Sept. 12, Lost Journal when Computer Crashed!

Sept. 12, 2009

Our burn patient Enil is on day 13 now, beginning to heal. Still not out of the woods as far as grafts is concerned, but no decision yet on those. Each crisis here like that makes the need for specific equipment glaring. Right now we could use a Dermatone, that cheesecutter type device that slices off the skin to use for grafting. Ours is archaic. Anyone got one stuffed away on the top shelf?

Our new RN’s arrived Monday and I began to orient them to us and the hospital. I promised them that we would not do the “sink or swim” method of orientation, that they would NOT be asked to do something before having been checked off. Yeah, right! Wednesday after having assigned them to their places for the day, John let me know about 9 (as I was beginning the hour+ dressing change on Enil) that I needed to be the ambulance STAT to take an OB patient at 8 cm. to Ceiba. Not my favorite job, as I dread getting caught on the road delivering a baby. I changed the job description of Belkis for the day and enlisted her companionship to transport. We hit the road, and thankfully many of the speed bumps had been leveled in road repair recently. We made the low flying trip in 55 minutes instead of the 75 I usually take. I kept one eye on the road and the cows and chickens crossing, and the other on the rearview mirror to watch for signs of pushing! By God’s grace, she did not begin pushing til we arrived at the hospital. Whew!

We arrived back in the campo to find that a 14 yr old girl had come in in our absence, having been shot in the face by her boyfiend (oops, that friend!) at fairly close range. She was just coming out of surgery, and a big repair job of her tongue and mouth and face by Dr. Jeff. As she is unable to talk til she heals, I gave her a notepad and pen to communicate. I was so touched when I asked her the second day if there was anything I could do for her and she wrote, “Ore por mi”, pray for me.

John went up to Satal in the mountains on Tuesday, getting to be a regular clinic up there monthly. We are beginning to see results in the care there, more folks following up down below with ultrasounds and coming down to have their babies. Recently a road has gone thru to the mountain village making that 1 hr hike at the end of the old road not necessary any more. Makes the trip more feasible, tho it will still not be passable in rainy season. Our Dr. Don has begun some home groups meeting for bible study, and has been doing programs in the school. We are thankful for such open doors here.

Just got back from another trip to the hospital. #3 for the day. The first was when the guard from the gate rode up on a motorbike he borrowed this AM at 7:30 as they couldn’t reach us for some reason by radio. A lady was ready to deliver, so we both scooted down to be there to help Dr. Joel, who was on call and found himself caught with this imminent birth. I was done with my part and on the road to the music program by 8:45- now that’s an efficient mother. The second trip was to give John a tetanus shot as he got himself with the drill while working here at the house. The 3rd. was just because ER was too busy for the nurse to handle that plus her inpatients, so just got her thru the worst of it. Time for bed.

Exciting note from church this afternoon. Angelica, for the first time in over a year, was emotionally healthy enough to lead singing. I had met with her twice during the week as she cleans house for us and she worked on the songs she wanted. Decided to pick 3 hymns, which we haven’t used much here, but she loves them. Well, she did great, and there were an unusually large number of attendees. There was great participation with her selected hymns…made me happy to see her glowing. Met with the pastor and a young couple I have been very involved with now for 3 years to discuss their role in the church. Have seen them thru some troubled times, so was a great joy to see them ready to make mature decisions. They were the ones that got married a short time ago.
Sept. 15 Honduras Independence Day- clinic closed today in honor of their holiday. We will celebrate with the fellow missionaries, the Tumlinsons, later today with a program on the history of Honduras and typical Honduran food, hosted by Cynthia, who is Honduran.

“Is today the day?”

Julia, Bonnie and John Barnett, "out to eat"
The staff dealing with the burn victim

September 7, 2009, Monday

In the book, Safely Home by Randy Alcorn, the Chinese Christians taught their children that came to the point of being born again to ask the Lord daily on arising, “Lord, is today the day?” There are many martyrs in the Underground church in china, and they learn young that there is a heavy cost to following Jesus. That they need to be prepared to suffer, and even die, for Something that outlasts life.

I wonder if Noel awoke Saturday with that question on his 12 yr old mind. As I got out of Dr. Don’s car and began to unload the guitars and keyboards from our weekly Saturday AM music class in Margarita, I heard Heidi shout at me, “Code Blue! They are calling you from the hospital!” I ran for the driveway and hopped on the motor scooter. The downhill ride to the hospital gave me time to pray and calm my “Fight or Flight” response. I arrived in the ER just about 5 minutes after they had begun CPR on a young man who is a student of Dr. Don’s in LisLis in the music program in the school there. Noel had been diving in shallow river water, hunting shrimp while the ladies were doing laundry in the river and got caught on a submerged root. It was too late when it was finally noticed he’d not come back up. We worked hard for about 30 minutes before calling the code, the whole time praying audibly that God would choose to miraculously bring him to life. For Noel, Saturday WAS the day.

We had a pretty sober Sunday School class Sunday Am in the aftermath of this event, as our kids are about 12. Life and Death are SO “in your face” here, nothing to sugar coat the reality of either. Very few of our kids have not seen the death of a baby in the family or the death of a mom or other close relative, most up close. They understand that they need to decide now whom they will serve, and with that choice, where they will spend eternity.

Several weeks ago my Honduran friend, Ritza, shared her dream about Loma de Luz being flooded with RN’s. I wisely told her that we could be sure that was just a normal silly dream because we couldn’t afford even 1 LPN with our current shortage of funds, much less RN’s at triple the wages. Last Monday, just a week ago, we said kind of a happy goodbye to a young LPN that had pinchhit for us during the vacation of one of our nurses. He did not prove to be a good gamble, so were thankful it was short term, but it left us with big gaps in the scheduling, and with 2 nurses needing to postpone their vacations for lack of staffing. About 4 PM I got a call from the gate that a nursing instructor from the RN program in Ceiba needed to talk with me. She arrived with 2 new graduate RN’s in tow. Her story was that they had been placed to do their 1 year of social service for the government out in the Mosquitia, but that the cost of living was higher than the small stipend they receive so the government had told her to send them to us! We ARE part of the public system as well as a private hospital, making us a site for MD’s and nurses to do their service time. A major WOW! Today I began intense training of Rosa and Beklis, to have them trained before we leave for Nepal in October. Thursday this week, an RN from the US arrives for 6-12 months to help us, and tomorrow another Honduran RN begins volunteering for John, as she can’t find employment. Hm, the count is now 4 RN’s, and I am in touch with one more, an American trained Master’s degree RN who is Honduran…and you guessed it, wants to volunteer with us until she gets her Honduran license to get some experience! I guess that 5 RN’s, all unpaid by us, constitutes a flood of them. Ritza, I stand corrected. Your dream WAS a vision from God!

In the wake of such good news last Monday, I was bringing a birthday cake down to Silvia, one of the nurses, and saw a lot of action in ER, long after the day shift should have left. They were working on a young man who had been badly burned in a home gasoline fire, receiving 2^nd. Degree burns over about 45% of his body. I joined them to get him stable and took staff home after. It’s been a challenge to work twice daily with Enil on cleaning his body and reapplying dressings with our limited handicapped accessible bathrooms and showers. But we have seen great improvement, bonded with he and his wife, a teacher at our local highschool. I said years ago when our daughter Kate was working in the Burn Unit at Hillcrest that I would NEVER work with burns. Hm. Sure makes me admire her, tho. Its been a tremendous challenge for staff, and we’ve even enlisted visitors to help as it takes about 1 ½ hrs. to do him.

Last week passed in a blur more or less, with the bright spot being a whirlwind visit from John and Bonnie Barnett (our pastor and wife from our Tulsa days). I went to Ceiba to pick them up at the ferry dock from Roatan after work Tuesday. Julia had taken them there for a birthday celebration for her mom as they entered the country. John and Bonnie had accompanied Julia on her 5^th trip here in less than 2 years, to be able to see the area she has fallen in love with. (and that has fallen in love with her!) They were with us just 2 nights, before we turned around and drove them back to San Pedro. Having company and seeing our work here thru their eyes and hearing about it from their point of view always causes us to stop and thank the Lord for allowing us to serve Him here for this time. Julia will stay for 3 months to help Lisa in administration.

Odds and Ends of Update

So many scenes here are idyllic, peaceful and picturesque. The woman washing clothes in the pila is Sonia, a long time employee of the hospital and a good friend. She is a success story- trained from the local pueblo in surgery, sent off to the city to attend LPN school, returned to us and is now the Triage nurse. She adds sparkle to each day with her loving hugs and sense of humor. I frequently pass thru her little enclave where all the family lives to climb up higher to visit another employee.
I just love seeing their everyday life, sitting and laughing with them over the antics of the little puppies under the pedal sewing machine (which is currently hemming John's pants!), the chickens jumping up on the couch.

The week after returning from the flight out to the Mosquitia, John and I journeyed inland 6 hrs with 4 young ladies to the mountains for another Health Promoters Conference where John did several days of teaching on OB GYN issues for the group. I enjoyed the extended downtime in a bed and breakfast surrounded by nice gardens and a wall. It was SO nice- and the sink did not fall off the wall! There was electricity and it was SO clean. A sharp contrast to the motel we stayed at in the Mosquitia. We left ahead of the girls to get John to the airport in San Pedro for a flight to the US. We were able to meet up with Dr. Leon in the motel there, as he too was leaving the country and I put them both on the plane before heading into the city to pick up the girls at the big bus station there. I had their company back to the hospital.
Then began a week "alone"- if one is ever alone here! While John maximized his time to be with our son Jake in Tulsa, and pay short visits to Kate, the kids, and Dan, I said goodbye to Norma, the other RN that works with me as she was leaving for a 4 month furlough. Did some things for John's patients during his time away, but more or less just kept things running! Enjoyed a bit more time visiting with friends in the campo, and even had the adventure of a bus ride with 40 others from the church out further towards the end of the road for an evening of singing with other area churches to the roar of the generator that fueled the 2 lites and the amplifier!

Joni, the young boy below,reading his Bible early in the AM, came home with me so I would not have to drive alone in the dark from the church. He has been in our Sunday School class for several years, and have seen grow from a wimpy, retiring dirty kid to a well-groomed, confident, guitar-playing young man, competently memorizing his required verses and taking big responsibility. Being raised by his Gran, a local illiterate midwife, since his mom was killed, he is now working as gardener and cleanup man for our sunday school champa with dirt floors for 6 weeks to earn his own Bible. He and 2 others persisted in a program we put together and memorized 35 verses to earn a children's illustrated bible, but he wants an adult Bible too.

Well, its almost midnight, John and I have been at the hospital with a young friend in labor with her first. John is now headed for the city with her and her husband. Off to bed.

La Mosquitia

kitchen at orphanage


Have 20 minutes til Norma picks me up to be at the church early to practice guitar. My progressively more arthritic hands and finger are balking at the thought, but guess movement is the best treatment. Returned just yesterday from a 3 day trip by air out to Puerta Lempira, in the Mosquitia to the east of us, land of swamps, drugs, another language and culture. 2 other women and I left at 6 am wednesday for the 1 1/4 hr flight, landing on the dirt airstrip to be greeted by many dogs, the pastor and Gris that work at Mama Tara's orphanage, and assorted people we didn't know. I had created havoc in the departing airport and almost missed the flight because the scanner showed 3 things in my backpack that weren't permitted! Oops. Even in the 3rd world they are careful. As the flight took off, a steady stream of water began to drop on the woman across from me, so Liz and I held up a barf bag to catch it to keep her from getting soaked. It soon stopped. The airconditioning for the ride out was the frequent opening and closing of the window in the cockpit, so was a pleasantly cool trip!

Dirt air strip in Puerto Lempira

We spent our day visiting in the orphanage, asking questions of the boss and various others connected with the work. Had time to play guitar with Gris, the 19 yr old from our area that I'd gone to encourage. She spends time teaching guitar to the kids with an evangelical program Dr. Don from our area created, and they were delighted to give me a concert! Part of our goal in the trip was to encourage the 2 volunteers there and assess their success and needs, so took the Canadien 29 yr old out for lunch to have time to talk with her alone. She took us on a tour of main street, a dirt road ending at the dock, bordered by many small wood shops. All goods come in by boat or plane, so the dock is integral. Prices are high based on lack of access by road, there is no clean water to be had, and electricity is sporadic to say the least. We were able to visit House of Hope, a special needs orphanage that is the nicest in the area with good support from the US. I slept well, despite no a/c or lights during the night. No coffee to be had in early am is my only complaint!

Our second day was also spent at the orphanage playing with kids or consulting with helpers, and then we left with Gris to visit another orphanage that is essentially a family in which lots of the mothers, (sisters), have died and so the aunties have kept the 29 kids together in a very small 3 bedroom house. They were spotless, delightful, orderly. Assessed their water and hygiene needs- water is from a deep square dirt hole pulled up by bucket- muddy to say the least. They walk a fair distance to a faucet in the community for "drinking" water, also not purified. We are so blessed!
We went back to our motel to process all we'd seen and while I was holding my water bottle over the sink in the bathroom to add some powdered drink mix to it, the sink fell off the wall. Shocking pain, as I began to form a hematoma on my foot immediately. The water began flooding the room so we had to evacuate! In the end, we were moved to another room and ended up having a peaceful night, again without electricity. I did NOT touch the sink in the new room!

Backtracking a week or so, John admitted a 7 yr. old with osteomyelitis (bone infection) in her leg from an untreated break. He sent the xrays to an ortho in the US for counsel, and he said it was among the worse he's seen. After 2+ weeks of IV antibiotics in the hospital, with her leg immobilized in a cast and more or less restricted to bed, little Fanny became everyone's pet. She is from a long ways away, but family stayed with her much of the time. It was decided she'd do better at the Children's Home with other kids to help her pass the time, so she was sent there a few days ago, with her IV, and the need to come to the hospital twice daily for her antibiotic. When Dr. McKenney returns on the 17th, he will assess her and decide what he as a surgeon can do for her. Meanwhile, we're fattening her up, introducing her to yogurt and other high protein foods, and loving her.

Because of the political unrest of the past weeks, we had missed an important wedding about 3 hrs from here, and it took place without our signature on the wedding papers. Last week, we took a 24 hr trip over to Tela with Silvia, the new bride, and stayed overnight in a hotel with her, enjoyed dinner at a place on the beach....and then went with her to sign her wedding papers. Silvia is now legal! We got to meet her family and enjoy breakfast with them before hoofing it back to the hospital. We had no problems on the road, met no demonstrators.
There is a political standoff right now, with relative peace but no resolution. Negotiations still going on, roads blocked on Thursdays and Fridays with marches. The teachers staged a large march on Friday with spraypainting bad things on public buildings and private dwellings. We are still expecting 2 teams in September, praying nothing will happen to cause them to change their plans. Life is more or less normal, with the typical swine flu scares, local shootings and macheteings, more civil weddings. We are safe, here in the center of His will.

Spotlight on Eryn,Honduran Unrest, July 23, 2009

Eryn at Luis and Kara's wedding.
Eryn on front porch, waiting to swim in ocean
Patients arriving for clinic on the island.
Eryn helping in the island clinic

3 1/2 weeks since I last made an entry. Gabi , the little girl we took to the big city because of a tumor in her brain, DID go to be with the Lord. The political unrest that began big time the day I wrote continues, some days scary, but always our lives continue as normal at the hospital, at work in the community, in the bible studies. Eryn, who arrived as I wrote the last entry, lived and played with us for these past weeks while storm clouds brewed politically. She overlapped many shorttermers, all of whom have left the country due to the potential powderkeg. I just returned from a quick trip to San Pedro with Dr. Greene to put his wife Judy and our Eryn on a flight out of the country. Nothing we saw alarmed us other than the riot police setting up shop near the airport! I am just thankful to have found a way home for Eryn and breathed a sigh of relief thru my sad tears at her departure. We had quite the time together!

Eryn made good friends with a new MK here, Sam. They spend many hours playing, swimming, staying overnight with each other. She also bonded to our pastor's girls, and spent l day playing in the campo with them, and would play with all the church girls during the women's bible study on tuesday. While I was at church working with 4 kids that wanted to practice guitar, she played around the church Monday. Jessica shinnied up a palm tree and got her a coconut to try. She loved the water, and then our gardener chopped off the shell and presented her with the "cup" to scoop out the coconut meat. She has had about as much avocado as she could hold, as well as mango and pineapple, as all are producing right now.

Her stay overlapped 2 weddings, one of which we had to miss as there was a curfew instated for this time of crises and we chose to adhere to that. Silvia got married without us attending, but is coming to dinner tonight to show us her pictures and share her big adventure. We were to be the witnesses, so still have to make the 3 hr trip to sign her papers! The following weekend was a huge festive wedding of Kara Faull and Luis, a local guy that we all love. Luis is at bible school in Guatemala City, so Kara will join him there. That event took dozens of us to prepare for, and Eryn was included in helping. It brought in a lot of old timers that had lived and worked here in the past, so like a major reunion. All homes were full of guests as there are no hotels in the area.

Last week, we took a private boat to go out to the clinic on the Cayos Cochinos islands. Eryn went along to "help"- and snorkel. We left early Tuesday AM and returned when the sea got rough on Thursday, leaving a census undone that we'd planned. Next time. We saw about 22 patients, snorkeling in between during the lulls. All come in by small boat or dugout, so often come in groups, then awhile before the next boat arrives. It is a chain of small islands with no roads, so only transport in water. I got up early one day to have 5:30 coffee with Laurie, a friend on the island who kindly opens her guest cabin for us to use on our trips out there, so that was an added perk for the trip. We visited the one village on the East End to see the potential of beginning a bible study or some other outreach.

Saturday, Eryn had the opportunity to go to Ceiba with Lisa Bradley, who has a ministry in the city dump there. She spent the whole day, and really enjoyed it. Seems nothing shocks her. I went out to Margarita with Dr. Don and another newcomer to the hospital to help in the music outreach there. Regularly having 30 youngsters and adults learning, singing, praising. Incredible. Eryn enjoyed that once while here also. She really got a good taste of what we do here.

Johns life has been consumed with clinic, as there are just 2 docs and himself here right now. All the rest have left for the US. So sharing call among the 3 makes for a busy life. He had 3 OB's over the weekend, one whom he shipped by ambulance, one whom he delivered Saturday night, another whom he himself drove to the city after dark to deliver. Seems to be a run on babies right now.
The one delivery was a good friend from the church. Hard to separate the incredible miracle of a newborn from the situation that conceived it. Many tears on her part, much grief on ours as we gradually uncover the day to day wickedness that abounds here.

As I close tonight, ex-president Zelaya has stated that he is approaching the Nicaragua-Honduran border with a "force of press". He has asked his family to meet him on the border. He claims he is entering under a white flag. Because of Venezuela's involvement with Zelaya, the Venezuelan ambassadors to Honduras have been asked to leave the country, and their 72 hr. deadline is about up. Today there were major road blocks near the capital as well as public hospitals that were "paralyzed" by Zelaya supporters. We were blessed by hearing Norma tonight at missionary prayer and fellowship share her rendition of the story of Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicles 20, where in response to the kings pleas to God to intervene in an inevitable battle, he was told "Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's. Take up your positions, stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you". Then in the morning, as they prepared to march out, he appointed men to lead at the head of the army, "singing to the Lord and praising him for the splendor of his holiness". Remember what happened? As they began to sing and praise, the Lord "set ambushes against their enemies and they were defeated. "

Thus we choose to remain here for now, praising God for the splendor of his holiness, delighted to have front-row seats to see Him at work. He shines the brightest in adversity. Pray for Honduras.

Political unrest in Honduras

For lack of time and words, I am pasting with permission of Dr. Joel 2 things that have consumed our minds and our time this week. Then I will follow the first with an update from yesterday. The following was written Thursday night.

"Gabi is a 5 year old girl who I first met almost 6 weeks ago. She came in have her first seizure (maybe, there were some questionable ones in the days leading up), and it was a doozy. Status epilepticus, for those medical types. All told she was probably seizing for over 35-40 minutes by the time we got it suppressed w/ phenobarbital (a strong sedative and anti-seizure med). She was then in the hospital for 2 days, the first mostly sleeping off the drug. After leaving, she came back the next week w/ no new seizures, controlled on her dose of phenobarbital, happy and sweet. She even sang me a song! I thought we were on our way to a happy ending. However she returned a few weeks later and had scary symptoms developing: severe weakness in Right arm and hand, difficulty walking due to weakness in R leg, and facial droop like a stroke victim has. Distressed, I told her mom that she would need a CT scan. Mom seemed somewhat detached from it all, and blamed all her problems on intestinal parasites. She seemed to understand the need for the CT scan, but said she couldn't afford it. I told her that I would speak to her pastors (since they both serve at our hospital as well) and that her church would help. The Yosts, a missionary family in that same church, offered to pay for 1/2 and drive her to get it. I made her an appt for 3 days to try and get time to make the arrangements. Mom and Gabi did not show up. I heard from those in her church that she told everyone that Gabi was improved and didn't need to go, so not many people contributed in the offering. After missing another appointment, Gabi and mom finally showed up (2 weeks later, after multiple attempts by pastors and missionaries to have them return), and Gabi looked much worse. Very lethargic, still walking, but just barely, and now having developed deviation of one eye. After some long discussion w/ one of our excellent nurses and Peggy, mom agreed to get the CT scan and said she could come up w/ about 1/4 of the cost. The other was covered by various others touched by this beautiful, suffering little girl. Ct done next day. Not good news when they came back Wednesday. She has a tumor the size of a small egg in the L side of her brain. We kept her overnight in the hospital, and after some-difficult-to-explainresistance from mom, who still seems somewhat detached, and required several "talkings-to", arrangements were made to take her to the largest government hospital in San Pedro Sula. The have experienced neurosurgeons there and even pediatric oncologist, whom I spoke too and who agreed she need to come there. So today mom and Gabi were taken in car by staff to that hospital. I really ask you all to pray for Gabi that God would heal her, that she could get the surgery she needs and would grow to become as lovely a woman as she is now a lovely girl. Pray that God would protect her, that she could even have no significant neurological deficits after her treatment. Even pray that her healing would be an amazing testimony and set off a revival in her town. Also, pray for mom that God would touch her through this and bring her to himself. Pray that she would see her need for Christ and repent. Pray that God would give her strength to be a good mom during this difficult time. Pray for provision for her other children whom she had to leave behind w/ other family."

John and I traveled to San Pedro yesterday, Friday, to be ready to greet Eryn, our 11 yr old granddaughter, traveling into the country with Dr Leon and Judy. We visited Gabi and her mom and aunt in the hospital about 6 PM. Gabi had gone into convulsions again shortly after arrival in SPS, and then into a coma. She was still in Pediatric ER 24 hrs later- still in the same green dress, but now unresponsive. We had been told that she was on mechanical ventilation- hm, the mecanics of which is mom and auntie taking turns squeezing the ambu! They have done this for over 24 hours...they're mad and tired. Gabi has probably winged her way heavenward as I write. Will call when its a decent hour.

The second attention grabber of the week is the political unrest here that Dr. Joel describes far better than I can. Due to being involved in the hospital, I had not been on email all week, and the gradually increasing tension had escaped me. All here will be staying close to home as the national "referendum" is tomorrow, Sunday. There is nothing else in the news here. Tho we know its "small potatoes" in the states, as is the pathos of our Gabi, it nonetheless a crises here.

To quote Dr. Joel, at present there is a "showdown between the president and executive branch and every other branch of the government/power structure. In short, President Zelaya, w/out saying what changes need to be made, is calling for a vote of the citizens to see if they want a 'cuarta urna'(fourth ballot, the first three are for 1)local candidates 2)congress candidates 3)presidential candidates) included in November's elections. Unfortunately, there is no such polling or cuarta urna allowed in the Constitution. There are other ways established w/in the Constitution to change the constitution, but apparently he is not interested in these methods. Probably b/c he could never get enough support to get them called. Slyly, he won't say what part of the consititution needs changing, just saying that it "doesn't work" or is "bad". Apparently, this hasn't fooled too many people, as the press and most people interviewed call it a veiled attempt to seek continuismo, staying in power continually. Lately it has really become a showdown, and looks like it might develop into a crisis. It is incredibly interesting, but scary too. The atmosphere builds w/ the weightness of what is happening. W/in the past week, the Supreme Court declared the polling unconstitutional and ordered the armed forces and police to NOT participate. The attorney general declared it illegal and has threatened to bring charges against any government officials or workers or citizens who help put forth the polling, as it is against the law and considered an "attempt against the state". Just yesterday, the president fired the equivalent of the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff of the armed forces, when the general said he would not follow the presidents order to establish the cuarta urna, b/c to do so was to break the law. So he got canned. In response, the heads of each branch of the armed forces and the defense minister resigned in solidarity. The next day, the Supreme Court reinstated the head of the joint chiefs, saying it was within his power and that his firing was unlawful. There have been large street protests, so far apparently peaceful, against the president's effort. There have been smaller ones in favor. Their are rumors that the executive branch has been paying money and giving lots of gifts to labor unions and campesino groups to get their support. Like actual cash payments to come to the rally. Their is the sense that the majority of Hondurans are against this, and not just mildly so, but actually fed up w/ it and screaming no. But that could just be my impression from the people that I know. Anyway, at the very least, this is very heady stuff and a potentially explosive situation. Please pray: 1) that the rule of law would win out and that rule of law will be respected, throughout Honduran society
2) that peace would reign and that no violence would occur, no lives would be lost 3) that justice would rule and those guilty would pay the consequences and 4) that God might use this to build a more peaceful, less corrupt, more just society focused on serving its people and lifting up those who have-not. "

We are pensive yet excited today as we await the arrival of Eryn. Pensive as we await news of Gabi, about how her family will handle this. Pensive in the aftermath of a young man who died yesterday AM in our ER from machete wounds after being attacked by 2 men in his field up in the mountains. Hurting for the staff and the need for them to "deal with" such pain. Studying in Perspectives weekly the need to never be resigned to the status quo as regards evil. How to confront evil without forsaking 1 Cor. 13, "Love is patient, love is kind...keeps no records of wrong". Having been rightly accused of being aggressive in the Pediatric ER last PM as I spoke with the doctor, I am truly reassessing my reaction to injustice, how we "take a stand" without anger that is destructive, not life-changing. Pray for us. Pray for Honduras.

4 weeks update

2 weeks ago: The weather has turned almost unbearably hot- I frequently make my rounds with a blue surgical handtowel over my shoulder to wipe off the sweat when it interferes with my performance- like in starting IV’s, when I am dripping over the site. We love the setting of the sun when a lite breeze comes up off the ocean to cool down the house a bit so we can sleep. Rare to need a sheet nowadays.
In the aftermath of Thursday am’s earthquake here in Honduras, we are en route to San Pedro Sula to pick up a couple at the airport flying in from Maine. We stayed in a cheap cabin outside the city and awoke at our normal time of 5:30 to find no water. The owner kindly and apologetically brought us a gallon of water from the wee swimming pool to wash our faces! Knowing there would be no coffee forthcoming here, we forayed into Progresso to a Dunkin Donuts for a breakfast sandwich-and COFFEE! Read The Prensa, the morning Honduran paper, while we breakfasted, and pretended all was well with the world, while we read of growing dangers in the cities here and the aftermath of damage from the quake. We will soon have to cross a bridge that was partially destroyed but we understand we can cross on l lane. We will see! (They say, “Si Dios quiere”, ). Afternote: we crossed without problems. See pic below.

Mid May John and I enjoyed 4 days away in the mountains where John was helping with the OB part of a Community Health Promoters conference sponsored by World MAP, a welcome respite and a wonderful way to spend my 57th birthday, reading a fun book instead of studying as usual. We are very pleased with the results of this 3 year class, which just began. We have 4 young ladies from our area attending, the only drawback being the 6 hr. drive and pulling away to do it every 3 months! It’s exciting to see the light of understanding flash in their eyes as they become aware of different truths. As a follow-up on this, Dr. Gabby, the director of MAP in Honduras , and her sidekick Lucy came to our area this past week to introduce a method of community assessment in Lucinda, teaching Dr. Rene, who works with us, the technique. We are always looking to assess needs so as to better meet them here, so perhaps this will give us a handle on that.

We were glad to have a Physical Therapist here for a short week, in which John and I both accompanied him on some home visits, in addition to which I translated for him for clinic patients. He worked with some of the kids in the children's center as well. Below is our visit with Wilson, a 4 year old severely handicapped child with a captivating grin who suffered a bilirubin of 48 after birth without treatment. We brought out a highchair for him that the PT padded to help his mom with his posture. She and her companion take great care of Wilson, and the love they have for him is tangible.

Our housekeeper, approaching the end of her pregnancy by a married man whose wife is also pregnant, has presented John with some challenges. We have visited with her family, who refuse to let her bring another baby into the poverty of the household. They have agreed for her to return home after giving the baby away! That is not out of the cultural norm here. She does not want to give the baby away, but feels no other options. The father is threatening her over her decision to give up the child, saying he wants to give it to his wife! Oh, Lord, give us wisdom! She is afraid to return to work for her last weeks, having been on bedrest for the past 2, because she says he will get her on the road! Hm. We are seeking options as to how to best bless her and the baby.

…..the above was written several weeks ago, now being June 13. Our houseguests, Mike and Cathey, just left after 2 weeks here, he in the pharmacy and she in nursing and evangelism. During their stay, we were delighted to host 2 men from Faith Comes by Hearing, one from Guatemala City, the other from Ceiba. My brother Jeff with Wycliffe in Nepal put us in touch with this group, as they have used them there to do the audio recording of the language they work in. We spoke of them and the workshop one presented back in May to begin listening groups for the Garifuna Bible. This visit was strictly to encourage John and I, which it surely did. They are both delightful men, one a pastor in a large church in Guat. The other is a youth pastor, 25. Both very musical, so after a typical dinner I gave them both a guitar and with our other guests we sang for over an hour. Then Abdiel had us gather to listen to John 4 on The Proclaimer, the audio tool we have been using, only in Spanish. From that section in scripture, he encouraged us and then prayed over us and our work.

Mom asked for an update on Carla, the little malnourished girl I sent a picture of awhile back. Carla has been at the Children’s Home now since that time, being loved and fed and doctored. It was discovered she probably has beriberi, a vitamin deficiency, so is getting 3xweekly injections of thiamine. Thos she was gaining weight, she was also rapidly gaining girth and walking like a 9 month pregnant lady. An echo showed congestive heart failure, and she also has a very enlarged liver. She is now on heart meds and a diuretic, measuring her girth each visit. She now joins in Sunday school class, says “Adios, Penny” aftr I inject her, and will let me “chinear” her when she’s sad or hurt. Pray for her…she is in need of much physical healing.

While Cathy and Mike were here, another missionary from La Ceiba came out for 2 nights and the 3 guys did 2 sessions of Ham Radio testing to provide legal licences to a few more of the long term missionaries. Tho we now all have cell phones, there are still many places where there is no signal and we all rely on radio to communicate. So was a great blessing to have both Rob and Mike here to form a testing team, all 3 guys being able to give tests.

Our housekeeper Chayto gave birth last Sunday night, quickly and healthily. John and I were with her. I had needed to work in nursing both Saturday and Sunday due to staff sickness, so the added need to be out during the night started my week with less than a full tank! But were thankful Chayto delivered without problems. Her father changed his mind and was actually in the hospital for the delivery, and the second person to hold the baby. It looks like after all our planning to find a haven for her and the baby that it won’t be necessary after all!

Monday I began the first of 10 days of a nurse’s aide class for 5 young women we’d carefully selected as being possible candidates for employment. We know we will need someone very soon, and even as I was beginning the class, another employee is talking of resigning to move. So of the 5 I began training, perhaps 2 will be offered immediate employment and will begin hospital orientation at the end of this coming week. It meant some long hard days, with very little time to prepare, as we had company and then extras each night, so was late before I was able to retreat to our room to study and prepare the next days classes. The Lord honored my intent, and it was a good week. This coming week, we will begin the 5 days of clinical experience in the hospital and clinic. I am thankful to have this group trained so as not to be caught with limited time or options when there is the need to hire someone. I actually enjoyed the week, tho barely made it energy wise!

We're down to 2 weeks today that our granddaughter Eryn arrives! Hoping to have an easier pace with her here after working so hard to deserve it! Many are gone so the hospital should be slower. Our laboratory person and family leave permanently sunday, and others are headed out on visa trips or furloughs. We will be tight...but that also means not so many admissions. Thanks to all who sent their notes of concern about the earthquake- we are covered in prayer, obviously.