Angeli

Mondays have never been my favorite day of the week, but here at CURE Honduras, Mondays are amazing! Mondays are our Club Foot Clinic days, so we get to see lots of kids who are getting their club feet fixed!

As I walked out into the waiting room today, a tiny one-and-a-half month old baby in a green dress captured my eyes. She was so tiny and precious. Her father and mother smiled as I stood and doted over her. Her name is Angeli.

After clinic today, I learned from Dr. Jay Bridgeman that she in fact doesn't have club feet but has a more complicated problem with her knees and will need a different kind of treatment. He then explained that he had never seen a condition quite like this and she will be coming back to see another doctor for this and because of some other health complications that she has.

Please join me in praying for Angeli and the current health difficulties she is facing. Pray for wisdom for the doctors and they treat her, and for God's glory to be shown through this little one's life. Pray also for her parents that they will be open to the Gospel and receive hope and joy in the Lord in whatever comes their way as they walk through this phase with their baby girl.

The Next Chapter... One Week In!

Well, I've been in San Pedro Sula at the CURE hospital for one week now! It's been wonderful so far, and although it's been just one day after another filled with a hectic schedule of getting settled into life here, the CURE staff is beyond wonderful to work and live with- I am beyond blessed to be here!

For those of you who don't know, I am the new CUREkids Coordinator for this hospital. I get to take photographs of the patients and tell their stories for those who support CURE and sponsor surgeries for the kids.

Some news and observations from the first week:

- For the first six days here, I lived within the walls of the hospital in the apartment upstairs with the Bridgeman family- Dr. Jay who is an orthopedic surgeon and the new medical administrator here at CURE Honduras, and his wife Pauline who is a medical doctor, and their three girls, Abigail (7), Lillian (5), and baby Charlotte (1), who have become my three little buddies in no time flat! Having these little girls around makes happy and right at home :)

The Bridgemans have been here for about a month now, and are very thankful that God has finally provided a wonderful house for them after much house hunting! They also found a nice apartment for me in another neighborhood just down the street (unfortunately I can't live in their same complex because it doesn't allow dogs). I'm also just a few minutes from Aracely, our wonderful Spiritual Director, which is really nice because she and her family can easily pick me up to go on outings.

This week was spent traveling all around San Pedro visiting nearly every home furnishing store, and after much searching and purchasing of nearly all their home furnishing, a car, internet, ect., The Bridgemans have moved in to their new home and I've moved into my apartment. I'm thankful that the apartment I got is already furnished- I didn't realize the extent of furnishing an empty house until I experienced it firsthand! And this is Central America, so everything takes just a little bit longer and is just a little bit more difficult to accomplish! Pauline is my new hero and I can now empathize with new homeowners just a little bit better! God's grace through all of this has been so prevalent, providing everything in His timing. Pauline and I were talking about how we tend to worry so much about every little thing, and granted there are many concerns and so many moving parts with moving to a new country, but how God must be laughing at our franticness and thinking, "why do they worry? Why do they not trust in my perfect plan and timing?" God has been faithful from the start, and our worries only show a lack of trust in our all-knowing and all-powerful God.

- The Honduran staff here are some of the most dear people on earth! From all of the doctors and nurses to our guards, to Ruth the hospital Director and Aracely our Spiritual Director, to Gina our cook and Tito our maintenance man and Koto our driver and assistant extraordinaire, to Grace our club foot program coordinator (and personal driving/shopping/living/ guide), and everyone whom I have yet to meet, everyone is such a blessing to these children that they serve at CURE and have made me feel part of their family from day one.

- The heat is pretty killer but I'm learning to live with it. I'm getting used sweating as soon as I step outside, and even inside my apartment since electricity is so expensive so I'm sticking with my fan... we'll see how long that lasts. I try to ignore the sweat and it and think of it as normal, and I'm getting there... I keep telling myself, "this is healthy! This is healthy!" Having AC at the hospital is a true gift!

Tonight I ate dinner at the Bridgeman's house, and as we sat around the table outside, sitting in the stagnant heat, Jay had my doubled over laughing at his complaints about heat. He was asking, "so when does fall time come in Honduras? You know like when the leaves change colors and fall to the ground, and then we get snow... when does that happen here?" As I was dying laughing Pauline gave him the honest truth and said that she thinks this is actually one of the coolest times of year. We unanimously agreed that we needed to go to the air conditioned mall and get frozen yogurt.

- One of the first few nights that I was here, we were on our way home to the hospital, and Jay asked me if I know how to drive a manual car. I told him in theory I do but it has been several years since I've done so. He told me that everyone needs to know how to drive in case of emergency, so we are to have driving lessons. I responded with an enthusiastic "ok!" and but quite frankly, I've been here for only a week and I'm going to start at some point soon learning to drive a stick shift car on roads with no rules, filled with cars, trucks, busses, bikes, pedestrians, dogs, cows, horse-carts, you get the picture- this should be an experience!

- My first full day in my apartment was yesterday- and shortly after I got home in the afternoon I was putting groceries away, and it started down-pouring with huge flashes of lighting and rolls of thunder. I love storms, and especially here it turns the weather cooler, but as it rained I noticed a little water seeping through the cracks of the big window in the living area. Great, a leak already. I then looked down and noticed a giant puddle growing bigger and bigger- water was streaming under my front door, making its way under my couch and across the living room. My landlady didn't tell me a river comes through the door when it rains! Thankfully several bath towels were able to contain the water until the rain stopped. I hope it doesn't rain when I'm not home.

Here are some pictures of the fun things we did this week- I'm looking forward to sharing the work side of life so stay tuned for stories of our CUREkids here in Honduras!

Friday, my first evening in Honduras- movie night in the apt with the girls and Sarah (a friend of the Bridgeman's who visited for a week)

Saturday we went to City Mall- one of the very big malls in SPS with a massive food court and every kind of shop you can think of!

(r-l: Pauline, me, Abigail, Sarah, Lilllian, Aracely, her three sons, and her husband Heraldo)

We (especially Abigail because she likes to take them food and is always concerned about their well-being, and me because I like to talk with them) like to spend some time in the evening chatting with the guards and eating exotic fruit with them.

(back row l-r: Jay, guards Jose and Bilhilio, [the night guards which two who I've gotten to know], me and Charlotte, Lillian and Sarah [with fruit!] and Abigail). Note Bilhilio holding the girls' Dr. Seuss Spanish/English dictionary that he and Jose like to read!

After church on Sunday, we went to drop Sarah off at the airport, and we happened to see Miss Honduras on her way to Miss Universe in Brazil! We were pretty excited about this random happening!

(l-r: Pauline, Lillian, Miss Honduras, Sarah, Abigail, Me, Charlotte)

We are always on the lookout for new fruits on the roadside fruit trucks- here we have lychees which is a Chinese fruit, but I originally had them for the first time in India. They are one of my favorites! Some people here call them "orangutans" because the Honduras lychees have "hairy" skin.

My very favorite new fruit is the mangosteen- everyone should get to try one of these! It has a thick skin and in the center there is a sweet juicy white fruit... it's like magical.

Summer 2011

As I get ready to fly out with my pup Ace in just a few hours to start a new adventure with CURE International in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, these are some memories from these past few months.... my summer of 2011.

It's waking up and running around Bear Creek Lake and down the railroad bed. It's eating PureFit bars and drinking Crystal Light Pure Fitness.

Twice a week it's taking a bunch of energetic kids in The Ark's summer swim program to the Valley Tennis and Swim Club, Frances Slocum State Park, or Hickory Run State Park for the afternoon. It's having jumping competitions off the diving board. It's playing football, baseball, basketball, frisbee, bocce ball, and other made-up games with them. It's catching minnows and little catfish. It's chatting with them and learning about their families, their schools, their friends. It's eating watermelon and ice pops and swinging on the swings. It's taking advantage of "teachable moments" and trying to instill good behavior and respect in them, trying to pass on things that I'm learning. It's talking about how forgiveness is better than revenge. It's learning to take care of the earth and not litter. It's learning to take charge and be firm. It's also learning to be understanding and encouraging.

Every morning it's going to the Learning Center and tutoring underprivileged kids who need to be kept off the streets during the summer. It's being extra sympathetic towards them, knowing they don't have it easy. It's also being extra firm with them, showing them the importance of obedience and respect. Sometimes it's hard to find that balance. It's trying to reverse the mindset that they tell me they grew up learning; that's a tough one to change. It's learning that being lazy won't bring fulfillment. It's practicing Spanish with the Hispanic children and teaching them English. I'm so thankful for Sister Miriam and all the people who are so devoted to teaching these precious kids who have never been taught the truth. It's thinking often of all of their beautiful faces and crying over the destruction caused by sin. It's praying for them. Over and over again, knowing that they were meant for so much more than this.

It's driving back up the mountain in the afternoon. It's taking the horses out for a long ride on the trail. It's getting all my focus on riding and off of everything else for a couple hours. It's running up to the lake with Ace. It's jumping in the lake and swimming. Swimming to cool off, swimming to chill out, swimming to practice proper strokes and build a faster pace. Swimming to spend time with and be coached by my sister Sarah. It's going to the island to pick jumbo blueberries and going to the dike on the edge of the lake to pick the overabundance of wild blueberries, because I don't want to miss out on one of summer's best gifts. It's playing with my nieces and nephs and younger siblings and watching them enjoy nature and being kids. It's playing ping pong and sitting around the camp fire. It's missing my sis Emily, but it's building better relationships with the rest of my family and realizing that this is the best for all of us. It's enjoying the company of our many family and friends who come to enjoy the lake with us, so grateful for this beautiful place for all of us to gather. It's really super duper appreciating facebook for allowing us all to share our pictures.

It's going the Spanish service at Pocono Community Church and being so blessed by Pastor Emilio and the whole Body there. It's reading stellar, thought-provoking books like Francine River's Mark of the Lion series, Donald Miller's A Million Miles In A Thousand Years, Josh Harris's Boy Meets Girl, John Piper's Life As A Vapor, Roy Hession's The Calvary Road, Fenelon's The Seeking Heart, Francis Chan's The Forgotten God, and realizing that I need to become a faster reader because my list of books to read by the authors listed here and many more only continues to grow.

It's remembering the importance of being kinder that necessary, because everyone around us is fighting some kind of battle. It's continuing to learn that as a child of Christ, I am called to continually step outside of myself and my self-consciousness and seek to serve others. My time is not my own. My money is not my own. My possessions are not my own. They are all a gift to me from God and His purpose for giving them to me is so that I can bring His kingdom to earth, to be a part of His redeeming plan.

It's realizing that there is opportunity to help and be helped is everywhere we turn. Wherever we are. Opportunity is everywhere.

It's coming to the realization that although some moments and hours seem to take eternity to pass by, the whole summer passes by in the blink of an eye. I don't get how that works, but in realizing how time passes so quickly, I find that as much as I'm looking forward to following the Lord into this next chapter of life, it's really, really hard to see this summer end. But hey, the best is yet to come.

epic fail, redeemed. and other happenings, like birthdays!

Last weekend I watched a video that a friend of mine sent me called "Depraved Indifference." It is very powerful on so many levels; for so many reasons it compelled me to take the next day to fast. The more I prayed and sought the Lord that day, the more things kept coming to my mind to lift up to Him. The verse in Matthew chapter 4 was playing through my mind the whole day: "Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" The Lord is really doing great work in my life, and one of the things that I asked the Lord for was to give me difficult situations so that I could really learn patience and learn to trust, to fully trust in peace, because I know that is one of the areas in my life that I need to work on. Well, you know it's been said to be careful what you pray for.

The very next day started out not how I had planned at all- it was just a bad start and I didn't take it well. From there it only got worse because every chance I got to have patience, I blew it. It ended with my four younger siblings be out of control and driving me up a wall- just exactly when my parents went out to dinner with some friends and left me home with my four younger siblings (and my bro Jon who always tries to help, but in this case I wanted nothing). I was so frustrated and wanted to get out of the house, so I packed sandwiches and snacks for the kids and we went to the Bear Creek Lake for dinner. The evening started to take a turn for the better as the we ate and the kids climbed a big tree and swung on the swings. When I was reviewing my day and wondering why in the world I acted so badly and gave my younger siblings a bad example, God so clearly spoke to my heart "Isn't this what you asked for? Didn't you want this so you could rely on MY strength and have joy even in frustrating situations?" Oh. Right. How easily I forget! I became very thankful for this "bad" day because if God didn't give it to me, I would've failed to see how much I really need to have patience, that by my own strength I am capable of nothing fruitful.

Just as it was getting dark, I told Abby, Mariah, Katie, and Nathan that we should take Ace for a little walk before we go home. My intention was that this would be a time of confession to them and to share with them the lesson I learned that day. WELL, does God have a sense of humor or what- literally as soon as we started walking, we saw rain coming pouring down in the distance over the lake, slowing (so we thought) moving it's way towards us. It was an amazing view, and I thought that we were good to keep walking, thinking we'd only get sprinkled at the worst. Well, not thirty seconds later, the rain came pouring in buckets down over us, and during the 10 seconds it took us to run to the car, we were all thoroughly soaked and dripping. The little walk didn't turn out as planned, but it turned out even better because we were laughing so hard at this whole situation...

So after that, I had four (well five including Ace and six including myself) very wet but happy kids full of laughs.

After we got dry in our PJs we were able to sit in our warm family room and I had my confession time that was previously rained out. It ended so beautifully because I was able to encourage them to also have patience and seek what the Lord is desiring that we learn during "bad" days. One of my favorite little books that I have is about the power of love, and I ended reading to them the following quotes:

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous, it does not brag, and it is not proud.

-1 Corinthians 13:4 NCV

By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

-John 13:35

"Love is not in getting, but in giving....

It is goodness and honor and peace and pure living. Yes, love is that and it is the best thing in the world and the thing that lives the longest."

-Henry Van Dyke

"Love isn't a pretty feeling that floats around the world. It's tough and practical and active. Love is washing the kitchen floor over and over and over. It's scrubbing the toilet and doing the laundry. Love is taking out the garbage and cleaning the refrigerator. It's smiling when you're tired and finding reasons to laugh even when you're angry. Love is taking the dirty job, lightening the other's load, lending a hand.

Love goes out of its way to be kind. Love takes a stand. Love works hard and makes the world a better place."

"Love... puts up with anything, trusts God always, always looks for the best, never looks back, but keeps going to the end. Love never dies.

-1 Corinthians 13:4, 7-8 MSG

Now, to make that a reality when the hard times hit! Remember they don't come for no reason or by accident; God has a purpose in them. Don't forget to look for that purpose.

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In other news, today was the last day of Swim Pals summer camp! We had a great day at Francis Slocum State Park, playing bocce ball, swimming, playing freeze tag, marco polo, shooting down the water slides, boating, eating hot dogs, watermelon, and freeze pops. It was a great way to end camp, I just can't believe how fast summer went by, and I can't believe that I won't be seeing these fun kids until next summer! :( I was so blessed to be a part of this program. Please continue to pray for these awesome kids, that they would see their potential, that they would choose to be good examples and to lead well, that they would see how great the love the Father has for them.

I came home from camp to join my sister Katie's 11th birthday celebration!

l-r: Tristan, Hallie, Cole, friend Erin, Maya, (behind her) Jess, friend Katie, (in front of her) birthday girl Katie, (behind her) Mariah, and Will

It was a great afternoon of fun at the lake celebrating our creative, sweet Katie whom God has so generously blessed us with!

Other summer birthdays include:

My nephew Will who turned 8 on July 5th! The firstborn of my nieces and nephews... what a blessing he's been from day one! I am so blessed by his sincere spirit and the friendship he has with his little "uncle" Nathan :)

On August 9th my brother Andrew turned twenty-...... seven! Wow, you can tell we're all getting older now that I'm having a harder time keeping track of everyone's ages! I'm so grateful to have Anj as my brother- what a godly example of a husband, dad, brother, and good friend to have in my life, who also happens to share my same taste in almost everything including clothes and music, so that's just a huge perk on top of it all!

I have so many oldies but goodies of me and Anj... love you bro, you're the best!

Support Our RUN!

Check out these two races that I am running this Saturday with some of my friends in support of His Resting Place, a pro-life maternity home!