Rainbows and Otter Pelt

This morning as we rode through the city of Cartagena, it became drastically obvious we were leaving the tourist areas with high rise condos and navigating towards the less affluent areas on the outskirts of town. As we traveled closer to the bluff where the monastery to the Virgin Mary is perched overlooking the city of Cartagena, the streets narrowed, turned from hard surface to dirt and the homes, while they were well kept, were much smaller and a bit rundown. We drove past an open air market where fish were laid it on tables ready for purchasing along with an assortment of fresh fruit and vegetables.

When we arrived at clinic site, the children of the school sang songs for us and welcomed us to their community.

Clinic began a bit chaotically. I was trying to organize and sort the medications when patients began showing up so we quickly began pulling prescriptions and in between kept trying to sort the many sample medications that were donated. It is quite a challenge because the names are in Spanish. Gratefully I have a Colombian medical student assisting us in pharmacy and he has been able to translate or tell me what the medications that are not available in United States are for. Interestingly, Benadryl is illegal in Colombia but we have samples of codiene and hydrocodone to give out. Today I had the opportunity to use some of my schooling. One of the nurse practitioners needed a Z pack. We had a liquid azithromycin so I figured out the dosing for the equivalent.

There was a thunderstorm in the afternoon with intense lightening but we did not lose electricity. I stepped out of the pharmacy and looked out the back door of the building. Water was flowing down the road like a muddy river.

We had a total of 309 people in clinic and 104 salvations. After closing, the pastor thanked us for coming and for our work. He comments that in the community they have lots of fights and today we fought also. But in a peaceful way by demonstrating the love of God.

“Commit your works to the Lord and your plans will be established” Proverbs 16:3

A week ago, I returned from Honduras where traveled for my first medical mission this year. Our day of departure had the potential to be quite eventful. The Honduran government had recently voted for hospitals and schools to become privatized, which means if you do not have money, you would no longer be able to acquire an education or medical care. On Tuesday, doctors and teachers were protesting across the country. Many major roads were blockaded as part of the protest. We had not heard if there were planned protests for the day of our departure so just in case, we left Choluteca at 5:00am to hopefully make it into Tegucigalpa before any roads were blocked. If we encountered a road block, the plan was we would walk through the protest with our luggage and the rental car company was going to pick us up on the other side. Fortunately, we did not have to implement that plan. Other than morning commuter traffic, we encountered no delays and made it to the airport on time. We did have to wait on plane for take off about 45 minutes due to thunderstorms in the gap between mountains that we had to fly through. But we still made our connection in Atlanta and arrive safely home.

Overall, it was a memorable and exciting trip. We held 5 clinics, each on in a different village. The first was in Las Chapernas. If I recall correctly, the people of this village used to live in a floodplain and every rainy season, many of their houses would flood. So the mission we worked with, New Beginnings Baptist Mission, purchased the land that is now Las Chapernas, built houses for the people, and relocated them. The last day of clinic was at Colonia Williams and that village was also created by relocating a community. The group of people that moved to Colonia Williams were living on the side of a very busy road and several of the children had been killed from being hit by traffic. For the 5 clinics, we saw a total of 1173 people, handed out 5685 medications, and had 173 salvations.

Paz preaching the gospel while patient waiting in chair

Pharmacy set up at Javier Soriano

For the first two days, I worked with my friend the Honduran dentist, Paz. On the first day, we had trouble with the compressor that would operate her drill so she was only able to do extractions. At one point, she gave the patient the lidocaine shot to numb her mouth and then started evangelizing to the people in room waiting. At first, I wondered what was happening, why she was talking to everyone. Having worked with her before, I quickly realized what she was doing, even though I did not understand a word she said (because she was speaking in Spanish). The second day, she worked for over an hour removed an impacted wisdom tooth. In the United States, we would go to an oral surgeon for this procedure. Many people in Honduras do not have that luxury. Paz told me 7 years ago that she is one of few dentists that will pull impacted wisdom teeth in the village clinics. She is providing a treatment that is not available to many people in that country.

The other three clinics, after I would help Paz set up her dental room and train someone to assist her, I would spend the remainder of the day in the pharmacy. I was able to apply some of the training I received in school calculating doses. Along with distributing over the counter pain medications, cold medicine, antifungal creams, and muscle rubs, we also distributed an assortment of antibiotics and high blood pressure medications. I noticed the quantity of antifungal creams seemed to be more than other places I have visited and I wondered if it was because of the high humidity of the area as well as excess moisture from daily rain showers. This is the first trip I have taken where I had to take a medication to help prevent me from contracting malaria. I was hesitant to take it but after experiencing the abundance of mosquitoes I am glad I did. Even with treating my clothes and using insect repellent daily, I still received some bites.

Now that I have answered the call to mission work and travel on multiple trips annually, I have noticed a difference in how I respond to each trip. When I would travel once a year, the experience would impact me similar to a spiritual retreat. For a week, you would be focused on God and what He is doing in you and through you. I would return on a spiritual high. Now, I am still immersed in God’s work during the trip but I am focused more on what He is doing through me, not searching for what He is doing in me.

One observation I had that I find a bit humorous. The first day of clinic, I asked God move in a mighty way that day. We had the problems with the compressor, witnessed a few people accept Christ, but nothing jaw dropping and spectacular. That evening as we were retiring for the evening, an impressive amazing and powerful thunderstorm rolled through. The lightening flashes were brilliant and sometimes the thunder seemed to be right on top of us. I laughed to myself and thought, well I did not specify how I wanted to see God’s might displayed and it definitely was in that storm.

It is good to be home where once again I can flush the toilet paper and take a hot shower. But I was very grateful to have a flushing toilet and a shower, even if the water was tepid.

This morning the air seemed cool and comfortable, not humid like previous mornings. Each day we have gone to different villages to conduct medical clinics and share about Jesus’s love. Day 1 – Las Chapernas. Day 2 – Santa Irene. Day 3 – Castancia. Today has been our busiest day so far with 285 people seen, 1086 medications handed out. 10 people accepted Jesus.

Each day we have experienced an afternoon shower or thundershower and usually another one at night.

Last night, my friend discovered an Iguana hiding in her closet! So glad it was her and not me.

Everyday has been hot, tiring work but oh the joy and satisfaction from serving God and being about His work.

Today I was reminded how much I dislike the dental drill. Paz spent almost two hours working on an impacted wisdom tooth, which in the United States would usually require an oral surgeon. She had to use her dental drill to drill into the bone, attempting to get the tooth out. We saw 215 people in clinic today and gave out 1073 medications. This afternoon I had the opportunity to spend a little time in pharmacy and hopefully more time tomorrow. But I have enjoyed working with Paz again.

Today was full of memories. I worked with Paz, a Honduran dentist, which if you read my previous post you know that was what I did on my very first international mission trip. The air compressor kept tripping the breaker so she was limited to extractions. The first kid started crying and I thought to myself it truly is like the beginning, screaming kids and all. Paz pulled 31 teeth in 3 hours, with power outage, thunderstorm (where she wouldn’t let me touch the metal dental tools), and she even took time to share the gospel. She led 6 people to Jesus.

Philippians 3:13 “but one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead”

Two weeks ago, I finished school and earned my associates degree in Pharmacy Technology and now am off on my first mission trip of the year. I am returning to where it all began – Honduras. In 2011, after two years of my friend Karen trying to persuade me to join her on an international mission trip, I succumbed. We flew into San Pedro Sula and rode a bus many hours to La Esperanza. I innocently thought I would be trying to teach people to brush their teeth. The dentist however, had other plans . We were cleaning dental instruments and numbing gums. I was way out of my comfort zone!

This year, I will be teaming up with the Honduran dentist again. I will be splitting my time between pharmacy and dental, working with Paz again. I am returning to where it all began! Where my passion for international missions was born. I am excited to see what God is going to do this trip. In me and through me.

It’s hard to believe it’s been just shy of two years ago that God used a conversation with a friend of mine to call me to missions. And it’s hard to wrap my head around in four weeks, I will graduate from the Pharmacy Technology Program with an associates degree, beginning a new phase of life. I’ve been a bit anxious these past few months, not knowing what life will look like after school. God did not give me any directions beyond providing the means to go to school and pursue mission work. I will be doing short term mission trips so the question is: “what do I do between trips?”

In the past few weeks, God has been speaking to me about my anxieties. I have been focusing on the between – what I will be doing between missions. And I lost focus of the why. Why I am doing missions. As in Jesus’s letter to the church of Ephesus in The second chapter of Revelations, I lost my first love. I lost my focus. I became so consumed with trying to figure out life between missions that I lost the focus of the reason why. I am called to missions because I want to show others the love of Jesus. Traveling on missions is a good thing, but if I lose sight of the why, it is for naught. In Philippians 3:13-14, Paul writes “forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” The Message translation states “I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward – to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back”. It goes on to say, “so let’s keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us.”

This brings me to the title of this blog. In Mark 11, Jesus tells his disciples to “Have faith in God. Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it shall be granted him. Therefore I say to you all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they shall be granted you.” (Verses 22-24). I love The Message translation of this scripture. “Embrace this God-life. Really embrace it, and nothing will be too much for you. This mountain, for instance: just say ‘Go jump in the lake’ – no shuffling or shilly-shallying- and it’s as good as done. That’s why I urge you to pray for absolutely everything, ranging from small to large. Include everything as you embrace this God-life, and you’ll get God’s everything”. Wow! God’s everything!

What’s your God-life? What is God calling you to step out in complete faith, for Jesus, not looking back? Mine is to go on mission for Jesus. To show others his love. Embracing this God-life, really embracing it. Not fretting about what I will do between trips, not trying to arrange opportunities but fully relying on God. Asking and believing, not doubting in my heart (easier said than done for me). Not losing sight of my first love – why I go on mission – love for Jesus. And not looking back at previous successes but keeping my eyes on the prize – following Jesus.

And what do we gain by living this God life? Paradise. The presence of God. Where God is, that’s paradise. And that’s where I desire to be. At the center of His will. Following Him. Believing without doubt. Living the God-life.

Over the holidays while watching The Muppet Christmas Carol with my family, a line in the song for the ghost of Christmas present caught my attention: “Where you find love, you find Christmas”.

How profound. Christmas is a time associated with family. Being with family equates being with those who accept us for who we are and love us regardless. I think this concept of where you find love, you find Christmas is why the Hallmark Christmas movies are so popular. Each movie features people finding love at Christmas. We all desire being loved for who we are.

The true Christmas story is the ultimate love story. “For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16). The purpose of Jesus’s birth, which we celebrate at Christmas, was to become our savior by dying as a sacrifice for our wrong doing and returning to life. “Greater Love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friend.”(John 15:13).

“See how great a love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God” (1 John 3:1). Wait. Children of God? How does that happen? “But when the fullness of time came, God sent forth His son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order that He might redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.” (Gal. 4:4-5). God chose us. He adopted us. I remember in elementary school being divided into teams for physical Ed classes. Team captains were designated and they would select their respective team. I was never athletic so was usually one of the last to be picked. Occasionally, however, one of my friends would be captain and would select me early because of our friendship. I remember that feeling of being wanted, being selected. “Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will.” (Eph. 1:4-5).

Because of Christmas, because of Jesus being born as a baby, we are able to receive adoption by God and become one of His children. Loved equally by God. Accepted as we are and loved by Him. Loved unconditionally.

“Where you find love, you find Christmas”

My last post I talked about struggling with not being caught up with what the world communicates is important. This week, I heard a devotional that mentioned a reward we will receive for being an overcomer. Revelations 3:12 tells us “The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name.” NASB version reads “He who overcomes”. When I heard the word overcomes, it immediately brought to mind that struggle I mentioned. It was exciting to be reminded that I will be rewarded for preserving through my struggles. What a reward. Being a pillar in God’s temple and never having to leave. Worshipping Him always. And Jesus writing His name upon us. Did your mom ever write your name in your clothes when you were little so you and everyone else would know who it belonged to? That’s what this verse reminds me of. Everyone will know who we belong to.

I am constantly striving to overcome the pull of the world. And when I am successful, What else will I receive? Rev. 3:5, “He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My father, and before His angels.” Now is that not worth more than all the treasures we could acquire on earth? To have our name acknowledged before God and his angels? Not only will Jesus write His name on us, He will also proclaim it to God and His angels, “This one belongs to me!”

So how do we overcome the world? 1 John 5:4-5 tells us. “For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.” Pursuing Jesus. That’s how we overcome.

John 16:33. “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”. As I told someone the other day, I am thankful for the blessings in the hard times. Peace when others would see no reason for peace. Blessings in the hard times.

Now that is something to shout about and celebrate this holiday season.

This year, around the holidays, I find myself struggling with materialism. Seeing the commercials on TV, watching shows and movies that depict families in ideal settings that really are not realistic to the majority of Americans. And definitely not the rest of the world. I find myself wishing my circumstances were different. Better. Wishing I had a bigger, better house. Wishing I was more comfortable financially. Wishing I had made different choices that would potentially have allowed me to be in better circumstances.

Then, I realized I was losing my focus. I am allowing materialism to become more important to me than what Jesus tells me should be important. i am beginning to pursue what this work tells me is important no longer pursuing Jesus.

This makes me reflect that I am thankful for the financial hardships I have faced. The Lord knows where each of our hang ups lie. He knows that if I am financially secure, I would be much less likely to seek Him. And He desires to have a relationship with me. He pursues me by creating circumstances where I will hopefully make the choice to turn to Him. For this I am thankful. I want to keep pursuing Jesus, not what this world deems important. And dare I say tries to tell us is necessary.

What are you pursuing? What do you find yourself focusing on? A career? Having a nice car or a larger house? Living in a certain neighborhood? Having all the latest and greatest electronics and gadgets? We are surrounded by voices and images telling us we need all these things. It is so easy to become distracted from what is really important and next thing you know, you are pursuing things of this world, not Christ. Jesus tells us in Matthew 6 to store up treasures in heaven. “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

I want to pursue Jesus. I want my treasures to be stored up in heaven. Thank you Jesus, for pursuing me. For allowing circumstances in my life that redirect my focus to you. I do not want to become distracted by what this world has to offer. I want to desire you more than anything else.