the next year of my life....

I think I know what I'll be doing for the next year of my life (and maybe even forever....)  So you guys remember this, right?   My proud photos?  Of the Scary Room?

Remember how deliriously happy I was?  That the Scary Room was scary no more.  That nearly all of our storage stuff had its very own little place to live.   Ahhhhhhhhh those were the days.

Here's the Scary Room now....well, I mean, if you can get in the door.  

HA!  I.  Just.  Have.  No.   Words.  

( But, um.... Happy holidays to all!  :) )

Changing Seasons

So here in the DR….. we don’t have poinsettia PLANTS.  We have poinsettia TREES.  And they are magnificent.   Of course before I lived here I had no idea that poinsettias could grow as TREES…but it’s the coolest.   You do see the trees in San Juan but not as much as in the mountains or on the way to the presa (the dam) or El Cercado.

We don’t see the weather change as much as in Pennsylvania but when the poinsettia trees are red-red-RED and the ground is dry and the breeze gets down into the 60s at night…. it’s winter here in San Juan.     Changing seasons.    I feel like I’ve been in the midst of that lately.  I was home in Pennsylvania for about 2 weeks this month, helping my parents move.    They moved out of my childhood home which was EMO-TION-AL.  Wow- lots of memories.  AND they have a different car.  AND we have a new cabin.   AND it was COLD (although that isn’t new).   Changing seasons.  Things were looking different when I arrived in the States.  It feels kinda weird.  But it was (and IS) RIGHT and GOOD and I LOVE the new places and the view at the new cabin and the fact that my parents live within walking distance of an Isaac’s Deli Restaurant and the Costco and a Sushi Bar.    These are cool things.     Change isn’t always easy for me to swallow.  I happen to like to BE the person in the midst of change as opposed to adjusting to the change in others.    Is that how everybody is?     We sometimes do better dealing with our own change than the change AROUND us.   So I’m adapting and adjusting and all that jazz…..and it’s colorful.

I see the bright red poinsettia trees popping out in the tropical landscape and it seems more brilliant than it ever has.   These crazy baby-breath-like trees are often near them and it’s just this amazing combination of perfect flower arranging.     And I think of all the things  that God is “arranging” in my life.   New apartment life… complete with a potential balcony garden that I am beyond excited about.  Another new work season (winter craziness!) coming upon us.    New stuff at home in PA like cabins and houses.    Deeper, better relationships on all sides.   Improving language skills.     Driving to work every morning on the pasola shivering with the “winter”  morning air here.    New knowledge of the pain-in-the-rear stuff that I’ll have to do to get my Dominican Visa all squared away.    New patients that I’m meeting and loving and enjoying sipping orange juice on their porches.     New educational charlas making their way into our barrio clinics.      Newness.   Changing Seasons.

And yet….. much remains the same.   My parents ARE home, no matter what roof is over our heads.     That was a refreshing and reassuring promise that was so evident during the PA move.      My job and my life here definitely have seasons of change but I remain happy and content in San Juan and feeling God leading my (and our) steps here at Solid Rock.     I feel so blessed and continue to feel God’s call here in this place at this time…amongst the poinsettia trees and barking dogs and crowing roosters and trucks rumbling over the bridge that I can see out of our window.     In the midst of ANY of the above-mentioned changes, I still feel loved and utilized and like I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.

As always…THANK YOU.  Thank you for supporting me and encouraging me and praying for me.   For those of you who don’t know, I’m self-funded down here and I certainly could not do any of this without you.    So please know that in all these seasons…..  your steadfast help is very very appreciated.    And since Thanksgiving Day was yesterday, a quick mention of my gratitude:  :)  I am SO THANKFUL for my faith and my family and friends and those who are lifting me up that I don’t even know about.    We serve an awesome God…. in all seasons…in all changes.. Bendiciones!

- 

Lessons in Life, ACLS, and a few moments of chest pounding....

I’ve spent the past week with my dear friend Cathy Case as she taught Introduction to Advanced Cardiac Life Support and CPR in San Juan.     Last week on Friday we went to the hospital in San Juan with the nursing students from CCED (one of “our” local schools) to have an extensive tour of the hospital as well as learn what they are learning and have available to them.  It was eye-opening, to say the least.  

The main hospital here in San Juan has the most wonderful hospitalist, Dr. Ranfis Baez, in the world!    He is our contact guy and set up all of our classes for the first two days.    He brought us 3 defibrillators to study, learn, and then teach to his staff.   We also taught them how to use their monitors and supplied them with a few pulse oximetry probes and ambu bags.   On Monday we taught two groups of physicians and residents  in the conference center of the San Juan Hospital.   On Tuesday the nurses from the  hospital showed up.  On Wednesday morning our own clinic staff participated in the class held in the Guesthouse.   Wednesday afternoon was scheduled for the staff of the Juan De Herrera Hospital.  And Thursday the entire day was dedicated to the CCED 4th year nursing students.  It was a blast!   Master translator Amaury Beltre translated for every single class and did a fabulous job.  In fact, I think he could teach heart rhythm strips WAAAAYYYYYY better than me at this point!   

(Ranfis, Cathy, and Amaury introducing the class)

(The first ACLS class- riveted by the "live" EKGs)

(the first 2 provider CPR)

(Class Number 1- SO PROUD to be certified!)

(Just a few of the supplies that Cathy bought, brought, organized, and sterilized for each class)

Two of the hospital surgeons- so happy to be there!

I'm not the most useful kid in the world......but........

(Class number 2- psyched!)

We were exhausted at the end- it was a lot of hard work for Cathy and Amaury.  But to hear the comments or questions at the end of each class was humbling and inspiring and mind-blowing.   The grand majority of people had never been in a class like Cathy and Amaury taught.  Practicing CPR on mannequins was an incredible advantage to them, as well as watching real “live” heart rhythms on Power Point, youtube videos of open heart surgery and defibrillation, and live demonstration of how to use their own equipment.     To hear folks say things like “ I think I am capable of saving a life now”  or “I’ve never had a class like this before”, or  “this was incredibly valuable” just about put tears in my eyes.   Watching their confidence grow as they together performed chest compressions and ventilations was inspiring.  And of course....two Dominicans in a room is always a party....so imagine over 20 doctors and nurses laughing and pointing and sitting in awe.   One of the coolest moments was having the CCED nursing instructors participate on Tuesday...and then come again with their students on Thursday and help them learn CPR and heart rhythms.    And of course our own Doctor Sandy Valdez showed up TWICE because he enjoyed the class so much.     THIS is humbling to me.  Again, the desire of the locals here to improve and learn and implement and study is awe-inspiring.    On a poignant note, the hospital docs actually had a opportunity to use their knowledge on a very sick patient who showed up in the ER after most of them had taken the class.   As Cathy and I watched them working together and efficiently with this patient in the ER and then in the ICU, we were again humbled to know that these guys are doing the very best that they can with what they have available to them.    There is no other word to explain this than to say again.... I am humbled.   

(the nurses on Day 2 at the hospital)

(Amaury, Cathy, and Ranfis on Day 2 in the hospital)

(The hospital nurses....THRILLED!)

(So good at CPR!)

Day 3- our ROCK STAR clinic staff doing CPR!

(Cathy teaching mouth-to mouth with mask)

Our own Dr. Sandy Valdez "saving a life" with Gary Straley (Dan's dad!)

Stellar crew- every single one!  (Note the Guesthouse staff included!)

Dr. Pierre from Juan de Herrera- master of compressions!

The first CCED nursing class- glued to the screen watching!

Did I mention that I can be very useful when they need me for a monitor?

CCED students rocking the ventilations!

The two class MASTERS!  

Moises from our clinic helping the CCED students...

The second CCED class practicing chest compressions...

CCED students with their wonderful instructor Elizabeth....

Over and over again, the request was the same:  “We want more”.   The local public high school wants THEIR nursing students to take the class, as well as another private nursing school.    The hospital wants a class on how to use their 5 new unused ventilators, as well as an ABG machine that is still in its box and unused.    We are hoping and dreaming of implementing a Post Anesthesia class, and an Assessment class...and an Introduction to Pediatric Advanced Life Support...and...well, the sky is the limit right about now.  It’s exciting stuff!  

And as for me...well.  I always like to learn.   I never got sick of hearing the heart rhythms and watching folks practice chest compressions for the first time.   I loved watching Amaury demonstrate how to hold the masks on the mannequins and do ventilations.   I was enthralled (just like the classes) watching Cathy review the algorithms of ACLS.   I think my favorite part is just making connections with folks.   I just dig meeting and learning together with the docs and nurses and residents at the hospital, knowing that I will see them again here in San Juan and that maybe even some of them will work at the new clinic in a few years.   I loved starting off each class with prayer and stopping in the middle of the second day of classes to pray for the Code happening in the ER.   That just doesn’t happen in the States.  :)  I loved Cathy’s heart for education and Amaury’s dedication and Ranfis’s direction and Sandy’s enthusiasm.   For me, it was all good, even if we didn’t sleep all that much.    

On another note in the Loony Life of Nik Eby, Laura and I have become little birds flying to a new nest.   We are now the proud residents of Apartment 302 in Building 5 in Mesopotamia- more or less across the street/bridge from our old digs.     Of course life in the Guesthouse is and was fabulous and we will miss it...but it’s time to be Dominicanas and move out of the dorm scene.   We’ll both be at the Guesthouse every day working...but we will retire to “La Meso” (as I affectionately call it) at night and on the weekends.    Photos of the new “palace”  (HA!) to follow soon.  

Entonces, God is good.   October is good.  Education is good.  New apartment life is good.     Annnnndddddd as Cathy has reminded me several times after hearing a sermon recently in the Sates....”Life is short-- live today to the fullest.  Seek Jesus in everything you do”.   We have seen this a few too many times this week.....  Young folks going too soon.   Tragedies hitting.    Sick kids.  You all know the drill.  So it’s a good reminder: Life IS short.    Pray hard... work hard...play hard and LOVE really really really hard.   Seek Jesus in everything you do.   He’s THERE.  

Casa Abandonada

Last summer when I was running like a BOSS, I would run to the Casa Abandonada (Abandoned House) in Mogollon.   There was something about arriving there (puffing and sweating and gasping and sucking air in) and wandering through the roofless rooms, the beautiful stained blue floors covered with dry leaves and the cool balcony with no stairs.   You can see where the kitchen was and the yellow bathroom with blue shower and a patio out back.   There is a long driveway with palm trees on either side, mango trees all over, oranges/lemons/chinolas abounding, a ricola (small canal) out front  and behind the house, a river of wildness spilling its water over rocks and gurgling under more mango trees and a view of the mountains and clouds in the distance.   The vista is tremendous.  Being there feels like being the only person in the universe.   Like you and God have this cool secret.

You can feel that there was HOPE and  PLANS and HAPPINESS there, it was a house that someone loved.   And now....... no one remains.    It reminds me of when I was looking for a house in the States and I would see some complete bowsers.... but my personality is to see POTENTIAL and so I would say things like “well, it needs a little work.. but it’s got good BONES- I think I can work with it”.   And I think you can say that about the Casa Abandonada too.   She’s been through a lot- her roof is gone.   Some of the walls are covered in vines.   The trees are overgrown, there are bushes coming in the windows, which don’t have any glass or panes or jallousies anymore.    But she’s got Good Bones.   

It had been months now since I had been to the Casa Abandonado (let alone that I’ve gone running).    Physically...and spiritually and emotionally, I could always use a little work.   I can see what USED TO BE.   I can see that I’ve been through some stuff.  Some good, some bad, some mindblowingly phenomenal.  Some of my walls may have crumbled a little bit.   Oh and my eyebrows are way overgrown.    There are some pounds that have arrived that were uninvited.  I feel old sometimes, not so valuable, a little tired.  But I also know MORE than I did back when the roof was on so tight.   I've got YEARS under my belt of knowing how the rain will fall sometimes.   My blue floor can still shine, just needs a little clearin' here and there.  I know there was and IS HOPE AND PLANS AND HAPPINESS. 

I was at the Casa Abandonada this week- I walked there.  I didn’t run.  But the blue stained floors still had a little color gleaming through the dead leaves.    I heard the river calling me and I walked down the long shady driveway with palm trees on either side of me and the grandules swaying in the breeze in the field.   I sat on the rocks and watched the water swirl around me.  Then I climbed up on the countertop in the house and stared at the view out the window while the vines tangled up in my feet.   There were some tears shed.... tears of disappointment that maybe everything ISN’T always what I want it to be, that maybe I’m NOT what I wanted myself to be.   But there were also tears of gratitude.   That I’m WHERE I’m supposed to be, wrestling for what I believe is right.   That the rain will fall and drip all over but that my walls are still standing- the foundation is FIRM.  That God is IN it and He VALUES me, He loves me- shaggy eyebrows and all.    The thing is- I have Good Bones.   I was CREATED for days to sit in the Casa Abandonada and just BE.    YES I’m a little worn out, I get tired more easily, woeful things bring me down.   But I’m equipped for it.   I’ve got experience at this and I know there are days coming when there will be a new roof and glorious windows and the mangos will be hanging heavy on the branches with sweet juice dripping and little boys tossing rocks to knock them down.   This is a house well loved.    And so am I.  

I still dream a teeny little dream about living in the Casa Abandonada.  Totally impractical.  Pipe dream sort of stuff.   Growing basil and tomatoes out back and listening to the river at night and having a chinola vine winding its way up to the balcony where I’d have coffee in the morning overlooking the mountain view.    The realities of mosquitos and no power and commuting distance are lost on me.   :)  Because I RELATE to the Casa Abandonada.   What was, what is, what could be.   We remember together, this little house and I.   There IS hope and plans and happiness.  Now.  We know we have Good Bones.   We hope and we wait and we relish the times of laughter and blue gleaming floors and suck all the juice out of the glorious moments and we are expectant for those times to come again.   And again.  And again.   

Micah 7:7 But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord,    I wait for God my Savior;    my God will hear me.

September Rundown

How is this team-free time blowing by so quickly?   It seemed like everything was just COMING together so beautifully with education in the barrios and then POOF- down time.   But I LOVE it.    LOTS of Meetings.  TONS of paperwork.  Responding to about a kazillion emails.  Writing up action plans.  Folding scrubs without the pressure to put them away This Very Minute.   Going out to see some of our schools.   Packing up backpacks for newly sponsored lil 3 year old cuties.   Visiting other ministries and sharing HEARTS in Jarabacoa with the rock star Mike and Karen Unternahrer family.   Checking out other hospitals to see what they have available and see what educational needs may be present.    Celebrating birthdays.   Hangin on the beach for a day with El Jefe Monch.   Planning the logistics for the series of CPR classes coming up in October.   Inventorying the clinic and the pharmacy.   (Hey, the scary room remains almost stable- I’m holding my breath).    Talking with some local community leaders to promote our upcoming surgical teams.

Today I was able to check out a really cool project that a friend of ours has been working on with building these cool stoves for some poorer folks who live in her neighborhood.   She showed us how it worked (made of concrete and ash and just construction stuff thats COOL that I pretty much know zero about) and it was so neat to see the success of good PROJECTS.    It’s awesome to see the difference that it’s made in her community and how proud she is that her community has taken ownership of this project.   I’m reminded of how fulfilling it is when we get to share in the beautiful moments of OTHER FOLK’S ministries, like being with Mike and Karen in Jarabacoa and finding out more about SI (Students International).   Those guys are doing great work!  I was INSPIRED.   And then hearing our friends Brook and Josh in San Juan talk with such LOVE about what they are doing in Pueblo Nuevo.   And there’s Miguel and Kristen in Captivo and in church planting.  And Ashley and Laura and Liz- the Peace Corp girls with their Women’s Groups and Kids Clubs and sports camps and sweeeeeeeet stuff!    And I’m reminded of how I LOVED that church in San Pedro where Pastor Bienvenido was so welcoming and I felt so ALIVE hearing that worship there.  Oh and Central Mennonite Church here (where I often attend on Saturday nights) is church planting in La Florida, a community WAY up in the mountains.    And our friend Pedro is running a Christian baseball academy out in Hato Mayor that’s just THRIVING.   And Partners in Health in Elias Pina is doing AMAZING things with their programs and follow up on HIV positive patients.  And I LOVED the Ywam center where Emma was in Jarabacoa..oh and the one in the capital where Laura Blank is… and oh and on and on and on and on.

There’s a lot going on.    Turns out we aren’t the only ones feeling like we are here for God’s purposes.  And it’s just a feeling of camaraderie sometimes- knowing that others feel that same “pull” to be here or to be SOMEWHERE to serve or help or play or lay blocks.    It’s happening at home in Parkesburg, PA at The Point and  and here in the DR and pretty much everywhere I’ve ever been.   Seeing Jesus play out in the faces and acts of His people.  Geez- does it get any better?

I mean, you guys do know it gets old sometimes no matter where we are or what we are doing.  I love, however, those opportunities to step back and see all the bazillions of ways that God is being GLORIFIED through His people (or… as the case may be…DESPITE His people).   This is that time for me.   I can breathe and it’s beautiful.  I have time to hold my friends’ kids and watch movies with them and go for walks and inbetween the meetings and plannings and birthdays and inventorying and organizing and all that jazz… I SEE Jesus here.  And there.  And in Pueblo Nuevo.  And downstairs in the kitchen.   I do.

And of course I’ll be ready for the next teams.  I’m PSYCHED for surgery (it’s been a couple months!).   I’m JAZZED to head out to the barrios again.  I’m CRAZY-Beside-Myself for the next CPR training.  BUT… last week..and this week… I’m taking it in slowly.   It’s good stuff.   God is SO good.   Geez- I’m blessed.

a little Heimlich in the barrios.....

For the past year we here at SRI have had a goal of introducing more education into our barrio clinics/mobile clinics.  And we’ve had “glimpses” of what that could look like several times throughout this year.   But the last two weeks of barrio teams, this dream of sharing education has been realized in a bigger, better way than I ever thought possible.

It means that one or two of our translators show up on Sunday afternoon to review and prep some “charlas” (or “talks”) with the American team.    It means that we have a few props now, like a model for breast exams, some posters, coloring sheets for kids, handouts, prizes, etc, that we organize and prepare for the barrio teams.   It means that we are willing and open to learning about topics that our American teams might be gifted in teaching and then able to focus on a subject to present for the week.   It means that sometimes we stop before we hand out intake forms to the patients waiting in the barrios so that they can listen and watch a 5 minute talk about nutrition or Proper Body Mechanics or more.   It means that sometimes our doctors will leave their desks and come outside and talk to the patients (who are crowded under a tree waiting) about Dengue or Preventative medicine or community living.    It means we’ve got to have a number of Americans willing to do “education” and play with the kids and hand out crayons and sing songs about handwashing sometimes.   It means that we have to think about how we can introduce God and His Great Love for Us into every charla that comes out of our mouths.

It’s about 10 million times better than I ever thought it would be.  I thought that maybe we should wait and undergo some formal training, me and the translators and leaders and everything    I thought that somehow someone would tell us exactly what to do and when and that it would probably be sometime in the future when someone more gifted in educational promotion would be here.   I thought that basically since I’m not good at the stuff like this… that it would just wait and wait and wait.  And then God kinda pushed me.   He reminded me that He has called me to be a BRIDGE all the time.   I just have to connect the right folks… not always make everything happen by myself.     And it turns out that our translators are hugely smart and gifted and can freakin TEACH.   And it turns out that people show up here who know how to teach CPR and the Heimlich manuever and Nutrition and Proper Body Mechanics and Diabetes and a whole bunch of other stuff.  Ohh and I work with guys like Dr. Sandy Valdez and Dr. Borit, who came out with us, got up from their desks where they were seeing patients  and proceeded to talk to the folks waiting outside about Community Living, Dengue, Preventative Medicine, and Vaccinations.

On the last barrio team I was on, I had a woman who actually TAUGHT CPR and First Aid (like…FOR A LIVING!) in the States on our team.   And every day someone else would join in on the education fun and teach another charla/talk or participate.   We all learned amazing stuff from each other and I watched in awe as they and Hector (our translator) would teach the crowds.   My absolute favorite moment was probably our last day.    We had been teaching the Heimlich Maneuver every day, since it turns out that almost everyone here knows someone who choked and DIED on a fruit or something in San Juan.   THAT is horrible.  It speaks to a huge need to educate.   Teaching the Heimlich Maneuver took those guys less than 10 minutes.   Then we would have a member of the audience “demonstrate” and “save” Hector as he pretended to choke.    On the last day, as Hector was giving the scenario and then stated “which of you can come up and save my life?”, a small 5 or 6 year old boy in the front row sprang to his feet.  He ran to the Hector as quickly as he could and proceeded to attempt to “save him” although he only came up to his waist.   The audience dissolved into applause and I stood there in awe.    Everyone was smiling and sharing and so happy to have this basic information.     And I realized that teaching the Heimlich Maneuver possibly had greater life-saving potential than the pills that most of the folks in the crowd had come to see us about.   Incredible.

I’m sure that doing 5 or 6 “charlas” or educational talks every day in the barrios can get old.  Folks are pushing to get in the doors to see the docs and some don’t want to hear us or the kids just want crayons and it’s hot and we just want to get moving and yada yada yada.   But wow- seeing it WORK with the last two teams has motivated me.    I’ve seen folks get psyched and even ask us for extra handouts to do their own teaching in their communities.  Or start asking questions about diabetes and exercises, etc.    And then I hear Hector preach about God our HEALER when we have sicknesses or talking about spiritual parasites when we address physical parasites, and on and on and on.  It all runs together into beautifulness for me.   Amidst the chaos and pushing and heat.

And God nudges me a bit and reminds me that He’s got this all covered…this whole BRIDGE thing that He’s called me to be.  Just putting together a couple folks who have cool gifts that I might not and then letting me watch the beautiful chaos that He makes it all out to be.  Oh and yeah, reminding me to make about 2000 copies of the fruit and veggies coloring pages for the Kids in the Nutrition Charla.   Cuz- I’ve got mad skills for making copies.   God is really good like that.    He loves 5 year olds who try to save big guys from choking.   And so do I.

Mavelin and the American educators prepping the crowd and asking questions.

Presenting their charla on Nutrition to the waiting kids.

Hector doing the story of David and Goliath.

Dr. Sandy Valdez and Mavelin speaking to the waiting patients about Community Living, Preventative Medicine

and Dengue Fever.

D

The kids anxiously raising their hands to answer questions (and win prizes!)

Folks settling in to listen to Dr. Valdez and ask questions.