then went to town to pick up my ticket for Tercer Cielo (AWESOME!) from Nef and then visited with Angie and the girls for a bit.   Finished my laundry as soon as the power kicked on at noon and then headed out to the pool at Bonnoccinos.  Ahhh- it was a spoiled american moment.   I read a People magazine that some wonderfully kind folks left me from last week and snacked on M&Ms and drank a coke.    I had the entire place to myself.  Craziness.

Headed home to meet up with my friend Verona to prep for the Tercer Cielo concert.   I seriously know NOTHING about the music scene here but Verona knows it all and that was phenom.  For example, she knew that even tho the ticket said 7:05 start time, we shouldn't even leave the house until 8.   And even then we sat through sound check til at least 9 and then viewed some strange mime dancing.   Next up were the opening acts...and then Tercer Cielo took the stage about 10pm.   And they were ABSOLUTELY worth the wait.   Tercer Cielo is a Christian Dominican group that sings a Christian version of Creere', the "I believe" song that played during Obama's campaign.    Check it out with the link below..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAPT0UnbSnM


It was SSWWEEEETTT and I can't even describe how it felt to shout out "Creere'" in a high school auditorium crowded full of youth and kids and fellow young-at-heart folks, waving our arms and swaying together.    Verona and I had a blast!

And all day today I've been humming the songs and dancing around and thinking that I should have bought one of the CDs.  

Late night last night but of course me and Diego were still awake early this morning, slurping coffee and chasing lizards in the garden.   I set sail for Bastida around 9:15-9:30 and arrived close to town for the reso of Julian's grandmother.   She died on Tuesday and his mother called last week to let me know, which really was significant for me.    So off I went, a bit nervous.  But I clarified a few things with some buds regarding reso culture and expectations.   I was thankful for the clothing heads up as I was wearing pretty much exactly what all the other women were wearing,  black pants/skirt with white shirt.   I sat in the living room with all the women, listening to the chanting and singing in the other room by the "wailers" in front of the flower and candle covered altar.   It was kinda strange.  At one point they rang cow bells and waved a long rope over the altar and started playing a drum.    I saw Julian peering in the window at me so I swung outside and chatted with him for a while.  It was so good to see him again but it was made even better because I knew that my presence meant so much to him.    His mother had some people bring me coffee and I sat inside again for a few minutes but I got up and left when some dancing started and more wailing commenced and a bus full of people showed up and pressed into the house.

After visiting a few more minutes with Julian, I checked in with another patient from the campo clinic there who had some questions about his treatment.   And then I stopped in to visit Baby Nicole.  Her mother had seen me driving in and waved wildly with a huge grin calling "doctora doctora!".   I reassured her (?) that I wasn't actually a doctor but that I had come to check on the baby.  She brought her right out to me, still so teeny tiny, still so precious.  Can't believe I get to DO THIS.   She asked lots of questions about the clinic this week and I hope she comes to visit.   Wish I had my camera again.

Back to lunch- hanging out a bit more with Verona- chilling out, putting some finishing touches on group prep, opening windows, turning on fans, finishing my work, folding and putting away about 100 pairs of scrubs.  Sigh.    The new week begins and I'm excited about this team.    I listened to them introducing themselves to each other tonight and talk about why they were here.    I remember the first time I flew into the capital and how I was in love with this place before I even got out of the van.

And I was reminded that it's one of the things that I love about being here, seeing folks experience LIFE here for the first time.    They are in awe of the brave and sweet patients,  endlessly entertained by the cutest kiddies ever, struck silent by the poverty, overwhelmed at the kindness,  and humbled by the graciousness of the wonderful gente here.   We will do surgery together and eat meals together and I will listen to them laugh about the rooster waking everyone up in the middle of the night and the mosquitos and the occasional difficulties in getting things done here and how rewarding it is to take care of these people and how thankful they are.    I'll see some of them get teary when they prepare to leave, knowing that they too fell a little bit in love with life here.   It's cool- I get to see it both- the americans and the dominicans.   And me- I'm a little bit inbetween those worlds and loving every minute.

Oh- and the icing on the cake tonight.  Just in case I was wondering AGAIN how much God loves me today- the text from Gary.   He's alive and well and MAYBE coming to San Juan for a few days before I leave.   Joy.   Another of the lost is found.   And I'll sleep really well tonight, knowing I wanted to see him so much before I leave for the States.....and now I'm just a little bit closer.  Gracias Dios....gracias....

Fast approaching is the day

April is coming and I guess I'm panicking a little bit.  I'm excited that my Mom will be here in 9 days and we will take on the island together...but I'm a little freaked out by the idea that my near-4-month time here is ending soon.

  It's been a great week- we've got some awesome nursing students in town this week who are doing barrio clinics (I went with them on Monday and they were wonderful!) and school screenings (that's how I spent yesterday morning and I was very impressed!) and then there are some ANGELS here, some fabulous gals who are committed to helping organize the scary room (did I mention they are ANGELS!) upstairs.  And THAT is how I spent today.   We made a dump run yesterday AND today and it felt good to "redeploy" some of our supplies from 2001 and beyond.    The scary room is still scary but there are a few spaces on the shelves that look pretty darn good!   Maybe after tomorrow I will post some pictures.   Last week Skylar, a med student from Nashville, also worked in the scary room several evenings.   I feel surrounded by selfless people who are wonderful servants and I am humbled and LEARNING from them.   I've been here nearly 3 months and these folks have definitely schooled me in the Scary Room by far....like, in 2 weeks.  

And I got a phone call from Julian's mom - his grandmother died yesterday.  Exactly one week later.   I spoke to him too and it was good to hear his voice.   If the blue truck can hang in there, I might attend the service on Sunday.   I don't exactly know what to expect or do or how to participate, but I want to love on his family for sure.

And I got to watch a ball game with some friends Monday night.  And we laughed and rode around on motos in the cool evening air and talked and cheered on the players and chatted with the other folks watching.   And I feel like I have a community here.

And Dan and Kari and I went to Miguel and Kristen's last night and chilled with tacos and shot the breeze and talked about this beautiful place.   And I felt such a peace about it- that there are folks here who share tacos and Jesus and funny stories with me and will encourage me and not let me fall down.

And I KINDA got pulled over by the po-po today and PRAISE Jesus I had my license on me (which I rarely do) and the blue truck didn't sputter and die immediately.   Turns out they wanted me to put on my seat belt and after hearing my English- they waved us on through.   Whew!   Another Dominican experience under the old belt.....

I've been talking to Cora and Joe and Shannon and Rod and Sandy at Solid Rock and last night I had a Skype meeting with the Medical Crew of the Board of Solid Rock.  And so- the news is that there is a place here for me longer-term.   And I want it.  I want it so much.   And I don't know exactly what that means, except that I want to be here and I know I have to work through some stuff to make it happen.   I'll continue to work with the medical teams and in the clinic, but I will also help out with the sponsorship programs, both with our Solid Rock-sponsored schools, and also with the Infant Nutrition Program.   I'll have a lot to learn, but I know Jesus is walking this with me.   I know I have much to handle state-side, like.....what about my jobs...what about my house....what about my responsibilities...and what about raising more money.    And all I can say is this:  God has opened lots of doors for me to be here NOW and I believe He will continue to open them.   I'm coming home April 9th and I will gather my thoughts together and try to get my wits about me and pay my taxes and then I'll begin to prepare for the Return.  I have no idea how long that will take.    

One thing is:  I guess I am changed.  I guess I am changing.  Oh I'm still the same goofball as ever- struggling- falling- same old sins- same old troubles- same old nik- it's me, after all.    But I am CHANGING.  Less and less asleep.  Made of different stuff than when I began.  And I have sensed it all along.......  (Thanks Brooke Fraser...for the lyrics that envelop me).    As we say here- luchando, luchando- Wrestling, wrestling!   I am wrestling all the time.   Wrestling to be found in Him, wrestling to STOP with my agenda, my wants, my needs, my self-esteem.    I lose terribly most of the time.   But there are moments.   And in these beautiful moments of my life here with Jesus- and la gente bonito and la vida dulce- I am realizing more and more that quiero quedar.    I want to stay here.   I love my life in the states so much.   I love my peeps and my house and my truck and driving through Chester County at 6pm on a June evening.  And I miss all of my wonderful friends and family so much.   But I want to stay here.   I want to BE here and LIVE here and EXPERIENCE more here.   Don't know for how long yet...but much much longer than 4 months.

And I'm sorry to everyone that I should be phoning right now to tell you this in person.   SO impersonal and lame to put on a blog.   And yet- it IS mass information and you all deserve to know right now, before it comes out in a Solid Rock newsletter or something.  :)  Most of you who know me and love me probably suspected.   And as I start raising money to live here full time you'll all get a letter from me anyway.  :)

So thanks.  Thanks for your place in my life- thanks for tuning in to the life and times of Nik Eby yet again.   Guess I was never gonna be that girl who did what was expected, huh?  39 years old and flipping the script again.    I'm just glad I'm not alone on this ball of mud- love you guys!  Love the life that Jesus is walking me through....

Life and Death in Bastida

So I'd like to try to make it through this blog without melting into tears but that's NOT going to happen.   Preparalos!   And they aren't sad tears but maybe just tears of wonder or serious awe at what God chooses to hand to me on a daily basis.    Who knows how to describe these things in a way that you can relive today with me?   I don't know- I'll give it a whirl.

I set sail for Bastida with our medical group this morning.   We have an awesome team in town, med students from different colleges who are doing barrio clinics this week.    The students do intake, triage, and pharmacy and then we are traveling with Dr. Victor Perdomo who is seeing all the patients and writing the prescriptions.    We arrived in Bastida around 9:30 and some folks came running up to tell us that a woman was having her baby.....like...NOW.   And she wouldn't make it to the bus to get to town.   So off I went running with some of the students, uttering a small prayer, one of my favorite prayers.... "help me help me help me help me help me".  We trekked up a hill, through a garden, and small rock path to arrive at a small wooden house full of folks waiting.   There was no power and not much light but I stepped into the bedroom to see a small dark woman quiet on the bed.   I put my hand on her stomach and looked down and figured I had about 30 seconds.     I looked at her face for a moment and watched and boom, 30 seconds later I had a sweet little head in my hands.    I asked her to push one more time and hellloooo...out came the rest of sweet little baby girl with a double nucal cord.    Fortunately someone handed me a blanket and then a towel and we dried her off on her mommy's belly- she cried right away.

It was sort of a surreal moment, no gloves, no light, no scissors, no nothing.  Just me, a mama, a sweet babe, a few students, and about 40 neighbors staring in the windows, peering in the door.   Dr. Perdomo was right behind me and as soon as we knew the baby was fine, I ran back down to the church where we were setting up our clinic to grab some scissors, gloves, and suture (NOT for a repair, to use the string to tie the cord!).     Dr. Perdomo delivered the placenta and we tied off the cord and cut it and then wrapped up Baby Nicole (thats her name!) and handed her to mama.  She started nursing right away and all the women in the room started fussing about how wonderful that was.     I laughed with Dr. Perdomo and Nef and Jhonny about how I was sweating through my scrubs and my heart was POUNDING.  And Perdomo and I waited until after she breastfed and then took the baby outside to check her out in the light.   Beautiful.   Nueva vida.   Never gets old.   I haven't seen a delivery since mid December- I haven't even thought about missing it- my life is so full here- but today- I remembered just like I remembered the first time I saw a baby come out.    It IS precious.  It IS always a surprise, always a miracle, always exciting.   It never gets old.   Even after 10 years.

And today is the International Day of Women.   I'm glad it was a girl.

Here is the sweet mama- this was definitely NOT her first baby.  She was up out of bed in about 20 minutes- what a rock star.

Here's some of her other kids, as well as some neighbors who showed up for the fun.

So I wandered through my morning sort of in a blur of wonder.   The neighbor kids came to get me and show me where the woman and her baby had gone to wash up.   I gave her some tylenol and took some more pix and hung out with the family for a little while. 

I was just starting to eat my lunch around noon when I happened to glance out the window.  And this is what I saw.    

It was Julian.   And everyone who knows him or knows his story should know how I felt.   Julian.    Taller.   Maybe a little thinner.  But I still knew him right away.  Julian.  

I've been looking for him since the end of December, wondering where he was.  Asking the other boys, scanning the neighborhoods.   I've found a couple of the "lost boys", boys that used to live at the orphanage and don't anymore.   Last August I found Gary in Higuey and this year I've seen Ariel and Alejandro and Eury and Carlitos and Fanelli and Daison (I found him yesterday- screamed "stop" at the bus stop and dove off to talk to him)....but never a sign of Julian.   Until today.    I still can't believe God could love me this much......to let me have today.  

So we talked.   I asked him to take me to his house and we walked through town.  He told me his grandmother is dying and I asked if I could see her.   We went to her house and I sat on the bed with her and I could tell that it didn't look very good.   She was feverish and moaning and working to breathe and unable to eat and her family told me she had just been in the hospital for 3 days.   So I held her hand and prayed for her.  And I prayed for Julian.    And I thanked God that I was with both of them today.

And then I walked back to the clinic and got Dr. Perdomo and we looked at her together.   She can't eat so he had her family mash up some of her pills in water and take them in a syringe and change her position and try to prop her up a little.    And as we were sitting on that bed with her I thought about the fact that just a few hours earlier I was sitting on another bed in another house with my hands on a new baby's head.   Life.  For a minute it was so new....and now it's so old and it looks like it won't be long here.    And the neighbors were crowded around the window, just like this morning.   And we just sat quietly with them.   Then Victor gave them some more instructions and we sat outside and talked to Julian and Victor asked him some questions and encouraged him.   And I reminded him that he WAS a good boy, that I was so happy that I found him and that I hoped I could see him again.   

And when we were ready to drive away Julian was in the mamon tree, picking fruit to give to me.   And the kids were crowding around the bus yelling for us and the new baby's sister asked me which clinic I would be at so they could bring her to me in another couple weeks.   And Julian's mother brought us habichuelas.   And the sun was shining SO brightly.   And I snuck some lollipops to some cuties.  And one of the guys sang me a song on the way home.    And I hung out my laundry tonight.   And I think you all hopefully know by now that kiero quedar, no kiero salir.   I want to stay.   I don't want to leave.  

And my second favorite prayer is on my lips all of tonight and it's coming out like quick little breaths to God:  "thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you".   

4th gear, baby!

Ahhhh the adventure continues, as always!   I spent the last 48ish hours with mis jefes extraordinaire, Joe and Shannon (JZ y Shanoo) on the road to Barahona and back.   Not that we were on the road the entire time.

We left Friday morning with 2 patients (and their caregiver) who had had surgery on Wednesday with the plan to return them to their village in the mountains of Barahona.    6 of us squeezed in the blue pickup, with poor Shannon sitting basically ON the gear shift for 2 hours while we drove to Darren and Jennifer's house.   Darren and Jennifer are missionaries outside of Barahona who kindly brought these patients (after 2 flat tires!) to the clinic last week and then unfortunately had car trouble (a battery that caught on fire!) returning.   We are convinced that these problems are not just physical but spiritual also, as some of their neighbors practice voodoo.  We covered our trip in prayer for sure!  We were happy to bring their friends back to them after successful surgery and had a great visit at their home as well.    Our next step was to drive from their home in the mountains to the beach in Barahona.  

As we left their house and began our descent out of the mountains the blue truck began to make strange flapping and rattling noises.    Since we were literally in the middle of nowhere, we continued DOWN the mountain, often coasting in neutral to stop the horrible noises.    Despite the awful sounds and the fear of being stranded in timbukto-nowhere, it was a gorgeous ride.   Darrin and Jennifer live in a very tropical jungle-ish environment and the flowers and coffee plants and mountains were spectacular.   But we were very glad to see the ocean and know we were on main road after nearly an hour of holding our breath to reach civilization.    The blue truck has had a long and storied history of repair and Joe discovered that 4th gear was the only gear that we could use without the scraping, flapping, rattle.  So we motored on.   The road to Barahona is awesome, driving along the sea...light blue clear water, huge cliffs, palm trees...STUNNING, especially in 4th gear!   We stopped to eat along the water, delish!  

We had a few options of what to do.  We could spend the rest of our day searching for mechanics, trying to drive back to San Juan, sweating over the rattling noise, or throwing up our hands and forgetting about the truck.   We opted to give the truck over to Jesus, checked into a sweet little French hotel, and stared at the ocean while sitting by the pool.   Excellent idea Jose!  Playa Azul was rocking!   We spent the night and the next morning in perfect chill mode- reading, laughing, talking, eating and relaxing.  What a great break!  Jesus Calling was perfect on Saturday morning, saying "Make friends with the problems in your life.  Though many things feel random and wrong, remember I am sovereign over everything".    Of course we added "even the blue truck!"

It was a perfect spot- perfect relaxing time.   I am so grateful to have had this time with Joe and Shannon before they leave (THIS week, sob sob sob) for the States to begin their new positions as Exec. Directors.   And I am grateful to have folks like them at Solid Rock praying over this ministry and striving to serve Jesus in all they do.   

 

We set sail for San Juan after lunch on Saturday...following a morning of lounging at the pool (heavenly!).   We prayed over our dear blue truck and off we went, in 4th gear!  And we made it all the way to San Juan (2 hours!) , holding our breath going up the mountains and giggling at the horrific noise when we had to briefly downshift over the multiple speed bumps.     Here's to 4th gear!  And a perfect vacay with dear friends!  And God's protection on us....always....

Here is Joe with his driving game face on!  Fierce!

Dropping it into 4th!  We love 4th gear!

Home again!  Praise Jesus!  We all but coasted into the gate!