Spelling

To me, the spell checker is one of the great inventions of all time. Even if it often wants to do such things as add apostrophes to plural names, if I at least pay a bit of attention it keeps me from looking too stupid too much of the time. However, it apparently doesn't work on the titles of blog posts.

Samll things

Sometimes it's the small things that make or break a day. Today they made it.

A young lady had been in to the hospital on the weekend because she was having a miscarriage. She is from another Pacific nation, living in PNG with several members of her extended family who are in business here. She was having severe cramps, but the emotional pains probably had been worse. After trying a more conservative approach, I had had to do a D&C.

This morning she was back, smiling, and pain-free, at least as far as the physical pain goes. Naturally, she and her husband had a lot of questions, which I tried to answer for them. As the left they gave me a bag of pastries, which they said were typical of their country.

So often I deal with problems that are more complicated, and often the outcomes aren't as good. And often I don't know when patients get better. It was nice that this young lady got better, and it was nice to know. And the pastries were nice, too.

The next patient was an elderly lady, a lady who is much more comfortable in the village than at a busy place like the hospital. She doesn't speak any language but her tribal language. She looked frightened and out of place, but her husband seemed concerned and kind. She had been discharged from the hospital about a week ago, after several days of treatment for both congestive heart failure and pneumonia. She had been very ill. I reviewed the x-ray before going into the exam room. It still didn't look very good, but was definitely improving.

When I went in to examine her, she told me (through her husband's translation) that she was feeling much better. She still had some cough, but all the swelling had gone down, and she could breath easily. Then her husband said, "I had thought she was going to die. Now she is alright!" After making some changes in her medications, I reached out to give her the little clinic book which serve as our patients medical records. As our eyes met, she gave me a really big smile, then shook my hand.

Sometimes the work is so routine. This was a reminder that what's routine to me may have life-and-death significance to my patients. It was nice to have a part in her recovery, and to know how big that part was to my patient and her husband.

When this couple left, it was a bit after noon, and time to leave for lunch. As I was walking out of the hospital, a passed a man who was walking with a slight limp. He had a big bandage on his left big toe. As I passed him, I greeted him briefly. When he saw me he said, "Doktaaaa" (they tend to draw out the "a" part.) "Yes?" I said, not sure what he wanted with me. "Last week you cut my foot, and now it's much better! Thank you!"

That brought it all back to me. The toe had looked terrible, infected and draining. I don't remember how his infection had started, but it was bad by the time I saw it. I wasn't at all sure that it could be saved, but I did a small procedure to drain the pus, and prescribed antibiotics for him. I hadn't been the one to see him in follow-up, but it was great to find out that what I had done had worked out well for him.

So it was a nice way to end the morning. Nice to have 3 small reminders that our work is making a difference in people's lives. Nice to have 3 small "bonuses."

Yours and His,
Andy

Photos
#1 Me casting the leg of a baby with clubfoot.
#2 Dr. Jim Radcliffe supervising a nurse treating an injured child
#3 A dad who brought his baby to the Outpatient Department

COMMENTS

A Happier Story

Well, it's been a busy week in Lake Woebegone, and it's been a very busy week in our lives.

The funeral was a wonderful time of celebrating my mom's life. The attendance was far more than I would have ever thought. The folks have been a bit out of touch with their friends and family for a few years, but they have obviously not been forgotten. Three of Mom's cousins, 10 of her 14 living nephews and nieces, and 3 of her 5 living siblings came. Many shared tributes and memories. It was a wonderful time of sharing and love.

Then we made the transition to the wedding, driving to Spanaway, Washington on Thursday. We had met Andrea's mom Cheri and her aunt Leanna last year, but hadn't met any of the rest of the family. We needn't have worried! They turned out to be a gracious, friendly, happy group, whom we enjoyed immensely.

The wedding was in the yard of Andrea's family's lake-side home, a truly beautiful setting. Cheri and Leanna, and no doubt countless others have been working for weeks to get it all ready. The food was all home-made, both for the rehearsal dinner Friday evening, and for the wedding reception. Andrea's uncle, Tom, a pastor from Pullman, Washington officiated, and did a great job. Sam was Best Man, and Amy escorted Drew down the isle, a nice touch indeed!

We were very happy to see how many of our friends and family made it to the wedding! A good group of Judy's family came from Vancouver, BC, from Calgary and Lethbridge, Alberta. Friends representing every era of my life were there. It was a really sweet time.

An extra bonus of the weekend is that on Sunday morning we attended the Puyallup Church of the Nazarene. A team from that church was in PNG just 2-3 weeks ago, and they were giving their report to the church. It was fun to hear their reactions, see their pictures, and even join them in singing a song in Pidgin.

We made it back to Nampa late Sunday evening. The next few days are dedicated to rest, and spending time with my dad. Then on the weekend we have orientation for new students (and their parents) at NNU. That will probably be the subject of the next blog!

Andy

COMMENT--Yeah, YOU! COMMENT!!! please.

Family News

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We've delayed a bit, but we want to share with you our friends a couple of recent events in our family. Two of our family members have died in the last few days. My mom died last Sunday (Aug. 3). Then Judy's brother, Don Hunt, died this past Saturday (Aug. 9).

My mom has been in failing health for several years, but especially the last few months. She was 87, suffering from dementia as well as several other health problems.

I'll remember my mom as a strong woman, physically (she could handle rough-housing with my brother until he was well into his teens--I never dared challenge her), morally and spiritually. She was full of joy, and the joy spilled out to those around her. You were never around her long without laughing. She faced the challenges of ministry with great enthusiasm. She could counsel, teach, organize, sing, play the piano or the organ, lead the choir and even preach when the situation demanded it. She was patient and long-suffering with her children, with difficult parishioners and with strangers. She was unflinchingly loyal to my dad. She lived a life of complete integrity--I can't think of anything that she claimed to be that she was not.

She came to faith in Christ as a child, and followed Him consistently. I'm not aware that there were times of rebellion or backsliding. She loved the Lord passionately and completely. Everything else in her life stood on that foundation.

In one sense, I've been ready for this for many years. For a long time now, each good-bye has been said with the feeling that it could well be the last. As we have approached our coming vacation in the US, I had harbored the hope of seeing her alive one more time. But that really isn't too important. I'm pretty sure that she would not have been aware one way or the other. One of the things that she taught me, is to try to not leave unfinished business with anyone. So I have no regrets for anything that I did not get a chance to say to her. In another sense I'm sure that there would really be no way for me to be ready to imagine a world without her.

Judy's brother Don had surgery about a month ago to relieve spinal stenosis in his neck. The surgery was apparently successful, as he noted a dramatic relief of the symptoms of numbness in his feet by the next day. After an initial period of recovery, an infection was found in his surgical incision. It was found that this infection was caused by methcillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus, a bacterium that is resistant to many, sometimes all antibiotics. It is also called "MRSA" (and pronounced "mersa") and often referred to as the "super bug." Despite valiant efforts of his doctors, the infection progressed, and eventually lead to multiple organ failure, and to his death.

Don was 14 years older than Judy. Since their dad had died long before I met Judy, Don was the "father figure" that I felt I had to please in order to marry her. He was a policeman, and on the day we met he was on duty, but stopped by their mom's apartment to meet his sister's new fiance. He walked in with his uniform and gun, an intimidating figure at 6' 3". With a straight face he stopped, put his hands on his hips, looked me up and down, and with a grunt said, "Huh. I guess he'll do." After a suitable pause to let me suffer a little, his face broke into a big grin and and gave me a hearty handshake. We were friends from then on.

Don was a successful, heroic police officer. He was a loving father and grandfather. He was full of fun, always good for a joke or a game. He was loved by both his immediate and extended family, and will be missed deeply.

We are now in the US. This is a trip that has been planned for a year, as Drew (our oldest son) is getting married next Saturday, and Sam, (our youngest) is starting college next week. We hadn't planned to include funerals in the itinerary, but Mom was an efficient sort of lady, who wouldn't have wanted us to make extra trips when one would do! Her funeral was this morning. We have had a wonderful gathering of family and friends. We won't be able to make it to Don's service and then make it to Drew's wedding on Saturday, but our thoughts and prayers are with Judy's sisters, Don's wife Sandra and his kid up in Lethbridge, Alberta.

We appreciate your prayers!

Yours and His,
Andy

Photo:
1. Mom and Dad a few years ago. Dad's now 901.

COMMENT

Party in Paradise

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-One very large mumu pit.

-One truck load of stones to heat the pit.

-One truck load of firewood to heat the stones.

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-Four pigs.

-Dozens of friends, preparing food, firewood, cooking pit, working all night long.

-60 stalks of cooking bananas.

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-70 chickens.

-Countless sweet potatoes, taro roots, cabbages, greens.

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-Three hundred sixty guests.


All that adds up to one big party!

Sam's "PNG Papa and Mama," Simon and Esther Tausi organized the whole thing. A big group from Esther's home village came down on Thursday.

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Many people from the hospital staff and from the community got involved. Many, many gave chickens, stalks of bananas, and lots of other produce.

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Pastor Robert Kia shared a
few words from scripture. Papa Simon and friend Pastor John gave tearful speeches. Papa Andy did his best to be cheerful--my slogan was "bihain krai, nau amamas" ("cry later, have fun now").

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There were dozens of gifts, including 12 bilums (colorful string bags, very time-consuming hand work), PNG artifacts, and cash ranging from small coins to wads of bills.

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Sam will miss PNG terribly. Many Papua New Guineans will miss him just as much. But their hearts will be warmed by memories of this day.

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Yours and His,
Andy

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Photos:
1. Sam with "PNG Papa and Mama" Simon and Esther Tausi
2. Sam with friends Tukni and Pil (and grandaughter)
3. Just a portion of the food given for the mumu. I counted about 47 stalks of cooking bananas in this pile alone. Many more were given, besides the 20 that we bought
4. Judy, Gail Dooley and summer visitor Britany Hart, peeling sweet potatoes
5. Our friend Meti preparing greens
6. The crew placing hot rocks and the food in the coking pit. The pit was so large that they had to make bamboo "bridges" over it, because they couldn't reach the middle from the edges.
7. Sam and some of the other men cutting up the pork
8. Pastor Robert Kia praying for Sam
9. Sam speaking to the crowd
10. Gola, chief of the Kuma tribe, and Wusik, chief of the Sikang tribe, leading the guests to the food line
11. The crowd going through the serving line
12. Display with photos of Sam

Graduation

The big day has come, and now almost gone. The tradition here on Kudjip station, is that when an MK graduates, he or she is honored at one of the once-per-month English worship services. The parents plan the service. I say "tradition": that what's happened with the two previous graduates in the 5 years that we've lived here.

So today was Sam's day. There were some graduation decorations at the pot luck prior to the service, including a beautiful cake. Gail Dooley had made a "memory" book, with messages from many of his friends. There was a display of photos.

In the service there were tearful comments from both of his parents. I read Psalm 127: 3-5, and said that if children are a reward from God, I can't imagine what I ever did to deserve such a reward as I have received. Judy shared some thing about Sam that she will always remember: falling in love with a small photograph sent to us from Korea; a 4 year-old asking her to "tell me more about Jesus"; the day and the place along the road where they pulled over in the old white Plymouth Voyager and Sam asked Jesus to come into his heart; lots of laughs; a 10 year-old boy wanting his very own call from God if he were to leave his friends and move to PNG; an alusion to a suicidal pig in the back of a truck that many of us didn't understand too well.

There was a slide show (including photos from long ago) accompanied by a couple of Sam's favorite contemporary Christian songs. There were songs; "My Tribute" in English, and "Long Marimari Bilong God" in Pidgin, and a special song sung by "Uncle" Jeff Myers. Sam even made a very concise speech (very concise), thanking the missionary family for their contribution to his life. There was a time of prayer lead by "Uncle" Scott Dooley.

His fellow MKs read scripture passages that are special to Sam: Deuteronomy 6:5 (Sam's "life verse"), 2 Peter 1:2, Philippians 4:19, Ephesians 5:1-2, Daniel 1:8, Jeremiah 29:11, and Philippians 4:4-7.

Brother John Alt, missionary with the Evangelical Brotherhood Church (the EBC is a Swiss denomination, and they call their pastors "Brother"), preached. He made some funny, but true comments on the international nature of the group present, with folks from PNG (a large group of our national friends were there), US, Canada, India, Wales. He joked that since the Swiss are famous for their neutrality, he was the logical choice to preach. He then shared a message on the trustworthiness of God, illustrated by 15 of the more than 200 names for God in the Bible.

The closing prayer was sweetly offered by Sam's "PNG Papa," Simon Tausi.

Lots of tears. Lots of love.

Party Planning in Paradise

15 stalks of cooking bananas at K20 per stalk: K300
3 pigs (1 gaint, 1 medium, 1 medium-small) complicated combination of gifts and purchases
40-50 chickens: many will be gifts, but we may have to buy 10: K200
Kumu (edible greens): K30
Kaukau (sweet potatoes): K40
Firewood (2 trees worth): K60


Assorted utensils and containers: K75
Refreshments for the friends who will be working through night to prepare the food: K30
The chance to watch Sam's PNG friends congratulate Sam for graduating and bid him farewell: priceless.




Any of you who can make it to Sam's combination graduation-going away mumu, come on by.


Yours and His,
Andy

Photos:
#1 Cooked food being sorted into serving containers
#2 Veggies in the leaf-lined pit--see the steam already starting to rise from the hot rocks in the pit?
#3 The pig's head--given as a gift to honor or thank a guest at the mumu