What is that falling from the sky?

I spent the day at home preparing educational materials for our class next Tuesday. We are trying to design a diet sheet that will help easily explain what diabetics can eat to maintain their blood sugars, while remembering that not many of our patients can read. We are also having the classes with patients that speak two different languages..................so photos are the way to go!

This afternoon we had a hard rain and it was refreshing. Nako was hiding on my porch and trying to stay out it. After about 20 minutes, I heard something different falling on the tin roof and it was sleet! It was bouncing all over the yard and Nako seemed to be stunned by it. I went outside to get a closer look but he could not get far enough away :)

Tonight, Lisa and I went to our Bible study that the ladies in the area are having on Tuesday nights. It is difficult to attend all of them but I enjoy the book we are studying and it is interesting to hear people's thoughts on it.

We watched the video from last week again because many of us were unable to attend. It was on sacrifice and how it affects us as Christians. While remembering this world is not our home and how the things of this world do not belong to us, it gives us a different perspective. It is something that we need to keep in mind because we do not know the hour or time that this world will end. People have predicted the end of the world since the time it was created. Thus far, each and every prediction have one thing in common....................they ALL have been wrong. It appears that God is not ready for us yet.

The topic of sacrifice also interests me. Sacrifice means different things to different people. If two people do the identical action, one person may consider it to be a difficult sacrifice while the other person may consider it a joy. Just always something to think about.

Adventure....................

If you are able to follow the blog, you quickly see that no two days are identical. There is always adventure..................

I went to get the truck today and the battery would not start. I tried all of the tricks I knew and then I gave in and had to call........."Kemmel!!!" There is a mechanic in our area so I went to find him. His mom supplies me with most of my Diet Coke. Lucita and I have a great relationship!

I told him I thought it was the battery and he said he would be over. Well, he could not do anything and said we needed a new battery. Another neighbor then came over and jumped the battery.

Off we go to the battery store. We pulled into the area and the lady said we had to wait 15 minutes for her husband to return. He promptly returned, replaced the battery and within 20 minutes we paid and had the guarantee in our hands!

On the way to Lemoa, we had to wait in the road for 40 minutes since there is some road construction going on. We bought candy from a guy walking from vehicle to vehicle. It was something to do and the guys sure did not want me to start singing due to boredom :)

Once we were in Lemoa, the guys washed the truck inside and out...........and we all started counting a new shipment of medicine that we had received.

When I went home in the afternoon, I was walking in the yard and stepped on a nail! It went right through the shoe.............................."Lisa!!!" Yes, the Centro de Salud is open and you should be able to get a tetanus shot there. Whew...............so I started walking until I found a tuk-tuk that could take me.

I walked into the clinic, told her what had happened and what I needed. She asked me if I needed a consult or to see someone and I told her no. She took me another room, wrote my name down and then one of the guys gave me the tetanus. Another guy was standing in the corner and eating a sucker. We started talking and he asked me where I work. We chatted for a few minutes and then I asked what I needed to pay.........they told me just to come back in one month and then again in six months.

Now, I like this service.....................no long lines to wait in, no papers to sign, no lab work, no HIPPA concerns and no charge! I arrived and was out in 30 minutes!

Yes, Mom...............I do have band-aids!

OK, those were my adventures for the day!!

Thursday in Lemoa

Today we met in Lemoa for our clinic. As always, we began our morning with cleaning and then our devotional. Marcos leads the devotional and then we have prayer requests. It seems that as time goes on, there is greater need for prayer and support from our fellow Christians.

Today was Nadia's last day with us. We pray that she will have a safe flight back to The States. I have enjoyed her helping me with my Spanish this week. Gaspar asked for prayers for his family. Martina and Maury also asked for prayers. We do not need to know the details to ask God to grant healing and peace. He knows what each of us needs more than we do. We always pray for safe travel and for the well-being of our patients.

There will be a surgical clinic at Clinica Ezell beginning on the 16th and then the board of Health Talents will be meeting shortly after that. We pray for safe travels, healing of the patients and that God will grant the board wisdom with the decision making.

Jesus talked a lot about prayer, unity and the importance of love.

John 15:9-17-----As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I have learned from my Father I have made known unto you. You did not chose me but I have chose and appointed you to go and bear fruit----fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other.

Jesus spoke here in simple language for us to understand. If we remain faithful and follow His commands we will have His love. We are not servants. We are aware of His teachings so we are His friends. Let us continue to love, as He loved.......................

Nadia, Juan and I in Xepocol

As I had mentioned in yesterday's blog, everyone headed out to different places today. Sometimes it is very difficult to keep up with everyones schedule. I think that Kemmel took Manuel and Gaspar to an ABC meeting in Paxot. Lisa, Josefina, Maury, Marcos, Martina and Tomas went to Chinique while Nadia, Juan and I went to Xepocol.

We had a small clinic in Xepocol with only 8 patients. I was hoping for several more but you only get, what you get. Right??

When I started examining this young boy, I felt the camera flash and thought Nadia had brought her camera but she instead had grabbed mine.

The day was unremarkable with nothing out of the ordinary.

After lunch, Nadia wanted to go and find some avocados which are in full-season now. She was escorted out to a tree by the guys that help us in the clinic and they showed her how they go avocado picking.

I thought Nadia was going to fall off the hill with excitement! The guys gave her 6 avocados!

It was a good day and then I drove Nadia back to Santa Cruz. She is spending the week with the family of Josefina and Marcos.

Special meeting in Chinique

Today Kemmel, Lisa, Nadia and I went to Chinique for a special service they were having. The new congregation has been meeting here for two years and they wanted to have a special service. The outside has just been painted.

"Grandma, please do NOT make me wear that hat!!"

The lesson was on joy and that only true joy can come through Christ. It is not something you can buy nor can you trade something for it. You can not touch it or see it........you can only see the results from it.

He told a story about a man's family that had no joy in it. The members of the family yelled and fought..........the house was absent of joy. The man found someone that he thought could sell him some joy but was very sad when he was turned down. The man instead said, take me to your house and let me see. It was true........the family was fighting, hitting each other and there was no joy inside. The man said, "I can not sell you joy but I can give you the gift of Christ and then you and your family will receive true joy."

After the service, there was a short break before lunch. Kemmel and Lisa sitting and talking with some of the people from the area.

Two girls that wanted their photo taken.

Lisa and Kemmel were giving English lessons in the back of the truck!

Later, I walked up to Chichi and got a few things that I needed. Tomorrow one group will head to Patzite, while Nadia and I will go to Xepocol. Kemmel and a few others have an ABC meeting in Paxot. We will be scattered in different directions but our focus will remain the same..........all for the glory of God.

Antigua before Chichi

We had passed some flowers in a store that mom liked..........................so before she knew it, she owned them!

The flight to Guatemala was unremarkable. Antigua was quiet with only a few celebrations and parades taking place. One guy was not selling many of his toys and he did not look happy about it.

There were still a few afombras but not many. There was more scattered sawdust from previous ones that was not swept up after the parades.

Shuttle arrangements are made and I will go to Chichi in the morning. It is time to get back to work :)

Back to Guate...............

When I arrived in NC, it was warm. As usual, my parents met me at the airport with a Diet Dr. Pepper. Friday during lunch, Gaspar asked me how it is when you see your family after you have not seen them for awhile. I told him that I ask my parents for my Dr. Pepper and THEN I hug them......ha ha ha......just kidding of course.

The week was fast and passed quickly. I was not able to keep the blog up but I will update with a few photos.

Sunday morning I worshiped in Morganton and then Sunday evening I was in Winston at my sponsoring congregation, South Fork Church of Christ. It was good to see some friends I had not seen for awhile. Trish was down in Guatemala last month with a group and she brought Barbara with her Sunday evening. We use to work at the same hospital many years ago.........I will not mention how many :)

I heard some discussion that some members of South Fork may return again this year for another clinic. I love it when they come and participate in the work but I also realize there are many areas of the world that need help and sometimes it can be difficult to decide where to go.

Sunday evening tornadoes were spotted and even damaged several homes. From earthquakes to tornadoes..........................

One day we had lunch together.................my parents and Mike, my brother. Angie was nice to take the photo for us. My parents wanted their ABC child to have a photo of us, so here it is!

My family met Sally and her mom for dinner one evening.................my parents with Sally and her mom.

It was a great visit as always and we look forward to the next one.................

My parents will take me to the airport in the morning and our alarms are set for 0200.............ahhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!! Lucky for me, I can easily sleep on the plane.