Introducing Doro

It took a lot of prayer to decide where the Lord wanted me to serve when I return to Africa in 2014. It was HARD to decide! When I first started my midwifery training here in the Philippines a contact in Doro, told me of a maternity ward they were opening. Then he happened to mention "maybe you will join us when you finish." That statement has stayed in the back of my mind since then. Lingering. After much prayer and guidance from trusted friends it became clear that this was the direction the Lord is leading me. This past week I committed to serving in Doro! I am excited about what the future holds for me there. 

I have committed to serving in Doro's Maternity ward for two years starting in the spring of 2014. 

Where is Doro? 

Doro is in Maban county in the Upper Nile state near Ethiopia (the cream colored area on the upper right of the map). I formerly lived in Eastern Equetoria (the yellow area, lower right side of the map) near the Uganda border in the Didinga Hills.

Maban county is home to over 100,000 refugees 

 "A year ago previously-inaccessible, remote peoples from Sudan to the north of our Doro home began streaming into the new country of South Sudan, fleeing the systematic bombing of their villages and markets.  Today there are more than 110,000 refugees in tented camps around Doro.  Refugees come by foot, impoverished, with but a few goats or sheep. These people are our friends, and they are poor.  They did not choose their lot in life.  They suffer in ways we barely comprehend." ~ Missionary couple serving in Doro 

Where will I live?

I will live on this compound in a mud hut, probably with another young woman. There are 15-20 (roughly) other medical missionaries that also live here. Looks cozy! (this picture was taken in 2010, not sure what it looks like now). There is a dog or two, which of course makes me happy :) 

The weather in Doro is HOT. In the dry season the temperature rises above 100ºf  with out any rain! From what I have read this is for 7 months out of the year. There is also a rainy season from roughly July-September (I think) and the area gets a lot of flooding from what I have read. I am not choosing Doro because of the lovely weather. 

Doro airstrip

This picture is a bit old, so not sure what it looks like today, But it made me feel at home :) I believe AIMAIR will be flying me in and out, at least some of the time. I sure love the men & their families that serve faithfully in AIMAIR flying missionaries in and out of hard to reach places! 

What will I be doing in Doro? 

My first 3 months will be spent language learning. I will learn the Mabaan language and possibly Juba Arabic. After these 3 months I will start serving in the maternity clinic along side other midwives, doctors & nurses. We will be providing prenatal, labor & delivery & postpartum care along with training up national midwives and community health teaching. 

I will be spending four days each week in the clinic and be on shift for births at night. The other 3 days of the week I can have a ministry outside of the maternity clinic, which I don't know what that will look like yet. There is a lot of unknowns as far as the maternity clinic because it is just getting up and running this year. 

One of the changes for me in serving in Doro is that I will be working under a different organization. Africa Inland Missions will be lending me to Serving in Missions (SIM). I will still be a AIM missionary, but will be under the authority of SIM while in Doro. If you would like to know more about SIM, you can visit their website at: http://www.sim.org

Pictures were found on google

I step out in faith in my commitment to serve in Doro. There will be many challenges and heart breaking moments of that I am sure, but there will be joy and hope in the midst.  I offer up my gifts to the Lord to be used for His glory. To bring hope to the hopeless. 

 "The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." Psalm 34:18

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for a wonderful nights sleep that was followed by a fun filled day in the "big" town a 1 1/2hr van drive away.  Tuguegarao City isn't what you would call a beautiful place. It is normally very hot, congested and full of exhaust fumes. Yet, for us it means McDonald's - who doesn't love their fries? Yummy smoothies, Duncan donuts, large supper markets with things like American cheddar cheese! a lovely book store, along with a few other odds and ends. It really was a lovely day for my two fellow students and I and I am thankful for it!

One of my new year goals is to really learn how to be thankful. I feel that I often have a sense of thankfulness, but not a true spirit of thankfulness. As part of this goal I am reading the book, One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp. I just finished chapter two and so far I really like it. I have heard it has been life changing for some people. Anyone read it and have any thoughts about it?

"Thanksgiving -- giving thanks in everything -- prepares the way that God might show us His fullest salvation in Christ." - Ann Voskamp 

Happy New Year

Across the midnight sky the New year was welcomed in with a beautiful display of fireworks. It was beautiful. Those fireworks shooting into the sky felt like promises from God about the hope for the future.

Thank you goole for the picture, I was too busy soaking in the moment to take a picture last night

May this new year be filled with blessings. May I love more, forgive faster, count my blessing and live each day to the fullest in 2013! 

“Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.” 

― Mother Teresa 

Happy New Year!!

Thankful Thursday - Christmas

A glimpse of Christmas 2012 

I got up bright & early and made some yummy cranberry muffins 

While we were eating our Christmas brunch silly Clover snuck up stairs to join us :)
Perhaps she remembered last years celebrations that included her.

At 7:30am I received a Merry Christmas text. I didn't understand it all, but didn't recognize any of the words as indicating labor...
This women showed up a few hours later & I caught her baby at 1:51pm

I got to Skype with my lovely parents (just missed my two brother's & their families).
I am looking forward to being apart of this picture next year!  

I also got to Skype with my lovely nieces and their parents in California 

This Thursday I am thankful for a wonderful Christmas time celebrating Jesus birth! 

All kinds of everything.

I am not entirely sure how the driver managed to tip his truck over, but he did. 

Yes, today at the clinic while they were dumping dirt out, the truck tipped over! I heard he was trying to get unstuck... 

With a larger dump truck and some rebar they managed to get it back on all four wheels. 

Stretched

I'm the girl that likes to go to bed early. Who never pulls an all nighter to finish assignments, because I just can't stay awake. I like my sleep. I need to sleep. Yet, here I am training to be a midwife. 

The one thing I was worried about when I decided to be a midwife was the crazy hours you have to work. Babies come on their own terms, at their own time and lets face it, that timing isn't normally 9-5. 

Can I do this I wondered. 

It was a hard at first. Took a while to learn how to wake up and function in an instant. I made blunders, I did (and still do) silly things. Yet I learned, I did it and I do it. 

It is hard to stretch. Hard to mold and change. Hard to do the difficult things. But it is possible to do what seems to be impossible. 

Last night again I was reminded of this. 

I was up first to catch and had the boyfriend (cell phone). The first night my name came to the top of the rotation I had a runny nose and needed to sleep. Please God, I prayed, don't let a labor come in tonight. God answered my prayer and I slept soundly through the night without the boyfriend making a peep. 

The next night I was tried but not feeling so bad, yet I prayed again asking God to wait until morning. God did not answer my prayer, deciding instead that I needed a little stretching.

Having just drifted off into dream land, a text came in. I go from asleep to awake in an instant. A first time mom is in labor and after texting back and forth it is decided she should come. 

I dress in my scrubs and go get the birth room ready. When the girl arrives at 11pm and she is obviously in discomfort. Contractions are strong and after doing her ie I predict she will go fast. I was wrong. 

She does an amazing job, but like I said before babies don't come on anyones terms. The clock ticks, I encourage, her mother rubs her back and she grows tried. Finally at about 5:30am she starts feeling like pushing. 

It is hard to understand. Some babies slid into this world so easily and beautifully, while others do not. This little one, was one of the hard ones. Her mom worked so hard, but it took a long time and finally at just after 7am and a lot of silent prayer a beautiful baby girl entered the world. 

I love seeing the joy on a new mothers face. No matter how hard she worked and how difficult the birth was, it is amazing to see that joy and humbling to hear her thank you for helping. 

So I relish the stretching. I love that God uses me in my weakness. That He teaches me that I really can do all things through Him. That He further molds me in my tiredness, when I want to (and sometimes am) grumpy and have to work to be kind. In the moments when my eyes are so wanting to close and I have to push that extra bit to finish my task. The humbleness I learn, from reaching the end of me and having to except or ask for help. 

Yes, this stretching is good. 

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for my wonderful mother!

My mom is the most giving, caring and loving woman that I know.

She is always willing to help me, whenever I ask and even if I don't.

She is my listening ear and always there for me when I need her.

I can tell her anything and everything and I know I will always be loved. 

Thank you mom for everything you do!

I praise God for giving me you as my mom. 

Happy birthday. I love you! 

Short holiday to Sagada

A few pictures in no particular order of my short trip to Sagada. Enjoy :0)

Ready to Travel 

Clover is happy to be going :)

Clover gets a help across the suspension bridge 

Intrigued by the pigs 

Dinner time

Clover & Jojo riding top load for the first time... they got sick

Top load is a favored way to travel here

we enjoyed lots of yummy food while away 

Prince Jojo

The sign before entering the caves 

Shadow people

The cold, clear cave water

Cold, but oh so fun

Inside the cave was very beautiful! 

Really, really FUN!

"Family" Christmas photo with the restaurants son

Clover traveled best on our laps so that we could absorb the bumps for her

Winding, bumpy, curvy road

:0)

Hey, we're hungry!

Sweet little boy

Clover & Aisling

Clover enjoying the pretty waterfall 

Hanging caskets - yes that is a human skull on top of the one 

Caskets in a cave - some over 400 years old

Sagada 

I feel horrible from riding on top :( 

Lots of beautiful flowers

Very beautiful views on the drive 

Almost home :) 

Three boys & a carabao

Oh look we're getting our picture taken. 

Mr. carabao does not want to pose for a photo.
Three boys, falling off.

Let's not take a chance if he is angry. 

Three little boys, their carabao in a rice field :)
Can't get anymore Filipino then this 

All kinds of everything.

I am going to attempt to add a new feature to my blog. All kinds of everything. I am starting this off with Dr. Wong's Sulfur soap. Germicide - Fungicide - Parasiticide.

For pimples & other skin infections. Prevents scabies. Aids in healing cuts & sores, relieves skin itchiness and treats dandruff caused by fungi. Whats not to love?