Fresh Perspective

What a privilege it has been to be mentored these last 5 years by Doctor Dianne Mathews.  Affectionately known as Dr. Di…..with no pun intended.   She is an incredible teacher and full of grace to us nurses.  I’m never afraid of how she will respond to decisions I make, though I don’t treat her kindness flippantly.  Her life is a story worth telling.  And it will take me several blogs to do so.  For now, I thought I would tease you with the things that delight Dr. Di.  For even though she enjoys patient care and gains much satisfaction from it, her real love is teaching AND puttering around with plants and animals and rocket stoves.  Her blue eyes come fully alive, when she knows that there is a project involving dirt, teaching and community development. Just two weeks ago Dr. Di taught students from our seminary how to build a rocket stove.  The purpose of these stoves is to use way less fuel (wood) and create almost no smoke.  In m...

I’ve almost found my groove for this school year…….but honestly, I’m still wading through adjustments.  The biggest adjustment is that Jacob is in school half time.  This has been a giant step for him and delightfully positive.  We would not have taken that leap without the wonderful encouragement of Jacob’s special education teacher.  She has faithfully walked with us these past 3 years.  Even when Mrs. Kolb could not be here for three-fourths of last school year, she still encouraged me weekly with her supporting emails.  God brought her and her husband back last school year in March.  Roger, her husband, had recovered from an extensive skin cancer surgery on his foot.  Abruptly, last Friday, the Kolb’s flew back to America because a tumor was discovered in Roger’s brain.  We are believing that God will do EXCEEDINGLY MORE than we ask for Roger and bring healing to him once again.  Please join us in praying for him.  Many many stu...

I didn’t know it would be so easy to get medical equipment for our up and coming medical aviation program. All I did was ask, link needs to Amazon and my blog, and YOU gave.  Thank you.  Much work is being done to set this program all in motion.  Please know that your gift of faith and love will bless many many in need.  I can’t wait to tell you stories about how God will use these tools of insight to bring accurate diagnosis and healing. Please pray for God speed, blessing and open doors as we try to set dreams into motion.  Thank you for responding.

The longer I am a “missionary” the harder I grapple with “Romance”in the field.  Please don’t get me wrong.  I am not dissatisfied with my spouse of 20 years.  But honestly, dating and being romantic, in a third world country is daunting.  It’s not that we haven’t made valiant attempts at it, but drunk men on the road with long knives, a very long tiring drive to a decent restaurant (3 hours round trip), the lack of easy safe places to go, just take it out of us.  We won’t mention (or maybe we will) the hot weather, constant non stop demands and pressures, and the spiritual warfare that is never ending.  UGH!  Romance?! On our summer trip to America, a church friend asked, “What is the biggest challenge you are facing in the field right now?”  Never good at hiding my honest feelings I blurted, “Romance!”  That got a few passer-by eyebrows raising.  Hopefully it got a few more saints praying!!!!!  ha ha A few days after that fantas...