Clover

"He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion." - Unknown

I found Clover one day while walking to the post office. She was among a littler of 8 other puppies and I actually picked out a white one because it reminded me of my beloved dog, Rosie, who I had in Africa. They were only two weeks at the time so I had to wait to bring the puppy home. 

When I returned a month later, I sat on a bench a few feet from the puppies and looked down at them. Then I called them over. Clover was the only puppy of the bunch who boldly stepped forward. I looked at her boldness and decided then and there that, for the first time I would chose the confident puppy of the litter. I paid P300 ($7.50) for her and brought her home.

Clover turned out to be a feisty, playful, difficult, but extremely lovable puppy. She had a love for flip flops that got her in constant trouble - I don't know how many she destroyed!

 Clover has brought me laughter from the day I brought her home. She has one of the funnest personalities I have ever seen in a dog.

 As she grew, she grew in boldness, in silliness and in faithfulness to me. She helps me to smile when I  am having tough times, she helps me to feel needed and find joy no matter what is happening around me.

Clover got the luck of the draw when I picked her that day. In a world where I can do so little, I love that I have done big things in Clovers life. Instead of being flea, lice, mange ridden and on her third litter of puppies, she is happy, healthy and vibrantly full of life. This makes me happy.  

 I can't change the world for every person and every animal, but I can for some and for those it makes a world of difference.

A dog has one aim in life... to bestow his heart.

~ J. R. Ackerley

"The one absolutely unselfish friend that man can have in this selfish world, the one that never deserts him, the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous, is his dog." ~ George Graham

 In all her silliness, Clover has a sensitive side. Some moments she is wild and rambunctious and some moments she just wants a loving pat and a kind word.

 Clover has a fondness for other animals - she likes saying hi to the neighbors water buffalo and cows. She has a love of chasing, cats, goats and chickens (I am trying to break her of this). I am hoping she will get along well with horses and enjoy trail riding. I am confident that she will be a squirrel chaser, and I know she will have a run in with a skunk and porcupine when she gets home.

 "I would rather see the portrait of a dog that I know, than all the allegorical paintings they can show me in the world." -Samuel Johnson

"The average dog has one request to all humankind. Love me." -Helen Exley

 Clover loves to have fun (as I have mentioned before), She loves romping through the rice fields chasing rats, she likes bounding after rocks, or mangos when you throw them into a stream. She chases her own tail, likes to dance, and wrestle :)

 As you can see she can also enjoys a snuggle. 

She is loyal and on occasion will sneak inside looking for me. 

"The dog is the most faithful of animal and would be much esteemed were it not so common. Our Lord God has made His greatest gifts the commonest." -Martin Luther

 She recently left her make in Tabuk, by running across the wet road cement - I might have encouraged her, but to my defense I didn't think it was THAT wet :0/

"The one absolutely unselfish friend that man can have in this selfish world, the one that never deserts him, the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous, is his dog... He will kiss the hand that has no food to offer; he will lick the wounds and sores that come in encounter with the roughness of the world...When all other friends desert, he remains." - George G. Vest

I am so thankful that God blessed me with Clover. She is truly a gift from Him. I will always miss the faithful friends that have gone before her, but God has given me a heart to love and each one holds a special place in my heart and will never be forgotten or replaced.

Lord willing Clover will be traveling to the USA in late July. I am trying not to worry, but until she is safely home, I think I will a little bit. Please pray that everything goes smooth for getting her home.


A good dog never dies, he always stays, he walks besides you on crisp autumn days when frost is on the fields and winter's drawing near, his head within our hand in his old way."
    - Anonymous

Traveling baskets

I bought a cute little sewing basket this morning from a sales man who came to the clinic. I find it amazing how much they can hang on a tricy! There were many tempting things hanging from it's sides, but most were too big to carry back to America with me. 

My first repeat patient delivers

Rose has delivered all 3 of her children at Abundant and I have had the honor of being the midwife for her last two. I don't remember much about Christian Joy's birth, it was only my 6th catch and Rose pushed for a little over 40 minute and hemorrhaged. It was a hard birth and that is mostly what I remember.

When I discovered she was pregnant again, I started to pray that this time she would have a nice and easy delivery with no problems and she did!! :) 

She arrived at 6am yesterday morning and was 5cm dilated with fairly strong contractions. Rose labored quietly, sitting on the birth ball with her husband rubbing her back. I would come in every hour and check the baby's heartbeat. She was so quiet that it was hard to tell her progression, of course there were little signs that let me know things were moving along and around 10am I felt she was getting pretty close so I stayed just outside the birthroom door. 

After hearing her becoming much more active, I got up to glance in the birthroom and found her in the bathroom. A few moments later her husband comes rushing out for me, I hurried in and quickly put a pair of gloves on picturing the baby coming out in the bathroom. I found Rose washing off her legs and she looked up at me as if to say "do you mind, I am in the bathroom". 

She came out and laid on the bed. I sat down to see if there would be any opening when she started to push. As soon as a contraction hit boy was there opening! Bag of water visible, bag of water broke, head visible, head coming, head out, baby out, ALL in one minute! Little Amanda Vheil was born at 10:51am and the placenta was soon to follow with minimal blood loss. Praise God! 

Her daddy was quick to check to see if he had a boy or girl (his oldest 2 are also girls). At first he had a slight look for disappointment on his face, but it didn't take long for him to fall in love with his newest little princess :) 

I am so thankful for the opportunity to be apart of bringing two little girls safely into this world for the same mom and dad :) 

My first repeat patients!

I am very excited to announce that two of my previous patients are expecting again (not sure what this says about my ability to teach family planning) and both should deliver before I return to America. I find it ironic that both of these babies happen to have Jane in their name. 

Eliza Jane was only my third catch as a midwife. It was her mom Rhea's first baby and at just 17 years old she did a great job! Eliza's daddy first wanted to call her Bikini - I suggested if he really wanted to he could nickname her that :) Rhea is now due sometime in July (she is having an ultrasound to determine the due date). I really enjoyed this young couple and am really looking forward to being her midwife again and this time also doing her prenatal care. 

Christine Jane was my sixth catch and was lucky enough to be born on New Years day. This baby will be Rose's third baby (she is going to have her hands full!) and is due the end of March. Christine Jane's birth was a bit rough and I am praying her mom has a easier time for baby #3 and praying that she has a baby boy this time :) 

Thankful Thursday

Thank you Lord for the simple things of today, like goose bumps and the wind in my hair! 

"I am a hunter of beauty and I move slowly and I keep the eyes wide, every fiber of every muscle sensing all wonder and this is the thrill of the hunt and I could be an expert on the life full, the beauty meat that lurks at every moment. 

I hunger to taste life. 

God." 

-One Thousand Gifts 

Love

Love is essential for life. Love. We all long for a deep & lasting love. One that can fill us completely, fully & forever.  A love that is not based on what we do or don't do. We search for this love, for something to fill that hole in our hearts. Love. Where can a love like this be found?

  True, real, lasting & forever love can be found in only one place. 

It is only in Him that you will find a love that fills you fully, completely & forever. A love that takes you as you are right here right now. A love that loves you even if you don't love back in return. In Jesus is where true love is found. He loves you right now. He fights for you. He is calling you by name to come, come to Him and bask in His great love.

Happy Valentines Day!

   

What does love look like? is the question Ive been pondering

What does love look like? 

What does love look like? is the question Ive been asking of You 

Once believed that love was romance, just a chance 

I even thought that love was for the lucky and the beautiful 

I once believed that love was a momentary bliss, but love is more than this 

All You ever wanted was my attention 

All You ever wanted was love from me

All You ever wanted was my affections to sit here at Your feet and tell me 

What does love look like? is the question Ive been pondering

What does love look like? If all of life comes down to love then tell me 

What does love look like? is the question Ive been pondering

What does love look like?

Then I sat down a little frustrated and confused 

Your fire of life comes down to love. And love has to be more than sentiment,

More than selfishness and selfish gain 

Then I saw Him there

Hanging on a tree, looking at me 

I saw Him there

Hanging on a tree, looking at me

He was looking at me looking at Him, staring through me

I could not escape those beautiful eyes 

And I began to weep and weep 

He had arms wide open, heart exposed

Arms wide open, He was bleeding, bleeding. 

Arms wide open, heart exposed

Arms wide open, He was bleeding, bleeding

Loves definition 

Loves definition, was looking at me 

Looking at Him. Hanging on a tree

I began to weep and weep and weep and weep

This is how I know what love is.

And as I sat there, weeping, crying, those beautiful eyes 

Full of desire and love. And He said to me

You shall love Me..You shall love Me.

With arms wide open, heart exposed

With arms wide open, bleeding, sometimes bleeding

You shall love Me.. You shall love Me..

If anybodys looking for love in all the wrong places 

If youve been searching for love, come to Me. Come to me. 

Take up your cross. Deny yourself. 

Forget your fathers house and run. Run with Me. 

Cause you were made for abandon your heart and listen

Cause you were made for Someone greater, Someone bigger, so follow Me. 

And youll come alive when you learn to die.

And He said to me

You shall love Me. You shall love Me

With arms wide open, heart exposed

With arms wide open, bleeding, sometimes bleeding

Beauty & Adventure

The sky was a beautiful blue with big puffy clouds when my friend Emily and I rode on top of the bus to the village of Bugnay. Emily and I met on my first trip to Africa when I was 19 and because internet we have been able to stay in touch these past ten years. A few months ago Emily asked me if she could come for a short visit during her winter break from teaching english in China. It was wonderful to see Emily again and take her on a short adventure up in the Kalinga mountains. In the back of my mind I had something in my mind that would make this trip extra special for me. 

The road to bugnay is very beautiful!

We got the front seats sitting on top of rice bags and holding on tightly as we cruised around corners & over bumps. 

Emily got to soak in the beautiful mountain views 

A very typical sight along they way 

Once in Bugnay, we took a short drive & then a hike further up in the mountains to the village of Buscalan. Every since arriving in Tabuk I had heard about an old woman who was the last Kalinga tattoo artist. I was adamant that I would never get one, however, as I have lived here and saw the beauty of the place and the people, I softened to the idea. 

Brenda, our guide and midwife at the Bugnay Maternity clinic

The hike there was beautiful and difficult with steep stairs to climb

Once arriving we met Whang Od the famous kalinga tattoo artist. At 93 years old she had wrinkles to match her age, but was strikingly beautiful. I felt comfortable with her and knew that I wanted to have a piece of her art work. I felt it would be an honor to be apart of this ancient tradition.

I picked out a picture of one I liked and she drew part of it on. Before I knew it she was starting to tap. There was no going back at that point.

When I told her where I wanted it, she warned me that the side of the foot is very painful. She was not lying! 

At the top of the foot I could hand the pain and even took a few pictures.  

As she rounded the corner it became much more painful. It was hard to focus or watch. 

The pain just increased until I couldn't look at all. If I would have kept looking I might have moved my foot away without thinking. 

The taping had a definite rhythm and at the top kind of felt like bee stings. I can't really describe the pain on the sides. 

I am happy to say that during the whole process I didn't shed one tear. It was quite fascinating. The whole tattoo took about an hour to complete. She used a thorn and ash for ink. 

The finished work directly after she was done. I love it! 

Whang Od and myself after she finished. 

The sun was setting as we hiked out. I couldn't put my shoes on, so I had to make the hike barefoot.  But the pain didn't set in until a little bit later so the hike wasn't so bad. 

Getting a tattoo is something I never thought I would do. But things change, people change and I change. I think I will always view this tattoo as a sign that change is OK and something that God allows for. I love the beauty, adventure & remembrance that is wrapped up in this tattoo and some day when I am old and it is faded I know I will still remember this time and this place. I am sure my grandkids will enjoy my tales of adventure as well :)