I am exhausted but so content at this moment. We have had an amazing week. Personally, God has done well in taking me out of my comfort zone and dropped me in the deep end of life. I do not consider myself as a person who interacts naturally with young children or does well with meeting new people. Nor am I extremely comfortable speaking in front of large crowds. So, this week has been full of those experiences. We spent Saturday at a village entertaining children and handing out gifts. We were praying about conducting a medical outreach clinic there but were unable to purchase supplies in time. So I had my own group of children whose attention I had to capture and retain. Then Wednesday, we cleaned the grounds around the clinic with the goal of teaching the villagers about hygiene. An added bonus was that we were able to involve the kids in the village. At one stretch of time, I found myself alone with the children and again needed to entertain them. Fortunately, my teammates came along very soon. We also spent two days at the local high school Navigator camp. We were assigned a group of students to talk with. I somehow got the group of introverts who were afraid to talk to me. So, I spent a lot of time staring at them. Today, we were all asked to speak to the students. I was assigned the topic of 'financial integrity'. God blessed greatly our time with the students and today, a very quiet girl started to ask me questions and some of the guys came around to talk with me. Instead of being in my element in the clinic, God has put me outside and 'locked the door to get back in to my safe place'. I am learning to rely on Him through prayer so much now. For it is only by his power and provision that I have been able to interact with these people.

   Went to worship at a charasmatic African church today.  What an experience, especially in a different language. 

  Just one week left here in Burkina.  I have been praying for God to show me ways to connect with the staff here on a deeper level.  It is hard with the language barrier to get beyond simple personal facts.

  If you were to walk into the clinic, I anticipate that your first thought would be to how clean it looks yet how unorganized the place seems to be.  People are all over the place, in the hallways, running in and out of rooms, ect, yet the system functions here.  This is because a lot of how the system functions is related to tradition and culture. 

  For instance, the busiest clinic is the midwife's clinic.  Her room is the back room in the clinic and there is just one bench to sit on to wait to be seen by her.  The room is also barely large enough to fit the patient and midwife.  At the front of the clinic are two large rooms that would be much better for patient care and for the comfort of the patients waiting to see the midwife.  The reasoning behind this set-up is that the women do not want to be seen going for medical care.  There is a percieved spiritual curse when one has to seek medical care.  As well, when a woman is pregnant and is one of many wive's, acknowledging an early pregnancy could mean harm to herself and the baby from the other jealous wives.

    It is easy to fall into the trap of thinking that I am better because I am an 'American trained' doctor instead of understanding the cultural background to the current medical practices.  I still am amused by the fact that one must purchase thier own latex exam gloves here.  It costs about 80 cents for a pair.  Imagine if we had to buy our own gloves in America, I think we'd have less people visit the emergency room.

  That's all I have to say for now.  In less than 2 weeks I should be on my way back to the States.  Thanks for your continued prayers for our health and safety.

The majority of the team and some of my host family have been struck with headaches and bellyaches. It is frightening because here one must think of malaria. I was scared last night because I also came down with a fever. Luckily we are all getting better. I have had some more fun with medical procedures in Africa. I performed a partial toenail excision on Friday. It is amusing trying to explain the procedure and follow-up in broken French. I also find it hard to explain why one should not bathe every wound daily in betadine. I think this is why everyone has such horrible scars. We went to a village yesterday and played with the kids. Next week we hope to do a medical outreach. We are coming up with ideas for how to best serve the children. As a team, we are studying prayer for one of our Bible studies. It is amazing how much there is to learn about prayer. Last week we learned about how to pray intelligently. We have learned how we must know and understand God in order to talk with Him. I spent this week talking to God about his role as a protector and a healer. It is neat to speak with God in this new way.

A lot has happened in the past week. In the clinic, I have to tell myself 'this is Africa' all the time. The first difference that I noticed was that everyone has to buy their own materials, even examination gloves. I have been helping the nurses by starting IV's and if I fail to hit the vein after multiple attempts or drop the needle, it is on the patient to go buy a new IV needle. I have to stop worrying about sterility here because the concept is not practiced very much. I was able to assist in a delivery two days ago, babies come out the same anywhere, but the methods of aiding the delivery are not. It amazes me that there is not an abundance of uterine infections and that the babies come out doing well. I experienced my first craving - for pizza - which is interesting because I am getting very tired of eating bread and related food items. I think I have eaten potatoes and bread for almost every meal here. Spiritually, I am learning to pray more. It is dangerous on the roads and only by God's protective hand are we getting around well. He is also teaching me to rely on Him for everything. I learned today that someone has prank-called my home phone number and sent worry into my dad's heart by telling him that I was hurt. I don't know if my number was sold after I turned in my customs form, but as of right now, I am safe and not injured. Thank you for praying for my team's safety and health. God is in control and He is great.

It has been an interesting first 5 days here in Ouaga (pronounced 'wha-ga'). It is nothing close to what I expected this trip to be. First, let me introduce you to my team. Our fearless team leader is Robert. He is on staff with Navs, finishing Edge and entering part-time associate status. He will also be attending seminary in the fall. Robert is an organized leader and has a passion for missions. Jeremiah is still in college and is studying for multiple degrees. Erin is a student at FSU studying exercise physiology. We are living at the Wycliffe training center. It is the resort life for Burkina. To me, it feels more like camp. We make our meals and handwash our clothes. Fortunately the host staff cooks for us three times a week.

A view of our rooms

We go to clinic on the weekdays from 8a-12p and 3p-6p. Interestingly there is a three hour break for lunch and nap. I think it is necessary due to the intense heat during the midday. The road is partially paved and clogged with cars, bicycles, mopeds and pedestrians. I have not seen a speed limit posted anywhere.

Driving to clinic

Dr. Felix Kohol is our staff doctor. He has been with Navs since college when he became a Christian. He is a man of vision who cares deeply for the needs of the Burkinabes. His wife Neema is his nurse assistant and is also a great cook. The clinic is staffed with a midwife, doctor, and two medical students. It runs a lab and pharmacy and once a week the traveling radiologist comes to perform OB ultrasound. There are also 6 hospital beds.

Patients waiting to see the midwife.

Robert with the child he delivered last year

Currently our role is to help the clinic staff. It is hard to do much due to our lack of the ability to speak French. I am thinking of ways to improve the clinic in the area of organization and nurse training. The rest of the team is doing well at relating with the nurses and mentoring them spiritually. Medical care is different here, much less sterile and much more independence given to people without full medical training. It makes me grateful for many of the regulations that we have in the States.

Well, there's no turning back now, I am in Burkina Faso. We are staying at the Wycliffe compound. It is nice here. Thanks for your prayers. Today will be my first day in the clinic, it should be eye opening.

     I hope you have the beautiful melody of this Gershwin tune in your head now.  I have made it safely to the DeGaulle airport.  In 6 hours, I will be departing for Africa.  Thanks for your continued prayers, I hope to have internet access so I can post updates at least weekly.

     I think if you ask any of my mentors what one item I need to work on it could be summed up as 'slow down'.  I have a very active imagination and tend to envision a myriad of potential outcomes and obstacles to whatever issue presents itself before me.  A wise woman (Patty) tells me to think on things that are true (Philippians).  This advice combined with the charge to 'count the cost' have decided to lay themselves out bare in my life at the moment. (It's almost a paradox of ideology)

    For this trip to Burkina Faso - the internet can paint a frightful picture.  I will be traveling alone until I get to the capital city.  I may be the only oriental person in the whole country.  While I am away, I will be leaving the results of house hunting, my CAQ exam and financial situation in God's hands.  I've done the all the phyical busy work that I can do, now I have to let God work as He sees appropriate and best.

So, tomorrow I leave - bags packed full - between the wings of an airplane, riding on friendly prayers and plain 'ol faith and obedience.

      The hymn starts out "all to Jesus I surrender, all to Him I freely give."  How many dream jobs are taken when God has a different plan?  How many people settle for second best.  How much better it is to take a journey of faith and let God richly bless.

     Recently I had the opportunity to learn about another person's act of total surrender to God's call on their life.  This made me think of how calling Jesus 'Lord' means giving up what I think is the best for my life and all of my so called dreams and desires for 'simply' obeying God. 

     I'm reading through Jeremiah at the present time (God called him, he was like 'you must be joking' and God was like 'dude, I want it to happen, it will.')  Today, I came across 9:23 - God talks about the wise, rich and mighty man and that they are not to boast in their respective states of life but to boast in knowing and understanding God.  I feel that chasing the dream job is in a way boasting in riches, wisdom or might.  Chasing God, that is the better goal.

Even with this upcoming trip, what I think I will do and want to do may be completely different than what God has me do.  I may not do one single medical act on this trip, I may do only medical acts.  I was thinking of how neat it would be to see God use all of my interest's and talents on this trip.  Expecting everything, yet expecting nothing.