Field Missionary

One of my challenges in caring for the patients here in PNG is to try and understand a little of where they are coming from, what challenges they have, what their cultural beliefs are, etc in order to better care for them.  Through the years, I have learned that where a person comes from can have a big impact on their ability to followup regularly.  Cost of transportation, road blocks, fights along the way can all be barriers to those traveling long distances, so trying to get them to seek care closer to home is sometimes necessary.  Knowing that most people get their water from the river, which is also used by some as a toilet, leads me to talk to patients about boiling water before drinking it, especially if they are having repeated bouts of diarrhea.  I know that one of the ways that people get out of fights or when they are feeling stressed, is to faint and pretend to be unconscious.  When they come to the ER, there is something more important that being given a clean bill of health and sent home, there is a reason they needed to come to the hospital, a reason they needed to escape whatever what going on at home or at school and so sleeping in the hospital for a night, having a chaplain come and talk and pray with them is sometimes the best medicine.   I have learned many things about life in PNG and about the challenges to…
Source: Abandonment from Erin Meier – Asia Pacific

A few weeks ago, Peniel came into the pediatric ward.  He had fallen a few days before he came, and his parents were concerned because he was having some fevers, developed seizures and quit moving the L side of his body.  Susan did an ultrasound and thought maybe she was seeing something abnormal on the ultrasound of his brain.  Shortly thereafter, Ben and Jim were draining an abscess in his head.  A few days after surgery, I took care of Peniel for a week on the ward.  Each day his mom and dad would tell me the little improvement he was making, but as I was examining him, he was still far from normal.  I left the pediatric ward and went back to medical ward and wasn’t sure what happened to him, until this week. As I called for the next patient, this happy child is carried into my room by his mom.  I looked at his book and started to read the history and then realized who this kid was.  I couldn’t believe that this was the same kid.  He was moving his L side without any problem, he was smiling and interactive, he  certainly seemed like he was a normal kid.  Without the book, I would never have guessed this kid just had a brain abscess.  We don’t do neurosurgery too often, but I think we are all definitely glad we did it here, and I am sure his parents are too.
Source: Peniel from Erin Meier – Asia Pacific

 After a week of rains, we have had almost 2 wks of no rain.  The tanks are getting low, the mangos are growing, fires are easily started and have lots of fuel to keep them going. Last night, just after finishing dinner with Ben and Katherine Radcliffe, we heard crackling outside.  I looked out the window and saw a large fire in the garden.  Ben and I grabbed buckets of water and ran to try and put the flames out.  The fire was quickly spreading and as we turned to go and get more water, the McCoys, security, Don and Andy were there coming to help, soon a number of kids were there too helping to put out the fire.  The villagers were on the other side of the fence, also trying to help and put the fire out, and watch us as we worked.  Thankfully, we were able to stop the spread of the fire, but not before it destroyed the brush along the fence.  As we were finishing up our fire, another fire broke out on station and many went to help put that out.  Thankfully the fires were squelched without damage to houses.  Today, while surveying the damage, we noticed the vegetables near the fire had also suffered some burns. The lack of rain has now shut down our hydro electric power.  We don’t have enough water to keep the canal full and the power coming.  We are now relying on our large donated generator for power,…
Source: Drought and Fires from Erin Meier – Asia Pacific