Field Missionary

For the past 30 years these hands have been the hands that have provided healing to thousands of patients in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea.  They have stopped bleeding, removed cancer, delivered babies, straightened bones, reconnected tendons, removed infections, sutured lacerations and more.  They have also folded in prayer over many patients that have had surgery at Kudjip Nazarene Hospital. For years these hands have gone numb and have had some trouble in long surgeries, but most recently, the numbness has been constant and even the most basic functions they had been performing for years, were becoming very challenging.  Thankfully, God’s timing was perfect.  Not only was Jim no longer the only full time surgeon at Kudjip (Ben, Jim’s son is here doing surgery also), but Mike Pyle, a former Naz missionary in Swaziland, who has done a number of carpal tunnel surgeries, was also here volunteering.  Ben was willing to take a few more calls and Mike was willing to do Jim’s surgery, so to the OT they went. Mike put his hands of healing on Jim, prayed for the surgery and then went to work relieving the compression on Jim’s median nerve causing his carpal tunnel syndrome.  Praise God the surgery went very well, the numbness has already gone down, and Jim expects to be using his hands in healing once again very soon.  God is good.
Source: Hands of healing from Erin Meier – Asia Pacific

His smile is adorable, but his parents are worried.  He has fallen and cut his head and never cried, he has suffered a laceration of his arm, but he never noticed and kept playing.  As I examined him I tried to see if he could feel pain, by pinching him, but he didn’t move at all.  His dad drew his hand away when I tried it on his dad, but the kid didn’t move a muscle. This is dangerous, he won’t know if he breaks something, won’t know if he is too close to a fire and could burn himself, won’t know when he should stop playing because he is causing pain to himself.  When he is small his parents might be able to protect him, but as he grows they won’t  be around all the time. Pray that his smile continues, that his parents help him understand his situation and that he can understand and play accordingly.
Source: Feeling no pain from Erin Meier – Asia Pacific

With the Hydro back up the reservoir is back too, which allows for swimming and just playing in the water.  I have continued to teach PE this year to our high school kids and have enjoyed the chance to use the reservoir as a place to do PE.  Today we did a little swimming and then played some water polo and inner tube polo and keep away.  Our attempt at water polo certainly gave us more respect for those who really play water polo, but it was fun.  Despite the coolness of the water, the kids enjoyed the change of activities and the chance to laugh and get wet.  Not only did the kids enjoy it, but many PNGians also enjoyed it as they saw and watched us as we played.
Source: Water Polo for PE from Erin Meier – Asia Pacific