Phoenix Children's Residents Swaziland Trip

Placida
Nicholas and Jenny
Becca






Us

Phoenix Children's Resident Swaziland trip

Leslie
Lara
Sahera
Lisa

Going home...

...and it starts again. Glasgow shut down, London on high alert and we take our time getting through all the security. Placida, Becca, Sahera, Lisa, and Leslie left 24 hours before Nicholas, Jenny, Lara and I. An interesting end to the trip...helping Forgotten chidren while a few try to destroy for no reason. Makes no sense...but then again, what does these days? Only He knows...
In all things give thanks,
David

Lions, elephants...

...and giraffes. Hlane game reserve is where we spent out last night, full moon, native dancing and the sounds of roaring lions close by as we slept. The game drive brought us close to big game, and showed us sites we may never see again. Africa. Beauty, wild, and yet full of saddness. We saw it all. We have memories forever.
In all things give thanks, David

Thursday 6/28

Another 300 patients today. We've seen 1300 patients in 4 days, many of which were truly Forgotten children. Today was probably the most difficult for us. We saw 3 children, 5, 6, and 8 years old who had been raped. We saw a man whose leg was so infected you could see his bone. A woman with breast cancer, a 9 year old with end stage AIDS. A very difficult day. A lot of praying and a lot of tears. A lot of love and a lot of hugs. Forgotten or not, all were seen and given the best we had. And for that, it makes it all worthwhile.

In all things give thanks,

David

Wednesday 6/27 - Swaziland

We started out in the rain. A small Carepoint in KaKhonsa, Gigi's Place, 300 patients, one tent and dirt. A lot of dirt. The rain stopped and the wind began. The tent broke apart, the dust covered us, and they still came. Children with AIDS, one 6 year old with lesions from being sexually abused, Pepe our patient from a year ago who has AIDS and TB, adults with chronic illnesses....people looking for a chance to live. We helped some...we hope...we pray. Or at least we showed them we cared. We could do no less...

In all things give thanks,

David

Tuesday...Madonsa

Three hundred. That's how many patients we examined, prescribed medications for, and got to know. Many were prayed with, many got tested for HIV, and many more were given another chance to live a healthier life. We saw some interesting patholgy today: cutaneous larva migrans (crawling worm under the skin), weird rashes, heart diseases, and varying degrees of malnutrition. The wind was picking up in the afternoon and we were seeing patients in a lot od dust. Children were coughing and wheezing and the nebulizer got a work out. A leg abscess was drained and a house visit was made. Just another clinic day in Africa. Just another day of love.

In all things give thanks,

David

Sunday and Monday

We arrived with no luggage. By late afternoon on Sunday 6 of the 9 came in with the last 3 arriving Monday. 1 piece went to Botswana. Go figure.

Right after we arrived, it was off to the hotel to shower then on to lunch. We then visited 2 hospitals, and the abondoned children. All the abondoned children were physically disabled or mentally handicapped and lived in the laundry room at the hospital. We saw a number of children who were really sick and being cared for by their mothers. We never did see a nurse or doctor. Then back to the hotel and early bed.

Monday started off early with 6:30 am breakfast. By 7:15 we were off to Logaba. Tents were set up and off we went. We saw about 350 patients, 88 of which we saw in about 15 minutes: normal physicals. A few cases of HIV, TB, and a lot of malnutrition and one Kwashiokor. We were tired and off to dinner and bed we went. Tomorrow we do it again.

In all things give thanks,

David

And so it begins...

We are somewhere over Africa headed to Johannesburg and we are late. We have an hour to catch our plane for Swaziland. We'll probably just make it but not sure about the luggage. We've been flying for 21 hours and had a 6 hour lay over in London. It's a long way to where we're going.....

Everybody is holding up well. The team is coming together, cohesive, and directed. We are ready. We are so ready that when we arrive in Swaziland in a few hours this morning, we are checking into the hotel, taking a quick shower, off to a quick lunch, then on to the local general hospital to visit the pediatric ward: babies lying all in a row on wooden tables, most with AIDS, children lying on beds with no sheets being cared for by their mothers, and a special area for abandoned children - those who were brought to the hospital by mother' or family and left. The Forgotten children. And so it begins.....

In all things give thanks,

David

Eyes open...hearts ready...

On Friday, 9 of us leave for Swaziland to run 4 days of clinics at 4 different Carepoints. What's unique about this, is that there will be 5 pediatric residents from Phoenix Children's Hospital going. They are using their 1 week vacation to experience caring for the Forgotten Children. As one of their faculty physicians, I will be giving lectures, we'll be having discussions, seeing patients in a semi-academic setting, examining patients, discussing cases, and learning. A pediatrician will be joining us who was one of my residents several years ago. My son who is in pharmacy school will be with us as well, and will run the pharmacy. And we will have a support lay person to help with all the stuff that needs to be done. We will be working with the wonderful Children's Cup missionaries once again. Here are descriptions of 2 of the CarePoints that we will be having clinics at:


Ka Khosa CarePoint: The Ka Khosa community is “the place where prostitutes and thieves are made” according to many locals. It is probably the roughest location of any of the CarePoints, but it also shines as a very bright light. In a community where alcoholism, drug abuse, and child abuse are rampant, there is a place of refuge for the children.

Logoba CarePoint: Prostitution, crime, poverty, and unemployment all plague this community of about 15,000 people. It is located about 5 km from the city of Manzini and is made up mostly of job seekers from the rural areas. Water is collected from a community tap and many homes do not have electricity. Currently, about 300 children come to the care point for feeding.

Be with us as we travel, teach, learn, love, and heal. Be with us as we look to recognizing why we do what we do. Be with us:
David
Nicholas
Rebecca
Lisa
Leslie
Lara
Jenny
Sahera
Placida


In all things, give thanks,

David

Dominican Republic (DR)

So, here it is, hot and humid, more MoM projects, more children, more need. We will becoming here the end of August. There are 5 Children Development Centers with about 100 children in each that we will be going to. Add the siblings, the parents and extended families, and we'll easily see 1500 or more patients. DR reminds me a little bit of Cambodia, maybe because of the weather. The areas that the CDc's are in vary in terms of poverty, danger, and isolation. We'll be in some pretty interesting places. The children over all are just getting to the point of being noursished thanks to the meals that they receive at the CDC's. I saw a number of Dengue fever cases, etopic rashes, upper respiratory illnesses, and malnutrion.

All the people I've meet here are fantastic!! They are very excited about us coming, and the support will be everything we look forward to. We'll be blessed again to serve.

In all things give thanks,

David

Observations....

On this trip to Honduras, I saw a Hassidic Jew and his young son put their tallits on and pray openly at the airport in Houston. Then I met a local pastor here in Honduras who had a shofar (ram's horn) in his church that he blew every Friday before the Sabbath and blew it for me as he and I recited a classic Jewish prayer. Now I'm sitting in the airport in Honduras and a family of Mennonites are sitting right across from me praying from a book that I don't recognize.

From all of this, God sure has been prayed to on many different levels, from different faiths, and perhaps for different reasons. But the fact remains that prayer occurs. He listens better than we do I suspect, and reponds in His own way. A Jew, Christian, and a Mennonite...how different....how similar.

In all things give thanks,
David

Honduras

I'm finishing up with an assessment trip to Honduras, and I can safely say that the medical needs of the children are already being addressed for the most part. "Child Development Centers" (CDC's) are MoM projects that care for 80-100 children each. There are about 9 of them, all in various stages of development. What is unique about them is that they are cared for, sponsored, by local churches. There are no missionaries involved, and each church has its own CDC. The medical care is provided by Dr. Paublo a young general practioner. He has most of the preliminary physical examinations on almost 1000 children served by MoM, and has a clinic already established where he sees some of the children in follow up and has some medicine to give out. Some of the projects are very poor and even dangerous. Gun toting guards are seen with delivery trucks who come to the projects. Tony, the Field director and I, have been pretty careful of our surroundings, and look both ways before we enter a dirt street or an ally way. The children for the most part are healthy, with malnutrion, skin rashes, and upper respiratory infectinos most prevalent. The poorer the areas are that we go to, the more illness I see. This seems to be a country of either "you have" or "you don't". Wealth is evident and so is the poorest of the poor.
For what it's worth, all the children, the CDC's, the churches, and those who care for the MoM projects are "wealthy" in their own right: He is with them, and has blessed them.

In all things give thanks,

David

Change is good...

We decided that Sri Lanka was just not going to be on the schedule for this trip. And Bangladesh therefore fell out as well. In less than 6 hours, we set up a scouting and assessment trip to Honduras and the Dominican Republic. I leave Thursday the 10^th and return the 19^th. Same dates as the trip for Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, but now it’s to Central America. This will be new territory for me, never having been to either country, but am looking forward to seeing how we can help with our scheduled medical team in late August. So here I go…to a different part of the world than originally intended, but with the same purpose. He has directed this….

 

In all things give thanks,

 

David

Where to now....

I leave on Thursday May 10^th for Bangladesh and for right now, Sri Lanka, to see what we can help with as a medical team in both countries. I say maybe Sri Lanka, because there is military strife going on there right now, and as of a few days ago, all commercial flights have been halted for night time departures and arrivals. Both my flights in and out of Sri Lanka are scheduled at night. I’ll be figuring this all out over the next 24-48 hours. There continues to be obstacles put in our path as we pursue His work where He tells us. And I assume that there is a reason for it. I don’t necessarily want to ask why, or even want to know, but suspect that whatever the reason is, He’ll take care of it. So, if I make it to Sri Lanka or not, and if I get there and back without packing along a few “kidney stones”, and if I don’t get stuck in Bangladesh for whatever reason, and if I get back rested enough to go back on call the next day back in Phoenix, and if He tells me where we should go with a medical team in August, I’ll be happy. Keep this trip in your prayers and thoughts…I’m not sure where it will lead me or the medical team, but I’m sure it will be an adventure.

 

In all things give thanks,

 

David

Sometimes I wonder...

...just how things are supposed to be. You look around the world and see what is and wonder why it isn't. Like, the people dying from AIDS in Swaziland, the poverty and filth people live in in Garbage City in Cairo, the maimed and broken people of Cambodia...and the children I take care of in the intensive care unit...sick, and trying to die. I wonder why this all is like it is. I think I know why. There are many reasons that things happen, but there are more times than not, when there are no reasons evident. And it is that very fact, that gets me to thinking about why. Is it because that through others, we see ourselves for who we really are, and are given an opportunity to become who we should be? When I meet the AIDS patient in Swaziland, the sick little girl with garbage on her feet in Cairo, the man with no legs lost from a land mine in Cambodia, and thank my lucky stars for what I have, I stop. I stop because of what I'm doing: thanking my lucky stars for what I have. A nice home, a good income, a wonderful family, food on the table, and just my life in general. But is it really about the "what"? I see those who I believe to be less fortunate than me, and realize that maybe they don't have it so bad after all. Especially those who profess their faith in Chirst. It's because they don't have "what". It's "who" they are that makes them thankful: faith driven, beholden to Him, far from needing "what", and looking to having a life in eternity. And so I wonder. Things are supposed to be what they are in order for me to see who I am. Thankful for being His servant, thankful for the gifts He has given me, thankful for the opporutnity to be with those who are true to themselves. I don't necessarily want to live with AIDS, or live in garbage, or live my life with no legs. But I do want to live my life comfortable with who I am with what I've got. And sometimes I wonder...could I be strong like them, believing in Him, regradless of what I have or don't have. I hope so...

in all things give thanks,

David

Mozambique: March 2007

Pastor Rob from Minnesota













Isaac and CArol, missionaries with Children's Cup, who are responsible for the Mozambique project












They came...they prayed...













The church has come to together....

Mozambique: March 2007

My "kidney stones" have finally passed...













Getting ready for the first day of church...













Chrys and Dave putting on the final touches..













Minnesota team and Carol getting ready for church service

Mozambique: March 2007

The Church/school/care center...and maybe part medical clinic












Nkombe...the village where we are at













The children....















The sick...who we couldn't treat...

Swaziland: March 2007

Parliament member visiting the clinic











Kelly











Sick...sick...sick

















...and they came, and came, and came...

Swaziland Medical Trip March 2007

Dave and Chrys in the pharmacy












Registration












Libby and Teresa












David and a teaching session

Swaziland-Mozambique Medical mission trip: 13th of March through the 19th of March 2007

For a small team that went for such a short time, the results were spectacular. Despite a few interruptions and obstacles, much was done and patients were seen. Dave and Chrys our two pharmacists, Kelly and Libby our two nurses, Philip, Libby's son, and me, made up the small team that traveled to South Africa this time. We were blessed to have the Children's Cup missionaries, the healthcare workers, the HIV testing group, and 25 student nurses help us see patients.

Day one: Tuesday, March 13

Due to some flight arrival confusions the team was split on arrival in Swaziland. However when we were all together with me being the last one to arrive, we began our work immediately. From the airport I went to the Wellness Center and lectured for three hours to the healthcare workers on advanced aspects of physical examinations. The Wellness Center has been nicely decorated, painted, and curtains have been placed. The medical files were in file cabinets, the pharmacy was well-stocked, and the exam rooms were sparkling. But the time I was done with teaching, evening was rolling around and we returned to the Mountain Inn for dinner and rest.

Day two: Wednesday, March 14

We began our day of clinics at the Mangwaneni Care Point. When we arrived, Abraham had already set up the pharmacy, the exam tables, and registration for the patients. Within 15 minutes of arriving we began to see our first patients. 25 student nurses from the local nursing school arrived to assist with basic physical examinations and vital signs. They were clearly competent and familiar with a basic level of disease interpretation. In addition, a minister of parliament arrived to see what we were doing. Local media where there and I'm sure this helps with Children's Cup's involvement in Swaziland. Unfortunately within two hours of the medical clinic I began to have right flank pain, and sparing all the details, within hours I was experiencing severe renal colic with a passing kidney stone. An evacuation by ambulance at night to a city in South Africa, a two night three-day stay in the hospital, two CT scans, 2 emergency surgeries canceled, and finally discharge when the stone passed into the bladder, was the extent of my medical emergency. During that time the team worked above and beyond their call. They saw patients, were patient, and continued to do the work that we were called to do. 220 patients were seen that day.

Day three: Thursday, March 15

While I was in the hospital, the team held its second day of clinic at the Fonteyn Care Point and saw 225 patients. The types of patients seen were no different than what we have seen in the past but a lot of older patients seem to be the norm in the clinics this time. Dave and Chrys worked the pharmacy efficiently and were able to identify some areas that needed some fine-tuning. Kelly, Libby, and Teresa saw all the patients and did a very nice job of making sure that all those who came were seen and cared for. Philip did a great job of helping patients move and Charles and Kristin worked hard in helping the team see as many patients as possible. As for Daran, he was with me the whole time that I was in the hospital. On this particular day, sleep for me was in order awaiting a decision for surgery or not.

Day four: Friday, March 16

The team left Swaziland on the way to Mozambique. A team from Minnesota had arrived for painting and construction work at the new center in Mozambique. I had my final CT scan which confirmed that no surgery was needed. Daran and I got into a car and drove from the hospital to Mozambique and meet up with the team. Upon arrival in Mozambique the two teams met and made the first visit to Nkobe, an impoverished community. Because the city of Maputo in Mozambique is overpopulated, people are being moved from out of the city into small desolate communities in the African bush. Nkobe is one of those. A new facility had been constructed serving as a church, a school, and a care point. There is a good possibility that it can serve as a medical clinic as well. The teams identified areas that needed painting and construction and prepared for the work that needed be done.

Day five: Saturday March 17

We traveled to Nkobe to begin our work. The Minnesota team worked hard in painting the building with the help of several of the medical team members. Chairs were brought, in preparation for a church service that will be held tomorrow. Isaac and Carol Williams are two of the new missionaries with Children's Cup who have unique ethnic backgrounds: Brazilian and growing up in the Amazon. They both speak Portuguese fluently and as Mozambique uses Portuguese a second language, Carol and Isaac will be at Nkobe caring for the children and Isaac will serve as pastor.

Day six: Sunday March 18

Over 225 people show up for the first church service at the new constructed building. Pastor Rob from the Minnesota team, and Pastor Isaac, preach with a local pastor to these wonderful people who came for the very first church gathering in Nkobe. We were overwhelmed with their love that enthusiasm for hearing the word. There was singing and dancing and worship. This was an experience that many of us will never have imagined. We traveled back to Swaziland silent but filled the memories of that morning.

Day seven: Monday, March 19

We left in the afternoon for the United States. We decided to hold an impromptu medical clinic and 8:30 in the morning we saw patients right up until the time we left at 11:30 for the airport. We saw 110 patients. Our travel home was uneventful and another medical trip is completed.

And it is done...

Over 550 patients were seen in 2 1/2 days. A new church was born. 69 patients were tested for HIV of which only 10 were found to be positive. I pray that this is an indication that the education and efforts of all those in AIDS prevention is working. All is well in Swaziland, with Teresa, Daran, Ben, Charles, Kristin, Carol, Isaac, the rest of the Children's Cup missionaries, and the healthcare workers, leading His charge for continued grace in a country that is isolated with children who are no longer forgotten.

Ready, set, go....

We just got back from Egypt, and some of us are leaving tomorrow for Swaziland and Mozambique. We'll be working at the Care Points in both countries and doing an assessment for a possible medical clinic in Mozambique. The team is small, but the mission is big. Be with us as we travel:
Kelly
Dave
Chrys
Libby
Philip
and me....

David