Blog
Holding Our Breathe
We are praying and holding our breathe following Billie’s latest surgery. Billie came out of the six hour surgery O.K. The surgeon removedthe swelling in his stomach has gone down a little if his dad puts his ear to Billie’s belly he hears gurgling although he (Billie, not his dad) has not passed any gas yet he has 30-40 ml’s of urine in his catheter every hour instead of over 6 hours.
read moreSurgery for Billie
Billie is four years boy who came to the U.S. for surgery for a imperforate anus when he was less than two years old. Liz Wood, a nurse from Fairbanks, led the effort and his life was saved by her coordination of all the travel, funding and medical and personal sacrifice. Billie was operated on by Dr. David Bliss of Emanuel Hospital in Portland Oregon. The professional skills and compassion of Dr. Bliss gave Billie a future. He did very well following these surgeries. He went back to Indonesia where he started a normal life.Liz heard recently...
read moreA Good Man Goes Home
Peter Scarborough is the Field Director in charge of almost everything but especially development and staff at the base in Kusuri. He and his wife Esther are the real heroes in the successes of the medical base. It is their vision and hard work that shaped and made possible the work. They are respected and loved by so many including all of us here in the states who know them. They are friends and partners in this effort.Peter wrote to me about the failing health of his father over the last months. He was concerned and wanted to be near his...
read moreTeacher
Each morning at 8 a.m. on our base our staff study one hour of English. Several of them are doing very well–they just tackle this very difficult language with enthusiasm and hard work. I have taught these classes myself and enjoyed the passion some of them have to learn. Beverly Conover who was on our team in February did such a great job teaching for two weeks. She has a gift and is an inspiring teacher. She was well prepared and the students were ready to soak up her learning drills. In June, a full-time teacher will arrive. Kori is...
read moreOff The Road
I just got back home from a two week trip. I meet some new friends and made a number of contacts in familiar places. I put on a lot of miles over the two weeks. My first stop was Idaho–I went to college in Idaho and remember the beautiful springs they enjoy. It is windy but when the sun comes out it is hard to beat. I went to Nampa and Twin Falls. I am so blessed to have the contacts and friends in those places. There are a couple friends in Idaho that I know would stand with me in my toughest time. Washington is the place of my birth....
read moreIt Is Done
Indra will get the needed surgery for the hole in his heart.I have to thanks a couple very generous and compassionate couples for stepping forward with the needed donations. It will mean a lot to give him a future.It amazes me that it really doesn’t take much to make a difference. The average surgery costs about $ 500 USD. I recently went to the hospital for a two night stay here in the U.S. and the cost was shocking. Thankfully, that is not the case in our region of Indonesia. Esther Scarborough, IFC Medical Director, is very selective...
read moreHe Has a Name
The little boy I wrote about in the last story is named Indra. He is four years old. He was abandoned by his parents and his aunt is now raising him. He is always in her arms. He has a hole in his heart and needs surgery for PDA.He is in a difficult time as his future is in question. He cannot run and play like the other children in the camp where he and his aunt are living. The camp they live in is depressing and not a good place to live. Indra’s aunt does not have a husband or children. He is her sunshine and needs to get his heart...
read moreHole in His Heart
I just got a note from IFC medical director, Esther Scarborough. She told me about a small boy (I do not have his name) who is living in a camp and needs surgery to close a hole in his heart. I got to see him because I have stopped at that camp a number of times. He is always in the arms of his mother and cries a lot. He seems lethargic and doctors feel they need to get him help soon. There are about 500 people living in this camp–they are unable or unwilling to return to their homes because of lack of money or safety issues. They...
read moreChristiana
Lodi and Eka have their own son, Christian, who is ten years old. He is bright and full of energy. He comes home from school and hardly sets his books down and he is out the door with the soccer ball. He is also the top student in his class. He is now a big brother to his new sister Christiana. She is a new born who was adopted by Lodi and Eka. Chritiana was born at our clinic to a mother was not willing to give her a home. She wanted her to go to a good home. Her prayers were answered.Lodi and Eka are leaders at the IFC Medical Base. Lodi is...
read moreWounds Still Open
She sat with us and told us about her life. Ribka is about 23 years old and started by telling us about the attack on her village during the years of conflict. She stated that she and her family fled from their village and ran to the jungle where they lived for five months. She spoke of the struggle of eating only what they could find–roots and occasional fruit. It was a difficult time and just full of suffering.It reminded me that the wounds of the struggle are still open. She didn’t start her story at her years of innocent...
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