Praise God from Whom all blessings flow.....

Sarah with baby Ellie and Benton

Last night, our 33 yr old daughter, Sarah, began singing the old favorite Mennonite doxology from her youth group years, and I joined her. "Praise God from Whom all blessings flow, praise Him all creatures here below....praise Him above ye heavenly hosts....".  It came at the culmination of several days of phone calls, emails, scannings, visits, all directed towards helping our other daugher, Kate, secure a passport for her 10 yr old son, Benton.  I am bringing he and his 12 yr old sister, Eryn, back to Honduras to live and study for awhile, and teach John and I what its like to be 10 and 12 again!  To get a passport with such little notice proved to be quite a task- without the help of Senator Coburn's office, it would have been unreachable.  A 5 hr. drive to Dallas yesterday proved victorious and we returned with the passport in hand- and today, Thanksgiving Day, we made their flight plans to return with me next Friday.  Deserved the Halleluia Chorus! The cherry on top was John's voice on the Skype phone today when he realized I'd be returning on the previously scheduled date and not having to delay to wait for a passport. We miss each other!

I have now been in Tulsa, OK for 4 weeks. A thyroid mass was the reason we planned this trip, and my first 2 weeks were spent pursuing a diagnosis. The needle biopsy showed it to be benign, so the endocrinologist's suggestion was to attempt to reduce the size with lowdose levothyroxine. If its unsuccessful and continues to grow, then down the road we'll discuss surgery. A big YEAH!  Thanks to the many who prayed and followed this closely with encouragement and humor!  In the end, I think John concurs with me that the thyroid was just the bait the Lord used to get me to Tulsa before our projected time to be able to address a family need and to enjoy a 2 week visit with our Sarah and 2 yr old Ellie, who came supposedly to nurse me back to health after surgery. Instead, Sarah has been invaluable in helping me deal with this family need and also building up my health thru her awesomely wholesome and delicious cooking.   

Son Jake, with Eryn and Benton

Please uphold us as we begin a new chapter in our lives, that of loving our grandkids up close in our Honduran home instead of investing in their lives from afar. We need your prayers as we begin to homeschool them and teach them Spanish. Pray for the huge adjustment in their lives too, that they would both form close, edifying relationships and grow and blossom like the jungle flora.  That they would meet God in a BIG way at Loma de Luz....see Him in all His Glory. 

We are thankful for all of you who have invested so heavily in our lives- in encouragement, in loaning vehicles, providing lodging, hummus and cottage cheese, accompanying me on doctor's visit, lending reading material, winter clothing, sending hospital supplies back with me, buying a new grate for our honduran grill....oh, the list goes on and on! Bless you all. Merry Thanksgiving to all .   

Change of Pace

 The scenery is very different looking out the window here in Tulsa!  I have traded the jungle out back and the ocean out front for tall trees with various shades of turning leaves, squirrels, and increasingly cooler air. I left Honduras when our last guests, Bob and Alexis Jack and their engineer friend, Ben, left the country after fixing our electrical system in the hospital. 4 weeks earlier, I had noted a small mass on my thyroid and we began making plans for me to come back to the US to have it evaluated. I'm now 1 1/2 weeks into my visit and still awaiting the definitive thyroid diagnosis!  However, we had very good news today in hearing that the PET scan done to prove that the mass was not part of something more extensive turned out negative. More news and a plan of attack should be forthcoming after a Friday visit with the endocrinologist and a Monday visit with a surgeon. I've needed some recovery time physically as was very tired on returning, so have been content to spend a lot of time reading, praying, and visiting with friends mostly here where I am staying. Just now getting out walking and enjoying the late Fall sunshine with the kids and grandkids.     John has stayed behind this trip with the 4 kids committed to caring for me if its necessary to have surgery! Sarah and baby Ellie will be arriving here in Tulsa on Monday from Philadelphia, figuring that a toddler is good laughter-therapy- especially this one! Eryn has said she'll skip school to help me, Dan says he'll take time off work....I am richly blessed. I appreciate them all, and with the good news that its nothing more than a thyroid problem, I am confident I'll be able to just enjoy them all and need very little help!


aftergame treats with Eryn and Benton

 The plan, Lord willing, is for me to return to Honduras Dec. 3.  So until then, no pictures from Honduras!  Please pray for peace for John there alone. The heavy rains have begun in earnest, he's dealing with the normal bridge outages, internet being out, inability to get to his mountain clinics, and having to keep up the house alone. We're thankful for all the prayers in this health problem....praying that I will be a good steward of this time the Lord has given me.

...and now, for the rest of the story!



Proud nurses releasing our miracle baby



1:30 and the 5 hr trek is just beginning, with sunset at 5:30!



Last entry left 2 week old Miguel Angel just having begun recovery after a rough week. He continued to improve, mom Rosa very happily nursing him after her every 2 hr. pumping to build up her nonexistent milk supply on arrival. It had been hard for her to do so, not understanding the principle of milk production, and knowing her baby was dying. but she had trusted and done it- and got to see the fruits of her obedience- Miguel rapidly grew a second chin and fat thighs. We grinned each time we heard him having a tizzy- we couldn't get enough of him. Almost 2 weeks after that last entry, I had the privilege of driving Miguel plus his 3 yr old big sister who had also been admitted with pneumonia and diarrhea, and mom and dad to the start of the trail that would take them home. Know our nurse visitors, Lori and Amber, can't wait til next Sept. when they return, when we all plan a victory march up the mountain with a pinata for Miguel's first birthday.

Since our Jacksonville, OR trio left, our neighbors from Moses Lake, WA, Mike and Claudia, have also spent a week with us. Claudia left having made curtains for the children's center, and Mike did his normal "fix-everything" routine. We enjoyed the fellowship immensely!



Mike and Claudia

Update on Michaelangelo, onward to baby Elder

Baby Michaelangelo (Miguel Angel) 6 hours after extubating himself

Been a roller coaster week in the hospital. Baby Miguel Angel has kept all the RN visitors busy, and the locals besides. He was intubated twice, both times took a decisive role and yanked out his breathing tube.  The second time, yesterday AM early, we had just spent many hours making an ambulance to transport him to San Pedro where rumor has it there is a ventilator. At the last possible minute, he went bad again, it took awhile to stabilize him- and he yanked his tube. We all prepared to say goodby to our little friend. I have pictures of mom and dad tearfully cuddling him.  But he perked up, and this picture is of him with a full belly of breastmilk, mom and dad just enjoying him. Who can know the mind of the Lord? His folks are totally at peace with just being with him, waiting on God to either take him HOME or for them to carry him back up the mountain 6 hours away.


Baby Elder, hypothyroidism, 4 lbs at 2 months old



As we were backing off from baby Miguel, letting his folks care for him, breathing a sigh of relief and thinking we might begin sleeping normally again, we received a tiny 4 pounder, who hasn't gained any weight since birth, but 2 months old. Every rib showed. Dr. Sharon made what looked like an instant diagnosis, and we began intervention. He looks like a starving baby from Africa...had a blood transfusion during the night. Another baby to pray for.  The second of our 4 visiting RN's leaves today, so that leaves us our 2 visitors, Amber and Lori, to be the extra hands. 

John and our visitors, with his assistant Xiomara, attempted a trip to the Cayos islands offshore to do a Women's health clinic. They had to return within 24 hours as Hurricane Matthew was descending on the north coast of Honduras. They boated in at noon, the rains hit by 3, and John made a quick transport of a laboring patient as darkness hit.  Thats our 4th delivery of the week, 3 transported out to the city. We have had trouble finding time to eat or to visit all together with our company, but we surely have seen God at work protecting patients, protecting long hours on the road.   



Michaelangelo

Magda,RN in government service, with baby Miguel Angel

13 day old Miguel Angel is fighting for his life.  His mom and dad carried him 6 hours down the mountain the end of last week with a bad pneumonia- imagine being a newly delivered mom, hiking that distance! Little Miguel went bad Friday night before we got back from the city with our 3 guests, Amber and Richard Shields, and Lori. Its not been a restful visit for any of them, beginning with all day Saturday doing wound care in the hospital, helping John deliver a baby Saturday midnight, then working all day sunday in the hospital helping John stitch up ER patients.  I went with Richard to church, and returned to help in the hospital til supper time. By then, it was obvious Miguel was not doing well, so Amber and Lori stayed the night to special-duty him. By sunday night, Sandy Hurst, a nurse anesthetist friend, had arrived, so because surgeries were cancelled on Monday, she was free to special-duty Miguel Monday. By afternoon, she had decided to intubate him as he was just wearing out. Since that time, someone has been breathing for him by ambu, as there is no ventilator here nor anywhere close!  "For such a time as this"- we surely see God's hand in the timing.  Never do we have 2 extra RN's and an anesthetist!  So baby Miguel Angel has received the best Honduras can offer.  I just dropped Amber and Lori off at the hospital for the 3rd straight night....Please pray for this little fellow to turn the corner and begin to recover.  Pray for mom and dad, a young, VERY poor couple with 3 other children back up in the mountains. When I began speaking with them yesterday about the possibility of transferring the baby, their main concern was how to pay for all this. I told them that they could pay us in bananas, chickens, mangoes....he said , "You don't understand. We are being given housing where we are. We have none of what you are describing. We have nothing".  I asked him if he was a Believer, and he visible lit up, saying yes, he'd been walking with the Lord for 4 years. I pointed to his wife, a very sweet young lady, and commented that she was quite a treasure too. Then I asked him if he was healthy, and he assured me he was capable of hard work.  I summed up out brief conversation with, "Hm, you said you are SO poor, you have nothing.  I think you are a very rich man!  You have Jesus, your wife, 3 children that are being cared for by your pastor, and say you are strong and healthy. Yes, you are a very rich, blessed man. Lets just deal with today, with Miguel Jesus. We'll find a way for you to be able to pay your bills."
Yes, there are many kinds of poverty. This man is poor in $ only.  I'd rather be that kind of poor.    

Arma blanca y arma del fuego (machetes and guns)

"Voy a machetear su cara..."- "I'm going to machete your face!"-  hm, for the first few sentences I was listening closely for clues as to whom I was speaking yesterday afternoon as the generator roared in the background.  I was preparing Sunday School in advance, and the power was out, so that noise made it hard to hear real well what the speaker on the house phone was saying.  I'd assumed it was a Honduran friend....but realized with the threat that it was NOT a nice man!  He  spoke of his gang and needing money for the coffins of some "homies" that had been killed and told me he was watching me as we spoke!  I pretended I couldn't understand him and stuttered in broken spanish that I needed a translator...and shouted at the neighbors for help!  Diana, the spanish teacher, was providentially giving a lesson and took the phone, wisely stringing him along until Dr. McKenney arrived. By asking some clever questions, she quickly discerned that he was NOT viewing ou rhouse  from half a block away- we don't have blocks here!  Then he said to bring the money to the gas station. Wrong again- we don't have gas stations here. Whew! I just knew he was peeking in my window! Found out later that this scam is prevalent in the country right now, with numbers being dialed randomly. "He keeps in perfect peace those whose minds are fixed on Him."  Still, that phrase, "I'm going to machete your face" kept doing maneuvers in my mind as I went to bed last night.  anael, flagbearer Today was Honduran Independence Day, so we were out in Rio Esteban by 8 AM, ready to take pictures of the parade of school kids. They make special outfits, beat on drums, carry banners. Anael, the 20 yr old that we and friends support to get thru highschool, and who bears the main load at the church, was among the top 5 in his class (Junior) so was one of the elite flagbearers. They each had a plastic drinking cup looped thru their belt to support the pole. Clever.Tho the parade didn't really rev up til 9:30, it was fun visiting with all the familiar faces.  Joni in his finery Joni, the 12 year old we mentor, began in the bilingual school (a misnomer!) in Rio Esteban 3 weeks ago now. He looked so proud in his newly made maroon pants with tie and beret in the parade today! Tho his changing schools means he had to go back a year, we think the guarantee that he will get schooling instead of always being home while the public schools are on strike made it worth the gamble. We are looking for a tutor for him for his winter break from Dec. thru January, 2 months, to really grill him on English and improve his math skills. Anyone want a Carribean vacation over Christmas? Please pray and consider this need!   Last week was the Community Health Promoters workshop for 3 days, so added that extra to the normal full schedule. We were blessed to have Dr. Gabby, the head of World Map for Honduras and the chief teacher for this Promoters course that runs for 3 years, and her coworker Loyda, staying with us. They were delightful company and so full of vigor and ideas! We are beginning to see fruit from this course thats now at the end of its second year for 2 of our hospital employees, and the end of year 1 for the remaining 23.  Dispelling myths that negatively affect health and wellbeing of the people is a priority of this course. Sunday evening we received an emergency call from Anael, saying to meet them at the hospital, that a mutual friend, Jose, had just been shot. His advance notice helped us be a bit better prepared. Jose had been returning home from the village for supper and taken a shortcut up a creekbed in the dark. He came upon some "mountain man", he reports, and decided to turn around and return to the road, but was shot in the back as he turned around. We stabilized Jose and began transport plans. It again pointed out the great need we have for an ambulance out here. In the end, our faithful neighbor,  Dave, who by day works in IT but  moonlights as an EMT, drove our pickup with Jose and his wife in the backseat, to the hospital in the city, with our agricultural missionary Brad, accompanying. (One wears many hats here!) . Jose was finally operated on after noon Monday, and we hear from his wife Doli that he can now walk a bit. She says he's in a lot of pain, and that she has to go out and buy him medicine as they don't have any in the hospital We plan to bring him something enroute to San Pedro tomorrow. We think pain control is a RIGHT- here its only a privilege of those who have money. Pray for Jose and Doli- they were the first couple John baptized and married here.

From KY to WA to OK ----to Honduras!

August 21, 2010

Our dear friends, Bobby and George, with the 60th
 anniversary couple, Mom and Dad

Long silence as we left for the USA on July 3 for our Cornerstone International Summit back in Wilmore, KY, and didn’t return to Honduras til just a week ago.( Believe it or not, we have much more consistent internet access in the jungle than in the US!)  In addition to VERY pertinent input at the Summit and wonderful fellowship, we were able to fly on to the NW and have time with our daughter Sarah, Jaie and baby Ellie, now 17 months old and SO much fun, spend time in our home in Moses lake WA, and attend the 60th wedding anniversary reunion for my folks at the home of a niece. We had just 3 days together, with 4 generations represented, and a special visit to the reunion from a couple who probably have had the most influence on the Webster clan in our walks with the Lord. Thanks, Bobby and George, for making that big effort to celebrate with us, even tho you were dealing with grief in your own family. Also, we salute you for the investment you made years ago in all of us, and how you continue to support the Webster kids that are on the mission field today!

Sarah and Ellie

Sarah made a special trip with baby Ellie to Moses Lake to spend 4 days with us and give Ellie a chance to know her Great Grandparents before bringing us with her back to Portland to fly on to Tulsa. An unplanned blessing there was having dinner with a highschool classmate I’d not seen since our wedding 36 years ago! Thanks, Craig and Valerie, for making that happen.

Loving on Kaitlin Maurie

Before Before returning to Honduras, we briefly visited the 3 kids in Tulsa OK. Bill, a longtime friend of ours, treated us and 3 grandkids and our son to a day sailing on Oologah Lake. Will long remember the day for being our first day alone with our granddaughter Kaitlin Maurie, now almost 3- a fun time to get to know her a bit.

We arrived back in Honduras in time to reacquaint ourselves with our friends , the Greene’s, before driving them to the city to fly back to the US. He and Dr. Joel have held down the hospital and clinic for almost 6 weeks alone, except for brief respites with visiting docs. Now we are expectantly awaiting the reentry of Dr. Shaw today, hopefully followed by Dr.Mark next week. Slowly the whole crew is trickling back in.

As last year when we returned in July, we had 2 Code blue’s this first week back. Seems one gets back in the groove quickly…sink or swim. I am busily orienting a new LPN and SO thankful to have another nurse on board! It will be a bit before she can work independently, but will be a big help. As John looks at the schedule, he is trying to plan 2 mountain trips in the next 2 weeks, to be sure he’s gotten into these 2 health departments at least one more time before the rains start in late October, as the roads become impassable. We had one of the nurses from Las Ballas inpatient this week and from her found out the road is still passable to their clinic, contrary to what we’d been told by rumors.

Had opportunity to participate yesterday in a mass civil wedding of 24 couples here in Balfate- all done free to fulfill a campaign promise of the new mayor. Our longtime friend and John’s assistant, Xiomara, was finally married, and we attended as their witnesses. John has committed to giving them the roof for their intended house when it comes to that point- a practical wedding gift!

Juan Carlos and Xiomara finally wed!

In closing, please pray for Karly, a 17 year old short-term missionary that spent 6 weeks here caring for Orlin, a baby in the children’s center who needs 1:1 care. Today, she is flying back to Seattle, escorted by her Dad, to be admitted for diagnosis of some mysterious ailment that has had her down now for a week. She has puzzled our docs…her desire is to get treated and return….we pray for her healing and for her spirits during this big disappointment.

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Baby Ellie rocking in the porch swing with Great Grandpa