Women's Retreat

Today is the first day of a women's retreat that my sweet husband put together for all the ladies on the team that could come.  Kate (our future team mate) arrived a few days ago for the retreat.  She will be joining us for two years come November.  The Troxell's (our future team mates) are currently in language school in Costa Rica, they have joined us so Ashley could come to the women's retreat, and Mike Troxell will be hanging with my Mike.  They will be joining us for 2 years come December.  Shannon (2-year) and Kathy (career) will join us from La Ceiba. Unfortunately, Renee (training in Atlanta) won't join us.  Don't know about internet access - so I'll possibly not be posting for a week.  Back on Saturday.

Publications

Just added a new tab to the left side of my blog entitled Publications.  It's about my journey.  My journey as a young nurse, as a Christian, and of the experiences that God has provided for me.

Modern Medicine -  The Other Side of Nursing - By remembering why she became a nurse and helping those less fortunate, this nurse has finally found the fulfillment she'd been looking for.


RN Journal -  Disaster Relief Response to Haiti


Young Life - Building on a Foundation 

Prenatal Class

Awhile ago you may have seen a post on making a placenta and a uterus.  The purpose of that was to start preparing for giving a prenatal class in Armenia Bonito.  As far as I know, there is only one other person in all of Honduras that is giving prenatal classes.  The concept is, if you will, foreign.  So I honestly didn't know if anyone would even attend.  How could I lure women to come?  I finally decided that if they came to my class, learned what I taught, they would receive the necessary items to have their baby at the hospital (a hat, socks, diapers, onesie, blanket), and I would attend them in the hospital when they were in labor.  And not one, but four ladies came!  Now, my Spanish is definitely better than when I first arrived 3 years ago - but explaining labor, Kegel exercises, Braxton-Hicks contractions, perineal massage can be challenging in English - so I knew my Spanish was going to be put to the test.  But all the ladies had a GREAT time!  And hour and a half later, I had taught them so much stuff, sent them home with lots to read, and plenty of things to practice at home.  The funny looks I got when we were practicing our patterned breathing was quite comical to see - but I expressed the huge importance of this, and I think they got the idea.    I plan on having a class the third Tuesday of each month - and am hoping to educate a lot of ladies!  I look forward to seeing where this will take us!

Highwaymen and Hymns

Along with Bethany, Kathy and myself, we took 5 young ladies out to a concert at one of the local churches.  This is a huge event, and we had to buy tickets a week in advance to even get in.  First we picked the girls up in Armenia, took them out to dinner, then headed over to the church.  Two hours later, including a Passion Scene with actors and all, we headed back to take the girls to the village.  We were in two cars, Kathy, her girls and Bethany were in one car, and the girls from the village and I were in another car.  So, Kathy and her crew headed back to their house, and I took the girls to Armenia - it just didn't make sense to have both cars drive in the opposite direction from our house.  However, that's when things got a little hairy.

Leili, Sairi, Iris, Nancy, Graci

First, I was unable to call Mike and let him know I was leaving as the cell phone service was overworked, and no calls or texts were getting out.  The entire way to the village I tried to call or text him to no avail.  I pulled off the main road and started driving down to the village.  It's about 2 1/2 miles off of the main road.  You have to pass two communities before you get to where we are going.  Needless to say - it seems even longer when it's pitch black and you are the only car on the road.  And that's when I noticed it.  I was being followed by two motorcycles.  They were keeping their distance, but following me none-the-less.  I got to a split in the road.  You can go either way to get to the village, it's just a big circle around the second community, but I typically take the road to the left - it's a much larger road.  That's when I saw them - they split up.  One went right, the other stayed behind me.  They were going in for either an ambush, or were going to be waiting for me when I got back so whichever road I took, they would be waiting for me.  I immediately picked up my speed.  I was flying.  I wanted to get ahead of the other motorcycle.  I was totally keeping my cool, not letting on to the girls in the car that we were being followed.  But these are not stupid girls.  They know the dangers.  As soon as I got into the third community where I was taking them - that's when they all erupted.  "Tere (my nickname) ...there's two motorcycles following you....Tere....they are waiting for you...Tere....you can't go back!".  Well...no hiding it from them.  They knew what had happened.  I dropped the first girl off at her house, and went another 1/2 mile into the village to drop the other girls off when they all started talking again.  "Tere...you CAN'T leave!  They are waiting for you!  It's what they do!  You have to stay!"  Now keep in mind - I still hadn't been able to reach Mike.  It was past 10pm at this time and I KNEW he would be so worried about me!  But my cell phone still wasn't connecting.  All the other girls tried their phones as well, but we all had the same service.  I finally asked all the girls if any of their parents had the other cell phone service, and one girl did.  So we all piled back in the car and drove over to her house.  We were able to get through!  Mike, of course, was VERY worried at this point.  I discussed with him what had happened - I told him there was NO way he could come out as then HE would be ambushed!  So - I told him I would wait it out.  I would stay the night in the village.  I was immediately offered a bed to crash in and so I did.  Unfortunately, for most of the night, if I heard a noise or any dogs barking, I was afraid the guys had come looking for the car...come looking for me...I was someone who had money and a car - and both could be used!  But no one ever came, and first thing the next morning - once LOTS of people were out and about I called Mike and headed for home.

On my way back - my dear sweet friend Mindy texted me (yes...from her US phone to my Honduras phone because she loves me THAT much) - the PERFECT scripture (as she ALWAYS manages to do):  "The name of the Lord is a strong tower.  The righteous run to it and are safe"


Unfortunately, because of this incident, we know that mothers are not going to let us take their girls out again after dark.  For their own safety, and for ours.  So - in the future - we are either going to have to do our activities during the day - or let the girls sleep over our house.  I know they would love that :-)

So what scary moment have YOU been involved in?  How did you respond?

Raising the Roof

Raising The Roof

It is time to raise the roof in Honduras. Three buildings we are constructing are ready to have their roof erected. When complete these three buildings will provide great services to the people of Honduras and great glory to God.

We need your help. We have the workers and the tools to build these roofs, but we do not have the materials. Will you provide the needed financial resources so we can purchase the materials to raise the roofs on the following buildings?

Medical Clinic In Armenia Bonito
There is no medical clinic within walking distance of the 3,000-person, super-poor community of Armenia Bonito. This four-exam room clinic will provide a state-of-the-art medical facility directly to the most needy people in La Ceiba. We need $6,500 to purchase the materials to finish this roof. If you would like to make an on-line, tax-deductible, credit card contribution towards this roof go HERE. Make sure "92412" is in the designation.







Indoor Soccer Field in Armenia Bonito
Soccer is life in Honduras. A facility like this in the middle of the super-poor community of Armenia Bonito will be amazing. This soccer field will instantly make our ministry center the focal point of this community. The facility will also be used for community events, assemblies for the high school and church events. We need $12,000 to purchase the materials to finish this roof. If you would like to make an on-line, tax-deductible, credit card contribution towards this roof go HERE. Make sure "92412" is in the designation.






Second Floor Of The Dorms In La Ceiba
The first floor of the dorms is already completed. Finishing the second floor will enable us to sleep up to 60 short-term missionaries. Short-term missionaries do so much each summer to benefit our ministry. This is a huge investment in the future of our ministry and the expansion of the Great Commission. We need $5,000 to purchase the materials to finish this roof. If you would like to make an on-line, tax-deductible, credit card contribution towards this roof go HERE. Make sure "92410" is in the designation.






Your prayers and your financial resources are needed to raise these roofs. Like Noah in Genesis 6:16 we desire to “Make a roof for the ark” that the Lord has commanded us to build. Please consider partnering with us to complete one of these three projects.

Please share this on your Facebook, blog and Twitter.

Where Were You?

While I was growing up, the things I always heard asked, "Where were you when JFK was shot?"  "Where were you when Martin Luther King was shot"..."Where were you during the moon landing?"  Most of these I really had no answer to.  However, "Where were you when the twin towers went down" - now that one I can answer.  I got a phone call from my mother in law.  It was early on a Tuesday morning. My husband and I were both tired, and not really understanding what she was saying on the phone.  I finally decided to turn on the TV.  And there we saw it.  Live and in person.  The first tower had already been hit.  Both Mike and I sat transfixed as the second tower was then hit, and then we sat in horror as the first tower went down...then the second.  We stood - not really understanding what happened.  This was not something that happened in OUR country!  Madison was only 5 years old, and getting ready to go to Kindergarten.  We got her off to school and Mike and I both left for work.  I kept the radio on the entire way to work.  That's when I started hearing evacuation orders for the State Capitol.  And rightly so.  The 6th largest economy in the world is the State of California.  Mike works IN the state capitol - it seemed a good target.  I called Mike.  He was diligently working, refusing to leave the building as it was being evacuated.  I was so mad!  After threatening to come down there and haul him out myself - he finally left.

It was a Tuesday - all the nurse managers work day shift so we can have meetings to discuss the pediatric floor.  How we can make things better, things we were working on, staff issues, etc.  But we really couldn't rouse ourselves to have any type of official meeting, and our boss said it was fine it we wanted to leave for the day.  I think we all left.  I went home and sat in front of the television for most of the day, that night, and into the next day.  Mike and I talked about it - what do you tell a 5 year old about this tragedy?  How do you explain that they are still safe.  Do we even tell her?  We finally decided to tell her - we knew they were going to talk about it in school and didn't want her to hear things from other 5 year olds that may be inaccurate.  It was that day, that we all lost some of our innocence.  Some of our naivete.  I know that many many people will be writing a blog about 9 - 11 and I'm okay with that.  I'm okay that I'm "like everyone else" on this day.  It should NEVER be forgotten!  That day is burned into my memory and 20 years from now...40 years from now - I will have an answer for the "where were you when the twin towers went down....when the Pentagon burned....when the brave people on flight 93 took back the flight that was headed for more death and destruction".

A few years ago I had the privilege of being at the location of downed flight 93 during one of the anniversary days.  There were representatives from the government there, and they asked if there were any veterans there to fold this huge flag.  One of my duties while I was in the military was to take the flag down once a week.  I've folded the flag at two of my great-uncles funerals who were World War II veterans. I was privileged that day to be able to fold the American Flag for those who lost their lives that Tuesday morning.  There is a memorial book at the sight of downed Flight 93.  I wrote this, As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many peopleshould be kept alive, as they are today."  Genesis 50:20

Let us never forget the lives lost, the duty done, the lives saved.  Let us never forget that the U.S. stands for an amazing people - who live life to it's fullest...who love God...Let us never forget 9 - 11.

Flying Solo - Kids Club

Bethany (our final intern) is leaving soon!  In like two weeks!  This will be the first time (besides the time when it was just Mike, Madison and myself) that we will be without an intern!  Kind of a strange thing.  Interns have been invaluable!  They jump in and get to work!  We recruit very specifically for a type of intern - one who is self-motivated, a go-getter, and can handle ministry work.  Therefore, we've always had them intimately involved in our on-going ministry.  So now we are looking ahead and realize that English class and Kids Club will be taught by just one of us.  So, Mike has picked English class - and he will be teaching and leading it by himself.  I chose Kids Club.  I worked a lot with children (was Children's Ministry Director for 3 years at our home church), so this seemed like a good option.  Today was Kids Club - and it's times like this that you remember what it was like when we were here by ourselves.  It was a challenge!  I'm just going to say it!  Playing with, teaching, leading, presenting crafts, etc. to 32 kids by yourself was a bit hectic!  And typically every year for Dia de los Ninos (Day of the Child) we have a special event.  As we are pretty short-staffed, we opted not to do that this year.  Instead, I had a special treat for the kids at the end of Kids Club.  Hotdogs!  And BOY was it a huge hit!

 The lesson today was on - How many times do I forgive someone who has sinned against me?  They all learned the answer - again and again and again!  So, in honor of that they made paper cut outs of multiple people, and wrote (in Spanish) on the first person - "I forgive".  On the second person they wrote "again".  On the third person they wrote "again".  On the fourth person they wrote "again".  Get it?  They LOVED it!  In a few weeks I'm going to introduce the Children's Catechism.  I will continue on this series for quite some time - I'm excited for the kids to learn the answers and can't wait to see how it goes!

I forgive again...and again...and again...and again...

waiting in line for their hotdog

can't forget the ketchup and mustard!

My Mom

So my mom...she's a miracle...no really!!!!!!

She had a cranial aneurism that ruptured...she should have died...but she didn't
she's had multiple strokes...she should have died (multiple times)...but she didn't
Was in septic shock and in a coma...she did die - flat lined - several times...a month into her coma, with instructions from her living will and the advice from all of her doctors (of which she had many) - we went to pull her off of life support, and that day - that HOUR - she opened her eyes...she should have died...but she didn't

Madison, me and my mom - Christmas 2010

Over the last 5 years or so my mom has been IN the hospital more than she has been OUT (at least it seems that way - but not too far from the truth). Right now she is in with congestive heart failure, severe sepsis (blood infection), and fluid in her lungs. She is often times confused, but as per usual - she has such an amazing heart (now if her physical heart would just cooperate). She is kind, soft spoken, lovely, amusing, funny, and always asking about others before she tells about herself.

Prayers for her would be greatly appreciated!

Mike, Madison and my dad - Christmas 2010

 She is in for a long recovery - when she is eventually discharged from the hospital - she will go to a skilled nursing facility where she will be for a few weeks regaining her strength. I love hear dearly, and want her home with my dad. Also prayers for my dad. He has loved her through thick and thin. Through all her illnesses and he does it with a loving heart. If you want an amazing example of what it truly means to be in love - all you need is to spend the day with my parents. I love them dearly.

Being on the mission field has it's challenges - oh boy does it!  Ministry, team, illnesses, break-ins, thievery, etc.  But one of the hardest things I find is being away from those who need you.  Being so far away when my mother is ill, and my dad alone caring for her hurts my heart.  But I persevere, because that's what we do.  If we threw up our hands every time in the face of adversity, our fingers would become gangrenous due to lack of blood supply :-)