Following the Call

Thankful

2011-11-20T16:43:00.001-05:00

One year ago today I was climbing on a plane to fly across the world to come visit family and friends, to take a break from my life in Africa and spend the holidays in America. That was one year ago.
Today I returned from a mountain trip with over 20 people, most of whom I met in the last 3 months.
What a stark difference.

I am astounded that I have been living in the States for 5 months this week. Seriously. Its hard to comprehend. There are days it feels completely normal to be living in an apartment, working a hospital nursing job here in the States. But, there are also days it feel utterly foreign as if I'm living someone else's life. I'm still at a point where I long for things to feel normal...but I also have fear-filled moments on the days when I realize I have not thought about my "African life" throughout the day. I fear that my memories will fade. I fear that I will forget all God allowed me to experience. I still struggle with how I've changed. I know I have changed. But I still cannot begin to articulate how.
I have however figured out two facts of life that will ring true forever...
#1- Life goes on. Somehow without our permission and without our comprehension...life goes on. It doesn't matter what we're going through or how we are coping with it...the world will continue. It doesn't matter if you feel like you're in a hole and would much father cover the top and remain there...the world around you will keep moving. People will fall in love. Friends will come and go. People will get sick and maybe even die. Jobs will be lost and found. The world will continue...the question is, will you stand still or choose to move alongside those you love.
#2- God is never-changing. I have just experienced my first fall in three years. I have seriously loved every minute of it. The first day with a chill in the air. The first leaf with a hint of yellow or red. The fallen leaves covering my car each morning. The children dressed in their Halloween costumes coming door to door. Pumpkins on every door step. I have loved it. But more importantly, during this season God has spoken to me. Just as sure as we are that seasons will come and go...that next year this time the leaves with be falling off the trees again...just as sure as we know after these next months of cold weather...the warmth of spring will return...just as sure as we are that after night comes, the sun will rise again...God is just that sure. He is that solid. His character will never change. He will always be loving. He will always be sufficient. He will always be enough.
I am thankful to have learned these two truths and be able to come out overly blessed. I am in a season of transition. One that no one around me can truly understand. One I have extreme trouble facing needless to say articulating to others. But God in His faithfulness and sufficiency has brought me to this point and will continue to propel me forward. There have certainly been days I have chosen to hide in my hole, put the cover on top, and let the world spin around me. But most of the time I have grabbed hold of our never-changing God and gone along for the ride. And in that God has blessed me beyond my wildest dreams. A door was open for me to take a nursing job in the NICU (neonatal ICU...with tiny sick babies) in Greenville, SC. The work is hard and I still have tons to learn, but I'm daily blessed by those around me and love the opportunity to care for babies in their most vulnerable moments. I live in an adorable apartment in a great neighborhood only 3 minutes from work. And I have found a wonderful community of people to live life with. They challenge me to seek the Lord in everything I do. They challenge me to serve those around me with a love some days I'm not sure I have. We quickly have become a family...challenging each other when need be...picking each other up when one falls...loving each other the best we know how...and having tons of fun along the way.

So I am thankful. I am astounded how quickly the time has gone. But I am thankful my season of transition is well on its way. I still struggle with the stress that work throws at me. But I am thankful God has blessed me with this opportunity to learn and grow. I have trouble believing tomorrow I won't wake up to the sweet hugs, grimy fingers, and gorgeous faces of my babies in Mozamibque. But I have been overly blessed with a community of friends to live life alongside here in Greenville.
So in all of this...I remain thankful to my God who loves me.
Happy Thanksgiving week!

6 Weeks

2011-08-08T01:31:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow will be 6 weeks.
6 weeks since I said all my goodbyes and left my "African Family" to rejoin my "American family". 6 weeks since I hugged all my little babies one last time. 6 weeks since I slept my last night with my fan running to block out the sound of 300 children running around. 6 weeks since I finished work and spoke my last sentences of Portuguese. 6 weeks since little Inacio gave me a hug and sweetly shared his fears of saying goodbye with tears rolling down his face. 6 weeks since I hugged all the tias and educators who made my job challenging yet so rewarding. 6 weeks since I stared into the faces of walking miracles...children I had seen literally lifted from the dust and restored to new life. 6 weeks since I shared the impact our Mozambican medical team had on me and sweetly said goodbye. 6 weeks since I celebrated 2 years of living life together with a group of missionaries who changed me and then had to say goodbye. 6 weeks since I walked outside my home to see poverty and need staring me in the face. 6 weeks since I peacefully, yet devastated left my life behind.
Tomorrow will be 6 weeks.
On a daily, no hourly...no minute my minute...basis my emotions change. They flip on a dime...at the drop of a hat...whatever you want to say. One minute I feel like it has been forever since I was standing in Mozambique saying goodbye to all those I love, preparing to take the step of faith it took to come back to the States. During these minutes, I get a bit scared. Will I forget it all? Has this experience actually impacted me and redirected the path of my life as I expected it to? In these moments I'm fearful it's already fading, and I haven't even figured out what's next. The next minute I can feel it all as if it was yesterday. I can see all the adorable faces with their big brown eyes, I can feel each last hug, I can remember all the conversations...but then it all fades away again. During these minutes I feel overwhelming sadness. I miss my babies. I miss the tias, even those who pushed me over the edge on a daily basis. I miss the missionaries, my friends, who are the only people in the world who can understand what my daily life was like. But at the same time, I smile in these moments. I smile thinking of all the miracles I experienced, all the love I gave and received. It is a very strange time. One I'm not sure I can compare to anything else I've known.
When I first moved to Mozambique in August of 2009, I often had moments like this...I would be doing something "normal" (for example waiting for an internet page to load, getting ready to eat dinner...something "normal") and all of the sudden it would hit me. YOU ARE IN AFRICA. You are not in the States. You cannot get in your car and go see your family and friends. You know nothing of this place. And, you are actually on the other side of the globe...literally! What were you thinking?
But these last 6 weeks have been different than that transition. For the first month it felt completely normal...I was home for a visit, right? WRONG! But because I wanted to remain feeling as if this was just a visit, I have avoided looking at pictures to create a final video, writing a final update to supporters, and updating this blog...because all of those things make this final. During these 6 weeks, returning from the beach and starting to hunt for jobs made the move start to become real. My first interview was a rude awakening. This is not just becoming real; this is real. I live in the States now. I am not going back to all those precious babies, Mozambicans, and missionaries I miss. Well, maybe for a visit but it won't be the same.
Where do I go from here? This is the question I am asking myself and God. This is the question I have no idea how to answer. I have literally applied for over 20 jobs (pediatric floors, labor and delivery units, neonatal intensive care units, ER's, and mother/baby floors). These jobs are all over the south east (Columbia, Charleston, Augusta, Nashville, and Greenville...and I have looked other places as well). I have earnestly asked God to close doors and open ones He'd have me walk through. Watching doors close is far from a heartwarming experience, but when the moment comes walking through the open one will be all the more rewarding and peace-filled.
How have I changed and what does that mean for life here in the States? This is the question I so badly want to answer. I'm not asking, "Have I changed?" I know the answer to that is yes. I am asking "how" and what's the impact of that change. And at this point I cannot begin to articulate the answer.
What I do know is this process is difficult. I am struggling to make conversation with people. It is easier with people I've known a long time or those few who saw me in Mozambique. I am struggling to care about the new TV programs everyone is talking about, yet at the same time want to spend hours mindlessly watching them to catch up before the next season starts. In the midst of it all I know one thing...no matter how difficult this transition proves to be...no matter what feelings I'm experiencing yet having trouble articulating...I know one thing.
I serve a God who loves me. I serve a God who knows my inner being. I serve a God who calls me friend. He is faithful and merciful. He will not forsake me. And, He will give me the grace I need to make it through each day.
That is what I know. And that makes all the difference in the world. That makes the moments of heartache possible. That makes the moments of fear easier to stomach. That makes the sweet moments with family and friends I have not lived near in 2 years all the more important. I have certainly forgotten this truth at times, when I heard a resounding NO from a hospital I dreamed of working for or when I couldn't stop the tears of loss for all those babies I loved but may never see again. Yet in it all this is the truth that matters.
Tomorrow will be 6 weeks.
Time will continue to move forward. The memories will continue to fade. I will eventually take my first hospital nursing job and move to a new place. One day the "normal" things of America will feel "normal" again. There will come a day I can articulate what changes occurred in me during my 2 years in Mozambique and how that has impacted my life and ministry here in the States. But for now...
Tomorrow will be 6 weeks.

Reality...

2011-06-26T21:07:00.000-04:00

It's 3:00am. I just finished going through the last things in my room and packing up as many things as I can. I still have wet clothes on the line, brilliant planning. I have a pile of things lined up along one wall of my room for each of the missionaries. I had a great dinner with some missionaries and am consistently blessed by each of them. I am not excited about the 30 something hours of travel ahead of me...5 plane rides...4 plane tickets. I can however keep myself calm because I know I'm going straight to the beach with my family and some of my absolute favorite people in the world to soak up the sun and do absolutely nothing else.

Today I had one of the sweetest moments I've had when it comes to goodbyes. I am not too close to most of the older children on the base. I usually keep my affections directed at my adorable babies. But there are a few I just can't resist. Well, today one of these guys came up to me after church. I had been prayed for at church but first took a few minutes to say thank you to each person who has love me, taught me, and lived life with me.

So after church Inacio came walking up. He just looked up at me with big telling eyes. I had told him a few weeks ago that I would be leaving to go back home, but I don't think he realized tomorrow was it. I asked him how he was and what he was thinking. He responded with short answers. I gave him another hug. Then he looked up at me again with tears streaming down his face.
I pulled him close and reassured him as I remember my parents reassuring me so many times as a child. The part that tore at my heart was that I knew I won't be here to hug him and calm his fears from here on out. I am learning what it means to truly trust the children I love into God's hands. He knows better than me. And as much as I'd love to pack all my kiddos in my bag and bring them with me tomorrow, I know I can't. Although I have truly considered it...a few of them are VERY small!
I know this move is right. I know I made the right decision. But that doesn't make the present any easier. That doesn't put my broken heart back together again. And that doesn't give me the words to say to children I know will be reintegrated before I ever get to come back for a visit.
I am full of emotion, yet peaceful. I am dreading tomorrow, yet somehow ready. I am at a loss for words but have plenty of hugs and kisses to go around. As I put my babies to sleep one last time tonight I went into each room, gave each little one a hug, and said good night. They each in their little way reminded me of their personalities, filled my heart with love once more. It was a time to cherish. It was a time I'll never forget.
Tomorrow is goodbye, until we meet again...

Growth!

2011-06-23T16:55:00.000-04:00

We have lots of babies growing and developing at the moment. I absolutely love living everyday life with kids because they can always surprise you. One day I walk in and they can barely sit then the next it seems they are tottering over to me at the door. Lots of babies have hit milestones recently and we have certainly celebrated with them!
Igor is walking! He began his time with us at the center like this in February 2011 with only enough energy to sit and smile...

And today he is happy, healthy, and on the move!

The twins, both Amelia and Maria are walking! If you remember this is them upon arrival last June.

And this the them today...taking over the Baby House one step at a time!

Silvia is also doing amazing. She came to us last November TINY...do you remember her and her brother, Horacio?

In the last few weeks she has learned to pull herself up. She cannot stand to view life from the floor anymore...watch out world, here comes Silvia!

And lastly we have Inacio...he came to us 1.5kg (3.3 pounds)...

...and now weighs almost 3kg (6.5 pounds)!

God is at work in these lives and so many others here at the center. We could not care for, protect, and love all these babies if it wasn't for a loving heavenly father who makes it all possible!

The Colors of Moz

2011-06-23T16:17:00.000-04:00

Just take a look at the colors of Mozambique...Gorgeous!

It's getting cold outside...

2011-06-23T16:10:00.000-04:00

I know what you're thinking...it's Africa, it never gets cold. You're wrong! At the moment I'm sitting under 4 blankets snuggled in with my hot water bottle. There is a cold breeze blowing outside. Now. I will admit that 65 degrees feels quite cold to me these days. When you have experienced 125 not too many months before, 65 is COLD! And you have to remember that we don't have heating or air conditioning so whatever the temperature is outside, it's the same in my house! There are probably some of you thinking, 65 inside my house sounds like heaven about now. Well, if you bumped your thermostat down a few degrees and took my little babies from the Baby House to stay at your house...this is what you would see. I was finishing up even medications the other day and went to quickly take a little boys temperature in Room 1, the oldest of the Baby House. This is what I found...

Each one of them was under 2 blankets! They weren't just snuggled in but COMPLETELY underneath the blankets. It's probably a bit hard to see, but there are 2 kids to each bed with 2 blankets covering each little body. So funny!
As I laughed to myself and snapped a photo, little Neto popped up to see what Mana Meghann was doing! I love these kiddos!

Reintegration

2011-06-23T09:55:00.000-04:00

Reintegration is the word we use to describe when a child who has been living here at the center is moved back into the house with his or her family. This family could be a grandmother, a parent, or another relative. It all depends on the child's individual story. Some of our children are full orphans but others are with us because of social, economic, health, or other issues. Sometimes reintegration happens because the ministry was able to build a house that allows a family to care for their children again. Sometimes the child is older or their health issues have resolved. It all depends.
If you remember, in April we said goodbye to two sets of twins in one day (if you don't remember, you can read here). One set was Lena and Enoque, age 3. They went to live with their grandmother and other brothers and sisters now that they are older. Just last week we were able to go and visit them in their house. They live only a 15 minute walk from our front gate! It was amazing to see reintegration working for these two kids who I love dearly. They were happy, well dressed, clean, and healthy! Their family is loving them and caring for them. It was an amazing confirmation that even when there are sad stories, there are joyful ones as well!

Here is Lena, Enoque, and I with their aunt in the background!

They are just as precious and joyful as they were in the Baby House!

Day In and Day Out...

2011-06-23T09:44:00.000-04:00

You all know I am a nurse. My main job here at the center is to work as a nurse with the children, babies in particular. Of course I mother, play with, and care for the children in other ways as well...and often choose to share these stories with you to give you a picture of life for these kiddos. But, here is a taste of my daily life in pictures...the day in and day out life of a nurse here at Zimpeto...
There are always medications to be given, sores to be cleaned, hugs needed, temperatures to be taken, laughs to be had, lungs to be checked, inhalers to be given, babies to be fed, cries to be soothed, smiles to be cherished, ears to be cleaned, love to be shared, and souls to be touched...

Thanks Sam for all your patience and picture taking abilities! You are amazing!

Passing on the trade...

2011-06-23T08:59:00.001-04:00

Speaking of kites...you can look here if you haven't yet read about toy trends! There are some boys who make amazing kites and others struggle to get theirs off the ground. Stelio makes some amazing kites. Check out his kite!

He also has the skill it takes to keep his kite soaring...not always simple when other boys are running around trailing their own creations! There are many tangled strings...but not Stelio!

Stelio is the oldest of 3 brothers who live here at the center. Last Sunday I found the 3 boys all together, and Stelio was passing on his trade. Edson the middle brother is very energetic and can't sit still well, but they were all enjoying their kite less from their older brother!

Lets Go Fly A Kite!

2011-06-23T08:49:00.000-04:00

The kids in Mozambique go through phases just likes kids in the States. They may not be worried if Hilary Duff or Miley Cyrus is the next best thing. Their phases are just a bit different than the phases we are used to. But, each season of the year a different toy is in style. Everyone collects the needed material to make this toy.
Sometimes it's the time of year to play with tires...

Sometimes it's the time of year to play with tops...

Sometimes they collect wire and cans and make amazing toy cars!
And, sometimes it's the time of year to play with kites! At the moment, it's kites! In Portuguese a kite is called papagaio (papa-gy-oo). The children run around SCREAMING papagaio all day long! When the Baby House kids find a long piece of string, they hold it over their head, run, and say, "Look I have a kite!" So cute! The older boys spend their days after school using plastic bags to fasten kites and watch them soar. I LOVE their creativity. They are entertained by absolutely anything. What a blessing!

Making kites is hard work...

...But flying them is lots of fun!

Being a Tia!

2011-06-23T08:26:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago Tracey, the amazing missionary who runs the baby house and takes care of the transition house where kids live for a year after they leave the baby house, was tia-less for a night. As I've explained before, tias are aunts in Portuguese. This is the word we use to refer to the amazing women who work here at the center. They work 4 days on and 4 days off caring for the children. In Tracey's dorm the system is no different. But, this particular day her tia had gotten a call that her son was ill and needed to be taken to the doctor. She had to leave suddenly, leaving Tracey tia-less. I volunteered my services!
Tracey and I bathed, clothed, fed, and got her kiddos off to church that night. It was the highlight of their week. They told EVERYONE that Mana Meghann gave them a bath. So funny! Take at look at what it looks like to be a tia for a night...

Being a tia is hard work but rewarding work...look at those gorgeous smiles!

Tchau Mana Rebecca 2!

2011-06-23T08:16:00.000-04:00

It has been over a month now since I said a sad goodbye to Mana Rebecca! (I'm a bit behind on blogs...sorry about that.) Rebecca was a nurse here for a little over 6 months. She is a good friend of Mana Aleya's (another nurse who arrived about when I did and now is back home in Seattle). Rebecca know you have been missed this past month. You were a great friend and an amazing nurse and taught me more than you'll know. Thank you for working alongside me, dealing with my crazy antics, chatting, being a great roommate, and loving the kids I love! They miss you dearly and so do I! Everyone will be very excited to see you back again in September! I pray your time at home is filled with family, friends, fun, and fellowship! May God bless you abundantly and prepare your little heart for what He has for you when you return.

A LATE Sunday night

2011-06-23T08:06:00.000-04:00

Several weeks ago I was having a quiet Sunday afternoon. Two of the missionaries were over just enjoying some time together. We were listening to music, chatting, and just hanging out. Then my phone rang. When you are a nurse who lives at work, this is never a good thing.
Within minutes we were headed for the clinic to bring a little boy who had cut his leg open to the hospital for stitches. This little guy's dorm parent, Sam, decided to join me. We took off on the adventure to make it to the city, get seen at the hospital, make sure nothing was broken, get some stitches, and then navigate our way home! Somehow we worked the system upon arrival at the hospital. Usually if you just need stitches you have to be seen in the adult emergency room. Well, I didn't know this. So since everyone in the pediatric emergency room knows me these days (that's how often I've been there lately), we walked write in and were seen. The doctor wrote of us to go over to the adult side, get stitches, an x-ray, and then make our way back. At this point poor little Salamao has blood pouring down his leg and pooling in his shoe. We had done our best to dress the wound, but it was just too big and all the walking around the hospital was not helping the situation.
I decide we'll just jump in the car and drive around to the adult side. We do just that, get an x-ray quite quickly, and then find the treatment room where we are to get stitches. Too bad there was no one there. We wait a few minutes and I knock again...still no answer. We wait some more, looking a bit lost I'm sure, and finally a guy comes up and asks what we need. He finds the person we are looking for.
Only one person can go in with Salamao...by default it's me, the nurse. Sam patiently waits outside. Salamao is asked to sit up on this exam table. He is already looking at me with big puppy dog eyes not sure what will happen next. To be honest, I wasn't sure either. You can never be sure how they will decide to do things. This night was no different. They start with the lidocaine and I'm relieved for the little guy but we still have to make it through the injections before he'll be pain free. I am literally laying on top of Salamao (a quite strong 8 year old). He is crying; I want to cry; the doctor is yelling at him and me. Ridiculous I tell you! Then, Salamao jerks his leg. I look down just in time to see the tip of the needle come shooting out the side of his leg, lidocaine go flying across the room, and then...the doctor gives up. She says, if you can't hold still I'm just going to stitch you up. SERIOUSLY?!
So she starts...and with each of the 7 stitches Salamao is crying, I'm holding with all my might, and the doctor is saying, "It doesn't hurt." Absolutely ridiculous!

And for all you medical people out there, the doctor started this procedure with sterile gloves on. She then used her gloved hands to pull up her VERY dirty apron several times as it sliped off her shoulders, then she would go back to working. Thank you so much for putting on sterile gloves and then putting your dirty apron germs in pour Salamao's open leg. Makes sense right?! Absolutely brilliant!
Next came our adventure to get Salamao a tetanus shot. As if the boy wasn't traumatized enough he now had to get one of the most painful shots there is. Of course he was crying before he saw the needle. The nurse couldn't understand why I couldn't control a strong 8 year old. And,f I was observantly looking around the room wondering how the ministry of health could close our clean well stocked clinic but leave open their largest teaching hospital in such conditions. I'll never understand this country.
Anyway, after me working the system one more time, we finally walked out. We had to go see a doctor first to read the x-ray. He really wanted Salamao to come back for an orthopedic consult but I smiled and nodded and said we'd go back to the pediatric emergency room to be discharged. Did we?? Of course not! I walked little sleepy Salamao out to car and drove him home!

Lucia, a HUGE praise!

2011-06-20T05:03:00.000-04:00

I just now got the news that Lucia is out of surgery! She had her umbilical hernia removed this morning. Praise you Father for being with her, protecting her, and showing us your faithfulness once more in her little life. Thank you to all of you who joined us in prayer! Lucia will never look like this again but instead in Jesus's name will grow up an adorable little girlie!

Please continue to pray for little Lucia over this recovery time, that she will have no reactions to anesthesia, that she will have no secondary infections from surgery, that this will mean less vomiting and appetite problems for her, and that the surgery will hold. We have had other kids to go through this surgery only to have the hernia return a few months or years later.

I for one am believing God for this little princess...join me!

Happy Father's Day!

2011-06-19T17:31:00.000-04:00

Happy Father's Day to all you dads out there!

Dad, thank you for being you and always looking out for your little girl. Thank you for calling me "Puddin'". Thank you for working hard to raise your family. Thank you for teaching me to put my all into the things I love. And, thank you for loving me the way only you could!

In light of Father's Day I'd love to share with you about the three men pictured below and a few others who work for us here at the center.

From left to right, pictured above is Joao, Joshua, and Arlindo. The three of them make up one team of educators. In the Baby House, Bercario (nursery), Laura's dorm (the youngest boys dorm), and the girls' area, we have tias. This is what we call the amazing women who work 4 days on and 4 days off to care for our children. You can read more about them here. Educators are the male form of tias. They also work 4 days and and 4 days off, sleep and eat with, and look after all the older boys who live on the center.

I will admit that I haven't worked very hard to get to know the educators in my almost 2 years here. They are hard to crack. I haven't had the time or really the need to break through and get to know them. But the longer I'm here, the more I have learned to appreciate them and therefore get to know them. They are all funny, constantly have a joke to share, and seem to have an opinion about almost everything. They love to just sit and chat about anything and everything.

But most importantly, I have learned to respect them. Just like our tias, the educators also have their own families. Every 4 days they leave them to come spend 4 days looking after 30ish boys. They do have the help of a missionary or 2 depending on which dorm they are in charge of. Also, each room of boys has a chefe, or older youth, who helps look after the boys. But the educators are the main contact. Somehow they are expected to keep track of and care for 30ish boys all day and night. It's a big job, and they do it with joy.

They are the imagine of dads here on the center. They show tough love on a daily basis. They pick boys up when they have fallen and hurt themselves, brush off their skinned knees, and put them back to playing. They jump in the middle of soccer or basketball games and play along. They sort out clothing and make sure everyone eats their dinner. They stop this one from hitting this one, while they comfort another who is crying because he didn't do well on his math test. When you are raising close to 200 boys, a dad is important. And although our "dads" are not constantly with their children, they do the best they can. They are loving and raising up these boys to know God, to know how to care for themselves, and to know who loves them.

I personally am thankful for them, their constant work, and their heart!
May God bless them abundantly!

A Cuddle Bug!

2011-06-19T16:55:00.000-04:00

Victoria is an adorable cuddle bug!

Yep...I know, you want her! I'm in love and she loves me too! Yay! I do wish I could see her hair go from this...to healthy but I'm just going to have to trust that will happen with her good nutrition and proper care! Such a sweet little girl!

A Beginning and An End

2011-06-17T18:34:00.001-04:00

An End- Today our team said a very sad, tragic, unexpected, sudden goodbye to an 11 year old little girl who has lived here at the base since she was a baby. She lost her life to bacterial meningitis tonight. She has gone to live with her heavenly father for eternity. She was a funny girl. One who loved attention, loved to chat, and could be quite moody and dramatic at times, as most girls can. She certainly was a known face and personality around the center.

As I stroked her dead yet still warm body tonight, I couldn't help but feel sad for this 11 year old. The health system here in Mozambique failed her. From starting with a headache on June 7th, she has gone to 6 consults with doctors, and only the last time was she finally admitted to the hospital, diagnosed with meningitis and started on needed medication. This morning I held her in my arms, reassured her, and prayed with her, all as she held her head in extreme pain. She spoke my name; could tell me how she was feeling. This afternoon she started vomiting and having seizures. By the time we could get back to the hospital tonight, the tia who had been with her was alone in the hallway unable to control her emotions enough to tell us what happened. We asked and were allowed to pray over Helena's body. We then all sat in shock with one of our favorite tias who had just experienced something most of us will never see. We held her; we prayed with her.
I'm asking that you join me in prayer. Please pray for the family Helena does have. Please pray for all the other girls that live here at the center, that they would process her death how they need to and not be fearful. Please pray that there would be no more cases of meningitis on the center. Please pray for the tias who work in the girls' area. Please pray for Anna, Heather, Fiona, and Emily, all missionaries who have worked with Helena in the girls' area but are not currently in Mozambique. Please pray for Rachel, the current missionary in the girls' area. And please pray for all the nurses, me included, and the rest of our missionary staff who have cared for Helena over her many years here on the center. I am choosing to bed God to lift me up, heal my broken heart, and show me how to love as He does.

A Beginning- Between yesterday and today we have admitted 3 new little guys into the center...along with 3 older children (siblings of the little guys).
I will add pictures when I have them!
Meet Victoria, a 14 month old, adorable little girl.
She is malnourished (only weighing 13 pounds...and a month ago she only weighed 10 pounds before a pastor's wife began helping the family) and definitely behind developmentally, only able to sit on her own. She was being cared for by her 8 year old brother. We have gladly welcomed her into the Bercario (nursery). And, she might be the cuddliest baby I have ever met!

Meet Joao, Victoria's 3 year old brother. He was also being cared for by their 6 year old brother. Joao has joined us in the Baby House. He is already smiling, and I pray he settles quickly.

Meet Atalia who joined our crew today. She is a 3 year old little girl. She is small for her age but very cute and talkative.

For all of these little lives the last few days has been a beginning, not an end in the least. They have found a home, one filled with people who love them and will care for them. A joyful beginning indeed!

So where does that leave me? Well, I can't help but compare the last 2 days to my next 10 days. I have 10 more days here in Mozambique. I have 10 more days before this part of my life comes to an abrupt end. I have 10 more days until the next season of my life begins. When I originally came to Mozambique, I felt as if I was jumping off a cliff and wasn't sure where I'd land...I have to say this leap feels about the same. The States should be familiar territory, I did spend the first 22 years of my life there. But some how with the last 2 years of experiences on my mind, the States don't seem so familiar. In fact they feel quite foreign.
A beginning and an end.
6 lives changed forever by love, care, and needs fulfilled.
An 11 year old girl loosing her life in extreme pain.
A beginning and an end.
Taking a leap of faith to return to the States and continue to follow the call.
Saying goodbye to a place I've learned to love and people I now call family.
A beginning and an end.

MILK!

2011-06-14T08:51:00.000-04:00

Nestle, the manufacturing company, gave our children a generous donation about a month ago. They loaded us up with lots of Lactogen 1 (formula for 0-6 month olds), NIDO (a powdered milk that is great for those over 1 year), and Cerelac baby cereal (used as a transition food for babies)! It was a HUGE blessing. Much of the Lactogen 1 will be going to our formula milk program. All of our baby house kids are now drinking NIDO every day instead of whole milk, providing them with needed vitamins and minerals, as well as saving the ministry LOTS of money. Their milk costs about $500 a month but will cost us nothing for the next many months! And the babies in the bercario (nursery) are loving Cerelac instead of the bland papinha (baby cereal) they were receiving before. Plus Cerelac has great nutrients for them as well!

All of that to say THANK YOU Nestle for blessing our children!

The question now is, where do we store it all???

(This is the back of one of our medical cares FULL of just a small portion of the Lactogen 1...such a generous donation!)

The Safest Zoo in the World!

2011-06-14T08:42:00.000-04:00

We have come to refer to the zoo here in Mozambique as "the safest zoo in the world". Bahahahahaha! It is the most unsafe place I have EVER been to. I firmly believe that going on safari and even walking in the bush with wild animals (which I did when my mom came to visit) is MUCH safer than this crazy zoo. That being said, last week we took some of my favorite kiddos for a visit to "the safest zoo in the world".
Sam, one of the other missionaries and a good friend of mine, started sibling bonding times every Wednesday afternoon. This time we took 2 families, Shelton and Hilda and Antonino and Olga. They are both adorable pairs! Below are Valentino (a fantastic older youth who lives on the center and one of Antonio's best friends), Antonio, Shelton, Hilda, and Olga!

Our first stop upon arrival at the zoo was the hipo. He has a walled in area but the wall is so short that he can put his head over it. Literally you can pet him...I am not exaggerating in the slightest. If you were brave enough you could stick your head into his mouth while he holds it open for you to see his TERRIBLE teeth. It is out of control! I found it all hilarious while the kids stood back sure the hipo was going to attack them. Even Valentino looked a bit nervous.

After the hipo came a visit to the fattest crocodile I've ever seen. It is disgusting and yet again you can pet it. The "safest zoo in the world"...yeah right!

After the crocodile we took a look at the one snake. It is pretty big and the kids were petrified of it. Next came the monkeys and baboons. The baboons will do tricks for treats. If you throw them peanuts they will do back flips. It's quite funny to watch everyone telling them to do back flips...of course they only do them if they want to but its fun to try! So we watched them for awhile. Then we decided to blaze our on trails and go see the baboons that were over in a cage on their own. I'm not so convinced this was a great plan. I found some cookies in my purse and we started breaking them up and feeding the baboon who was nicely doing back flips for us. All was fine until I decided to walk away and this guy...

...stuck his arm out of the fence, grabbed my purse, and tried to pull me in! Seriously my purse now has teeth marks on it and I have a bruise on my arm! "Safest zoo in the world"...RIGHT?!

After that little traumatizing adventure we walked back to see the hipo again. This time the kids actually got closer and looked in to watch him eat!

I told you that wall was REALLY short and that hipo gets VERY close! No wonder they were nervous!

Altogether the afternoon was great! Everyone had fun, I almost gotten eaten by a baboon, but we all left with smiles on our faces!

Oh...and I wouldn't want to forget to mention that "the safest zoo in the world" also boasts "the safest slide in the world"...if you think children climbing up 85 steps and sliding down again with a rickety railing that only comes halfway down is safe that is!?

Some days I can't help but love Mozambique!

We're Going to Bilene!

2011-06-14T08:13:00.000-04:00

The Wakely's are a missionary family that work and live here at the center. They have two small girls who I dearly love. I spend my Thursday mornings having craft time with their older daughter, Gracie! We make all sorts of things, play lots of games, and always end up laughing about what Honor, their younger daughter, decides to do or say!
The Wakely's have been an amazing blessing to me during the last year. They have accepted me into their family and shared their lives with me. Each week I am refreshed by being able to speak English with their children. It makes a HUGE difference. I LOVE our Mozambican babies but some days am just too exhausted to work at speaking Portuguese and ensuring they understand me. But every Thursday morning I know I can walk into the Wakely's house to cuddles, adorable blond-headed girls, and lots of craft fun!
A few weeks ago the Wakely's decided to blessed me with a day trip to Bilene to say thank you for helping with their girlies. Bilene is a lagoon that is about 2 hours from the center. It has gorgeous white sand beaches, blue waters, and is a favorite vacation spot for many South Africans who are looking for a rest! I have heard about it many times in my almost 2 years here in Moz, but I have never found the free time to go and see it for myself. It was a day filled with laughter, long chats, adorable children, sunshine, and peace! Take a look!

It was a GORGEOUS day!

With a GORGEOUS family!

Here is Honor...the funniest little girl I know!

And Gracie...so intelligent and ALWAYS in the know!

These two girls have blessed me, refreshed me, and stolen my heart!

Thank you Wakely's for your love, support, and acceptance! I will be praying for you and can't wait to see what God has in store for your family! I am going to miss you more than you know!

19 Days...

2011-06-08T18:14:00.001-04:00

In the midst of all of the happenings of the last month, I have also found the time to share my leaving date with all the Mozambicans I work with. I did my best to sit down face to face with them and explain why I’m leaving. I didn’t want there to be any confusion. It is not because the clinic is closed; it is not because I don’t love the people and children here; it is because I feel God calling me on to what is next. In most cases, I did this explaining through tears and wishing my Portuguese skills were a bit better. However, I have been touched by many precious conversations filled with blessings and thanksgivings for my work and my time spent here. I have also been able to share my heart and thank each one for their hard work and dedication to these children, who would otherwise have no one to care for them.

That being said, I only have one more month with my Mozambican family. Literally only 19 days. I am not ready. I have tons of packing to do. I have lots of work left to complete. I have many hugs that need to be given, babies that need to be squeezed, smiles that need to be cherished, play times, and meal times. Their faces will be carved in my heart forever…I may never see them again or know what comes of their lives, but I will love them forever.

Please join me in prayer that God will prepare my heart to say goodbye. I pray He shows me how to entrust each one into his loving arms. And, please trust with me that in His time I will know what is next on this journey we like to call life.

Children's Day!

2011-06-01T16:15:00.001-04:00

The Cutest Family EVER!

2011-05-30T17:02:00.000-04:00

My fellow missionary and good friend, Sam has started a program for the families here on the center. She is taking them on outings so they can actually hang out with their siblings. A lot of the boys in her dorm have younger siblings...sisters and/or brothers who live in other dorms on the center...and so each week she takes one of the adorable families out for an afternoon. A few weeks ago I finally found the time to join her. We took out maybe one of the cutest, best behaved, and smartest families on the center! Here they are! On the left is Lito, the oldest. Next is Jose the youngest...he lived in the Baby House when I arrived. Next is Mimi and then Serena.

As you can see it was a fun afternoon filled with ice cream!

There was also a lot of fun on the playground! And Lito even took Jose by the hand upon our return to the center and walked him back to his dorm. So cute!

One Month.

2011-05-29T16:48:00.000-04:00

One month from today I will be enjoying the beach of North Carolina with longtime family friends. One month from today I will have said my goodbyes to Mozambique, at least for now, and be starting a new adventure of life in the States. One month from today I cannot even begin to dream of what my thoughts and emotions will be like. One month from today it will be time for my faith to kick in again and remind me that God has a plan for me and taking this step to move back to the States is a part of that plan. But before this month is over, I have many more hugs to experience, many more laughs to soak in, and many more lives to touch.
About a month ago I made the decision to come back to the States the end of June. I struggled for months to make the choice. There was a part of me that wanted to return to Mozambique for a short time with the heart of raising up our local nurses to really take the charge. But, I finally came to the conclusion (or God finally got through my thick head) that my rationalization would never bring me the peace I was seeking to make a decision. My brain wanted to say to fill a need. It wanted to stay to be with the babies I love. It wanted to stay to see the Mozambicans raised up to take on leadership. But, once I took a step back and was honest with myself, I knew my heart was moving on. I am at peace with this decision. I am certainly nervous about going home, but I am excited to see what's next and what He has for me in the near and distant future.
Since the moment I felt peace to return to the States, God has nudged and slowly opened my hear to the idea of saying goodbye to all those I love here in Moz. I know it is going to be difficult. And I know it is going to hurt. But the truth is God has amazing things in store for me...as He does each of his precious children. I have NO idea what they are, but I'm excited to continue on the journey. I have cried many times since telling my directors that June 27th will be the end of my time here. Each thing I do has become precious. I may not get a special hug from Mimi again just because she saw me this afternoon. I may not get to sit in church next to Inacio and watch the light bulb go off as he understands what is being preached on. I may not get to count to nine with Adilson again to watch him scream TEN in extreme excitement. I may not be greeted on the playground by 10 knee level hugs as one of our Baby House rooms takes a walk across the playground. I may not get to hold sick Manuel at 2am, soothe his spirit, and help his breathing with a nebulizer treatment. I may not get to cheer little Amelia and Maria on as they take their first steps. It's the daily things, everyday life, that I will miss and I vow to cherish over the next month.
A month ago I wrote the e-mail to my directors to tell them my time in coming to a close. Before that I sat with my best friend here on base to tell her that we will have to learn to be long distance friends soon. Tonight I sat with a team of our Baby House tias to tell them I'm leaving in a month. Friday I had a long talk with one of the youth I've grown close to explaining why I am moving on. Last week, I sat with our medical team and explained to them that one more nurse is leaving them while their clinic is closed and their whole life is changing. These conversations will continue over the next month. There is no blanket e-mail I can write to tell everyone I know that I'll be leaving in a month. There is no simple way to explain to people that they may never see me again. It is hard, and it hurts.
Some days I want to just leave and skip the goodbye stage. Some days I want to sit all day with a gorgeous baby in my arms and never let them go. Some days I do my best to stay on task and get my work done, so I don't have to think about the dwindling number of days. Some days frustrations make me happy my days are numbered. Some days I struggle to decide whether to spend my time with my missionary friends or my precious babies...both of whom I will miss greatly. And, some days I hear the clock ticketing in my brain counting down the time I have left with those I love here in Mozambique.
Please be praying for me...that God would be closer than ever and direct my every step over the next month. I still have more work than I can imagine staring me in the face and all I want to do most days is sit in the sand and play with the babies I love! I believe there is a balance between the two and in God's presence will I find it.
One month...30 days...720 hours...43200 minutes.
It will fly by, yet I vow to cherish the precious moments with God's help.

Bug Wars!

2011-05-22T11:56:00.001-04:00

This same Saturday we spent at the market...we came home to find this lovely bug on our front porch...

It was HUGE...a hand-sized praying mantis is pretty dang large!

Anyway, at the market I had bought a gift for someone back home (I won't share who because it's a surprise). This gift was a metal praying mantis...handmade and pretty amazing if you ask me. Anyway, of course it became a game. We ended up with several youth and a few kids on our porch having "bug wars".
It was great entertainment for a Saturday afternoon...take a look!

For a few minutes we weren't sure who would win the "bug wars"...

...but after a fierce battle...

The live praying mantis won fare and square!

New Shoes!

2011-05-22T11:43:00.000-04:00

So, a few weeks ago we spent a fun Saturday at one of the craft markets in the city. I can go with the plan of not buying anything but EVERY single time I fall in love with one item or 20 and end up coming home with some fantastic Moz made masterpiece!
This post is just to give you a sneak peak of the amazing NEW SHOES I got and will be sporting upon my return to the USofA!

I've never had shoes that tied on my ankles...but I am in love with these! Beach week here I come...

My Day...

2011-05-21T01:59:00.001-04:00

Hospital days are ALWAYS unpredictable. Whenever a child has a consult at the hospital if I'm honest, I do everything in my power to send someone else. I firmly dislike sitting for hours with a fidgety child in my lap never knowing if we'll get any information out of the consult that may or may not happen in the next 6 hours. I'm a "doer", I LOVE to check things off a to do list. And sitting for hours not knowing what the outcome will be is my idea of torture.
Point being, yesterday was a hospital day. Our little peanut Inacio had a follow up appointment at the hospital. We went last Friday as well...so I have already spent one day waiting to be told, "He should still be in the hospital nursery. If he had been born here (the central hospital in the city...he wasn't he was born at another hospital), he would be with us until he weighed 2.5kg." Right, thanks for that. He's not. He was discharged and now I'm doing my best to care for him. Anyway, after I told her all we were doing for him here at the center, she was very satisfied and said we were doing great and she'd see him again in a week...that was yesterday.
I was happy and thankful to report that he has gained 300grams in one week! That is a little more than half a pound for all you wondering. This means our little peanut now weighs about 4 pounds (the size of me when I was born)! Praise God! I was also doing my best to think of all of our waiting time as bonding time between me and the little guy!
Well, let me set the scene for you. At these amazing hospital consults, every patient to be seen that day has the same appointment time. There is no 9am, 9:15, 9:30...nope. There is 7am or 7:30am depending on their whim...but everyone for the day has the same time. Yesterday that time was 7:30. So I picked up the little stinker and we were in the car on our way by 6:30. I was sipping coffee, eating cheerios, and avoiding MASSIVE pot holes the whole way to the hospital. We arrived late because of crazy traffic (because parts of the roads washed away in our latest rain storm) but at least we made it safe and sound. I scooped up my little bundle of joy and we headed inside.
From this point on we were on constant display. Every move I made was watched and scrutinized by all the other mothers. I don't blame them...they have to be thinking why does that white girl have a Mozambican baby, is it her's, why does she live here?? The same thing always happens if you have to wait long enough. Someone eventually gets the guts to ask all the questions everyone else is thinking. I answered all to their satisfaction...but in the mean time my happy sleeping little babe was getting fussy.
Fussy is probably an understatement...he was SCREAMING. Now his little 4 pound lungs can't make a ton of noise, but they can make more than you would think! I would just get him all settled down again and then he would crinkle up his little face and start screaming again. Poor little guy. I fed him (even though I knew he shouldn't be hungry). I checked his nappy. I even washed off my finger and let him suck it for 30 minutes or so. Then, I discover the real issue is he has a fever. He was burning up by this point. I pull my handy thermometer out of my purse...HIGH temp for a little guy like him.
At this point the doctor finally walks in...it's already around 11:30...I've already made it 3 1/2 hours with a fitting baby. So they call us into order to sit in order to see the doctor. The nurse at these consults usually takes pity of me now because she knows me. So I was first in line. I walked him, explained the morning, and told her his temperature. Within minutes he had taken tylenol and we were on our way to the pediatric emergency room for tests.
I was impressed. Not excited for the little guy, or excited to now have to navigate and wait in the emergency room...but impressed they had reacted quickly and done exactly what we would do in the States. Praise God, my little guy was the star of the emergency room! They LOVED him. He was weighed, bloods drawn, and results in the doctor's hand in less than 30 minutes. This is a major miracle...sometimes this part takes HOURS! The doctor and I had a long discussion, and she went back and forth between admitting him and letting him return to the center. Eventually after looking at his blood work and overall health she decided to send him back with me.
We'll see how he goes over the weekend. I'm bringing in some urine this morning for testing as well...possibly a urine infection caused his fever yesterday. But, he has been fever free since yesterday! Keep our little peanut in your prayers and our medical team as well...we did welcome back Sheri (another nurse who has been away for 2 months visiting family and friends) last night!!!! It feels like our family is back together again...for a short while at least!

...Guess I'll Go Eat Worms...

2011-05-16T08:48:00.000-04:00

"Nobody likes me...Everybody hates me...Guess I'll go eat worms...Long, thin, slimy ones...Short, fat, juicy ones...Guess I'll go eat worms!"
Does that bring back any memories? I can remember my brother singing that song in boy scouts...now the girl scouts on the other hand would never be caught dead singing about worms...friends and flowers maybe!
Anyway...the point of this post is to tell you about de-worming, not eating worms. The babes under my care (and in theory our whole center) are de-wormed every 3 months. This is because our water source is not completely clean and they are constantly playing in the sand and then licking their fingers. Because this is Mozambique, of course the medication they receive only comes in 100mg pills when they actually need to each take 500mg. So it is a big production to get 50 kids under the age of 5 to take 5 pills each. I say that, but it is not at all like what you are imagining! In America it would take holding kids down, forcing them to open their mouths, and candy and stickers to cheer them up afterward. Here it takes more effort to keep them from eating each others than it takes to get them to put the pills in their mouths.
This time I decided to lie up all the kids by room, bring them inside, and make them sit down. Then started the game. I explained that they each needed to take 5 and only 5 pills. They could not share and they had to finish one before they could have another. I placed one pill on each child's tongue. They raced to see who could eat theirs first. Then I made them raise their hands to show me they were done. After all their hands were up in the air, then they had to open their mouths and show me there were no more pills to be seen. Then it was on to pill number 2. We continued on like this through 5 pills for each child...after child 50 I was exhausted. But at least they will have no long, thin, slimy worms running through them!
Here's a few pictures of the cute little stinkers!

Kangaroo Care!

2011-05-15T18:35:00.000-04:00

Kangaroo Care...that's right! I know, I know...I'm taking care of human babies. But, in the midst of our clinic closing, me moving house again, and another of our Western nurses heading home for several months...I'm trying my hardest to make this work! Kangaroos carry their young in a pouch, close to their body. This keeps them warm, gives them time to develop, and provides them with the emotional attachment to their mother's that they need. It has been proven over and over again that human babies need the same thing, especially those that leave their mother's body prematurely and are born at a low birth weight.
Little Inacio was premature and is very under weight, vulnerable, and having trouble regulating his body temperature and respiration rate. All of these things make him the perfect candidate to try out what is called Kangaroo Mother Care or Skin-to-Skin care. Check it out here if you want to learn more! I've done it with him twice and am in the process of teaching our tias (the Mozambican women who care for our children and live in their dorms with them) how and why this type of care works and encouraging them to try it out themselves! Inacio loves it and even after an hour has a better temperature and more regulated respiration rate. It is amazing really!

All you do is place the little guy in only a diaper inside your clothing onto your skin. You tie him on, tight enough that your breathing stimulates him to breath. And being skin-to-skin allows the baby to regulate his body temperature off of yours. This also enhances emotional attachment. Usually breast feeding would be used as well. Obviously this is not possible for us, but we do have a special premature baby formula that he is receiving.
Look at cute little Inacio! Join me in prayer that our tias will continue to fall in love with this little guy and want to do everything in their power to help him grow and develop...tomorrow one of them has volunteered to try out Kangaroo Care for the first time!

(Aleya this post is all for you, my friend!)

An Adorable Peanut!

2011-05-15T18:10:00.000-04:00

Meet Inacio! He is the newest member of the Bercario (Nursery). He showed up on Wednesday just as the health department was closing the doors of our clinic. He is a perfect example of the lives we take under our wings, show God's love to, and watch flourish! He is exactly 1 month old and only weighs 1.53kg (3.3 pounds). He is absolutely adorable as you can see! He was abandoned in the hospital after he got sick and was put into an incubator. And since his premature birth, he has not gained much weight at all. He came to us without a name, so we have joyfully named him Inacio, in honor of our new children's director here on base (the picture below is Director Inacio with his name sake). The tias in the bercario are now calling him director. It's quite funny to hear them call a baby that can fit in the palm of my little hand director...makes me laugh every time.
That being said, this little guy is having a bit of trouble regulating his body temperature. This is a relatively normal problem for premature babies of his size. Other than that he is VERY healthy. If we keep him all wrapped up or he's close enough to another person to use their body heat to keep warm, he's just fine. He's a great eater, and I have complete faith that he will grow very quickly! He is still very vulnerable to infection and other issues, so we are keeping a very close eye on him.
Join us in prayer that this little guy can put on weight quickly, begin to regulate his own body temperature, remain clear of infections, and soon be happily adopted into a Mozambican family! For now take a look at how tiny and adorable he is!
Milk time! He is getting 35mls every 3 hours...our tias are absolutely amazing and so patient with him!

I told you he is a good eater! Adorable little guy!

He is just so lovable! All wrapped up and cute as a button!

To give you a little perspective this is my hand...and as I tell everyone, I have little hands. Just imagine your hand over his little body!

Skinny but strong!

Join me in FAITH that this little guy will grow up big and strong!

We're Getting Bigger and Stronger!

2011-05-15T17:28:00.000-04:00

When you work with babies there is always constant change and development. One day they are learning to smile and the next they are running across the room to you. I'll share just a few examples from the last few months...

Here at the center, with so many children living together, we have constantly struggled to help our children develop properly. Usually they are at least a month or so behind "normal" development. But we have two gorgeous baby girls who are right on schedule. They are healthy, happy, and now sitting and crawling all around!

This is Silvia...at 6 months old...sitting up like a pro!

This is Cacilda...she has the same birth date as Silvia...and only a month later at 7 months they are both "crawling" all over the Bercario (or Nursery)! They will go fetch any toy you want as long as they are in the mood!

Jeremias, another baby who lives in the Bercario, is quite the lazy little one. But, he has finally at 8 months old learned to sit up on his own. Now whether he chooses to use his new talent is a completely minute by minute decision on his part!

Next comes the twins, Amelia and Maria. Do you remember when they looked like this June of last year?

Now they are over a year old and making visits to the Baby House daily. They will soon be moving residence and become permanent members of our Baby House! Cute little stinkers...they are also taking their first steps on their own! So fun!

Igor has already made the transition from the Bercario (nursery) to the Baby House. It took him a few days to cope but now he is absolutely loving the constant attention from older children! He is the youngest member of the Baby House and the only one who can't walk at the moment. It's quite funny to see all the other kids try to help him do EVERYTHING!

My parents always said they tried to sit on my head but I still got taller...where did the time go? I'm thinking the same thing with all these little guys. They are growing up before my eyes, but they are SO cute along the way!

Tchau Twins

2011-05-15T16:59:00.000-04:00

Last month, we said a hopeful yet hard goodbye to two sets of twins who have lived with us since they were small. All in one day Lena and Enoque, 2 year old twins, and Lucy and Vasco, 5 year old twins, both moved back to live with their families. Lena and Enoque have a grandmother who is already caring for several of their siblings and her own children. We took them in as infants because she was not capable of caring for them along with the other children. But now that they are older and healthy, we faithfully placed them back into her care. As for Lucy and Vasco, they have a father who loves them very much. He has always wanted to care for them but as a single father could not work and care for small twins on his own. Now that they are school-aged he will be caring for them again. It is sad to see members of our Zimpeto family go, but it is also with a joyful heart that we let them go. No matter what care we can provide for them here on our center, they will ALWAYS be better off at home in a family setting. They will learn the responsibilities of a family, their culture, and how to cope in the harsh reality of Mozambique. These are things, try as we might, we cannot teach them here at the center. Here are a few pictures of the gorgeous twins we said goodbye to.

Adorable Lena and Enoque! I absolutely love them and will miss their smiling faces and infectious laughter!

Lucy and Vasco...always full of energy and ready for fun! They will be missed by all!

Here's all 4 of them getting ready to leave. Lucy and Vasco were very excited to be going to live with Papa. Lena and Enoque were a bit confused about what was happening I think...but I trust they have adjusted and are loving life with their brothers and sisters!

An Interesting Saturday Morning...

2011-05-15T15:49:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago I actually got to sleep in a Saturday morning...that is a miracle between work, 300 children, and the reality of living on a children's center. It was 10:45 when I sleepily made breakfast...GLORIOUS! Next thing I know I'm sitting on my bed sipping on coffee and eating some cereal and my roommate comes in and says...brace yourself..."Do you know how to kill a chicken?" (in Portuguese that is). I respond with, "I do how, but I've never done it before." I was referring to almost a year ago when I went on outreach into the community and the pastor we were with killed a chicken for our lunch. I had watched carefully but wasn't sure I was brave enough to actually do the deed. At this point I abandon my peaceful breakfast. I start asking questions.
Who has a chicken? My roommate's boyfriend who lives here on the center. Why do they need us to kill it? Apparently that's a girl's job here in Moz. Where is it? It will be at our house in a few minutes.
Want to hear my reaction at this point? I run to my room. Throw on some clothes. And grab my camera. This will need to be recorded! Honestly, I think I have lived in Africa too long!
Then, I walk out on our back porch and find a CHICKEN!

And in perfect chicken fashion it proceeded to poo on our porch before it could be made into dinner...silly chicken! It literally was scared ----less, if you know what I mean?? Hahahaha...I know, I'm hilarious!
(WARNING- This is where you should stop reading if you are going to be VERY upset or disgusted by hearing about how a chicken goes from pooing on my porch to dinner...just stop now!)
Anyway, a very brave boy (pictured here) who lives here on the center actually did the deed with that there knife. I'm not convinced he had done it before because instead of securing the chicken as he went at it with a knife, he let it go. We got a FULL demonstration of the saying "running around like a chicken with it's head cut off". A very accurate saying if I do say so myself.
What came next you're asking yourself?? Well, pictures of the dead chicken of course.

Here's an example...a very dead chicken!

And after that came plucking the chicken. If you ever need to pluck a bird, it's much easier after you have poured boiling water on it. This is Clara, my roommate. I did help her I promise! I literally reeked of chicken for days...SERIOUSLY!

And here is the end result...basically a chicken that could have been sold in the store but wasn't because instead it showed up alive on my porch on an interesting Saturday morning!

Nurses' Day

2011-05-15T14:58:00.000-04:00

Thursday was Nurses' Day here in Mozambique. Wednesday the Health Department (or Ministry of Health as it is called here) came to close our clinic.
Here is what I had to say about the events about an hour after they occurred...
I only have 2 minutes...but am begging each of you to keep our medical team and entire base in your prayers today and the coming weeks. Today the health department came and shut our clinic. They did not care what changes we had made after the last inspection or what things looked like today. They came in with nail, chains, and hammer...locked, nailed, and closed our doors. We managed to save a few medicines and other supplies but nothing significant. I will write more tonight when I have my head together and can tell you about what this means for us.
For now I sorting out a new baby boy who is a month old and only weighs 1.5kg (3.3 pounds). Pray for him. Pray for Luis, a little boy who had a seizure this morning in the midst of them shutting our clinic. Ironic...I think sad. Keep us in your prayers and I'll keep you updated.
Late Wednesday night, I had this to say...
It is now after midnight. I cannot believe this day is finally almost over. First, let me say this...I am very sorry if my last e-mail made any of you fearful. Our clinic being closed has nothing to do with the fact that we as western nurses help there unlicensed. We believe the main issue is our vast array of medications in our pharmacy that most of Mozambique's main hospitals can't afford to stock. So we are not in danger. I'll say that again. I am in no danger.
Second, thank you for each of your prayers, those who wrote back, and those who are consistently supportive of my ministry/constant battle here in Moz.
Third, we have spent our afternoon attempting to sort out what comes next for our over 250 children here on base. We were allowed to take minimal supplies out of the clinic before they literally nailed, chained, and locked the door closed (I'll post pictures). We have been granted permission to attend to our children (Praise the Lord!). But, we are no longer allowed to have doctors consult our sick children here on base. We must take all of our sick children to a local clinic to be seen by doctors there. This is a near impossibility with the number of children and constant medical issues we have. That being said...we all met together as a team today. We chose to move all of the supplies we do have to a central location that hopefully will work for now. Our clinic staff will continue to come to work, and we'll do our best to continue to provide care to our children and workers who are here on base.
That being said, there was no written paperwork presented to us today regarding the closing of our clinic. Our Mozambican center director was asked to appear at the health department tomorrow. We are praying he will receive a list of what things need to change in our clinic and information on how we are to function until we can attempt to re-open our clinic. Last month our clinic was inspected, and we were only given a verbal list of complaints. We have done our best to be proactive in changing everything they asked about. We sent in a written plan of action and have followed through on this plan. But today, they did not care to see the changes/improvements we have made. They just came to shut our doors. They did not seem to care that we are not a normal clinic where people come to be treated, leave with their medication, and don't come back until they have another illness. They didn't care we have children currently on antibiotics who will miss days of treatment if we are not allowed to get the medication out of our pharmacy. They were closing us and that was that. We managed to save HIV medication and seizure medications...things the children cannot miss doses of. But that is about it.
How are we all feeling? Shocked yet not shocked at all. This is Mozambique. Things don't make sense to our western-trained minds. You cannot rationalize or understand why a clinic that provides FREE medical care to over 250 orphans, over 100 workers, and 100's of community members would be shut down because it contains too many medications. But yet, this is our reality. I cried today with one of our workers who lives right behind our center. Her life was saved by our clinic in 2005, and she will be forever grateful. She could not understand why her government would close a place that weekly blesses so many. Please, join us in believing that God is bigger than the health department of Mozambique. Join us in prayer for the health of our base during this vulnerable time. Join us in declaring that our God will reign in this place with or without a clinic building!
As for me, I am sad and exhausted. I cannot really put into words the impact this has on my day to day life. I can't yet imagine what things will look like or how we will function. I'm frustrated that after 10 years of solid service, a few small issues can mean our clinic is closed until further notice. And, honestly I continually thought all day...and I have to tell this clinic staff who just had their work place nailed, chained, and locked shut in front of their eyes that I'm leaving in 7 weeks. How is that acceptable at all? I know God will make a way, but I want to cry at the moment even thinking about it.
Thank you for your prayers, love, support, and encouragement! I am certainly going to need it over the next weeks.
It has now been a few days. We have a new "treatment room" set up where our children can come when they have fevers, cuts and scrapes, or just a belly ache. They have quickly figured out where to go to get the love and medical attention they need. We are still working on sorting out our Mozambican medical staff because they new "treatment room" is MUCH smaller than our locked clinic. Our directors have met with the health department and our lawyers. Basically, its a wait and see game now. In the mean time our heart is to continue to take care of our children and workers the best we can. And where this whole fiasco will lead only God knows.
Please join us in prayer that the result of such a sad happening will be that we as a team are able to place our eyes back on Jesus as our sole provider and director. And join us in prayer for the overall health of all under our care during this time of transition!

My Little Helpers!

2011-05-02T08:54:00.000-04:00

I'm not sure I can do these little guys justice, but I'll do my best.
Here's the background you'll need to know to understand. The Baby House is divided into 4 rooms by age. Over the time I've been here the age range has gotten much smaller than it used to be...there used to be a range from newborn to 4 (almost 5) years old. So basically each year the kids moved from one room to the next...in theory growing in maturity as they moved. Now the age range is from 18 months to 4 years. It makes a HUGE difference...and there are more children than ever before as well.
All that being said...this post is about two little boys in particular who live in room 1, the oldest room. They recently have decided to be my little helpers. When they feel like it, that is.

Meet Adilson!

And meet Lorenco!

So every morning and night that I'm working these little guys ask what they can do to help. They want to carry all the medications out to be given, carry the used syringes back to our little clinic room to be washed, and their favorite job is to call the little kids I need. I usually have at least a few children who need special attention, be that creams applied, drops put in their ears, their lungs listened to, or their inhalers given. So these two little stinkers appear at my door and ask who they should go call for me. Some days I agree and allow them the EXTREME joy of helping. It always ends in lots of play time and LOTS of laughter...

They really do their best to get the little kids to listen, but it doesn't always work out too well. I mean you have to remember they are 4 year old boys. And, they are attempting to get their 3 1/2 year old house mates to do what they say...some days it causes much more hassle than it was worth. But other days they all joyfully come running into my little clinic room together...absolutely precious!

Just if I could train them to leave the kiddos who are crying or don't want to come with them instead of trying to drag them along and MAKE them do what they want! Just imagine the possibilities if you had these little helpers around your house! I can ship them over if you want!!!

The Chair...

2011-04-27T10:21:00.000-04:00

So we have always had this little red chair that sits in our Baby House clinic room. It was the perfect size for all little tikes who needed to take a seat while they waited for their favorite nurse (or needed to be held down by their least favorite nurse). Anyway, it cracked. Sadly it was on its last leg. So, Tracey (the amazing missionary who runs the Baby House) bought us a new one. It was yellow and working out great. But it was determined unfit for the larger kids. I'll say I agreed...it was a flimsy for the 6 year olds who sometimes ended up in it.
Turns out a few weeks ago we ended up with another new chair to try out. Take a look...

Adorable right?! Who wouldn't want to come and have a seat on Micky and Minnie? It was metal...more durable and a bit larger. Perfect for those 6 year olds causing us an issue! So we all thought until our first little patient came to take a seat. I can't recall who it was...but they came in and took a seat and much to everyone's surprise the chair squeaked! Not just a I'm a new chair squeaking because you sat on me squeak...oh no. This was a squeaker toy, REALLY loud, obnoxious, long, drawn out squeak. I just started laughing. I mean the Baby House is ALWAYS loud. If no one is crying, it's a miracle. If only one child is yelling your name at a time, it's been a good day. So I had to laugh at the idea of a chair that SQUEAKED adding to the overall noise of our lives. What else could you do but laugh??
Well, this little patient was attended to and went to leave. And much to our surprise as he got up to go toddling off to play there was another LOUD SQUEAK! Yep, it's squeaks when you sit down and when you get up...RIDICULOUS I tell you! We all decided we'd give it a shot and it brought joy to many little faces as they realized they could make it work by sitting down and standing up as fast as possible before Mana Meghann was ready to see them. Hilarious really! Even more funny were the little guys who were scared to death of it. They would happily walk with you to the clinic room but as soon as the saw the squeak producing chair they would stop in their tracks and refuse to come any closer. They are TOO funny. So I let many take a seat on the floor and didn't traumatize them with the squeaks!
Well it didn't take long before the older Baby House boys (all about 4 years old) began to say that's the chair that farts. Can we make it fart? What can you do? Just laugh and tell them sure, sit down and it will make noise. They LOVED it! Everyone (minus those who were still scared) was "very sick" for a few days because they wanted to try out the chair. So funny!
Sadly...or maybe not so sadly...the bouncing up and down on the seat to make it "fart" was a bit to hard on the squeaker. It makes a fast little squeak now sometimes but nothing like it used to be. I have to admit I'm relieved. It was funny but it also was a bit rough hour twelve of your day to hear SQEAKKKKKKKKKKK each time a child sat down or stood up to leave.
So there you have...the story of our little red chair and the many laughs it caused!

Tchau :(

2011-04-27T10:02:00.000-04:00

I have had to say goodbye to some pretty amazing missionaries the last few weeks. First came Heather or Mana Eva as the kids call her. She is one of my close friends here on the center and maybe the most positive person I have ever met. She has been here over 2 years overseeing the girl's dorm of 67 girlies. Can you imagine?? Living and working with 67 girls ALL the time. She is miraculous and did it all sharing the love of Jesus. Heather know you are missed and that often I walk over to the girl's dorm and am sad not to find your smiling face among them! I do pray God makes this transition back to England for a season simple and directs your every step. Know you are loved by your family here in Moz!

Last week we also said a sad goodbye to Clifton, Pauline, and Rebecca...or the Lee family! Pauline was a nurse here several years ago and came back with her husband and fantastic daughter for 10 weeks. It was SO amazing to have them among us. They brought fresh eyes, new ideas, and just a wisdom we were lacking as a team. I know God started amazing things through them and in them while they were here. Know I am praying for each of you. I pray God reveals His dreams for your family and holds you each close as you find your footing in the States again. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all you did while you were here and for all the love you shared. We are going to miss you!

Tons of Updates!

2011-04-27T09:47:00.001-04:00

I've been promising updates...so here it goes...

#1- There have been MANY medical staff changes. To list a few:

-Iara and Marcia left. They are two amazing Brazilian women who have been working in our clinic for close to 10 years. Iara was the head nurse, and Marcia dealt with all the finances and buying. They are truly missed!

-Pauline joined our team for 10 weeks! Pauline is a nurse from New Zealand, who now lives in Texas with her husband and gorgeous daughter. Their family joined our long term team for some time. Pauline worked here several years ago and was instrumental in getting our clinic off the ground in the beginning. She was a HUGE encouragement to our whole team, especially me. She opened my eyes once again to the need around me and re-sparked my flame!

-Sheri took on the overseeing position in the clinic from Iara, but only a few weeks later left for a few months to be with family and friends back home. So we have all pitched in to cover this large position while continuing on in our normal roles as well.

#2- In all of this change, my official job is overseeing all the medical needs of our 55 youngest kids, including the Bercario (nursery), Baby House, and Tracey’s dorm (the transition dorm from the Baby House to the older dorms). But, on top of this I am the one with the most current experience living on the base at the moment, so the other two nurses come to me often with questions, concerns, and issues. So in reality I have my hand in all areas of medical. This has meant long trying days filled with answering questions, feeling inadequate, and constantly looking to God for the wisdom and direction to get through the day.

#3- We also have coped with Mozambican staff changes as well. Aurora (our Mozambican nurse who works in the Baby House) has been away on holidays since the beginning of April. I for one cannot wait to welcome her back the beginning of May! And due to scheduling, legal, and ability issues for the moment we are again without an afternoon nurse in the Baby House. We worked on training up the two nurses for a few weeks, but it has not worked out. There is still hope that one of them may be able to cover an afternoon or two a week for us, but that is still undecided.

#4- In the midst of all of those changes, the babies have made it through some rough sicknesses. After the crazy sickness of late February passed and I got better along with all the babies, we were hit hard in the Bercario (nursery). Several babies got a respiratory virus that caused them major issues breathing. I ended up with one little 6 month old on oxygen at 4am praying she would be healed so I would not have to bring her to the hospital. They each slowly improved but only after days of me and the other nurses making trips up to the Bercario all day and night every 3 hours to check on them and give them breathing treatments. It was certainly a trying week or so. Other than that, there have been the normal ear infections, continued issues with pink eye (me included), and a chest infection here and there. Plus now the temperature outside is beginning to change. It is much cooler at night and some days are cooler as well. This always brings about a bout of runny noses, colds, and coughs. But no one has been hit too hard yet.

#5- And to update you on Shelton, the little boy I e-mailed and wrote about, who was brought to the hospital the beginning of March. He is basically back to normal! Praise God! His swelling has gone down (his abdomen and face were swollen before) and he has been generally healthy for the past month. I pray God’s healing in him comes to completion! He is a sweet little boy who loves the Lord! And because he is doing so much better, he got to spend a night with his grandmother this week during school holidays! She doesn’t have the means to take care of him full time but was delighted to have him for a night! Again I say, praise God!

#6- Our clinic was inspected by the ministry of health. This was a HUGE deal and has brought about lots of protocol changes in the clinic. We are still working to get in line with all the things they told us about. Please join us in prayer for God's hand of protection over our clinic, that it may continue to be a blessing to all who enter!

I think that's all the work updates I can come up with for now. I have tons of other stories and things to tell you all but will do that through other posts!

Impact...

2011-04-20T17:43:00.000-04:00

The last few weeks I have consistently been thinking about my impact here in Mozambique. Have I faithfully served in the capacity God asked me to? What impact have I left thus far? What is my role and I am living it out? How do those around me perceive my actions? Am I loving with my whole heart? Am I sharing the love of Jesus?
These are the BIG questions I've been asking myself during this super busy season when I spend most days running from place to place on base, frustrated by all the tiny details, annoyed when things don't go my way, writing lists and checking off the important things each day, all to make it home in time for my head to hit the pillow just to do it all over again tomorrow.
The last 4 weeks, we have been going out into the community every Tuesday on medical outreach. I will share some experiences/pictures from these days in another post. But before I do, I want to share with you what one of our center youth said to me yesterday. We arrived at our location, a small children's center (home to about 20 children) run by one of our Iris Ministries pastors. We all piled out of the car where I'll be honest I was a little car sick and immediately were met by many children most of them up to my waist or a bit higher. But, I gravitated to the ones who were closer to knee or thigh height. In less than a minute I had hugged several and had one on my hip. As I toted him across the sand over to where everyone was standing, one of the boys from our center who is 19 and was with us to help with translation looked at me and said, "You love little kids don't you?" I looked up and said, "Yes." I was thinking to myself...of course I do, why else would I have uprooted my life and moved to Africa to live at a children's center. He looked at me and said, "At the center whenever I look across the playground and see a missionary holding a child or carrying a baby somewhere, I always think, oh that's Mana Meghann. You always have a child or baby with you."
On the surface not a very profound statement. But, I don't know this youth personally. He is one of my gardeners but this is my 7th gardener in my time here...in my 4th house. I've given up trying to get to know them. I've given up attempting to get to know the youth because they are rarely sick. They ALL know my name and sadly I still couldn't pick most of them out of a line up. Not true, I know their faces. I know who lives here and who doesn't, I just can't keep all of their names straight...and it's a bit too late to start asking and learning because as I said, they already know me.
So a boy I have barely had a conversation with previously was able to label me as the missionary who is always holding a child. I was blown away. Some days I feel like I have run all day and missed the point...loving the child in front of me. But I was reminded that somewhere in the midst of my stress and my to do lists...God is shining through. His love and passion in me is being seen! Within minutes after this simple conversation, this photo was taken of me...

I'm humbled. God gives us each a passion...mine is adorable, annoying, lovable, sweet, tender, temper tantrum throwing, snotty nosed, messy, innocent knee nippers, tots, kiddos, peanuts, youngsters, rug rats, and tykes. I LOVE them. Of course there are some who grind my nerves, but overall they bring me to life. They are my passion and it is encouraging to know that one youth here at the center can see that through my actions. It didn't take one conversation; it didn't take an explanation. It took God's love for the least of these spilling out of me. He is so amazing!

A Trip to Swazi!

2011-04-20T16:58:00.000-04:00

This past weekend I snuck away...Praise the Lord Jesus! Two other missionaries and I took a little trip to Swaziland. I'll admit now that I have been wanting to go to Swaziland for over a year. A year ago I found out about a place called Swazi Candles and ever since have wanted to go. Everyone who goes to Swazi says it is GORGEOUS, PEACEFUL, SAFE, FRIENDLY...basically everything you could ever want in a vacation! So finally I got the opportunity to check it out for myself. I have gotten a tease of Swazi before through border runs (those crazy times I have go out of Mozambique just to come back in again to fulfill my visa requirements)...but this time I got the real experience.
We left Saturday morning and arrived at an adorable farm a few hours later. That was after we were welcomed into Swaziland at the border...

And after checking in and discovering the cooler weather that I so love, I found out this was the few from our front door! Breathtaking!

The next two days we spent rainy days relaxing under the best blankets in the world! Between the rain showers we did go on some adventures around the farm property. We strolled with the puppies, played in the corn fields, met an adorable baby cow, and just enjoyed the outdoors! Take a look!

We also enjoyed and picked some gorgeous flowers!

And I have to say one of my favorite parts was the fact that we got to watch them milk their cows and then come back to our little chalet to drink the milk! AMAZING...made for the best tea and coffee I think I've ever had!

Then our last day I got to go to Swazi Candles...take a look at the amazingness!

I know, I know...you want to go...you are thinking about coming to visit me just to take a walk in there and watch this adorable man make you an animal-shaped candle right before your eyes! Come on...you're welcome any time!

I was SO blessed over these 3 days. There was actually silence during daylight hours. There were green trees to walk under. There were great chats between friends. There was a cool breeze that blew while rain fell all around us. It was gorgeous and peaceful just as everyone had described to me. It was exactly what I needed to jump back into the chaos that is my life here in Mozambique at the center. Of course there is chaos with 250 children running around all the time. All of that to say I was blessed, and I am thankful for the time away to clear my head and get back on track!

And, I think I would go to Swaziland every weekend if I had the chance...

Before and After!

2011-04-14T17:18:00.000-04:00

(I promise to update you on the last weeks very soon...but for now I just took these pictures today and you have to see them!)

So I introduced you a new member of the Baby House...Manuel 1...in May 2010. He was VERY underweight and small for his age. Here are a few of the pictures of him with Dionisio who is 6 weeks younger than him.

There was a staggering difference between them...especially in height! Manuel 1 was basically skin and boys under those clothes, unable to stand on his own or walk. But, from day one he was full of joy...smiled easily and attached well to those around him! I loved him from day one...I mean who wouldn't??

Today...almost a year later Manuel 1 is a walking talking miracle! Today I had a little photo shoot with him and Dionisio again to show you the extent of his transformation. Just take a look! They are both happy, healthy, and HUGE!

These 2 little boys make me smile often. They are full of funny things to say and LOVE to be the center of attention! They are full of smiles and joy as well. Dionisio had a huge fight for life when he was young...so to see the two of them, friends, full of love, and healthy is an abosolute miracle! Praise God for these gorgeous little boys!

Jumping!

2011-04-13T05:50:00.000-04:00

This is a continuation on my thoughts and feelings behind last night's post.
I was given an amazing book by some very good friends (I LOVE you Holli and Christopher...and miss you so much) for Christmas. It is called Sun Stand Still, written by Stephen Furtick (who I have heard speak several times...and many of you NewSpringers will know of). And, yes just now I have found the time and energy to open it and start reading, and I'm loving every page. If you know me, you know I'm not a reader. Ok, I'm getting better...but still I'm not a sit down devour a book in a day kind of person. But this is a book I'd suggest to anyone who is looking to figure out where God wants them and why certain people see God do the impossible in their lives while others sit complacent waiting on Him to show up. This is the quote and concept that has me thinking today:
"Remember this: God doesn't just show you which wave he wants you to jump next. He also positions his strong arm underneath to sustain you every step of the way. He knows every fear you're facing. He knows all the uncertainties you're navigating--only they're not uncertainties to him. Your perhaps isn't a perhaps from his perspective. To him, it's more like an opportunity for faith formation. And it's not just your faith he's building. If you'll go out deeper, he will use you to set people free all around you.
Be honest about your perhaps--with God and with others. Acknowledge, assess, and deal appropriately with your fears. Approach your impossibilities with confident humility. Pray that God will give you assurance of his presence and clarity in every decision you make. Through faith in his promises, keep yourself tightly connected to him. Be assured that he's got you in his grip.
And when the wave of fear or doubt crashes in...JUMP."

Just like I said last night...I want to be someone that lives by faith (or audacious faith as Stephen calls). I want to jump! I don't want to let fears, doubts, uncertainties, darkness, and perhaps this will never happen moments stop me from seeing my God do the impossible in my life and those around me.
#1- "Your perhaps isn't a perhaps from his perspective." Truth! I pray God gives me eyes to see from his perspective so I am able to change my doubts and my thoughts of perhaps that will never work/perhaps that will never happen into trust that my God can do absolutely anything!
#2- "And it's not just your faith he's building. If you'll go out deeper, he will use you to set people free all around you." Exciting! I have seen this, and I pray I see it more and more. I want others to know that me being here, doing what I'm doing is not to lift my name high but instead for me to become less so He can become greater!
#3-"Approach your impossibilities with confident humility." I have more impossibilities (or things that feel impossible) than I can begin to explain at the moment. So what is confident humility...for me it is admitting that in my own strength I can do nothing and instead choosing to stand confident in the Lord and his strength!
#4- "Pray that God will give you assurance of his presence and clarity in every decision you make." At the moment I am the person people are running to to help with medical decision making...many days I am reminded I am a 24 year old girl with less than 2 years of nursing experience in a culture I'll never understand fully being asked to speak my second language (which is constantly a struggle). I have been humbled these last few weeks. I have looked at many and said...I just don't know. I have always been a confident person, able to answer questions diplomatically, able to exercise wisdom when making decisions...but I'm in over my head. The good thing is...God isn't.
#5- "JUMP" I want to know what this means. I remember when I was deciding to come to Moz originally it felt like I was jumping off a cliff and wasn't positive God would catch me. I knew that I knew I was suppose to come (ok I was as confident as a person can be). But there were still constant doubts and fears about moving to a new place, disappointing everyone around me, being extremely inadequate to do the job I was being asked to do...but when I look back I know I was in God's grip. He placed me here...on the opposite side of the world...to do just what I'm doing for now.

So that's that...today I'm choosing to JUMP. Now maybe in a few hours when I've been knocked down a few times by the world around me, been found without the answers again, gotten frustrated by one thing or another, been overwhelmed by my insecurities or uncertainties I'll feel differently...but for now I'm JUMPING!

20 Days...

2011-04-12T14:56:00.000-04:00

The power just went out...this happens here often...usually it only stays off a few seconds or minutes before our generator kicks on and provides us with lights again. But no matter where you are in the center...if it's night and the power goes out you can hear the children's screams. Not just one or 2 babies...all of the kids (about 300 voices)...together in unison until the lights come back on. I cannot explain why after years of living here and knowing that when the power goes out it will come back on they still scream. Is it a fear of the dark? Is it a habit they have adopted from those around them? Is it the thought that this time the lights may not come back on? I cannot explain it.
I can however compare their screams in a way to my feelings the last 20 days. It has been 20 days since I wrote. It has been 20 days since I had the time to reflect on the world around me and put words on paper (or my computer screen) to make sense of it all. It has been 20 days of getting to my house each night with the intention of sharing something of my day with all of you at home and flopping on my bed too tired to answer important e-mails (including you mom and dad) not to mention write a blog post. 20 days of VERY long days, and some long nights as well. It has been 20 days of screaming...not literally of course...but in my head and heart I have been screaming at the top of my lungs.
Why, you're asking? Because I have forgotten what it's like to have the lights on in a sense. I have forgotten that even when things seem impossible as if we are walking in the blackness of night with no light to lead us, no visible way out...there is a light! I have been under a whole lot of stress...some of it self-induced...some of it just because of my surroundings...some of it expectations of others on me...some of it because many of our babies have been sick. For these 20 days...and probably even a bit before that I have felt like the center kids standing in the dark when the power goes out...not sure when or if the lights will come back on. I haven't seen a way out; I haven't seen a light to lead me (most days at least). I have kept going...I have kept working...I have made it through. That is not the point. The point is in the midst of these hard days (this stressful season) I feel like I've lost the plot. Maybe I'm being hard on myself. Maybe it would happen to anyone who is being pulled in 85 directions like I am...but I want to remember that the lights will come back on. There will come a day when things are less stressful, when I feel capable of handling life again.
But, more importantly, even now when I feel like the lights are off, that is a lie...the truth is God is always in the darkness to lead us. His light is there to guide us on His path! Now my job is to stand faithful remembering He is leading me. He got me here, and He will guide me through.
I'd love your prayers...in the flesh I don't see the stressful nature of this season passing soon...but I am doing my best to trust that God has a plan. He knew before I was born I'd end up here in Mozambique, understaffed, with sick babies, running into possible issues with the license of our clinic (I will explain later), trying my hardest to train a new Mozambican nurse to help in the Baby House, feeling powerless and exhausted...and when He called me here I was not promised an easy road...I was promised His presence and strength. So now, in that I will stand strong believing that He is guiding my ever step and teaching me more of His faithfulness through this season of struggle.

Two for the Price of One!

2011-03-23T17:01:00.000-04:00

So today I met with Fernanda, the Mozambican nurse we were considering hiring to help us in the Baby House. She showed up here with her sister, who is also a nurse with pediatric experience! They both were very keen to work for us and help in any capacity we needed. So it has been decided that we will hire them for a trial period of 3 months. They will be covering afternoons in the Baby House...Fernanda working when she can between days at the hospital...and Ana (her sister) working the other afternoons Monday-Friday!
We certainly have our work cut out for us as a medical team. We now have 2 women to train. I don't think for one minute it won't be complicated. I don't think for one minute that we won't run into at least a few issues. But I'm encouraged. I'm excited about what this means for the future. I'm excited to have another two lives we are able to pour in to. These two woman happily talked with our babies today, they very politely introduced themselves to our tias (the women who care for the children), they left telling me how excited they were to learn from us and figure out what this new job entails.
I'm still nervous...I'm still a bit timid to take this on...but I'm encouraged!
Please pray for me, the other Western nurses that will be sharing in training them up, and these two nurses...Ana and Fernanda...that God's wisdom would shine through and that these two women will fit into out team with ease!

A Relaxing Run...NOT!

2011-03-23T16:51:00.000-04:00

#1- I actually left the Baby House at a decent hour last night. We do have a few kids who are sick...but nothing like the last few weeks! Praise Jesus for His healing and for happy playful babies again!

So, I got home and even had a discussion about how it felt like it was really late because I had gotten home so much earlier than the last few weeks. Anyway, Rebecca (another nurse and one of my roommates) and I decided to go running. There was a bit of thunder we could hear in the distance and after we actually got motivated, let our food settle, and were dressed and ready to go it had started to drizzle. We laughed and decided we'd still give it a shot. Well as we got down to the field the heavens broke open and it started POURING! The lightning was getting closer, the thunder getting louder, but we started running anyway. I made it 5 laps and saw another person walking toward me with Rebecca. I realized it was Maria (a young lady who works in our reception office). She lives back behind the center and does come running sometimes...so I thought oh awesome...she's here to go running with us. As I got closer I realized she looked quite frazzled and upset about something. When I got to her she started telling me about a sick woman (the aunt of a girl who lives on the center) who had come by Maria's house on her way up to the main road. They had sent Maria ahead to try and find help while two other women helped this woman continue her walk through the community. So we walked toward the gate...soaking wet...but ready to help in any way we could. I told Maria we couldn't leave the center to go find this woman but when she arrived we would see what we could do.
Turns out she was already right outside the gate. Our guards let her in so we could figure out what was going on and see what we could do. After getting the whole story we decide it was best for her to go to the hospital. She already had a file open at a certain hospital so it was agreed (while the thunder is booming and the lightning striking all around us) that we would do our best to get her there as quickly as possible. So I start the frantic calling of drivers to see who could bring her into the city. Driver #1 had just left to bring some other young ladies home who finished worship practice and couldn't make it home in the storm on their own. Driver #2 was unreachable because our cellphone service went down...not unusual in a simple rain storm not to mention the major thunderstorm we had last night. During all of this the power is going on and off, the thunder continues to boom, and this woman is now laying on a bench right inside our gate in extreme pain. Finally, I decide I'll just go get the keys to our only automatic car (I seriously need to learn how to drive a manual...it's getting ridiculous) and take her in myself. There is discussions at this point of who will hold the on call phone I'm in charge of (because I really shouldn't be leaving the base since I'm on call for everyone here)...Rebecca will take that. Then we discuss that I shouldn't really be going out on my own in this storm without anyone to return with me. That is solved when Maria agrees to go with me...she speaks quite a bit of English, knows the roads well, and we already know each other quite well.
So at this point I leave Rebecca with the ladies at the gate...make a run for it through the rain...after taking Rebecca's keys to open our house...grab my purse...and head to the clinic to get the car keys. In the mean time I call our interim directors really quickly to make sure they know where I'm going and why. Now that it is around 9:00pm I thought they should probably know what was going on and who I'll be with. I answer all their questions and then make a run for it for the clinic...again through the POURING down rain.
In the clinic one of our Mozambican nurses is working on call...so I have to explain everything to her. She just stands there in shock that I'm going to drive this woman in this storm. I tell her when we get back I'll bring the keys back because they will need them early in the morning to bring kids to their medical consults. She says ok and once again I take off running through the rain. At this point I am SOAKED...and it doesn't hit me at this moment but later on I realize...why didn't I at least grab a capalana (the fabric they use for almost everything from carrying their babies around to a skirt)...instead I'm wearing leggings and a t-shirt that are now wet to the point of being able to ring them out. I would NEVER wear leggings except when running here...and this hits me about 30 minutes later when I'm sitting in the car outside the hospital.
Anyway, in all this time of me running around through the rain, calling everyone under the sun, collecting the car keys, maneuvering the car out of its blocked in position, dealing with the fogged up windshield, and finally getting back up the gate...Rebecca is experiencing the craziness of Moz down at the gate. The sick woman is laying on the bench, thunder is booming all around, lightning appears to be striking in every direction, and this woman is bleeding...and they are using a plate to catch rain water to wash her blood off the side walk. It is in situations like this that I wonder how anyone survives here...a stark reality.

Well, finally I arrive at the gate and collect all my passengers. Somewhere these women have found a big piece of plastic to lay over the seat to keep the car clean...ingenious! Maria jumps in the passenger's seat and we are finally off. At one point we encounter a large truck that is blocking the entire road...but make it past. Then when we have made it to the city and are trying to turn into the hospital there are two COWS in the road. That is right...COWS! And one poor guy that is trying to herd them out of the oncoming traffic. Even Maria was laughing at this point!
Next we get to the hospital...all the ladies (Maria and the 2 others who have come to "help" the sick one) jump out of the car to try and figure out what we need to do. At this point I am left in the car and it hits me...I have on LEGGINGS...seriously?!
***Side note...here in Moz I don't let my knees show needless to say wear skin tight leggings with a t-shirt around. And the clothes (leggings and a t-shirt) I do have on are still SOAKED so they are plastered to my body...completely inappropriate...hence me refusing to leave the car.***
Which was all fine and dandy until about 10 minutes later when I find myself in the car alone waiting for Maria to come back out so we can head back. I thought...ok...I'll give her 20 minutes and then I'll try and call her phone. About 15 minutes into the wait I realize her phone is sitting on the dash...I said a little prayer that I wouldn't be sitting there all night and that I wouldn't have to go into the hospital in my leggings. And...Maria came out within the next few minutes, reported that this woman had been admitted and would be spending the night, and we were on our merry way. The rain had stopped and we made it back to the center in record time. I did have to drive back behind the center into the community (on dirt roads) to drop Maria off. All was fine on the way in...then Maria assured me I could take another road (think sandy path) back out to the main road where our center is because of the rain storm it would be just fine. Well, I did make it...but I wouldn't say it was just fine. The tires were spinning, the sand pulling me every directions except straight...but Maria was right...I made it!
So I pull into the center, thank the guards profusely for all their help, and put the car back where it belongs. It is at this point that I realize I never gave Rebecca her keys back...SERIOUSLY!? I've been gone about 2 hours and she has been locked out of our house in this storm. Sad. So I quickly return the keys to the clinic and get back to our house. I walk in to find Clara, our other roommate, home but no Rebecca. 2 seconds later she walks through the door to my..."Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry, I had no idea I had taken your keys!" She had spent the time with some other missionaries because I had so nicely locked her out of our house...oops!

So why have I shared this long, crazy story with you? Because this is Mozambique...this is my life. Planning to go for a relaxing run and 20 minutes later finding yourself driving a sick woman to the hospital because it is the middle of a thunderstorm and no public transportation is running and no cellphone service is working. Some days I wonder why I am seldom surprised by much anymore, but I firmly believe it's because I have grown accustom to the sheer unpredictable nature of this place.

And the Adventures Continue...So Keep the Prayers Coming!

2011-03-20T16:46:00.000-04:00

So I'm not the best blogger these days. Sorry about that. Just keep in mind that when I say I will keep you updated and you don't hear from me it's because I'm SUPER busy not because I don't want to keep you updated...just keep the prayers coming. I've sat down to write this update several times and gotten no where...my last attempt was Friday night so I'll start there...

I cannot believe it is Friday night...where has the week gone? Oh right...I have worked, worked, and done some more work. As the title says...the adventures of sickness have continued. I'm getting frustrated at this point because it seems no matter what we do at least a few little ones are staying sick. (Keep reading...things have improved!) Here's a little update:
#1- I am WELL! Praise Jesus I'm not stuck in my house with a fever anymore. It took until about Monday afternoon for me to be feeling myself again but at least now I'm back in the mix of nurses helping out with all the craziness.
#2- Shelton is home from the hospital! He came home Monday afternoon. I guess this is a good thing. He is still not himself and none of his symptoms seem to have improved. We are still changing dosing on some of his medication and are hopeful this is the clue to getting our adorable Shelton back. For the moment, I'd love your continued prayers for wisdom for us as well as for healing for Shelton.
#3- The Bercario's (nursery's) diarrhea seems to have subsided. I can't remember if I even wrote about this...but the entire bercario has been battling diarrhea for weeks...seriously over a month. A week or so ago I got fed up and decided to treat everyone at the same time...babies, ladies who work there, the cleaners...the whole lot. A few babes have continued to have issues on and off but on a whole they are finally better!
#4- The Baby House...as of tonight almost everyone is WELL!!!!! Praise God!!!! Two little girls went with Tracey (the amazing missionary who runs the Baby House) to the city for blood work yesterday. At least we know without a doubt they don't have malaria. One of them is looking better each day and the other made it through the last 24 hours without a fever...so that's an improvement. I'll take it! We are still battling a few things...and I'd love your prayers for little Lucia who is just miserable and in pain...but finally it seems the cycle of very high fevers and constant sickness has been broken! Praise God!

As I've said, we are relatively short-staffed at the moment...and in 4 weeks will lose another nurse (the one who is visiting for 2 months). I would really appreciate your prayers...for wellness across the center, for wisdom, for guidance, for unity, for the presence of the Lord to overwhelm us all in this time, for discouragement to leave and encouragement to replace it, for a sense of God's sovereign hand over everything we are doing!

And last but certainly not least...we are seriously considering hiring another Mozambican nurse to work some afternoons in the Baby House. Her name is Fernanda and at the moment she works at Hospital Central on a pediatric respiratory floor. This is an exciting concept and something that could change the work load for everyone in the long run. There are so many little tasks that we as Western nurses who are here 24 hours a day end up doing that could just as easily be done by a trained Mozambican nurse. And this means one of us would not need to be in the Baby House giving out medications every night because Fernanda could do that as well. As exciting as this is in the long-run, I have shed many a tears over it as well. Because with our current shortage in medical staff, I'm the only one here who really has the ability to take on training up a new nurse in the Baby House. This concept has brought my stress level to almost unbearable...but I have prayed, I have asked for wisdom, I have asked for strategies...and I'm coping...barely, but I'm coping. All of that to say Fernanda will be coming to the center tomorrow to sit down with me and her Hospital Central schedule. I really do pray that God makes it abundantly clear how He wants her to fit into our schedule, and I am able to articulate that to her. Please pray for me, Fernanda, Aurora (our current Mozambican nurse who is an absolute dream to work with...but who will be on holidays for the month of April), and all our medical staff as we adjust and cope with yet another change!

Thanks for always praying! Prayers are what keep me going many days!

Sickness Update...

2011-03-13T05:18:00.000-04:00

I'll start with me...tomorrow will be a week since I started feeling awful. I'm SO done with being sick. I don't do sick well. I don't rest and do nothing well. But I will say that at least today I have eaten my first real food without wanting to cry my throat hurt so bad. It was a bowl of cheerios...but still at least that's better than the yogurt, jello, and mashed potatoes I was eating up until now. I haven't had a fever yet today...so that's an improvement as well. I'm really hoping this is the downward slope and tomorrow I'll be back to normal! Keep the prayers coming!!!

Next the Baby House...they are still sick...quite sick! Tons of them have high fevers...quite possibly we have just discovered they all have strep throat like me. Please keep praying for them. Most of them are still running around and playing...a few are sad little puppies resting all day and refusing to eat. Just please keep them, the tias and missionaries caring for them, and our nursing staff (especially Rebecca who is working this weekend) in your prayers. My hope is that with some new antibiotics started we'll be able to get this under control!

Now for Shelton...he is still in the hospital. He has a few new symptoms that are making us all a bit worried. But, our hope is that the change in his medication we have made will help with all of this. They are still treating him with antibiotics and hopefully this will solve the lung issues. Please keep him in your prayers! Also please pray for the tias who are staying with him...in a hard metal chair...exhausted...unable to rest...doing their best to console Shelton 24 hours a day. It is a physically, emotionally, and spiritually exhausting job! Don't forget the hospital medical staff and all of us here at the center (attempting to pull at straws to figure out what is really going on with our little peanut) in your prayers as well!

Basically...PRAY...for all of us please...and trust with me that very soon everyone will be better...our heavenly Healer will touch each of us!

A Day of HUGE Bugs!

2011-03-13T04:35:00.000-04:00

A week or so ago I had a day full of HUGE bugs. I mean I do live in Africa!

Encounter #1: I walked out of another house on base and found this guy in the sand...

Now you might be thinking...ok it's just a flying beetlie thing...but look how big it was!

Encounter #2: I made it back to my house and found another huge red and black beetle on my front door. Two in one go...that's not too out of the ordinary. Next came...

Encounter #3: I walked through my house to open up the back door. We need cross ventilation ALWAYS because its HOT these days. And, I found this mouth hanging out on our back door!

Again...it was HUGE!

Encounter #4: This encounter came later at night. Rebecca (one of the amazing girls I live with) and I came back to the house to find a HUGE grasshopper flying around our front door. As we attempted to unlock the door it flew at each of us at least once. I'm sure there were at least a few girlish shrieks heard...to be expected! But, we made it inside!

So that's my day of Huge Bugs...gotta love Africa!

A Sick Nurse...

2011-03-10T07:39:00.001-05:00

That's me this week...a sick nurse. Who wants a nurse that is feverish, snotty, complaining of a soar throat, and needing to run to the toilet every few minutes?? Not me! But there are some weeks you just can't help it.
It all started Monday afternoon. We made it back from South Africa, and I wasn't feeling great in the car. I thought it was just a touch of motion sickness or tiredness from our crazy hours of sleep during safari. But in the middle of our weekly missionary business meeting while I was doing my best to listen and get back in work mode I realized it was not motion sickness but that my brain felt like it might pound out of my head, and I would have rather rip my throat out than keep it in. I went to bed about 6:30 and slept for 3 hours. I woke up not much better. I took Advil and Tylenol and within 30 minutes and after getting nursing report I was back in bed for the night.
10 hours later I woke up feeling refreshed but sick. I made it through the day ok...I was working in the Baby House where depending on the hour 13-15 kids had fevers during the day. Seriously out of control. I was convinced I had what they have and basically I was just going to have to let it run it's course. So I finished up, shoved some more Tylenol and Advil down my very tender throat and went off to dinner with Jonny and Becky (an amazing British couple who live and work here...for the moment they are running our base in place of our directors because they are away in Australia). They have been trying to bless Rebecca (a fellow nurse and now roommate) and I with a birthday dinner and only now a month later have we all found the time. Anyway, it was a great evening...great company, great conversation, great Pad Thai! Then it was back to bed!
I slept about another 11 hours and woke up not doing much better. I walked up to the Baby House to check in and make sure all the information needed had been passed on to the nurse working...an hour later I made it back to my house dragging with antibiotics in hand. My prayer is that they will kick in soon. They are not helping my stomach that is also not happy...but getting my throat healed is much more of a priority!
All that to say...add me to your prayer list with Shelton! I hate being sick. I love to nurse others back to health not to have to lay in bed hoping I'll be better tomorrow so I can get on with my life. I don't like staying away from the babies I love, but I don't want them to catch what I have either!

And while you are praying for my wellness I'll fill you in on all the changes that are happening around here in the next week...(many of you already received this in your e-mail...but if not read away and please start praying for us)!!!
Here is a little recap of the last month and what's to come...I took over the medical overseeing position in the Baby House. This means I have a lot more administration work to do and the kids' total care falls to me. I am now making decisions about nutrition, medications, overseeing our Mozambican nurse as well as the other Western nurses that work under me. I LOVE the babies and this is the job I came here wanting to do, but that doesn't mean it isn't exciting, stressful, and a bit frightening all at once. We lost Iara last week, a Brazilian nurse who has been running our main clinic for almost 10 years. She feels led to move further north and begin a new project there. This has left a HUGE hole in our medical team. Sheri, the nurse who previously was running the Baby House, has taken on her role in the clinic. But, unfortunately Sheri will be leaving next week for 2 months at home. This leaves 4 nurses who live on base, me and 2 others who have been here about 5 months each and another who has amazing experience who will be with us for 2 months (YAY for Pauline!!!). Many decisions have already begun to fall into my hands and of course you would go to the one with experience who is accessible, but that adds just a bit to my stress level. All of that to say...I'd especially love your prayers over the next two months as we struggle through life understaffed. My prayer is that we can look back in two months time and see God's amazing faithfulness and His hand on everything we were a part of. I know He is enough in our weakness and that is what I am standing on for now.
Thank you for always joining me in prayer and for your long-distance support and encouragement! You make it possible for me to continue. Know I love each of you and miss you terribly!

A Much Needed Safari!

2011-03-10T07:19:00.000-05:00

I spent the weekend in Kruger...one of the national parks in South Africa that is FULL of wild animals. You have seen pictures from there before the other times I have gone on Safari. We had an amazing weekend but were not blessed with too many major sitings (no cats that is...not a lion or a leopard or cheetahs). Here's the very cool things we did see though...

A whole herd of buffalo crossed the road right in front of our car...I think they look like old women with their horns like that. Makes me laugh every time!

We saw a few packs of baboons...tons of tiny babies on their backs! So cute!

This is a very angry male elephant that was sure we were going to steal his females. It was a bit scary but made for some amazing photos!

These are two giraffes that basically walked along side my car for 5 minutes as we traveled down the road together...so amazing!

This is one of the many zebras we spotted...gorgeous!

Here is just a glimpse of the amazing scenery we enjoyed the whole weekend!

And we even stayed in a safari tent one night...think army tent...it was awesome! This is Heather (another missionary) and I settling in for the night!

And I'll leave you with one last photo...I think this is my favorite from the weekend. These giraffes were a bit too far away for clear photography with my point and shoot...and there were tons of reeds blowing in the way...so I went for artistic...so African and I love it!

So now you are thinking...I want to go visit and see all those African animals! You are welcome any time! My promise is this...if you get yourself here I will bring you on safari! You'll get to play with some adorable children on the side, and I'll do my best to show you some breathtaking animals that in the States we can only see at the zoo!

Sweet Baby Shelton!

2011-03-10T06:32:00.000-05:00

Ok, ok...I know a 6 year old is not a baby, but Shelton is so tiny and in my mind is a frail little one. He was admitted to the hospital on Friday. This was only after Sheri (another nurse) argued with the Emergency Room doctor who wanted to send him home saying his underlying conditions were causing his current issues. Finally, the doctor gave in and admitted him to a respiratory floor. They believe he has a type of lung infection. It is quite difficult to treat, but at the moment they have him on two types of IV antibiotics and seem to be monitoring him quite closely. The swelling in his abdomen has gone down some, which is encouraging. Our prayer now is that the doctors don't put all their eggs in one basket so to speak...I pray they don't stop looking for other issues just because they are trying to treat a lung infection.
Please keep praying and I'll keep you updated the best I can!

Tchau Mana Iara e Mana Marcia!

2011-03-10T06:25:00.000-05:00

Iara and Marcia are amazing Brazilian ladies who together have been running our clinic here on base for years. Iara has been here almost 10 years and was the main nurse in the clinic all that time. She knows everyone, seems to know everything, and can get anything done that is humanly possible faster than anyone else I know. These two women have been pouring into our clinic staff physically, spiritually, and emotionally their whole time here. They truly are an inspiration...they are my definition of missionaries.
They feel led to move further up north in Mozambique and begin a new project. Their hope is that one day it will be much like the base I live on with a Bible school, children's center, clinic, and school. It's a huge dream that came directly from God!
So that being said, they have left us with a HUGE hole to fill. But they also gave us a reason to celebrate last week...here's a glimpse into the party we had for them!

Here is Lana (one of our newer nurses) and Iara!

This is Jannie and Lana being silly as always!

Here is Rubin (one of the workers in the clinic) and Rebecca (the daughter of another missionary couple that are here with us for 2 months)!

Here are Iara and Marcia...this is them in a picture!

Here is most of the crew gathered around all the yummy food and drinks!

And last the presents it took Sheri and I FOREVER to find...but in the end they loved them! (The Africa box was full of notes from all the nurses and staff.)

It is sad to say goodbye to any fellow missionaries but the hole left by these two is going to be hard to plug over the coming weeks. Daily we discover responsibilities these women did without thinking and on top of that we are missing their laughs, their goofy ways of doing things, their wisdom, and their friendship. I pray God blesses them abundantly on their new mission, that He brings them rest during their time at home, and brings them back to Mozambique refreshed and ready to begin a new adventure!

Shelton...

2011-03-04T07:20:00.000-05:00

Hello All...thank you to every person who is praying for Shelton, the hospital staff, and all of us here at the center. I really don't have any updates yet...last I heard the nurses with Shelton were still waiting in the emergency room to be seen. But I did want to direct your attention to another post I wrote in September that sums up who Shelton is. Click here to read about the gorgeous heart of this sweet boy. He is a special 6 year old, loved by many, but most importantly he is filled with a child's faith in a God he knows intimately. If you haven't already please join us in prayer for this little guy and thank you for the prayers many of you have already offered. I will keep you posted...

Please Pray for Shelton!

2011-03-03T14:53:00.000-05:00

Please join us in pray for 6 year old Shelton. He is one of my favorite little stinkers in Laura's dorm. He is a joyous, adorable, lovable sweetheart! He has been quite sick for too long at this point. We have made the decision to take him to the hospital tomorrow morning after months of tests and being told nothing is wrong. Seriously for pretty much as long as I've been here...that's a year and a half...we have been chasing down one possibility after another. At this point his swollen face and now belly, horrible cough & a few other issues would tell any common person that something is wrong.

It was a year ago this week that we took Naftal (another boy from Laura's dorm) to the hospital with a swollen abdomen where he was diagnosed with cancer and passed into His heavenly Father's arms many weeks later. I am not telling you this so you can be ruled by fear and have trouble believing things will be different for Shelton. No...I'm telling you this so you can understand the harsh reality of the country I live in. I'm telling you this so you have even more reason to join us in prayer and believe the God we trust in is our Healer!

Thank you for your prayers...I will keep you updated as I know anything else.

Mango Season!

2011-03-01T16:54:00.000-05:00

It's mango season. Something I dearly love! I must have complained daily before I left for the States in November that I was going to miss mango season...seriously that would have been tragic! Instead I got back just in time to enjoy the ripest, biggest, juiciest, and loveliest mangoes of them all!
The other night we cut into one of these babies...I shared with another missionary because otherwise it would have been meal-sized not just snack-sized. But either way it was amazing!
I've decided there will be 2 options when I move back to the States...A) I'll never eat mangoes again because I can't even fathom spending $2 a piece when I buy them here 5 for about 65 cents. Or B) I'll buy every mango I see in the grocery store no matter what the price because I miss them so much! We'll just have to see...I'm sure it will depend on the day. But for now I'm LOVING mango season and savoring every day of it! I know, I know...you wish you could come visit! You can...all are welcome!

Mother Meghann

2011-02-25T17:37:00.000-05:00

There are two words that people have constantly used to describe me since pre-school aged, adorable, blond, ringlet-headed Meghann was toddling around. They are...mother and leader. "Mother Meghann" and "you're certainly a leader" are things I've heard more times than I would dare to count. I think we all have our pre-teen moments when we don't want to be anything someone else thinks we should be...and I had my fair share. But in each stage of my life...no matter how hard I have tried not to be...I have consistently been a mother to those around me and a leader in the midst of whatever group I'm a part of. Now, am I saying I have accepted these parts of who I am wholeheartedly...no...but I am saying I am aware of them and that despite my best efforts I cannot stifle them.

Anyway, this post is entitled Mother Meghann because in the last few days alone I have had two VERY motherly experiences in the midst of working with the babies I love as Mana Meghann (or Miss Meghann as I'm called here) or Nurse Meghann. Sunday morning my dear sweet Cleita was quite sick...fevers, refusing to eat, vomiting...just a sad puppy all around. Well the tias (the Mozambican woman who take care of our children/my heroes) dressed her in her adorable church dress just to have her vomit up what breakfast they had forced her to eat. Then after putting her in a new church dress and handing her to me to check her out she proceeded to vomit again all over this one. I decided that was it...there was no need to try dress number three. Instead she spent church time with me (no clothes required)...I had medications to prepare, bottles to fill, and other work that had to get done while the kids enjoyed dancing at church! So Cleita took a nice long nap in the Baby House...and then ended up at my house while I ate breakfast.
All was going well! She drank some water, was sitting quietly (all the babies are a bit shell-shocked in new locations), and quite content. She pretended to eat the bread I handed her and actually LOVED my plum that I shared with her. She happily toddled back to the Baby House when I said it was time for snack with everyone else. Upon arrival she was handed a snack (much like Cheetos)...and as I went to take her tempurature...that was the end of everything I had just gotten inside of her...so much for her liking plums?! Anyway, the point is not that moms deal with vomit. The point is that being able to take her to my house and love on her the way a mom would is exactly what I live for here!

Fast forward 2 days...and imagine the entire Baby House in their swim suits ready for their first trip to the beach. The last time they went was almost 5 years ago...so none of the babies who live there now have every been to the beach. There was EXTREME excitement (insert MAJOR understatement here). Then I get the call that Alberto has a fever. Poor little boy had to stay back for the afternoon with Nurse Meghann. When I got to him he was standing in Tracey's yard balling...he couldn't understand why he didn't feel well and he had been left there while everyone else boarded the bus and took off on an adventure. Anyway after treating his fever and determining what was really going on I decided a movie with Mother Meghann was the perfect idea. I mean who wouldn't want to watch Finding Nemo??? It took awhile but I finally got him to take a little nap...what I didn't consider was the bed wetting issue...oops!!! A load of laundry later no one would know that my little friend wet our couch. But I do have to admit I felt a lot like Mother Meghann as he slowly climbed into my lap to snuggle in to watch the movie and then woke up distraught not sure where he was and upset because he was quite wet.
These are the moments I live for here. Everyone asks me if I like being a nurse...most days I do. But, other days I wish I had the time to actually mother each one. When you have close to 50 (well 37 in the Baby House, 8 in the Bercario, and 9 in Tracey's dorm...that makes 54 in total) little ones who constantly need your attention it is hard and most days I end up using my nursing skills to prioritize who really needs me instead of getting to hand feed a sick baby her snack or curl up and watch a movie with a sad little boy. But, nonetheless I'll always be Mother Meghann in the midst!

A Day of Consults

2011-02-17T04:46:00.000-05:00

So sometimes my day are filled with things to do here on the base...be that assessing babies, helping out Aurora (our Mozambican nurse in the baby house), meetings, play time, admin work...but other days I am needed to help bring kids to medical consults off the base. Yesterday was one of those days. We left the center at 7am...now if you know me, you know I'd much rather sleep until 9 or 10 and work into the night than get up and be out by 7...but I made it.

My job was to bring Gloria (the newest, tiniest member of our family) to her malnutrition consult at the hospital. I dropped a bunch of other kids off for other things first and then headed to the hospital. We only really have one car seat for the babies...so this is how I traveled with Gloria...

Made me laugh the whole time and realize just how much we compromise living here...never in a million years would I put a 3.5kg (7.7 pound) baby in a big car seat in the States...but all was fine!

After Gloria's consult I went back to pick up all the other guys. Not everyone was finished yet so I ended up in the car attempting to entertain several boys...look at their gorgeous faces...full of mischief!

Too keep them entertained I even let Shelton feed Gloria...so stinkin' cute! He loved it and found it really funny that she could drink her milk so fast...a lesson in family life while sitting in a car waiting on other kids to finish their medical consults...that's my life I guess...attempting to teach these kids things their parents would in every spare moment I have with them!

Bringing in Year 24!

2011-02-15T07:56:00.000-05:00

February 9th was my birthday! I was SO blessed by everyone here who helped make the day special. We started off the celebration by sneaking away for a night away. It was a joint celebration for Rebecca (another nurse, on the right of this photo) and I who's birthdays are only a few days apart! 5 of us spent a night out at Catembe...which is the BEACH! It was glorious fun! Lots of laughs, play time, and sun (a bit too much for me) were enjoyed by all!

Then for my actual birthday Sam, Heather, and I spent a day in the city! We had latte's at our favorite American cafe...where we got to spend some time with Laura (another missionary we dearly love)! Then we took a walk on the beach...and even had Thai for lunch! I've always wanted to buy flowers on the street...I look at them each time we're in the city but always decide they would be too expensive and never even ask the price. Well...this time I was given gorgeous flowers that I was SUPER excited about! After all of that it was time to head back to the center for home group (our weekly worship meeting with our missionary family)! It was a wonderful way to round out a fabulous day! And we even had Clemson orange cup cakes to celebrate with everyone!!!! I enjoyed it all! Thank you to everyone who made my day VERY special! I love you all!!

Twins!

2011-02-13T05:21:00.000-05:00

If you remember back several months, we got a set of twins into the Bercario (nursery) named Amelia and Maria. Well they have since grown big and are gaining strength each day. They have been chubby from the beginning...good eaters I like to say!

Anyway, our nurse in the Baby House, Aurora, thinks Sam (another missionary) and I look alike. She therefore refers to us as Amelia and Maria. Sam and I think it's partly because she can never remember Sam's name...which since she doesn't work with her does make some sense...but all in all it's quite comical. Every time we are together and we see Aurora we laugh to ourselves as she walks up and proceeds to say..."Hello Amelia" (to me) and "Hello Maria" (to Sam)! So the other day we took the opportunity to take a photo with our twins! Makes me laugh...I mean, don't you think we look alike?? We're obviously quadruplets!

"Say a little pray for you..."

2011-02-05T02:36:00.000-05:00

Ok...I actually should say, "Say a little pray for us..." but that's just not how the song goes! Let me explain. Meet the newest member of our family! She arrived into the bercario (nursery) at about 5 o'clock last night. I scrambled to make decisions about her care, while Rebecca (another amazing nurse!) helped me out with all the other things I needed to be doing at the time! Why did a scramble you might be thinking? Well, because she weighs 3.5kg (7.7 pounds) and according to all her paperwork is a little over 10 months old! Take a look...and please be praying for her health and wisdom for us to know how to treat this little peanut!

My Newest Love...

2011-02-03T16:47:00.000-05:00

Just take a look at Igor, my newest love! We got to spend a little one on one time together today and I cherished it!

Movies!

2011-02-02T06:35:00.000-05:00

The week I returned to Moz I got invited to go on an outing with Laura's dorm of boys...who are between 5 and 9. There are about 30 of them, so my corralling skills were requested! We all piled in the big bus and went to the city. The plan was to take them all to see a movie and Tracey's dorm of kids (there are 7 of them in all) would meet us there! And guess what movie was playing...Toy Story 3 of course! It was quite the adventure for me as well as all the kidos! They were SO well behaved. I was absolutely amazed and had a blast!

"Vamos para a Piscina!"

2011-02-02T05:26:00.000-05:00

This is a shout we hear often..."Let's go to the pool!!!" And several times in the past weeks I have gotten to spend a few hours playing in the cool water with adorable children. Most of them can't swim, but they love the water just the same!

Bem-vindo Pequeninos

2011-02-02T05:14:00.000-05:00

Welcome Little Ones is the title of this post. I've been back in Moz a little over 3 weeks now, and I have many many little ones to introduce you to! The Baby House is FULL again with 37 little critters. And that is even after 5 of our oldest kids moved out to Tracey's dorm (a transition house for them for a year before they move to the bigger dorms). And another little boy, Antonio, has moved over to Vella's house (again a smaller environment that we hope will be great for his development as well)! Plus, while I was home one of the little girls in the Baby House, Mae, went home to live with her mother and brothers! But, after saying goodbye to 7 we have said hello to 6...bringing us back to 37!
So, welcome little ones I say!

Horacio (moved up from the Bercario)!

Marcelino!

Benjamin!

Moises!

Ronaldo!

Rafael (the little guy)!

And in the midst of all the goodbyes and hellos in the Baby House, we have also welcomed 4 tots into the Bercario. Bringing them up to a total of 8...a full house!

Alda (sister of Moises)!

Igor!

Cacilda!

Sheila (who finally reached 3kg last week)!

We certainly have our hands full. Some days it has overwhelmed me how many babies we are caring for. Other days I thank God that each one of them gets to experience His love and care through us and the amazing Mozambican tias we work with and am reminded that they are each in His hands...not mine! They each have a very different, unique, and complicated story as to why they are here. My prayer and hope is that by miracles each of them becomes healthy, strong, independent, and one day can return to the community with their family if they have one. Please keep each of these little treasures in your prayers along with our missionary and Mozambican staff as we do our best to care for them!

Ranger Rick Ross the Boss!

2011-01-26T17:38:00.000-05:00

So this is a funny one...Laura, Sam, and I took a little trip to the city this afternoon. It was all to pick up an important letter Laura needed, but we also ate a good dinner and had wonderful chats. But all of that is for another post...this one is reserved for the CRAZY, totally out of place, hysterical car we saw on the way home.
On first glance Sam or Laura said something along the lines of, "Wish we could ride behind that car the whole way home!" This was in reference to the VERY large picture of a man in military uniform with the insignia, Ranger, on the spare tire cover hanging on the back of the car. That was funny enough.
Then we did some investigating. Turns out the driver was the guy pictured on the back of the car...hilarious. And there were tv/dvd players in the back of the headrests...ok this might be somewhat normal to you who live in the States but I have only ever seen one other car with tv's in it and that was in South Africa! Then we read on the top of his front windshield that it said "Rick Ross" in HUGE letters. Next we ended up almost behind him again and read that engraved on the back above the license plate it read "The Boss" in gold letters! Then we notice the rims...HUGE sliver rims...where does he think he is?? Then, we see that in his side view mirror it also says "Boss"...so every time he checks for traffic he's reminded he's Boss. Too funny!
As we discover each of this funny items we keep getting death stares from the lady in the passenger's seat...what do you expect woman? You are riding with Ranger Rick Ross the Boss with your music BLARING in a car that would draw attention to itself in America not to mention here! We did discuss getting his autograph at one point but decided the passenger might lose her mind due to jealousy.
Too funny...it brought us all a good laugh and made the terrible traffic on our way home a bit more bearable! Oh and I failed to mention that all of these little additions were on a Mitsubishi...too too funny!

Oh What a Weekend...

2011-01-25T11:35:00.001-05:00

So...I have worked for the past 4 days and had the on call phone over night for the past 5 nights. I'm not complaining...I did it to myself. Other people offered to switch days with me but since I love a consistent schedule I declined the offers and each time I work the weekend (once a month for Jan-Feb and then every 3rd weekend after that) I'll work Thursday night through Tuesday morning.
Anyway the point of this is to tell you about some of the CRAZY things that happened over this weekend. It certainly wasn't a simple, straight-forward, you can work 4 days in a row kind of weekend...instead...
#1- I spent Friday morning attempting to diagnose 2 little babies with HIGH fevers...turns out one had a urine infection and the other had a cough/cold/sinus infection. Let me just say, trying to get urine from 2 little babies can prove WAY more difficult than you would ever think!
#2- A little girl in the girl's area fell in the shower Friday afternoon and split her head open. Praise God for our Mozambican nurses who wrapped up her head and were calling for a driver to bring her to hospital before I got to the clinic. She now has about 8 stitches in the back of her head, but all is well!
#3- I was summoned to the clinic again about 7:00pm (when trying to finish up giving out meds in the baby house and nursery and controlling all the fevers before leaving them for the night). One of the boys had split his nose open...I'm pretty sure a sling shot and rocks were involved because Rebecca (another nurse) pulled a piece of rock out of the wound. Anyway, I ended up bringing him for stitches. Thank you Tracey for driving us since ALL the other center cars were being used. It took 5 of us to hold him down...5...including the guard from outside the clinic. Seriously out of control! Before we left he wouldn't even walk properly and wouldn't open his eye...when we pulled back into the center he wanted to go watch the movie that is always on Friday nights. And...when asked who did that to his nose he answered...the hospital! Gotta love the jokesters!
#4- Saturday ran relatively smoothly...saw too many kids to count and checked in on all those who had been sick on Friday...plus covered the Baby House where crazy kids were choosing not the eat and having random fevers and things of that sort. And by the end of the day was called to the girl's area because one little girl had injured her foot...it was swollen, tender, and she wouldn't walk on it...but she could wiggle her toes and honestly I couldn't face sending her to hospital. So a little ice and ibuprofen was all she got from me...I'll be back in the morning I said and I'll check on it then.
#5- Sunday morning was again OUT OF CONTROL...before 10am I had seen at least 5 center kids...one with a high fever and groin pain...one who had sliced his hand open and could really have used stitches but I steri stripped it together instead...one with strep throat...and I couldn't even tell you what else. Oh my friend with the foot injury was a bit better...no hospital was a good choice!
#6- Sunday afternoon brought a gross abscess under someone's arm, a community woman with extreme abdominal pain (I have no idea what is causing your abdominal pain I wanted to say!), one girl with a strange rash on her face, a girl in the girl's area with a serious chest infection (she had already been on antibiotics for 4 days but was still having fevers...fever treated...will check again later), fever and groin pain from the morning is better, dressing changed on our friend with the stitches in the back of her head, and the discovery that our friend with the stitch in his nose has pulled it out...yep that's right...he told me it dried up and fell out...biggest load of you know what I've ever heard...oh well I told him...if it opens up again and your nose falls off don't come crying to me! And our director called me about another kid with a terrible wound under his arm...changed that dressing, changed his medication, and am praying it improves. I'm sure there were 14 other things I dealt with that I couldn't even begin to remember...
#7- Back to the baby house...one of our little friends has vomited twice...I pick him up and discover he is breathing 56 times a minute, retracting to his back bone, and nasal flaring (for all you non-medical people out there...that means he wasn't breathing well at all!). After 4 puffs of salbutamol he was a bit more under control. I put him down to give out meds...was back an hour and half later and he looked about as bad again...more puffs of salbutamol. Came back again at 10pm...after puffs he didn't improve...nebulizer with salbutamol...finally sounding better. Came back at midnight...another nebulizer and I decided he'd be ok until 6am. 6am Monday morning rolled around VERY quickly...more salbutamol puffs...back to sleep for an hour before the day starts.
#8- In the midst of breathing issues I received a text from one of our pastors about a lady who lives at the Bocaria (city garbage dump) that was very ill and needed to get to the hospital. After several phone calls and attempting to figure out what was going on, where they were, and who to send...I handed our ambulance keys to a driver and sent him to pick her up and drop her off. An hour or so later I find out they didn't have the money for her to be seen and now our driver is stuck in the middle of all the decision making...nothing is ever simple. I call him and say...you are not to stay with them for the night...if they want to be brought home, bring them, but you come back to the center. If he has to be out all night for a good reason that is one thing...but seriously it's not safe...I feel like a mom...but seriously! Come to find out he didn't get home until 11:30 even after my instructions.
#9- Monday brought about more problems of it's own...the girl's tias came to me about the girl with a chest infection (she wasn't looking good at all...I said if she spikes another fever she's going to the hospital). One of the girls in the baby house had an allergic reaction to who knows what...eyes and mouth swelled up. Our friend with the terrible breathing was finally looking better and controllable Monday night. The babies in the Bercario were actually quite well minus a terrible diaper rash...yuck! Oh and needing to start one of them on antifungal treatment for her thrush that won't disappear! Plans were made for all the consults of the week...Sheri brought me coffee...Praise the Lord! Rebecca helped me prepare meds...I would have never made it to our weekly staff business meeting if she didn't. Then it was found out that one of our newest little boys might have chicken pox...you've got to be kidding me. He got isolated into the clinic, a substitute tia was called in, he had a high temperature by the end of the night. I still had notes to write, charts to update...and finally got to the birthday party of one of our missionaries as the tables were being put away.
Oh what a weekend it was...today was much better...just a trip to the grocery store...a long nap...administration work for the milk program...and now I'm off to dinner and movie watching with a few of the girls here at the center!

I'll just add in the 2 funniest non-medical things that happened as well...
#1 has to be the stunt that Adilson (one of our oldest baby house kids) pulled Sunday before dinner time. Before every meal the babies wash their hands. They do this by the tias pouring soapy water over their hands into a bucket. Well, while most of the babies were getting their hands washed little Adilson needed to go potty. So instead of waiting 2.5 seconds for someone to be able to take him he pulled his pants down and weed all over the place...in the clean hand washing water, on the other babies...I know you're probably laughing...and I've had a few good laughs about it too...but seriously his behavior is out of control...please be praying for us and the tias!
#2 would be the experience I had with a HUGE centipede in the bercario (nursery). It appeared out of the laundry room and was going straight for all the babies. One of the tias leaped for the insect spray while the other stood frozen. The spray was not even beginning to stop it, so I started kicking it toward the door as the tia continued with the spraying. Finally the other tia springs to action...thinking the broom was the best choice. By this time I have already attempted to step on it but it didn't die...it was a resilient little thing. Finally it was swept outside then they wanted me to call for a boy to come kill it...instead I took the broom and started whacking it...it still didn't die. Finally in desperation I stomped on it, twisted my foot a few times, and then had to wipe it's guts off my shoe...GROSS! But at least everyone was safe from the HUGE centipede with large pinchers on the front that had attempted to attack our precious babies!

Our God!

2011-01-17T17:15:00.000-05:00

So since I was home I have been OBSESSED with a certain song entitled "Our God" by Chris Tomlin. It's not just a small obsession...it's an every time I turn on my brand new ipod (thank you mom and dad!!!) I listen to it at least once if not on repeat. It just reminds me how small and insignificant the little frustrations of life are in comparison to our God. Just read through it and remember how upset you got about the little things of today...

Water You turned into wine
Open the eyes of the blind
There’s no one like You
None like You
Into the darkness You shine
Out of the ashes we rise
There’s no one like You
None like You

Our God is greater, our God is stronger
God You are higher than any other
Our God is Healer, awesome in power
Our God, Our God…

Into the darkness you shining
Out of the ashes we Rise
There’s no One like You
None like You.

Our God is greater, our God is stronger
God You are higher than any other
Our God is Healer, awesome in power
Our God, Our God…

And if Our God is for us, then who could ever stop us
And if our God is with us, then what can stand against?
And if Our God is for us, then who could ever stop us
And if our God is with us, then what can stand against?
What can stand against?

I can't help but stop and thank Him for his sovereignty, grace, mercy, and love when I listen to this. I can't help but adjust my thinking. I can't help but dream HUGE knowing He is with me! That is my prayer for these next few months...that I would learn to live out of the belief that my God is for me and with me in every moment as I follow his call for my life! For now I continue to listen and continue to be changed by Him daily!

Tchau Mana Emily :( e Ate Logo Mana Fiona

2011-01-15T09:58:00.000-05:00

Upon my return to the center, there were many changes I had to face. Two of them being sad goodbyes to two of my friends and fellow missionaries. Fiona (on the left above) is home for the next few months. She left the same day I got back and somehow we missed each other in the Johannesburg airport thanks to being in separate terminals. Insert SAD me here. She will certainly be missed around this place, but I am glad I'll get to see her again when she returns! Hope you have a relaxing, refreshing, blessed time at home friend! I'm praying for you!
And, the second was a very sad goodbye to Emily (on the right above). She is now back in Australia to start university studying economics. I am very excited for her and all that God has planned for her. She was an amazing blessing to all of us here, working in hospitality with our visitors and in the girl's area. She also was a great support system and friend to all of us. Emily, know I am praying for you and already miss you. Several times I have gone to text you only to remember you are no longer skipping around the center. And we had chicken salad for dinner last night and I couldn't help but miss your amazing herb bread. What will we do without cinnamon rolls? This place won't be the same without you! I do pray one day we are brought together again soon (even if it is for your tour of the States...we'll do our best to plan our weddings close together)!
Thank you Fi and Emmie for being great friends! I love you both!

Playing with Lion Cubs!

2011-01-15T09:43:00.000-05:00

The pictures you have all been waiting for...yes I did play with lion cubs, and they were adorable!

And one day these little guys will look like him...FIERCE!

The Lion Park!

2011-01-15T09:31:00.000-05:00

So after my few days in London, I took off for Johannesburg. Sam (a close friend and fellow missionary) was staying with her family there for a week, and I joined them for the weekend. It was such a blessing to be able to have a few days of rest and good sleep before coming back to the center. Her family is fantastic and welcomed me with open arms into their home and life.
But, by far the most exciting part was a trip to The Lion Park. This is a place Sam has been telling me about since we met. And I was very blessed to be able to spend a day there. Amazing enough it was feeding day as well. So we got to see all of the lions get fed, which happens twice a week. The rangers drive through in a truck and throw meat out the back...then the lions fight over which piece they want or what piece they think they deserve. Check it out!

All while only this far from the car!!!

Then, we went to go see the rest of the place. We saw cheetahs and hyenas first!

And we also got to see the adolescent lions...ok, well really they are about 1 year old and almost ready to be released back in with their prides! But they are still quite cute and cuddly with all the rangers.

Then we did my favorite part...we got to play with lion cubs!!!! I will share those pictures in my next post because otherwise this will go on forever.
After that we went on a little game drive. There was a gorgeous zebra that came trotting up and nicely posed for us!
And then there were the giraffes. The first one didn't want us to enter the reserve area. She was nicely guarding the entrance. Hilarious! The second was in search of food and stuck it's head in our car and LICKED me!

Honestly, it was a once in a lifetime experience that I am very thankful for! I'm sure I'll never be that close to these African animals ever again. So my trip back went from chilly London to humid Johannesburg...from The Lion King to The Lion Park...it really was a great time filled with fun, laughter, and memories! A wonderful close to a great 6 weeks in the States with all of you!

London Holiday!

2011-01-15T08:47:00.000-05:00

So here we go...I am going to attempt to catch you up on all my many adventures before I arrived back in Mozambique. And in case you were wondering I have used the word holiday in the title because all my English friends use it when referring to vacations, and I think I might just adopt it into my vocabulary!
Ok...so I left the States on Jan. 3rd; arrived in London on Jan. 4th! This was only after packing...and when you are packing for Mozambique for 6 months along with London for 4 days things get a bit dicey. But, I made it back with no extra baggage charges and nothing stolen!!! Thank you for all your prayers!

So day one Chris (good friend who used to work here in Moz and now is in nursing school in London) met me at the airport. We didn't do too much after dragging my luggage through the tube...ok I take that back there is one amazing picture of me in TK Maxx (England's version of TJ Maxx). We went to buy me shoes. When I left Mozambique in November I didn't contemplate the fact that I was leaving all my closed toed shoes here. I knew I wouldn't need them in the States (because I had left my favorites there) but didn't consider the frigid rainy weather of London. Oops!
Anyway this little oversight meant a fun trip to TK Maxx where we tried on almost EVERY hat in the place. One was furry and basically the same color as my hair...hysterical! Chris has the only photo and I'm happy to keep it that way! After this little trip came a wonderful dinner of roast chicken with Chris's great roommates. It was great to get to know them a bit!
Day two we decided was to be filled with London things! We dropped off my passport to get my Mozambican visa...and expectantly were told to come back a few hours later! Then we took a flight on the London Eye. That's right...they call it a flight! Made me laugh...out loud! Next came a trip to Soho and China Town. China Town was great...squid, ducks, and any other type of meat you can think of hanging in the windows...and an amazing lunch that I made it all the way through using only chopsticks! And, we took a walk through Soho because when I was in London when I was 15 I have this distinct traumatizing memory of walking through Soho after a show late at night...the sites to be seen were mind blowing for a 15 year old girl from South Carolina. Anyway, Chris wanted me to see it wasn't nearly as out of control as I remembered in my minds eye.
Then we headed back to the Mozambican consult to pick up my passport...with a 6 month visa in it!!! Praise God all worked out and now I can officially stay in the country through June and only have to leave every 90 days (instead of every 30 like before)! Thank you for all your prayers once again!
Next we jumped back on the tube (which I love by the way) and popped up in Camden (not South Carolina) and took a walk through the open air street market. We had a blast looking at all the crazy things and just making fun of the people around. It was great! I had my last Starbucks coffee for awhile and savored every minute of it in the cool rain that was falling as we walked around.
The day ended with The Lion King! Chris had asked if I wanted to see a show while I was there. And of course I agreed but didn't really know what we should go see. I was completely swayed in the right direction because The Lion King was amazing! It was seriously breathtakingly amazing! I sat during the first scene with a HUGE smile on my face, eyes welled up when Mufasa died...honestly it was just spectacular! What was my favorite part you're wondering? The costumes, hands down. I wasn't sure how they were going to make people into African animals...being that I have seen African animals up close and personal and they are HUGE! But I was stunned at the creativity and intricacy of all the costumes...indescribable really!
Day three...we planned to take a day train ride out to Cambridge. Little did I know that would mean I would get to get on a train on platform 9b at the King's Crossing station...if you're not following my thinking...this is where Harry Potter runs through the wall on his way to Hogwart's on platform 9 3/4...if you ask me a train on platform 9b is as close as you can get without getting a concussion hitting a brick wall! Exciting stuff!
Before I get ahead of myself and tell you about Cambridge, I'm not sure I can express my excitement about traveling through a bit of the countryside. All I wanted to see were sheep! Little white fluffy sheep standing in fields being adorable. But it was raining...and cold...and apparently sheep stay indoors on days like these. All except for one lone field of sheep!!!! And in this field there was the token black sheep...made me giggle! So cute! Ok...now in Cambridge we spent most of our day walking around taking in the sites. My constant line was...that building is older than my country. And it was true! The colleges are just beautiful and the city very quaint. I loved it!
Then we went punting on the Cam. I know, I know...you're thinking...what the heck does that mean?? I wasn't quite sure either but Chris assured me it was something you just had to do when you're in Cambridge. So we went punting. In American terms this is getting in a wooden boat that sits right on top of the water. The punter stands on the back and uses a long pole to push you down the river. And the Cam is the river that runs through Cambridge. So basically we went boating down a river...yes, it was cold, but we did have blankets. And we got told all about the buildings we could see along the way. Most of the colleges (there are 31 colleges that make up Cambridge University) back up to the Cam and most were built before America began...amazing if you ask me! If you are curious like us, you'll enjoy this fact. We asked the guys how often people fall in because you can rent a punt and tour on your own down the river as well. They told us probably 1 person a month in the winter but 6-8 a week in the summer...made us laugh. Thank goodness we had an expert punter with us!
My last day it was back to packing again after a quick trip to run errands at the mall. And then one last adventure on the tube and trains to get to the airport once again. And I was off for a second time in a week...next adventure was had in Johannesburg...much closer to the final destination of Mozambique.

Goodbye London...hope to see you again very soon!

Back to Work it is...

2011-01-13T17:57:00.000-05:00

******Valter is home and looking much better! We are still keeping a VERY close eye on him and treating him, but he's on the mend. Praise God and thank you for all your prayers!

As for me I went back to work today. That is only after 3 days of cleaning mold out of my room and stealing short moments to spend time with the babies (who can stay away)! If I haven't mentioned it I returned to my entire room being covered in mold. No one is sure what happened but it wasn't the most inviting homecoming. Ok...let's be serious...it was terrible! It reeked! I didn't dare to sleep here the first night. I dropped my stuff off and headed to another house for the night. Tuesday I did my best to start cleaning. I made it through the bathroom and then Sam (another missionary and close friend) was a saint and helped me scrub the walls. We stood on a latter with bleach water and attacked every last mold spore that was clinging to my gorgeous recently painted walls (if you don't remember that adventure...look it up...June/July of 2010)!
Tuesday also found me discovering that my fridge had been unplugged. Well in my infinite wisdom everything I wanted to keep while I was away I had placed in my fridge. There were things like jelly, syrup (American syrup that you can't get here), ketchup (all the way from south africa), curry paste (amazing stuff from World Market in America), and other delightful treats (including a few frozen girl scout cookies that were from my last trip home!). Anyway, EVERYTHING is gone now. They were all BLACK/GREEN/RED/YELLOW and majorly SLIMY. Absolutely disgusting does not even begin to describe it. Well after 4 scrubbings it is finally plugged back in and home to all my food at the moment (oh I failed to mention this a tiny dorm sized fridge) because our kitchen fridge is on the fritz because of power issues. This place is out of control I tell you!
Wednesday was also full of cleaning and a fun adventure to the city movie theater to see Toy Story 3. I will soon share this with you including photos (after the adventures of London, South Africa, and all the many many changes/new children I have come back to). This weekend I will be a blog writing machine...promise! Anyway, point being today I went back to work.
I spent my morning with Gracie (a 4 year old daughter of some of our other missionaries). We have craft time every Thursday morning (thanks to Rebecca who filled in for me while I was away!!). I brought her a few things from the US to decorate, cut, paste, and glitter and we had a blast together! Then I went on to milk program (which Jannie has been covering for me while I was away...you're amazing!!!). We are still in the midst of training up the Mozambicans who one day will run it themselves. But in VERY exciting news, our funding was doubled for 2011!!! Praise God for his faithfulness! This means that as I dreamed before I left we will be able to provide full replacement powdered milk to 40 babies who are in need this year! I am so excited! Next came a catch up meeting with Sheri (the nurse who is over me). She filled me in all the happenings of the last 7 weeks. SO many things happen while you're away...it's amazing how quickly things change around here. Anyway, next came a great dinner with friends and then church. Which, I will admit I have missed the dancing and crazy children of our Thursday night church services!
And for the big finaly of my day...I was given report and now am on call for my first night since being back. Tomorrow I'm working in the Baby House and am hopeful to get to know all the new little ones better and find my footing again in the job I love here on the base! And...are you ready for this one...I have decided to start P90X. That's right! I was graciously given the dvd's while I at home and Sam (again close friend and fellow missionary) and I have decided to start the 90 day intensive work out Sunday...pray for us in our new love affair with Tony Horton (if you don't know that name...look it up and be amazed!)
Until next time...God bless you!

Valter Update

2011-01-12T17:54:00.000-05:00

I don't have much of an update on Valter, but one of our missionaries did go see him at the hospital today. His breathing was a bit better but not wonderful. According to the tia (Mozambican who works for us that is staying with him) that was with him, he had treatments of oxygen during the night. I'm pretty sure they were actually nebulizer treatments. We all are pretty sure he is an asthmatic (hence the breathing issues 2 weeks in a row) and will do our best to determine treatment/a long-term plan for him as soon as he comes back to us.
Please keep praying for him and our team who are all in emotional turmoil through this time due to the vivid memories of our precious Dino one year ago today. Thank you for each of your prayers and the many e-mails I received full of encouragement. May God bless each of you!

Urgent Prayer Request...

2011-01-11T17:56:00.000-05:00

I would love your prayers for a little boy named Valter tonight. I haven't been back on the base long enough to really be involved in the medical world yet, but have found out that he is on the way to the hospital having trouble breathing. He does have several underlying medical issues. One of our missionaries and a nurse are with him in the car now.
To add to the stress (and therefore prayer request) it was one year ago today that I rushed our beloved Dino having trouble breathing to the hospital with this same missionary and struggled through the process to find out the next day he had joined our Father in heaven. There are so many why's floating through my head tonight. I couldn't begin to articulate what I'm feeling.
Please join me in prayer...

Back Safe and Sound!

2011-01-10T15:04:00.000-05:00

I am safely back in Mozambique. I had a lovely trip to London/Cambridge (will tell you all about it soon) and Johannesburg! But for now I'm off to spend time with Emily (one of the missionaries who leaves to go home to Australia tomorrow). Know I miss you all and love you! More on my adventures and all that I have returned to soon!

The Travels Begin...

2011-01-04T07:22:00.000-05:00

So I left yesterday afternoon from Charlotte...thanks so much Dad for bringing me to the airport! Only after a stop off at Best Buy thanks to the broken ipod I got in the mail from e-bay...darn internet ordering! Anyway my amazing parents made sure I was able to leave with an ipod...which I'm super pumped to start using!
Now I'm in London...just found Chris! Here goes the adventures!

Monthly E-mail Updates! (and a little on funding)

2011-01-01T23:46:00.000-05:00

Hello All...I just e-mailed out a December/January update. If you didn't receive it and would like to be added to my list let me know! E-mail me (meghann.s.glenn@gmail.com) or just leave a comment with your e-mail address, and I'll get it sent right out!

Also...if you check out the bottom of this page I'm still close to $3,000 short on funds for the next 6 months. Please pray about supporting me and this ministry! You can donate through paypal on the right-side of this page or you can e-mail me for other options!

Lastly, please be praying for travel mercies, favor for my visa, my friends and family, and a fun few days in London and then Johannesburg before I'm back at the center in Mozambique January 10th. I fly out of Charlotte January 3rd...so if you want to chat before I leave call soon!!! ;)

Oh the US of A...

2011-01-01T11:06:00.000-05:00

So I thought it was appropriate to write a list of all the things you notice about the US once you've been gone for awhile. This should make you all snicker and realize just how blessed all of us Americans are...here we go!
1- Toilet paper is SERIOUSLY soft these days! I'm reminded again every time I use the restroom...it's more like a lotiony puff than TP...not even a hint of roughness...luxurious even!
2- Smart phones are taking over the world, or America at least. If you don't have an iphone or blackberry you just aren't connected. We wouldn't want to have to wait until we're home to check our e-mail...nope, it should come to us like it's a text. I will admit though that while watching a movie being able to look things up on imdb on your phone is pretty clutch at times! Maybe one day I'll take the plunge and get connected like the rest of America.
3- After Christmas sales might be the best thing since sliced bread! No, I haven't bought a thing but I can promise you that whenever I live back in the US for Christmas next I'll be at Target, Walmart, and everywhere else buying up the Christmas decor and anything else that is almost free the few days after the holidays!
4- It's too bad college football can't last ALL year long. I know, I know...there is NFL and there is basketball but they just don't entertain me like college football. I LOVE it! I love the hype; I love the spirit; and I just love the game!
5- The grocery store is the most overwhelming thing EVER...there is an entire row of cookies...just cookies! I started to hyperventilate and had to walk away when mom asked me to pick out cookies for the family...chips on the other hand, I always know which ones to go for...Ruffles Chedder and Sour Cream! LOVE them!
6- It is almost unheard of to not be able to get what you want. It may take money, but it's possible. The world seriously is at our finger tips...just type it in google and order with your favorite piece of plastic...that's all it takes! Go to sleep and if you picked overnight it will be on your doorstep the next day! Or you can jump in your car, drive 2 minutes and pick almost anything you need up at your local store...it's honestly amazing.
7- Interactive video games are truly fun with your friends! I've had the opportunity to play wii and xbox kinect since I've been home and through laughter, sweating, and even needing a bottle of water I've loved every minute of it (Thanks Denny's!). If you haven't tried it don't knock it! You can get your exercise in and have lots of laughs all at once! I hope this helps the littlies of America stay a bit more healthy!
8- American coffee is just good! Be it Starbucks, Dunkin' Doughnuts, or whatever you picked up out of the 8,000 choices at your local grocery store...it's good...period!
9- Puppies are adorable and A LOT of work! It's seems as if everyone I know has gotten a puppy while I've been away. Ok that is an extreme exaggeration but still I want one! I want "man's best friend"...I want a white little fluffy puppy!
10- Things work out...I don't think we realize how simple things are. You make a plan and those things happen. For example...Hey Mom I'm going to run to the bank, stop by the grocery store, and then I'll be over at a friend's. See you for dinner. And on 9 out of 10 days you will be able to do just that. For me...the planner...I love it! I love knowing that things will work out. I love making a plan and following it!

So in conclusion...America is such a blessing! I have been very blessed to get to spend the holidays here with family and friends, and I've loved every minute of it.

Happy 2011!

2010-12-31T18:12:00.000-05:00

My family and I are up in the Outer Banks of North Carolina for New Years this year. We are enjoying the company of old family friends (a few members of the Clemson Crew, as I refer to them). It is great to be surrounded by family and friends!

Today we all put on our orange and cheered on the Clemson Tigers in their bowl game. Too bad we couldn't pull out a victory, but all of us will still loyally cheer for the Tigers again next season! That's what happens when you understand..."There's something in these hills..." through experience!

We also worked hard on this puzzle...seriously, 8,000,000 brightly colored fish! Yes...we did put every last piece together including the blue ocean that proved more difficult than it looks!

We also as a group enjoyed the last sunset of 2010! What a picture perfect representation of the artisanship of our Lord! It was an amazing orange sky and slowly but without fail the sun faded below the water line. Absolutely gorgeous!

So today I'm thankful for 2010! I'm thankful I spent most days of it serving a population that needs the love of the Lord I know and experience daily. I'm thankful that my nursing education was used exactly as it was meant for this year. I mourn the loss of lives that I had to experience but rejoice in the lives saved through love, medical care, and miracles! I'm thankful for my family, who even through misunderstandings and missing me are able to say they are proud of the work I'm doing. I'm thankful for all the supporters, friends, and readers who's prayers have encouraged me through the hard days and rejoiced in the good ones. I'm very thankful I've gotten the past 6 weeks to spend being overly blessed by those I love here in the US (I will miss you all once again!). I also am thankful that in just 3 days I'll be headed back to Mozambique...a place that is full of chaos, hardships, love, laughter, cultural differences, friends, babies, joy, strength...a place that for at least the next 6 months will be my life.

So as I celebrate in 2011, I'm looking forward to what the Lord has for me on the other side of the world. I know it won't be easy...most days there are filled with challenges. But I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I am meant to be there through June 2011. Then funny enough I'll be headed back to this same beach house to spend 2 weeks here in July...after that only the Lord knows!

SNOW!

2010-12-26T12:44:00.000-05:00

That's right! We are having a white December 26th here in South Carolina ...it's not enough to play in or go sledding, but it's snow and I'm LOVING it!

And for your viewing pleasure...

#1~ Here are all the presents under the tree...we are SO blessed! (Check out the bows...it's a Glenn tradition to decorate ALL presents with a gorgeous matching bow!)

#2~ Here is my friend Justin in his tacky Christmas sweater...we made it on our own! Hilarious...it kind of looks like everything Christmas vomited on him! Love it!

#3~ And here is the gorgeous sunset that blessed us on Christmas Eve over Lake Murray! Happy Birthday Jesus!

Joy to the World!

2010-12-25T22:22:00.000-05:00

This year I have realized that the sight of everyone's Christmas trees through their windows makes me smile. It is gorgeous and peaceful. Something about knowing that the people in each house worked hard to hang all their memories on a tree after cursing the lights as they unwound the knots that appear EVERY year makes me smile! I know they have their own Christmas traditions as well as issues that I know all so well are a part of every family (especially at the holidays)...but the imagine of that lit tree just brings me joy!

But, in the last few days I have been loudly and blatantly reminded of the reason for this joyous season...and as much as America might protest it is not for the trees, ornaments, lights, decorations, and gifts. We celebrate every year because our Lord and Savior came down to this earth...He split time in half. He came as an innocent child to later restore our relationship with our heavenly Father! And for me that is a good enough reason to celebrate and sing...

Joy to the world! the Lord is come;
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
and heaven and nature sing,
and heaven and nature sing,
and heaven, and heaven and nature sing.

Merry Christmas to All!

The Rest of Christmas...

2010-12-16T17:25:00.000-05:00

The rest of the Christmas decor that is...
Here is our real Christmas tree in all it's glory! I told you the stocking are hung with care!

And here is one of the scenes in our kitchen...festive as always!

This is our dining room with reindeer and sleigh!

And now welcome to my bedroom...

With nativity...He is the reason for the season!

And here is my Christmas tree...yes it's covered in orange!!!

As I continue to say...I will always be a tiger! I think my family owns every ornament with a tiger that was ever made!

All for YOU!

2010-12-13T16:00:00.000-05:00

So when you live on the other side of the world, far away from what you have grown up with you start to miss certain things. For the record other than people it is usually food products. Most other things we can get our hands on, but brand named foods are not there for the most part. So I was sent on 2 missions by a good friend at the center (ok, actually I was sent on 3 missions but I didn't take photos of the first one I completed).
#1- She misses Chick-fil-A...ok, I REALLY miss it too. Quite often when we go to KFC I accidentally say Chick-fil-A instead because I want it so badly! I LOVE Chick-fil-A! So, this is the first mission I completed (no picture...sorry)!
#2- STARBUCKS...that's right! I never liked coffee...didn't even like the smell of it. I would rather be cold then sip on a warm cup of coffee. Now I'm addicted! I LOVE it. So for my first several days here my amazing father went every morning and picked up Starbucks for me...pumpkin latte...it was Thanksgiving week! Now I usually order the gingerbread latte and am currently making french vanilla in my coffee pot at home! So fun!

#3- Panera Bread...yep, you want it now. Just me saying it means you want it! Well this amazing friend of mine used to work there and therefore really misses the paninis, soup, and just plane amazingness that is Panera! So, while I was in Charleston with one of my favorite married couples of all times we had Panera for lunch! So good!

It has been a fun vacation time. I have seen amazing friends, gotten to experience all the things I miss, hung out with my family, and just gotten to spend days in my jamies on the couch watching Christmas movies enjoying our fantastic Christmas tree. Altogether wonderful!
...but I will admit I miss my adorable babies, all their tias, and the missionaries and Mozambicans I share life with in Moz.

Cookies...cookies...and more cookies!

2010-12-11T00:09:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I went to see some of my favorite people in the world. I ended up helping as they baked Christmas cookies. One of them owns a catering business (that is amazing!) and therefore needed enough cookies for all of their many parties during the season. So we rolled, cut, baked, and decorated sugar cookies... This entire container was full of paper thin cookies...so fun!

We also made 2 other types of cookies. One was a chocolate cheery powered sugar covered amazingness. The other was their famous craisin oatmeal brown sugar cookies...no I didn't make the dough because there is a secret ingredient but I did scoop out and bake ALL of the cookies in the pic below!

Christmas Time!

2010-12-10T23:59:00.000-05:00

It's Christmas time! At my house we have decorated 4 trees and the rest of the house. It is quite fun to be home and get to experience my usual Christmas traditions. And it is FREEZING...just like Happy Feet...I'm telling you...it's COLD!
Here's a glimpse into the holiday cheer at my house...

This is our smallest tree. It is in the hallway and has mainly homemade or sewing ornaments on it. This one started when we decided all those kid-made ornaments are really not so cute, so we put them all on their own tree one year!

This tree is our pastel tree (all pinks, peaches, and light blue). It's in the living room and picture perfect with an angel on top!

This is Mom's nativity scene. I have the same one but not nearly as many characters. In the next holiday post I'll show you my room decorated with nativity and tree!

I'm still missing pictures of our real tree...smelling amazing! And I'll show you some more of the amazing Glenn decor (including my room) some time soon. For now, the trees are up, the stockings are hung, my Christmas cards are sent (still have to address Mom's), and I'm LOVING the cold weather, family time, and blessing of good friends! And here is my family ready for the holidays...

SLIDE SHOW!

2010-12-07T16:22:00.000-05:00

I have added my new slide show on the right of this page! It is 13 minutes of photos from Mozambique. I will be sharing it several times while I'm home, so if you're coming to see me hold off watching it and we'll watch it together. All others enjoy! It has certainly been a roller coaster ride these last 9 months, and I think this portrays it accurately! Many thanks for all those who make this ministry possible...and for those who will help me reach the goal of $5,500 to return in January!

I'll Always be a Tiger!

2010-12-05T12:12:00.000-05:00

From Sullivan's and our Thanksgiving vacation my parents and I headed off to Clemson...the best place in the world! Clemson is a place I love. It's where I spent 4 years of my life, growing up, studying to be a nurse, making my best friends, and turning into who I am today! Seriously, it is the best place in the world!
And if there is one part I love most about Clemson its football season! I love tailgating, getting to see everyone in their gorgeous orange, spending the day outside under a tent celebrating Clemson, and ending the day with an amazing game in Death Valley. I have to say these were some of my favorite days of college!
This was my first football game since I graduated (I missed an entire football season last year and all but the last game this year). Last year was the first year of my life I can remember without Clemson football...seriously, that is not an exaggeration in the slightest. Year one I might not have been there, but I can't remember that. Missing football, holidays, weddings, and our annual beach trip were the hardest parts of being away from home. So I made sure to make it home this year at least for our biggest rival game of the season!
Too much fun was had by all. I got to see old friends, eat amazing southern food, and in the end the day in Death Valley cheering for my Tigers. Too bad they couldn't pull out a win for me, but just being there was good enough for me. I made it through the whole game, through the cold, and stayed to sing our alma mater at the end. Just to be there was worth the travel and the loss!

I spent the next few days getting to see friends from school and visiting my church family again. So far it has been strange and amazing all in one to be home. It is wonderful to see my family and friends and get to spend time catching up and hearing about their lives, but still I have a life on the other side of the globe that continues without me.

Sullivan's Island!

2010-12-05T11:56:00.000-05:00

I surprised my parents 24 hours before they thought I was going to get home. It was quite fun to see their reactions as they walked into the house one at a time and I was here! There were questions, hugs, tears...quite fun!
The next day we headed off to Sullivan's Island, a gorgeous place outside of Charleston where my grandmother grew up and I LOVE! We spent a few days walking on the beach and watching my cousins from Chicago go swimming (I thought it was FREEZING...but they were all for it). We went around on a golf cart, played cards, went crabbing...turned out we only found hermit crabs but it was great fun...a fantastic way to spend Thanksgiving!

Meet Valter!

2010-12-03T00:01:00.000-05:00

Meet Valter! He's the newest addition to our crew. He is living in Tracey's dorm, a transition house for the Baby House kids. They live with Tracey for a year before moving into the older, bigger dorms. Valter is living with Tracey because of his medical issues. We had stabilized him before I left, but he certainly needs your prayers. He is a sick little boy but through it all he remains curious and happy.
He LOVES to ask questions and is VERY sure of himself. Day one he looked at me and said, "Who are you, and why are we going back to the clinic?" Most kids are quiet and scared day one...not Valter. Day two his first questions was, "Where do you live?" Then he went on to tell me how he had gone with Tracey to buy bread that morning and once again, "Why are we going back to the clinic?" He is certainly a funny one, and taming him is going to be quite the job. But my prayer is by experiencing God's love while he's with us his behavior issues will be no longer. And, I pray with a little health care and healing he'll be back with his family soon! Please join me in prayer!

Crisis Averted...

2010-12-02T23:21:00.000-05:00

This is one of my little friends from the Baby House. She caused us a bit of a scare one of the last weekends I was on call before I left. Tracey (one of the missionaries that works in the Baby House) called me out of our clinic room saying...one of the babies just vomited. I whisked her up just in time to have her vomit a few more times. Then all the sudden I looked down to see that her lips were swollen about 3x their normal size, obviously she was highly allergic to the candy she had just eaten. Her lungs were still clear so I immediately gave her an oral dose of Benedryl.
In the midst of this I was also trying to give another little boy a nebulizer treatment for his asthma exacerbation. Well after about 15 minutes our little friend had started wheezing and around her eyes were swelling as well. Praise God for the adrenalin we had in the fridge and Dr. Mary (another missionary's mom) who was on base with us at the time. I called her in and we gave our friend an IM injection.
She then got to spend the next 4 hours strapped to me as I took her vitals every 20 minutes or so. It just so happened we had a missionary dinner that night...so I spent the dinner with a scared 2 year old strapped to me. But this was another time I knew exactly why I do what I do. I love to get to spend time with the children as if they are my own and when this time meshes with medical treatment I never walk away questioning what I do...I walk away thanking God for where He has placed me!

Play Time to Remember!

2010-12-02T23:05:00.001-05:00

In my last two weeks at the center I found some time in the midst of a chicken pox epidemic to steal some play time with my favorite children and people! We brought a few babies at the time down to the soccer field and let them run around and play. They look even smaller when you let them out where the big kids play, but they absolutely LOVE it! The tias with us organized races and I even raced across the field against 2 of our tias...maybe one of my favorite memories so far...can you imagine...me and 2 Mozambican women running as fast as we could with small kids cheering for us the whole way. So funny and so fun!

My last day at the center was a Sunday morning. I went into the Baby House to give them all hugs and let the tias know I wouldn't be around for the next 6 weeks. They all looked devastated until I made it very clear I'd be back in January. Well I told the babies I was leaving on a plane but I would be back after Christmas...they are all under 5 years old remember. Apparently they all stood outside that afternoon and every plane that flew over the center they all looked up and waved yelling..."avion de Mana Meghann" or "Miss Meghann's airplane". So stinkin' cute! I already miss them and love them dearly!

Adorable Siblings!

2010-12-02T22:55:00.000-05:00

I introduced you to Ozias, who's brothers call him Zito, not too long ago. Well his brothers have spent their entire time at the center trying to find time to play with Zito. Since most of the Baby House (23 at once to be exact) have had chicken pox none of the babies have been allowed to leave. And, when they have played outside no one has been allowed to play with them. But a few times the brothers have snuck across the front line...just look at how much they love Zito!