Psalm 25:5 Guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are God my Savior, and my hope is in You all day long

 Psalm 25:5

“Guide me in Your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in You all day long.”

Okay LORD.  Now what?

I’ve just returned from a medical mission trip to Guatemala.  My husband and I have been going yearly for the last seven years.  The team includes medical providers, a pharmacy, a dental team, nurses, van drivers, and interpreters.  The medical team, with all the supplies, fits into four vans.  We stay at a church hostel in the city of Quetzaltenango and drive to five outlying villages during the week of our mission.

The villages we visit have been selected by a pastor/doctor in Quetzaltenango who is in contact with our mission director.  When we arrive at the village, we often times set up our mobile clinic in an available school.  In Guatemala, the schoolrooms are usually arranged around an open courtyard.

During the clinics, the people we serve go to various classrooms where they will find:  the Registration Station, the Intake Station, Medical Providers, the Pharmacy, Nursing and then Dental.  It can be challenging to channel hundreds of local people to their needed stations and difficult for the stations to coordinate services.

If there are people with medical issues that cannot be aided by our team, they are referred to a specialist.  The pastor/doctor from Quetzaltenango sets up the appointment with the specialist and arranges any transportation needed by the patient.  This is all free of charge.

I am an interpreter.  I love speaking Spanish, interacting with the local people and helping the team and the patients to connect.  I have worked with the nurses, with the medical providers and even in crowd control.

This year, in each of the five villages we visited, we did not need to set up the clinic in separate classrooms.  In each case, we were given the use of a large auditorium-like room.  There was much less confusion for the people we served because they could see their next station, be it Medical Providers, Nurses or Pharmacy.  It was much easier for the stations to communicate with each other, also.

While surveying the action in the busy auditoriums, it struck me how the team was working together as one.  We weren’t puzzled, exasperated, uninformed stations struggling on our own.  Nursing or Pharmacy.  Medical Provider or Registration.  We were one.  It was a short mental leap for me to go on.  Patient or Doctor.  Guatemalan or North American.  Old or young.  “Happy my blood sugar level is good” or “I need a referral for the lump in my breast.”  We are all one.  All dependent on the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of Life.  And I could clearly see God is good.

Now, back in the U.S.A., I admit I feel a bit aimless.  However, I wait upon Him, the Three in One, for my next adventure. 

I am one of the bloggers for the Joy International blog!  That blog site can be found at http://www.joyintl.org/web/columnid/6412/articles.asp

Psalm 118:24

This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad!

I haven't heard back recently from the folks who interviewed me for the social work job in Williston.  They did contact me once to say they had received my online application.  One of my references told me they had called.  What he told them will be tough to "make so."  He said I walk on water!!!  Hoo Ha the kind people in my life!  I know I trust the LORD for what comes of the interview.  I also know I don't wait very well.  Dear LORD give me patience.  Right now.

I indulged in my passion for geocaching the other day.  I found the two caches I sought in the wilds near the Missouri River.  Who a thought there would be so many burrs along a river???  My brand new tankini will never be the same.  I suppose I can work those pulled threads back in, if I really try.  Finding the caches was a blast.  The treasure of that day was being nearby when a pair of Canadian geese and their two half-grown babies slipped into the river.  That's living!

Today I broke down and began washing clothes in preparation for our annual trip to Guatemala with the medical team sponsored by the Episcopal Church from Fargo.  This will be my hubby's seventh trip and my fourth.  I was a no-show one year when I fell with my motorcycle and broke my back.  That's another story.  Then a couple of times I stayed home because I did not feel needed.

The team this year consists of 22 people acting in the roles of medical providers, nurses, pharmacology students, dental students and interpreters.  We are a clinic on wheels; namely two vans.  We are based in Xela, Guatemala and travel to five surrounding villages to provide medical care, medicine, vitamins, physical therapy, dental care and fluoride treatments.  In past years we have served approximately 2000 people with medical needs.

This will be my final post until I get back.  I will keep a diary and share what develops.  I will be acting as an interpreter and may help with crowd control.  Whoop whoop!

Let's return to Habitat for Humanity training, 06-13-90

Oh I like strolling to devotions, chatting and drinking coffee!  I love it!

C.S. is so supportive and interesting and full of life.  She says the Honduras have 30 Habitat for Humanity projects.  It appears that Bolivia is beautiful and pristine, the people work hard, and it is not urban like we think of urban.

I'm attracted to Bolivia having no malaria.  Really. We could cope with the cold. 60 - 30 degrees F.  Really.

I'm intrigued.

I love the people in my class.

06-15-90

Totally aggravated.  Despite my early morning mothering efforts, the kids were not merry and gay when I left for devotions.

They just don't like to see me go?  They are sick of the whole routine?  I'm making it worse than it is?

I'm looking forward to being truly settled Somewhere.  Our little family with people coming and going and getting to know the locals and maybe even building a house.  Or two.

I could be wrong, but other people in the class look a little peeved too.

Proverbs 17:22

A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a downcast spirit dries up the bones.

Thank you to everyone for your encouragement with this blog!  It is a labor of love with over-long acrylic nails, let me tell you!  I will get them shortened shortly!

Since dipping my toes in the waters of blog-land, I have decided to add to this blog once a week.  Or more.  Depending upon this wonderful luxury called "a summer off."  Goodness gracious, the last time I was a teacher's aide with the summer off, I had young'uns at home!  Now I have an independent author-in-the-works at home and a hubby that knows he may have to reheat something from the 'fridge for supper. I can do whatever I want!!

So far I have wanted to travel, apply for a job using my social work degree,  go for walks, play Spider Solitaire (I need to earn that third and final star, dangit), and clean up my backyard.  I have amazed myself with how my yard went from a weedy, shaggy, nobody-with-sense-lives-here wilderness to a place of joy.  A little bit of weed pulling here, a little making friendly with the trimmers there and VOILA!

I have discovered something that is totally not rocket science.  Prepare yourself.  It takes time to take time.  White knuckle stuff, ain't it?  For many, many years now I have grabbed a little time to clean house, or to wash dishes, or to shop, or to spoil myself rotten (and feel mighty daring!) and then get back to business with paid employment.  This summer I have enough time for and, and, and instead of or, or, or.  Man o man, this is living!

Today's treasures are the wildflowers I saw on my walk today and the ridiculously gorgeous flowers in my yard.  Let's see, how to attach photos...

I know, I know.  God had fun making flowers, didn't He?  And animals.  I mean, a giraffe?  He was in a goofy mood that day.  And according to hearsay, the day He made me.  Mr. Giraffe, you and I are One and The Same.  I think I'll buy one of those elegant, interior decorator-type giraffe statuettes for my house.  At a garage sale.  Or Pier 1.  Today.

Let's round off today with a blast from the past at Habitat for Humanity in Georgia, 06-10-90:

Abba,

Thank you for sending Your Son so that I might have life and have it more abundantly!

I have had the most wonderful affirmations and made such great self discoveries these past few days.

I took out a nail with no head on it.  I clawed it out sideways with the hammer.  I wouldn't have known I could do it if I hadn't tried!

We did some group things already.  Tower Building.  I can be an organizer.  An artist.  The labels are a bigger obstacle to overcome than the doing!

I tried and so I did!  I've found out skills I have because I tried doing.  My skills?  I'm good with a hammer.  I can organize.  I can draw.  I can encourage.  Thank you LORD! Amen.

Luke 1:79

...to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.


Did I mention that my friend of Missouri appendectomy fame is a little fireball?  She had her appendectomy Thursday AM, and we returned to Bismarck the following Saturday.  She allowed herself two, count 'em, two whole days off from work; therefore she was back to work on Wednesday.  She proposed we go out to lunch on Thursday.  Sounded like a great idea to me! 
We could reminisce about Missouri and maybe plan our next motorcycle ride.  Oh yes, she has a motorcycle!

Anyway, I picked her up and we were off to The Pizza Ranch.  Then she says, "What is your health background as a social worker?"  I stated I had more of a health background as a lapsed EMT than as a social worker.  She informed me she had heard that a hospice organization in Williston was in need of a social worker with a Masters degree and wouldn't that be a fun summer adventure for me since I had the summer off as an Instructional Aide?

Four years ago was the last time I was in Williston.  I was pursuing my hobby of finding geocaches.  A geocache is a container that has been hidden, without being buried.  Each container has a website with its GPS coordinates and a description of the container, as well as a record of who placed the geocache and who has found it.  Also, there is a logbook in each geocache for recording your name and the date of your find.  If you wish, you can leave a little memento and take a little memento.  Then you put the geocache back where you found it.  Geocaching is a blast!  Different challenges come up for geocaching.  The one that brought me to Williston was a challenge from North Dakota State Parks.  There are twelve parks and each one had a hidden geocache within its vicinity.  Finding the geocache is a challenge in itself, but the first five people to find the twelve State Park geocaches would win two nights of free camping in the State Park of their choice. So, I had found the other eleven geocaches and the one in Williston was the last one to find.

I had found #11 in Bottineau, in the afternoon, and figured, well I can go south and go home or I can go west and then south to find that last geocache and then east to home.  So, greedy to be one of the first five to find all twelve, thus I did.  It was nighttime when I reached the Lewis and Clark State Park in Williston.  FYI, there are no outdoor lights in a State Park.  In spite of the fact I could not see my hand in front of my face, I gamely took by GPS (lighted) and soon found myself scrambling up a steep hill, through thorns and bushes.  In the dark.  Even I realized the absurdity of possibly tumbling head over hills down a steep, rocky hill all alone.  In the dark dark dark.  Sense finally dawned and I decided to return to my car and try to find this last cache in the morning.  Another thing that motivated me to abandon the search was I had left my headlights on, so I could find the car!  The thought of dilly dallying too long and returning to a flat battery did not appeal.

I had not been in my car long when there was a rapping at my driver side window.  In the dark.  Turns out it was the Park Ranger.  He really wondered what the heck I was doing there.  In the dark.  I explained I was geocaching and he wished me well.  I started to get cold and thought I would try my luck finding a hotel room.  Silly girl.  I knew better with the oil boom craziness going on, but hope springs eternal.  I was dead beat tired, and found myself going the wrong way on a one way road near Tioga (I thought it was a two way in my numbed state) and nearly got smeared by a huge oil tanker.  I realized I needed to get off the road.  I felt like I was in Hell with the various flaming oil wells in the night and the menacing trucks owning the highways.  I pulled up near an oil well, and caught a few winks.

A few winks was all I got because I was worried the oil well people would come and shoo me off.  Around 2:00 AM, I decided to return to the State Park and sleep off the rest of the night in peace.  In the morning I got my GPS and discovered two things.  First, there was a perfectly civilized path wending about the hill; no need go bushwacking straight up the mini-mountain!!!  Two, the geocache was not at the exact coordinates.  A bright little something caught my eye, off in the distance from where the cache was supposed to be, a good 10 - 15 feet off, and there it was.  I was one happy geocacher!

I called my boss to say I wouldn't be in (and yes I told her why!)  Then I treated myself to breakfast on the way home and spent the rest of the day worn out.

So that was my most recent memory of Williston, going through my head when my fireball friend suggested a summer escapade.  Torn up, truck congested, dusty roads, greed gone wild, and flames in the night.  With no place to lay your weary head.  I said, "Sure!  Sounds interesting!"

I called the phone number she gave me.  The lady perked right up when I said I had a Masters in Social Work and had done an internship at St. Alexius Hospice.  The following Tuesday (two days ago) found me tootling to Williston for a 1:00 PM interview.  I was ready for the wild, wild West.  The trip there was beautiful, with rolling hills alternating with valley vistas.  I went through Minot, as had been suggested, and the traffic was not bad.  I have a feeling the really crazy traffic goes through the alternate Watford City route.  I never at any time felt like I would be squashed like a bug by a big bad truck.  It helped that I was driving my sturdy, dinged up, I feel brave, '99 Toyota Sienna van.  Last time I was driving my itty bitty, please don't hurt me, purple Porsche Boxster convertible.

I have a habit of cutting it close time wise.  My first mistake was thinking Williston was in Mountain time, not Central time.  I lost an hour wiggle room there.  I rebounded from that assumption and then ran into road construction and detours the closer I got to my destination.  The kind people at the organization guided me to their office via cellphone.  They were completely understanding when I arrived at 1:27 PM.  Whew!

We proceeded with the interview.   I proposed I would need a place to stay, my mileage paid and I could work Mon - Wed or Tues - Thurs.  I said I'd like to help them, if I could.  They were oh so happy I am "Masters prepared."  I was all ready to excite them with my internship at St. Alexius.  I was taken totally by surprised when they became enthused about the year I worked for Visiting Angels as a homecare provider.  It turns out, that was another one of the requirements for the position, since they work with a vulnerable population.  Lord, You are full of surprises!

The interview was soon over.  They gave me a website address to fill out the online application and do an assessment.  They said they would get back to me and sent me on my merry way.  Lovely, lovely ladies.

The drive home was as beautiful as the ride out, minus the anxiety of the interview.  God is very good to me and mine and I pray His will be done!  Amen.

2 Thessalonians 3:16 Now may the LORD of peace himself give you peace at all times in all ways. The LORD be with you all.

2 Thessalonians 3:16

Now may the LORD of peace himself give you peace at all times in all ways.  The LORD be with you all.

Greetings!  Hopefully some faithful reader out there has been wondering where the heck I’ve been!  Just returned from a week in Branson MO.  A dear friend and her hubby have a timeshare there and graciously shared their three bedroom bit of paradise with my hubby and me.

I had heard of people my age taking their parents to Branson, so I figured I’d get to feel like a young’un in that crowd.  Turns out that Branson is in transition.  A drive along the “yellow” route or the “blue” route or the “red” route reveals grand, theatre type buildings housing talents that are “hot” or “have had their day.”  Jim Stafford’s building is run down and forlorn.  The Dutton’s theatre, hotel and Tourist Trap are hopping.  To cater to the kiddies, there are water parks, go carts (“Don’t act your age, just drive!”) and various putt putt golf options.  Silver Dollar City is a theme park with Ozark crafts that appears to be thriving.  Shepherd of the Hills stands speaking of a past heyday with acres of blacktop, faded flags for the fifty states, and nobody home.

The weather and the people were divine:  mild, warm and welcoming.  The timeshare business is fierce with offers of free show tickets and low pressure sales pitches.  What did we do while in Branson?  So glad you asked!  Sunday morning we went to the Grand Country Gospel Jubilee, followed by wine tasting at Stone Hill winery.  Monday we had Breakfast with The Stars, where performers gave us samples of their musical talents, to help us decide which shows to see.  Stormy Point resort (where our friends have a timeshare) treated us to an outdoor BBQ, with music.  That evening we saw The Duttons.  Mercy me, what a family!  They all sing, dance and play the violin (and tons of other instruments!).  One young fella, all of eight years old, played his violin (fiddle?), while bending over backwards until his head touched the floor behind his heels!!!  One ubertalented family.  Several shows in town featured families that had appeared on “America’s Got Talent” and “American Idol.”

Tuesday was spent on the pontoon on Table Rock Lake, followed by a show by The Chinese Acrobats.  Wednesday we went to a sales pitch for a timeshare, said “No, thank you,” got our free show tickets and fled the premises.  It was an hour and a half of our time and easily $200 worth of tickets.  And an education in sales techniques.  First, you meet with a friendly, open fella who visits with you as you wait for the group presentation.  Then, there is the group presentation with a charming, somewhat forthright sales lady, and then you meet one on one with another sales person, trying hard to be your good buddy.  Our good buddy didn’t know what to do with us when we forthrightly shared we usually go on mission trips, not vacations.  He called his boss over.  His boss realized we had no “vacation dollars” to “invest” in places to stay on vacation, rather than “renting” places to stay.  Oh well.  The boss instructed our good buddy to proceed with the pitch procedure.  Our good buddy proceeded, we said No, and our good buddy was done with us.  Off to “gifting” for the tickets.  Mercy what a way to make a living!  Good thing I hadn’t begun knitting a Christmas sweater for our new, dear bosum buddy…

Thursday was “Jonah” at the Sight and Sound Theatre.  The place is huge.  I thought we took a wrong turn and had landed at the Taj Mahal in India.  I expected “Jonah” to be an IMAX production, with a drive-in sized video screen.  Well, they did incorporate the video screen into the show, but most of it was live.  It was a stunning presentation with a large cast, colorful costumes, and an imaginative sharing of the whale and Jonah’s time within.  Very original.  I won’t give it away, but THAT’S 3D!!!

Friday was Ayo and George Dwyer.  More singing, dancing and incredibly talented families.  These shows played to audiences of about 30 – 40 people each.  The performers seemed like real folks like you and me.  That happened to have been featured on American Idol and to have performed in operas.  

Oh, and did I mention, at the beginning of the trip I bought a little sneeze along with me from Bismarck that tried its best to become pneumonia?  And our hostess took a little trip to the Emergency Room on Wednesday night, due to abdominal pain?  She had an appendectomy on Thursday morning.  Thankfully, our men remained healthy and all turned out well.  God is good and it is good to be back in Bismarck!

1 John 1:7

But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin.

From my journal 05-23-90

Today we have an interview, like a job interview.  Frankly I'm glad Alan and I go together.  I find it hard to fret or fear with company!

Monday was our first day of training.  Talk, chat, pass out packets, evaluate, break for treats, get acquainted with our meeting place, and get job assignments for the week.  Next week is  Construction.  That will be something.

06-06-90

I love B.'s humor!  It's good to laugh!  Today I feel "wondering."  I wonder how the day in construction will go.

If M. can be woken up with backrubs and leg  rubs, he has a good start for the day.  And B. needs to be read to.  We took the car to Fair Dinkum (another HFH residence) and Mark gave J. a hug.  A nice day in the making!

We will find out potential project openings and descriptions soon.  Excited!

06-07-60

Another morning feeling rushed.  It started out nice, then I didn't get  A. up at 6:30 AM.  He wasn't too happy.  Then waking M. up at 7:00 AM was nice.  Read to the kids, that was nice.  Then breakfast, then bath.  THEN M. got ornery about the squirt toy THEN he whined, wiggled, squirmed instead of helping to get dressed.  Finally got the clothes on, let's go, dishes left to wash,  yah!!  Then M. stands there and whines.  I screech at him.  He finally goes to his room to finish crying.  I finish dishes.  We apologized to each other.  Had hugs.  I hope he isn't warped for life.  A:  I  should have got him dressed before breakfast.  B: I should have said "OK, you're not helping me, so time out."  I do what I do to start the day off calm, happy and feeling loved.  It went down the toilet today.  But I'm still lovable and loved.  I'm still a good enough mom.  Not perfect. But good enough.

I guess one reason I was so edgy was M. was foiling my perfect plans for a perfect morning.  Take it as it comes Suzie!

06-08-90

Excited!  Happy!  Competent!  Today the list of project openings is posted.  I feel that West Quetzaltenango, Guatemala will be there and waiting for us.  After the hot day in the sun, the cool places, like Guatemala, might be the places of choice for everyone though!

Well, tell us where You want us Lord.  I certainly highly recommend and praise and applaud Your care of us so far!

I'm so happy this morning!  I had enough time to tell the kids I loved them.  They (meaning M. especially) acted like a civilized person giving and taking.  I'm on time!  A real mission accomplished kind of morning! 

Thank you Lord for teaching me that today and Your grace are cover-all-my-needs-cup-runneth-over-I-feel-loved sufficient!

Our present lifestyle is great for the kids.  More outside play.  More variety.  But still a routine.  More kid contact.

It sure was hot last night.  I am so grateful for the ventilation we get upstairs and the fans.  And A. to co-ordinate it all.

I hope we  get some interesting mail!

I feel real on top of the details today.

Isaiah 55: 8 - 9

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD.

"As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."

More from the 1990 journal as my family and I prepared to serve as missionaries with Habitat for Humanity International:

05-15-90

I read this quote from Martin Luther in the church bulletin:

Many things I have held in my hands
I have lost them all.

That which I put into God's hands
Are things I still possess.

05-16-90

"I will bless you and keep you.  I will make my face to shine upon you and give you peace."

Good Morning Abba -

The reality of what we are living sinks in.  Sometimes I truly believe You want us to be here.  I'm truly ready to put my health, the kids' health and welfare and Alan's health in Your hands.  I know You are faithful and true to Your promises.

You have spoken to my heart and Alan's heart.

Thank You for being here with us one day at a time.

I get anxious and worried if I look to far ahead.  I always have been that way.

Into Your hands I put myself, my husband, my children.  I pray You use me today.  That's why I'm here.  I ask for Your support and guidance.  I trust You.  I love You.  I believe in You.

Thank You for what I believe.  The fact is, either I do or I don't and there is no in-between.  You have put us int that position very vividly!!!

I do believe You, Your promises and Your Word and Your still, small voice in my heart.

Thank you for the gift of belief in You .  Amen.

Well.  The house in Minnesota is sold TODAY.  Bless the new family even as You bless us.  Amen.

05-20-90

We saw Jimmy Carter today!  We went to his Sunday School class at Maranatha Baptist Church.  He taught eternal life begins now.  Love is a moral commitment, not just an emotion.  He taught from 1 John 5.  We got to shake his hand and get our picture taken with him.  He also said Jesus is our role model.  I felt that with the goal of learning how to live my love for God, I can study the Bible and use it to learn more about Jesus.  Jesus is really the guiding light to lead us thru the Bible.  And life.  And learning about God's love.

Yesterday we went to Country Days in Plains, GA.  Outdoor arts and crafts, food, entertainment.  Nice and easy going and not crowded.

We have learned things this week.

1).  Millard Fuller (founder of Habitat for Humanity) is more or less banished to Atlanta for liking or unintentionally liking the ladies too much.  Five women have come forward with complaints of sexual harassment.  This can happen with a man and his organization.  The difference here is that it wasn't allowed to go on and on.  So HFH has been dealing with this since March.

2).  We cannot be non-committal about discrimination.  St. Andrews Lutheran Church in Plains is old, as I said, and WHITE.  We want to shop around, try a Lutheran Church in Albany with black people and white people.  Jesus would.