Life musings

Life musings:

I keep encountering a common theme in the past couple of months. The concept of missionary self-care. Before coming here, I don't think I really appreciated what that could me or the importance of it. I mean, I've seen how excited missionaries are to serve and get to their intended destination. I, too remember the sleepless nights I had before coming here. I was so overcome with joy and anticipation of what this new chapter would hold. Now, I wish I would have just slept more {and stored that sleep time in my 'short on sleep' tab}.

But self-care really applies to anyone who meets this criteria.

1. must be human {sorry I don't do animal self-care}
2. must interact with living humans on a daily or very frequent basis
3. proceed below :)

You can just change the title and fill in the blank (nurse self-care....mother self-care etc.) You get the idea.

When God's blessing exceeds our worth

Ya'll must think I've fallen off the face of the planet.

Well I am 13 hours of ahead of the States, but somehow manage to stay behind in proper communication. I've still got Christmas thank you cards I'm waiting to make.

But this post isn't meant to be full of excuses. Let me 'show' you some of my recent life happenings.

September and October 2011

So much to do...so little time. That is the flow of my days since coming back from break.

I have caught 10 babies in my time back here. I hear rumors that the month of October involves about 280 or so pregnant women who are due. :)

September and October have been stretching months for me, I have encountered tough experiences, but come face-to-face with life and death (that delicate balance), God and His sovereignty.

Some things I can check off my {100 interesting experiences before I die}

1. I experienced first-hand a bloody mess. And no I don't mean the British expression. I mean fully-soaked-front-of-my-scrubs with blood.
   {Visualize an exploding can of spaghetti sauce, close range paint gun shot...whatever helps you 'walk' in my shoes} :)
   Hence I learned CCT (controlled cord traction to help placenta out) + mom ALSO pushing = bloody mess

First impressions...Back in the US on break!

Waiting in Davao airport

I'd like to think that I was one of those people who successfully documents their life in a journal. But the truth is, I only sparingly journal in a lined paper notebook sometimes. And I have an odd tendency to skip pages, so it's not even in chronological order. My one effort to be disorganized. ;)

So, since I'm back in the land of my birth I thought I would post some thoughts and reflections I've had recently. The flights...from Davao to Manila (philippine's capital) we then flew to Nagoya, Japan & then to Detroit (our longest one at about 13 hours). Our last flight was from Detroit, Michigan to Philadelphia, PA. We were greeted by Josh's parents who drove us home. Josh was quite the talkative one at that point. I had only cat-napped in our 30+ flight hours home, so I was crashing. I mostly slept the car ride home from Philly to our cozy home in Stevens, PA. It was beyond delightful to slip between the covers of our bed (yeah, I'm odd I suppose, I've been dreaming of this mattress here for awhile...but it's SO cozy). You know, it's the 'little things in life' I am starting to appreciate most. :)

Bukid outreach June 20, 2011

This long overdue series of posts is about my time in the Bukid.

June 20^th Bukid outreach

Team members:

Ate Mary Jean (midwife for many years, appointed in overseeing prenatals & child immunizations in about 5 villages scattered in the mountains)

Genivive & her baby (wife to Ronie, village midwife; responsible for the 2 villages we visited; Patel & Langan)

Christina -me :)

Ronie (wife to Genivive; one of our drivers & cook during the trip)

Mary (midwife & volunteer at Mercy, also a very close friend)

Jordan & Sarah (2 summer interns; wonderful ladies)

Kuya Jennie (motorbike driver & cook for the trip)

Goals:
-Travel to the village of Langan and other village Patel.
-Conduct prenatal exams
-Provide tetanus immunizations to the pregnant moms
-Provide a health teaching (topics this time: Sanitation/Hand washing & Danger signs of Pregnancy
-Infant/Child immunizations (for example MMR)

Random facts:

*Genivive is from the same village as some of the other Filipina Mercy midwives; she also worked there for about 2 years.

*Kuya Jennie is an older brother of Willa (one of Mercy's midwives)

*Midwives Ate Mary Jean & Genivive are from the Manobo tribe reaching out to their own tribe located in more rural areas in the mountains thru midwifery.

*The villages we visited spoke Manobo as their primary language & then Visayan.

The further you travel into the mountains, the less the different tribal people groups understand Visayan, the 'national' language of Tagalog is also not understood.

You can click on the word Manobo to read about this people group profile, quite a fascinating read!

Trip begins with us leaving on a non-aircon bus around 10:30 on June 20^th.

Sarah, Jordan, Mary and I traveled 1.5 hours to Tagum. First stop of the trip, at this bus terminal we stopped to get some lunch. Then went on a crowded jeepney headed to Kapalong (ka-POL-ong). At Kapalong we were to meet Ate Mary Jean, but it just so happened she was riding in the same jeepney there as we were! Quite random.
Once reaching Kapalong, our motorobike drivers (Kuya Ronie & Jennie) took us to Ate Mary Jean's village of Tagpopo-ot.
We arrived there around 2:30pm.
Mary really wanted to reconnect with her Filipina friend Ate Maribel (she had met her during her previous visits to this village & on another outreach). We got to check out Ate Maribel's house and eat some merienda (snack...homemade fried plantain chips...so yummy). While Mary and Ate Maribel caught up, Jordan, Sarah and I watched a evangelistic movie in Manobo. Produced by Vernacular Media Network, the film company's ministry is to “proclaim the Gospel to under-evangelized indigenous people groups in Asia beginning with the Manobo tribes in Central Mindanao.” Also to “evangelize, edify, equip & exalt God through media ministry.” How exciting!!

We had a simple, but delicious supper of rice, fish/vegetable stew/soup and sweet/tangy cucumbers. Us girls did some planning for our prenatal health teachings that we would present the next day. Then we settled in for a comfy sleep under our blue mosquito netting. :)

Bukid outreach June 2011

Back from the Bukid

Let me start by saying, THANK-YOU to all those who have kept up on reading our blog and updates and emails. We are so blessed by a community of caring people.

Ever hear the term: boondocks?

Wikipedia defines it as: a remote, usually brushy rural area

I learned that this term is actually from the Visayan word: bukid.

This past week I and 3 other missionary volunteers here in Davao went to the bukid (pronounced BOO-kid), Visayan word for mountains.

We had the opportunity to serve alongside 2 Filipina midwives from the Manobo tribe, who serve people in the rural mountain villages here.

I will post way more details later, but here's a few pictures to peak your interest!

Just a glimpse of God's beautiful handiwork in these lush, thriving mountains.

Me in front of the swelling river (full from the recent rains).

View from Ate Mary Jean's home (in Tagpopoot)

Thanks for reading...

A coming deadline...

Thank you family, friends and caring people (I've yet to meet in person), our hearts are overflowing with gratefulness at the generous gifts of time, money and prayers on our behalf.

This post is a recap of where Josh and I have come in this journey in the Philippines, what our current needs are and more so what's pressing on our hearts right now.

Pull up a chair, grab a glass of meadow tea and sit a spell with me...oh and maybe grab some tissues.

Where has time gone?

Wow 7 months into this journey of following the passion God has placed in my hearts~to help pregnant moms birth healthy babies. Valuing the vulnerable and underserved women and babies because they are precious!

(Click on the image to see a closer view)

The above photo mosaic is courtesy of http://bighugelabs.com/. It's free and fun for picture arranging. :)

Not in any specific order I have posted Baby catches #8 through 15. Even though getting to assist the mom as she pushes her little one into the world is crazy thrilling...I still enjoy more the 'ooo and awww' of enjoying the little bundle after they're out. At some point I hope to include short snippets of their birth stories...each one is unique and stand out in their own special way.

Filipino Day Outing~We definitely used all 5 senses!

Here's a couple of pics that don't really quantify how much stuff we got to try and experience on our Filipino Outing on Aug. 14th. but it does give a brief overview...ENJOY!

Josh trying Durian for the first time

Blainsport Fundraising Meal June 27th

The air was thick and warm, but the aroma of Hamburger BBQ wafted from the fellowship hall to the attentive churchgoers upstairs. After the service, a hearty buffet of Hamburger BBQ, gourmet potatoes [no really, that's what they're called :)], cold veggies, relish tray, chips and assorted desserts filled our hungry stomachs. Food, fellowship and a good cause-that's the way to spend a meal!

Time flies~July already!

Wow is it July already?!~Time flies when you’re having fun and keeping busy.

Let’s start with some good news, and some not-so-good news.

The GOOD part, last week we received our letters that will be needed to apply for long-term missionary visas once we’re in the Philippines!! Yeah!!! (loud clapping/cheer whoops)

On the other hand, (the NOT-SO-GOOD news) I failed to realize that our birth certificates and marriage certificate needed letters from the PA secretary of state as well, so Josh and I drove back to Harrisburg this Tues. to get them. See, it’s much quicker to drive there and they process it while you wait, than to snail mail them back and forth. Then on Wed. I remailed that information to the Philippine consulate in NY.