Just hours before delivery, an ultrasound revealed that her baby wasn’t going to be okay, her baby had developed early one, without a brain. A few hours later, her baby was born and the love between a mother and her baby was just as evident in her as it was in any of the other new moms. She held her baby, feeding her, loving her and caring for her like everyone else. The fact that her baby wasn’t going to live very long didn’t matter. Each day when I would see them, I would ask how she was doing and the mom or grandma would smile and say everything was well, and it was well. Lineth was blessed with a baby, and she loved that baby and trusted God to see her through each day, and I know He will. I wish my love could come that easy, without any reservations, hesitations, expectation or desire of being loved in return. I wish I could have God’s love, just like this mother showed, love for each of us no matter what our response to that love is, and be willing to give it all for someone else, just like God gave Jesus to us. For me, this is a picture to remember.
Source: A mother's love from Erin Meier – Asia Pacific
Remembering days of old and looking forward to the Mountains ahead
For years the Operating Theatre (OT) at Kudjip has been a place of healing. Men, women and children have come and willingly placed their lives and the lives of those they love into the hands of the men and women working in the OT. From the surgeon who does the operation, to the anesthesia men and women who provide the meds so the patients aren’t feeling pain and aren’t moving during the surgery, to the scrub nurses who assist the surgeons, to the central supply workers who make sure there are always clean instruments and drapes for surgery each plays a part in the healing that have occurred. We took the time last week to celebrate and remember how God has used the building, the old OT in the old hospital, and the people who have worked in the building, to bring healing both physically and spiritually to many lives. We heard stories about the first patient Dr. Jim operated on 30 yrs ago, who have being in a coma for 3 days, woke up, gave his life to the Lord, and is now a pastor in a remote village; how people in provinces far from here, hear the name of Nazarene Church and have stories to share about how their lives were saved at Nazarene Hospital in the operating theatre; and how that OT is the reason we have 2 surgeons now, instead of one, and more. Margaret Mugang shared history of the Church of the Nazarene and the…
Source: Remembering days of old and looking forward to the Mountains ahead from Erin Meier – Asia Pacific
When one hand is not enough
About 2 months ago, while playing basketball I felt some pain in my shoulder. Having dislocated it 5 times in the past, I wasn’t too worried about it. I took some normal precautions of rest, ice, antiinflammatory medicine and PT exercises to strengthen my shoulder. After a month, it was still hurting me, and so I started to wear a sling on my R arm while at my house for some relief from the pain. The sling did help at night, but my shoulder was still bothering me during the day while working. I tried to rationalize that I needed my R arm to work, but finally, I broke down and started wearing the sling full time and have now become a one handed doctor with helpers. We have a volunteer family here and their 19 yo daughter wants to be a doctor, so she has agreed to be my scribe. Marissa joins me on rounds and in the clinic, writing my notes for me. In payment for being my scribe, I try and teach Marissa a little something about medicine – what I am hearing, doing, feeling, and thinking. She seems to be enjoying the chance to be in the hospital and learning about medicine, and my shoulder is enjoying the rest of being able to be immobilized throughout the day. Ben and Jim have also volunteered their surgical services to cover my C-sections when I am on call, which is a blessing as well. I have had…
Source: When one hand is not enough from Erin Meier – Asia Pacific