A good friend of mine is working for the IMB as a reporter. His first assignment took him to Haiti. Two of his stories have been published on the IMB website so far. Please read his stories and pray specifically for the people featured in these stories as well as for the thousands of other Haitians they represent.
Haitian Quake Survivors Suffer Added Ache of Separation
Haitian Pastor Turns Church, Home Into Makeshift Clinics for Quake Victims
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Haiti Relief Response
To follow, and possibly even get involved in, the relief efforts of the IMB and other Southern Baptists in Haiti, check the following links:
One of my good friends who just finished language study here is now on his way to Haiti. His job with the IMB is journalism, and he is covering the story of the relief efforts. Please pray for him as he covers this emotionally overwhelming story. Also, please pray for other colleagues and countless volunteers who are there to help meet needs.
By the way, my eye is better now, and tomorrow I will be able to start wearing my contacts once again.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Always An Adventure
A couple of days ago my right eye became very red and irritated and EXTREMELY senstive to light, especially the bright sunight. The contacts I was wearing were getting old, and there has been a lot of volcanic ash in the air. I thought maybe changing to a new pair of contacts would clear it up if it was just volcanic dust settled onto the lens. Today is day two with the new contacts, and it definitely was not getting any better. I gratefully borrowed sunglasses from a colleague to ward off some of the pain.
On the advice of my host mom and my Spanish teacher, I went to Antigua after lunch to find a specific optical clinic. I got there around 1:30 only to discover that they close for lunch from noon until 3 pm. (A slightly longer lunch break that I ever had as a teacher!) So, I stopped at a store and then hung out at good old McDonalds until 3. When I returned to the office, my communication fears were confirmed. Just the initial conversation with the person at the desk caused me to pull out my translator and apologize for my lack of Spanish. He surpised me by having me follow him into a room immediately for an exam. (What I didn't know at the time was that after I went in the room, the receptionist told my colleagues that he was not a doctor but rather an assistant of some sort.)
Throughout his thorough examination, we continued to struggle to overcome our communication barrier, but he was very patient with me. I did, however, begin to lose confidence when he started walking back and forth between my eye and his poster of eye problems to compare what he was seeing! Eventually, he concluded that my cornea was inflamed and prescribed antibiotic eye drops. So, I have 10 days of drops with instructions to return if that does not resolve it.
Despite the challenges, I am very grateful at how smoothly things went and am praying that this will resolve the problem.
On the advice of my host mom and my Spanish teacher, I went to Antigua after lunch to find a specific optical clinic. I got there around 1:30 only to discover that they close for lunch from noon until 3 pm. (A slightly longer lunch break that I ever had as a teacher!) So, I stopped at a store and then hung out at good old McDonalds until 3. When I returned to the office, my communication fears were confirmed. Just the initial conversation with the person at the desk caused me to pull out my translator and apologize for my lack of Spanish. He surpised me by having me follow him into a room immediately for an exam. (What I didn't know at the time was that after I went in the room, the receptionist told my colleagues that he was not a doctor but rather an assistant of some sort.)
Throughout his thorough examination, we continued to struggle to overcome our communication barrier, but he was very patient with me. I did, however, begin to lose confidence when he started walking back and forth between my eye and his poster of eye problems to compare what he was seeing! Eventually, he concluded that my cornea was inflamed and prescribed antibiotic eye drops. So, I have 10 days of drops with instructions to return if that does not resolve it.
Despite the challenges, I am very grateful at how smoothly things went and am praying that this will resolve the problem.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Visa & Bible Study
We had to run from office to office most of the day Monday, but at the end of the day another 90 day Guatemalan visa was stamped in my passport. Thank you for praying with me; and thanks to those of you who encouraged me when I was beginning to become discouraged.
We've been having a Bible study in the home of some nationals for a couple of months now. My friends/colleagues who came with me all left last week, so last night was our first Bible study without them here. (Fortunately, three new friends/colleagues also arrived recently, so I am not the only one here.) We were a bit nervous about the level of communication we would manage but were confident that God would provide, and He did. A young (teenage) guy in the family even shared a scripture passage that he had read that had meaning for him. Please continue to pray for this study and for God to reveal Himself to those who attend.
We've been having a Bible study in the home of some nationals for a couple of months now. My friends/colleagues who came with me all left last week, so last night was our first Bible study without them here. (Fortunately, three new friends/colleagues also arrived recently, so I am not the only one here.) We were a bit nervous about the level of communication we would manage but were confident that God would provide, and He did. A young (teenage) guy in the family even shared a scripture passage that he had read that had meaning for him. Please continue to pray for this study and for God to reveal Himself to those who attend.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Visa
My visa expires this Tuesday, January 5, and I have been having a terrible time trying to get everything lined up to renew it. I think it is all finally coming together, and some great Ms here in Antigua are driving me to capital tomorrow (Monday) so I can go to the immigration office to (hopefully) obtain the visa. Please pray that everything works out!
Graduation Day
Eight of my friends/colleagues "graduated" from our language school this week and are now heading out to different countries in South and Central America. It was difficult to say goodbye as some of them have become really good friends to me.
It was also a goodbye to our group of teachers as they are all being reassigned to the other branch of our school, and new teachers will be coming in. Below are the three teachers who worked with me: Miguel was my second teacher, Lesbia was my last teacher, and Rosario was my first teacher. Please continue to pray for each of them and for God to continue to work in their lives. Lesbia actually lives in our town, and I think she will continue to study the Bible with us every Wednesday.
It was also a goodbye to our group of teachers as they are all being reassigned to the other branch of our school, and new teachers will be coming in. Below are the three teachers who worked with me: Miguel was my second teacher, Lesbia was my last teacher, and Rosario was my first teacher. Please continue to pray for each of them and for God to continue to work in their lives. Lesbia actually lives in our town, and I think she will continue to study the Bible with us every Wednesday.
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