Don't let the clinic close...

For more than 4 1/2 years I ran a mobile clinic serving the poorest of the poor.  In that time we hosted lots of medical brigades to serve these communities as well.  Then God saw fit to have us open a permanent clinic and have an incredible Honduran physician - Dr. Roger - work alongside us.  In the first year alone we saw more than 3,800 patients - and turned so many away because we simply didn't have the ability to see them.

Each year I support raise for Dr. Roger's salary.  The nominal fee we charge for people to come to the clinic in no way can pay for his salary. 

At this point I am still in major need of funds for his salary.  We in no way have enough to even cover him for the first two months of next year.  If we are unable to raise enough funds to cover his salary, we will have to close the clinic and all the other medical related ministries (mobile clinics in the communities of La Fe and Las Delicias) until such time the funds are raised.  This is the reality of living by faith.  God will make happen exactly what He wants to happen.  If no further funds come in, then this is God's way of letting us know that He doesn't want the clinic open.  If funds do come in, then we know the opposite is true.  I truly am not in anguish over this - I have turned the clinic over to Him completely. When we return from furlough, I will no longer be running the clinic, Dr. Roger and John Clow will be overseeing the clinic.  My job will now take me elsewhere to start medical / mercy ministries in other parts of the country and other parts of Central America.  However, I want to leave the clinic in a good way, and hopefully this means fully funded.

So if you have those end of the year funds and you need a GREAT place to send them for tax purposes - this link will get you to the MTW (Mission to the World) site that funds the clinic.  Please then let me know you have sent funds in so I can be looking for them.  This is also the account where other funds go to so we need to ensure that the funds get to the proper place.

 

You can easily send in a one-time (or better) a monthly contribution by clicking https://donations.mtw.org/donate/AddDesignation.aspx?No=92410.

Update

Traveling

Speaking at churches

Working

1/2 Marathon

California visit

Thanksgiving

Getting Sick

Marathon on Sunday

Rinse...Repeat


Our lives right now have been all about transition - sharing what God is doing in Honduras, speaking at different churches, and I've been working.  We have finally had a chance to take a week and catch our breath.  Still speaking at churches, but a few days to hang with friends and family.  It is a much needed break.

Our sweet Madison comes home in three weeks and then we get to spend some time as a family.  It will be the first time we've seen her since we dropped her off at college in August.  Way past due.

Funding the clinic

 

You may have already read the blog or letter from Mike announcing our promotion with MTW. If not, I have included it in the bottom portion of this blog. Basically, Mike has been promoted as the country director of Honduras, and the Regional Director for Central America. Because of these exciting job promotions, our personal ministry focus will change dramatically.   I will use the experience I have gained as a nurse and clinic director to help other MTW missionaries throughout Central America to expand a medical/mercy program in their country. Therefore, I will not be able to continue in my current position as director of medical/mercy ministry of La Ceiba, Team Honduras. I am looking at turning all the medical/mercy activities in La Ceiba to Dr. Roger Guillen. In the almost 7 years we have been in La Ceiba, we have hosted well over 500 mobile medical clinics, hosted more than 25 medical brigades and have seen more than 12,000 patients. I want to see the ministry in La Ceiba thrive and grow through the continuation of hosting medical brigades, mobile clinics, and seeing patients at our permanent clinic. As a matter of fact, we are hoping to open a second permanent clinic in downtown La Ceiba within the next year. In order to continue giving quality health care at an affordable price to the poorest of the poor, Dr. Roger’s salary cannot be supported with the revenue generated from the clinic alone. For almost three years, I have relied upon one-time donations to provide a salary for Dr. Roger. I am hoping to fund Dr. Roger’s salary through monthly contributions to the Armenia Bonito clinic. The salary will be overseen by John Clow, the new MTW Team Leader in La Ceiba. This letter is to ask you to support Dr. Roger. You can easily send in a one-time (or better) a monthly contribution by clicking https://donations.mtw.org/donate/AddDesignation.aspx?No=92410. I would love to turn over this ministry with Dr. Roger’s salary fully-funded. What do I need: to continue having Roger work in a part-time capacity, I need an annual salary of $18,200, which equates to a monthly need of $1,517. My desire would be for him to work full-time in order to oversee all our medical/mercy ministries in La Ceiba. This would obviously require additional funds. Please let me know if you have any questions or need clarification. If you would like to support Dr. Roger, you can click on the link above and then let me know of your contribution. In this way I will be able to keep track of the funds that come in for Dr. Roger’s salary. In addition, if you know of any other person who would be interested in supporting this ministry, please feel free to forward this e-mail on to them. In Christ, Erin Pettengill, RN Director Medical/Mercy Ministries, Central America Mike's letter: Dear Friends and Supporters: We have some wonderful news. Mike has taken a new job with MTW. In fact, Mike has taken two new jobs with MTW. Starting January 1st, 2015, Mike will be the Country Director for Honduras and the Regional Director for Central America. We pray the information bellow answers some of the questions you may have: Where will you live? We will continue to live in Honduras, but we will be moving closer to the city of Tegucigalpa to be nearer to an international airport. Are you still missionaries? Yes. We will remain missionaries by any definition of the word. We will continue to live in Honduras and bring God’s glory in a cross-cultural setting to Latinos living throughout Central America. Are you still with MTW? Yes. We appreciate and value the support given to us over the past seven years from Mission To the World (MTW). Our new work is within the leadership team of MTW. What exactly will Mike do? Mike will continue to work with our two mission teams in Honduras, the existing team La Ceiba and our new team in Tegucigalpa. Mike will work with the existing MTW missionary teams in Panama, Costa Rica and Nicaragua. Mike will also work toward starting new MTW mission teams where there are currently none: El Salvador and Guatemala. What exactly will Erin do? Erin will take the vast knowledge she has acquired as a Registered Nurse for 19 years and as a missionary nurse for seven years and use that to create and expand medical and mercy ministries throughout Central America. She will serve and counsel the missionary wives and mothers in the region. Erin will also have an expanded role in evaluating new missionaries for their readiness to serve on the field. What happens to the other missionaries in Honduras? John Clow will be the new Team Leader of the missionaries in La Ceiba, Honduras. John and Kathy Clow have labored in Honduras for four years and as missionaries in Latin America for over 10 years. We are thrilled to place God’s work into their capable hands. Under our guidance, the Halbert and Marlowe families are starting a new church planting team in the capital city of Tegucigalpa, Honduras. What about the ministries in La Ceiba? The 12 other adults missionaries in La Ceiba, Honduras are beyond capable of running all the ministries we started together. There are no plans to do anything other than watch God grow the work he has started under us. Why the change? When we arrived in Honduras almost seven years ago there was no MTW/Presbyterian presence in Honduras. Since then we have added a high school, medical clinic, four churches, a StreetKids ministry and a home of single teenage moms. Our team has hosted 758 short-term missionaries and 25 interns. We have discipled pastors, educated children, fed the hungry, clothed the naked and loved the unlovable. We want to bring that same vision and experience to Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, El Salvador, Guatemala and expand it in Honduras. Do you still need financial support? Yes. Now, more than ever we need the financial partnership of our individual and church supporters. In fact, we need more finances to cover our increased travel expenses. If you are not a current financial supporter, please prayerfully consider partnering with us to impact Central America by making a tax-deductible, credit/debit card contribution HERE. How can we pray for you? This new work is exciting and very scary. Please pray for the following: Mike and Erin have the boldness found only in Christ to do all that is set before them. The new missionaries we work with throughout Central America embrace our leadership. The team and ministries we are leaving in La Ceiba flourish under the new leadership of John and Kathy Clow. Our marriage is strengthened and we grow closer to the Lord as we step into the stress and uncertainty of the future. We pray you are as excited about this new chapter in our missions journey together as we are. Our blogs, twitter, Facebook, YouTube and monthly e-mails will continue as they have. You will continue to be informed on how you can be a part of what God is doing through us. If you have any additional questions please e-mail Mike directly by clicking HERE. It is exhilarating to imagine how God will use us throughout Central America. In Christ, Mike & Erin Pettengill Missionaries to Central America www.pettengillmissionaries.org twitter.com/mikepettengill Sent from Yahoo! Mail for Windows 8

 

Regional Director Promotion

Big changes are on the horizon for the Pettengill family.  Mike has received a promotion and is the new Regional Director for Central America.  This is going to require a lot of changes for us - please see Mike's blog for the entire scoop.

http://www.pettengillmissionaries.org/exciting-news-about-the-pettengills-in-honduras/

Dominican Republic

     Every four years all the missionaries from Latin America get together in a different location.  This time we are going to be in the Dominican Republic for the week.  It is a time of re-connecting with each other, be spiritually refreshed, attend some break out sessions, and even time to hang out and lay in the sun.  Normally all family members are invited, but with this being Madison's first semester in college, we felt we couldn't take her out and miss an entire week of school.  So - it will just be Mike and myself meeting up with the rest of Team Honduras in the Dominican Republic.
     I have been asked to give a presentation of the work in Honduras. This is a great opportunity to share with everyone else what God is doing in Honduras.  Please pray for our time, and a chance to take a deep breath and find some rest in there too.

Missionary Kid in college wish list

So Madison has successfully been in school for a month.  She is THRIVING in school - excited to be in a classroom with students that actually want to learn.  As she has been there, she has found things that she still "needs" and things she still "wants."  If you want to bless her and send her something for college or for herself - here's the EASY way to do it.  Click on the Amazon wishlist below, pick out a gift, and Checkout.  No need to do anything else.  The default address for her wishlist is straight to her college.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/wishlist/3KOPSPA6WD766/ref=topnav_lists_3

Those we have come to serve...

Missionary Kids

I have a missionary kid (MK), or as my daughter fondly calls it, a Kid Missionary.  She has been out of her birth country for the majority of her growing up years.  The Jr. High and High School years, the ones that have a lasting impact on her life.  Yesterday I was sitting back and reflecting on what that meant for her and it made me ponder a few things.

I have been around a lot of MK's and I wonder if we treat them right.  Do we allow them to be their own person or do we mold them to what we want them to be?  These kiddos don't really have a place they call "home".  Home is where they currently are living.  If you ask an MK where they are from, you will get a quizzical answer with varied responses.  Is where they are from where they were born?  Where they went to school? Where they currently are?

In the U.S., if you have a child that has one or more parent from a country outside of the U.S., we pride ourselves in encouraging that child to understand where their genetic roots came from.  We encourage them to celebrate activities, events and holidays from both their host country, and the country of their roots. We encourage language acquisition of both their host country and their origin country.  I wonder then, why we give that all up when we go on the mission field?  Why do we get so single minded in becoming so entrenched in our new host country that we abandon where we came from?  

Let me give you some examples.  Since I have been on the mission field I have traveled all over the world and met Mk's in places all over.  We have regional retreats with missionaries and families from all over Latin America, and I have talked with many an MK.  Just recently I spent some time with an MK getting ready to go back to the States, and when I asked this person what they were going to do after college the response was not surprising, "I will never stay in the U.S. After I graduate."  It got me to wonder.  Since when did it become the norm to instill if not hatred, but disdain for the U.S. To our MK's?

I did a quick, unofficial survey of MK's and found that many don't know the National Anthem, the Pledge of Allegiance, the US capitol, who the Vice President is, what we celebrate on the 4th of July, the meaning of Memorial Day vs Veterans Day, and much more.   How many MK's know why we have stripes on the flag?  What is the significance?  Who is known for having crafted the flag, who were the founding fathers?  I could go on, but I won't. It is okay to find fault with the U.S.  Heck, I found fault when I lived there. I wonder when taking pride in your country became "uncool".

So let's lift up our MK's - love them for the unique people they are - encourage them that it's okay to be different, to not know how to answer the question "where are you from" - but also recognize the unique things that make them who they are - allow them to embrace ALL the countries they are from.  Share their history with them.

When we dropped Madison off at college, the first few days of orientation were just for the international and missionary kids.  When all was said and done, the announcer said to all the kids, "Now...take care...because tomorrow the American's arrive."  It was funny, and we all laughed, because we acknowledge the uniqueness that our kids are - that Third Culture Kid - not a kid of one country or another, but unique in their own culture. 

Update

It is always a little odd to write about stuff while we are on furlough.  It doesn't have the same appeal, excitement, or fun qualities as blogs while on the field.  However, the reality is, every missionary goes on furlough (Home Mission Assignment - what our mission agency calls it).  It is meant as a time to re-connect with family, friends, supporters, churches, and to remember what it means to be an American.  For us, it also meant sending off our sweet daughter Madison to college.  We had our first set of prayer cards made without her face on it.  For us, it means a new season of life with lots of changes coming.  It is also meant to be a time to rest. 

Being on the front lines on the mission field is just outright exhausting.  People forget about us.  Through distance and time, we become a faded memory...so much of our support system slips away.  Our family situations change, our parents age, and we just need to get caught up with where life has brought us.

I am starting a job in a few weeks - many reasons for this, the primary reason is to make us personally financially sound.  I will be working in the field I love - pediatric hematology/oncology at an amazing hospital here in Phoenix - Phoenix Children's Hospital.  The nurse manager seems really committed to making her department excellent - and that is the primary thing I look for in a unit - a place that is exceptional at what it does, and truly cares for the patients under their care.  I will be working only 1 to 2 days a week.  The other goal for these funds?  To finally get Mike and I on a real vacation.  We totally skipped our 20th wedding anniversary as we are always busy working with teams during the summer when we have our anniversary - so I am hoping this is a way to make up for some lost time.  A church gave us some "seed" money for our vacation, and I will work to pay for the balance.

That's all for now...we will keep on keeping on...visiting churches, individual supporters, and hopefully a few visits with friends and family along the way (and maybe a baseball and/or football game in there too).

Motherly advice to her college bound daughter

Pearls of wisdom to pass on to my girl as she heads off to college.  I had them all neatly compiled and spaced out - one for each day of the month of her first month of college, but as the internet would have it, the draft version of this blog swallowed the blog whole - but not before I was able to write each day down on a card, and place each card in a separate envelope for Madison to open day by day.  But as those envelopes are sealed and ready to be delivered to her, I can't/don't want to open them...so...I don't have all my pearls of wisdom but I will pass on to you what I do remember...

1.  When you were 2 years old, "NO!" was not an acceptable answer to what I asked of you.  However, now, "No" is not only an acceptable answer, but given certain circumstances, the best response of all.

2.  Share what you have.  If you have two coats, give one to another.

3.  It is always better to give than to receive - but never at another's expense.  If it is a blessing to someone else to give to you - accept with a humble heart.

4.  The world is going to try and get you down - but you must remember, "You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think." - Pooh

5.  The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few...or the one... - Spock
The needs of the one are sacrificed for by The One - God

6.  I love you for your uniqueness - some others won't appreciate it, but, "The things that make me different are the things that make me." - Eeyore

7.  And remember...in "true" vampire lore - vampires NEVER say, "MUAH!"

8.  One never gets lost, you are only on an adventure.  And MAN did we have MANY an adventure.

9.  Man looks on the outside, but God looks at the heart.  You are not only beautiful on the outside, but on the inside too...God must smile when he looks at you.

10.  Your faith is your own - not your parents.  "Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it."  Proverbs 22:6

11.  When you eventually look for the man who will be your future husband, use your father as a guide.  Look at the way he treats me, and loves me.  I know those are high standards to hold to, but you deserve no less.

12.  I am your mother first and always, and although you are an incredible young woman, a part of me will always hold you in my heart as my baby.  "I'll love you forever, I'll love you for always...as long as I'm living my baby you'll be."

Anyway...there are 30 in all, but they are safely tucked away - this is just a small taste, but I hoped you enjoyed it.

Life of a circuit rider missionary

our bags started out neat, but by the end of 5 weeks everything was a mess!

Mostly gone are the days of circuit rider pastors - when there weren't enough pastors to be at each church, a pastor would go from place to place and preach to the people in a different church each Sunday. That's what we feel like :-)

In our first five weeks - these are some interesting things we have seen so far:

Transylvania County, North Carolina
Transylvania, Louisiana
Toad Suck Park, Arkansas
Prince of Persia City, Pennsylvania
The Shrine of Infant Jesus of Prague, Oklahoma
Street Road, Pennsylvania

We have been in 21 states so far in this order:

Pennsylvania
Delaware
Maryland
West Virginia
Virginia
North Carolina
South Carolina
Georgia
Missouri
Illinois
Indiana
Kentucky
Tennessee
Alabama
Mississippi
Louisiana
Arkansas
Oklahoma
Texas
New Mexico
Arizona

In addition, we have stayed in 15 different homes, hotels or locations - that's an average of 3 new places each week.

 

Having little/no/limited access to washing machines - we have been doing a lot of laundry in hotel showers/bathtubs...lived out of our suitcases for 5 weeks, and eaten more fast food than I can even imagine (uugghhhh!).

We have taught Sunday School/Preached/or had meetings with the missions committee or pastor with 8 churches in 5 different states.

After traveling 4,355 miles, this now concludes our East Coast and Southern U.S. Circuit Tour.  What an amazing way to see the U.S of A!  I LOVE this country!  It is so fast, so different and so amazing.  Now let's see what the West Coast has for us!

Travels and pushing the re-set button

We spent the last week and a half with Mission to the World doing re-connect (or "welcome back to the US") to allow us deep breaths and remember what it is like to live in the U.S. and to make sure all is well emotionally and spiritually with returning missionaries.  After that we stayed the week and attended Summer Conference.  Basically, sleeping in late, working out, attending seminars, and eating lots of yummy food.  This really was our first chance to take a deep breath and relax. 

Today Mike and Madison are flying off to Missouri to get our rental car that we will have for the rest of our time back.  They will make a stop in Nashville and check out some of the sights before they return to Georgia. 

For the first time since we have been back I have been able to go to a mall!  Did a little shopping for necessities...

Next week I will be participating in Readiness Evaluation for new missionaries. I am part of the assessment team.  This is the same evaluation that Mike and I participated in more than 9 years ago, but now I am on the evaluation end, not the "to be evaluated" end.  I am looking forward to it!

Pennsylvania

Some observations from a California chick about South-Central Pennsylvania:

1.  Stars on houses.  Originally, there was a major housing developer that used "Barn Stars" as a means of showing he built a house.  It then became a "good luck charm" similar to a horse shoe, and now it simply has become a home decoration.  I would venture to say at least 50% of the homes in this area decorate with a star.

 

2.  Candles in windows.  Originally the candles signified a safe house for people needing to escape via the underground railroad during the Civil War.  Later it became decoration during Christmas, and now many people keep candles or lights on year round

.

3.  Churches with cemeteries.  I was surprised by the amount of churches that had cemeteries as part of their property.  I think because so many of the churches have been around for 150+ years, this was the "norm" then, and less so now.

4.  Fireflies.  Now, we have fireflies in Honduras - but I have never seen so many at one time...it was awesome to see!

5.  Amish.  We were definitely in amish country.  We saw men, women, buggies, scooters, and leaned a lot about the community while we were there.

6.  County parks - Mike and I are in initial training for a marathon and wanted to take advantage of the trail runs at the county parks.  The parks were incredible and were hardly used!  As opposed to the county parks in Sacramento/Elk Grove, California where we are from which were barely tolerable but used a LOT!

7.  Harley Country.  In the almost 8 days we spent in Pennsylvania, I saw more Harley-Davidson motorcycles than I have even in California!

8.  Corn fields.  More corn fields than I have ever seen.  Apparently most of the corn that was grown was not for human consumption, but to feed the cattle (of which there were TONS of dairy farms around).

9.  Pike versus a freeway - well - pretty much didn't see ANYTHING with a "freeway" sign, but saw tons of signs that said "Pike".  Not really sure of the difference at all, but there you have it.

So, that's it folks - a California's attempts of seeing Pennsylvania through a non-Pennsylvania's eyes and of all the amazing and beautiful country I saw - these were the things that stuck out to me the most.