Neonatal Resuscitation- This is supposed to be from July 21

Tomorrow (Monday) will begin one of my favorite things to do here at Solid Rock.  I get to accompany/support/assist Sam and Terry Wellman as they teach Neonatal Resuscitation in some local area hospitals.

This is the closest (except for the delivery of Baby Nicole) that I get to my previous life as a Labor and Delivery Nurse so it means a great deal to me.    I have heard Doctor Canario speak about the statistics of maternal and infant mortality here in this country and it’s not good.   It’s true that the places that we go often do not have the supplies needed….but it’s more than that.  Knowledge is Power, in this case.   The trick for us is to evaluate what is available to the health care providers…and then to use what is available to them to help save lives.   We also often leave supplies with the hospitals that we visit to help with Neonatal Resuscitation as well.

It’s fun, it’s exciting- it’s MOTIVATING again for me to watch how much people hunger for more knowledge.  Every time I have participated in these resuscitation classes, I am overwhelmed with how well received the classes are.  The doctors and nurses are always so grateful and anxious to participate.   It humbles me again at how much I took ( and still take!) my educational opportunities for granted when so many do not have the same opportunities.

It also gets me a little bit fired up at the thought of delivering babies once again in the future, hopefully in our new clinic.  How exciting to watch a new program start from the ground up!   Please continue to pray for our Revolution- the building of our new clinic..and the opportunities that it will afford those who live in San Juan and the larger surrounding area.

Bendiciones!

Santo Eres Dios

Often the most significant cool things that I get to participate in....are previously kinda unknown to me.  Or maybe I'm just clueless as to their significance in my world until they happen.    Last night I told one of my friends that I would help referee potentially unruly street kids at a church event in Pueblo Nuevo.   I envisioned it as a type of babysitting and really had no expectations.

It started off randomly waiting for street kids to materialize at a predesignated pick up spot.  Not a single one appeared so after waiting about 30 minutes, we set off to look for them in the streets.  There are a few parks around, a few spots where the "limpia botas" (shoe shine boys) can often be found.    It had been raining and there weren't really a lot of folks out in the streets but outside the Plaza Duarte (the closest thing to walmart that San Juan has to offer) we picked up Angel and Roberto, two 12 year olds who are some of the feistiest street kids I know.   I was a bit nervous to bring them since they are pros at scamming ice cream out of Americans and specialize in looking super pathetic to score sympathy from unsuspecting visitors.   Angel especially is one of my favs because he's got a great twinkle in his eyes and usually has about 20 bruises and bumps all over himself from wrecking bicycles or falling off motos or fighting in the streets.    He was thrilled to be invited to a church event, especially somewhere where he had never been.  He wondered aloud if there would be food but I quickly assured him it was a CHURCH ACTIVITY, without snacks.  So off we set for Pueblo Nuevo, after checking in with some other beloved street kids who promised to show up tomorrow.     I reminded them several times that they had to stay IN the church, no fighting, no knives, all that good stuff and they earnestly promised to behave.    I may have even mentioned that there could be prizes available for the attendees  :)

We arrived and they immediately hit it off with some other kids that they recognized and were happy to talk to.  I then had them sit right next to me, even though Angel snuck off to peer out the windows and ask the American group for food, cross necklaces, gum, bracelets, tictacs, and whatever else they were handing out.  I had to hide a smile as he would hide what he already been given to ask for more.   When I pointed out to him and those handing out things that he had at least 3 bracelets already, he reminded me that there are many people who live in his house and he thought it important to ask for enough for his mother and sister too.    He finally made it to his seat as the worship was starting.   Meanwhile Roberto was wide eyed listening and watching the music begin.    It was about this time that I begin to "take in" the full house in the church, young folks anticipating the program.    Americans, Dominicans..... just people waiting to see Jesus.   As the songs began to unfold, people rose to their feet and hands went into the air.    There was a loudness and a stillness at the same time.... music pounding, hearts filling, Christ in it all.   It was heavenly to see, English speaking mouths forming words in spanish all to praise Jesus.   Heavenly to see Joel, Santiago, Brook and Josh in complete worship up front and old and new friends all around screaming the words as loud as they could.   The last song that we sang is below.   Its not the first time I've heard it but I've been singing it ever since we shouted the words to Jesus last night, telling Him that He Is Holy.  Holy is His Name.  With Everything that I am- I will sing to You how much I love You.

There was a holiness all around, Holy Spirit descending...on street kids, on the orphanage, on the Americans, the Dominicans, on even me.    I could see how a casual commitment that I made to a friend became an opportunity for Jesus to call me to Himself, to remind me that my life is His, that I BELONG to Him, that He has brought me to HIS place, THIS place.    I was there, called with the street kids, to fall right down and receive another yet chance to Be Loved, to give Him my whole heart, to know that when we forget why we are here and how we are serving... He shows up in His Way and reminds me to CHOOSE LIFE.  CHOOSE HIM.  CHOOSE  To. Be. A. Part. Of. What. HE.  IS. DOING.

Needless to say- Angel and Roberto had a great time.  They were the first ones to raise their hands to receive Jesus (and maybe prizes too?) and I couldn't help but grin from my seat as they were hugged and prayed over and just LOVED on.   Laura came to pick us up at the drop off point and we stopped for hotdogs and chimis on the way home ( I shamelessly bribed them with food in exchange for good behavior).    They had a good time yeah...but it was me who of course was wasted.   Wasted again with how GOOD it is.   Wasted at the Words Of Worship that I can't stop singing (and I have no voice left so it's not sounding so great).

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

Aunque tú
Estabas cerca
Inseguro y distante
Estaba yo

Tu gracia luchó
Por mi respuesta
A la puerta me esperó
Le dejé entrar

Te diste por mí
Por mis ofensas
Por rescatarme
Pagaste mi dolor

La maldición
Tu cambiaste
Por eterna redención

CORO 1
Vino tu amor
Para salvar
Fuiste a morir
Te entregaste
En mi lugar

II
Me diste perdón
Y vida nueva
No hay nada
Que me aparte de tu amor

Mi aspiración
Y mi deseo
Es rendirte adoración

CORO
Vino tu amor
Para salvar
Fuiste a morir
Te entregaste
En mi lugar

Vino tu amor
A libertad
Fuiste a morir
Te entregaste
En mi Lugar

PUENTE
//Santo eres Dios
Tu nombre santo es
Con todo lo que soy
Te cantaré
Cuánto te amo//

Here are the words in English...

Although you were close

I was insecure and distant.

Your grace fought For my answer

You waited at the door and I let You in

You gave for me... For my offenses

By rescuing me... You paid my pain

you changed the Curse...

By eternal redemption

CHORUS 1

your love came to save

You went to die

You gave In my place

II You gave me forgiveness And new life

Nothing can take me away from your love

my aspiration And my desire

is to surrender to you in worship...

CHORUS

your love came to save

You went to die

You gave

In my place

your love came

to free me

You went to die

You gave In my Place

BRIDGE /

You are Holy, God.

Your name is holy

With all I am I will sing

how much I love you...

Beautiful song...And I guess thats it.

He is the HOLY GOD, the only God and His Name is Holy.

And with all that I have, I will sing to Him how much I love Him.

Quiet TIme

The rush of medical or surgical teams is over for the moment.   The SRI summer teams are more construction, youth groups, or VBS.  So the SRI medical coordinator, (yup, that would be me.....) has a bit more downtime.  

Oh there is work to be done.  The pharmacy always needs inventory.  The scary room still has many suitcases to be unpacked and organized.   The clinic could use my attention.  Our dryer room is full of empty (or full?) suitcases/bags, etc that could find homes.  But I’m in the States now, fueling up on the love of the folks who send me.   Gazing at the mountains from our cabin porch.    Snacking on blueberries with my folks and reminiscing.    Playin a little wiffle ball with my nephews.  Visiting with my crew.    Sharing what is up in San Juan and the vision for the future.  

Lately I’ve been missing babies... delivering babies.... holding their mama’s hands in labor.   But it only makes me more excited for the new clinic and the day when WE can have Obstetrics in our clinic.  It’s a little way off- we’ve got the BUILD the new clinic first.   But I dream of one day.    I don’t see great OB statistics here.  In fact, I sometimes see horror stories.   I used to pooh-pooh all the continuing ed and pathways and drills that we had to do in the US hospitals i worked in.   It drove me crazy to come into work on days off for classes, courses, and demonstrations.  But now I see the need.   I see the value.   And I’m humbled when I see the desire to LEARN in the faces of those that I love here.   It pushes me to want to be a better teacher.  

It excites me for a new clinic with a passion for the poor and demonstrating INTEGRAL (spiritual, physical, emotional) health.  It (GULP) makes me wonder what role I will have in continuing education in the future. Could it be that God will have me involved in doing things that I used to roll my eyes at?  :)  I think He’s been working in my heart AND in my abilities in this way.  At the very least I think He’s calling me to ENCOURAGE this type of education.   It excites me when I see Americans come down and want to teach or demonstrate or share.  It reminds me of how education can change the world.   And I see it on the school side as well.  I see the kids that graduate from our sponsored schools down here and I see some of them volunteer in the community, or end up translating for us, or go on to greater things.   I see my friends wrestle to continue their education, although it sure seems to take so much longer in the DR.    It’s cool to see the need and the fruition of education both on the medical (our clinic and barrio teams) sides and the school side.   Sponsoring kids really DOES make a difference.   Having CPR classes really DOES save lives.   It’s exciting stuff!   I mentioned several months ago that participating in the Neonatal Resuscitation classes taught by Sam Wellman was one of the single most valuable things I feel that I have done here.   And I get to do that again in July when I return from the States.  It saves babies, guys!  How awesome is that!   

So YES, I’m psyched for the future.  I’m increasingly PSYCHED for the new clinic and the change in healthcare that will result in San Juan.  I’m wanting to learn more MYSELF in order to share and teach.   It cracks me up that once upon a time I never wanted to do anything except Labor and Delivery.   And now I know a little bit more about General Surgery and Ortho and ENT and Gyn and Tropical Medicine.     And I want to know MORE.   And YES, I know that much of what I do is QA (quality assurance) but I’m learning more about that as well.    I miss my maternity mommies...and I hope the day is coming when I get to see them again.  But I love what God is doing here in San Juan, changing lives, changing MY life still.  I love that I am part of something that is growing and evolving and spinning around to bring us  all back to Him.  

When I’m working in the clinic or in the barrios on the mobile medical teams, I often feel like I am IN the moment.   I’m not even thinking much about tomorrow- just the folks in front of me and how the American teams are feeling/doing/experiencing.   I don’t know that I have much time (or energy) to dream so much about what WILL be.  But in weeks like this..... time in the States to breathe and catch up and process..... I think of what is COMING.   

And I want to be ready.  It’s good stuff.  :)

clear natural pool in the DR

beautiful Pine Creek, PA

Gorgeous two worlds collide!  Beauty all around us....

PS For those of you who don’t know what I’m talking about with the new clinic...go to our website at www.solidrockinternational.com and check out The Revolution!

On the humdrum

It has recently come to my attention that I usually try to make my blog entries kinda interesting.   I think that is completely normal- HOWEVER- I need to be honest that my life in the DR isn't always wide open and fascinating and so emotional and full of spiritual mountains.   Sometimes I do laundry too.

So here it is.....an affirmation that not all of my life here is thrilling and "missionary-ish".

Almost every weekend before the teams arrive,  Laura or I pick up dog poop here at the Guesthouse.  And that stinks, literally.   We also "open the rooms" meaning we unlock the doors of the rooms that have been prepared for the teams, open the windows and turn on the fans.    Yippeee for excitement, eh?

As noted above, of course I do laundry.  Yup.  Surprise.  And our washer or dryer occasionally leaves weird marks on my clothes and they seem to be destroyed much easier than in the States.    Right now I have about 6 dresser drawers that need to be organized.  And then I have a bunch of medical stuff in my room that I have to go through and determine if it needs to STAY in my room or I can punt it somewhere else.   Booooorrrrrriiiiinnnnnnggggggg.

I have to sweep out my room almost every day because it's so DUSTY here and there is dog hair all over the floor.    Same for dusting.    Bathroom is the same-  dust EVERYWHERE.   Sometimes I think the cleaning is oh-so-futile.  

Bill paying by computer.  Ugh.  Mom and Dad help me with lots of paperwork stateside but I still have to stay on top of that stuff.    Also- continuing education credits for the nursing licenses and staying on top of my CPR, NRC, BLS, etc.     Really fun when the WIFI goes in and out and I lose credits that I PAID FOR.   Grrrrrr!

Plants.  I have some basil and palm and other "plant friends" that I am trying to keep alive.  I'd like to add tomatoes to the mix but that hasn't happened yet.    I fail miserably at watering my plants but fortunately it's the rainy season here.

Email.  I spent lots of time emailing incoming teams/my boss, etc.   Also very fun when the WIFI isn't exactly dependable.

Med room/pharmacy.  Every week after/before a barrio team I have to clean up after the week (even if we don't have a team in there are many folks who use our pharmacy) and organize it  for the next folks.   That includes ensuring that we have enough intake forms/paperwork, etc.   And Scrubs.  I fold scrubs and put them away in the pharmacy too.  Ugh.  This week I bet there are 100 scrubs waiting for me in the laundry room.    Glamorous, isn't it?

Scary room/clinic.  There are about 6 suitcases and one random stack of PVC pipe that need to be organized this week in the scary room.  I also noted at least 5 suitcases in one of the closets in the clinic that need to be unpacked and put away.

Relationships.  Just like at home- folks need quality TIME and conversation.   One of my dearest dominican friends lives within walking distance of this clinic and I bet I don't see her more than once a month.   Boo.   And I'd love to get out to the orphanage more than every 8-9 weeks.  

Church.  I go to church on Saturday nights at Central Mennonite here and I love it.   But hey, english is still my first language and sometimes it takes intense concentration to understand the majority of the message.   I'm usually pretty tired after church because it takes a lot out of me.

Food.   I'm the first to admit that I kinda loathe the kitchen work (for the most part).   But when we don't have teams here, we still eat.  Keeping the kitchen clean with food in the frig is something we have to be intentional about.    I WILL say that my little basil plant has created my favorite meal- tomatoes/basil/cheese/olive oil salad and I can eat the same thing everyday very happily.  Our local Dominican friends find it disgusting.   :)

Jesus time.   I'd love to be that disciplined person who says they have devotions and prayer time with Jesus every morning at 5:30.   But I'm not.   I wrestle with it.

Nicole time.   This is not a country where being alone is encouraged.  Alone time is an anomaly.   Laying in my bed on a Sunday morning sleeping past 6:30 is a crazy gift.   Being able to think and process and dream- wow.  

Meetings.  We don't have a lot but we DO meet as house staff.   I am actually one of those peeps who LOVES meetings.   We have a meeting with our translators this week that I am really looking forward to.   Meetings, yay!  Is everyone jealous yet?

Support/counseling.  I meet with one of the pastors at our church (and sometimes with the pastor in El Cercado as well) occasionally for counsel and support.  It's been very positive and I'm so grateful to have had these opportunities.  

These are just some examples of the basic or "humdrum" aspect of life here.   I do want to be open about the fact that it's GREAT and I love it but I still make my bed in the morning and don't always feel like "Miss Sally Spiritual".   It's still LIFE after all.    I wonder if because I work overseas at a ministry folks suppose my life is straight street evangelism or watching miracles in the clinic every day.  Not quite.  But sometimes I see Jesus in the humdrum laundry days too..... or picking up dog poop.  It's not glamorous- but He's with me nonetheless.   And I'm grateful.

Raining and Growing and reaching for the skies....

MAY 14 2013by nicole_eby

It’s the rainy season here in San Juan but I don’t mind.  Although it’s steamy sometimes in the afternoons, everything is so GREEN.  The crops in the fields were so thirsty even a month ago and now it looks like everything is sprouting and crawling up walls and reaching for the sky.   The mango season is finally starting and they are so sweet, running down our mouths and sticking in our teeth.   The mosquitos are swarming and the basil in my little pot is ecstatic and smells so good outside of my door on the sunny balcony.

It’s a barrio team season as well.  Over the last month or so we’ve had wonderful and crazy experiences with the Blankenship team, the Rhodes team, and this week the Southern Uah and Cleveland State teams.   I love the watch the first-timers gape at the scenary and gasp at the chubby babies and get teary eyed when they leave.  And I love to watch those who have been here before grin when they see their Dominican friends again and roll their eyes when the power goes out as the rookies shriek until the generator kicks in. Although it was a bit scary slip-sliding in the mud, I loved climbing up the terrible road to Montecitos to see patients who were oh-so-grateful to see us.   I loved watching my mom help out in the barrios with the Rhodes team, carefully preparing vitamin bags in the pharmacy to hand out to the families.  I loved watching one of my oldest and dearest friends arrive about a week or so ago and take in everything here with wide eyes and open heart.   I love watching 48 (more or less…..) college students unpack and listen intently and LOVE on the Dominican kiddies.   

And I had a grand visit with my mom for 3 weeks.  Sue Eby is a pro here and also has the organizing gene and therefore she sorted and packed and organized and labeled and all KINDS of super helpful stuff in the kitchen and pantry and pharmacy and wow- when can we turn her loose in the Scary Room?  We spent several days in the pharmacy going NUTS on the shelves and container bins.  And then to have Venus here for a week was just the icing on the cake.  Giggling like old times and hearing her throw out sarcasm in spanish has to be a huge highlight of the YEAR, not just the week.   It’s so amazing introducing my two worlds and having them LOVE each other.   We spent a day in Barahona on a vacant beach, spent time visiting and delivering meds to F in Las Charcas,  spent an afternoon eating crabs and fish soup in Bastida with Baby Nicole and her family, spent evenings hanging out with my crew and friends here but mostly  we just spent TIME together, which was heavenly.

And now we’ve got 5 barrio teams (kinda) in 2 weeks which means pharmacy and paperwork and watching and taking blood pressures and crowd control.  I dig it.  Its cool going to these neighborhoods and seeing where people LIVE and how they wrestle and keep going and are just-so-grateful that we even ARRIVE where they live.  I am constantly humbled.    I’m working on a presentation that I sometimes do in the barrios about parasites.  It starts off talking about parasites and how they are treated and obtained and how they “eat us from the inside” and steal our nutrients from the inside,etc.  But then I talk about hatred and jealousy and envy and pride and how these are spiritual parasites which ALSO eat us from the inside.    And today I talked about how even though I’ve been a Christian fo a good long time now…I still struggle with these awful spiritual parasites…and how great would it be if only one little pill could cure all the ugly things inside of me.    But instead we continue on, begging God to help us evict these parasites that threaten to eat us from the inside, knowing that only He can do it.    And it’s a challenge for me, doing these little charlas (talks) to a bunch of folks that I don’t know, fumbling and bumbling through my spanish hoping I’m not offending anyone with elementary or wrong words.     But the message never gets old for me.   It reminds me that EVERY day I’ve got to watch out for parasites.  Just like cooking my meat well and avoiding unwashed fruit and always washing my hands, I’ve got to be on board to avoid pride and jealousy and envy and rancor and all the rest of them.   Daily struggles that will always be there but are meshed together with the beauty of the love of Jesus and the mangos and the basil and the goats that skip down our rocky roads.

I want to thank again those who pray for me…and those who support me.  Of course I could never be here on my own and it’s ever clearer that God has an army of folks who stand behind me holding me up in prayer and sending me money and cards and M&Ms.  Thanks guys- I feel loved.

Yesterday

6:15 alarm goes off...snooze for 10 minutes. 6:25 hit the showers. 6:45 downstairs for group breakfast- make my coffee. 6:50 Haul my laundry down to kitchen and start the most enormous loads that I can possibly cram into our washers. 7:00 back to my room waiting for students to come check out students on Urgent Needs List. 7:15-7:35 Help student sign up to sponsor student. 7:38 Email Director of school to inform her that we have a sponsor for her student and would like to see this said student Thursday night. 7:40 Head outside to help organize 3 buses for barrio teams. This takes at least 20 minutes and involves changing buses, locations, personnel and asking a billion questions to a million people. Give hugs to bus drivers and discuss plan for day with head translators. Review plans with Bienva and coordinate. 8:00 Print out waiver form (this also takes at least 15 minutes) and find student who needs to sign it. 8:30 Realize I have actually not eaten breakfast or packed my lunch. Run to kitchen, pack lunch and sip a bit more coffee. 8:35 Flip my laundry out of washers and throw everything together in the dryer. 8:40 Jump in bus and head to a campo of El Cercado with the great group of nurses/PA/students. 9:20ish Stop at Mennonite bakery to order some cinnamon buns for our return ride. 9:35ish Arrive to El Cercado clinic for potty break, clinic tour, check- in with Dr. Perdomo, hugs and kisses and lovin' on the kids waiting to see Dr. Perdomo who are in the Nutrition program, and meeting up with Edward, the guy who is going to accompany us to the barrio clinic. 10ish: Set sail for Los Campeches. 1020ish: Arrival to Los Campeches but bus is unable to climb very muddy hill with all of us inside. Climb out of bus and walk up small hill with chattering locals to a local school. 1020-1049ish Help set up barrio clinics, make announcements, unpack, organize. 1049ish- 12:15 Translate and help WONDERFUL provider see patients. 12:15ish: Perdomo arrives at the barrio clinic- move to assist him seeing patients and helping in pharmacy. 1:00 Lunch time- some dear kind soul has brought us rice. Heaven. 1:35 Start seeing patients with Dr. Perdomo again. 2:30 Perdomo leaves, assist with barrio clinic, receive bag of mangos from adorable 11 year old that I know and love from the clinic. Give some hugs to the cutest kiddies out there and sweet kisses from the dear old ladies that remember me from the last time. 3:05 Load up bus and leave Los Campeches. 3:15 Listen to our group sing in the bus, smiling widely, remembering the amazing patients. 3:30 pick up and eat cinnamon buns from Mennonite bakery. Delicious. 4:00 Receive message that another team member has fallen and is hurt and a translator is vomiting on another bus. 4:05 Make at least 4 phone calls to figure out problem, attain another vehicle, get an order set for an X-ray, discuss plan of care, plan to update Dr. Canario on situation 4:20 Make announcements on bus as to the plan for the evening. 4:30 Arrive at our clinic. Unlock pharmacy door and head in to catch up on hurt team member situation and update Dan. Drink delicious chinola smoothie that Dan is in the midst of making. 4:35-5:00 Catch up on emails, social media, etc. 5:05 Receive information that a team member is feeling terrible. 5:15 Visit said team member and he is indeed ill. Check in with group leader, meds given/injected. 5:18 Next team arrives home. Translator is indeed still vomiting- IV found and delegated to fabulous nursing group. 5:20 Get truck from Kari and put said team member who fell into the truck. 5:30 Set sail for an xray at Clinic across town. 5:35 Arrive at clinic- finally attain wheel chair. 5:35-6:00 Xray paid for and attained, thankfully no broken bones, return to clinic. 6:10-6:25 Check on puking translator- IV in place, stable, taken care of by Dominican doctor. Retrieve requested meds for Dominican doctor as well as one of our guards who has a cold and wants some cough medicine. Check on "feeling sick" team member who is also asleep. 6:25 All team members who have not fallen or are vomiting leave to eat out at the Dominican restaurant 6:30 Check on team member who has fallen- currently sleeping in her bed. 6:35 upstairs to finish emails. 6:45 Check in phone calls. 6:48 Heat up leftovers. 6:50 My friend P arrives who needs help with typing a paper for her class. 7:00 Two other friends arrive, one teary eyed from losing his grandfather today. Hugs. Sympathy. Empathy- realizing it's been about a year since MY Grandpa died. Sadness. 6:55-10:20 Type 10 page paper for P, with small breaks allowed for checking on now-vomiting team member who receives an IV at approx 7:30. 7:38 put on Phillies game that I know I won't be able to watch. Also retrieve my somewhat damp laundry from dryer at 8:00 and throw everything on my bed while I finish typing. 10:20 Put laundry away while P proof reads and check on both team members a few times. 10:30 Organize my desk/table and "sweep" my dusty floor. 10:45 Print out 10 page paper and change IV bag for sick team member. 11:00 Give P and M and W a ride home. 11:15 Arrive back in room. Put on jammies, plug in phone to charge. 11:30 Start thinking about my day. Smile. I am blessed. Start typing this stuff up. 12:04 laying in bed still smiling. I love my life. 12:08 Here we gooo..... Good night!

Birthday parties, beautiful gente, and barrio clinics

Ufffff just a couple pix from the last couple weeks (oops month)....

As I mentioned in my newsletter (albeit briefly), the most beautiful baby girl in the world turned 2.   And of COURSE she needed a foam tiara/headband  :)  Happy Birthday baby Nicole- the day of your birth still is and will continue to be the greatest day I've spent in the DR.

Her siblings were pretty excited to get some birthday party treats as well!  Yay for florescent glow in the dark bracelets!   I'd love to tell you the ridiculous stuff these kids do playing with the bracelets but I'm sure it's always a safety hazard.  :)

Terry Wellman and me at the Presaaaaaa

Prepping the locrio- I'm learning slowly how to cook rice outside.  It's no small feat.  It makes me appreciate how hard people have to work not only to BUY food but to prepare food.  

Finished product.....SO GOOD

And a little bit of dominos- cuz that's how we roll!  Dominos remains my absolute favorite pasttime here.   It never gets old and I could play for hours and hours.    Unfortunately my skill level remains the same resulting in pained expressions and sighs from my "frente"(partner) and comments like "did you have ANY other domino that you could have played?"  :)  Always learning.....

Here is a very special patient- Roberto the Lionhearted.  He's not doing well- please pray for him.

Some of my very favorite people to work with.  Nef- the Super Translator and Hugh Hagan- Surgeon Extraordinaire!   These two are the wonder twins!

Always a special visit with Julian...

And super special times when Cathy Case is in town.  She worked TIRELESSLY!   It is wonderful to have friends in town, especially friends who are SO skilled at what they do and who have a passion to teach and encourage.  Cathy taught a CPR class here at the Guesthouse for the Clinic Staff, who arrived and took NOTES and were excited to learn.   It's so encouraging to see!

Do we look tired?  Cuz we were TIRED after over 60 surgeries!   Cathy ran PACU (recovery room) during the week of ENT and Plastic Surgeries......WOW!

Incredible surgeons working together to change lives!

Oh- did you guys know that the Dominicans won the Baseball World Classic?  I was in the park watching on a big screen at City Hall with hundreds of Dominicans.  It was CRAZY wild!   Then we drove through the city bleeping our horn until midnight celebrating with the locals.   Never to be forgotten...another reason I love living in San Juan!

An afternoon with Kari and Laura with fresh pineapple juice and bruscetta!  Ahhhhh!

Tis the season for Habichuelas con dulce (sweet beans)

Some of our adorable patients...

I don't usually post semi-graphic photos but this Rock star mama is not only breastfeeding her two year old twins...she breastfeeds the hungry neighbor's daughter as well trying to keep her fed.     The neighbor's daughter is ONE and extremely malnourished.   This mother was so happy to see us and so excited to get vitamins for her 2 little boys and the neighbor girl.    

Dr. Sandy Valdez rocking it in the barrio clinics- we are so blessed to have wonderful Dominican doctors who come out to our mobile barrio clinics and help serve their people.   

Dr. Adam and translator Amaury working with patients.

Nef and the cutie of the day...

Thursday nights our sponsored students come to the Guesthouse to visit with their sponsors.  It's always an incredible experience to see them meet and hang out with folks who BELIEVE in them and in their education and future.  Exciting stuff!

A beautiful Monday spent in Montecitos, a mountain community that was 2 hours away by bus and then pickup trucks.  An adventure full of beauty, chaos, muddy roads and lovely people!

What a view we had to work with!

The lovely triage queen- Kendall..and one of her happy patients!

Here is how we arrived and left Montecitos- piled into big work trucks....

Life is FULL in San Juan- busier than ever but DEEPER than ever.  We can see the Hand of God at work constantly, through the chaos of the mobile clinics and in the prayers of the people.   Thurday a week ago- I watched Kari sit down with folks waiting for their medications in the mobile pharmacy and just ask them how they were doing and how she could pray for them.   It was the singlehanded most important thing that happened that day.    Tears flowed as they could share with her what was going on in their lives and how she could pray with them.  They felt encouraged, VALUED, seen as God sees them.   I am reminded- AGAIN- that it's not what we are doing here- it's what GOD is doing here that is important.   We just need to see where HE wants us and go there.    We talk about things like this in orientation with the groups; how important it is to give people DIGNITY, VALUE, to be seen as Christ views them.   We often want so badly to give things....and most often I think God wants us to give VALUE to His children.   It's a lesson I am constantly learning and trying to remind myself.   How I make someone FEEL is probably more important than what I can hand them.    Not always...but often.     Good stuff for me to focus on.  

Bendiciones a todo!