It will take time to adjust

Last evening was my 1st shift on the ward for orientation. I was sooo scared that I sat in the common area on the ship, looking out the window, contemplating what I was doing here. What if it wasn't God calling me here, and I just came because I wanted to. I felt very unsettled. Then I reallized I was just freaking out and not having faith. God helps me through work at
home, why would it be any different here. He wants his people here well taken care of, so why wouldn't He help me? I went down on the ward, and the 1st person I saw walking down the hallway, was a boy about 14 years old. He had the biggest smile on his face despite the large bandage rapped around his head and his swollen right eye lid and puffy right side of his face. Apparently he had a facial tumor or disfigurement that was now fixed. He was walking around, mirror in hand, checking himself out from time to time, and just smiling! He was filled with so much joy that I thanked God right there for allowing me to be a part of something that can bring this much joy to another human being. I have such respect for the doctors and nurses that work here and do such great things for these people.

Ashley from Canada oriented me. We got report from Laura from the UK and Wilma from Holland. Our patients consisted of 4 children under the age of 2 with either cleft palate, or cleft lip repairs, a 34 year old with surgery on her neck, and a 50 year old man who had a large bony mass removed from his chin area. I fed him 3 times through his NG tube with ensure that was over a year expired. They take what they can get I guess when it comes to supplies. I recognize most of the medications, but we have to be careful because some of them are in other languages. They use a lot of Tylenol here which is labled Paracetamol.

All of the moms stay with the babies, which is good because they feed and change them, which is helpful. This was my 1st time taking care of babies and it was a bit scary. Ashley said sometimes she feels like all she does is make babies cry. We are either taking their vital signs, or shoving medicine in their mouths, and they look at us like GET AWAY you mean ladies!

Today I went to an orphanage. I think it was called God's Children's Home. It was in walking distance. Our leader was a girl from South Africa. She had a lesson planned for the kids which taught about different countries and there cultures and how we are all different, but all the same inside. We sang with the kids, had a lesson, then went out and played with them. I twirled the jump rope almost the whole time (I will admit I did jump a little as well). The girl from South Africa and her husband are working on a project to build a village type setting orphanage where there will be different huts to separate the orphans in groups of about 10 with separate "parents", so it will be more like a family situation.

On the walk home I walked with Becky a nurse from Boston in her 40's, and a German nurse. Becky said "wow that was hard for me". In my head, I was thinking yah it was, I am sooo hot that I'm dripping sweat, I feel filthy, and I am thirsty and can't decide whether or not to drink out of my water bottle that several of the kids were playing with like a toy... Then Becky starts talking about wether or not they get enough to eat, and I felt very shameful. Here I am, concerned with my own comforts and her heart goes straight to the kids. I think God has a lot to teach me while I am here. It is a little wierd to be able to go back to an airconditioned boat after being in the poor/hot area. I think it is what keeps people adding months or years to there time here. There is definetely a comfort and security on the boat. Although, Jenny my bunk mate noticied a very small leak in our ceiling this morning...(no worries she notified someone). Hope all is well with everyone back home.

Please continue to pray for me! It means the world to me that people are praying for me for things I wouldn't even think of. I think about you all as well and am praying for you. (I actually have a little extra time for contemplation than I do at home). Bye for now.