A new journey: entering life as a midwife student in the Philippines

second day in the Philippines, we went on a outreach to a neighboring village.  I just watched and held babies :)

A mother with her children listening to the health lesson

Graicia, one of the wonderful midwifes I live and work with

Crystal doing a baby exam 

Sara doing a prenatal exam

Sweet baby :)

rice fields 

Beautiful rice fields and mountains.  My new home for the next 2 years!

"I hold nothing here below: Appoint my journey, and I go...." ~Jeanne Guyon

moments to cherish, changes to come

My heart is thumping, my mind buzzing, I toss restlessly as sleep seems to be evading me.  This was the last two nights, my first nights in my journey with Newlife.  The moment has come, I have taken the first real step and I am nervous.  Or maybe it is the thought of being at a cliff, now I have jumped and I'm at the free falling part and I don't really know what I am about to hit!  The good news is that God knows and He has lead me down this path and I know He will continue to lead me faithfully. somewhere in North Dakota I left my home in Michigan on the morning of July 25th by train.  I arrived in WA the evening of the 27th.  It was a LONG trip, but I met lots of interesting people and got to see lots of my beautiful country as it flew past my window. Flowers in OR Crater Lake, OR I spent a wonderful week visiting friends from my college days at Canyonview Equestrian College (CEC) from '04-'06.  I started in Darrington, WA, where I got to bask in the beauty for the Cascades.  From there it was on to Silverton, OR which rekindled memories of college days, always making them more perfect than they were.  On Sunday it was off to Medford with a stop in Roseburg to see a friend.  Lots of fun memories were made and will be cherished in my heart.  I soaked up friends, horses,  pretty flowers and ice cream. LaDonna, Heidi and I enjoying some ice cream :) MOO Now I am getting to know a few fellow students from Newlife before I fly to the Philippines on Monday.  I am waiting with anticipation to get on that plane.  My prayer is that as I train to be a midwife and serve the people there that I will be filled to overflowing with the love of God and that I will continue to seek Him everyday and long for more and more of HIM in my life. Future midwives Please remember to pray for me.  I will be flying out Monday the 8th at 5:30pm and arriving in Manila on Thursday the 11th at 10:30am.  I will be taking the night bus to Tabuk that evening.  Please pray for safety, health and good transition. Thank you for your faithful prayers and support!  God has been very gracious to provide for my needs.   silly squirrel I'ed like to take it for a spin :) I love to get snail mail and you can send me a letters at : Tianne Cole c/o Abundant Grace of God Maternity  Appas Tabuk, Kalinga 3800 Philippines

A day in the strawberry patch

    A day planting strawberries equals: a dirty body, aching back, sore muscles, a jump in Clam Lake, consuming lots of water, a trip to town for ice cream, music playing over the radio, a rest in the shade, laughter with fellow strawberry planters, day dreaming, surprise when I got home and a sound nights sleep!

The new berry patch and apple blossoms  

Six workers makes for lighter work

God's blessing on the new plants

Planting on plastic for weed control 

new plants soaked and ready to be planted 

Many hands make light work!

all in a days work

Barefoot planting... I love the feel of the soil between my toes

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Random Musings

I was out for a walk the other day enjoying the beautiful spring weather in Michigan.  It has been two years since I have been able to enjoy spring and I am loving it!  I absolutely love talking walks, it is my time to talk to God, think, sing, day dream and just be.  While living in Sudan my walks were in short supply and if I decided to brave a walk it was rarely peaceful.  Normally I would be questioned non-stop "where are you going" followed by a blank look when I told them I was "hovo haga" (walking just because).  No one in the Hills walks just to walk, no, they are going to a friends, to the field, to the grinding mill, on a journey.  But never just to walk.  I can walk for miles here and not see a soul, but if I happen to be walking down the road a quick wave is all that is done or rarely a stop to say hi.  In Didinga I would probably see 30+ people who would all say something to me... it sure is a different world...


Anyway... I was out for one of my walks trying to enjoy myself, but I kept being interrupted by this deep worried feeling and thoughts that said; "Oh my goodness you only have 2 months until you leave"  So much to do, so so MUCH" "It is never going to happen, Tianne, never" along with other thoughts until my head was spinning. The desire to just "settle" followed these thoughts.  Lets face it most women my age are married and have children or close to it.  They seem to have a pretty steady life.


 I, on the other hand, am a ways off from settling.  Since I turned 18 I have not lived in one place for longer than two years.  


 My quick timeline:


Age 18:  moved in with my Aunt and Uncle for the winter, that summer took a 2 month trip with my cousin followed by moving to Montana
November of that year moved back home, worked and went to college.  That summer spent 2 months on a short term mission trip in Africa 
Age 21: moved to Oregon to attend college for 2 years, graduated from college, moved to Wyoming for the summer and fall, moved home in November then spent December in Honduras  
Age 23:  lived at home and worked at nursing home (and other odd jobs) to save money and support raise for moving to S. Sudan
Age 25:  moved to S. Sudan
Age 27 (almost 28):  moving to the Philippine for 2yrs 


I can honestly say that I am ready to live in one place longer then 2 years.  I am wanting to nest a bit, put down some roots.  I would like to stop hearing "this is probably going to be the hardest thing you have ever done" (Canyonview told me that, TIMO told me that and now Newlife has told me that).  I am ready to stop saying goodbyes all the time...


I am confident that God wants me to spend 2yrs in the Philippines studying midwifery.  But it is my prayer that  for my 30th year and beyond I get stuck in a bit of a rut.  I am praying that God leads me to some place in Central Africa where I can share His love for more then 2 years, more like 5, 10, 15 or 20 years!  But of course since I do feel called to a place the is war torn and full of unrest, well, who really knows how "settled" my live will ever be.  God is faithful and He will give me strength to do whatever it is He calls me to do.

"Go in all simplicity; do not be anxious to win a quiet mind, and it will be all the quieter.  Do not examine so closely into the progress of your soul.  Do not crave so much to be perfect, but let your spiritual life be formed by your duties, and by the actions which are called forth by circumstances.  Do not take overmuch thought for tomorrow.  God, who has led you safely on so far, will lead you on to the end.  Be altogether at rest in the loving holy confidence which you ought to have in His heavenly Providence. " ~ St. Francis de Sales

Unexpected friendship

When I shut my eyes and remember I can feel the brush of the warm June air on my face and the smell of horse manure drying in the sun.  I was just 14 that spring and loving my job working at a riding stable.  The owners had brought home a few wild mustangs from the Bureau of Land Management sale in Lansing the pervious fall and one of them, a shy strawberry roan mare was expecting a foal. 

Her udder had bagged up and formed the waxy tips on her teats that meant her foal would soon be arriving.  I sat hopefully outside the mares’ pen on a Thursday afternoon along side my cousin Candace, talking softly to each other and trying to will the mare into giving birth.  We wouldn’t have been so eager to have her deliver this day, but my brother was getting married in just two days and we would be busy with wedding activities and unable to come again before the wedding was over.  Unfortunately we were unsuccessful at willing the mare to have her foal and we down heartedly had to leave. 

Early the following Monday morning Candace and I bounded from the car eager to see if the new baby had arrived.  As we walked toward the pen the owner informed us that the shy mare had indeed given birth to a colt.  I can remember walking up to the fence and coming face to face with a leggy chestnut baby with raccoon rings around his eyes.  The new colt had been named Romeo in honor of being born on his owner’s anniversary.  Quite the opposite of his shy mama, Romeo was inquisitive and friendly, eager to be loved on.

On a cold January day seven months later I had finally talked my parents into letting me buy a young foal to raise and train.  Eagerly I called the riding stable to see if they would be selling any of the foals that had been born the past spring.  I was secretly hoping they would tell me they were selling a pretty tall dark bay filly that was born just before Romeo.  I was only slightly disappointed when it was Romeo that ended up being for sale.  Being so impatient to have a weanling foal I didn’t even have to think twice before I handed them the $300 dollars and brought him home.

He had a shaggy long coat, pot belly and was pretty scrawny.  My farrier asked me straight up why I had bought a horse that would surely be too small for an already 6ft tall girl.  I shyly smiled and mumbled that I liked him, in truth I hadn’t really thought about it.  In my dreams I had always pictured a tall beautiful spirited horse that would be my best friend.  Romeo was just a mutt in the horse world and quirky not spirited; in the back of my mind I thought I would probably sell him once he was trained.  After all he couldn’t possibly be my dream horse, could he?

Looking back I can see God’s perfect plan in giving me Romeo.  He brought me through the tough teenage years.  His stubbornness matched mine, if I lost my temper with him I had to earn his forgiveness, which he would eventually give if I was patient.  He taught me perseverance with his ungentle man habit of giving a playful nip when your back was turned.  He taught me trust as I swung my leg over him for the first time.  Romeo didn’t even flinch; he was ready and eager to go for a ride!  He was my shoulder to cry on many on occasions.  He taught me how to let go and say goodbye when after 12 years I finally had to let him go.  

Now when I am having a hard day I close my eyes and let my mind take me back.  I am running through the woods, arms outstretched, feeling one with him.  I am laying in a field as the sun beats down, his nose lowering into my face I can feel his whiskers tickling my nose. My face buried in his coat, I breath in deep his smell.  Life may have taken us apart, but the memories stay.

I had to part with Romeo because of my call to serve God overseas.  The girl who has had Romeo for the past year is unable to keep him and I will be getting him back the end of this month.  I am looking forward to having him for the last two months I am home.  I do however need to find a new home for him by the time I leave the end of July.  If anyone is interested in Romeo or knows of someone who may be please let me know! 

I remember Regina

I remember Regina... her smile, her deep happy laugh, her hugs...

I remember her running bare foot along side of me, 
slapping mud on a hut as we worked side by side,
washing each others backs and

bringing a shirt to me that I had forgotten by the stream.

I remember Regina working along side Kim in the garden with her younger brother and sister, her sitting in our house

sipping chai wide eyed as she looked around her in awe of

the strange things we had in our house.

I remember Regina's hard work as she helped her family with

daily tasks of working in the garden,
grinding corn, watching babies,the list goes on...

I remembering seeing her laying 
unconscious on the dirty clinic bed, 
the veins pounding on her forehead, 
rubbing Vaseline on her cracked lips, 

hugging and crying with her mother... 
I remember watching as they laid her

in the ground, the prayer being said, 
her mother throwing in the first hand

full of dirt,  placing a rock on top of her grave.

I remember Regina as she rests in the arms of the loving Saviour

Regina died last December, we think of cranial malaria, 

she is missed, but not forgotten.

Need and opportunity

For this weeks blog I want to give you an idea of the need and opportunities of being a trained Christian midwife.     

For every woman who dies in childbirth, around 20 more suffer injury, infection or disease – approximately 10 million women each year.  Most of these deaths are avoidable and could be prevented by having a trained birthing attendant available.

Every minute, at least one woman dies from complications related to pregnancy or childbirth – that means 529,000 women die every year according to the World Health Organization.

'While motherhood is often a positive and fulfilling experience, for too many women it is associated with suffering, ill-health and even death. The major direct causes of maternal morbidity and mortality include haemorrhage, infection, high blood pressure, unsafe abortion, and obstructed labour.'

A big part of Newlife's vision is to train and equip interested students to start their own birthing centers in other third-world countries. Our midwifery program will provide each graduate with the necessary skills and knowledge to practice anywhere in the world. Being a midwife opens many doors to countless opportunities.

Our school mission and vision has been cast after spending more than a decade advancing this perspective.

We strongly believe that a trained Christian midwife has the capacity to be a signifiant agent in serving the World Christian Movement. Our strategic vision is to see our graduates use their new skills to access places around the world where she is fully capable of transcending barriers to the Gospel message.

The world is changing every day and doors are closing to the typical western missionary. However, those doors remain very open to health care specialists especially in light of the global challenges of inadequate maternal and newborn health care.

The beauty of midwifery within the context of cross-cultural Christian missions is simply this; there are no cultural, religious or political barriers to expressing the compassion and mercy of Jesus Christ demonstrated through the hands of a Christian midwife. This reality is enhanced by the simple fact that it extends out to the family of the midwife's patient and subsequently grants access of her Christian witness into the patient's home. This exact story has been played out tens of thousands of times here in the Philippines involving our midwife students and their patients.

A Christian midwife is undoubtedly a viable cross-cultural missions commodity. Our mission is to serve as a catalyst to see that vision come to fruition!

taken from: http://www.midwifeschool.org/about_mission.htm click on the link to read more

Statistics from two African countries in AIM's Central Region  

Indicators	Northern Sudan	2015 Target	Southern Sudan	2015 Target
Maternal mortality ratio (per 100,000 live births)	638	134	1,989	1680
Birth attended by skilled health staff	57%	90%	10.2%	-
Contraceptive prevalence rate (current use)	7.6%	-	4.7%	-
Adolescent birth rate (12-14) years		-	204/1000	-
Antenatal care coverage (at least one visit and at least four visits	70%	-	16%	-

Indicators	Northern Sudan	2015 Target	Southern Sudan	2015 Target
Under-5 mortality rate (per 1,000)	102	41	381	83
Infant mortality rate (per 1,000 live births)	71	53	131	-
One-year-olds immunized against measles	85%	100%	20.2%	-

taken from; http://www.sd.undp.org/mdg_fact.htm

Infant mortality rate in Central African Republic 

Total: 85.63 deaths/1,000 live births

Male: 92.44 deaths/1,000 live births

Female: 78.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

taken from; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_the_Central_African_Republic

Destination Tabuk

I am moving to the Philippines in August to spend two years as I train to become a midwife.  I did not choose the Philippines because it is a place I have never been, it sounds exciting or because I want to be away from friends and family.  No, I am doing my schooling in the Philippines because; 1) that is where the Lord lead me to go 2) the door opened 3) It seems like the perfect fit to train as a midwife and then return to Africa as a missionary midwife.

A Little about where I will be living:

Tabuk is the capitol of the province of Kalinga in Northern Luzon.  Tabuk is a city but it is still very rural.  It is mainly a rice-farming community and is quite spread out, consisting of many surrounding villages.  Tabuk is made up of many (likely over 50) different Kalinga tribal groups as well as the Ilokano people group.  The language that is used in the city is mainly Ilokano.  The ministry does much of its outreach with tribal groups who speak their own tribal languages.

There are two markets!!  I am really excited about this!!  One at each side of the town, they sell fresh fruit and vegetables as well as meat and fish - YUM!  This is where I will be buying most of my food.  There is also a grocery store that has some other items such as canned goods, ICE CREAM (what more could a girl want?), etc.  Tabuk is one hour away from the city of Tugeugarao.  There are many grocery stores in this city along with a McDonald's, bookstore and airport.  I feel spoiled already!

I will be living at the clinic site, with the clinic down stairs and the living area above it.  The bathroom and shower are outside, but they have flush toilets and running water.  I will be sharing a room with two other students and occasional visitors.  There are also 6 other people sharing the house.  It is sure to be cozy!

I will still be doing my laundry by hand, but I don't mind that, I actually enjoy it :)  

There are motorcycles with side cars that I can catch a ride into town for 25cents and a number of dirt roads behind the clinic that wrap around beautiful rice fields where I can stretch my legs.  I can get snail mail sent directly into Tabuk so I shouldn't have to wait quite so long to get letters AND I will have internet, which I am sure is going to transform my life :)

I am looking into forward to the next two years that will be spent in the Philippines with excitement and a bit of nervousness.  I know that God will lead me in the valleys and on the mountain tops and I am sure to experience both.

As always please feel free to ask me any and all questions you may have!  

Meet Derby!!

A week ago today a friend stopped by, after talking for a while I asked him "are you ready for a dog yet?" and to my surprise he said yes and adopted Buddy from the animal shelter.  I have seen Buddy since he moved into his home and has adjusted very well.  If you are from the area you may just see Buddy having fun with his owner at The Farm golf course :)


I now have a new pound puppy in my care looking for a forever home.  Meet Derby the German Shepherd mix!   Derby was turned into the shelter by his owner who was moving and could not take him along.  He is about 8 months old, fully house trained, good with kids, other animals, rides in the car, walks well on and off the leash and very clam hanging out in the house.  He is a lover and will be a very loyal dog.
Unfortunately it would appear that Derby was left alone a lot and not socialized well.  He is sensitive and I would also guess he was treated too harshly, not beaten per-say, but treated much rougher then necessary.  He does have some issues related to his poor upbringing.  He does have separation problems and cannot be left alone in the car (we learned the hard way) or loose in the house.  He would need an outdoor fenced area or a crate for being left indoors.  He is timid at first and needs lots of encouragement and positive reinforcement.  I do think in time he will be able to overcome his insecurities and become a very happy family/individual friend.


Top five benefits to having a dog:
1) Dog owners have lower blood pressure.
2) Dog owners have lower cholesterol levels than non-dog owners.
3) Dog owners are happier in general
4) Dog owners have higher survival rates after serious illness.
5) Dog owners live longer. 


Studies show that pet ownership in general can lower cholesterol and increase longevity; however, maximum benefits can be obtained only through dog ownership

Are you willing to take in a sweet boy in need of some tender loving care?  In exchange you will have his devoted love, a happy face to greet you, and faithful friend.  Please let me know if you are interested in Derby!! 

Called

According to Funk & Wagnalls standard desk dictionary two of the many meanings of call is, to summon to a specific work; to call someone to the ministry and to arouse, as if from sleep.


Whenever we hear someone say "I've been called to do..." it always causes us to pause and wonder "What does that mean, what is a calling really?"

I went on my first mission trip when I was 16 and an extremely shy young lady.  It was not the best experience in my life and yet a small spark ignited in my heart.  Would I say I was called into missions at 16?  No.  To be honest, I have to admit from the time I can remember first being asked the question, "what are you going to be when you grow up" I had a simple answer "a mom".  This continued as my number 1 option until just over a year ago, in my thoughts if not spoken out loud.

 I had to write an essay when I applied to Canyonview Equestrian College back in '04 about where I saw myself in 10 years.  I wrote first that I saw myself settled down on a small homestead, married with 4-8 kids.  Then I wrote:  if for some reason I did not marry I saw myself in Africa on the mission field.  I NEVER thought that option 2 would become option 1!


I have always (and still do) wanted to get married and have a family, but I have never let that stop me from moving forward.  So as time moved on and I kept taking baby steps in my prayer to God of  "whenever, whatever, wherever."  I found myself in the fall of '06 applying to Africa Inland Mission to join a 2 year Training in Ministry and Outreach Team, to see if missions just might be what the Lord was calling me to do.


When the 2 year team broke up a year early, I came home on an unintended visit for 4 months to regroup before heading back to finish the 2 year commitment.  When I was home I was very undecided about what God was calling me to do.  I had two beloved horses,which I saw as my link to my dream of having a small farm and I decided to hang onto them just a bit longer to see what the next year would hold.

I arrived back in Africa on January 1st of 2010 and as I exited the plane the smell of Africa filled my nostrils and I took in a deep breath. Then a smile came to my face and I exclaimed to myself, "ahhh, I am home."  After a few nights of jet lag, I headed to Jinji, Uganda for our regional conference.  It was there, while listening to testimonies, seeing photos and hearing other missionaries hearts for the people they serve, that I felt the call.  One particular On Field Media video spoke to my heart and I knew, so to speak, that God wanted me to serve on the mission field long term.  So, with a sad heart, in April I asked my parents to find good homes for my horses.


Yes, I was scared and I kept telling God, "but I don't really have much to offer, are you sure? isn't there some one else that is more fitting for the task?"  And yet that sure small voice was speaking into my heart.  "Tianne, I want you to share my love with people who have never heard."  So, through prayer, faith and trust I said, "yes, Lord, where You call I will go!"

After this, there were many times of doubting and questioning, but it always ended the same.  That quiet voice telling me it was what He wanted me to do.  As I prayed and asked God what my long term ministry might look like slowly I began to feel a draw towards medical missions.  In April through some godly counsel and lots of searching in my heart I was further lead to look into options in acquiring training to become a midwife.  I had never considered becoming a midwife before, but as I talked about my personality, gifts and dreams for ministry it became ever so clear that being a midwife would be a perfect fit.

When a friend sent me the address to Newlife International School of Midwifery in the Philippines it was another one of those feelings of knowing this was where God wants you to go.  To be honest at first I was a little disappointed, I had visions of being closer to home if I was going to go back to school.  As I continued to look into Newlife the feeling that it was the school that God had chosen for me to attend grew and also the peace to be in the Philippines.  So I filled out the application, sent the required information and waited.  Finally in February of this year I got the word that I had been accepted!


 As my team leader David Miller used to tell me,  "Tianne, you just need to ask God to show you one step and then trust Him to keep giving you a new step when the time comes."  I feel confident that God has given me that next step as I head to the Philippines in August and I know enough to trust Him to keep giving me each step clearly when I need to be making it.  My option 2 has now moved into option 1 spot and while I do still long for a family someday, I now see it taking place in some small village in the bush of Africa and if a family is not God's will I am beginning to be OK with that too and I look into the future with excitement

 

Please take a look at this link http://aim-ofm.org/2010/01/29/move-against-the-fear/ it is the video that really touched my heart back in January of 2010 and I feel that after I finish my midwife training in the Philippines my next step is very likely to be to work in Central Africa and maybe back in Didinga, I am God will let me know the specifics at just the right time!   


I had hopes of adding the video right to this blog, but sadly I could not figure out how to do it.