Thankful

 Thankful

This holiday season, I am thankful for all the many ways God has provided this year through friends, family, and supporters like you. 

I am thankful for encouraging words, coffee dates, shared meals, and the generous hospitality of many who hosted me during my travels earlier this year. 

I am thankful for God opening the way for me to return to PNG to continue serving and for all the miracles large and small that I see him performing each day. 

I am thankful for those who support financially or practically through the donation of medical supplies. I am especially thankful for several churches that worked hard to make roller bandages and baby packs to bless the patients of our hospital. Your labors of love are paying beautiful dividends. Thank you for your support!

An new mother of twins 

appreciates donated baby packs

A man with hand injury
appreciates donated roller bandages

A youth with foot injury
 bandaged with donated roller bandages

For more information on how to donate,
visit https://nazarenehospitalfoundation.org/

Reflections on being a patient

I don’t like being weak or limited, 

To have my life interrupted by pain and uncertainty. 

At first, I was confident it would improve, 

But when it returned again and again, worse each time, 

I began to wonder, and to worry. 

I followed the advice of my doctors

I tried every pain med and tracked the fluids consumed, 

Liters and liters of fluids

To wash away the pain. 

But we were only left wondering and worrying

When to seek more expert care than is available here. 

I was at peace with the decision to go, but then I was left waiting

Waiting. Waiting for a flight. 

Waiting for an appointment. Waiting for results. 

Waiting and wondering and trying to wash away the pain. 

 

God provided places to stay and friends, dear friends like family, 

To care for me and lavish love upon me. 

God provided a wonderful doctor who understood my situation 

And fit me into his busy schedule

God provided a skilled team of medical professionals 

To walk me through my procedure and hospital stay. 

God provided peace in my heart as I entered the OR for the first time

As a patient

Everything familiar yet viewed from a different perspective.

God provided a restorative environment to recover and recuperate

Surrounded by his creation and beauty.

God provided healing in so many ways

Freedom from physical pain

A balm and solace for the soul.

God provided smooth travels home again to Kudjip

In time to celebrate Christmas with my missionary family

Oh, the joy of the thunderous welcome 

When I arrived just in time for the kids’ Christmas performance.

God continues to provide strength for each day

And bright hope for tomorrow. 

Praise be to our Lord, Creator, Designer, Provider, Healer, and Savior. 

Amen. 

Worth Fighting For

 In the week before Christmas: 

—I discussed terminal diagnoses with 6 patients and pointed each of them toward eternal hope. 

—I helped a grieving father usher his 9 year-old daughter into eternity after a lengthy battle with cancer.

—I couldn’t resist smiling as I watched a10-year-old girl, who has been in hospital for several months with a chronic illness, and her little sister giggling as they wore red reindeer antler headbands. 

—I saw a patient’s face light up with joy when she heard she was cured. 

—I saw a patient in clinic who would have died without immediate surgery. He recovered in time to celebrate Christmas at home. 

—I ripped a set of premature twin boys from their mother’s womb after the first twin got stuck with his leg (swollen and blue) in the birth canal. 

—We welcomed a new missionary family of 6 into this wild adventure that is overseas medical missions. 

—Several of our staff where away at two simultaneous haus krais (funerals) for family members. 

—My heart was warmed by the gaping smile and excitement of a 5-year-old who had lost his first tooth. 

—I witnessed my gardener, who was recently abandoned by her husband, sharing her work and wages with another woman who recently lost everything too. 

—I sat with a TB patient, who is only skin and bones, as we sang Christmas Carols on the hospital wards on Christmas Eve. 

—I felt the joy of many of our chronic patients as they received recognition and Christmas gifts from the missionaries. 

—I felt the awe and wonder of a church full of worshippers singing carols by candlelight. 

—My heart leapt with joy and wonder as the youth presented their stunning Christmas drama, complete with magnificent angels and dancing shepherds. 

—I heard a devotional about Jesus, the Lamb of God, born into the muck and filth of an animal hovel in order to remove our muck and filth by his perfect sacrifice. 

—I watched the new episode of The Chosen which discussed why not everyone is healed here on earth…and I thought about my six patients above. The 9-year-old's haus krai (mourning period) started on Christmas Day. 

In the week before Christmas, I reflected on the bittersweet moments, the joy mixed with sorrow, the pain of reality mixed with the hope of future glory. My heart alternated between singing with joy and crying with grief. Life and death seemed all wrapped together this Christmas season. 

Holding all of it at the same time reminded me of the journey Frodo and Sam endured in the Lord of the Rings, Two Towers: 

Frodo: I can’t do this, Sam. 

Sam: I know. It’s all wrong. By rights we shouldn’t even be here. But we are. It’s like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo, the ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger they were, and sometimes you didn’t want to know the end, because how could the end be happy. How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it’s only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come, and when the sun shines it will shine all the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you—that meant something—even if you were too small to understand why. But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand. I know now. Folks in those stories had lots of chances of turning back—only they didn’t, because they were holding onto something. 

Frodo: What are we holding onto, Sam?

Sam: That there’s some good in this world, Mr. Frodo. And it’s worth fighting for. 

As a new day and a new year dawns, I pray that you may find the good in this world that’s worth fighting for this year. That it will make all the danger and darkness worthwhile so that the sun shines all the clearer on the other side. Blessed New Year. 

We’ll Call Him Lazarus

A few weeks ago, I arrived on the surgical ward to round on a Saturday morning. Right away, I noticed a new face on the ward: a happy, smiling 5-year-old sitting up in bed and looking chipper. I started seeing my usual patients while waiting for my surgical partner (who had been on-call overnight) to sign out the new patient. When he arrived and I asked about the new kid, he was shocked, “That can’t be the same kid. The kid I saw last night was almost dead!” The boy’s family quickly nodded to Dr. Ben with huge smiles on their faces. “It’s a miracle!” they declared.  This little boy had been struck by a car and brought in with a severe head injury. The back of his skull had been crushed and he arrived in a coma.  Everyone thought he would die. If he didn’t die, everyone thought he would be severely brain injured. Yet, here he was, less than 12 hours later, sitting up and acting like a completely normal 5-year-old. He had ZERO neurological impairment. In fact he went home the next day, with a new name: Lazarus. 

(Story and picture shared with permission)

Changed

         During the recent election season, we treated many patients who were injured in violent clashes due to opposing views.    Seeing so much trauma week after week was discouraging to us as caretakers as well as to our patients who were suffering. One such patient was a young man who came in with a large machete cut to his foot. His big toe wasn’t salvageable and we worried the rest of his toes would be difficult to salvage as well. He was understandably angry, upset, and discouraged by the news that we would have to amputate the forefoot in order to save his ability to walk in the future. He underwent several surgeries and a long stay in the hospital.         

          During the month which followed, I would constantly joke with him because he had a new hairstyle every week. He had a fro one week, new cornrows the next, and small braids another week. He was constantly changing things up. In fact his name was Tok Pisin for “change”. Gradually, his anger subsided and was instead replaced by a peace, a smile, a word of thanks and a hopeful attitude. On the day of his discharge home, we found a note in his clinic book. It read: “Thank God for giving my life back. God is good to me because he saves me in tribal fight.” All our discouragement melted away as we saw the joy and hope that this young man had discovered during his time at the hospital. That was truly the best change of all—a change of heart. 

From The Brink of Death

    “I don’t expect either of them to survive,” the on-call doctor told me as I neared the hospital. Just a few minutes before, I had received a phone call: Motorcycle accident. Two injured. Both with severe head injuries. Upon entering the Emergency Room, I moved toward the first trauma bed and found a man in his thirties who only opened his eyes and moved when painful stimuli was applied. It was hard to tell if his unintelligible vocalizations were due to the trauma or inebriation. Initial workup revealed internal bleeding and a severely shattered femur. I suspected at least part of his poor mental status was due to hemorrhagic shock—something we could treat.  

    Next, I examined the patient on bed two, a 16-year-old boy struggling to breath. He was even less responsive than the first patient: intermittently responding to pain, intermittently extending his arms in a posture that denotes severe brain injury. He had several facial fractures, evidenced by the blood running from his nose and gurgling in the back of his throat. With suctioning and a device to keep his airway open, he was able to breath on his own. He also had a femur fracture, several lacerations, abrasions, and a puncture wound into the chest. We quickly placed a tube to re-expand his collapsed lung. Surveying his other injuries, I knew his poor mental status was due primarily to a traumatic brain injury. There was little that we could do. We have no CT scanner or advanced Neurological interventions. In a different setting, he would be in an Intensive Care Unit on life support. Here, the best we could do was prescribe some medications to decrease brain swelling, optimize his airway, and tell his parents to expect the worst and hope for the best. 

    After undergoing surgery overnight, we found the first patient to have significantly improved mental status in the morning. He remained pleasantly confused for the next few days, but eventually his neurological status normalized and he is recovering very well from surgery to stabilize his fracture. His companion, however, remained unchanged. We were amazed to see him still alive, but there were no signs of improvement. Every day we assessed his coma score --measured from 3 (coma) to 15 (normal exam). For the next few days, Kody (name changed for privacy) scored a 6 which denotes severe brain injury. He was teetering on the brink and we didn’t know which way he would go. The many days without improvement predicted a poor outcome, but his youth and the fact that he was still breathing on his own, gave us some reason to hope. 

    About the fifth day, he started opening his eyes spontaneously. It may seem like a small thing, but it was a big sign of improvement.  Over the next week, we started feeding him through a tube into his stomach and he slowly started moving his arms and legs — another huge relief for us. By the third week, he gradually become more aware of his surroundings and could focus his attention on those around him. His parents noted that he would respond to commands and squeeze his mother’s hand in response to her questions. The day that he raised his hand in a wave to return my morning greeting, I knew he would be okay. The only question was the extent to which he would recover.  His ability to swallow returned and he was able to eat without a feeding tube. However, his speech remained impaired. He would moan and groan but was unable to speak or make intelligible vocalizations. I could tell this frustrated him as he struggled to communicate his needs. A family member who works at our nursing college asked me about his prognosis. It is always hard to tell how much function will return with brain injuries. Often it takes months to see improvement and determine a patient’s new baseline function. I told her that his recovery so far was miraculous but I didn’t know whether he would recover his ability to speak or if he would have to relearn some skills. She assured me that from the moment of his injury his family had been fervently praying. His grandfather was one of the first pastors in the area and despite the initially grim prognosis, they had not given up hope. 

    At prayer meeting that Thursday, I asked our missionary community to pray for this young man and for restoration of his speech. That night, I researched communication boards and other adaptive equipment for patients with aphasia.  The very next day, his mother proclaimed he was speaking. I didn’t believe her. I thought she was misinterpreting his groans as words. Try as we might, we couldn’t get him to say anything. The following morning, as I walked up to his bed, I greeted him as I had every morning, “Morning, Kody.” “Morning” he prompted replied. I was shocked, amazed, and very excited. That was definitely intelligible speech! Since then, we haven’t been able to get him to stop talking. He rambles on in full sentences, mostly asking for his favorite food: donuts. 

    Kody is now a month out from the accident and still has a long road of recovery ahead. However, looking at where he started a month ago—on the brink of death, struggling to breath, minimally responsive, with a very poor prognosis—I would say his recovery is nothing short of a miracle. We praise God for his hand of healing and the renewed life he brings. At Easter we celebrate that God can bring life from death and hope from despair. I pray that you may experience a taste of new life and hope this Easter. 

Easter Sunrise 

The Long Way Back

 

Desert places painted by my grandmother

It has been a long time since I posted anything here. It’s been an equally long time since I’ve felt like putting words to my thoughts. Perhaps someday I’ll delve into the full story of what it’s like to walk the wilderness road of burnout: to feel completely shattered and empty, to spend a year and a half resting, healing, and allowing God to restore the broken pieces and imbue new life where there was none. Something tells me that many of you know what I’m talking about or have experiences that echo the tales I might tell. Suffice it to say, it has been a long journey to recovery. 

Beauty from ashes

But God is faithful. This phrase has stuck with me and carried me through many dark times. There were times when I was tempted to despair. But God was faithful. There were times when I felt I was taking more steps back than forwards. But God was faithful. There were times I never thought I would experience true joy again. But God was faithful. He brings beauty out of ashes like wildflowers growing in a burn scar. 

"Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy." (Psalm 126:5)

Truly, God has turned mourning into dancing. In the places where tears have fallen, new life has sprung forth. A new day is dawning: 

"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland." (Isaiah 43:18-19)

Sunrise. New Years Day 2022

As I prepare for the long journey back to Papua New Guinea—physically, mentally, and emotionally— I am filled with a new hope for what tomorrow will bring. Because God is faithful. 

Please join me in praying for smooth travels Jan 8-11, and a smooth transition back into work and ministry. I know the Lord goes before me and behind me and surrounds me with his promises like this cloud-bow around the shadow of our airplane. 

Grace and Peace to you all. 

The New Theatre is Operational

     Twenty months after breaking ground on our new Operating Theatre expansion project, we have finally moved in and started operating in the new building!






The new building houses two new operating rooms, a larger and improved central supply/ sterilization department with a new autoclave to sterilize instruments, and a new centrally located sterile stock room.






We have transitioned to working out of this space temporarily while our old building is renovated. Once all the construction is complete. We will have a total of 4 operating rooms as well as a new minor procedure room, pre-op and recovery rooms, and a conference room for teaching.

This week we performed our first cases in the new theatre. We are still adjusting to the new, temporary arrangement, but we are thankful for God's provision.  A huge thank you to AusAid Incentive Fund and all the many individuals who have helped make this dream a reality.


Below is a video of the move-in and first day operating.

https://vimeo.com/437029297

Overwhelmed

         

Dr. Mark and Dr. Alex attend to patient with
near amputation of the hand.

Twenty-two. TWENTY-TWO. Twenty-two surgical procedures in the past FIVE days. To say that I am exhausted is a bit of an understatement. We are only scheduling 2-3 elective cases on each surgery day (Tuesdays and Thursdays), but the number of urgent and emergent cases seemed to explode this week, filling every day of my schedule and pouring over into next week. Appendicitis, ruptured ectopic pregnancies, small bowel obstructions, abscess in the chest, abscess in the abdomen, abscess in the leg, and so, so many traumas: Stab to the back, chop to the upper arm, chop to the lower arm, partial hand amputation, gunshot to the bladder, gunshot to the neck. Of all the cases I treat, trauma is by far the most physically and emotionally draining. Most people can’t control when an infection will occur, but violence is preventable.  Why do tribes perpetuate the age-old feuds? Why do husbands abuse their wives? Why all the fighting and violence? Some days, I feel like the biblical prophet, Habakkuk, crying out, “How long, O Lord, must I call for help....Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrongdoing?” (Habbakuk 1:2-3). It is easy to become discouraged or angry as we labor to piece together broken bodies and broken lives. But when the huge tidal wave of traumas comes during an already busy week, it is simply overwhelming.

Thankfully, our prayers do not fall on deaf ears. On Thursday, when I had about hit the wall, one of our leaders at prayer meeting shared from 2 Kings 6. This is the story of Elisha, a man of God who is surrounded by enemy forces. Starting in verse 15:

 “When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. ‘Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?’ the servant asked. 

‘Don’t be afraid, ‘ the prophet answered. ‘Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.’ And Elisha prayed, ‘Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.’ Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”

              

             Those who are with us are more than those who are with them. And in that moment, during prayer meeting, God opened my eyes to see that we are not struggling against flesh and blood. As much as I despise those who inflict physical injuries on others, they are not my enemies. This is a spiritual battle. The forces of evil, agents of darkness, pain, and destruction, are engaged in an epic war against God’s army of light.   But those who are with us are more than those who are with them.  As my fellow missionaries prayed over me, I felt a huge weight lift from my shoulders, and the presence of God enveloped me with his assurance and peace.  And once more I was overwhelmed... overwhelmed by the presence of God and his angels of light standing guard over us. 

             Please continue to pray for the hearts of the people here in Papua New Guinea and around the world who are gripped by fear and darkness. Pray for God’s light to break through. Pray that they may be overwhelmed by the presence and peace of God. 

Life Changing Surgery

Anton, pre-op

        All surgeries are life-changing, some are even life-saving, but very rarely is the result so visibly obvious as it was in one of our recent patients. Anton had been admitted to the hospital many, many times in his 8 years of life. Every time he was treated for stomach pains, gastrointestinal infections, and malnutrition. He would improve enough to go home, but would return again within a few months to repeat the cycle.  On his most recent admission, he started to manifest symptoms of intestinal obstruction, so our surgery team was consulted to evaluate him. At a mere 16 pounds, he was so emaciated by his chronic illness, that Dr. Ben and I were doubtful he would survive surgery, let alone benefit from it. But without surgery he would surely die, so we took him to theater praying that we would find something that we could do to help him. 

        To our amazement, we discovered that he had malrotation with chronic volvulus, a congenital condition in which the intestines don’t form in the proper position or with the proper attachments inside the abdomen. This allows the intestines to twist around their blood supply leading to obstruction and ischemia. He had been intermittently obstructing for the past several years! Now the intestines were so twisted that a portion had become ischemic and died, leading to his current presentation. We were able to untwist his intestines, remove the dead portion and reconnect what remained, but we were still worried that he might not survive in his severely malnourished state. By God's grace, Anton recovered faster than we could have hoped. He was eating within a week of surgery and has steadily gained weight over the past month. When I saw him in clinic for follow-up, I didn’t even recognize him as the same kid we had operated on! His hair is growing, his face is fuller and he now has the strength to walk on his own! I praise God for saving and changing Anton’s life in such a dramatic way. I know God has big plans in store for this growing boy.  

1 Month post-op. Is that even the same kid?!

Returning Home

Rachel (on right) and her faithful caretaker

         367 Days. That is the number of days that Rachel spent in the hospital. Looking back at her injuries at time of arrival, it is a miracle she survived. She was crushed by a falling tree and came to the hospital with a head injury, multiple broken ribs, punctured lungs on both sides, blood in her left chest, severe injury to her muscles (aka rhabdomyolysis), and a broken back with paralysis from the waist down. After the first week, her acute injuries stabilized, only to fight through a pneumonia, which threatened to claim her. Then she faced weeks of physical therapy.   

        She developed pressure sores, which did not respond to wound care alone, so she had surgery to try to cover the sores with better tissue. Those flaps broke down creating new wounds. Here in PNG we don’t have rehabilitation centers where patients can go to get intensive physical therapy. We don’t have an outside facility that can perform chronic wound care, or nurses that visit the home to do dressing changes. It was a painstakingly slow process over several months to finally see healing of her wounds. But through it all, Rachel always had a smile on her face and a prayer on her lips. Her faithful caretaker stayed by her side through it all, providing Rachel with meals and encouragement. 

       This past month, I kept telling Rachel that I hoped she would be home by Christmas. Imagine my delight when one year and two days after coming to the hospital, she announced she was ready to go home! I praise God for his faithfulness in caring for Rachel over the last year, and I pray that she will continue to proclaim his glory throughout all the challenges of returning home. 

        May we all celebrate God's faithfulness this Christmas as we remember everything he has brought us through in the past year. At Christmas, we celebrate that God entered into our broken world and made his home among us. He joined humanity in our suffering in order to conquer death and prepare for us an eternal home. No matter what trial you may be facing, may the hope of eternity encourage your heart this Christmas season. 

Child Activity Packs

      Fostina suffered a burn as a baby and developed severe scaring on her foot and ankle, which caused her foot to be pulled into a deformed position as she grew. We were able to remove the scar, straighten her foot and place a skin graft over the exposed wound. The surgery went great, but how do you get a 4-year-old to sit still for 5 days without disrupting her bandage, so that the new patch of skin can adhere well? Why, you give her a Child Activity Pack! 

      These wonderful bags of toys and coloring books were put together by churches and schools in the US and sent through Nazarene Hospital Foundation for patients just like Fostina. Her eyes lit up when she saw the Bible story-coloring book and crayons. Each day, she would show me the new pictures she had colored and I would ask her if she knew the Bible stories that the pictures depicted. Some she knew from Sunday school, but others she couldn’t remember, so her mom would retell the story. 

     At the end of five days, she had completely colored the whole book, her skin graft was healing wonderfully, and she could recite several Bible stories. Win-Win-Win! Thank you to everyone who contributed toward these or other patient gift packs. They make a huge difference for our patients and the ministry of the hospital. 

     If you would like more information on how to send patient gift packs, follow the links below: 

           Child Activity Packs

           Operation Warm Baby Kits 

           Cervical Cancer Care Kits 

Elephants, Tigers and a Regional Conference... Oh, My!

       What a joy and privilege to join nearly 500 brothers and sisters in Christ from over 20 countries in the Asia-Pacific Region for a week of worship, fellowship, and workshops. The theme this year was Unleash the Power: the power of God, the power of the Church, the power of the Holy Spirit, the power of Discipleship, the power of Love, and the power of Unity. We were challenged and encouraged by many great speakers and seminars. It was also encouraging to hear stories of how God is working throughout the region. So often, I am so focused on the work before me in our small part of the world that I don’t praise God for what He is accomplishing around the world. 

         Some of the most potent take-aways for me were: “Don’t be a seedless watermelon”. I need to make sure I’m planting seeds and training up others to produce fruit as well. Also, “the person in front of you is more important than anything you have to do.” A great reminder for me, a very task-oriented person, to focus on the person, not just the task to be accomplished. This also means embracing interruptions, for they are often divine appointments. I still have much to learn, and much to unlearn in order to reflect more clearly the Lord I strive to serve. 

        Following the conference, we enjoyed a time of retreat and lots of free time to explore the wonders of Thailand. This included up-close encounters with tigers and a day caring for elephants. Speaking of unleashing power, the power and majesty displayed by these creatures was nothing short of incredible. I felt a mix of fear and wonder as I stroked the big cat’s hindquarters and felt her rippling muscles underneath her beautiful coat. I was amazed by the gentleness of the mother elephant and the strength of the baby, who at 5 months of age could knock me over like a feather as he tumbled and played. Surely the God who created such majestic creatures as the elephant and the tiger is worthy of even more fear and awe-struck wonder. His power far surpasses the power displayed in these amazing animals. 

 

“O Lord, my God, when I in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder
Thy power throughout the universe displayed

Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art”

Lord, may you unleash your power in our lives and in the lives of all whom we encounter. May we display your power in gentleness and love. And may you receive all the honor and praise for all the wonders you perform every day. 

Amen.

Celebrating 40 years

Forty years ago, a 15-year-old girl from the nearby town of Banz came to the hospital looking for work. She was trained to assist the doctors performing procedures and when a young surgeon from America arrived a few years later, she became his first scrub nurse. Now, Auntie Margaret is the matron of the Operating Theatre. She is the supervisor of over 15 surgical and sterilization staff. After 40 years, she knows every piece of surgical equipment and every procedure by heart. More than being an amazing surgical nurse and supervisor, Auntie is a strong spiritual mentor and prayer warrior. She has cared for and prayed over thousands of patients and hundreds of nurses and doctors during her 40 years of service at Kudjip. She has been a wonderful mentor for me during my time at Kudjip and I honestly couldn’t imagine OT without her. This week, we celebrated her 40 years of service to God and the people of Papua New Guinea through her work at the hospital. We had a lovely time of devotion, worship and a luncheon to celebrate this outstanding woman of faith. During the celebration she quoted from Joshua 14, the story of Caleb receiving his allotment in the Promised Land, more than 40 years after spying out the land. In verse 11, Caleb declares, “I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out.” We pray that God will continue to strengthen Auntie Margaret to minister for another 40 years.

Hospital Evangelism

       

       

       Several times a year, the missionaries lead the weekly church service on the patient wards in the hospital. Since this Monday was Repentance Day, a public holiday devoted to national prayer, I selected Andrae Crouch’s “My Tribute: To God be the Glory” for a flute solo. 

        

        

      Afterwards, our newest missionary doctor, Dr. Dave Lean, a pediatrician from Australia, gave a short message. Jeremiah 17:7-8 holds special significance in his life and was a good reminder to all of us. Afterwards, we prayed with the patients and their families. 

“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,

    whose confidence is in him.

 They will be like a tree planted by the water

    that sends out its roots by the stream.

It does not fear when heat comes;

    its leaves are always green.

It has no worries in a year of drought

    and never fails to bear fruit.”

Jeremiah 17:7-8

Lord, help us to stay close to your life-giving spirit and your Word of truth so that you may sustain us through all trials and bear fruit in our lives. Amen. 

Showers of Blessings

         When it rains, it pours. And in the midst of dry season any rain is a blessing. That is why we were so excited to unpack not one, not two, but FOUR shipping containers of donated supplies and equipment in the past few weeks. I have never seen so containers arrive at one time! Our new storeroom is overflowing with all the much-needed and generously donated supplies. 

     

    It started with a container of donated goods from Project S.A.V.E., a non-profit group that “collects, then re-distributes, quality recycled medical and dental equipment and supplies both locally and around the world, free of charge, in an effort to help people receive needed care who otherwise might not.” We were so excited to receive desperately needed bandages, surgery and anesthesia supplies, and much more. 

       The next container to arrive, from Nazarene Hospital Foundation, contained tons of donated medical equipment and supplies from a hospital in California that closed down last year. We have been blessed with an operating table and scrub sinks for the new Operating Theatre expansion, plus lots of equipment to outfit the new clinic and office areas. 

      Yesterday, we unpacked two containers simultaneously! The first was from Rotary Australia with donated patient beds for the new delivery ward expansion. The second is a container from Samaritan’s Purse with a new autoclave (sterilization machine) and parts to fix our broken one. 

     

  Today, a biomedical team from Samaritan’s Purse arrived to assemble the new machine and work on fixing the old one, along with sundry other machines that need new life around the hospital. What a huge shower of blessings! Praise God who supplies everything that we need in his perfect timing. Thank you to everyone who has worked diligently, donated, and prayed for these containers. They are a huge blessing that will enable the hospital to continue to reach out and touch lives for Christ. 

In God’s Hands

       

        Do you believe that God is in control? Do you believe all things happen for a reason?

Sometimes in the midst of heartache, pain, or grief it is difficult to completely trust the One who holds all things in His hands.  Last Friday was one of those days. The morning clinic ended early, so I caught up on some office work that had piled up in my absence. One of our surgical trainees was completing his weekly reading assignment on trauma, so we made plans to review those chapters after lunch. But on our way back from lunch, we were waylaid by an actual trauma in the Emergency Room. 

Kudjip Emergency Room
(photo credit: Matt Woodley)

      Three victims from a car accident were brought in simultaneously. Dr. Matt and Dr. Imelda immediately started assessing their injuries and triaging. When I saw the patient whom Dr. Imelda was examining, my heart sank. No matter how long you work in healthcare, nothing prepares you for seeing someone you know lying in the vulnerable position of a trauma patient in the Emergency Room.  Emilyn, a nursing student and daughter of Mr. White, the principle of our College of Nursing at Kudjip, appeared to be the most injured of the three. Dr. Imelda was just finishing an ultrasound scan which showed no signs of internal bleeding. Emilyn’s main complaints were neck and back pain along with a laceration on her forehead. I automatically started testing for sensation in her feet. 

       “Do you feel me pinching your feet?” 

My heart sank when she replied, “No.”

      “Move your toes”

      “I am moving them,” she responded, but there was no perceptible movement. 

She could feel the IV being placed in her arm, but her hands were very weak. 

      “No Lord!” I internally screamed. “Please don’t let her be paralyzed. Her family has already been through so much,” I silently pleaded as I remembered her mother’s funeral less than 2 years ago. Hearing her call my name, I looked up and without pause, the words slipped out of my mouth, “You’re going to be okay, Emilyn” 

         Oh no! Did I just make a promise I couldn’t keep?  I busied myself with finding a cervical collar and reviewing her paperwork and orders, but I couldn’t escape the question, would she be okay? The more I pondered this, the more I realized that the answer was not physical, but rather spiritual. No matter the physical outcome, do I believe that God is sovereign? Do I believe he has a plan for each of our lives? Do I believe God is faithful? Do I believe God is worthy of praise and honor and glory? Yes. No matter the physical outcome, Emilyn would be okay, because she knows and trusts the one who is faithful. 

          Recently, our pastor spoke about Job, a man who was righteous and blameless before God, yet lost all his possessions and his ten children in a single day. He didn’t do anything wrong to deserve this; rather it was a test of his faith. Would he turn and curse God? No. Job’s response in the midst of his grief was to fall on the ground and worship God. “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.” (Job 1:21). Job trusted God so completely that he was able to release all his possessions and his family into God’s hands and simply worship God. What faith!

Dr. Imelda and I reviewing
an X-ray

         On a daily basis, I ask my patients to have the faith of Job, to release their cares, their sicknesses, their very lives into the hands of God and to worship Him whatever the outcome. My daily prayer over my patients is “Mipela lusim laip bilong em long han bilong yu, Bikpela, na yu ken kisim biknem long laip bilong em.” = We release their life into your hand, Lord, that you may receive glory through them. That was my prayer over Emilyn as well. No matter the outcome, may you be glorified in her, Lord. 

        I was slightly relieved when the x-rays showed no spinal fractures. I was even more encouraged when, a few hours later, Emilyn moved her big toe. We admitted her to the hospital with spinal precautions and lots of prayer. The next day, Emilyn was able to move her legs but not lift them against gravity. Then, she was able to sit up in a brace. The following day, she walked with assistance. Today, a week after her accident, she is back to full strength. Praise God for this miracle and answer to prayer!

Emelyn on her way to a full recovery.

      

       It is easy to praise God when we see his miraculous hand of healing and a good physical outcome. But recently one of my friends asked how I deal with the poor outcomes. My response: By remembering that God is sovereign. I treat with the best medical knowledge and skills that God has given me, placing the results in God’s hands. No matter the physical outcome, He is sovereign, He is faithful and He is worthy of praise.