From the Field

Each morning this week I was greeted by these smiling faces on the pediatric ward.  Many kids are scared of doctors and so they cry and scream when I get close to them, but thankfully, not this week. The most common reasons for admission are diarrhea, pneumonia and malnutrition.  Skin, muscle and bone infections are also quite common.  This week, I had a kid with an infection in his brain that our surgeons drained and he is now moving the left side of his body.  Another boy had a bad tooth infection that spread to his face.  Thankfully, Sheena, our dentist, was able to remove the tooth and the swelling and infection went down in just a few days.  It is a blessing to be able to help the kids get better and send them home to their families.
Source: Happy kids from Erin Meier – Asia Pacific

Once again we have been a bit behind the times with our blog writing.  As the chief writers for the Asia-Pacific Regional website and the seven social media channels that we manage on behalf of the Region, it seems that we are always writing, just not on our own blog!!!  I did want to get this urgent request for Work and Witness teams out to all of you so that you might be able to share it with your churches.  More to come…just as soon as I complete writing the quarterly activity and strategy reports for our ministry, and then proof the 70+ page strategy report for all ministries of the Region.  My eyes get tired 🙂
Source: Extreme Work and Witness Teams Needed in Saipan. from Aebischer – Asia Pacific

When I got on the plane to return to Papua New Guinea after my shoulder surgery, I realized it was exactly 8 years ago that I first got on a plane to come to PNG.  I remember being a bit scared 8 years ago as I boarded that plane, leaving behind all I had known and having no idea what I would find, who I would meet or how God would use me in PNG.   8 years ago everything was new: the people, the language, the smells, food, the medicine I was there to practice, the missionaries I was serving alongside.  Now 8 years later, so much is familiar: the people have names and are friends; I speak the language; I have grown accustomed to the smells and know when to avoid smelling; I enjoy eating all kinds of foods; I have a good handle on the diseases I am treating and now serve as the Medical Services Director of our hospital; and the missionaries are now my family.   Despite growing familiar with many things during these past 8 years, there are still challenges to serving in PNG.  The PNG culture where fighting and domestic violence is accepted and doesn’t seem to end is a continual challenge.  The lack of diagnostic ability and medical resources always challenges and stretches my medical skills.     Normal 0 false false false EN-US JA X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:”Table Normal”; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:””; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt;…
Source: 8 years from Erin Meier – Asia Pacific