I want to let you all know that I have made a choice.
Eden Ministry has been asked to put together a moral relationship building program that includes awareness of how to avoid and prevent trafficking. I have agreed to work on this project. So, in May I attended some training in Vietnam. I am doing well. Super busy. Thank you for your thoughts about all of this.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
May Newsletter
March brought me back to China. When I landed in China in 2009 the goal was clear. Learn Chinese and then work with the Leprosy people. The plan has changed. Due to some very good things the leprosy project no longer need foreigners to help with the project. PTL!! Although this is a very goo thing for China and the project and the people it provides a bit of a complication for me.
Genesis 12:1 says that when God told Abram to leave his home-his comfort-and follow God that God Himself would show Abram where to go. I read this and I understand the simplicity in it. God says go, Abram goes, God says stop and live here, Abram stops and lives there. Verse 7 of this chapter says that when Abram had arrived in Canaan God told him that He Himself would give that very land to Abram’s descendants. Cannot get much clearer can you? This Canaan land was where Abram’s children were to eventually call home.
Ever wish you heard God this clearly? I do. I am frustrated that God doesn’t communicate with me the way He did with Abram. The task ahead of me is to figure out my purpose here. This seems to be a funny joke. I have no idea what my purpose is except to follow God and be obedient and I am not hearing so well these days. No burning bush, no leader telling which way to go, no plan, no design, no strategic vision, no freaking idea. I just want someone to tell me what to do and I am feeling sorry for myself that no one will.
I have 7 opportunities on my plate to filter through. All of them are good choices and all would use my nursing skills as well as other gifts I have been given. So, I am asking Father to close doors to places I should not work. To open my eyes and heart to the opportunities that are right for me and to boldly step into those places when it has been made clear.
Then I read verse 9 and 10 of chapter 12. Abram after being told that his children would be given Canaan instead of staying there he continues traveling and eventually because of a famine he goes to Egypt.
This new direction Abram takes confuses me. The place I am at confuses me. Abram went where God took him even when it was away from the promised land. God has told me that I am to be His servant and at this time he has said it is to be in China. I do not understand how I will be used but I know that God’s ways do not always work out to our logical way of thinking. As I continually petition for direction and guidance, please hold on with me as I fumble and search for the next step.
Genesis 12:1 says that when God told Abram to leave his home-his comfort-and follow God that God Himself would show Abram where to go. I read this and I understand the simplicity in it. God says go, Abram goes, God says stop and live here, Abram stops and lives there. Verse 7 of this chapter says that when Abram had arrived in Canaan God told him that He Himself would give that very land to Abram’s descendants. Cannot get much clearer can you? This Canaan land was where Abram’s children were to eventually call home.
Ever wish you heard God this clearly? I do. I am frustrated that God doesn’t communicate with me the way He did with Abram. The task ahead of me is to figure out my purpose here. This seems to be a funny joke. I have no idea what my purpose is except to follow God and be obedient and I am not hearing so well these days. No burning bush, no leader telling which way to go, no plan, no design, no strategic vision, no freaking idea. I just want someone to tell me what to do and I am feeling sorry for myself that no one will.
I have 7 opportunities on my plate to filter through. All of them are good choices and all would use my nursing skills as well as other gifts I have been given. So, I am asking Father to close doors to places I should not work. To open my eyes and heart to the opportunities that are right for me and to boldly step into those places when it has been made clear.
Then I read verse 9 and 10 of chapter 12. Abram after being told that his children would be given Canaan instead of staying there he continues traveling and eventually because of a famine he goes to Egypt.
This new direction Abram takes confuses me. The place I am at confuses me. Abram went where God took him even when it was away from the promised land. God has told me that I am to be His servant and at this time he has said it is to be in China. I do not understand how I will be used but I know that God’s ways do not always work out to our logical way of thinking. As I continually petition for direction and guidance, please hold on with me as I fumble and search for the next step.
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Medical Records
So this week I had a discussion with my teacher about hospital registration numbers.
Turns out the logical system I am used to in the USA is not used here. I'm so funny. Anyway, the system that is used here is like the number system at the deli.
You know when there is a long line of people who want cheese and so they give everyone a number and that is when they can step up to the counter and get their cheese.
Everytime you go to the deli you get a different number. The lady behind the counter asks you the same question because she doesn't know you or what kind of cheese you like.
This happens at the hospital here. Because there are no doctor's offices everyone goes to either the hospital or the clinic. Every time they go to the hospital or clinic they see who ever is available-not likely to be the same doc as before. If you happened to ask the previous doc to give you his notes about your last visit and bring it with you to your current visit most likely no one will read it because no one trusts the records of the doc before them.
Imagine if you or your family member has a chronic illness in this system. Every visit the hospital will run the same tests and come to the same round a bout conclusions in the same untimely manner.
This sounds like a night mare.
Turns out the logical system I am used to in the USA is not used here. I'm so funny. Anyway, the system that is used here is like the number system at the deli.
You know when there is a long line of people who want cheese and so they give everyone a number and that is when they can step up to the counter and get their cheese.
Everytime you go to the deli you get a different number. The lady behind the counter asks you the same question because she doesn't know you or what kind of cheese you like.
This happens at the hospital here. Because there are no doctor's offices everyone goes to either the hospital or the clinic. Every time they go to the hospital or clinic they see who ever is available-not likely to be the same doc as before. If you happened to ask the previous doc to give you his notes about your last visit and bring it with you to your current visit most likely no one will read it because no one trusts the records of the doc before them.
Imagine if you or your family member has a chronic illness in this system. Every visit the hospital will run the same tests and come to the same round a bout conclusions in the same untimely manner.
This sounds like a night mare.
Early Bird
The early bird gets the worm. In another language it sounds like this: Zao Qi De Niao You Chong Chi.
Or how about You reap what you sow: Yi Fen Xin Qin, Yi Fen Shou Huo.
The first saying is just the English saying translated into Chinese. The second saying is actually an English approximation of the Chinese saying. The word for word translation is 1 % hard work brings 1% harvest.
Both of these Chinese phrases are easy enough to understand.
But this phrase is the one I had trouble understanding. Yi Nian Zhi Ji Zai Yu Chun, Yi Tian Zhi Ji Zai Yu Chen. My teachers told me that the meaning is something like-the year is started right in the spring, a day is started right in the morning.
It took me about 3 hours to finally work my brain around it. It comes from the village and a farmer mentality. If you are lazy in the spring the rest of your year will be bad so you have to work hard in the spring and the rest of your year will be good.
I am not sure if I totally understand it-but it is more clear now.
One of my teachers says that all three phrases are similar but do not carry the exact meaning behind them. All of them deal with being lazy or hard working but each one is slightly different.
Or how about You reap what you sow: Yi Fen Xin Qin, Yi Fen Shou Huo.
The first saying is just the English saying translated into Chinese. The second saying is actually an English approximation of the Chinese saying. The word for word translation is 1 % hard work brings 1% harvest.
Both of these Chinese phrases are easy enough to understand.
But this phrase is the one I had trouble understanding. Yi Nian Zhi Ji Zai Yu Chun, Yi Tian Zhi Ji Zai Yu Chen. My teachers told me that the meaning is something like-the year is started right in the spring, a day is started right in the morning.
It took me about 3 hours to finally work my brain around it. It comes from the village and a farmer mentality. If you are lazy in the spring the rest of your year will be bad so you have to work hard in the spring and the rest of your year will be good.
I am not sure if I totally understand it-but it is more clear now.
One of my teachers says that all three phrases are similar but do not carry the exact meaning behind them. All of them deal with being lazy or hard working but each one is slightly different.
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Process of Elimination
Hi. It has been a while since I talked with you all. I have learned a lot since I have been back in China. I want to share some of what I have learned. But in order to share I am going to post one or two or three posts.
I know that many people use a pro and con list when making hard decisions. I have used this method a time or two but it actually doesn't top my list of helps when having to make a difficult choice. If you have read my previous post titled Future Assignment you would know the huge and varying options I have on my plate.
So I have been in what I thought would be a very long process of elimination with each of these work opportunities. So with out further ado here we go.
Before I get into the details, I have to tell you about one little thing that influenced lots of medical work here. The NGO, we will call Real Hope, that does and envelopes most of the medical work here in Kunming is going through a lot of changes. Their CEO's or higher ups or Western country representative are making some changes that involve funding only being given to certain kinds of projects. So, even though I do not know all the details, I have heard lots of concerns from people who currently work with them. Plus, I went to their company retreat to help with their youth program earlier this month and felt that those who were working with Real Hope were guarded to the inth degree. I did not feel welcomed or encouraged to want to explore being a part of their family. So lets look at what my options look like.
1. The doctor that goes to a different area of Yunnan and brings patients back to Kunming, his offer still stands and I plan to go and see his work at a future date. He is part of Real Hope.
2. The other doctor who runs the clinic in the north of Yunnan and had offered to let me come and see the work that he does up there, had not returned any of my attempts to contact him since I have been back. He also works for Real Hope.
3. The group that does out reach to the sex workers and mafia members has asked me to work on a program that would give sex ed and a moral relationship building education as well as encourage teens to have a healthy self image and self value. This program will also talk to a small degree about the dangers of trafficking and how to be safe conscious. I have accepted this role. So, I will be going to Vietnam in May to attend a training conference on these topics. This option requires the most comment because there is so much to say.
So in March when I first sat down with the director of this ministry I was impressed with the leadership and the organization's growth. When the director told me that the current two major needs were someone to organize their medical records and someone to put together and then lead an educational program for high school age teens all over Yunnan, I felt overwhelmed and in fact my first response was-I am not organized and I have never put together an educational program. When I shared this with her, she said that she had never started a company before either but if it was Father's plan He equips us.
So, I began to go to their jewelry shop and sit and talk with the girls as they assembled the jewelry. They are so lovely. I have felt very welcomed there. So as I have been talking to Father about the needs of the organization and the girls, I was able to sit in on one of the bimonthly health checks and witnessed the disaster that is their health assessment forms. I got to thinking about how easy a health history is if you have a good and thorough form. I began to google all the various forms I could find online. I sent emails out to former co-workers and am in the process of melding all these forms into one that addresses the needs of this ministry.
Then I recalled that my friends Rob and Joy used to be a part of the educational program called Wait Training-a program very similar to what the Director wants. So I contacted them to find out what curriculum was used in that program and was directed to their website which lists the dates of their training conferences. Gradually over four weeks I began to see that the tasks which originally seemed impossible and unaccomplishable by me (at least) were not as difficult as at first glance.
Last week I went and talked to the director about my feelings and told her that I was willing to get trained when I was next in the States. she informed me that the curriculum that they were looking at was one that was started in Australia and has already been translated into Chinese. She offered to send me to the conference if I would consider committing to being the foreigner involved in educating.
I went home and talked to Father for four days. I also talked to my family-both here in China, at home in the USA, and my faith family in the States. No one on this side of the ocean who were familar with the organization and director had any reservations, Everyone on both sides of the ocean felt like this opportunity is amazing as well as uses all my gifts and experiences. So, when I went back to the work shop this Monday I told the director that I was IN!!!!!!!
Your talks to Father and mine have been answered for the doors closed and the doors opened.
4. The Reconstructive Surgery Clinic: doesn't need any assistance right at this moment and the next time they do need help I will not be available. There are already two Chinese nurses that work there as well as a Doctor and between the three of them the daily needs of the clinic are covered. The only time they really need additional help is after a surgery clinic when they have additional patients. When I asked them about their current or future plans to do village visits they said that looks to be very seldom.This clinic is run by Real Hope.
5. The HIV research team down south in Yunnan have been open to me coming down and checking out their work. This project is run by Real Hope.
6. The medical team member who works for CWEF has also been unable to be reached.
Although, much of this information that I am sharing with you has been learned through spending time with people and listening as well as sharing. Some of my certainty about this future endeavor didn't come from information or research or pros and cons but instead from the spirit given to me from above.
I have been spending lots of time reading in the first two books of Father's Word and what I have learned is that Moses himself was given a task that was virtually impossible but with Father's help he succeeded. But Moses had a small task force to help him. His brother Aaron was his mouth piece, his sister Miriam was his friend, and I assume that his wife was his cheerleader.
Father has given me these things too. Xi Cui will be my team mate and translator, Amber will be my close friend, and my dear supporters, You will be my encourager. Thank you for all your thoughts for me.
I know that many people use a pro and con list when making hard decisions. I have used this method a time or two but it actually doesn't top my list of helps when having to make a difficult choice. If you have read my previous post titled Future Assignment you would know the huge and varying options I have on my plate.
So I have been in what I thought would be a very long process of elimination with each of these work opportunities. So with out further ado here we go.
Before I get into the details, I have to tell you about one little thing that influenced lots of medical work here. The NGO, we will call Real Hope, that does and envelopes most of the medical work here in Kunming is going through a lot of changes. Their CEO's or higher ups or Western country representative are making some changes that involve funding only being given to certain kinds of projects. So, even though I do not know all the details, I have heard lots of concerns from people who currently work with them. Plus, I went to their company retreat to help with their youth program earlier this month and felt that those who were working with Real Hope were guarded to the inth degree. I did not feel welcomed or encouraged to want to explore being a part of their family. So lets look at what my options look like.
1. The doctor that goes to a different area of Yunnan and brings patients back to Kunming, his offer still stands and I plan to go and see his work at a future date. He is part of Real Hope.
2. The other doctor who runs the clinic in the north of Yunnan and had offered to let me come and see the work that he does up there, had not returned any of my attempts to contact him since I have been back. He also works for Real Hope.
3. The group that does out reach to the sex workers and mafia members has asked me to work on a program that would give sex ed and a moral relationship building education as well as encourage teens to have a healthy self image and self value. This program will also talk to a small degree about the dangers of trafficking and how to be safe conscious. I have accepted this role. So, I will be going to Vietnam in May to attend a training conference on these topics. This option requires the most comment because there is so much to say.
So in March when I first sat down with the director of this ministry I was impressed with the leadership and the organization's growth. When the director told me that the current two major needs were someone to organize their medical records and someone to put together and then lead an educational program for high school age teens all over Yunnan, I felt overwhelmed and in fact my first response was-I am not organized and I have never put together an educational program. When I shared this with her, she said that she had never started a company before either but if it was Father's plan He equips us.
So, I began to go to their jewelry shop and sit and talk with the girls as they assembled the jewelry. They are so lovely. I have felt very welcomed there. So as I have been talking to Father about the needs of the organization and the girls, I was able to sit in on one of the bimonthly health checks and witnessed the disaster that is their health assessment forms. I got to thinking about how easy a health history is if you have a good and thorough form. I began to google all the various forms I could find online. I sent emails out to former co-workers and am in the process of melding all these forms into one that addresses the needs of this ministry.
Then I recalled that my friends Rob and Joy used to be a part of the educational program called Wait Training-a program very similar to what the Director wants. So I contacted them to find out what curriculum was used in that program and was directed to their website which lists the dates of their training conferences. Gradually over four weeks I began to see that the tasks which originally seemed impossible and unaccomplishable by me (at least) were not as difficult as at first glance.
Last week I went and talked to the director about my feelings and told her that I was willing to get trained when I was next in the States. she informed me that the curriculum that they were looking at was one that was started in Australia and has already been translated into Chinese. She offered to send me to the conference if I would consider committing to being the foreigner involved in educating.
I went home and talked to Father for four days. I also talked to my family-both here in China, at home in the USA, and my faith family in the States. No one on this side of the ocean who were familar with the organization and director had any reservations, Everyone on both sides of the ocean felt like this opportunity is amazing as well as uses all my gifts and experiences. So, when I went back to the work shop this Monday I told the director that I was IN!!!!!!!
Your talks to Father and mine have been answered for the doors closed and the doors opened.
4. The Reconstructive Surgery Clinic: doesn't need any assistance right at this moment and the next time they do need help I will not be available. There are already two Chinese nurses that work there as well as a Doctor and between the three of them the daily needs of the clinic are covered. The only time they really need additional help is after a surgery clinic when they have additional patients. When I asked them about their current or future plans to do village visits they said that looks to be very seldom.This clinic is run by Real Hope.
5. The HIV research team down south in Yunnan have been open to me coming down and checking out their work. This project is run by Real Hope.
6. The medical team member who works for CWEF has also been unable to be reached.
Although, much of this information that I am sharing with you has been learned through spending time with people and listening as well as sharing. Some of my certainty about this future endeavor didn't come from information or research or pros and cons but instead from the spirit given to me from above.
I have been spending lots of time reading in the first two books of Father's Word and what I have learned is that Moses himself was given a task that was virtually impossible but with Father's help he succeeded. But Moses had a small task force to help him. His brother Aaron was his mouth piece, his sister Miriam was his friend, and I assume that his wife was his cheerleader.
Father has given me these things too. Xi Cui will be my team mate and translator, Amber will be my close friend, and my dear supporters, You will be my encourager. Thank you for all your thoughts for me.
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Retreat
It is a Monday morning here in China and I normally would be at the jewelry workshop by now. But the workshop is closed due to Easter. So, I decided to give you a quick update on me. I and a friend, spent the last five days providing a youth program to 7 10-13 year olds. It was a lot of fun. I went swimming for the first time in like two years. We played Marco Polo, Sharks and Minnows, and Fresh. We also studied the last week of the life of Christ. We made palm branches and popsicle stick crosses, and discussed how we would spend the last week of our life.
I really enjoyed being with these kids and not just because of the fun games we played or the cool snacks we got to eat. Although for fruit by the foot I would do about anything. Mostly I enjoyed being with these young people because I could see Father working in them to change them. All of them are good kids. But you could almost see the growth of the Spirit drawing them to Him. The joy they had to play with each other and learn from one another was special.
School again tomorrow so I must prepare for class. In one of them I will be using GarageBand for the first time. My Medical Mandarin text book doesn't come with a cd of the vocabulary being spoken by someone who really knows how to say them. So my teacher and I are going to record the vocab and story for each lesson so that I can have correct sounds the compare mine to.
I am excited for this project. A little nervous-because I have never used GarageBand before but looking forward to trialing it all out. I will make sure to let you hear a track or two when we are done.
I really enjoyed being with these kids and not just because of the fun games we played or the cool snacks we got to eat. Although for fruit by the foot I would do about anything. Mostly I enjoyed being with these young people because I could see Father working in them to change them. All of them are good kids. But you could almost see the growth of the Spirit drawing them to Him. The joy they had to play with each other and learn from one another was special.
School again tomorrow so I must prepare for class. In one of them I will be using GarageBand for the first time. My Medical Mandarin text book doesn't come with a cd of the vocabulary being spoken by someone who really knows how to say them. So my teacher and I are going to record the vocab and story for each lesson so that I can have correct sounds the compare mine to.
I am excited for this project. A little nervous-because I have never used GarageBand before but looking forward to trialing it all out. I will make sure to let you hear a track or two when we are done.
Friday, March 30, 2012
Easter
Did you know that on Wikipedia they list a various different histories of where the Easter Egg originated. One of which made me laugh out loud. Click here. The idea was that Mary Magdalene brought hard boiled eggs as a early morning snack to the tomb and when she met with the Resurrected Son her eggs turned bright red. This legend reminded me of the month after a Chinese woman gives birth to a child-the tradition is that they must eat hard boiled eggs from their home town. But what made me want to blog about this is the second legend on the Wikipedia page. Within the Family there is a tradition to greet each other on Easter with "The Son has Risen" and the appropriate response to this greeting is "He is Risen Indeed." What I love about this Wikipedia page is that the second story is that after Mary Magdalene had seen the Resurrected Son return to His home she wanted to help spread the good news and so she traveled to Rome and met with the Emperor and she greeted him with "The Son has Risen" and his non-typical response was "He has no more risen than that egg is red." and promptly it turned red.
This kinda absurd and funny story reminded me of the great comfort we have because He has risen. He is not dead. He is alive. PTL!! Many people trust in things not worthy of their trust. Items of gods that have no Real power. But we trust in One who has victory over death. His power saves us when all else fail.
He is Risen!!
He is Risen INDEED!!!
This kinda absurd and funny story reminded me of the great comfort we have because He has risen. He is not dead. He is alive. PTL!! Many people trust in things not worthy of their trust. Items of gods that have no Real power. But we trust in One who has victory over death. His power saves us when all else fail.
He is Risen!!
He is Risen INDEED!!!