Fresh Perspective

Last year we had a trend going on here in Sentani, Papua.  Every time our expatriate doctor stepped away from being “in town”, we (the nurses) ended up with a critical case in our lap.  Every time.   We threated to not  let our Doctor leave EVER again.  But in all reality, this was not realistic or practical or healthy ……  So she went and we learnt.  Fortunately, that trend seems to have been broken.  However, when our doctor leaves we use the skills and resources that we have, and we proceed to provide care, to the best of our ability.  Fortunately, it doesn’t take a doctor to diagnose “we are in trouble” and “this patient needs hospitalization or a specialist referral”.  Gratefully, we are not an island unto ourselves, as long as the phone and internet are working (one month last year, we had 95% of the time, no internet).  There are doctors with their ears to the ground, and will help give advice.  For this we are indebted a...

If receiving physical mail in your mail box is rare, here in third world no where, it is almost unheard of.  Actually we don’t have a mail box.  We have a P.O. Box, shared by the Aviation campus here.  Us, like you, delight to received hand written notes. They are so meaningful.  Yet we wouldn’t trade instant communication and modern advances. At the beginning of November (2017) I was quite surprised to open this envelope:  Dated: December 6, 2016 What a lovely charming Christmas card.  From. Last. Year.  Yes, it was 10 months too late and one month too early.  THANKYOU Auntie Sonia and Uncle Allan!!!! I actually have been DISAPPOINTED in how few Christmas cards we receive here in the mission field.  Isn’t the point of a Christmas greeting, is to remind people that they are thought of?  In America we would overflow with Christmas cards.  Many of them were handed to us at church by people we saw every week (that kind of humored me al...

I was quite surprised this week when tears began to flow and this crazy Mommy urge to drive a thousand miles to see a boy or two filled my heart. It’s almost time for Thanksgiving break and boy #2 needed some help trying to figure out rides.  From the other side of the world, I am reaching out to friends and family to see who is going where and when and ……  It felt so complicated and difficult. It made me sad….because I recognized that I really just wanted to go and get him myself.  That most kids go home on break.  Most parents go get their kids on break.  Most parents are normal people who work 9-5 jobs and who live within a three to five hour radius of their children’s schools and Universities.  If only …….we were normal. I haven’t written about saying good bye to TWO boys at one time this summer.  Not a week goes by where fellow missionaries and local friends ask me,  “How are you doing without two boys?”  My standard reply is, “They are ...

Today (Wednesday, Nov. 1),  Darron and Gary were leaving on an afternoon flight to the Philippines.  The nicer of our two cars had just been picked up from the repair shop ( it was an alternator this time).  They are at that stage.  Always, something falling apart.  With the mission mobile, we can’t complain.  It is 21 years old!!!!  Darron just popped down to the hanger to fill up the tires with air and I heard him pip the horn at the gate, to indicate he was read to go to the airport.  Yet, he had a different message.  The tire needed repaired…..or more probably replaced. Groan.  There is ONE thing, I disdain as a woman and that is handling car problems.  It’s hard enough to do it in your home country and a language you are fluent in.  Try doing it in a foreign country.  Also to me, it is a MANS world.  If you want to plop me in my discomfort zone, tell me I have to get the car fixed. So off we drive.  Air hiss...