Balancing Wisdom & Worship

Practicing Suturing

The past 10 days have felt like one very long day continuously strung together. When you do a similar thing for several days all day long, and it feels you are always on the “go; have you ever felt like that? We have been in classes from 8am until 5pm, or sometimes as late as until 9:30pm everyday studying a wide range of topics in the field of medicine. Specifically, medicine where there are no hospitals in remote areas. Homework, case studies, projects, and math problems every night; we look at the clock at midnight and hope that we can crawl into bed sometime soon, but a 3 o’ clock bed time is not uncommon. We better get ready because being in class by 8am comes quickly the next day.

There were many topics from our classes we thought would be fun titles for this blog update, so here are some highlights that will give you a glimpse of our training 🙂 . Our classes are truly equipping us for the field! We now feel more confident to administer so many necessary clinical procedures, and thanks to the case studies (50+), we feel more empowered to diagnose and begin the treatment process. The classes started off with this quote, “They (the people you will minister to) will see Christ through you before they ever hear about Christ from you”. This is such a true statement! We will be living with the tribal people, cooking, hunting, and administering medical treatment, and much more before we become proficient enough in the language in order to teach them about Christ. “They will never care about how much you know… until they know how much you care”.

Missionaries Doing Drugs

If that is not a headliner, then we do not know what is?! We have been given much information in terms of suturing, giving anesthesia, basic hygiene, and personal protection while prepping for a procedure. We know people will come to us with diseases we have never heard of, and we will have to give them a drug (medication) we cannot pronounce, but God is merciful. “God will protect you in your ignorance, but not in your arrogance”. This class has truly helped us become more empowered, but has also been used to show us our limits, and what is even practical for us to do once in a tribal setting. Did you know that the average life expectancy in Mozambique is 38-39 years old? We must learn practical steps to save lives!

The Earth is Truly Cursed

One thing we are truly seeing is that this earth is cursed! The very ground itself. While studying hour after hour, doing case scenario after scenario, we have found that there are so many bugs/sicknesses/diseases in developing worlds (like ascariasis, guinea worms, malaria, and much more) and even in the water like schistosomiasis or katayama disease. This class has made one thing clear for sure, we will always wear shoes when in a tribal location! God truly cursed the very soil we walk on every day (ex. hookworm). We have a new fondness and appreciation for washing hands, simple hygiene that protects us so much! (Caution: shaking hands 😉 ).

ALL Creation, Even Malaria…Truly is of God

40% of toddlers and an incalculable number of pregnant women die (in a developing world in the tropics) from malaria. Malaria is virus that has many strands, and is and has been in the top 5 killers of humans for most of history (those who live in hot/tropical areas). Thank God for antibiotics! But after studying “how” malaria occurs and what causes it to reign in the body, and watching the process of destroying the healthy blood cells, etc.… you cannot give any form of creation to anyone else, but to God. He alone could make something that intricate. Did you know more people have died in the 21^st century due to aids than all the wars in the 20^th century? So many simple and practical tips could help reduce that number drastically!

Ischial Tuberosities, Meconium, & Paristalsis…Anyone know what we are talking about?

Yep! We are learning how to deliver babies, what to do when the umbilical cord is wrapped around the neck, how to do an episiotomy, give sutures, and much more! We were trained to understand “that pregnancies are a natural process and not a disease to manage”. That thought will change how we engage in the situation. We find that in all of these classes we have to find a balance between being in awe of our Creator and being slightly grossed out by what we might have to do, and what can occur to the human body. Did you know the amniotic fluid is filtered and changed every 3 hours during the pregnancy process? Wow what an amazing Creator!

These classes have taught us a greater balance of worshipping the Creator and being humbled by the magnitude and wisdom in which He created ALL things. We very well may need to claim ignorance and seek out wisdom in order to learn practical ways to help ourselves, and others when on the field.

We feel overwhelmed with knowledge, Pray that we can retain as much knowledge as we can during this training (only 2 days left). Also, pray for us, we still have several thousand miles to travel in the next 4 weeks, and we meet with a handful of new churches and reconnect with other churches during that time. Pray God provides more partners! We are so close to the required support we need and the window of time for us to leave is approaching.

                                                Your feet to the unreached of PNG, Seth & Nicole

Injections

Charlene-Our Suturing Teacher