In the Land of Jason

Thanks to all of you who were praying for us during hurricane Felix. It hit the west coast of Nicaragua and Honduras and did an enormous amount of damage to the costal villages there. We were in Managua and so only had to contend with torrential rain and storms. However this did little to dappen what we went to do.

    To be honest I wasn't exactly sure what we we were going to do before going. We took a team of pediatricians, speach therapists, and educators to help out a group called Testoros del Dios or Bradley's House of Hope. They work with handicapped and children with learning disabilities. The team split into three interdiciplinary teams. One focused on education and the other two on medical issues. Most of the families were already aware to some degree about their child's diagnosis and prognosis. The first day I was there I spent it with the education team. Our goal was to back up and train the rehab staff at Bradley's house of hope. Some of the folks have had formal training while for others its been mostly OJT. Irregardless the diversity of kids they see its always helpful to get more help. It was really incredible to see how family centered these folks are with a very tiny staff and tiny budget.

      Saturday we visited an orphanage that cares for severally handicapped kids either abandoned or whose parents couldn't care for them. Sobering and beautiful at the same time. In the afternoon we did home visits. Sunday was a day of rest. We visited a team members father's church-so great to be with Christians in other countries (plus they prepared us a feast).Then went to see the Volcano. I saw magma! (sort of) Monday we saw more patients but I worked with the medical team. Tuesday we held a mini-conference for local university students (speach, PT, OT, education) on various genetic condition and modes of therapy. In the afternoon, we met several of the parents (38 people nearly half of the parents in the program) for a session about misconceptions about birth defects, why, how to improve, and how has the center blessed them. Jonathon mediated this last one it was something that I will not forget very moving. Wednesday we met again with the staff to do case studies and to review technique and answer questions. Thursday afternoon we flew out. 

     At the end we played a game called ORID. Its intention is to help you retain and discuss an experience whether it be something simple like a movie or a trip like this. O-Observe-State something neutral about the trip.(I shared how quiet I thought the city was in contrast to other Latin cities I'd visited-very few horns, no screaming, little blaring music). R-Reflect-talk about how something made you feel (Someone shared about how it made him feel to see some of the kids in the orphangage shut up away from the others for safety reasons). I-Interview?-Share your feelings about what others have said or done. D-Decision-What are you going to do differently. Really a great team building game.

     It was really incredible to see the blessing for parents when they saw people not only treating their handicapped children as human but loving them as well. The Nicaraguan people are very sincere almost reserved people but they were expressive about their gratitidue. I feel honored that I was able to go and support this team.

     Thanks to all of you who prayed for my Spanish and my safety while there. I could feel God's presence so deeply while there. As I get older my time with God becomes more precious though more troubling. It's as if there is less space for the crap that I used to allow. The excuses that I've used so regularly seem emptier as I age and see how little time there is left. Above all else I had a strong sense that I must learn to be more humble yet expectant in my personal life.

           When we went to do home visits, we visited a young boy of about 8 who had lost a considerable amount of weight and was malnutrioned. I don't recall his exact diagnosis just that he had spasticity and maybe CP rendering him completely dependent on his mother for everything. He had an infected tooth that was making eating and wallowing painful. We went partly to follow up from the inital doctors appointment a couple of days earlier and also so that the team could understand the struggles of the family. His family lived in a cinderblock house with dirt floor and a corregated metal roof that extended to form a large roof for cooking and shade. The family was extremely poor with the only furniture in sight a small table were the food had been prepraed and a rocking chair that had ben a gift from someone on a past trip. His grandparents, syblings, and cousins all shared the same house. The family was proud of the diversity of fruit trees around the house and outhouse. They also had just received a large stock of wood that they could use for charcol and cooking.

     While translating the doctor asked if they had been able to buy some pediasure or something like it to help Mauricio.The mother answered no that it was too expensive. When asked how much it was she was unable to answer just that they didn't have any money for it. Mauricio had put some weight back on just with the Tylenol that he had been given as he was able to swallow and take in more fluids. We made small talk and encouraged the mother and father with their care of Mauricio. It was evident that they were good parents. Towards the end the doctor asked if there was anything that we could do. Without missing a beat the mother looked me straight and they eye and asked me for help with the pediasure. There was neither a  haughty "you owe me" nor a begging. A simple request that she asked with humble expectation. It really took my breath away. Its the kind of way a mother asks when she knows she has no other options for her child and knows that her condition is plain. She knew we could do this for her.

       How deeply I wish that to be my attitude toward God. A simple humble expectation.

      Another member of our team was a couple Jonathon and Heidi, both pediatricians at Children's hospital. (he's a hospitalist I think and she works with developmental challenged kids). Both had servants hearts. Its a joy to a see a couple like that. One thing in particular stood out for me. On Wednesday Jonathon led the discussion with the parents. I won't recount it here but he was an excellent moderater. I didn't translate b/c it seemed intrusive so later that evening he recounted much of what they had discussed. Our English speaking people had been moved even before they understood had been said by just watching the parents nonverbals. One of the members of the team complimented him on his obvious skill and tenderness. Jonathon quietly demured that God had guided him and explained that he had prepared with prayer during lunchtime. Another was insistent saying to effect, "yes but it was because of who you are that made such a difference" (very poorly quoted). His answer was then "Then it was God that made me this way for that purpose." Complete silence. Sincere humbleness.

       While there we stayed a Christian hostel our cook's name was Cristina, a women with an amazing smile and extraordinary cooking ability. She really was comfort while we were there even though she didn't speak any English. She overflowed with a quiet joy. There is a visitor's guest book and on the last day I sat down to write in it. I wrote a thank you to the owners and shared some thoughts on Cristina. Susan saw what I had written and suggested that I share it with Cristina since she couldn't read English. The hostel had been open for a year and I had read from the numerous guest how much they had really appreciated her thoughtfullness. I decided instead to offer to translate the fromer occupants' comments. Cristina was so deeply moved by the compliments and love people had expressed. By the end we were both speachless. She was so grateful. I felt so honored to be able to share in her praise. In two years she never had fully understood what she had meant to all these people who had stopped through. Never fully grasped how people appreciated her work. At no point did she tell me to stop or become ashamed of what I was reading. Just smiles and tears. Humble expectation.

     I am so greatful for having been able to have gone. I pray that God will continue to bless the mission and the people of Nicaragua.                            JP

http://www.tesorosdedios.org/